Historical Fiction
Date Published: 2/19/2013
Confession is good for the soul even after the soul has been claimed...
The story begins in Italy, 1900. After years of torment and neglect, Victoria and her four small children immigrate to Hell's Kitchen, New York, to escape her alcoholic, abusive husband. On the day they leave, he tragically dies, but she does not learn of his death for several years—a secret that puts many lives on hold.
Quickly, they realize America's streets are not paved with gold, and the limits of human faith and stamina are tested time and time again. Poverty, illness, death, kidnapping, and the reign of organized crime are just some of the crosses they bear.
Victoria's eldest son, Vincenzo, is the sole surviving member of the family and shares a gut-wrenching account of their lives with his daughter during a visit to Ellis Island on his ninetieth birthday. He explains how the lives of he and his siblings have been secretly intertwined with an infamous Irish mob boss and ends his unsettling disclosure with a monumental request that leaves Clare speechless.
Forty Years in a Day is layered with the struggles and successes of each family member and defines the character of an era. Follow the Montanaro family through several decades, and stand in the shoes of a past generation.
The story begins in Italy, 1900. After years of torment and neglect, Victoria and her four small children immigrate to Hell's Kitchen, New York, to escape her alcoholic, abusive husband. On the day they leave, he tragically dies, but she does not learn of his death for several years—a secret that puts many lives on hold.
Quickly, they realize America's streets are not paved with gold, and the limits of human faith and stamina are tested time and time again. Poverty, illness, death, kidnapping, and the reign of organized crime are just some of the crosses they bear.
Victoria's eldest son, Vincenzo, is the sole surviving member of the family and shares a gut-wrenching account of their lives with his daughter during a visit to Ellis Island on his ninetieth birthday. He explains how the lives of he and his siblings have been secretly intertwined with an infamous Irish mob boss and ends his unsettling disclosure with a monumental request that leaves Clare speechless.
Forty Years in a Day is layered with the struggles and successes of each family member and defines the character of an era. Follow the Montanaro family through several decades, and stand in the shoes of a past generation.
#1 – Do You See Writing as a Career?
I hope to continue to build my career as a writer, but that is up to our readers.
#2 – What was the Hardest Part of Your Writing Process?
Patience and validating the time and commitment it takes to go through the process.
#3 – Did you have any One Person Who Helped You Out with Your Writing Outside of Your Immediate Family?
I coauthored the book with my cousin Dianne Vigorito. She gave me the support I needed to pursue the project. I was lucky to find someone to work with, and she had an immediate interest in the idea. I also had several close friends that read the manuscript at different stages and gave us constructive feedback along the way.
#4 – What is next for your writing?
There are six cousins at the end of our story. The idea is to take that next generation into the next forty years.
#5 – Do you have an addiction to reading as well as writing? If so, what are you currently reading?
Reading and writing go hand in hand. I just finished Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter and a friend just gave me Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn. Reading all types of books, you take away, along with the story, a little of each author’s craft.
DESCRIBE Your Book in 1 Tweet:
Capturing the history of the era and the essence of a family, Forty Years in a Day portrays how the choices one person makes filters down through generations.
This or That?
#1 - iPd or Mp3?
Mp3
#2 – Chocolate or Vanilla?
Chocolate
#3 – Mashed Potatoes or French Fries?
French fries for lunch, mashed potatoes for dinner.
#4 – Comedy or Drama?
Comedy
#5 – Danielle Steel or Nicholas Sparks?
Nicholas Sparks
#6 – Fantasy or Reality?
Fantasy
#7 – Call or Text?
A combination of both.
#8 – Public School or Home School?
Public School
#9 – Coffee or Hot Chocolate
Coffee
#10 – eBook or Paperback?
eBook
Mona Rodriguez and Dianne Vigorito are cousins. Throughout their lives, they had heard many stories from family members that were fascinating, sometimes even unbelievable, and decided to piece together the puzzle of tales. Through research and interviews, their goal was to create a fictional story that follows a family through several decades, providing the reader an opportunity to stand in the shoes of a past generation and walk in search of their hopes and dreams. What they realize in the process is that human emotions have been the same throughout generations - the difference is how people are molded and maneuvered by the times and their situations. Mona and Dianne live with their husbands in New Jersey and they each have two grown sons. This is their first novel together.
Twitter: @monarodriguez22
Trailer: http://youtu.be/AfJ5p4qCzmM
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