Why subscribe to The Bricklayer’s Daughter?
I’ve long been active on social media, and I’m often on Facebook and Instagram to share information about my literary life and to stay connected with friends and family. But not everyone is on these platforms, and increasingly they are full of so much junk that people are tuning out. Substack provides a great way to maintain direct contact with folks interested in writing, books, and literary citizenship. It’s free to subscribe, and every new post goes directly to your inbox. You can always access past posts—and join the conversation on the Substack website or app. And you can unsubscribe at any time without hurting my feelings. Thanks for your interest and support. I’ll look forward to staying in touch!
Why I write
I write because I believe a good story, well told, can improve the human condition. I am drawn to characters who’ve been kept in the shadows and deserve their due, especially women.
Who I am
A recovering corporate executive and communications strategist, I’ve embraced an encore career as a writer and literary citizen. My debut novel, The Italian Prisoner, was inspired by a little-known chapter of World War II history involving Italian prisoners of war held on the US home front, in New Orleans. It’s the story of Rose Marino, the daughter of Sicilian immigrants, who struggles to chart her own course at an inflection point in American history. The book was a finalist in the Faulkner-Wisdom Creative Writing Competition.
I’m hard at work on novel #2, a “spin-off” from the first book, featuring a WW2 Army Nurse as the main character. I love sharing what I know about marketing and communications with fellow writers working on their own book publicity strategies.
As a very late-blooming novelist, I was especially grateful to be welcomed into the community of writers since my book was published in 2022. I’ve been a featured author at the Tennessee Williams & New Orleans Literary Festival, the Louisiana Book Festival, the Salem (MA) LitFest, and Islanders Write on Martha’s Vineyard. I am a co-founder of the Washashores Writers Collective and serve on the New Orleans Writers Workshop board.
The granddaughter of Irish and Italian immigrants, I’ve been a writer and book nerd all my life. My first paid job was in the children’s room of my town’s public library. I’ve worked in journalism, local government, politics, on non-profit boards, and as a global business executive and corporate director.
I was born in Lynn, Massachusetts, and spent my formative years in and around Boston (Go Red Sox) for many years before moving south in 2002. Now I live with my Man, Jon Kardon, in two unique and magical places: New Orleans and Martha’s Vineyard.
