During my fall tour, an interesting new development began to occur in the audience participation.  There was a definite interest in the area of missing and exploited children.  The unexpected interest in this part of the story has encouraged me to include more and more of this aspect of the story during the winter phase of my tour.

 Starting in January I will be giving presentations in West Orange New Jersey, Stockbridge, Massachusetts, then back to the Boston, Massachusetts area in the town of Malden.  Then in March I will be in Williamstown, Massachusetts in the Williams College area.  Then a short trip back to Montville New Jersey.  In April I find myself outside of Philadelphia in Malvern, Pennsylvania and the following day in Scranton, Pennsylvania.

 It will be interesting to see if the interest I now see in the topic of missing and exploited children continues into the early spring presentations.

Fall book tour

The author was quite busy during the fall of 2010, touring the eastern part of the United States.  Beginning in September, Pete appeared in his home town of Newington, Connecticut. He then moved on to Cleveland, Ohio, Pennsylvania and New Jersey, finishing the month in Newport, R.I.  After the Newport presentation of his novel, Shirley Ripa, an officer of the Newport, R.I. Sons of Italy Lodge asked Peter to mail her copies of his novel for display and sale at the Newport Italian Festival to be held on October 9^th.  Pete was both grateful for Shirley’s kindness, and impressed with her enthusiasm for his work.

In early October Pete was booked into Albany New York for a presentation on The Secret Sin of Opi at the Mid Hudson Italian Festival.  Pete received a pleasant but unexpected surprise when he met old friends, Pierre Francois and his wife Jacquelin.  Pierre, former director of The Foreign Language Department at New Paltz University now offers the internet language study program, “The Best Home Tutor,” which he produced and distributes to organizations, groups, corporations and individuals.

Pete then traveled to Southern New Jersey and into the Philadelphia suburbs for a series of presentations to groups, businesses and cultural organizations.  Toward the end of October the author made appearances in Carmel and Yonkers, New York.

The highlight of the fall book tour was when Pete was asked to make a presentation before the Leonardo Italian Cultural Club of West Palm Beach Florida.  At the conclusion of Pete’s presentation, the program director of the cultural club activated a Skype hook-up between Pete and an Italian Fiction/Fantasy writer.  The two writers had an interesting discussion as the program director Lori Samarin acted as interpreter between the writers and also for questions from the audience. 

Following the Skype hook-up, Lori Samarin had planned a conference call between Pete and Dr. Thomas Dwyer, author of Promises to Keep, a novel that takes place in Italy during World War II.  Dr. Dwyer and Pete has a wonderful time interacting with each other and responding to comments from the audience

screen play being written for The Secret Sin of Opi

My big news for the fall is that my novel, The Secret Sin of Opi is going to be turned into screen play.  The screen writer is Mr. Allan Katz, who has a wealth of experience.  Mr. Katz and I have spent a good deal of time in August and September, on the phone and Skype discussing the approach to be taken to turn a novel into a screen play.  I am pleased to say that last week I approved the outline that Mr. Katz will use in developing the screen play.

Once the screen play is finished and approved, a process that may take three to four months, Mr. Katz’s manager will then proceed to present the screen play to both the American and Italian film industry.

One note of caution, I must continue to remind myself that writing a screen play and selling a screen play are two separate procedures.  My publisher and Mr. Katz continue to remind me how delicate the selling process is to the film industry.  So many wonderful stories never get to the screen because of the many entities that must come together for a screen play to be sold.

I am honored that a screen play based on my novel will be developed, but I must also be realistic, continuing to remind myself that it may never get sold.

Radio Interview, October 1, 2010 @ 8:A.M.

The author has been interviewed on various radio programs about his novel The Secret Sin of Opi eighteen times since May, 2010.  The interview times lasted from three minutes to forty two minutes.

 On Monday October 1, 2010 at 8A.M. Peter will be appearing on Voice of America, Health and Wellness Network.  Peter will be interviewed by Dr. Mike Kell on his show, “Mind Brain and Body.”

 The interview will consist of a discussion of Peter’s novel, The Secret Sin of Opi, The Stockholm Syndrome, Predators and how they use Social Networking sites to lure their victims.

If you miss the live show, episodes are available on Demand and Podcast Ready.

Listeners who may have questions or comments may call 1 866-472-5792.

 Listeners may hear the show live by going tohttp://www.voiceamerica.com

Fall Book Tour Begins

After a full month (August) off, my publisher has put me back on the book tour.  I was in Providence, R.I. on September 9^th, at Rosario’s.  The audience, mostly Italian were very responsive, and had many questions about my novel.  Special thanks to my host Anthony Pillozzi.

 On September, 11^th I was the lead-off speaker in Lorain, Ohio, a suburb of Cleveland, during their annual Festa.

 The week of September 13^th I will be visiting Pennsylvania, New York and New Jersey.  I’ll let you know how the week went around September 20^th.

Spring book tour

I am thrilled with the reception I have been receiving on my spring book tour.  The tour has been both draining and wonderful.   Draining in terms of travel and wonderful in the interesting, pleasant people I have been meeting.

As an example, the trip to Chicago, where my luggage was lost was a real challenge.  Here I was giving a presentation in wrinkled, well used casual wear.  The audience was understanding and very receptive, probably because they too have experienced the frustration of lost luggage.

Beginning in March, 2010, the release date of my book, I have appeared in Boston and Burlington, MA, Miami, and JACKSONVILLE, Fl, Manhasset and New York, NY Oakville, Bridgeport/Fairfield, Enfield, Rocky Hill, Newington, CT, Montclair and Jersey City, NJ, Rochester, NH, Berwick, PA, and Baltimore, MD.  My publisher gave me the month of August off.

For September and October I am booked into Cleveland, Oh, Hanover, PA, Blackwood, Collinswood and Northfield, NJ.  Rosalinda, Ma, Farmington, CT, Hudson/Albany, NY.  I am waiting for a confirmation from Fort Lauderdale and Palm Beach County, Fl, and West Haven, Ct.

I am very pleased with the response I am receiving regarding my story, and hope that “word of mouth” will continue to build sales.

This is a review from a reader of The Secret Sin of Opi.  Her name is Sharon Bury, and she gave me permission to post this on my blog.

“Do you know that I think about your story often, even when just walking.  Your story has made such an impression on me and I still feel the sadness of the boys. ”

“You sure are good at captivating the reader.”

“I can hardly wait for your next novel.”

First literary award for the Secret Sin of Opi

Italian American Magazine, the nation’s most widely read magazine for people of Italian Heritage, has awarded my novel its top literary prize. Italian American magazine has named The Secret Sin of Opi as its “Winter Read Book for 2010.”  The award was announced in the February issue of Italian American Magazine.

Franciscan Sisters Living Quarters

"THE OLD CONVENT SHARED WITH A BARROOM UNTIL 1928"

In the Epilogue of my novel The Secret Sin of Opi, the narrator talks about Daniel’s elementary school experience.  On page 279 the narrator mentions Daniel’s teachers.

 “Attending school with the nuns had not been a pleasant experience for Daniel, but he often felt sorry for his teachers.  They wore what looked to be the most uncomfortable garment that could be designed and they lived over a hall where a fife and drum corps practiced in the evening.  Considering the religious garment they were required to wear and their living arrangements, one should not have been surprised at their lack of patience.”

 In my research for this novel I located the picture above, of the convent where the Franciscan Sisters lived.  They lived on the second floor, entering their living quarters through the center door in this picture, not the double doors in the rounded part of the front of the building, on the first floor.  These double doors led to the first floor activity area, used each night of the week. 

 Note the inscription under the picture and the use of the first floor until 1928.

Nono Leopoldo on his wagon

Pete with ice block ready for delivery

The top picture, or first picture, is of Grandfather (nonno) Leopoldo sitting high in the front seat, holding the reins of the Cimini and Sons Ice wagon.  This picture, taken some time between l910 and 1915, shows of one the wagons used to deliver ice.

The ice was picked up by retail ice businesses on the Bronx side of the Hudson River.  At  that time blocks of ice were cut out of the frozen Hudson River, with large tooth saws by wholesalers.  The huge blocks of ice were then attached to a clamp device, and a motor driven chain would move the ice up the steep, rocky grade at the water’s edge. 

The ice would be stored in caves along the Hudson River’s rocky shore line, waiting for the retail ice delivery men to pick up their morning ice load.   Unbelievably, these huge blocks of ice, when insulated with bales of hay, would last throughout the summer and fall.  

Some time in the 1920’s, when the technology of refrigeration was invented, but not yet available to homes due to the exorbitant price, the ice was made in large “ice factories.”  One of those was in the Hunt’s Point  section of the Bronx

One of the first memories of my childhood was accompanying my father to  Hunts Point  on a Saturday morning so he could place his ice order for the week.  The huge open space building had metal floors that were actually the top hinged section of deep square metal refrigeration units, built deep under the metal floor.  These  units were filled with water and  after a period of time would become  huge blocks of ice.  The ceiling of the ice factory had a crane on intricate tracks that would be mechanically moved over one of the square metal refrigeration units.  The metal hinged floor plate of a refrigeration unit was manually opened and the crane lifted the large block of ice out of the metal box deep underground.  The block of ice was then carried by the crane, as it swayed back and forth until it was place on a wooden loading area.  There men with ice picks and ice thongs would divide the large block of ice into smaller units so it could be loaded on the wagons of retail ice delivery men,   Smaller blocks of ice  would then be sold and  placed in individual home ice boxes..