Tag: books

Disco Fries and Scenic Drives!

by midgeguerrera, posted in Finding My Family - Genealogy, Travel Comments 
What? Has she gone mad? Disco Fries in Italy? Where? When?
A MYSTERIOUS BOX ARRIVED IN EWING, NJ

What: A book – a box of books with my name in the table of contents. Where: Disco Fries can be found in Italy or England or Flagtown, NJ or Wherever Books are Sold. When: the anthology of New Jersey based stories, essays, comics, poetry and photographs was launched on October 21st.

I know, I know this blog is all about my escapades in Italy. What do “escapades in Italy” have to do with a book all about New Jersey, USA called Disco Fries & Scenic Drives: Life in the Garden State?

A lot! Those of you who followed our crossing the Atlantic to get to Italy this year know I used the Queen Mary 2 as my personal writer’s retreat. Since I had been comparing our transatlantic adventure with my families journey to America in steerage, the muses compelled me to write about my Aunt Catherine’s journey from Italy to becoming a female postmaster. You know where this is going don’t you? When I got to Italy, I tweaked my tale and sent Postmarked Flagtown NJ 08821 off to independent publisher, Read Furiously.

On August 1, 2025 I got an email from Sam and Adam, the brilliant creative team behind Read Furiously. As I read the email, shrieks bellowed across the Sannio Hills and my neighbors ran over to see what happened.

What happened, I gulped between shouts, What happened? My story about my Aunt Cat was accepted by Read Furiously and would be included in the last book ” of the Life in the Garden State trilogy” about ” the wonderful and interesting moments that make up the New Jersey mythos.”

Then, I told Jack to put his shoes on and off we raced to celebrate in a very unique Italian way – sipping a basil martini at Morcone’s Riohana. A really cool bar with views of the mountain.

Do we look drunk? I think I got drunk – drunk with joy!

As an author, I join twenty-one other contributors to the anthology. Many of the other authors I recognized as folks whose books I’ve read and who also have had works previously published by Read Furiously. We all created tales about different aspects, places and people that make the Garden State a rollicking place to visit and live in.

It is the perfect gift for anyone who lives in New Jersey, is from New Jersey or is an armchair traveler who enjoys experiencing other places while sipping an adult beverage. Each work is a gem unto itself. Being a Jersey Girl, I appreciated each creator’s take on a specific location and point in time. Since the book is a series of shorter works, it is a great book to pop in a purse or briefcase – does any one still have a briefcase – to pick up while waiting for that car, doctor, or meeting.

Jersey maps are embedded in the book as a reference point and the title page for each story. Flagtown was my home town. Seeing that point on the map made my participation in this collection even more special. (Gulp, when I saw the map, I actually got a bit teary eyed and felt my heart chakra blossom.)

Sam and Adam, I hope it was OK for me to snap a photo of this page. Sorry.

Pick up a copy of Disco Fries & Scenic Drives: Life in the Garden State. It is available wherever books are sold – Barnes and Noble, Amazon and of course directly from the publisher Read Furiously! If you purchase a copy from the link to Read Furiously, I got super brownie points from the company. One never knows when they could come in handy.

Speaking of blatant promotion, while you are on the Read Furiously website or visiting your favorite book vender, why not pick up a copy or three of Cars, Castles, Cows and Chaos. My fun filled travel memoir of life in Southern Italy. A cool stocking stuffer for any arm chair traveller.

Have a great week, wherever you are! Happy reading.

Ci Vediamo

Midge

Writers’ Refuge in the Sannio Hills

by midgeguerrera, posted in Nonna's Trips & Events

I can’t believe our first playwright’s retreat has just ended and I am about to blab on about 2025. How could I not?! The playwrights who just left after their ten day writing adventure were effusive in their praise. (When I get their video done, I will write about their catalysts for creativity – like my falling in a deep hole during their ruzzolo, cheese rolling game.) Back to 2025!

Literally Italy (that’s my new moniker) and Scott Editorial put their heads together and came up with a writer’s retreat with a few twists.  2025 Writers’ Refuge in the Sannio Hills takes its name from the rifugi, mountain huts that provided a haven for shepherds.  Dear writers, imagine a nurturing sanctuary that provides the time and place to work on your creative projects. In addition to time for your own daily writing, workshops, group feedback, and one-on-one critique sessions will support your work. The best part is, you are able to write in a villa, in a bar, outdoors and wherever your muse takes you. The June 21 to June 28 retreat is only open to eight writers.

The “Write Where Your Are” 2024 Playwrights enjoyed writing through out two villages.

Participants in the 2025 Writers’ Refuge in Sannio Hills will share large, double rooms with ensuite bathrooms in La Locanda della Presuntuosa, a unique villa built into a mountain on acres of land. The villa includes a swimming pool, tennis court, washing machine, and park like grounds that are minutes from Pontelandolfo and Morcone village life. Savory meals are cooked by an Italian chef using local produce.  Our chef spoiled the playwrights with homemade pasta, interesting sides and succulent roasted meats. The Tiramisu was incredible! Nothing came in a box or wrapped in plastic. This is Southern Italian farm to table home cooking. She will spoil those who come to the Refuge too.

The Italian landscape and village life are inspirational.  For additional character studies, shuttles will bring you and your computer to Pontelandolfo’s Piazza Roma caffès or the bars a bit further out of town. Imagine sitting in a sunny piazza, sipping Prosecco and finishing that novel, short story or memoir. Or imagine wending your way up the hill to Morcone’s historic center and sharing work in this cool bar.

Amy Scott, the founder of Scott Editorial, will lead the writers’ retreat. Amy is a PhD candidate with a Master’s in Creative & Critical Writing and a BA in English Literature. With 20 years’ experience editing fiction and non-fiction, she has gained extensive knowledge of both the self-publishing and traditional sectors of the industry. For the last four years, she has been running writers’ retreats in Italy and the UK and is a guest lecturer on undergraduate and postgraduate courses, teaching the importance of editing. This year, Scott Editorial has joined forces with the University of Gloucestershire, where, along with a selection of creative writing professors, Amy is delivering workshops to help new authors develop their craft.

Literally Italy is the American company founded by Midge Guerrera – that’s me.  You all know that I’m a published author of numerous books and plays. The retreat gives me time to work on that next epic. Our team knows how to produce a retreat. Remember along with Rossella and Annarita Mancini, I’m the founder of the award-winning program, Cooking in the Kitchens of Pontelandolfo.  That local team will be the on-site organizers for the retreat.

Here is what you get for one fee:

  • Round Trip Transportation from the Benevento Train Station.
  • 7 nights in shared, large double rooms with unique, architecturally-appointed ensuite bathrooms in La Locanda della Presuntuosa. Enjoy the swimming pool, tennis court and trails. (There is also an optional 3-bedroom, 2-bathroom village apartment for 2 to 3 participants in the historic village center.)
  • All meals cooked by an Italian chef. Vegetarians can be accommodated.
  • Four morning workshop sessions, including “Location as a Character” that will be held at the Altilia Saepinum Archeological site.
  • Daily group critique sessions
  • 1-to-1 personal critique sessions – on your schedule.
  • Welcoming “Bar Crawl” –  Drinks and local snacks included. Discover off-site places to write while absorbing local Italian culture. Transportation to bars provided daily.

We are organizing cultural add ons too. I can tell the interested writers all about those. For now, shoot me an email at info@nonnasmulberrytree.com for more information. Remember this is limited to only EIGHT WRITERS.

Ci Vediamo.

Midge

Is it Mountain Air or Genetic?

by midgeguerrera, posted in Any Day in Pontelandolfo

I know, I know you have heard it before but it is true -seriously – it is true. Something here in Pontelandolfo activates creative woo woo and the arts – especially literary arts burst forth with abandon. Yes, of course I have another case in point – Carlo Perugini.

I first met Carlo at a Club di Libro di Pontelandolfo meeting. The book club members were part of the villages intelligenza. For me, reading the books and listening to the discussion was like an Italian language seminar. Carlo was not only an articulate participant but he also threw great parties – literary themed of course.

Discovering that Carlo was an author, I ordered one of his books. Scarpittopoli: Pontelandolfo: persone, personaggi e storie del tempo che fu a collection of short stories/fables located in my favorite village.

What fun, laugh out loud fun, at the antics of long ago villagers. Those of you who follow me, know that I’ve been studying Italian for a pazillion years. Carlo’s book was the perfect companion to those studies. The stories were interesting, pulled me in and written in such a way that even I could enjoy every – well almost – every word. After that, I was hooked on the canon of Carlo Perugini. HEY Italian teachers – consider his books!

Carlo’s love for Pontelandolfo’s past is evident in his first book, “AUGUST 1861 MEMORIES OF THOSE DAYS.” You have heard me prattle on before about the rape, pillage and burning of our village by the Italian army. Genocide is not fun.

Carlo’s work personalizes that horrific event. During those dark days, someone kept a graphic diary and hid it in the ceiling . A contractor pal renovating that ancient house found the diary and gave it to Carlo. The book first published in 1989 was a resounding success. It is in its third edition today and liberally quoted, mentioned and listed in the bibliographies of other books about the conquering of Southern Italy.

Nessun altro si salverà!: L’affondamento del cacciatorpediere Scirocco nel ricordo del Sergente Nocchiere Michele Perugini – a long title but a gripping memoiresque book. (“No One Else will be Saved.”) It is the tale of Carlo’s father, Michele, who joined the Italian Navy during World War II and was the only survivor of a horrific loss of a ship. The opening chapters – so reminiscent of the stories my nonna told – were so gripping I poured two fingers of scotch and settled down to finish the book in a marathon sitting.

La Ruzzola del Formaggio e altri Racconti is another collection of short stories. I am a sucker for these tales and giggled out loud while reading some of them. The title story reveals the passion Pontelandolfese have for “rolling the cheese.” Everyone who comes to Pontelandolfo and has a chance to see this sport can’t believe that enormous wheels of cheese – big enough to break your leg if it hits you – are careening down our streets amid cheers and curses. Our last group of Cooking in the Kitchens of Pontelandolfo participants had a fun filled afternoon rolling the cheese with our local Ruzzola champion.

His list of published works goes on but Carlo Perugini is more than a collection of books. He is also an environmentalist/activist member of Italia Nostra. He is committed to environmental protection. I’ve written about how the Sannio Hills are being inundated with wind turbines while windless Tuscany has none. Carlo is part of the group leading the charge to protect the hills around Pontelandolfo.

He is also a director of the World Wildlife Fund Oasi Di Campolatara and can been seen with school children explaining the pollination process and need for bees. I asked if he kept bees. Of course he does! He is a beekeeper and makes honey. In the spirit of transparency I must tell you he gave me a jar. It was scrumptious.

Besides bees, at Carlos home one can find miniature goats. He actually raises miniature goats. I haven’t asked if he makes goat cheese – that would be too pushy. Though I do love fresh goat cheese.

He has been lobbying for the inclusion of Pontelandolfo and Morcone in the Parco Nazionale del Matese. That inclusion would provide a plethora of benefits for our community. .

Protecting the environment requires understanding the media and how to make a voice heard. Carlo is also a contributor to the newspaper, La Cittadella. The articles are often reprinted and posted.

This incredible author, activist and genuinely nice guy spent his working years as a nuclear engineer. He worked all over the world. India, China, South Korea are just a few of the stops. Clocks in his office have times set for Roma and Seoul. (No he doesn’t glow from nuclear waste only from environmental passion and creativity.)

According to Carl, ” I have been an engineer for all my life and I had the opportunity, for work, to travel all over the world. I have always regarded this as a fantastic experience. Living away from the house where I was born for long periods, I suffered from nostalgia for my small native village in the Matese mountains. So I started writing stories of my village to feel closer to my people.”

We are so glad he did. Carlo Perugini is an incredible example of how the mountain air or our Pontelandolfese DNA has developed an avalanche of artistic citizens.

Ci Vediamo

Midge Guerrera

You too can breathe in our mountain air! Our team is setting up writing and cooking programs now for 2025. Email me at info@nonnasmulberrytree.com for exciting information.