Thursday, April 30, 2015

5 Questions for "The Inheritance" Author, Marianne Perry

"Marianne Perry weaves a very vivid tale that might well have happened hundreds of times over the centuries."
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The Inheritance
The Inheritance tells the story of a family disintegrating from conflicting loyalties in Calabria, southern Italy. Set during the period 1897 to 1913, the region was subject to earthquakes and tsunamis; the land was harsh and poverty the norm. Superstition clashed with religion and a class system ruled the people. Calabria is the perfect backdrop for the tragedy that unfolds in The Inheritance.

Caterina is an atypical woman, and The Inheritance chronicles her life from birth to young womanhood. Born with an inheritance of loss into a society that has predetermined what she can and cannot do, she vows to live a life of her choosing. Caterina refuses to allow the limits of her gender, the constraints of her class and the demands imposed by those in power to stand in her way. Caterina remains steadfast in her commitment to become the woman she imagines. Her decisions ignite conflicts and fuel a chain of events that result in dire consequences for all whose path she crosses.


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Publication Date: November 28, 2012
Formats: eBook, Paperback, Hard Cover
Pages: 280
Genre: Historical Fiction/Romance

Praise for The Inheritance
“Like a classic star-crossed love story, the novel is written with lush detail enriched with both likable and loathsome characters. In particular, Perry builds strong and decisive female characters. Although the key action doesn’t occur until the final chapters, Perry’s exquisite descriptions will transport readers back to the time and place of Lorenzo and Caterina’s romance-the brilliant colors in villa gardens, the smells and tastes of decadent food, and the menacing sounds of the ocean during an earthquake. After the engrossing storylines come to an abrupt end, a cliff-hanger will leave readers anxious for a sequel to continue Lorenzo and Caterina’s tragic story. Solid characters and vivid imagery capture the mood, traditions and uncertainty of the time.” – Kirkus Reviews, December 7, 2012

“The premise for The Inheritance was inspired by the author’s genealogical research in Calabria, Italy. Marianne Perry’s research trip to Cosenza province is obvious in her vivid descriptions of the setting of “The Inheritance”. The landscape, colours, culture, native food, plants and flowers, and even the weather are all vibrantly described……Perry deftly weaves secrets and betrayals throughout the entire book, not only among the two families but the supporting characters, as well….Marianne Perry weaves a very vivid tale that might well have happened hundreds of times over the centuries. “The Inheritance” will definitely make you think about how our ancestors came to be aboard a transatlantic vessel for a perilous three week voyage to being a new life.” – Amanda Morehouse, The Ontario-Canada Genealogical Society, August 2014

Get Your Copy!
Canada
Indigo.ca (Kobo Edition (eBook), Hardcover, and Paperback)
Amazon.ca (Kindle, Hardcover, Paperback)
US
Amazon (Kindle, Hardcover, Paperback)  
Barnes & Noble (Nook, Hardcover, Paperback)


5 Questions for Marianne Perry
What are five things people may not know about you?
1. I have explored every continent in our world.
2. I was 51 the first time I backpacked in Europe.
3. My Nana (Grandmother) Caterina emigrated from southern Italy in 1913 eventually settling in Canada and I am the first of her bloodline to visit the mountain village where she was born.
4. I have a black Libra-horoscope tattoo on my left leg above the ankle.
5. My beloved pet, a Golden Retriever named Ranger, died forty years ago and I still have his dog tag in my jewellery box.

Why did you write The Inheritance?
Family mysteries intrigue me and I wanted to understand why my Nana (Grandmother) Caterina left Calabria, southern Italy as a young woman in 1913 and never returned. We had a large family yet no one knew much about her early life so I started genealogical research. I investigated family history, traveled to Calabria and went to the mountain village where she was born. I solved the mystery and though The Inheritance is historical fiction/romance, my discoveries inspired the story.

What is your favourite non-writing pastime?
Taking photographs! I snap tons during my travels plus keep a camera/smartphone with me to capture unexpected magical moments. I blog about genealogy, travel and writing on my website and I post photos from around the world reflecting the entries. I took the picture of the crumbling stone cottage on the cover of The Inheritance when I was exploring Calabria, southern Italy studying family history and researching this book.

I love this photograph of the Cheetah with her two-month cub and snapped it when my husband and I were on safari in Masai Mara, Kenya, East Africa. 


Where do you write?
I have a den dedicated to writing and genealogical research with windows fronting Lake Superior. I believe in positive energy and am selective as to whom I allow to enter the room. I’ve also handpicked every item in it and the space honours cherished family photographs, treasured mementos, travel memorabilia and favourite books.

This photograph is of me and a Maasai artist was taken in Tanzania, east Africa when my husband and I were on safari. She made the beaded necklace I am holding and I’ve displayed it on the wall beside my desk in my den. 

The Author
Family, genealogical research and travel are Marianne Perry’s priorities. A second-generation Canadian-Italian, she authored The Inheritance, a historical fiction/romance set in Calabria, southern Italy from 1897 to 1913 inspired by her grandmother’s early life. Marianne holds a Master of Education Degree from The University of Western Ontario (Canada) and was a member of the Board of Trustees, the Canadian National Arts Centre Corporation. The mother of two grown children, she and her husband have travelled to every continent in the world. They live on Lake Superior in Northern Ontario, Canada and have a trip to Iceland planned. Marianne continues to research family history and write genealogical articles for North American publications. She is also working on another novel.
 
Marianne blogs about genealogy, travel, family and writing on her website. You can also find her on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Goodreads.

2 comments:

  1. Welcome to Books & Benches, Marianne! I love your photos from your time in Africa; I've always wanted to go. I enjoy genealogical research as well, though don't get to it often enough. I like that you used your own family's history to inspire the story and events.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thanks for featuring The Inheritance on Books & Benches. Your support is much appreciated and I'm thrilled you liked my photos. I set my stories in places I've explored so there might be a novel in Africa sometime in the future. Blessings always and thank you again.

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