SHORT LIST FINALIST IN THE WILLIAM FAULKNER-WILLIAM WISDOM WRITING COMPETITION.
A Song for Bellafortuna is an inspirational Italian Historical
Fiction novel concerning a young man’s desire to free his Sicilian
village from the domination of one family’s long reign. For years, the
beautiful, yet secluded, hilltop village of Bellafortuna, Sicily, was a
great producer of wine and olive oil. The entire village prospered.
However, after the arrival of the Vasaio family, production dwindles and
the villagers soon find themselves in crushing debt to the Vasaios.
Only one family in the village remains outside the control of the
Vasaios, but the reason haunts Antonio Sanguinetti every day of his
life. Antonio is determined to erase this legacy by offering financial
and emotional support to his fellow villagers. He introduces them to the
choral song from Verdi’s opera, Nabucco, which becomes the rallying cry
for the villagers and offers them hope for a better life.
When Antonio’s only son, Giuseppe, discovers his family’s past, he
becomes determined to take on the Vasaios and remove them from power.
Led by the young Giuseppe, a plan is hatched that could result in either
complete freedom for the villagers, or if it fails, forever solidifying
the Vasaios’ control.
Find out what happens in A Song for Bellafortuna, a sweeping epic
historical fiction tale of love, drama, sacrifice, and redemption, set
among the beautiful landscape of Sicily. Already listed by Amazon as a
Top New Release in Historical Fiction and Italian Historical Fiction.
Publication Date: May 14, 2015
Publisher: Cefalutana Press
Formats: Ebook, Paperback, AudioBook
Pages: 284
Available at Amazon.
Praise for A Song for Bellafortuna
“Vincent B. LoCoco writes a heartwarming piece of historical fiction .
. . He captured the essence of the Sicilian culture, especially
regarding the value of ancestry and music . . . A Song For Bellafortuna
is a beautiful tale of antiquity.” – Readers Favorite 5 Star Review
“The book was a joy to read. It is a wonderful story, told in a
magical way.” -Cavaliere Ufficiale Aldo Mancusi, President of the Enrico
Caruso Museum of America in New York
“An inspiring story of an Italian village threatened by commerce and
saved by opera.” -John Biguenet, author of The Torturer’s Apprentice and
Oyster
5 Questions
for Vincent LocCoco
Do you have to be alone or have
quiet to write?
My favorite two spots to write
are outside in the patio, alone, and a coffee shop, but with headphones on
listening to Pavarotti or some other opera singer.
Which writer has most inspired
you?
That is a very easy question
for me to answer. I first read J.R. R. Tolkien when I was twelve years old. I
was hooked. The way he created an entire world with a full history dating back
over many generations blew me away. When you really delve into his writings,
you quickly realize that Lord of the Rings and The Hobbitt are
both very small blips in the entire history of the three ages of Middle Earth.
What appeals to you most about
your chosen genre?
I was a history major in school. Thus, I
love writing historical fiction. Yet, I even go a step further. My family hails
from Italy. Thus, I am an Italian historical fiction writer. The thing that
appeals to me the most the ability to hopefully put the reader in the time and
locale I am depicting in the story. After all, that is the purpose of
historical fiction.
Which famous person, living or dead would
you like to meet and why?
Enrico Caruso was the greatest opera tenor
who has ever lived. He died in 1921. People who heard his voice say the sound
that came forth from his throat was glorious. My grandfather heard him sing in
New Orleans in 1920. Goosebumps was what he received and remembered when he
heard that voice. In my novel, A Song for Belafortuna, Caruso plays a
role in the ultimate outcome. It was fun to bring him to life, and to have him
interact. If only his voice would come out of the pages.
Give us an insight into your main
character. What does he/she do that is so special?
Giuseppe Sanguinetti is the main character
in A Song for Bellafortuna. When we meet him, he is a young boy growing
up in his beloved village of Bellafortuna. He slowly realizes the
problems facing his fellow villagers, as well as his family’s own role in
adding to those problems. By the end of the novel, we have watched him progress
from a wide-eyed boy to a young man.
About the Author
Award winning and bestselling author, Vincent B. “Chip” LoCoco, lives
in New Orleans. His first novel, Tempesta’s Dream – A Story of Love,
Friendship and Opera, became an Amazon bestselling novel and was awarded
the 2014 Pinnacle Achievement Award in Historical Fiction. Amazon also
has named his book as a Top Rated Novel in Italian Historical Fiction.
Visit him at www.vincentlococo.com, or follow him on Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.
