A SONG FOR BELLAFORTUNA by Vincent B. LoCoco

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.