It’s a busy week on my blog! While I fiddle with last-minute pre-release details for Christmas Rekindled, I’m hosting four authors! It seems that late September/early October is prime time for the publishing industry. Bring on the books!

Up today, Joanne Guidoccio, author of moving women’s fiction.

Angelica Delfino takes a special interest in the lives of her three nieces, whom she affectionately calls the daughters of her heart. Sensing that each woman is harboring a troubling, possibly even toxic secret, Angelica decides to share her secrets—secrets she had planned to take to the grave. Spellbound, the nieces listen as Angelica travels back six decades to reveal an incredulous tale of forbidden love, tragic loss, and reinvention. It is the classic immigrant story upended: an Italian widow’s transformative journey amid the most unlikely of circumstances.

Inspired by Angelica’s example, the younger women share their “First World” problems and, in the process, set themselves free.

But one heartbreaking secret remains untold…

Let’s peek inside:

Tupperware in all the pastel shades. Head-to-toe clothing and accessories in the same hues. Who does that? Bellastrega shook her head at the avalanche of plastic that accompanied Velia Russo into the kitchen. She was already on her third trip back from the car, puffing and panting as she placed her food gifts on the kitchen table. Bellastrega could feel her jaw clenching at the thought of all those white devils—heavy sauces and creams and pounds of sugar—contaminating the kitchen.

Velia held one finger. “One more trip,” and then she was gone.

Bellastrega turned her attention back to the hearty vegetable stew that had been simmering on the stove. She sighed contentedly as she breathed in the aroma of the rosemary and Italian seasonings. Angelica’s favorite. As she glanced at the appetizing array of vegetables, she mentally calculated how long it would take to finish cooking. Everything was on schedule, and dinner would be on the table at six o’clock. Why had Velia decided to arrive three hours early?

From the start, Bellastrega had her misgivings about this all-girls weekend. She had listened while Angelica lovingly described each niece and shared her concerns regarding their unhappy lives. At first, Bellastrega had humored her, not realizing Angelica was intending to help her nieces get back on track. Her duty as aunt, she had explained.

Bellastrega had formed her own judgments regarding the three younger women. Usually right on target, Bellastrega had been surprised when this particular incarnation of Velia Russo arrived, laden with her food gifts. From Angelica’s descriptions, Bellastrega had expected a younger version of her mother, Rosetta, a heavy-set hausfrau and gossip, not this glamour-puss who could pass for a younger Martha Stewart. But first impressions could be deceiving.

“Help. I need your help.” The whiny voice interrupted Bellastrega’s thoughts. Sighing, she lowered the heat and made her way to the living room.

Bellastrega resisted the urge to laugh as she took in the comical sight before her. To save herself another trip, Velia had decided to lug in a large Pullman using her left hand, carry a pastry box in her right hand, and use her teeth to hold on to her purse.

All this for a weekend get-together? What would she have packed for a longer trip? Bellastrega forced a smile as she took the pastry box from Velia.

Get your copy today:

Buy Links

Amazon (US) –  https://www.amazon.com/No-More-Secrets-Joanne-Guidoccio-ebook/dp/B08CVTYWWX

Amazon (Canada) – https://www.amazon.ca/No-More-Secrets-Joanne-Guidoccio-ebook/dp/B08CVTYWWX

Amazon (UK) – https://www.amazon.co.uk/No-More-Secrets-Joanne-Guidoccio-ebook/dp/B08CVTYWWX

Amazon (Australia) – https://www.amazon.com.au/No-More-Secrets-Joanne-Guidoccio-ebook/dp/B08CVTYWWX/

Book Trailer: https://youtu.be/vo5ozMtcz2U

Giveaway

Joanne Guidoccio will be awarding a $10 Amazon gift card to a randomly drawn winner via Rafflecopter. Find out more here: https://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/8b4740301/

Meet the author:

A member of Crime Writers of Canada, Sisters in Crime, and Women’s Fiction Writers Association, Joanne Guidoccio writes cozy mysteries, paranormal romances, and inspirational literature from her home base of Guelph, Ontario.

What’s your favorite part of the writing life?

I look forward to writing the first chapter and giving life to the characters. That initial spark of an idea may percolate for several days (sometimes weeks), but the real thrill occurs when I sit at my computer and start writing.

What does your writing space look like?

I assumed I would be writing in my den. Everything was in place: desk, new computer, bookshelves crammed with novels and craft guides, and inspiring Monet prints on the wall. But after several frustrating attempts, I realized the den was too small. While the room could easily be a second bedroom, it wasn’t spacious enough for my creativity to flow. So, I relocated to a corner of the living/dining area of my condo. With over 900 square feet of space and easy access to the kitchen and balcony, I no longer feel constrained.

Do you have any particular writing quirks?

I am controlled by a bird clock. Each hour, one of my feathered friends, among them the Downy Woodpecker, Belted Kingfisher, and Great Horned Owl, chirp and remind me to pace myself.

Any advice for aspiring writers?

Experiment with different genres while discovering your own unique voice. Sign up for a creative writing course—online or offline—that exposes you to short stories, children’s and adult writing, creative nonfiction, and poetry. Search until you find a warm, supportive environment where your words can flow freely. And, most important of all, enjoy the journey.

Authors always seem to have a teetering To Be Read pile. What’s in yours?

Still Here by Amy Stuart

The End of Her by Shari Lapeña

All the Devils are Here by Louise Penny

All Adults Here by Emma Straub

Which authors have inspired you?

I admire late-blooming authors who have launched successful second acts. Two favorites come to mind: Maeve Binchy and Louise Penny. Their novels and writing journeys have inspired me to launch my own second act as a writer. From Maeve, I’ve learned that success is not a pie where only a select few have access to the slices. I’ve taken several pages out of Louise’s disciplined approach to structure my own writing practice.

Follow Joanne Guidoccio on all the socials:

Website:          https://joanneguidoccio.com 

Twitter:           https://twitter.com/joanneguidoccio

Facebook:       www.facebook.com/BetweenLandandSeaJG

Pinterest:         https://www.pinterest.ca/jguidoccio/

Goodreads:     https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7277706.Joanne_Guidoccio

LinkedIn:        https://www.linkedin.com/in/joanneguidoccio/

Amazon:         https://www.amazon.com/Joanne-Guidoccio/e/B00FAWJGCG