Kirjahaku

Joe spent most of his time at the bar, where they knew him as "Gemini Joe," a charismatic, funny man who was the life of any party, but his family didn't see this side of him at home. A bottle of scotch on the table was all it took to set him off, causing his children to hide at the top of the stairs, listening and waiting for the fighting to stop. At times, his creative side came out in the form of poetry, drawings, and inventions, including the first design for a toothpaste cap that stayed on the tube. Tragically, he was never to achieve success. The struggle with alcohol caused Joe to walk away from his wife and children. Years passed until he wrote his estranged daughter a letter. It included a poem that he had written, which triggered her curiosity. She didn't know much about his childhood and asked him to tell her his story.A very emotional story that will bring tears to the reader's eyes and occasional laughter. The way Joe reconnects with his daughter is beautiful, and rediscovering her real father seems to have been a beautiful journey in itself. The story is told from the perspective of Gemini Joe, a man with sensitivity, a party man who'd always succeeded in making people laugh and have a good time but who was never easy to deal with at home. I also enjoyed the moving, very inspiring poems that open the chapters, poems by the protagonist. This is a story that compels me to revisit my story with my own father. My relationship with my father has never been a great one, and after reading this book, I begin to wonder if he's been deeply hurt as well. Janet Sierzant tells a story of hurt, addiction, and redemption and makes readers understand that those who hurt others are themselves hurting deeply and that behind the ugliness; we may notice in some people that there is a wellspring of beauty waiting to burst forth. At times, it needs only a little attention to draw from that wellspring. This memoir is deeply human and intensely satisfying. Divine Zape for Readers' Favorite

Joe spent most of his time at the bar, where they knew him as "Gemini Joe," a charismatic, funny man who was the life of any party, but his family didn't see this side of him at home. A bottle of scotch on the table was all it took to set him off, causing his children to hide at the top of the stairs, listening and waiting for the fighting to stop. At times, his creative side came out in the form of poetry, drawings, and inventions, including the first design for a toothpaste cap that stayed on the tube. Tragically, he was never to achieve success. The struggle with alcohol caused Joe to walk away from his wife and children. Estranged from his oldest daughter, years passed until he wrote her a letter. It included a poem that he had written which triggered her curiosity. She didn't know much about his childhood and asked him to tell her his story.My earliest memory of my father was at a family wedding when I was four years old. I could still see my mother smiling and dancing, happy to be with her family. My father sat at a table, glaring as she glided across the dance floor. He drank one scotch on the rocks after another until jealousy took hold of him, and his rage cut the evening short. I wanted to love him but found it difficult to please him. I wanted to please him but knew it was impossible. When he divorced my mother, I felt obligated to cut him out of my life out of loyalty to her. Until one day, I received a letter along with a poem. I didn't know this side of my father. Impressed by his words, I asked him to tell me about his childhood. As I collected the missing pieces of his life, I had an opportunity to understand the true nature of the man buried deep beneath the alcoholic.

A well-written psychological thriller that keeps you wanting to read on to find out if Dona can escape her situation and who is her abductor.​​​​​​​ Dona Pearson is abducted by an unknown man and held captive in a room painted green in an unknown location. Her only contact with the outside world is through a ski-masked man who asks her questions about her life. Thinking it must be someone she knows, she conducts an internal review of her personal history with men. The questions Janet Sierzant asks herself about relationships are the same questions most of us ask as we venture through our lives with hopes and disappointments in love. he prose is fast-moving and easy to read. The scenes of domesticity are masterfully painted, the emotions Dona experiences movingly depicted, and the horrors of unexplained captivity realistically described.I found The Green Room to be a bit different than the normal romance and mystery story. It made me stop and think about my life-long decisions and why I made them. The Green Room is a good psychological mystery....Trudi LoPreto for Readers Favorite

Growing up on Long Island, I've always taken the ocean for granted. As a teenager, I spent many days at Jones Beach with my friends. The sand and the surf were just a background in my adolescent life. We'd lay out our towels and bake in the sun, hoping the boys would notice our sun-drenched bikini-clad bodies. By the time I reached my twenties, marriage took me away from New York to live in Georgia. Although I appreciated the lush green foliage, I missed the smell of the ocean, the salty air, and the churning waves along a sandy beach. For a long time, I felt homesick. After my divorce, I thought about moving back, but once you leave New York, it's almost impossible to return. The cost of living is too high. Besides, I couldn't handle the low-lying clouds. Some say, you need the cold weather to appreciate summer, but I'm not one of them. I need perpetual green to keep my emotions on an even keel. So, I moved to Vero Beach, Florida where the warm breezes of the ocean helped to calm my restless soul. I spent my morning walking along the beach. Over the years, I have taken some interesting shots from South Beach to JC Park. I've decided to share them in a book.

While sitting at a restaurant with two of my fellow authors, one asked me about my Sicilian background. I laughed and said, "All I know is, we always have sauce on Sunday." My friends joined in the laughter, but I realized that I didn't really know too much about the maternal part of my heritage. Something awoke inside of me and I had the desire to find out exactly from where I came. I began the quest for my roots by taking an ancestry DNA test. Within a few months, I had the surprise of my life. I discovered that my grandfather had a second sister, whom he left behind in Sicily. Who would ever have thought that the grandchildren of three siblings, separated during their youth, would find each other after a lifetime of being apart?Sauce on Sunday is a chronicle of my ancestry search, adventures to Sicily and the history of a small fishing village called Sciacca, where my grandfather grew up. Included are photos, maps, and recipes.

A story about an Italian-American family, a clash of cultures, forbidden love, and the ensuing consequences.Jeanette and Sonny grew up in a vibrant Sicilian enclave in 1940s Brooklyn, their lives intertwined by shared traditions and an unshakable bond. As teenagers, their innocent rooftop kisses under the stars turned into a passionate love they believed unbreakable. But their families had other plans. Torn apart by their disapproval, Jeanette and Sonny are forced down separate paths.When Jeanette embarks on a journey to Sicily, she finds herself captivated by a new love and the promise of a different future. Yet, just as she prepares to leave her old life behind, an unexpected letter arrives-a letter that could change everything. Now, Jeanette must confront her past and make a life-altering choice. Will she follow her heart, or will the weight of her family's expectations decide her fate?A gorgeous treat for fans of historical romance with strong female characters.Ronald Dzemo for Readers' Favorite

Against the turmoil and horror of World War II, Domenico and Antoinette, a young Italian couple of diverse backgrounds, fall in love and marry in Milan. Their marriage is blessed with the birth of twin sons, but their bliss is short-lived when Mussolini declares that all boys five years and older must train in a youth military camp called the Sons of the Wolf. Domenico refuses to have his sons be part of the Fascist regime. He sends Antoinette and the twins to her family in Florence and joins the Resistance. To slow the Allied Forces, the Nazis destroy the bridges in Florence. Antoinette and her sons are victims of the destruction. Domenico returns to Florence to rescue his family, but is he too late?