Historical Fiction
Virtual Blog Tours Presents
The
Madonna of Pisano
by Mary Ann Diorio
A young woman, a priest, and a secret that keeps them bitterly bound to
each other…
A horrifying encounter drags soon-to-be-married Maria Landro into the
shocking world of religious corruption and an unrelenting village code of honor
that threatens to rob her of everything she holds dear. Shunned by the very
people who should have embraced her, she withdraws into the confines of Bella
Terra, her family’s farm, and remains there for several years…until she is
forced to leave to ensure the formal education of her son. In a desperate
attempt to protect her child from vicious tongues and malicious hate-mongers
and her family farm from bankruptcy, she determines to seek vengeance against
the one who ruined her life. But when Luca Tonetta enters her life, she learns
a powerful lesson about forgiveness and grace.
“Beautifully written historical novel. Excellent characters, dramatic
plot. Beautifully written, giving wonderful feeling for the setting in place
and time. Emotionally intense situations, satisfying resolution. Among the two
or three best novels I have read this year. Highly recommended.”
Dr. Donn Taylor, Author & Former University Professor of Literature
Excerpt
Book
1: THE MADONNA OF PISANO
Pisano, Sicily, September 1891
She
had no other choice.
Maria
Landro led her little son by the hand as they hurried down the winding road
from Bella Terra toward the village. Distant, dark clouds gathered in the
morning sky. Looked like a storm coming. The anxiety that had been churning for
days in the pit of her stomach now spread to chill every part of her body. It
was all she could do to keep herself from turning back.
Nico
tugged on her wrist. “Are we almost there, Mama?”
She
squeezed his hand in return, the hem of her skirt rustling against the pebbles
as it swished along the cobblestone road. “Almost, darling. Are you all right?”
He
looked up at her. He had her father’s eyes. Kind, deep, and probing. They
always made him so easy to love.
“I’m well, Mama.” But his fingers fidgeted in
her hand.
His
nervousness only fueled her own. She squeezed his hand more tightly. Please let
the village be kind to him. Regardless of what they believed about her.
A
sudden gust of wind caught the edge of her headscarf, pulling it back past her temples.
“My, the wind is getting stronger. Let’s hurry before the storm breaks. We
don’t want you to arrive at school soaking wet on your very first day, do we?”
“No, we don’t, Mama. I would look silly.” He
laughed, and an arrow pierced her heart.
If
anyone hurt him …
A
hay-filled wagon rumbled past them, its wooden wheels creaking against the pebble-strewn
road. The driver turned his face away as he passed.
She
winced, pulling her son closer to herself to hide him.
“Will the storm carry us away, Mama?” Nico
laughed again. “Maybe the wind will pick me up, and I’ll fly like a bird and
land on the school windowsill, and my teacher will laugh.”
She
tensed. Nico’s teacher. No, Don Franco would never laugh. If only she could have
chosen someone—anyone—else to be his teacher.
But
not in Pisano.
The
tiny village had only one schoolhouse and one teacher.
As
they turned a bend in the road, she caught a glimpse of her family’s large tan stucco
house. It sat majestically atop the hill, like a queen on her throne,
surrounded by sloping fields of fragrant orange and lemon groves, purple-red
vineyards, and golden wheat fields. Nestled among a cluster of tall poplar
trees, would the queen soon be forced to give up her throne?
Was
the farm’s failure Maria's fault as well?
She
looked down at her little boy, all dressed up for his first day of school.
She’d made him the pair of navy-blue cotton britches the school uniform
required, topped by a white, short-sleeved shirt and navy-blue ascot. His new
black leather shoes, though a bit too big, would soon fit his rapidly growing
feet.
As
they approached the village, she recoiled at the sight of the medieval church steeple
reaching toward the gray morning sky. The church stood in the middle of the village
as a sign of God’s central position in the lives of the villagers.
She
hadn’t stepped foot in it for nearly seven years.
Pinwheeling
out from the church, little pastel-colored stucco houses lined dirt roads framed
by borders of yellow pansies and russet daylilies. Next to the church stood the
rectory, its burnt orange tile roof in much need of repair.
She
averted her eyes.
A few
drops of rain splashed against her kerchief and sprinkled her face. She looked up
just as a streak of lightning slashed the eastern sky. Then, with a loud clap,
the clouds broke loose, dumping their reservoir of rain. Why hadn’t she brought
an umbrella?
Gripping
Nico’s hand, she started running. The rain pummeled her head and her back as
she tried to guide her little boy around the puddles.
“Oh, Mama. My new shoes. They’re covered with
mud.”
So
much for showing off her son. After six years of hiding him, she would see her bold,
triumphant moment ruined by mud. “Don’t worry. As soon as we get to the school,
I’ll wipe them off for you.”
Just
as quickly as it had started, the rain stopped. She took out the handkerchief
she’d shoved into her large canvas bag, next to the fresh fruit and nuts she’d
brought for Nico’s snack, and wiped her son’s wet face. Wet from the rain, she
hoped, and not from tears.
She
couldn’t take tears. Not from him. Not from herself.
As
they entered the village square, shouts of haggling customers caught her ear.
Young
mothers with babies on their hips bargained with shopkeepers over the price of peppers,
eggplant, and squash. At the far end of the square, old women dressed in black shuffled
out of the Church of the Holy Virgin, fresh from hearing daily Mass.
Nico
pulled at her hand. “Mama, so many people. I never saw so many people.”
He
seemed like a new puppy let loose from his cage. “Yes, my son. The village is full
of many people.”
Her
eyes scanned the bustling square where she’d once spent many happy moments at
Luigi’s outdoor café, eating pasta and sipping espresso in the company of
family and friends.
Deftly
skirting farmers pulling wobbly carts laden with lemons and oranges, she guided
her child through the market crowd. Small groups of old men, their heads
covered with flat-topped coppola hats, huddled at little round tables, chewing
on long pieces of fennel while playing chess. A young mother, dressed in the
black attire of year-long mourning for a deceased loved one, held onto a
toddler with one hand while, with the other, she sorted through artichokes,
cucumbers, and leeks. The smell of freshly caught tuna, squid, and mussels,
fruit of the nearby sea, turned Maria’s empty stomach.
She
led Nico through the square. Her face grew hot as neighbors and one-time friends
raised their eyes to her. Old women shook their heads, while younger ones scanned
her from head to toe, then turned away with uplifted chins. Men of all ages scraped
their eyes over Nico then leered at her.
The
skin prickled on the nape of her neck. “Come, Nico. We must hurry so we won’t be
late.”
“Yes, Mama.”
Wide-eyed,
he drank in the new sights. Poor child. He’d been sequestered on the family
farm his whole life. He knew nothing of this world beyond Bella Terra.
Whispers
grew into mumbles and then into shouts, roaring in her ears as she hurried through
the gathering crowd.
“Can it be? Maria Landro? And that must be her….”
Giveaway
During
the Blog Tour we will be giving away two eBooks of each title in the Italian
Chronicles trilogy! Enter Here!
Giveaway Rules
•
Giveaway ends at 11:59pm EST on April 4th. You must be 18 or older to enter.
•
Giveaway is open to US residents only.
•
Only one entry per household.
•
All giveaway entrants agree to be honest and not cheat the systems; any suspect
of fraud is decided upon by blog/site owner and the sponsor, and entrants may
be disqualified at our discretion.
•
Winner has 48 hours to claim prize or new winner is chosen.
Dr. Mary Ann Diorio
Dr. Mary Ann Diorio is a widely published,
award-winning author of compelling fiction that deals with the deepest issues
of the human heart. Her books for both adults and children consistently receive
excellent reviews for their content and their style. MaryAnn holds the PhD in
French with a concentration in Comparative Literature from the University of
Kansas. She resides in New Jersey with her husband Dominic, a retired
physician. They are the blessed parents of two awesome daughters, a wonderful
son-in-law, and five rambunctious grandchildren. When not writing, MaryAnn
loves to read, to paint, and to make up silly songs for her grandchildren.
For more information, please visit MaryAnn
Diorio’s website and blog. You can also find him on Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.
Other
books in the Italian Chronicles Series
A
Sicilian Farewell
A
young man, a new land, and a dream that threatens to destroy him and his family
. . .
The
dream of a better life for himself and his family drives Luca Tonetta to the
American Promised Land with his wife of five years, Maria Landro Tonetto, and
their three children. But the new Promised Land is nothing like what Luca had
imagined. Forced to live in a roach-infested tenement house in the seedy
section of Brooklyn, he faces the hardships, prejudice, and slanderous assaults
of an Italian immigrant torn between two worlds. When Luca is accused of a
crime he did not commit, he learns that a dream must first die before it can
live.
“Such
lovely writing–and an even lovelier story! Author MaryAnn Diorio takes her
readers on a courageous journey, from the ancient romance of the Old Country to
the perils and possibilities of the New Country. Well developed characters and
a story that will stay with you long after you’ve finished this enjoyable
read.”
Kathi
Macias, Award-Winning Author
Return
to Bella Terra
A
mother, her son, and the man who threatens to come between them . . .
When
Maria Landro Tonetta receives word that Mama is terminally ill, Maria travels
to her Sicilian homeland with her son Nico. She finds herself yearning for the
life she once knew as a child on Bella Terra, the family farm, now on the verge
of bankruptcy. Caught between two worlds, Maria dreams of moving back to Sicily
with her husband and children to save the farm. When Nico’s biological father unexpectedly
appears at Mama’s funeral, Maria faces a new enemy to her dream. But is there
an even greater enemy within her own soul?
“Each
book in the Italian Chronicles series made me want to read the next one. Now I
would like to see another spin-off series dealing with the next generation. The
characters in MaryAnn Diorio’s book feel so real. They have flaws. They seek
better relationships. They suffer and they rejoice. Just like us. There are
people in their lives who help strengthen their faith, and there are those who
undermine their faith. In this third book, Maria has to face letting go of many
things, and only through seeking God first can she do that. Along with messages
of faith and family, Return to Bella Terra takes you to Italy, and the vicarious
experience is wonderful. Diorio sprinkles just enough Italian words (in italic)
throughout the text to give you the sense of being there. You can smell the
food, hear the music, and see the beautiful countryside. I highly recommend
this series and any other books written by MaryAnn Diorio.”
Claudia
Cuddy, Former Professor of Communications
THE MADONNA OF PISANO
BY MARYANN DIORIO
Publication Date: December 15, 2015
TopNotch Press
Paperback & eBook; 310 Pages
Series: The Italian Chronicles, Book One
Genre: Historical Fiction/Religious
A SICILIAN FAREWELL
BY MARYANN DIORIO
Publication Date: December 14, 2016
TopNotch Press
Paperback & eBook; 258 Pages
Series: The Italian Chronicles, Book Two
Genre: Historical Fiction/Religious
RETURN TO BELLA TERRA
BY MARYANN DIORIO
Publication Date: October 26, 2017
TopNotch Press
Paperback & eBook; 242 Pages
Series: The Italian Chronicles, Book Three
Genre: Historical Fiction/Religious
Good luck with the rest of the tour!!
ReplyDeleteThank you very much, Mary Anne, for featuring me on your blog. I am most grateful!
ReplyDeleteHow nice that we share a name. :)
Blessings,
MaryAnn Diorio