Novelist Marco Rafala' dives into his debut novel and his Sicilian American identity

The Italian Radio Hour

This week on The Italian Radio Hour - In conversation with Marco Rafalà, an accomplished novelist and writer known for his captivating storytelling and deep exploration of cultural identity. His debut novel, "How Fires End", has garnered critical acclaim and was a finalist for the 2020 Connecticut Book Awards, as well as a winner of the 2021 Italian American Studies Association Book Award. Marco is also a talented writer for tabletop role-playing games, blending his love for narrative and interactive storytelling. In today’s episode, we’ll delve into his writing journey, the themes in his work, and what inspires him as a storyteller. How Fires End. A dark secret born out of World War II lies at the heart of a Sicilian American family in this emotional and sweeping saga of guilt, revenge, and, ultimately, redemption. After soldiers vacate the Sicilian hillside town of Melilli in the summer of 1943, the locals celebrate, giving thanks to their patron saint, Sebastian. Amid the revelry, all it takes is one fateful moment for the destiny of nine-year-old Salvatore Vassallo to change forever. When his twin brothers are killed playing with an unexploded mortar shell, Salvatore’s faith is destroyed. As the family unravels, and fear ignites among their neighbors that the Vassallo name is cursed, one tragedy begets another. Desperate to escape this haunting legacy, Salvatore accepts the help of an Italian soldier with fascist ties who ushers him and his sister, Nella, into a new beginning in America. In Middletown, Connecticut, in the immigrant neighborhood known as Little Melilli, these three struggle to build new lives for themselves. But a dangerous choice to keep their secrets hidden erupts in violence decades later. When Salvatore loses his inquisitive American-born son, David, they all learn too late the price sons pay for their fathers’ wars. Written with elegiac prose, How Fires End delves into the secret wars of men; the sins they cannot bury; and a life lived in fear of who will reveal them, who will survive them, and who will forgive them. How Fire Ends is available on: https://www.amazon.com/How-Fires-End-Marco-Rafal%C3%A0/dp/1542042976

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