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For author Barbara Roberts, the key to life’s many challenges is to cope with them. Living life is about valuing the things that really matter – the ability to laugh, love and celebrate joys and triumphs; having the heart and generosity for those in need; looking at things with a brighter eye and embracing change, diversity and free expression. Roberts’ zest for life has inspired her to come up with her own self-published book entitled The Vineyard on Mulberry Street.
Based on a true story, The Vineyard on Mulberry Street is an evocative and poignant novel about the journey of an Italian-American family living in New York’s “Little Italy” in the early 1900s.
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Catherine, a beautiful, second-generation daughter of the Ghirardi family, becomes romantically involved with a powerful, political figure named Jack Paterno. Raised with traditional Catholic values, Catherine’s family is strongly opposed to the said relationship as Jack is married and has children. Yet, Catherine and Jack continue with their love affair in clandestine. Even when Catherine eventually marries and bears a daughter to someone else, her relationship with Jack still goes on.
What is very interesting in this novel is how Catherine and Jack keep their love affair going despite society’s setbacks and their personal differences, Jack being accustomed to power, politics and privilege while Catherine in the simple and laid-back comforts of a genuine Italian household. This book describes the factionalism in society’s mores and the defiance of the Catholic Church’s precepts.
Written with playful wit to boot, The Vineyard on Mulberry Street beautifully portrays true Italian Spirit through its rich culture, strong customs and fine cuisine set against America’s changing times and ultimately leads to the outcome of Catherine and Jack’s romance.
Roberts is overwhelmed with the book’s positive reviews. Kirkus describes the book as an ‘intricately cultivated account of a quintessential American family’. It has gained praises from the reading public as well. Pace University also held a book signing for her when it was released. With a large quantity of this book sold, The Vineyard on Mulberry Street can be found in a number of bookstores and libraries.
Roberts recalls, however, that working on her book was not without hardships. She was initially hesitant to take the self-publishing route but after considering options and suggestions from other authors to self-publish with Xlibris, she knew she had made the right choice. For Roberts, her self-publishing experience with Xlibris was efficient and expedient. She recommends Xlibris to other writers who want to come up with their own books.
Aside from writing books, Roberts loves traveling around the world and is also fascinated with literature and film making. She gets her inspiration from goings-on around her everyday, from different people and her family.
The Vineyard on Mulberry Street may be purchased directly through Xlibris Corporation or Barnes & Noble and Amazon.
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