Genni Gunn on writing Solitaria
First of all, thank you for inviting me to write a post for your readers. How wonderful that you’re all reading books with Italy in them. My novel, Solitaria , is set in Italy, and features both an Italian protagonist, Piera, and a Canadian one, David. It moves between the present (2002) and the past (1930s to 1950s). Here’s my try at a quick summary: When Vito Santoro’s body is inadvertently unearthed by a demolition crew in Fregene, Italy, his siblings are thrown into turmoil, having been told by their sister Piera that Vito had fled to Argentina fifty years earlier after abandoning his wife and son. Now scattered over three continents, Vito’s siblings regroup in Italy to try to discover the truth. Piera locks herself in her room, refusing to speak to anyone but her Canadian nephew David. As the stories emerge, weaving past and present, so do versions and perspectives, memories and secrets. I am Italian by birth, and arrived in Canada when I was eleven. Other than my immediate family...