A new book is forthcoming from Sanniti Publications. It’s a novel called Family Matter (cover photo above). I have been working on this novel for several years, and after numerous revisions, it’s now where I want it. As the title suggests, it’s a family story, or rather several of them which form the “matter” of which Family Matter is made. They are primarily episodes about the narrator’s father, hospitalized for surgery when the novel opens.

The stories expand in memory to cover the father’s early life in America, and then his origins in Italy where the narrator travels to pursue a secret he hardly knows exists—until, that is, he meets the intriguing Maddalena who, with her teenage daughter, not only lives in the house once belonging to the father’s family, but knows his story and the origin mystery that forms a key part of the tale. In pursuit of these revelations, the narrator upends his life and winds up in Naples as lo scrittore, the formal writer of the family saga presented here. 

I am here appealing for support for Family Matter’s publication. With a modest initial print run, your collective donations should be able to cover the printing of the novel, and provide some funds for the initial publicity. After that, it’s anybody’s guess.

If you would like to collaborate with me in this project, I would be grateful. Any amount will help, but, following Indiegogo, I am suggesting donations in the range of $50 to $300. The “Perks” are listed on the Indiegogo Family Matter site, but for those of you who don’t frequent the internet, they are, briefly: $50 donors will get an autographed copy of the printed book. For contributions of $100 or more, Donors get two (2) copies of the book (you can give them as gifts). And for donations above that, you get the two books plus your name on the Acknowledgments Page in the book; as a Sponsor ($150), a Patron ($200), or an Angel ($300)—provided your donation comes in before the book goes to press in late May.

Since I have tried this “community publishing” route before (2012 for Esty; 2016 for Branded; 2017 for Earth Breath; 2018 for Suspect Love) with some success, I have decided to try it again here. I hope many of you agree that such ‘crowd-sourcing’ offers a workable alternative to mega-publishing, and can see your way clear to take part.

The way to participate is rather easy: go to the website Indiegogo.com, and follow the instructions to Family Matter to donate whatever you can. If you email me at [email protected], I’ll send you this link to make it even easier: https://igg.me/at/familymatter

If you prefer not to use credit cards on the internet, you can still participate by mailing your donation to me directly at P.O. Box 533, Bolinas CA 94924. Be sure to indicate the address where you’d like me to send your autographed copy.

I deeply appreciate whatever you can do to help.