Mama Dallas and Augie Book Blitz #rabtbooktours

 

Crime, True Story, Mob, Immigration, Biopic, Italian American, Fiction

 

 

Mama Dallas and Augie is an epic novel that brings to life the Italian American experience, centering on New York’s first “Godmother,” Concetta. Her journey begins in Italy and leads to New York’s notorious Five Points, where she fiercely protects vulnerable young prostitutes. After tragedy strikes and she believes her son, Augie, is dead, Concetta dedicates her life to her family and the struggling poor in the Italian sector slums of New York.

But Augie survives, posing as an American spy and diving into a dangerous underworld that spans from New York to France and Turkey, eventually becoming embroiled in the infamous pre-WWII "French Connection" drug trade. His charm and cunning keep him one step ahead of both mobsters and law enforcement as he navigates in the shadows that intersect with powerful OSS agents and German operatives, leading to his capture and imprisonment in Dachau only to return to America to bring justice to his family name.

 

Based on a true story, Mama Dallas and Augie spans decades of love, betrayal, espionage, and war—an unforgettable saga of loyalty, resilience, and family bonds.

About the Authors

Jody Fasanella grew up in the theater world in New York. As a veteran stage performer, she has appeared in numerous film and television productions, including The Moving Picture Co. 1914, Good Grief, Tight, Vartan LLP, Steel, The Others, Profiler, and L.A. Law.

On stage, she played the lead, Tessie, in John Morgan Evans' comedy Daughters. According to the Los Angeles Times, “…the cast gives heartfelt performances during the passages of tender reflections.”

Jody has since turned her talents to writing and producing and is dedicated to sharing the true story of her great-grandmother, “Mama Dallas,” and her uncle, “Augie,” as standalone features or mini-series with Little Studio Films.

 

Sandi Jerome, a UCLA Advanced Screenwriting graduate, is an accomplished screenwriter and novelist. Her animated sci-fi script is in production, and she recently sold her tech company to pursue writing full-time. With over 20 scripts recognized as finalists in Nicholls, Page, Final Draft, and Austin Film, her work shines across genres.

Her young adult novels, Kira and Henry (a 2024 Kindle Book Review Semifinalist) and Wilma Wallaby: Genius Girl Detective, are in development. Sandi also wrote the feature adaptation of Hijacked, based on the true story of Flight 705.

A Cherokee Nation member and 2023 Native American Media Alliance Fellowship winner, Sandi is married to an Italian and enjoys her love for pizza.

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Dreaming From the Trunk Of An American Car Book Blitz #rabtbooktours

Memoir

Date Published: August 15, 2024

Publisher: MindStir Media

 

The memoir, Dreaming from the Trunk of an American Car, recounts a story shared by many immigrants who are in pursuit of the American dream. Through intertwining his personal experiences with those of his ancestors, the author guides readers through his formative years and journey to adulthood. At the age of twenty, Pashko Camaj and his twin sister, Drita, travel from former Yugoslavia to Mexico with the goal of reaching the United States. They cross the border hidden in the trunk of a large American car into California, seeking freedom and opportunity. Locked in the trunk, memories flood in and dreams begin. Told in beautiful prose, the memoir portrays the heroic spirits of its characters, radiating rays of hope in a harsh world. As a first-generation immigrant, he grapples with feelings of guilt for departing from his motherland, the very land his predecessors had fought and labored for. The weight of his choice to leave lingers, prompting him to question whether he has betrayed his forefathers. Ultimately, he arrives at a resolution that liberates him from the burdens of the past, enabling him to establish a new legacy in his new homeland. 

About the Author

Pashko R. Camaj is a Montenegrin-born author, public health expert, and community leader whose life journey embodies the resilience and determination of the immigrant experience. Born in 1964 in Montenegro, he completed his high school education and mandatory military service before making a daring escape to the United States in 1985. Accompanied by his twin sister, Drita, Pashko crossed the U.S.-Mexico border hidden in the trunk of an American car, a pivotal moment that became the foundation of his powerful memoir, Dreaming from the Trunk of an American Car.

Driven by a passion for education and personal growth, Pashko pursued higher learning, earning a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Science in environmental and occupational health sciences from the City University of New York. He later completed his Doctor of Public Health at Columbia University, showcasing his dedication to improving lives through research and leadership.

Currently, Pashko serves in senior leadership at MTA-Bridges & Tunnels, a state transportation agency in New York, and as an adjunct professor at William Paterson University in New Jersey. Beyond his professional accomplishments, he actively contributes to the Albanian-American community as Secretary of the Pan-Albanian Federation of America (VATRA), the oldest American-Albanian organization in the United States.

Dreaming from the Trunk of an American Car is Pashko’s debut memoir, a poignant and inspiring story that reflects his journey, honors his ancestors, and celebrates the indomitable spirit of those in pursuit of a better life. When he’s not teaching, working, or writing, Pashko enjoys spending time with his family and engaging in community service.

 

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What Once Was Promised Book Blitz #rabtbooktours

 

Coming of Age Fiction

Date Published: May 6, 2024

Publisher: MindStir Media

 

He came for a better life, but it didn't turn out to be an easy one.

Sixteen-year-old Domenic Bassini sets out alone for America from his small village in Italy in 1914. He falls in love during a brief onboard affair with the beautiful Francesca, the wife of a man with Sicilian Mafia connections. But he loses her and arrives in Boston instead with an orphan stowaway named Ernesto Lentini in tow.

Domenic and Ernesto stay at the home of old family friends in Boston's Italian North End neighborhood, sharing a room with their son, Joe. Domenic becomes like a big brother to Joe and Ernesto, who become inseparable friends.

As the years and decades pass, youthful rivalries and fateful decisions lead to unpredictable and sometimes unsavory outcomes. Between moments of joy and great tragedy, the three friends' lives take very divergent paths amidst the turbulence of factions vying for power in the early 20th century Boston where the lines between politics, crime and policing are blurred.

But after all that has kept them apart, can Domenic, Ernesto, Joe and even Francesca, come together to settle the score with those who have spent a lifetime fighting against them?

About the Author

LOUIS TRUBIANO spent over forty years in the advertising industry, most of it as president of his own firm. Born and raised in Quincy, Massachusetts, he earned his bachelor’s degree from The University of Rochester and a master’s degree from Boston University’s College of Communication. He and his wife live in Canton, Massachusetts and have three daughters, six grandchildren, and one spoiled dog.

 

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