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Saving the Music
by Vincent B. “Chip” LoCoco

Publication Date: March 1, 2020
Cefalutana Press
Hardcover, Paperback, and eBook

Series: Bellafortuna, Book #2
Genre: Historical Fiction

 

 

It is the winter of 1942, and the world is at war. A few Jewish musicians attempt to flee the Nazi death grip, each desperately trying to navigate his own path to safety. With the courageous aid and kindness of strangers, they soon find themselves in Rome, where under the highly secret help of the Vatican, they are hidden in Bellafortuna, a small village in Sicily. The residents of Bellafortuna welcome them and care for them, and for a fleeting moment, the horrors the musicians are facing are forgotten while residing in the beautiful, idyllic landscape of Sicily. But word soon reaches the small village that Italy has surrendered, now making Germany at war with Italy. War quickly comes to the village as the Germans storm into Sicily to repel the Allied advance. As Bellafortuna becomes front and center in the raging war, the villagers rise as one to try and protect and save the Jews hiding in their midst. Failure to keep them hidden will mean death to those under their protection…and perhaps even to the villagers themselves.

An intricately plotted and meticulously researched novel, Saving the Music demonstrates how, in the face of death and unspeakable horror, the strength of the human spirit of ordinary people can shine bright through the darkness.

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Advance Praise

“In Saving the Music, author Chip LoCoco writes of the efforts undertaken by common villagers, priests, and even a Pope to protect Jews from the Nazis. He vividly depicts the horrors faced by the Jews as they confront the Holocaust. Filled with real heroism and high drama, this book brings perspective and depth to its subject. It’s an exciting read on an important topic, and I strongly recommend it.” -Ronald Rychlak, Author of Hitler, the War, and the Pope

“This is a well-composed novel that captures key moments of the Holocaust as it relates to the Italian people. I highly recommend it.” -Professor Vincent Lapomarda, S.J., Author of The Jesuits and the Third Reich

“This is a well-researched novel and reflects the situation as it then existed, hopefully, never to return.” -Fr. Peter Gumpel, S.J., postulator of the cause of beautification for Pius XII

“Chip LoCoco’s novel, Saving the Music, is a realistic fact-based story of pain, fear and true heroism. The premise is solidly grounded on documented facts of the actions of the Catholic Church under the Pontificate of Pope Pius XII down to priests and individual Catholics. Saving the Music is an exciting and engrossing read, which joins the list of wonderful truth-based books of late that is shedding light on the truth ending the worst character assassination of the 20th Century. Bravo.” -Gary L. Krupp, Author of Pope Pius XII and World War II- The Documented Truth

About the Author

Chip LoCoco was born and raised in New Orleans. His first novel, Tempesta’s Dream, became an Amazon Bestseller.

His second novel, Bellafortuna, has been nationally recognized, being named a Short List Finalist in the William Faulkner Writing Competition and awarded the B.R.A.G. Award in Historical Fiction. Mr. LoCoco is a member of the Italian American Writers Association.

His newest work, Saving the Music, which is Book 2 of his Bellafortuna Series, was just recently released.

Chip, who is an attorney, is married to his wife of over 20 years, Wendy. They have two children, Matthew and Ellie and a beagle, named Scout. They reside in their beloved city of New Orleans, where if you try to find them on a Sunday in the Fall, they will be somewhere rooting on their Saints.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Blog Tour Schedule

Wednesday, June 3
Review at Gwendalyn’s Books

Friday, June 5
Feature at What Is That Book About
Review at Books, Writings, and More

Monday, June 8
Review at Passages to the Past

Tuesday, June 9
Feature at Chicks, Rogues and Scandals

Wednesday, June 10
Interview at Passages to the Past

Friday, June 12
Review at Donna’s Book Blog

Monday, June 15
Review at 100 Pages a Day

Thursday, June 18
Review at Impressions In Ink

Giveaway

During the Blog Tour, we are giving away a paperback copy of Saving the Music! To enter, please use the Gleam form below.

Giveaway Rules

– Giveaway ends at 11:59 pm EST on June 18th. You must be 18 or older to enter.
– Paperback giveaway is open to the US only.
– Only one entry per household.
– All giveaway entrants agree to be honest and not cheat the systems; any suspicion of fraud will be decided upon by blog/site owner and the sponsor, and entrants may be disqualified at our discretion.
– The winner has 48 hours to claim prize or a new winner is chosen.

Saving the Music

 

 

02_A Song for Bellafortuna_CoverA Song for Bellafortuna
by Vincent B. “Chip” LoCoco

Publication Date: May 14, 2015
Publisher: Cefalutana Press
Formats: Ebook, Paperback, AudioBook
Pages: 284

Genre: Historical Fiction

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SHORT LIST FINALIST IN THE WILLIAM FAULKNER-WILLIAM WISDOM WRITING COMPETITION.

A Song for Bellafortuna is an inspirational Italian Historical Fiction novel concerning a young man’s desire to free his Sicilian village from the domination of one family’s long reign. For years, the beautiful, yet secluded, hilltop village of Bellafortuna, Sicily, was a great producer of wine and olive oil. The entire village prospered. However, after the arrival of the Vasaio family, production dwindles and the villagers soon find themselves in crushing debt to the Vasaios. Only one family in the village remains outside the control of the Vasaios, but the reason haunts Antonio Sanguinetti every day of his life. Antonio is determined to erase this legacy by offering financial and emotional support to his fellow villagers. He introduces them to the choral song from Verdi’s opera, Nabucco, which becomes the rallying cry for the villagers and offers them hope for a better life.

When Antonio’s only son, Giuseppe, discovers his family’s past, he becomes determined to take on the Vasaios and remove them from power. Led by the young Giuseppe, a plan is hatched that could result in either complete freedom for the villagers, or if it fails, forever solidifying the Vasaios’ control.

Find out what happens in A Song for Bellafortuna, a sweeping epic historical fiction tale of love, drama, sacrifice, and redemption, set among the beautiful landscape of Sicily. Already listed by Amazon as a Top New Release in Historical Fiction and Italian Historical Fiction.

PRAISE

“Vincent B. LoCoco writes a heartwarming piece of historical fiction . . . He captured the essence of the Sicilian culture, especially regarding the value of ancestry and music . . . A Song For Bellafortuna is a beautiful tale of antiquity.” – Readers Favorite 5 Star Review

“The book was a joy to read. It is a wonderful story, told in a magical way.” -Cavaliere Ufficiale Aldo Mancusi, President of the Enrico Caruso Museum of America in New York

“An inspiring story of an Italian village threatened by commerce and saved by opera.” -John Biguenet, author of The Torturer’s Apprentice and Oyster

Paperback Available at Amazon | Audio Book Available at Audible.com

ABOUT THE AUTHOR03_Vincent Chip LoCoco_Author

Award winning and bestselling author, Vincent B. “Chip” LoCoco, lives in New Orleans. His first novel, Tempesta’s Dream – A Story of Love, Friendship and Opera, became an Amazon bestselling novel and was awarded the 2014 Pinnacle Achievement Award in Historical Fiction. Amazon also has named his book as a Top Rated Novel in Italian Historical Fiction.

Visit him at www.vincentlococo.com, or follow him on Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.

BLOG TOUR SCHEDULE

Monday, August 17
Review at Just One More Chapter

Tuesday, August 18
Spotlight & Giveaway at Unshelfish
Spotlight & Giveaway at Raven Haired Girl

Wednesday, August 19
Review at Book Nerd
Spotlight at A Literary Vacation
Spotlight & Giveaway at View From the Birdhouse

Thursday, August 20
Spotlight & Giveaway at Peeking Between the Pages

Friday, August 21
Spotlight at CelticLady’s Reviews

Monday, August 24
Review at Diana’s Book Reviews

Tuesday, August 25
Spotlight & Giveaway at Passages to the Past

Thursday, August 27
Interview at Books and Benches

Friday, August 28
Spotlight at The Never-Ending Book

Monday, August 31
Review at Svetlana’s Reads and Views

04_A Song for Bellafortuna_Blog Tour Banner_FINAL

HF Virtual Book Tours is proud to announce Vincent B. “Chip” LoCoco’s Virtual Book Tour for Tempesta’s Dream: A Story of Love, Friendship and Opera. I hope you’ll join Chip as he tours the blogosphere from June 24-July 21 as he is featured with guest posts and interviews, in addition to reviews from our tour hosts.

Tempesta's DreamPublication Date: September 26, 2013
Cefalutana Press
Formats: eBook, Paperback

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Tempesta’s Dream is the story of an aspiring opera singer coming of age in Milan; a tender and moving love story; a testament to the bonds of friendship; and, at its core, a tribute to the beauty, majesty and miracle of opera.

Giovanni Tempesta always dreamed of becoming an opera tenor and one day singing from the stage of the La Scala Opera House in his hometown of Milan, Italy. But with no real training, his dream has little chance for fulfillment . . . One day, he meets and immediately falls in love with Isabella Monterone, a dark-haired beauty, whose father, a very rich and powerful Milanese Judge, refuses to allow his daughter to date a penniless musician . . . At the lowest part of his life, Giovanni comes upon the Casa di Riposo, a rest home for musicians established by the great opera composer, Giuseppe Verdi . . . It is at the Casa Verdi that Giovanni meets Alfredo del Monte, a blind, retired opera singer with a secretive past who gradually becomes his mentor . . . Could Alfredo be the one person who could assist Giovanni in finding the break he needs? Or is Giovanni destined to be on the cusp of reaching his life long dream, only to find failure? . . . Tempesta’s Dream, at its core, is an Italian opera love story. The author tells the story simply and swiftly with an ending that is both an emotional and poignant moment of both “amicizia e amore” (friendship and love.)

Praise for Tempesta’s Dream

“The novel has enormous heart and a few times my eyes filled with tears. I was vividly involved with this young tenor, his dreams, and the wonderful old man who taught him. It is not an easy thing to convey the passion for song. However, the way the author did it, I could physically feel the young tenor singing and hear his voice.” -Stephanie Cowell, Author of Marrying Mozart

“The story holds charm and appeal. There is beauty in the depiction of the relationship between Giovanni and Isabella, as well as in the bond between Alfredo and the young tenor. Giovanni, Isabella and Alfredo will remain in ‘memoria mia’ for years to come.” -George Shirley, Tenor, University of Michigan Emeritus Professor of Music (Voice)

“Within a very moving story of romance and friendship, the author has created a realistic portrait of a young singer’s pursuit of an operatic career. This lovely tale allows one to acquire an understanding of and an affection for opera.” -Audrey Schuh Redmann, Soprano

“This novel is a thorough pleasure.” -Christina Vella, Author of Intimate Enemies, The Two Worlds of Baroness de Pontalba

“The story surprised me and involved me. The development of the book was very intriguing and moving.” -Cecilia Gobbi, founder of the Associazione Musicale Tito Gobbi, an organization devoted to preserving and celebrating the record of her famous baritone father’s contribution to opera

“What a story! Quite possibly, the best novel about opera I have ever read. The passion of opera pulsates throughout the entire novel. Highly recommended.” -John Gehl, Opera historian and the only American collaborator on The Oxford Concise Encyclopedia of Opera

“The author’s contagious love of opera and his faith in human decency sing through this loveable page-turner of a story.” -Susan Nicassio, Author of Tosca’s Rome

“An intelligent and entertaining lyrical journey . . . A rare, beautiful story with passion and opera pulsating through each page. LoCoco has woven a unique novel with exceptionally developed characters, realistic dialogue and a well-balanced narrative.” -Penn Book Review

“A Powerful novel . . . Tempesta’s Dream is all about the music, it’s all about the passion; and it’s all about pursuing one’s dream . . .a moving, engrossing story.” – D. Donovan, Ebook Reviewer, MidWest Book Review

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About the AuthorVincent Chip LoCoco

Chip LoCoco was born and raised in New Orleans. He is an attorney, with an emphasis on estate planning. A lifelong lover of music, Chip’s passion for opera dates back many years now. He has seen operas all over the world at some of the greatest opera houses. Chip has been asked to give talks on opera as well as the Sicilian-American culture of New Orleans.

Chip’s second novel, Bellafortuna, has been named a Short List Finalist in the William Faulkner Writing Competition. A date for publication has not been set yet for his second novel.

Chip is married to his wife of 15 years, Wendy. They have two children, Matthew and Ellie and a beagle, named Scout. They reside in their beloved city of New Orleans, where if you try to find them on a Sunday in the Fall, they will be somewhere rooting on their Saints.

For more information please visit Chip LoCoco’s website. You can also connect with him on Facebook and follow him on Twitter.

Follow Tempesta’s Dream Blog Tour

Tuesday, June 24
Excerpt & Giveaway at Passages to the Past

Wednesday, June 25
Spotlight at CelticLady’s Reviews

Friday, June 27
Excerpt at The Maiden’s Court

Tuesday, July 1
Guest Post at Historical Fiction Connection

Thursday, July 3
Spotlight & Giveaway at So Many Precious Books, So Little Time

Monday, July 7
Review & Giveaway at Broken Teepee

Tuesday, July 8
Review at Book Nerd

Thursday, July 10
Guest Post at I’d Rather Be Reading

Wednesday, July 16
Review at A Bibliotaph’s Reviews

Friday, July 18
Review at Literary Chanteuse
Review at The True Book Addict

Monday, July 21
Review at Jorie Loves a Story
Review & Giveaway at Luxury Reading

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