This is Winston, one rockin’ conga drummer. His red-hot reggae rhythm is as cool as a tropical breeze.
You can purchase the original 16″x20″ acrylic on canvas on my website: http://www.PamelaAllegretto-Franz.com
Quality Giclee prints from poster size to greeting cards, pillows, tote bags, etc. are available at: https://fineartamerica.com/featured/island-beat-pamela-allegretto.html
“Author and artist Pamela Allegretto has stepped in to satisfy our Venice yearnings with her new novel, a madcap tongue-in-cheek escapade titled “Ashes to Ashes, Diamonds to Dust.” The whimsical book cover is the first clue of the jaunt awaiting us once we crack open the first page—there we meet American Carla Romano, landed in Venice dead-set on road-testing her Gucci stilettos on the city’s defiant byways, apparently, as well as attending an international art exhibit and tossing her deceased friend’s ashes into the Grand Canal.
As if colorful Carla herself and her intended itinerary aren’t enough to whet our appetites for the read, a rogue’s gallery of oddballs with their own agendas for Carla and her friend’s ashes soon turn up and mix up the whole, humorously bungling Keystone Cops affair. In an easy, breezy, and street-smart writing style, Pamela Allegretto scores five stars from this author for her light-hearted, cozy mystery. “Ashes to Ashes, Diamonds to Dust” is just the right read in these stay-at-home times, and I guarantee that by adding Pamela Allegretto, her art, her writing, and her generous spirit to your days and nights, yours will be a happier life.”
A thousand thanks to multi-award-winning and best-selling author Linda Lee Greene for taking the time to write such an amazing and generous review.
To read the complete review, yes, happily there’s more, go to either: https://www.goodreads.com/author_blog_posts/20707702-review-of-ashes-to-ashes-diamonds-to-dust-by-pamela-allegretto or http://ingoodcompanyohio.blogspot.com/2020/12/review-of-ashes-to-ashes-diamonds-to.html
ASHES TO ASHES, DIAMONDS TO DUST is available in ebook and paperback at: Amazon worldwide: https://www.amazon.com/Ashes-Diamonds-Dust-Pamela-Allegretto/dp/1647181828 BookLocker, Barnes and Noble, Apple, Kobo
Until I stumbled into this odd little side gig of translating Italian poetry, my idea of poetry didn’t go much further than, “Roses are red…” etc., etc. Occasionally, I read and reread and tried to understand some of the poetry published in The New Yorker, but first of all, it didn’t rhyme, so that threw me off; then, on many occasions, even after a third or fourth read, I was still asking: “Say what?” I must have snoozed through the poetry segment in English class because all this free flowing thought was news to me. And now, I was being asked to translate it. Fortunately, for me, the poet was none other than Luciano Somma, Italy’s preeminent poet.
It’s been more than 20 years since my first collaboration with Luciano Somma.His sensitivity to the past and optimism for the future made it a pleasure to translate his work. His poems bridge a lifetime in Naples, from World War II to the millennium. Whether it is the young boy taking refuge from American bombs, the son speaking to a father long since departed to seek fortune in America, a flight of gulls, or the sunrise of the twenty-first century, Somma paints his poems with multi-hued emotions that range from the shadow of despair to joy’s luminosity. As English translator, I provided a fresh canvas to exhibit his words.
Per il primo gennaio, vorrei offrire la poema PRIMO GENNAIO scritto da Luciano Somma. Come tutte delle sue poesie, sentiamo lo spirito sentimentale d’un poeta molto noto in Italia. Si può trovare Luciano qui:
http://www.partecipiamo.it/Poesir/Luciano_Somma/1.htm
http://www.scolastica2000.it/MUSICALMENTE/somma/somma.htm
You can find Luciano Somma at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SbxwlMV-LCw
http://www.partecipiamo.it/Poesir/Luciano_Somma/1.htm
http://www.scolastica2000.it/MUSICALMENTE/somma/somma.htm
giclee prints of “DANCING ON MOONBEAMS” from greeting card size to poster size, tote bags, iphone cases, pillows, mugs, etc.,can be purchased at: https://fineartamerica.com/featured/2-dancing-on-moonbeams-pamela-allegretto.html
PRIMO GENNAIO JANUARY 1st
Ancora stordita Still dazed
da tanto frastuono from so much racket
la notte sbadiglia the night yawns
perchè è già domani. as it’s already tomorrow.
Avrà il volto nuovo Will it have a new face
quest’alba che spunta this sunrise that awakens
neonata speranza newborn hope
d’un anno sereno? for a peaceful year?
Laggiù all’orizzonte There on the horizon
Io vedo una luce I see a light
più intensa e più chiara powerful and radiant
sarà forse inganno? Will it be a fraud?
Soltanto chimera? Only illusion?
Oppure aria pura If not, this greeting
è questo l’augurio is a pure manifestation
per tutti quaggiù for everyone on earth
Vogliamoci bene to love each other
la vita è una sola life is unique
teniamola cara we hold it dear
vivendo in amore living in love
Con tutte le razze with all races
da veri fratelli from true brothers
sarà un’utopia? will it be utopia?
Può darsi, chissà! It’s possible, I wonder!
Luciano Somma Luciano Somma
(Traduzione) Pamela Allegretto
“What a bittersweet story. It shows the depths people will go to during a crisis situation: in this case, a war. Some cower in fear, others feed their greed, while the true heroes face calamities and strive to make the world (even if their own little corner of the world) a better place. I enjoyed learning about the Bridge of Sighs from a historical perspective. The characters and story will remain with you long after you’ve read the final page.”
Mille grazie to Rebecca for taking the time to write such a lovely review on Goodreads. I am over the moon and grateful to you for your generosity. Best wishes!
BRIDGE OF SIGHS AND DREAMS is available for purchase in paperback and eBook at:
AMAZON:
https://www.amazon.com/Bridge-Sighs-Dreams-Pamela-Allegretto/dp/1634906543 and all Amazon sites worldwide
BARNES & NOBLE:
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/bridge-of-sighs…/1122645088…
BOOKLOCKER:
http://booklocker.com/books/8228.html
ITUNES:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/bridge-of-sighs-and-dreams/id1041486835?mt=11
KOBO:
https://store.kobobooks.com/…/eb…/bridge-of-sighs-and-dreams
AMAZON.IT:
AMAZON:
Although the balloons are different colors, they are all still balloons. When they unite, good things happen.
I’m hopeful that in 2021 we can all unite and make good things happen.
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
“L’UNITÀ” – FELICE ANNO NUOVO!
Sebbene i palloncini siano dei colori diversi, sono tutti ancora palloncini. Quando si uniscono, accadono le cose belle. Spero che nel 2021 potremo unirci tutti quanti e far accadere le cose belle.
FELICE ANNO NUOVO!
Giclee prints from greeting card size to poster size, tote bags, phone cases, mugs, pillows, masks, etc. are available at:
http://fineartamerica.com/featured/unity-pamela-allegretto.html
The original 8”x 12” acrylic on wrapped canvas is available for purchase on my art website: http://www.pamelaallegretto-franz
“With an irresistible combination of beautiful setting, diamonds and jewels, murder, and a cast of unforgettable and dubious characters, we follow the exploits of Carla Romano, a no-nonsense young woman, as she turns amateur sleuth in an effort to solve the mystery she’s inadvertently caught up in.
The descriptions of Venice, along with the sights, sounds, and smells, are written with a skillful painter’s eye to detail. Venice might be a city of romance and beauty, but as the story unfolds, we find ourselves caught up in a mystery with as many twists and turns as the city has bridges and canals.
A wonderful cozy mystery, which I highly recommend.”
Thank you so much to multiple-award winning author Kathryn Gauci for writing such a lovely review. Praise from such an accomplished author is especially gratifying. Best wishes to you.
ASHES TO ASHES, DIAMONDS TO DUST is available in ebook and paperback at: Amazon worldwide, https://www.amazon.com/Ashes-Diamonds-Dust-Pamela-Allegretto/dp/1647181828 BookLocker, Barnes and Noble, Apple, Kobo, etc.
“This is the first book I read from this author, and let me tell you that I loved it! Such a good book with great characters that keeps you obsessed with every page since the first one. The ending of this book.. come on! I just didn´t expect it! Can´t wait to read other books from this great writer! Amazing job! a must-read!. 5/5 A fantastic story that has it all! I loved this book although the story was at times extremely harrowing. Woven through the account of the Nazi forces (including some good German soldiers) and the Resistance in Southern Italy and Rome is a bewitching story, beginning at the time of the Fascists in the Mussolini regime continuing into the occupation by Nazis in Italy. A great read with interesting characters, lots of twists and turns, so a real page-turner. I look forward to reading more from this author.”
Mille grazie to Jennifer Shepard for taking the time to write such a lovely review. I am over the moon and grateful to you for your generosity. Best wishes!
BRIDGE OF SIGHS AND DREAMS is available for purchase in paperback and eBook at:
AMAZON:
https://www.amazon.com/Bridge-Sighs-Dreams-Pamela-Allegretto/dp/1634906543 and all Amazon sites worldwide
BARNES & NOBLE:
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/bridge-of-sighs…/1122645088…
BOOKLOCKER:
http://booklocker.com/books/8228.html
ITUNES:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/bridge-of-sighs-and-dreams/id1041486835?mt=11
KOBO:
https://store.kobobooks.com/…/eb…/bridge-of-sighs-and-dreams
Ends midnight tonight: 11/22/20 Eastern Standard Time! Quality giclee prints, greeting cards, tote bags, i-phone cases, throw pillows, puzzles, masks, coffee cups, etc. I hope you enjoy browsing through my eclectic gallery that ranges from bold trompe l’oeil “Views to Go,” thru animated Kid’s Art, to landscapes, tropical scenes, music themes, and sun-drenched Italian villages.
I enjoy fusing whimsy with realism, and the variety in my style, medium, and subject reflects a Gemini nature that consistently prods me away from monotony.
A thousand thanks, mille grazie, merci` beaucoup, vielen dank, muchas gracias to yesterday’s buyers! I am deeply appreciative and hope you all enjoy the prints and gifts. Cheers!!!
Go to: http://pamela-allegretto.fineartamerica.com or https://pamela-allegretto.pixels.com/
“I loved every page of this well written story, and didn’t want it to end.
Carla takes her late friend’s ashes to Venice where she is taking part in an art exhibition. She inadvertently becomes embroiled in a cat and mouse game involving five million dollars’ worth of stolen diamonds. It’s a matter of who can you trust, as she comes across several shady characters.
A brilliant read which I can’t recommend highly enough.”
My most heartfelt thanks to Sandra McKenna for taking the time to write such a lovely review. I value your opinion, and therefore, I am thrilled to know that you enjoyed the book. It’s such fun to have readers and friends in Australia. Best wishes.
ASHES TO ASHES, DIAMONDS TO DUST is available in ebook and paperback at: Amazon worldwide, https://www.amazon.com/Ashes-Diamonds-Dust-Pamela-Allegretto/dp/1647181828 And at: BookLocker, Barnes and Noble, Apple, Kobo
Today is International Saxophone Day. Yes, that’s really a “Day!” It seems International Saxophone Day is celebrated on November 6th of each year in remembrance of Antoine-Joseph (Adolphe) Sax, the inventor of the saxophone. Adolphe Sax was born on November 6, 1814 in Dinant in Wallonia, Belgium.
I am a huge jazz fan, and to me, the saxophone is one sexy sounding instrument, be it, soprano, tenor, alto, or baritone. Since Saxophone Day is November 6th, I thought I would list my 6 favorite Saxophone players. They are: Grover Washington Jr. / Julian (Cannonball) Adderley / Stan Getz / Sonny Rollins / John Coltrane / Charlie (Bird) Parker.
I know my saxophones aren’t anatomically correct, they’re not meant to be. I leave that to the “realist” painters. My saxophones are too into creating beautiful music together (i.e. sex) to worry about outward appearances.
Giclee prints from greeting card size to poster size are available at: http://fineartamerica.com/featured/sax-sex-pamela-allegretto.html
The original acrylic on wrapped canvas painting is for sale. Visit my websites, http://www.pamelaallegretto-franz.com http://www.pamelaallegretto.com
Or contact me here.
“Bridge of Sighs and Dreams is a stirring and evocative portrait of Italy under the Fascists and the Nazi occupation. I’ve visited Italy several times, and the elegant descriptions made me feel as if I had returned. This book left me breathless. It drew me in from the first page and didn’t let go. It’s a testament to the human spirit of survival.”
Thank you so much to the unnamed Amazon reader for this lovely review. If the author of this review is reading this, please let me know who you are so I can thank you personally. Best wishes.
BRIDGE OF SIGHS AND DREAMS is available for purchase in paperback and eBook at: AMAZON worldwide:
BARNES & NOBLE:
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/bridge-of-sighs…/1122645088…
BOOKLOCKER:
http://booklocker.com/books/8228.html
ITUNES:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/bridge-of-sighs-and-dreams/id1041486835?mt=11
KOBO:
WORLD FOOD DAY
Hunger won’t wait for the pandemic to end. There is no justification for children to go hungry in this country. But it’s happening every day, in every community. The USDA states that more than 11 million children in the United States live in “food insecure” homes.
Since this poor excuse for a president is unwilling to share even the meager crumbs from his Big Mac, it’s up to all of us to keep our food banks supplied. Let’s treat each other the way we would like to be treated. Don’t think it could never happen to you. But this is not the only reason to contribute food, do it because it’s the moral thing to do.
Best wishes for happier days ahead.
Read about WORLD FOOD DAY and the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations at: http://www.fao.org/world-food-day/themes/en/
Quality Giclee prints of this painting: “TROPICAL HARVEST” are available at: https://fineartamerica.com/featured/tropical-harvest-pamela-allegretto.html
Today is the Feast Day of St. Francis of Assisi. We don’t have to be Christians or even religious to appreciate the life of St. Francis of Assisi. He cherished all of nature and creatures large and small. I mean, how can you not love someone who talked to animals and birds?
SAN FRANCESCO D’ASSISI
Non si dev’essere religioso apprezzare San Francesco d’Assisi. Lui ha amato tutta la natura e le creature grandi e piccole. Voglio dire, come non si puo` amare qualcuno che ha parlato con gli animali e gli uccelli?
Il quadro originale e` stato venduta, però, si può comprarne delle stampe di giclee a questo sito.
https://fineartamerica.com/featured/st-francis-of-assisi-pamela-allegretto.html
The original acrylic on canvas painting has been sold. However, Giclee prints and greeting cards are available for purchase at: https://fineartamerica.com/featured/st-francis-of-assisi-pamela-allegretto.html
St Francis of Assisi
“In her first book Pamela Allegretto captivated readers with sweeping frescoes of WW2 Rome imagined through her artist’s eye. In her second she switches genres to display her talents as a caricaturist in a rollicking tongue-in-cheek adventure about a hunt for missing diamonds.
The city of Venice comes to life with its narrow streets, famous canals and a wonderfully baroque hotel with confusing corridors, staircases and exits, a perfect backdrop for the cat and mouse game in which the heroine, Carla Romano, ducks and dodges a vividly portrayed rogues gallery of unsavoury (and pungent-smelling) characters who are convinced she is hiding a fortune in the funerary urn which contains the ashes of her best friend.
Where will they pop up next? And in what disguise?
Will the nimble Carla in her devastating designer shoes manage to outwit her pursuers, aided and abetted by a sexy Italian hero? Casting off her artist’s smock for the crocheted bonnet of Miss Marple, Carla is determined to figure out who is hunting her, and why. Will she succeed? Read the book and enjoy!”
My most heartfelt thanks to author Laurette Long for taking the time to write such an amazing review. I am honored to have an author of your caliber appreciate my work. I envy your life in France. Best wishes!
ASHES TO ASHES, DIAMONDS TO DUST
Venice sets the stage for a diamond caper gone wrong, where everyone is someone else, and no one can be trusted.
ASHES TO ASHES, DIAMONDS TO DUST
ASHES TO ASHES, DIAMONDS TO DUST is available in ebook and paperback at: Amazon worldwide, https://www.amazon.com/Ashes-Diamonds-Dust-Pamela-Allegretto/dp/1647181828
BookLocker, Barnes and Noble, Apple, Kobo
Bridge of Sighs and Dreams was published five years ago this week. My goal was to entertain and inform. Sales, interviews, newspaper and magazine articles, and lovely reviews have exceeded any expectations I might have had. An unforeseen benefit has been reconnecting with wonderful old friends and establishing so many amazing new friendships with readers and authors around the world. I am genuinely grateful to every reader, reviewer, and interviewer. La vita e` veramente bella.
While growing up, I always hated listening to jokes about the Italians going into World War 2 with their hands raised. This was not at all the case, and I wanted to point out the bravery of the Italian population during this horrific time. Although Bridge of Sighs and Dreams is fiction, It is based on real events. I felt compelled to write a war novel in which the women don’t play the role of wallpaper or objects of amusement to soldiers and politicians. The women in Bridge of Sighs and Dreams take center stage in a behind-the-lines battle between good and evil.
BRIDGE OF SIGHS AND DREAMS
BRIDGE OF SIGHS AND DREAMS is available for purchase in paperback and eBook at:
AMAZON:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B015JRFQE8 and all Amazon sites worldwide
BARNES & NOBLE:
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/bridge-of-sighs…/1122645088…
BOOKLOCKER:
http://booklocker.com/books/8228.html
ITUNES:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/bridge-of-sighs-and-dreams/id1041486835?mt=11
KOBO:
https://store.kobobooks.com/…/eb…/bridge-of-sighs-and-dreams
AMAZON.IT:
Pamela Allegretto Artist/Author 
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