Leonardo-&-SerioSince I began my writing career as a sophomore in high school, I have primarily birthed stories in the science fiction and fantasy genre. That is where my passion as a reader lies, and I believe it offers the broadest avenue of creative freedom to explore ideas and themes that, if told in contemporary settings, could be off-putting to many readers. It is still my passion, but alas, there are some stories that require a different treatment.

One such story is the story of the history of my family coming to America. My great-grandfather, Miguel Lunardo, arrived at Ellis Island in 1899 with nothing but a few dollars in his pocket, a useful skill, and a dream for a better life. He fathered 18 children, and became the patriarch of a family that would have a profound impact on Central New York, driven by individuals whose own stories could fill many volumes. For as long as I have had the urge to write, I knew that one day I would take on the massive project of telling the story. Now that all but three of my great-grandfathers children are gone, I have decided that now is the time to begin the hard work of gathering the stories and constructing a story that will both entertain and remind each of us how special the American Family really is.

My mother, Rosalie M. Fowler, is helping me with the primary research, and will be interviewing many of the family members over the next year. I will be focused on choosing the stories and people who will become the focal points in the story. There are simply too many people to include them all.

This will be a massive and complex undertaking, but I believe very strongly this story has the power to connect all of us who come from immigrant roots. I plan to blog throughout the project and give the reader a glimpse into the process of telling a sweeping tale that spans five generations. I hope you will take this journey with me.