Port of No Return by Michelle Saftich Blog Tour with Giveaway!
Port of No Return by Michelle Saftich
Publication Date: July 31, 2015
Odyssey Books
eBook & Paperback; 244 Pages
Genre: Historical Fiction
Contessa and Ettore Saforo awake to a normal day in war-stricken, occupied Italy. By the end of the day, their house is in ruins and they must seek shelter and protection wherever they can. But the turbulent politics of 1944 refuses to let them be. As Tito and his Yugoslav Army threaten their German-held town of Fiume, Ettore finds himself running for his life, knowing that neither side is forgiving of those who have assisted the enemy. His wife and children must also flee the meagre life their town can offer, searching for a better life as displaced persons. Ettore and Contessa’s battle to find each other, and the struggle of their family and friends to rebuild their lives in the aftermath of a devastating war, provide a rich and varied account of Italian migration to Australia after World War II. What can you do when you have nowhere left to call home? Port of No Return considers this question and more in a novel that is full of action, pain and laughter — a journey you will want to see through to the very end. Port of No Return is the first novel in a series of two.
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About the Author
***GUEST POST***
Interview with the Author :)
What
inspired you to write your first book?
My
father’s stories of his childhood, often told over the dinner
table, were always entertaining but had an underlying sadness to
them. Most his early childhood was spent as a World War II refugee
and he would reside in refugee camps, pretty much for the first eight
years of his life. I wanted to better understand how he came to be in
Australia and why the beautiful Italian city of his birth was no
longer in Italy, but a part of Croatia (previously Yugoslavia). I was
inspired by the family story and the bigger historical story of
conflict, systematic killings and mass migration. I was compelled to
bring this part of history to life.
Is
there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?
My
story seeks to demonstrate the resilience of people and the
importance of having a space of your own to call home, a job and
access to schooling. People continually strive to have these things
and are willing to leave country, culture and all they’ve ever
known in order to have that sense of security and of being settled.
Plus, that family and friends are terribly important when all else is
lost.
How much of the book is realistic?
All
right, there are some moments when the writer in me added some flair,
exaggeration and dramatic tension for the sake of a good read. But
the majority of it is based on true family or historic experiences
and aims to stay realistic.
Are
experiences based on someone you know, or events in your own life?
The
novel keeps close to my father’s family and their journey in
fleeing their Italian city when it was taken by Tito’s Yugoslav
Army. I did interview other Italians and wove their stories into the
plotlines. Historic research also helped to enhance my writings.
What are your current projects?
After
writing Port
of No Return
and its sequel Wanderers
No More,
I’m now writing something quite different, in a completely
different genre, though I’ve still inserted refugee issues into my
story.
Name
one entity that you feel supported you outside of family members.
Of
course, my wonderful publisher at Odyssey Publishing.
Is
there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing? In
writing these books, it was important to stay true to my father’s
family and his journey, while giving the reader a sense of the time
and place and the true historic significance of what took place,
impacting on the futures of hundreds of thousands of people. I needed
to be sensitive to them and their experiences.
What
are your expectations for the book?
That
it raises awareness of this little-known conflict and the mass
movement of Italians across the globe that followed, paying tribute
to their resilience.
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Blog Tour Schedule
Monday, April 9 Review at Pursuing Stacie Tuesday, April 10 Feature at Passages to the Past Wednesday, April 11 Feature at The Writing Desk Thursday, April 12 Review at Dressed to Read Friday, April 13 Guest Post at Dressed to Read Interview at Maiden of the Pages Monday, April 16 Review at Books and Glamour Tuesday, April 17 Feature at Being Anne Thursday, April 19 Feature at Time 2 Read Review at Teaser Addicts Book Blog Monday, April 23 Review at What Cathy Read Next Review at The Caffeinated Bibliophile Friday, April 27 Review at Books of a Shy GirlGiveaway
During the Blog Tour we will be giving away a $25 Amazon Gift Card! To enter, please enter via the Gleam form below. Giveaway Rules – Giveaway ends at 11:59pm EST on April 27th. You must be 18 or older to enter. – Giveaway is open INTERNATIONALLY. – Only one entry per household. – All giveaway entrants agree to be honest and not cheat the systems; any suspect of fraud is decided upon by blog/site owner and the sponsor, and entrants may be disqualified at our discretion. – Winner has 48 hours to claim prize or new winner is chosen. Port of No Return
Thanks so much for hosting Michelle, Erika! Great interview!
ReplyDeleteAmy
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