Go New York! Go New York! Go!
The Knicks did it!
They won the NBA Championship!
That glorious victory reminded me of why I♥NY!
If you've ever wondered what it means to be a New Yorker, watch Jalen Brunson — all 6'2" of him — lead a team against all odds, against a literal giant, all the way to a championship. Nothing gets this city going like an underdog, because we often are one.
We've survived near-bankruptcy, flight to the suburbs, terrorism, and pandemics. We don't fold. We rise! (preferably with VIPs dancing in the stadium and crowds jumping in the streets.)
Thursday's ticker-tape parade will roll through the Canyon of Heroes, one block from my front door. I'll be out there with tears streaming down my face.
Something people don't understand about NYC is that we are welcoming. We know we are made stronger by everyone who comes here to prove themselves — natives, immigrants, expats, and commuters alike. The Knicks are the same. That's our superpower.
My father was a New Yorker by choice, not birth. He emigrated with his family when he was 5 years old — and spent his first few days in America on Ellis Island with his mother and sister. (That's a story for another newsletter.)
What he understood deeply was the pull of a place, and what "home" really means. That's what Coins in the Fountain is about. Set in postwar Rome, it follows American expats navigating beauty, romance, and the ache of lives not quite settled, and the question of where we truly belong.
The book recently received an enthusiastic review from Kirkus Reviews, earning a coveted "Get It!" recommendation:
“More complex than the Hollywood romance that it inspired, the narrative deftly explores the emotional depths of the principal characters. Humor and witty banter mix with vibrant descriptions of the city, its famous fountains, and the luxurious accommodations the expats enjoy during the early postwar period. But there’s also palpable sadness, loneliness, and deep longing for personal fulfillment. A picturesque tribute to the Eternal City.”
— Kirkus reviews June 2026
As my father's daughter, it is especially meaningful to see this luminous novel available once again for a new generation of readers. It has been a labor of love for 8 years and now that it is published I am thrilled to share with all of you!
The book is available through Amazon, Bookshop.org, Barnes & Noble, independent bookstores, and libraries. If you enjoy classic fiction, stories set in Italy, or rediscovering overlooked literary gems, I hope you'll take a look.
Authors struggle with publishing not because their writing isn't good enough — but because they don't understand how the publishing business works. That's exactly what I help with.
