# 25

Fanny, I'm glad that you're willing to try Stolen Magic even if the plot doesn't appeal to you.  We all have story lines we like, and others we don't like as much.  I hope you find that you enjoy the story.  I had that unicorn and maiden opening in mind for years before I found out what the rest of the story should be. *g*

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# 26

Francesca--

I don't know if I'll keep writing until I'm 100, but I'll do my best!  As to my heroines--well, I love all my characters or I couldn't write them.  But Clare in Thunder and Roses, the down to earth teacher who is the daughter of a Methodist minister, is a favorite.  Also Juliet from Silk and Secrets.  She is so strong and passionately in love with Ross, but she has made terrible mistakes and thinks that forgiveness is forever out of reach.  Of course, I also adore Ross, who recognizes that only with Juliet is he fully alive. 

I could list other heroines, too, but I'd better stop there!

As a general comment--my husband's maternal grandparents were from Italy--the southeastern area. They spoke the Albanese dialect are are probably descended from Albania immigrants of the past.  In my Italian Christmas novella, I used their family name--Balzano--as the name of a village.  Like all good Italian boys, his middle name is Francis. *g*

My niece's husband is 100% Italian American, and he's called Frank. I think his name is also Francis. *g*  He is a great guy and also a great cook. 

Italian Americans are such a powerful element in the fiber of the United States that I wouldn't want to imagine what my country would be like without them! 

Mary Jo