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From Ashes to Song

From Ashes to Song

Pietro's idyllic life in Italy has been shattered, but a new melody of hope and love emerges in America's coal mines. An inspiring immigrant's tale.

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From Ashes to Song

It's 1911 in Piedmont, Italy. Pietro has at last captured the melody of the harvest on his clarinet, but before he can share his music, a deadly disease sweeps through the countryside, forcing his family to burn their vineyard to stop its spread. The loss is too much for Pietro's grandfather, and by morning, Pietro has lost two of the most precious things in life—his grandfather and the vineyard.

Adrift with grief, Pietro travels to America and takes a job in a Pennsylvania coal mine where his musician's hands blister and his days are spent in silence until one day, the beautiful voice and gentle heart of his friend's wife stirs a new song within him. As Pietro draws inspiration from Assunta, his gift for music returns. But when tragedy strikes and Pietro is to blame, he is forced to confront the consequences of his admiration for another man's wife, all while fighting for the love he never thought he'd find.

Inspired by true events, From Ashes to Song is a story of unconventional love, hope, and the extraordinary gifts brought to America by ordinary people in the great wave of immigration.

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Join me on this journey through the first three chapters of From Ashes to Song.
I hope you’ll enjoy being immersed in Pietro and Assunta's world!

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My story

I first tried to write a novel in my teenage years but the story came to an abrupt halt at the first sentence of Chapter Two. I simply didn’t know enough about the world to write that story.

So, I spent the next few decades exploring, discovering, and learning about this wonderful and crazy world.

I’ve climbed volcanoes, hiked mountains, swam in bioluminescence at night. I made a home in Italy, became a mum there, mastered the language, immersed myself in the culture, and even won a national karate championship.

Then I moved to the US where I picked back up my childhood dream and in 2021 that dream came true when From Ashes to Song was published!

It's been a joyride ever since. From Ashes to Song was nominated for the WCoNA Book of the Year. The Things We’ll Never Have won an Award of Excellence from the Historical Fiction Company and was a finalist for the 2024 Eric Hoffer Book Award.

I love connecting with you, readers, so I leaped at the chance to launch my own online store, removing the middleman and offering readers unique purchasing options, including autographed books.

However you discovered my books and wherever you purchase them, I hope you enjoy being transported to a different time and place. May the journey add a dash of joy and inspiration to your life!

Happy reading!

Learn more about Hilary