by Patricia Bellomo | Sep 26, 2013 | Mob Blog
[dcs_p]Mob Blog: Daddy’s Little Girl, September 26, 2013[/dcs_p]
[dcs_p]In Louie Morelli’s words …[/dcs_p][dcs_p]
I’m in New Orleans visiting my daughter. No, not Stella, but my other little girl, the one I don’t talk about: Ceci, the lovechild I had with my late, longtime mistress, Mercedes.[/dcs_p][dcs_p]
Ceci’s more French than Italian, more Mercedes daughter than mine, but still, she’s my daughter, daddy’s little girl. Ceci has her mother’s looks. She’s always been beautiful, now, on the verge of puberty, she’s stunning.[/dcs_p][dcs_p]
We’re at the Café du Monde. It’s an old routine of ours—beignets and café au lait with the tourists. We sit street side because that’s where Ceci likes to sit. A band is playing on Decatur Street, the same band as always. It’s warm beneath the canopy, the air sluggish and humid. It’s midmorning and Ceci is supposed to be at school. She wears the uniform of the Sacred Heart Academy. I’ll deliver her to the uptown academy after our visit. At least, I’m expected to. But sometimes Ceci wants to play hooky. And I almost always let her. In fact, I say to her now, “Do you want to go to school or hang with Victor and me all day?”[/dcs_p][dcs_p]
Ceci looks beyond me, to where Victor and one of Anthony’s men are idling near the entrance. Victor’s wearing a lavender linen jacket, one side weighted with his Beretta. I have enemies in New Orleans, my hometown. Not that I’m particularly concerned about being gunned down at the Café du Monde, but still, old habits die hard. It’s best to be prepared.[/dcs_p][dcs_p]
Ceci considers my question. Her mouth is dusted with powdered sugar. She says, “Will I see Uncle Anthony too?”[/dcs_p][dcs_p]
“Yes, and the mayor. Your remember Mayor Blakely, don’t you?”[/dcs_p][dcs_p]
“Of course.” I forget, Ceci’s twelve going on thirty. Daddy’s little girl has never really been a child. She was born gifted—the type of child who reads Tarot cards and plays with voodoo dolls.[/dcs_p][dcs_p]
Ceci tilts her head, looking at me. “I want to stay with you,” she says.[/dcs_p][dcs_p]
That’s that. Daddy’s little girl has spoken. I signal the Vietnamese waiter, letting him know we’re done.[/dcs_p][dcs_p]
Patricia Bellomo is the author of the “Louie Morelli” series. Her books include Louie Morelli’s Mistress, Stella di Mare, and Louie Morelli’s Daughter. Books available at Amazon.com. Also in digital format for all e-readers. Available on AmazonUK, EU, and JP.
by Patricia Bellomo | Sep 5, 2013 | Mob Blog
[dcs_p]Mob Blog: Books and Booze, September 5, 2013[/dcs_p] [dcs_p]
Books and booze go together like … whoa, wait a minute. Books and booze don’t go together at all. Or do they?[/dcs_p][dcs_p]
Well … sometimes. Let me explain.[/dcs_p][dcs_p]
You’ve had a rough day. You come home tired and pour yourself a Pinot Noir and arrange for a soak in the tub. You might even light a candle. Now you’re in the mood to read.[/dcs_p][dcs_p]
Read? You might be in the mood for something else … sleep perhaps. Let’s start over. Books and booze go together when you’re reading one of my books. Not that I’m encouraging drunkenness, but a glass of wine or an extra-dry Stoli martini with olives beats Diet Coke any day.[/dcs_p][dcs_p]
I’m not a lush. Two’s my limit. On the rare occasions when I have three, my husband’s driving and my next day’s aerobics class goes out the window. Honest. I’m a writer, after all, and I need my brain when I sit at the computer. But, as I’ve spent many evenings sitting on a barstool, I feel qualified enough to speak about books and booze.[/dcs_p][dcs_p]
Now, I don’t like seedy barrooms or dingy saloons. No, I’m an uptown girl, and I like upscale eateries with cushioned stools and granite-topped counters. Piano lounges and Italian restaurants, a little calamari or frutti di mare before me with a basket of hard-crust bread, the kind true Italians eat. And yes, I like to eat more than I like to imbibe. I’m also inherently social—and I love to meet people. I always ask them, “Do you read?”[/dcs_p][dcs_p]
Yes, I meet my readers in bars. My fan base likes books and booze. I don’t suppose this would be true if I wrote cozy mysteries or bodice rippers or sci-fi. But I’m writing crime fiction: Thrillers, with a mob-related theme. It’s not The Soprano’s, and they’re not mob stories, per se. But my characters are mobsters. And while I’m baring it all, I’ll be completely honest and admit that I’ve met a few real live ones in my time. [/dcs_p][dcs_p]
But my mobsters are make-believe. Bad-boy Louie Morelli couldn’t be real. Nobody in real life could do what he does and get away with it. But Louie’s very charming, and my female readers love him. My male readers like Louie because he is just so cool.[/dcs_p][dcs_p]
Just to be cautious I always tell my fellow imbibers that when they make Stella di Mare into a movie, it’ll be PG-13 or R rated. We’re dealing with infidelity and murder here. So go ahead and pour the bubbly … it’s time for a good book and a little booze.[/dcs_p][dcs_p]
Patricia Bellomo is the author of the Louie Morelli character series. Her books include Louie Morelli’s Mistress, Stella di Mare, and Louie Morelli’s Daughter. Books available on Amazon.com and Barnes and Noble.com. Available on all e-readers.
by Patricia Bellomo | Aug 18, 2013 | Mob Blog
[dcs_p]Northville’s Top Bookstore Welcomes Crime Novelist, Patricia Bellomo.[/dcs_p][dcs_p]
Crime Novelist, Patricia Bellomo, is coming to Northville. The Clinton Township author will be appearing at The Next Chapter Bookstore & Bistro on Saturday, August 24, 2013, between 4:00 – 5:30.[/dcs_p][dcs_p]
Bellomo will be signing copies of her latest thriller, Louie Morelli’s Mistress.[/dcs_p][dcs_p]
For avid readers who have not yet read any of Bellomo’s books in the Louie Morelli series, Louie Morelli’s Mistress is a good one to start with. As Bellomo says, “You don’t need to read my books in order, but I’d recommend starting with Louie Morelli’s Mistress. Chronologically, it takes place before Stella di Mare and Louie Morelli’s Daughter. It also adds a mysterious twist, and is set in New Orleans, as opposed to South Florida.”[/dcs_p][dcs_p]
For those who are not familiar with Bellomo’s characters, Louie Morelli hails from New Orleans–the son of a former mob boss that conspiracy theorists credit with the 35th president’s assasination. This is fiction in the crime thriller genre or, as in Bellomo’s words, “a sexy mob thriller.”[/dcs_p][dcs_p]
There’s a romantic angle: An exotic and beautiful woman, a love affair that feels fated, an eccentric little girl, a naive young realtor, and, of course, the enigmatic mobster, Louie Morelli. Add in the FBI, a splash of voodoo, and a scorned woman seeking revenge, and readers land smack dab in the middle of Bellomo’s latest thriller.[/dcs_p][dcs_p]
Bellomo refers to her books as mob thrillers, and the novels have a definite appeal for fans of mob books and movies. Her debut novel and Miami Beach thriller, Stella di Mare, was released in 2010, followed by Louie Morelli’s Daughter in 2011. Bellomo’s books are contemporary and are generally set in South Florida, although Louie Morelli’s Mistress offers readers a glimpse of New Orleans’s gritty underworld. [/dcs_p][dcs_p]
Dr. Marlene Siersema, host of “Amazing Women: Brains, Beauty, and Style” on Voice America World Talk Radio, recently asked Bellomo why a nice lady like her was writing about mobsters and mayhem, and Bellomo replied, “I have a naughty imagination.”[/dcs_p][dcs_p]
Although the author admits to having known a few Louie Morelli types in her life, she stresses that her books and characters are completely fictitious. “They’re entertaining reads for those who like suspense and intrigue in exotic places.”[/dcs_p][dcs_p]
Bellomo’s books are available at The Next Chapter Bookstore, located ar 141 E. Main, Northville, MI (248-465-0010)[/dcs_p][dcs_p]
Books also available at Amazon.com, major book retailers, and on all e-readers.
by Patricia Bellomo | Aug 12, 2013 | Mob Blog
Louie Morelli’s Mistrss
[dcs_p]Mob Blog: Suspense Author’s Booksigning’s, August 12, 2013[/dcs_p][dcs_p]Suspense Author, Patricia Bellomo, will be signing copies of her books at Sajo’s Restaurant on Wednesday, August 14, 2013 at 7:00 pm.[/dcs_p][dcs_p]
Sajo’s is located at 36470 Moravian, Clinton Township, MI 586-792-7256 [/dcs_p][dcs_p]
Bellomo is promoting her latest thriller, Louie Morelli’s Mistress, but all three of her books will be available for sale. Previous books include Stella di Mare & Louie Morelli’s Daughter.[/dcs_p][dcs_p]
Bellomo writes suspense in the crime thriller category. [/dcs_p][dcs_p]
Bellomo will also be appearing at The Next Chapter Bookstore on Saturday, August 24, 2013, from 4:00 – 5:30. [/dcs_p][dcs_p]
The Next Chapter stocks all three of Bellomo’s books. All will be available for purchase at the signing. [/dcs_p][dcs_p]
The Next Chapter is located at 141 E. Main, Northville, MI 248-465-0010 [/dcs_p][dcs_p]
Bellomo’s suspense & mystery books are available at The Next Chapter Bookstore. Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble. Also available in all digital formats, including kindle & nook.[/dcs_p][dcs_p]
Louie Morelli’s Mistress by Patricia Bellomo[/dcs_p][dcs_p]
“A daring and suspensful thriller.” [/dcs_p][dcs_p]
Uptown Realtor, Robert Fontenay, falls in love with the mistress of crime boss, Louie Morelli. Sleeping with Louie’s girl is dangerous, but Robert becomes deeply attached to Mercedes and her eccentric little girl. After Mercedes involves Robert in a hit on a crooked congressman, he is plunged into New Orleans’s gritty underworld, where he finds himself caught between mob and FBI.
[/dcs_p][dcs_p]
Louie Morelli’s Daughter by Patricia Bellomo[/dcs_p][dcs_p]
“An action and adventure thriller, highly recommended.”[/dcs_p][dcs_p]
Louie Morelli’s beautiful daughter, Stella, gets kidnapped in the parking lot of a Delray Beach hotel. After discovering that Stella’s abduction is related to her husband’s gambling debts, Louie embarks on a mission to recover Stella and avenge her honor. Along the way Stella is transformed from daddy’s darling to an accomplice to murder. [/dcs_p][dcs_p]
Stella di Mare by Patricia Bellomo[/dcs_p][dcs_p]
Suspense & intrigue in Miami Beach.[/dcs_p][dcs_p]
In this sexy thriller Tara Evans falls hard for enigmatic mobster, Louie Morelli, when he takes control of the Miami hotel she works for. Tara’s former boss, Franco, hustled hot diamonds, and it doesn’t take long for Louie to recover Franco’s loot. Claiming a rare diamond necklace, Louie devises a scam involving a famous producer, an eccentric diamond dealer, and his lovely mistress, Tara.
by Patricia Bellomo | May 30, 2013 | Mob Blog
The Mobster’s Mistress.
(Not the Crime Fiction Writer)
[dcs_p]Mob Blog: Mob Movies, May 30, 2013[/dcs_p]
[dcs_p]Louie Morelli doesn’t like mob movies. As a Mafia prince, and the firstborn and only son of the mobster reputed to have mastermind JFK’s assassination, Louie takes offense to Hollywood’s dramatization of the life. He kind of takes it personal, particularly when documentaries show footage of his long deceased father and dredge up the conspiracy theories Louie’s had to live with for all of his life.[/dcs_p]
[dcs_p]On the other hand, Louie’s loyal soldier, Victor, loves mob movies. He’s got a collection of every mob movie ever made, and when Louie says, “Victor, it’s all a bunch of bulls__t,” Victor is quick to point out that it might be BS, but there is always a little bit of truth in fiction, and what the heck, it is entertaining.[/dcs_p]
[dcs_p]“Come on, Lou,” Victor says, extolling the virtues of Goodfellas (1990), Victor’s absolute favorite mob movie. “You gotta admit Scorcese nailed it.”[/dcs_p]
[dcs_p]Louie doesn’t tell Victor what he thinks. He admits it’s entertaining. Louie likes Vegas, and he does favor the Vegas themes: Casino (1995) and Bugsy (1991). He likes some of the old stuff too, like On the Waterfront (1954) and Angels With Dirty Faces (1938).[/dcs_p]
[dcs_p]But Louie doesn’t like to talk about it. Ironically, he’s never viewed himself as a mobster, but Stella di Mare would make a hell of a mob movie and Hollywood couldn’t dream up a better mobster than savvy Louie Morelli. A dark hero on the silver screen.[/dcs_p]]
[dcs_p]Victor’s a bit of a romantic. He tells Louie’s youngest son, Michael, that “your old man doesn’t like for people to misjudge him.”[/dcs_p]
[dcs_p]Hmm. And Michael’s just learning the family business, or some of whatever it is that the Feds refer to as “the last vestiges of the New Orleans mob”. Michael doesn’t know everything and Victor assures him he never will. “It’s all water under the bridge, kid,” he says. “Ancient history. Just think of your old man as a real estate investor and forget the rest.”[/dcs_p]
[dcs_p]“That’s quite a lot to forget,” says Michael. But he’s not getting any answers from his father, who can be maddeningly elusive. He gets more out of his cousin, Anthony, who runs the day-to- day ops of those last vestiges the Feds refer to.{/dcs_p]
[dcs_p]Michael doesn’t have a problem with mob movies either. In fact, they’re his favorite type of movie. Sometimes, he debates their merits with Victor. Michael thinks Godfather 1 (1972) & Godfather 2 (1974) are the tops, with Goodfellas (1990) a sweet third. They both agree that Godfather 3 (1990) is garbage and doesn’t rate. Michael’s brother, Tony, concurs with this.[/dcs_p]
[dcs_p]Michael recently saw Key Largo (1948) for the first time. Ordinarily, he doesn’t like old movies—certainly not if they’re in black and white, but Victor assured him it was worth watching. Coincidentally, they were on the Stella di Mare, cruising off the coast of Key Largo, and Victor started feeling nostalgic. Casually mentioning that he did “a job down here recently”, Victor popped in the DVD and upped the volume. Michael noticed his father and Victor exchanging glances, but before he could comment, Bogart was on the screen.[/dcs_p]
[dcs_p]Michael had to admit it was a good movie. He guessed Louie liked it too, because he watched the movie along with them. Later, when the credits were running, Louie said, “They don’t make movies like that anymore, Victor.”[/dcs_p]
[dcs_p]Then Louie asked Victor if he had The Maltese Falcon (1941), which Michael knew wasn’t a mob movie. But Victor liked Bogart. He had the movie.[/dcs_p]
[dcs_p]So here’s the question: What is your favorite mob movie?[/dcs_p]
[dcs_p]Patricia Bellomo is the author of the crime and mob thriller books, Louie Morelli’s Mistress, Stella di Mare, and Louie Morelli’s Daughter. Books available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble. Also in ebook format.[/dcs_p]
