Hi Guys!
Today's blog post is an extract from Casa Paradiso by Francesca Scanacapra! Thank you to Francesca and Rachel (RachelsRandomResources) for having me as part of this blog tour :)
Casa Paradiso – 300 Years in the Life of a House
Lombardy, Northern Italy, 1637
Cristó Lovetta, a skilled stonemason, arrives in the rural village of Pieve Santa Clara to work on a nobleman’s house.
Haunted by a tragic past, Cristó wonders if he will ever find happiness again. However, as he immerses himself in his work, the warmth of the community and the beauty of the landscape convince him to begin a new life there.
Cristó designs and builds his own house, which he names Casa Paradiso. Over the centuries, Casa Paradiso becomes home to many generations, standing testament to lives beginning and ending, and witnessing the everyday challenges and triumphs of its inhabitants – from love lost and found, to the tragedies of war, the far-reaching consequences of political decisions made by powerful men and the evolving role of women in Italian society.
Casa Paradiso – the fourth instalment of the Paradiso Novels – is a shining, evocative saga spanning three hundred years in the life of a very special house, and a book that explores the enduring strength of the human spirit, contrasted with the transient nature of life itself.
Purchase Link - https://geni.us/CasaParadiso
Francesca Scanacapra was born in Italy to an English mother and Italian father, and her childhood was spent living between England and Italy. Her adult life has been somewhat nomadic with periods spent living in Italy, England, France, Senegal and Spain. She describes herself as 'unconventional' and has pursued an eclectic mixture of career paths – from working in translation, the fitness industry, education and even several years as a builder. In 2021 she returned to her native country and back to her earliest roots to pursue her writing career full time. Francesca now resides permanently in rural Lombardy in the house built by her great-grandfather which was the inspiration for her Paradiso Novels: Paradiso, Return to Paradiso, The Daughter of Paradiso and Casa Paradiso. Her novel The Lost Boy of Bologna was also published by Silvertail Books.
Social Media Links –
Twitter @francescascana2
Insta @francescascana2
Extract:
This extract begins some 130 years after Paradiso was built. Since then, generations have come and go, living and dying within the house’s walls. The latest arrival, Fortunato Fontanella, is a man who believes in spirits, respects them and is happy to live alongside them. Paradiso’s past, then, becomes central to his own experiences of the house, even as he sets up its future.
1777
FORTUNATO FONTANELLA
The timing of Fortunato Fontanella’s arrival at Casa Paradiso had not been chosen accidentally. There could be no more auspicious date than the seventh day of the seventh month of the year 1777. Being a man of superstitious leanings, Fortunato set great store by such details. What was more, the date fell on a Monday, by far the most propitious day to embark upon new beginnings.
Fortunato tugged at the rains to halt his horse and jumped down from the cart, then stood with his elbows resting on the gate, taking in his new home.
‘What do you think, Calendula?’ He asked, addressing the horse. ‘I’d say the place is looking even finer than when we saw it last year. Needs a good spruce-up, that’s for sure. I’ll get on with the house and you can make a start on the garden. Best get cracking, eh?’
Calendula snorted in agreement. She’d done admirably, pulling the laden cart all the way from Verona. Fortunato was not usually in the habit of burdening her with such a heavy load over such a long distance, but she had undertaken the task without complaint. He had brought only his valuables and vital personal possessions with him. He would send word to have his furniture delivered soon, but there was a lot to do before that could happen. Fortunato drew back the bolt on the gate, led Calendula into the yard and unhitched her from the cart. ‘Make yourself at home, girl,’ he said, patting her flank.
How Fortunato Fontanella, a retired merchant from Verona, had come to be the owner of this out-of-the-way property on the outskirts of the little village of Pieve Santa Clara was, as were most things in Fortunato’s life, the result of guidance given by his mother, God rest her soul. She had always dreamed of a life in the country, far away from the grime and the chaotic bustle of the city; and Fortunato had spent the best part of four years searching for just the right place. At a conservative estimate, he had viewed over ten dozen properties, many of which would have been ideal for his needs, but Casa Paradiso was the one which Mamma had wanted. Her choice could not have been clearer. On the sunny spring day when Fortunato had first been to see the place, there had been a sudden rain shower followed by a rainbow; and not just any rainbow – a full arc, visible from end to end, shimmering in magnificent iridescent splendour across the Lombardy Plain. Mamma’s decision left no room for doubt.
Certainly, the house needed some work to make it comfortable as it had been empty for over a decade and had been neglected for considerably longer, but aside from that, it fulfilled each one of his mother’s criteria. Such a pity Mamma hadn’t had the chance to experience the place whilst on this earth, but there was no reason why she could not enjoy it now. Fortunato couldn’t feel her presence yet, but he was sure she’d catch up with him before too long. It was probably better that way as there was so much to be done and his mother’s company, although never unwelcome, could be a distraction.
Fortunato unloaded his box of equipment from the cart and laid out what he needed on the doorstep. Firstly, his swan feather and bundle of dried sage, rosemary and lavender; secondly his pouch of salt which had been blessed by a blind gypsy; and lastly his protective crystals – white quartz to attract the positive and black tourmaline to transmute the negative energies. Kissing his mother’s lucky amulet, which he wore on a loop of leather around his neck, he performed the entrance rite, turning first to the North, then the East, then the South and West. Some believed that it was favourable to spit three times on the doorstep before entering a new home, but Fortunato considered this to be a silly superstition, as well as a rather unsavoury practice.
With his herb bundle and crystals in hand and his pouch of blessed salt tied around his waist, he opened the front door and announced in a firm yet friendly voice, ‘I am the new keeper of this house. I mean no harm.’ There was no immediate response, which was a good omen, as malevolent spirits were usually quick to react. Satisfied that he could begin the cleansing process unmolested, Fortunato lit the bundle of herbs and stepped into the hallway, ensuring that it was his right foot which crossed the threshold first.
If you enjoyed this extract and want to read another, or you want to read some reviews on Casa Paradiso to convince you to add it to that TBR pile, make sure to check out some of the amazing bloggers also on this tour!
Thank you - BYE!
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