Heather Lynch
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A fully charged work schedule as a protocol officer for ethics in research with the University of Ottawa has not stopped Rita D’Alessandro from pursuing her lifelong passion for scribbling. A newly published author, her book, Rose’s Miracle, is a story about a young girl who faces some hardship, but remains focused on the positive. This is the first of four children’s books that Rita Lamanna, as she is known in the publishing world, has both written and illustrated.
D’Alessandro began writing at a young age, winning awards for a non-fiction article in elementary school and for a fictional short story in high school. Despite putting her writing on hold for a number of years while focusing on a demanding law career, she has managed to make up for lost time with ease.
She explains how the more traditional method of writing allows her to think better. “I begin with an idea, and then using a pen and paper I begin writing. A computer does not allow for the 'scribbling freedom' that I enjoy when using pen and paper.”
When asked what advice she would offer aspiring authors, D’Alessandro answers, “On a practical level, always have a writing pad and write down your ideas so that you do not forget them, then write, write, write as practice makes perfect. On a more abstract level, believe in yourself and you’ll have the ability to attain the highest. The sky is the limit.”
Thanks to an article in a local business journal, D’Alessandro was introduced to Ottawa-based Baico Publishing, which released her first book. With word of a potential novel for adults on the horizon, it seems the sky really is the limit for this uOttawa author.
To contact Rita D’Alessandro or to order Rose’s Miracle: lamannabooks@yahoo.ca.
