Book Extract: Casa Paradiso – 300 Years in the Life of a House by Francesca Scanacapra

It’s a pleasure to be welcoming Francesca Scanacapra back to Novel Kicks and the blog tour for her book, Casa Paradiso – 300 Years in the Life of a House which is book four in the Paradiso series. 

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.

Francesca has shared an extract with us today. We hope you enjoy it. 

*****beginning of extract*****

This is the start of the third story in the book, beginning in 1680. Carolina Lovetta has inherited Paradiso and the house’s colourful and rich history is being formed bit by bit, as fascination people visit this strong, independent woman in her home.

1680

CAROLINA LOVETTA

Casa Paradiso was a respectable establishment of excellent reputation, catering for select paying guests. It was both owned and run by Carolina Lovetta, now in the thirty-sixth year of her life. She was a woman of many talents – resourceful, industrious and highly-esteemed within the community.

Carolina had written signboards placed along the Via Postumia advertising rooms to let, which worked well to attract the right calibre of clientele, because only those who were able to read could follow them. Her lodgers included merchants, members of the clergy, men of law and men of letters, as well as a regular traffic of artisans, particularly those associated with the luthiery crafts. With Pieve Santa Clara being situated not quite twenty miles from Cremona – a city world-renowned for the manufacture of the finest stringed instruments – Casa Paradiso was perfectly positioned as a rest-stop. Even Maestro Antonio Stradivari himself, the most famed of Cremona’s violin-makers, had stayed with Carolina on numerous occasions. His employees and fellow luthiers were frequent guests, and Maestro Stradivari even recommended Casa Paradiso to his clients.

That crisp late autumn morning Carolina was seeing off Signor Zucca, a cordaro by profession, procurer and spinner of strings for musical instruments. He always overnighted at Casa Paradiso to rest both himself and his horses on his way to and from the sheep pastures of Colazzo. Sheep gut made for the most prized strings, not just for the bowed instruments, such as violins, violas and cellos; but also for lutes, guitars and mandolins, all of which were produced in Cremona.

Carolina came out of the house just as Signor Zucca was bringing his four packhorses from their stabling in the barn. He was a charming man and Carolina was very fond of him. Now advancing in years, dear Signor Zucca was still remarkably fit and sprightly, although over the long time Carolina had known him, his eyesight had diminished considerably. These days his vision had dwindled to almost nothing in one eye, and the other wasn’t far behind. He could still make out bright colours and vague forms, but little else. Carolina did worry about him travelling long distances without being able to see, but Signor Zucca would brush off her concerns, saying that it didn’t matter that he was as blind as a mole because his horses knew the way and he just let them lead him. He still undertook the eighty-mile return trip between Pieve Santa Clara and Colazzo on foot so as not to overburden his pack-animals.

In exchange for the delicious sheep’s cheese he brought back from each of his trips, Carolina would send him on his way with provisions for his onward journey. No financial transaction would be involved. Carolina was more than happy to enter into these kinds of barterings with her most loyal clients. Signor Zucca’s favourite victuals were her stuffed panin’, baked and filled to her mother’s exact recipe. Carolina had prepared a half dozen of them for him that morning. They were still warm from the oven.

‘Your rations, Signor Zucca,’ she said as she handed over the package of panin’.

‘You do spoil me, Signorina Lovetta,’ he smiled affectionately, breathing in the aroma of the bread and cheese and pickle. As he placed the package in one of his saddlebags, he added, ‘The weather’s holding fair, so I should encounter no delays. I will be back on San Bruno’s day.’

‘A room will be waiting for you,’ Carolina replied. ‘Godspeed. I wish you safe travels,’ and she kissed him on the cheek, which was a gesture reserved for only her favourite guests.

This time Carolina was particularly looking forward to Signor Zucca’s return, as he had pledged to bring back twelve bracci– the equivalent of around ten yards – of woven woollen cloth. Carolina had given him the money in advance to purchase it. With this cloth, she planned to make herself a hooded cloak. Signor Zucca had one such cloak in an olive shade of green, which Carolina had always admired for the softness of the wool and quality of the weave; although olive was not a flattering colour for her, tending to sallow her rosy complexion. The fabric she had asked Signor Zucca to procure was indigo blue, and obviously, her own cloak would be fashioned in a more feminine style. Carolina already had the fastenings and the silk lining for it, acquired from another of her regular lodgers – a haberdashery merchant who passed through twice a year on his way to and from the port city of Venice.

There was no denying that Carolina enjoyed her luxuries, although her generosity extended well beyond herself. Whilst profit-minded with her customers, because business was business, she was generous to a fault with those she loved; not that the Lovettas wanted for anything. Her father had seen to it that her three brothers were solidly set up in their trades – two in masonry, and her middle brother as a cabinet-maker – and they were all doing very well. Her older sister, Nella, despite not being a Lovetta by birth, upon her marriage, had received a house with the deed in her name. Cristó Lovetta had been firm in his belief that women should dispose of independent means. It was for this reason that Carolina had inherited Casa Paradiso in its entirety.

*****end of extract*****

About Francesca Scanacapra –

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 Bolognawas also published by Silvertail Books. Her latest novel, 300 Years in the Life of a House, book four in The Paradiso Novels and was released on 14th November 2024. Click to buy on Amazon UK, Waterstones, Amazon US and Amazon Italy. 

Say hello to Francesca on Twitter and Instagram. 

by

Laura

I’m Laura. I started Novel Kicks in 2009. I wanted a place to post my writing as well as give other writers like me the opportunity to do the same. There is also a monthly book club, a writing room which features writing prompts, book reviews, competitions, author interviews and guest posts.

I grew up by the sea (my favourite place in the world) and I currently live in Hampshire. I am married to Chris, have a cat named Buddy and I would love to be a writer. I’m trying to write the novel I’ve talked so much about writing if only I could stop pressing delete. I’ve loved writing since creative writing classes in primary school. I have always wanted to see my teacher Miss Sayers again and thank her for the encouragement. When not trying to write the novel or writing snippets of stories on anything I can get my hands on, I love reading, dancing like a loon and singing to myself very badly. My current obsession is Once Upon a Time and I would be happy to live with magic in the enchanted forest surrounded by all those wonderful stories provided that world also included Harry Potter. I love reading chick lit. contemporary fiction and novels with mystery.