Milena Bonvissuto:
From Radio to Novels and Social Commitment
Interview by Maria
Teresa De Donato
On one of her social profiles, she
presents herself decidedly provocatively with a
"Leave me alone, I'm unfriendly."
Allow me to differ.
Having had the opportunity to meet her, even if only virtually
for the moment, and to interact with her on various occasions, I have been able
to see that Milena Bonvissuto is not only a lovely woman but also very
intelligent, endowed with deep thoughts and feelings, generous and equally
sensitive.
In short, as my friends from Campania would say, Milena is
"nu piezz'e core" (= a sweetheart).
I am, therefore, thrilled to host her
today here on my Blog and Virtual Cultural Salon.
MTDD: Hello, Milena, and welcome among us. I am happy to
introduce you today to my readers, too.
MB: Thank you for the invitation and the kind words. My
header on the Facebook profile is truthful, but we do not show everyone the
same side. It all depends on the interlocutor.
MTDD:
Milena, I understand you are a pure Sicilian from your biography. You were
born, in fact, in Licata (in the province of Agrigento), a "city
surrounded by the sea," by your admission on December 26, 1973. You are
the first of three children of Francesco and Crocina. You attended the
classical high school V. Linares in Licata and have a daughter named Lavinia.
Because of your empathy, you have always loved to be part of the community.
Since you were young, you have shown
versatility by trying your hand at multiple activities and sectors.
Do you want to tell us about it?
MB: As
many people now know, I am tied to my territory, that is, not only to Licata
but to Sicily; being an islander allows you to see things differently. My
passion for writing comes from the desire to be able to say what I think and to
be able to live many lives, arranging them as I please. I have a very peculiar personality;
I often get defensive or go into my silent world, and writing is my escape
route.
MTDD: How
did you get from radio programs to writing, and how have these experiences
enriched you as a woman and professional?
MB:
Radio chose me. In truth, I had accompanied a friend to an audition, and they
asked me if I wanted to try; morally, it was my choice. Radio allowed me,
through a microphone, to understand people's sad or happy tone. Many began to
ask for advice, and imagining what they wanted, I could give them the correct
input. I came to actual writing out of revenge on another author who had
described my city differently from the one I lived in. Then, a short article in
the newspaper of a publishing house that was looking for new authors gave me
the idea to participate, and I was among the winners in the series where the
famous director Grimaldi was also present.
MTDD:
Your first novel was La paura di
rincasare tardi (= The Fear of
Returning Home Late), published by EDICOM Rho, which received a fair amount of
recognition from newspapers and a mention in the Io Donna Weekly. The
title goes hand in hand with some rather alarming news stories...
Would you like to elaborate on this concept?
MB: The original title was La ricerca della felicità
(= The Search for Happiness). It was a publisher's idea: The novel "La
paura di rincasare tardi" (The Fear of Returning Home Late) talks
about the conflict between parents and children over the imposition of a
curfew. Still, it also touches on the theme of the Southern Issue and the fear
of being unable to return to one's own country.
MTDD:
Your next novel was Maria Regina senza Regno (Mary, a Queen without a
Kingdom) (2019), whose protagonist is "Maria, daughter of Frederick the
Simple and Constance of Altavilla. The novel is set in the Kingdom of the Two
Sicilies. The characters and historical events happened. Figment of [your]
imagination is the love affair between Queen Maria and Count Moncada."
What inspired you to write this publication?
MB: In a
flea market, I found a little book with many chapters, one of which was
"The Kidnapping of the Queen." Reading it, I found Licata; from
there, it became an obsession. Few people knew about this story, so I started
researching. I discovered she was staying at Saint James Castle, but returning
to the castle to become queen was a real ordeal. Hence the title. I had to
remain faithful to the story. Still, I wanted to allow this queen to understand
true love, and I developed the love story between Princess Maria and Count
Moncada, her kidnapper. Unfortunately, the ending was unexpected, so intuition
told me to leave it open.
MTDD:
Another of your literary works is Il principio di Benedetto (Benedetto’s
Principle) (2021), in which you highlight "... the strength and fragility
that the human being contains in his 'INNER SELF' and Benedetto’s principle
"EVERYTHING IN ITS PLACE AND A PLACE FOR EVERYTHING."
What can you tell us about this work of yours, which, from what
is indicated in the Synopsis, tends towards introspective aspects?
MB: This
novel is about a man who has lived almost a century during the story;
Benedetto, as an adult, and Benedetto, as a child, chase each other to realize
their projects in the post-war historical period. It is a novel that makes you
reflect on chance and destiny.
MTDD: In
November 2022, you published Suspira
– Un bacio sospeso (= Sigh – A Suspended Kiss), an erotic romance set in 1930 with an
almost psychological background. In the Synopsis, which suggests a rather
intriguing novel, we read in part: "Sometimes you want to escape from
framed lives, but it happens that the more you escape, the more life becomes
tangled... you discover that that character and passion are inside you, and they
reign dormant..."
Mind and Heart, Flesh and Spirit, Passion, and Reason have
always been antitheses.
Is it possible, in your opinion, to find the right balance? And
do your protagonists manage to achieve this goal?
MB: Suspira
is set in 1930 between Italy and France. It is a novel of rupture where taboos
are overcome, but the questions have no end. You can grasp the fragility and
strength of the characters, but they all have one thing in common: building
rules while not following them. To give life to this novel, defined as erotic
but also somewhat psychological, I had to use many writing techniques and some
bait characters. Each character creates a balance, but just like in real life,
what is suitable for one it isn’t so for the other.
MTDD: In
August 2024, it was the turn of Made in Alikata: Journey through the
history and legends of Licata, with a Preface by our dear mutual friend
Andrea Ansevini, who was also my very welcome guest and with whom I have had a
collaboration that has lasted for years. This book describes Licata as follows:
"Like a
beautiful woman... Her heart beats harmoniously between the waves' musicality
and the hills' wind. She travels between legends and truth, history and loyalty,
beauty and sadness. ... We are thus seafarers and barefoot sailors of
misunderstood artists and dreamers."
The question arises spontaneously: What does it mean to you to
be 'Sicilian' and, above all, 'Licatese'?
MB: Have
healthy values, love your roots, and be part of a community.
MTDD: How
and to what extent has your being Sicilian and Licata influenced and continues
to affect your life, particularly your literary production?
MB: As I
said in the first question, in my novels, I always put a bit of my land; it's a
sort of way to show my gratitude and never to forget where I come from.
MTDD: In December 2024, you published a book entitled Due
anime ribelli (= Two Rebel Souls) together with Andrea Ansevini. The book "reminds
us that love is a powerful and ambivalent force, a dance between shadow and
light, between pain and joy..."
Tell us about these two rebellious souls.
MB: This
novel was a challenge; we united the South and the North in distant and
timeless worlds, at least for the first part. At a certain point, however, the
characters change and find themselves in the present day. It wasn't easy, but
it was still a beautiful experience, perhaps to be repeated!
MTDD:
Over the years, in addition to dealing with culture, you have also been
involved in social issues. I read about an initiative that you proposed to the
authorities of your city for the introduction of "Neighborhood Watch"
– known very well in the USA, where I have lived for over 30 years as a system
that I have found already in operation since I moved to this country back in
1995 and which, at least here, seems to work. I congratulate you and all those
who have joined this initiative, and I hope that it will not only be approved
by the local institutions but also bear excellent fruit.
Would you like to add anything else regarding this particular
aspect?
MB:
Citizen committees are born apolitical precisely because you have to work with
all the administrations that will follow. In the last fifteen years, we have
dealt with flooding, and later, we put forward the proposal that you mentioned,
which, unfortunately, was not accepted, but as the saying goes, let's not lose
hope. We will propose it to whoever comes after as President of a neighborhood
as big as a village. My dream would be to make it grow by adding a small park
or many small areas where you can play, with small tables where you could play
cards, checkers, and chess or, why not read a book with a sea view, in short,
have equipped areas.
MTDD: It’s a beautiful idea. I hope you turn it into reality
with all my heart.
Milena, thank you again for accepting my
invitation, and I hope to have you as my guest again soon.
Would you remind our readers how they can contact you and order
your publications?
MB: All
the novels can be purchased from the major online stores, on Amazon, in the
publisher's catalogs, and in bookstores if you order them. As for my articles, please
search on Google. In addition to doing live, which you can find on my YouTube
channel and WhatsApp, I have started collaborating with the culture newspaper L'Epoca
Culturale and the Caffè letterario diffuso. Finally, with three
other people, I have created Sagoradio24tv, where everyone can express their
talent utterly free of charge.
I thank you and all our readers; we would not be here talking
about me without them.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
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