About
I was born in Naples, and grew up in the lush countryside of Avellino in Irpinia. My upbringing was deeply influenced by my father, an engineer with a passion for ancient Greek and Latin literature, and my mother, a teacher of French and English. Thanks to them, I was surrounded by a world of words and ideas from an early age.
The first book I ever read was “The Mysterious Affair at Styles” by Agatha Christie, which sparked my passion for unraveling mysteries and exploring life’s unsolved cases.
At just eight years old, I wrote my first story—a simple yet meaningful tale about a tree—which won a prize at my school, marking the beginning of my journey as a writer.
By the time I was thirteen, I had developed a love for theatre, and at sixteen, I traveled to London to deepen my knowledge of the English language at Queen Mary College. My academic path then led me to the University of Naples “L’Orientale,” where I specialized in foreign languages and literature, focusing on theatre, art, and cinema. My thesis explored Anton Chekhov’s “The Seagull” as interpreted by Konstantin Stanislavski.
I continued my studies with a degree in Modern Languages for Communication and International Cooperation, under the guidance of Masolino D’Amico, focusing my thesis on Arthur Conan Doyle. During these years, I also delved into screenwriting and directing.
A turning point in my journey came when I moved to London. It was there, while exploring a library, that I stumbled upon the figure of John Florio. Frustrated by the lack of detailed information about him, I decided to take matters into my own hands. I enriched his sparse Wikipedia page and created the first dedicated website, where people can freely learn about his life and work. I also launched a YouTube channel, where I share lessons on Florio’s connections with Shakespeare, bringing to light his role as a key figure in the cultural bridge between Italian Humanism and Elizabethan England.
My deep passion for John Florio’s legacy has established me as a worldwide expert on his life and work. This dedication has driven me to share my research through interviews, conferences, and public events, as well as to publish a book exploring Italian and English sonnets he wrote anonymously during his career titled “John Florio’s Italian & English sonnets”. Currently, I am pursuing a PhD at the University of Como, where I continue to investigate Florio’s profound influence and enduring contributions to the literary world.
The concept for my novel series, “Resolute John Florio,” was born in London, ignited by a captivating play at Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre and Frances Yates’s illuminating biography of Florio. Envisioning the vibrant years spent at the French embassy alongside Giordano Bruno, over the next seven years, I began to map out all four books of the series, gradually built up a mass of notes about the lives of those who crossed Florio’s path and building a detailed world to bring these historical figures to life.
With the first manuscript now complete, I collaborated closely with an editor to refine and perfect the narrative. The result is “Resolute John Florio: At the French Embassy,” the inaugural installment in a series that vividly chronicles the dynamic and often tumultuous journey of John Florio—an extraordinary figure of the Renaissance.
