Queens author writes 1970s love story
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At just 24 years old, Anthony Sciarratta is an old soul.
Thanks to his parents, Sciarratta grew up listening to music and watching movies from the 1970s and became mesmerized by the culture of the era. So, when it came to publishing his first book, he set it in that era.
In “Finding Forever,” Sciarratta’s main character is a neurotic Italian-American man who suffers from an embarrassing breakup moments before losing his job.
With a lack of support from his father, the protagonist is about to give up on life when he meets a quirky woman with dreams of becoming a Broadway actress. Together, they try to battle the demons of their past and connect to one another.
The book, which took Sciarratta just four months to finish, is centered around romance, history, humor and religion.
For decades, Sciarratta’s grandfather owned Tony’s Pizzeria on 100-05 Metropolitan Avenue in Forest Hills. While the pizzeria isn’t mentioned in the book, the Queens native did feature a local spots, such the seafood restaurant London Lennie’s in Rego Park.
“I absolutely love it there and I’ve been going since I was a kid,” Sciarratta said. “I know the owner very well, and I thought there’s no way I’m going to write a book about this area and not put this in.”
The characters find themselves in neighborhoods such as Forest Hills, Rego Park, Maspeth, Little Neck and Astoria.
Sciarratta’s personal battle with stuttering and OCD both make appearances in “Finding Forever.”
“I had a stutter my entire life and it was hard for me at school when you have to talk out loud and answer questions,” he said. “I really wanted to inspire other people, whether they had a stutter or another speech impediment, to let them know that they could be heard despite being quiet or being embarrassed.”
Sciarratta attended St. Francis Preparatory and Queens College before pursuing his master’s degree at the New York Institute of Technology in Old Westbury.
His writing career began as a blogger for sites like FanSided and the Inquisitr, in addition to interning with the New York Jets and SportsNet New York.
“Finding Forever” was originally self-published through Amazon Kindle’s Direct Publishing program.
“I invested a little money in Facebook marketing and the book grew in popularity and I eventually gained the attention of my publisher, Post Hill Press, who then signed me for my second book and a book of poetry,” Sciarratta said. “I’m trying to make a career out of being an author.”
His second book, “The Letter,” is set in Middle Village and will come out next spring.
“Finding Forever” will be out on November 5 and is available for pre-order.
