Bio

Born in the 20^thcentury with a soul rooted in the Renaissance, my passion for life is reflected in my writing, photographs, music, and art. My creative spirit and inquisitive nature soar through many dimensions, enthusiastically exploring not only the arts, but also history, science, athletics, and philosophy.

As a writer, my multitude on interests fueled by my prolific imagination, enable me to craft spellbinding stories and bring to life endearing characters in both genres, fiction and nonfiction. This is illustrated in my two published books, Daughter of Two Worlds: The Face of My Father, a novel about a teenage girl’s quest to find her father, and Never Give Up: A Journey from Bully to Brave, the biography of Japanese immigrant and judo coach, Nagayasu Ogasawara.  The sequel to Daughter of Two Worlds is near completion and I am in the planning stages of another book, to be titled, A Suitcase and A Song: The Immigrant Influence on American Music. This nonfiction work traces not only the influence immigrants had in forming the musical landscape of America, but will also delve into the history and culture of those people, demonstrating how the music of their native countries was developed. To thoroughly research the material for this work, I will be traveling extensively to Europe. Many of my shorter works, including feature articles, editorials, short stories, and poems have been published in book, magazine, and newspaper formats.

Beyond the printed word, I also delight in telling a story through my photographs. Like my father before me and his father before him, we are intrigued by viewing life through the perspective of a lens, capturing forever moments in time. It’s in our DNA, our genes are set to f stops, shutter speeds, and focal lengths. Whether on the macro level, street scenes, portraits, or panoramic landscapes, my images recount and evoke the stories behind them. 

Music has always been central to my life. Upon graduation from William Paterson University, and with a desire to enrich other’s lives by sharing my knowledge of music, in 1993 my husband, Vincent Musco, and I established Westwood Music Studios a private music school with a full faculty of music educators, offering lessons on all instruments, voice, and music theory. Having been born into a musical family, I began piano lessons at age six, clarinet at age eight, and soon added drums and classical guitar to the mix. Teaching is an extension of myself and an avenue to open new doors for students young and old. Innovative at the core, I enjoy composing music, and my original Christmas song, “Dominooch,” was featured on CBS TV News, New York and premiered on iHeart Radio in 2018. Liking to get before an audience as well, I am the founding member and drummer in the cross-genre band, Innova. My affiliation is with the American Federation of Musicians, Local 802, New York City.

At times I like to retreat from the high-tech, fast paced world to get back to the fundamental basics of art, by listening to the soothing sounds of my pencil gently scratching the surface of paper, sketching all types of drawings from realistic images to cartoons. “Nonna Rosa,” a spunky Italian grandmother with liking to impart her wit and wisdom upon the world, is one such cartoon character born from my pencil.

Life is not complete without exercising the body along with the brain and spirit. A tomboy, I climbed trees and played football with the boys before discovering judo and ju-jitsu at an early age. I competed internationally in judo, earning a 2^ndDegree Black Belt, which is registered with the Kodokan in Tokyo, Japan. Concurrently, I earned another 2nd Degree Black Belt in Ju-jitsu, taught self-defense classes, and appeared on various TV networks, demonstrating the martial arts.

Like Leonardo da Vinci, the individual I most admire for his encompassing view of the world, strong sense of individuality, artistic talent, and fascination with all aspects of life, my dream is to forever let my free spirit soar, searching for knowledge, reaching for every star, and sharing it through my work.