10-28-16
Fox Point - Lisa and Lori Minneti are identical twin sisters who have done everything together.
They have been friends their entire lives, hanging out in the same social circle.
Now they have written a book together.
They will promote their book, "Hazel Moon," at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 1, with a visit to North Shore Library.
In writing "Hazel Moon", they reminisced about their 20s, when their lives were defined by new wave music acts like Echo and the Bunnymen. They got into the band because of Lori's late husband, Kent Parco, who was in Take Me, a Racine new wave band that opened for Duran Duran and Cheap Trick. Their love of new wave music surpassed appreciation, more closely resembling devotion.
"We didn't want to be anywhere else than seeing Take Me," Lori said. "The music was everything."
In "Hazel Moon," the Minneti twins blend their love for new wave music with Lisa's interest in mysticism. The sisters plan to write a trilogy of books in the same style, influenced by alternative music and the 13 cycles of the Celtic moon. They are in the process of writing a book pairing the Hawthorn Moon and grunge music from the 1990s.
The main characters in "Hazel Moon" are November and Angela, outsiders who spend their day at the mall and are planning to head to an Echo and the Bunnymen show that night. The characters were based on their experience, although they said they don't identify with one character over another.
"There's things about them that are like us, but as we were writing them they took on a life of their own," Lisa said.
"There's magic that happens in the writing process where things which just evolve and all of a sudden it works," Lori added.
Lisa, of Fox Point, is an interior designer, and Lori is an actress, singer and host of "Builders Showcase" on Fox 6. Lisa said she first got the idea to write a novel when she saw a brochure at a library. They say they never really grew up, which is how they created a book that appeals to teens and young adults, as well as older readers who appreciate mysticism and 1980s nostalgia.
06-03-16
http://journaltimes.com/lifestyles/leisure/minneti-twins-plan-book-signing-for-hazel-moon/article_cb431f45-79d6-5c79-912b-140a30429f3b.html
Minneti twins plan book signing for 'Hazel Moon'
RACINE — Lori Minneti and Lisa Minneti, twin sisters from Racine, will hold a book signing for their novel "Hazel Moon" from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Friday, June 3, at The Furniture Store, 566 State St.
"Hazel Moon" is an urban Gothic fairytale fantasy novel with Celtic overtones. In 1984, November Rainer Savitchian relives the fateful night of a full, rising Celtic hazel moon. The story opens on a hot, sweltering summer day in late August and unfolds over a 24-hour period, yet also spans centuries and travels the universe. Set in the backdrop of the local and national American concert culture, November and her best friend, Angela, attend a music festival during which magic, along with Celtic lore and legend, unfold to help guide her struggle to find passion, purpose and conquer life’s demons.
Thank You Jim for your insightful and reflective critique of Hazel Moon!!
Book review: Mysticism, magic, and "Hazel Moon"
“Hazel Moon” by sisters Lisa and Lori Minneti is a novel that explores the new wave music scene just as the seventies had morphed into the eighties and new styles had built from established ideas. Drawing from influences, inspirations, and experiences, the authors create characters who clearly represent a period in which the music and concert culture were expanding, and new methods offered a deeper and more fulfilling atmosphere.
When discussing a literary work of fiction, it is the reviewer’s responsibility to convey the significance of the work without offering spoilers as to the description of the characters or the unfolding of events. In “Hazel Moon,” the Minnetis bring the reader through a strange journey that is alternately enlightening and disturbing, but remains consistently fascinating. While music is central to the narrative, the casual references to other areas of pop culture (classic film, animation, literature, art) are utilized effectively to better define the characters and the atmosphere.
Live music is the central theme of the novel, more specifically Ian McCulloch’s band Echo and the Bunnymen (active from the late 70s into the early 90s, reforming with other members in the late 90s to the present). The characters that drive and respond to the narrative are given the right amount of details – we never feel we know too little about each one, and are also not overpowered with an abundance of unnecessary trivial information. The authors’ prose is never discursive, but never appears terse. The initial description of filial connection immediately captures the reader, and there are many elements that thereafter maintain interest. A character’s coming-of-age that is both confusing and empowering, is ultimately triumphant.
Music is a medium that has enormous impact on individuals, inspiring both a visceral and intellectual reaction. Using that as a basis to create characters and situations results in a fascinating and absorbing work of fiction that is recommended to public libraries, school libraries, and general readers. The story incorporates areas of mysticism and magical qualities that makes the narrative even more compelling. The authors are already at work on a sequel.
12-05-2015
http://journaltimes.com/lifestyles/relationships-and-special-occasions/twin-sisters-born-in-racine-write-fantasy-novel/article_74a21682-a45d-5a85-b9f3-d1b6cf9e60a7.html
Twin sisters born in Racine write fantasy novel
Names: Lisa Minneti and Lori Minneti
Age: We twins were born in the sexy ‘60s, grew up in the rebellious ‘70s and came of age in the fantabulous ‘80s.
Current town/city of residence: Lori lives in
Connection to
Occupations: Lisa is a designer with
Title of book and publisher: “Hazel Moon,” published by Heritage Press.
Synopsis of book (plot): “Hazel Moon,” a fantasy novel, is an urban Gothic fairytale with Celtic overtones that will take you on a magical and mystical literary journey — a coming-of-age story set in the post punk-rock era. In 1984, November Rainer Savitchian relives the fateful night of a full, rising Celtic Hazel Moon. The story opens on a hot, sweltering summer day in late August and unfolds over a 24-hour period, yet also spans centuries and travels the universe. Set in the backdrop of the local and national American concert culture, November and her best friend, Angela, attend a music festival during which magic along with Celtic lore and legend unfold to help guide her struggle to find passion, purpose and conquer life’s demons. Hidden in our prose are poignant layers of profound wisdom, parable, and metaphor inspired by classic texts like Hermann Hesse’s, Siddhartha.
Is this your first book? This is our first published book, but we got our writing feet wet from early on and over the years with a murder mystery, some short stories and poetry.
Why did you write the book? Our childhood unfolded as twins, caring for and loving each other, always supportive, in a close Italian/German second-generation immigrant family. Our teens became a magical and memorable time of growth and exploration, our lives enriched and enchanted with the music scene and the concert culture as we began to experience both local and national acts.
Life had been rolling along, bright and breezy, when suddenly our beloved brother, Mark, died before his time. Then, some years later Lori’s husband, Kent, died as well. Within months of that last passing, we felt the need to memorialize, to acknowledge and honor the gift of their lives through some sort of artistic project.
It was around eight years ago when Lisa walked into a library and saw a brochure encouraging anyone feeling the impulse to begin writing a novel. Slowly the story of “Hazel Moon” and the characters that tell the story began to take shape, often based on experiences and people in our lives.
How long did it take you to write the book? “Hazel Moon” has been in formal development for more than eight years and the publication process, involving editing and shaping, shooting the covers featuring both of us has taken nine months.
How did you get interested in writing? We’d always been readers. Our grandmother often gave us gifts of books. She’d originally given books like Wuthering Heights & Jane Eyre to our mother who passed them on, and later all the volumes of Shakespeare and Jane Austin, grounding us in the classics. Our mother, who was a voracious reader, also set a good example for us to follow.
Writing “Hazel Moon” together was a deeply collaborative experience — the kind, we feel, only close twins can have. Since Lori was passionately involved in the dramatic arts, we first dabbled writing a murder mystery with the intention to turn it into a play or screenplay. When we formally decided to write “Hazel Moon” eight years ago we’d been writing on and off for years.
Where is the book available for purchase? We’d like people to purchase “Hazel Moon,” available in print or as an eBook by going through our blog:http://hazelmoonlisaloriminneti.blogspot.com/p/our-book.html. Just click on the cover picture and it will take you to online purchasing. The blog posts share the story of how Hazel Moon was created. We hope to build a community of readers who can interact and share comments on the blog.
Is the book available at the library? A copy is available for checkout in the library and for readers who might wish to leave comments exchanging reactions with us as authors, there is a social media version of Hazel Moon on Wattpad: www.wattpad.com/myworks/37042129-hazel-moon.
Lori and Lisa will release their novel with a book launch party from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 8, at
What Website or Facebook page can readers visit for more information?http://hazelmoonlisaloriminneti.blogspot.com/p/our-book.html andhttp://heritagepresspublications.blogspot.com/p/hazel-moon.html.
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