Former Assemblyman Inks Contract For 2nd Book

Former New Jersey State Assemblyman, Louis Manzo, and Moonshine Cove Publishing of South Carolina have announced coming to terms on AN IRISH LULLABY, a fiction manuscript authored by Manzo. The planned publishing date will be late summer/early fall of 2018.

“We strive to put out quality books,” said Publisher Gene D. Robinson. “This effort is being recognized. One of our books [What Went Wrong with Oscar Toll by Charles Bush] was chosen as the BEST LEGAL THRILLER in the 2015 National Indie Excellence Book Awards, and another [How to Raise Respectful Parents by Laura Lyles Reagan] was named a FINALIST in two categories of the 2017 American Book Fest Awards.

“I am grateful for Moonshine Cove Publishing’s decision to bring my work to fruition,” said Author Louis Michael Manzo.

Manzo had previous success with his debut, non-fiction book, RUTHLESS AMBITION: The Rise and Fall of Chris Christie, which was published by Trine Day Publishing of Oregon in 2014. The book was well reviewed and sold, according to its Amazon webpage.  Manzo also authors an opinion blog on the book’s website, which successfully forecasted political elections and events in the current day’s news cycle.

AN IRISH LULLABY is described as a modern day GOING MY WAY [the famed Academy award winning film directed by Leo McCarey and starring Bing Crosby]. The story depicts a person’s search for relevancy and fulfillment, set against the backdrop of one of the most controversial, moral, and burning social/cultural issues of our time: abortion. The story isn’t preachy but it is factually well-researched, with lighthearted moments that offset the serious themes.

A synopsis for the work was released with the announcement:

Father O’Connor is an aging priest at Saint Aloysius Parish. As he contemplates his legacy, he awaits a summons from the Archbishop about his final assignment: retirement and a residency for elderly priests. Aubrey Fitzgibbons is a working mom and a popular parishioner at Saint Aloysius. Married to the church deacon, but also serving as chair of the board of a local Planned Parenthood agency, Aubrey straddles the divide between social politics and the tenets of her faith. When Aubrey assists a teenage parishioner with a midterm abortion, Aubrey is conflicted between her obligations to the church and her responsibilities to the agency.

All hell breaks loose when Father O’Connor enters the fray and uses the crisis as an opportunity to stay relevant. More complications arise when Aubrey becomes pregnant herself, triggering a serious medical condition that threatens her life. Aubrey’s doctors recommend that she abort the fetus. Her husband concurs, but Aubrey has other plans. She sets into motion an unexpected series of events, cast against a backdrop of subplots involving the lives of many other memorable characters. Together, Aubrey and Father O’Connor navigate their way through the laws, politics, and prejudices of mankind—and what they believe is the right thing to do.

The setting for AN IRISH LULLABY are the Saint Aloysius Parish neighborhoods of yesteryear Jersey City, New Jersey, where the author was raised. Many of the neighborhood’s fixtures from yesteryear star in the book, including a prominent, beloved Jersey City resident icon. “I was fortunate to share the customs, heritage, stories and lives of so many families who befriended me. AN IRISH LULLABY is my tribute my to them,” said Manzo.

The manuscript is now undergoing a final an edit, and a website for the book is being planned for launch prior to its publication. Manzo is at work on his third manuscript, also a fiction.