Cords of Rome Trilogy

In Oliver and Henry, we follow the intrigue of a college student from Boston, Oliver, as he searches for his biological father in the shadows of the Vatican. We watch as he comes out and falls in love with a local Roman man, Giancarlo. Using the Vatican and the monuments of Rome as historical and cultural backdrops, the book asks whether the Catholic Church can embrace new information about sexuality, and if not, what follows. The narrative weaves together themes of romance, coming of age, and Vatican politics with surprising twists and turns. 

In A Roman Spell, we pick up the story of Oliver and Giancarlo four years later when they discover that their son, Luca, is gifted in magic and psychic phenomena. They discover karmic connections between Luca and their second son, Francesco, with a cardinal, an artist, and a sorcerer from 16th century Rome. The book is inspired by actual historical characters from the 1500s – Cardinal Salviati, Francesco d’ Rossi, Pope Paul IV (Cardinal Carafa), and others. The tale is less about romance (although it is present) and more an account of gay parenting and the challenges of mentoring young people so that their inherited gifts are developed and flourish, not shamed and subverted. The book takes seriously things such as past lives, intuition, energy healing, and magic. It is set in Rome, which casts its own spell and has its own charms. 

Love Unearthed picks up when Luca is twenty-one. He observes an aristocratic and handsome young man, Donato, near a sarcophagus in the Vatican Museum that depicts Jesus as a magician. They quickly fall for each other, but their relationship faces complications as Donato’s father is a conservative politician and Luca harbors doubts about his own appeal, particularly as a wizard. The story is complicated by problems Giancarlo and Oliver face in their own relationship. The tale weaves together themes of magic, past lives, and karmic connections with gay love and gay relationships. The narrative comes to a climax in Provincetown when Oliver’s mothers – Rita and Anna – celebrate their 50thanniversary. The setting for the saga is Rome – with its many layers of history and art – and Provincetown with its gay vibe, mystique, and allure.