Just like many of us, Venera was born during the depression in upstate Albany, New York to Italian immigrant parents. At times, she encountered a difficult pathway from the hot-blooded upbringing with her authoritarian father, who had one foot in Italy and one in America. Her childhood tribulations chewed directly into her spirit. The residue was overpowering. Her memoir, Marriage, Kidneys, and Other Dark Organs reveals, with sadness and wit, Venera’s tricky path to maturity. She spent long years in search of answers to her fears, using humor to cover difficult circumstances; years to take responsibility for her own life; years to allay the anger in having to forfeit her childhood as the family referee; years before she understood her parents and could replace bitterness with forgiveness; years to find the love in all this disorder; years to recognize that the legacy that made her a peacemaker was not always a benefit. Peace at any price. Woven amidst her long-term marriage and two great daughters are a number of diverse work experiences, which added much to her ‘school of hard knocks’ education. She states, ‘Getting maturity was the best thing for this ole gal! I started writing after I retired from the different forms of insanity and have never regretted a moment. I'm now writing my third novel, working on a children’s ghost tale and other stories - so stay with me! Venera

Birth Place: Albany, NY USA

Accomplishments:

Venera Di Bella Barles is a writer living on Bainbridge Island, Washington and an active member of the writing community. She has completed three books,one of which is her memoir, Marriage, Kidneys, and Other Dark Organs. Her latest book, They Was Holdin' Hands, is a psychological mystery about the the suicide deaths of three elderly women living in a remote mining town. She recently was first place award for her short story Vivaldi and the Seasonings. Look for her work on various sites on the web.
Venera has an untiring dedication to help stimulate emotional stability and growth in people.
She is encouraged by the authors in her prolific writing group.

Route 66 University
History buffs will enjoy the complilation of memories and stories about the famous highway, Route 66. One of my essays is there.

At present I am working on my third novel, using the protagonist from "They Was Holdin' Hands." I have also completed a multi-cultural children's novel, a ghost story, called "Phantom Strings", as yet unpublished.