Worcester’s Briana Sasso Finding Success with First Novel

Thursday, November 20, 2014

Patrick Sargent, GoLocal Worcester Contributor

In June, Briana Sasso of Worcester released her first novel. Sasso, an elementary school teacher from Worcester, self-published "Elisabetta: A Novel: A Tale of Two Generations Sewn Together."

According to Sasso, the story is about "Sadie, a sixteen year old girl, who has just gone through a life-changing tragedy and she finds herself forced into a relationship with her paternal grandmother. As time goes on, she starts to realize there is more to her grandmother then meets the eye. Her grandmother begins to recall events about her life, and the story is told from both Sadie's and her grandmother's point of view. Their bond strengthens during the novel as the stories are being retold."

Meet Briana Sasso

Sasso is in her third year of teaching for the Worcester Pubic Schools. A graduate of North High School and Worcester State University, Sasso said, "The only two occupations I've ever considered are teaching and writing. It's rewarding to be able to do both. Being able to hold up my book to my students is influential because they can see what comes of hard work and that writing does matter.

In her novel, the character of Sadie is very much like Sasso was at age 16. Sasso said, "We're both a little bit of an old soul in some ways, a little dramatic in others. The relationship she has with her mother is true to my own life. My mom is my best friend."

Sasso is already working on her next novel. "I'm going in a totally different direction this time. It's going to be more Sci-Fi and involves a Dystopian society. It delves into what our society could look like in the future if things keep going the way they are."

Family Influences Writing

"Literacy and writing was always important in my home," said Sasso. "I started reading "The Secret Garden" with my family when I was four, and my love grew from there. When I was nine, I started writing my first book. I was even a child contributor to the Sunday paper in the comic section. My family always encouraged my love for words. They've always known it would happen. It was just a matter of when."

Sasso's novel is truly a reflection of her family life. "Elisabetta" is a nod to Sasso's Italian heritage. "I have a lot of family members that experienced similar things that happen in the book. It's a compilation of stories of the women in my family and the experiences they have had in their own lives and households. It's a celebration of all the stories that have gone untold at this point. In the Italian culture, women are seen and not heard and they haven't been able to have a voice.

Sasso said,"My grandmothers are both a big part of my life. My family is very close and I still rely on them for a lot of the wisdom that informs my adult life. They are two of the strong women that my book is dedicated to."

Sasso will be selling and signing her book on December 6th (9am-6pm) and 7th (8am-1pm) at Saint Mary's of Shrewsbury for their annual Holly Fair. To purchase Sasso's novel, click on this link: Elisabetta: A Novel: A Tale of Two Generations Sewn Together