It's never too late to publish your first book. This is the story of Marco's mom, who published a book later in life.
Guest: Marco Ciappelli, Co-Founder at ITSPmagazine [@ITSPmagazine] and Host of Redefining Society Podcast & Audio Signals Podcast
On ITSPmagazine | https://www.itspmagazine.com/itspmagazine-podcast-radio-hosts/marco-ciappelli
Host: Dr. Deborah Heiser
On ITSPmagazine 👉 https://www.itspmagazine.com/itspmagazine-podcast-radio-hosts/deborah-heiser-phd
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Episode Introduction
Welcome to After 40. This is Debbie Heiser, and I'm so excited to present Marco ciapelli today. He is one of the founders of itsp Magazine. He's my boss at itsp magazine. He's also a mentor with the mentor project, and He is a son of an amazing, amazing mom who lives in Italy. I would have loved to have interviewed her, but she speaks Italian, and I speak English, and so Marco is here as the interpreter for what she would have said.
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Resources
STORIE SOTTO LE STELLE (website): https://www.storiesottolestelle.com/
STORIE SOTTO LE STELLE (Podcast): https://storiesottolestellepodcast.simplecast.com/
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Becoming a Writer Later in Life: an Interview with Marco Ciappelli | After 40 Podcast with Dr. Deborah Heiser
Unknown Speaker 0:00
Deborah Heiser, welcome after 40. This is Deb Heizer, and I'm so excited to present Marco ciopelli today. He is one of the founders of itsp Magazine. He's my boss at itsp magazine. He's also a mentor with the mentor project, and he is the son of an amazing, amazing mom who lives in Italy. I would have loved to have interviewed her, but she speaks Italian, and I speak English, and so Marco is here as the interpreter for what she would have said. So welcome Marco, thank you for having Me. It's nice to be on you.
Unknown Speaker 1:20
Deborah
Unknown Speaker 1:25
Heiser, Welcome to After 40. This is Debbie Heiser, and I'm so excited to present Marco ciapelli today. He is one of the founders of itsp Magazine. He's my boss at itsp magazine. He's also a mentor with the mentor project, and He is a son of an amazing, amazing mom who lives in Italy. I would have loved to have interviewed her, but she speaks Italian, and I speak English, and so Marco is here as the interpreter for what she would have said. So welcome Marco, thank you for having me. It's nice to be on the other side of the microphone instead of being the host, to be a guest. So it's, I'm starting to do a little bit more of the of this. And this is actually the first one that the topic is, the story is toilet, which means stories under the stars, and that's the adventure that I'm kind of having with with my mom, and I'm very excited to share with you and see what we can talk about. Well, let's start tell me your mom's name and tell me a little bit about her, and when you tell me a little bit about her, Tell what her age is and why she started this book writing now. Well, it's, it's interesting. So her name is Lucia, and she was born in 1946 so I'm going to let people do the the number here. But she's the up 70s. And she was born in in the countryside, on the hills, around, around Florence, in a very, very, very small town. And that's where, at the time, where the entire world was pretty much, you know, the little slice of world where you where you grew up. And that's my grandfather also grew up. My grandmother in a little town nearby, and you only go to the big town in for major event, until the day that they and they run a one of those store where you pretty much have everything in the like in the small town in the in the West, where you can buy pretty much whatever you want. You can have a meal, you can have a coffee, you can buy stuff that you need for the house. And so she grew up surrounded by people, and then they they moved to a much little bigger town, which is where I grew, where I was born, called Sister Filton. It's six miles from downtown Florence and and myself, grew up in a in a grocery store, since when I was this big and and I experienced kind of like what she experienced growing up. And so she always been in contact with people. She always had a lot of experience by, you know, interacting with, with the small, small neighborhoods. And the reason why I'm getting there is because one day, we were remembering things that happened in that store and how the super and the big distribution kind of killed all the small town store and the life that was happening there. So I said to her, why don't you just, like, write down this story, this anecdote that that you remember, that involved grandpa, that involved and my dad was working at the store as well. And so she did, and she loved it. And this was like, two years ago, and I never noticed. She used to write her own like little diaries and travel experience when she came and visited me in the United States and so on. And she just kind of sparked, you know, she had a spark in her, and she started writing a lot of these stories and and I encouraged her to do so, because I felt, after she retired, I know she kept busy, but I didn't see that. You know what the Japanese call ikigai, like the reason to wake up in the morning, besides family, of course. And you know, like something that she could look forward every day to do. And we had this summer session with you in the in the past, I know you, you talk about, we got to this that there is a little twist, which is, we never publish those stories, which we will one day. And we, I say we, because I help her a little bit, decided to write fantastic and enchanted and magical stories for for kids or anyone that wants to hear it, with a moral of the story, with, you know, invented castles and magical thing that happened. And I don't know how she thinks that stuff, but she does, and I just polish it a little bit and sometimes share a few ideas. And then, then we use official intelligence to translate it in English, and we have a red so we have a podcast now about that. Wow. What a what an explosion of new activity and that, you know, she got that's completely different from what she was doing before. And, you know, it sounds like she's always been creative, but that it was a quiet hobby that she had. And how does she feel about this a podcast more than one book. It sounds like a whole new lifestyle for her. Yeah, published a book, yet the idea is to actually do publish through story where people can read it. And, of course, the podcast and she, I don't know my dad, sometimes, like you talk to her, because, you know, she's just always talking about the stories everything she does inspire her for a new story. And this story, I really and kind of, you know, there's candies that grows on walls and magical bicycle race on heels, where the winner get to get a star. And I mean, a lot of things that happen. And I'm like, how do you think about this? I don't know. I observe people. I'm on a train, and I see a guy maybe with a big mustache. It makes me inspire me that maybe he's a magician, maybe he's a wizard, maybe he's, you know, something that she can transform into something else, and how the way she actually change is that she started to be interested in reading even more. I mean, she always loved reading, but then she's one of those people that if she does something, she just go all the way. And so just started reading all these books or kids, and she started going into the local library all the time where they actually have a nice room and organized event for kids. So she's been asked to actually do the reading herself, which she hasn't done yet, but she is definitely going to do it. So her kind of social way too, because she got involved with, you know, I guess not having a grandkid, my fault. She's enjoying other people kids. You know, it's really amazing how, as we all get older, right? We hit midlife and that and and beyond, and we never have time when we're younger and working raising a family, to tap into our hobbies, our passions, things that really are a part of us that we don't get to fully unwrap. And it's so amazing to get to hear when someone finally gets to do that, because not everybody will do it. Some people are too intimidated. They feel that their identity is in their previous role. They have a hard time pivoting. But your mom dove right in, and fortunately, you were there to help guide her. Can you tell me a little bit about how you helped to encourage and guide her, to start with this new passion project of hers? Yeah. I mean, I, I wanted her, like I said to to have this, this, this purpose, new purpose. Because, as you said, it is so true. She she grew up. I mean, she grew up in a store. Says, work full time in the store, and she was busy all the time. And even when I was growing up, my babysitter was all the people in the store, because I was always there. We we used to live above the store, so she would find the time help with my grandma, of course, and my grandpa to take care of beanie. But it was always busy running around, opening the store, doing her job. And then, you know, yet, for for herself, and she got to the point where she had a lot of time for herself, but she's still kept busy. But I felt like she was busy on a routine, something that she really, really loved, so when I kind of tapped into this idea of telling story, and she dive in. I'm like, This is it. I want to be part of it, because being in the United States and she being in Italy, to each other every day, also with my dad, and it gave us even an extra thing to be to be closer, to be a lie and co working on something, and she's very open to to my input. You know, I have a creative vein myself, so sometimes we just laugh about where the direction of the story can go, but she's always the one that initiated it. So I don't want to be the one to take over, but I want to be the one that I'm there if you need to review it on there, if we need to translate it, I'm there if we need to build a website. And I'm there if you're kind of stuck into something like, you know, this a short story, and you're going to 2000 words. Now, let's, let's, you know, clean it up. And kind of like being the art director and, and she loves this. Every every suggestion I do, she just take it with excitement and stick to her change things a little too much, like, Hey, this is not what I wrote. So she's a real writer. Like, you know, when you translate something that somebody else at the editor does it is like, hey, it's the my writing. So, you know, I love this, because a lot of people don't know how to interact with parents in a non caregiving role, like we're doing the caregiving, whether it's for grandchildren or for children themselves, or the children feeling like they can only be there in a way to go fix things around the house or do things for their parents, and you are really that we can continue emotional connection with a parent that obviously opens new doors to how you see your parent and how you interact with your parent, and it's beautiful here this, it's an option that we all have, but most of us just
Unknown Speaker 13:09
it sounds like you're having such a fun ride with this. It is fun. It's almost inspirational for me being
Unknown Speaker 13:20
I take time on the side that I'm not working in doing that, but, you know, it doesn't matter. It's an inspiration for my own story. I feel like they are, in part, my own stories. And it's, it's so worth it. It's just worth it to this thing together that I ended up say, I'm just gonna be a little ghost in this and instead, on my website, you know, I have my redefining society podcast about technology, and then I have the one about storytelling, which is audio signals. And I'm like, I am also this person. So story as a Tola stele is on my personal website as well, because it's, it's another one of those adventure that we're doing with with my mind, I feel like it's kind of like having a relationship with anyone else, where I don't know how to explain this, but like you said, it's not just about taking care of them or taking care of a friendship, but it's actually being partners, yeah, right, being constructing something, creating something. And I think the relationship, it's so much more. It's like, if you play music with someone, you're sharing a creative moment. It's just amazing, and we laugh. I mean, it's kind of like, it's a great way to because we are far away. But when I was there nearly we spent every single moment we're like, Oh, finally, I was there, like, a month and a half. Finally. Now we're just gonna sit down and and write things together, but doesn't really need any just yeah, like, here's all my ideas. And she showed me, like, 20. I'm like, slow down. I mean, we have literally 30 stories that need to be added, and we already have, I think, 15 on the on the website. And I'm like, we're gonna need a sponsor here. You know it sounds what's amazing is that you and you mentioned this, that you live far away. You live half, half a world away from her, and what a way to connect that isn't, hey mom, how's the weather? Hey Mom, how are you doing? You guys are engaged in a project together, where you're both thinking together, interacting together. You have a purpose for your calls. You are tapping into the things you both you share together. You're both really expanding your relationship, which is beautiful. And you don't even have to live in the same town to do that or see her, which I know that this kicked off after the pandemic, and you know, Zoom became such a prevalent way of communicating, I think that people don't know just how powerful zoom has become in creating these opportunities for us to communicate with our family members who are far away. Yeah, definitely the role of technology. And interesting is that my mom was definitely not someone that grew up with technology, like she grew up with analog, but not even ever being interested much in, you know, like, how does the radio work, even analog things, but with me doing what I do, and wanted to
Unknown Speaker 16:53
comment, I remember that I told her about the generative AI smartphone, and she knows how to do things on the smartphone that her friends of the same age, they don't go and ask her. And she's not a computer science genius, but she's like, so this chat GPT. And I'm like, yeah, here. Install it on your phone. So she she use it every day. She used chat GPT, and she talked to people that they don't even know what, generally, yes, so she just died.
Unknown Speaker 17:29
But she that's, that's how she is. You know, if you go in a restaurant and there is something weird on the menu, she's one of those that, like, I'll try it, and then I'll tell you, like it or not. My dad is the opposite. He'll be like, I'm not touching that. I don't like it. My gosh, if you don't try it. So it's kind of like, they, it's a fun relationship. They, you know, they, I guess they compensate each other. But you opened a new world that she was able to step into, and is continuing to step into. And you know, the point of after 40 is to really show that after 40 we can be whoever we want to be, do whatever we want to do, and have relationships in really positive facing ways with everybody. And you're a shining example of that. Really excited for you to share
Unknown Speaker 18:29
the podcast that she's on, as well as her book in the shots for this because this story is one that I'm hoping to inspire others to communicate with their parents in a new way and to see their parents as creative individuals, not just caring moms or dads who, you know, support us in whatever word didn't help. I agree with that. And what is funny is that the website is very impersonal. I mean, I promote the stories often on my LinkedIn and I said on my website, but you know my mom's name, it's, we have more of this mysterious character that we created. There is the first story. Is actually who writes the story, and so it's, it's the story about, like this little firefly that has a little desk in the little nest that she she writes the story. And the name Lucia, it's, it means light in you know, it comes from the Ruth looks from Latin. And so the idea of the Luc LA, which is also the Firefly, that sparkle magically, this light at night. It's very magical. And when you read this story. As you see, there is often this luminescence, and, you know, little mushroom that talk to each other, and adventure full of magic. And we wanted also the rock be to be magical as well. But, you know, people know her and and I'm happy for that. I mean, I'm representing her. She speaks a little bit of English, but I not enough to do a full conversation in English, but I'll be happy to translate this in italic for her once, once it's published. And of course, I would love to share everything to for people to discover this, because they are for kids, but they're not for kids. It's for young adults and for I mean, I share it with people my age, and they just they love it. And there is a lot of italianity. I don't know if that's a word, but Italian feel in it, and I want it to be like that, like we translate it what we don't make it necessarily. I mean, it's our culture, is our world and and I want it to be as spontaneous and people don't like it, you have a lot of fun anyway, and that's what we say all the time. We're not counting the people that listen. We're not counting the people that read it all go on the website. We just have so much fun doing it. It's wonderful hobby to to have, and I'm excited that I'm here sharing it. I mean, like two years ago, we weren't even doing these things and and now I'm talking about it. I really share a picture of your mom as well in the show notes, because it's a beautiful, beautiful story of you and your mom connecting, and also of your mom embracing things that she's had inside of her her whole life, and is finally getting out because of your help and support with her and connections so son thank you too as well, because she knows who you are, even stories happen. And I told her all your explanation about caging and how we we grow a curve and well, you know, the spirit is there. And I think that has been part of my inspiration to bring this to her as well as it's never too late and and you can always get better and better. And you know, even if you want to start learning the piano, so people started learning the piano. And yeah, maybe they're not going to do a concert, but it fulfilled their life so and it's thanks to you as well. People do things that you think you have to start when you're a kid to become an expert in it at any age. People, have you know, run marathons, become painters. Have you know been become writers like your mom is we just forget that that happens and we don't highlight as often as we should. So I'm excited to highlight your mom and excited to highlight you as the son of the year for kicking this off. Because honestly, we need to inspire ourselves to engage more with our loved ones in meaningful ways like you're doing. So thank you, Marco for coming on today. I hope everybody checks out itsp Magazine.