Gilda Morina Syverson

Author, Poet,Artist, and Teacher

Welcome

“If you don’t tell your stories, they will die with you. Worse yet, someone else will attempt to tell your tales.” I have been saying this to my memoir students for over twenty years. That is why I continue to write memoir and poetry and enjoy teaching others who are ready to tell the stories that haunt them. My creative life began in the Fine Arts and flourished when I began to add words to my thoughts and meanderings. Going to the depths of my soul feels natural to me, and I am willing to take others who want to write their stories to the depths of their souls, too, whether it be about family heritage, following one’s own personal journey, expressing your life experiences in words.

Enjoy moving through my website and come back often to see what books, classes, workshops, and events I am offering.

A Memoir

Gilda's Memoir

Enjoy the first chapter of the journey from Rome to Sicily, starting in the USA.

Memoir Workshops & Events

Upcoming workshops, classes, and one on one sessions may be scheduled here.

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“Gilda Morina Syverson reaches for bottom and is richly rewarded with renewed love for her family and Sicily, the island of her ancestry. Her multi-layered memoir, part family history and part travelogue is a compelling read. Syverson’s writes from her heart and her honesty and integrity touched mine.”

~ Venera Fazio, past president, Association of Italian Canadian Writers and co-editor of Sweet Lemons 2: International Writings with a Sicilian Accent

“My Father’s Daughter is a memorable and insightful journey that bridges the past, the present and the future. Going back to the old country with one’s parents – now that’s something many of us dream about or dread . . . or both. Beyond the descriptions of tourist spots, and reconnecting with relatives in hometowns, Gilda Morina Syverson passionately illustrates the beauty and challenges of family.”

~ Licia Canton, Author of Almond Wine and Fertility and editor-in-chief of Accenti Magazine

“For one generation it’s a return to an earlier home, for another it’s a discovery of a new one. My Father’s Daughter is a meditative travel memoir that speaks to all Baby Boomers in clear voice with new understandings about the past. Syverson takes you on a trip to Italy that renews her sense of self and family–one that creates a longing for more. There are no easy lessons here and through it all she finds a new self through watching her parents. In the process, she revives a passion for life by making the old country new, and finding a place for her self in it all.”

~ Fred Gardaphé, Distinguished Professor of Italian American Studies, Queens College/CUNY, author of From Wiseguys to Wise Men

“Gilda Morina Syverson shares the journey of a lifetime, taking her elderly parents back home to visit Italy after decades in America. Gilda is a brave woman, an admirable daughter, and a very good writer — she recounts the occasional bumps in the road with aplomb and the heartwarming, as well as the frustrating moments with humor. Brava!”

~ Sharri Whiting De Masi, writer Olive Oil IQ app; Italy correspondent,

Luxury Travel Advisor

“Here’s what’s in store for you: A delightful journey into the heart of Italy, into the heart of this family, into the heart of what it means to be human. My Father’s Daughter is a beautifully crafted, moving, entertaining memoir that will win you over from page one. If five stars is the highest rating, I give this book six.”

~Judy Goldman, author of the memoir Losing My Sister