Frances R. Schmidt

Dear Friends and Followers,

FRED: Buffalo Building of Dreams received a New York City Big Book Award in the Historical Fiction category as a Distinguished Favorite 2020 and an Independent Favorite Award in the Historical Fiction category as a Distinguished Favorite 2021.

Best,

Fred

THE POWER OF FREEDOM

FRED’S SECOND THOUGHTS

For those of you who are unfamiliar with my first novel, “Fred:  Buffalo Building of Dreams,” let me introduce myself.  I am Fred, a 124 year old building located at the corner of Niagara Street and Potomac Avenue, on the West Side of Buffalo, N.Y.  In time you will come to know how I got my name and how I achieved the ability to narrate my stories.

My original stories were set in the early Twentieth Century, and involved people who occupied my apartments over those same years.   These tenants arrived from all over the world:  immigrants from Europe, refugees, internal migrants, new Canadians and descendants of enslaved peoples of Africa.  Although the League of Nations had not yet been created, I had my own League of Nations of Hope.  Like my tenants, I was a survivor of those very hard times, and like them, I endured.

Of course, it was impossible to tell all of their stories, stories of success and failure, sadness and joy.  Now, several years after my first novel, my co-authors, James Costa and Frances Schmidt, have completed on a new sequel to Fred’s Buffalo Building of Dreams novel, titled Fred’s Timeless Tenant Tails: Buffalo West Side Stories. It will be available for purchase in early 2025.  I’ll keep you posted.

Best,

Fred

FREEDOM

My name is Violet.  Sharing a website with “Fred:  Buffalo Building of Dreams” is an eye opener.  I’ve discovered I have a lot in common with so many of Fred’s tenants. Most important, is freedom. 

Freedom.  It is a powerful, liberating word that rings and excites people throughout the world, wherever it is heard.  What Fred’s tenants wanted most was the freedom to take charge of their lives, achieve their goals, provide an education for their children, buy a home, start a business—in short, all those things that can be acquired as citizens in a free country.

To a large extent, that word applies to my own life.  In my novel, “Forever Violet” I began as a young girl, trapped in an abusive environment that provided no freedom.  Nevertheless, because of the opportunities afforded me in a free country, and my personal determination and belief in myself, I was eventually able to escape a dreary and hopeless future.

In that sense, Fred’s tenants and I have much in common.  More than that, our stories can encourage others who are oppressed to take advantage of the opportunities afforded them in a free society, have faith in themselves and persevere.  Just as so many others have done before them, they too can achieve the American Dream.

Best,

Forever Violet

(Fred’s new friend)

It’s been a busy month and I’m excited to announce my NYC Big Book Award press release. I hope you consider buying a book for a friend or family member to share Violet’s legacy of hope.

Best,

Violet

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Frances R. Schmidt/francesrschmidt.com

Frances R. Schmidt & James A. Costa receive national recognition through the NYC BIG BOOK AWARD®!

Buffalo, New York: The NYC Big Book Award recognized ‘Forever Violet’ in the category of Young Adult Fiction as a Distinguished Favorite.

The competition is judged by experts from different aspects of the book industry, including publishers, writers, editors, designers, booksellers, librarians and professional copywriters. Winners and distinguished favorites are based on overall excellence.

Forever Violet

‘Forever Violet’ is the story of Violet Sheehan growing up in the Great Depression in Stony Hill, a poor neighborhood section of New London, Connecticut. Raised in a loveless home, she endures years of cruelty and indifference from an alcoholic father and a mentally unstable mother.

Violet vows to escape the trappings of her bleak existence and fulfill her ambition to become a professional writer. Her journey to Broadway is fraught with traumatic experiences and setbacks, which leaves open the questions of life and the role fate and destiny play in it.

This original novel reflects Violet’s unquenchable spirit and her belief that life is a gift to be lived fully, regardless of outcome.

NYC Big Book Award received book submissions worldwide. Journalists, well established authors, small and large press, and first-time indie authors participated in record numbers. Entries this year were received from the United States as well as countries such as Australia, Canada, China, Cyprus, France, Germany, India, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Mexico, New Zealand, Scotland, Singapore, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, and the United Kingdom. Cities represented included Asheville, Beijing, Colorado Springs, Dublin, Hong Kong, Los Angeles, Melbourne, New York, Portland, San Francisco, Singapore, Tel Aviv, and Vancouver were among the entries.

Publishers included Atmosphere Press, Berrett-Koehler Publishers, Beaufort Books, Beyond Words Publishing, Blackstone Publishing, Familius Publishing, Flatiron Books, Hachette Go, HarperCollins Leadership, Oceanview Publishing, Old Stone Press, Rowman & Littlefield, Simon & Schuster, Ulysses Press, Watkins Publishing, Westminster John Knox Press to name a few.

“We were delighted to see so many quality publishers and authors from around the world participate this year. I can’t wait to share these books with a global readership,” said awards sponsor Gabrielle Olczak.

To view the list of NYC Big Book winners and distinguished favorites, please visit: https://www.nycbigbookaward.com/

Dear Followers and Friends,

Special Announcements

I’m happy to share my good news with you. FRED’s Timeless Tenant Tales: Buffalo’s West Side Stories, sequel to FRED: Buffalo of Building of Dreams. The sequel will be published in January of 2025. We will keep you posted.

Co-authors James A. Costa and Frances R. Schmidt have also completed a Romance Novel titled Accidental Virgin, which will be published this December 2024.

Carly Miller and Bryan Perri invite readers to hear the story of their relationship from their individual point of view. It’s sometimes humorless and often tumultuous as they deal with their emotions and life experiences and the conflicts resulting from them. Can love survive where secret fears compound their already problematic relationship? To learn the answer we invite you to share their personal drama.

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More exciting news about Forever Violet will be shared soon.  

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Repost: Comfort Food and More

Food is such a big part of life and community. Restaurants on the West Side of Buffalo, NY, where I live, have offered a continuing source of nourishment and gathering for decades.  Two restaurants in particular, Santasierio’s and Deco Restaurant are near and dear to my heart.

I was 21 years old when Dominic Santasierio opened his restaurant at 1329 Niagara St., just doors away from my address at 1469 Niagara. Dominic’s sauce made from a family recipe, is still used today, and proof of its popularity. Santasierio’s is best known for comfort food, consistency in quality, large portions and reasonable prices.

This popular Italian American restaurant was the site where Sammy Consiglio and Molly Murphy, two tenants in my  had their first date. After that, whenever they could, they would go back there again and again. They struggled for a whole year to keep their relationship quiet. I’ll share more about them another time.

David Abramovich, a Russian Jew and his 41-year-old cousin Samuel Jaroslow , a Polish Jew who came to America from the Pale of Russia in 1910 moved into my building in 1935. I can’t share their harrowing story now, but I can tell you that Santasiero’s helped them survive when they couldn’t afford kosher food. It was good, cheap and filled their bellies after a long workday.

The smells of all their leftovers – spaghetti, Italian wedding soup, eggplant parmesan – was delicious! Boy did I wish I could taste that food. Dominic Santasierio’s descendants will be celebrating their 100th Anniversary in 2021 and if I could shake any other building’s hand, this is the one I would choose!

Deco Restaurant first opened in 1918 when Gregory Deck opened a small stand on the corner of Main and Lisbon. The success of this stand gave way to more than fifty Deco lunch counters that eventually sprouted up around the city of Buffalo, NY. Molly Murphy, yes, the same one who dated Sammy Consiglio, got a waitress job there in the early 1930’s, in the restaurant on West Eagle Street, on the corner of Pearl. She worked the late-night shift. It was a favorite spot at night for cops, late night revelers, and the homeless. Young, old, rich, poor, came together to get a good cup of coffee for 10 cents, 5-cent hamburger, or a hot dog and Cherry Coke. The spot was small but popular, and you were lucky if you could get a dining stool at the counter. Molly just loved working there.

I honor Santasierio’s and Deco, for their dedication to the local customers of Buffalo, NY. These restaurants fed hundreds and hundreds of people, helping them survive tough times and celebrate good times.

Best,

Fred

Dear Followers and Friends,

Repost

Fred, Buffalo’s Building of Dreams Architect, Edward F. Pickett, sets the stage for decades of unique characters

It happened in 2006 when this story was destined to be told.  The building’s voice haunted me for another six years before I could begin the research on the dilapidated empty four-story apartment building located on the corner of Niagara and Potomac on Buffalo, New York’s West Side.  It talked to me via mental telepathy, as I passed by on my way to work.

In 2012, I vowed to find out why I heard the building’s plea.  “Please tell my story before evidence of my existence is gone.”  Now looking back in time, I realize it was the beginning of a compelling story waiting to be told about the legacy of many of “Fred’s” tenants and their families who lived in the building from 1900 through 2020.

An Orphan Building Research Team of three was organized, including me and at the time, Pat, Janet and I were novice historical researchers.  After six more years, we became seasoned researchers with a detailed biography of an apartment building growing up in the 20^th Century and beyond.

We couldn’t wait to find out who built apartment building 1469! Our team discovered that forty-two year old Irish-American Edward F. Pickett was the architect. His father was a laborer and his mother was a seamstress who lived on the West Side of Buffalo, New York.

Edward was a go-getter and by 1895 he was employed by Bull & Brown, a local bicycle manufacturer located on Main and Chippewa Streets in the City of Buffalo, New York.  There he became a department manager, skilled in developing bicycle-related patents.  By 1896, he was Vice President and Secretary of the Non Punctual Tire Company.  Within a year he was a draftsman for the Great Northern Fire Elevator Company, a storage facility.  Our research team was amazed by his achievements and traced him as long as possible, but had to move on mainly because we had to find out was who building 1469’s builder and first owner?

These important people in the history of 1469 Niagara St.; the architect, builder, and first owner, constructed the framework for an enormous cast of characters.   The individuals arrived in my mind only after extensive research going back in time, year by year, reviewing major historical events in Buffalo and America, both nationally and internationally, focusing on the effects on immigrants, refugees, internal migrants, and descendants of enslaved peoples of Africa who arrived in Buffalo between 1900 and 2020.

Each character revealed themselves slowly only after reviewing and re-reading research notes for hours and hours at a time. Then, there was a second and third wave of notes with character ideas that fit perfectly into the historical period of time.  Gradually, all my characters felt like an extended family and I tried to make them speak the way they would if they were alive today.  Each chapter was written and rewritten at least three or more times until I felt satisfied.  Many character questions had to be answered.  For example, why did they move into the building? What were their back stories? How did they handle hardships, loss, and despair?  What happened to them in the future? How did they survive and have hope for life in America?

Our team identified each tenant that lived in the building from 1900 to 2020, including their ages, occupations, family members, borders, and employment, knowing it was impossible to be completely accurate because of possible recording errors.  It took about two years before building #1469 got the name Fred and readers of the unusual reason knew why first hand. Edward F. Pickett was a remarkable character and little did he know he was setting the stage for a legacy of many generations.

Best,

Fred

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My post is simple this month.  I’m sharing words of advice given to me and written by one of my co-authors, Frances Schmidt.  I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I did.

Best,

Violet

                                                                         DOG LESSONS

                                                            (How To Cope With Change)

                                                             Bark when you feel like it…

                                                            Cuddle with a friend…

                                                            Never waste crumbs…

                                                            Sometimes lie down and do nothing…

                                                            Look before you leap…

                                                            Run free in the rain…

                                                            Scratch when you itch…

                                                            Take steps in stride…

                                                            Roll over and sit up without treats…

                                                            Find bones in hidden places….

MORAL:  Make each day an adventure.  Test the limits of what you can do.  Live in the moment and tomorrow will take care of itself.

Dear Friends and Followers:

A message from “FRED: Buffalo Building of Dreams,” (2021); and “Forever Violet:  From Stony Hill to Broadway,” (2023)

 FRED’S REFLECTIONS

While my current co-writers work on my new novel “FRED’s Timeless Tenant Tales:  Buffalo West Side Stories in the 1930s and 1940s,” I’d like to share a couple of thoughts about learning what it’s like being a human being in the early decades of the Twentieth Century.

When the stock market crashed in 1929, millions were put out of work and lost their life savings.  Fortunately, two of my tenants, Sammy and his Sicilian born father, managed to keep the jobs they had secured after years of struggle.  Less fortunate were so many of my other tenants who lost their livelihoods and joined the legion of unemployed.

It pained me when my adopted families were forced to leave my premises because they could no longer afford to live here.  To make matters worse, I was sold during the heart of the Great Depression of the 1930s.  My new owners were irresponsible and because of their neglect, I soon began to deteriorate and grow shabby.  Finding myself without tenants I grew depressed and expected to be torn down.  However, not long afterward, I was sold and purchased again by more loving owners.  I was rejuvenated, and new tenants again began to fill my vacant apartments.  Ultimately, I survived, and so, too, did the parade of families that filled my halls and rooms with laughter and life.  Despite the hard times that persisted, my tenants never gave up hope.  Their stories are inspirational and in most cases, heart-warming.  It is my hope that my readers may be inspired to emulate their indomitable spirit and overcome any obstacles they encounter as they pursue their dreams.

Best,

FRED

To be continued in September….

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FOREVER VIOLET’S REFLECTIONS

Now that ‘Forever Violet,’ my coming of age novel, has been published and my co-authors are busy working on my new historical fiction novel, I thought it would be interesting to ask Violet this important question:  “Violet, if you could re-live your childhood would you do it?”  

Violet replied, “If you had asked me that question at an earlier time in my life, I might have said I would not.  After all, who would willingly choose to grow up in abject poverty with an absentee mother and an abusive, alcoholic father?  Today, however, my answer is yes, I would. 

True, I lived through some very difficult times, but I always held on to hope because I sometimes found someone who believed in me, particularly my high school teacher, Miss Barlow.  Having her in my formative years fortified my determination to free myself from an environment that crushed the not only the bodies of the people inhabiting it, but their spirit, as well.  In my struggle to escape, I faced many obstacles I could not have foreseen; however, being forced to survive the rigors of oppression, negativism and poverty hardened my will and strengthened my character.  Hope and trust in myself, a belief that I not only could survive but would ultimately prevail as long as I persevered sustained me in my struggle to escape the bondage of my past.  

It is my fervent wish that my novel inspires you, the reader, to appreciate and develop your inner strength, to rely on your natural resilience and to believe in yourself.  With determination, hope and a vision of your future before you, you can and will succeed.  

Best,

Forever Violet

Dear Friend’s and Follower’s,

Revised Post from FRED                                       

      COMING TO LIFE IN 1900       

In 1900 I rose from the ground in a residential and industrial neighborhood on the west side of Buffalo, New York, and became aware of becoming a modest four-story apartment building after my cornerstone was securely in place.  While I was being built, I often noticed a young woman with a child in her arms watching me.  The construction crew would wave and sometimes talk to her.  It was quite confusing at first because, although I wasn’t human, I felt a warmth toward them and felt alive.

I can’t tell you the exact moment this awareness began, or the date I was completed, but it was shortly afterward that tales of my tenants were born. My first tenants were the mother and son who watched me being built.  Through them, I learned to listen, observe and feel what it was like to be human.

I’ve been privileged to be an eyewitness to many generations of families who lived within my walls and came from all walks of life from all over the world. Each was on a journey through life, with all its twists and turns of fate and fortune.

For decades I tried to connect with someone who would hear my plea, and write my legacy.  In 2006 I caught the attention of Fran, my author, as she drove past my building. My voice reached out to her with a promise to meet my tenants, hear them speak, see them and experience the challenges they faced during this historical period. 

Readers of this historical, multi-period novel about my life, FRED:  Buffalo Building of Dreams, will learn how intertwined my tenants were over a span of 120 years.  This mosaic of humanity often made this old building that I am, wish I was human.  Having lived as long as I have, my history actually takes place in the real-time lives of the immigrants, refugees, internal migrants and descendants of enslaved people of Africa who called me ‘home.’

I’ve had my share of fear and disappointments, too.   My greatest fear has always been of being destroyed or demolished before evidence of my existence could be documented.  I was a novice about life.  Each passing decade provided new insights about the way wars, poverty, Depressions, political upheavals and famines took a toll on so many of my tenants.  I learned that survival was their common goal.  Their stories were often heartbreaking, but through them, I experienced the real meaning of courage and determination.  I felt a profound sadness during their worst times, and felt happy during their good times.

Having my stories published in 2021 gave me great satisfaction.  Anyone reading this novel will enter the lives of a variety of people and be able to identify with their hopes, dreams and ambitions, as well as discover what their legacies reveal for the current and future generations of Americans.

Since the publication of my novel, FRED: Buffalo Building of Dreams, I’ve recently enlisted the talents of  my two co-authors, Frances Schmidt and James Costa, to help write the stories I’ve been waiting for decades to tell.  These stories involve those unforgettable tenants who occupied my apartments in the late 1930’s and early 1940s.  My new novel will be titled, FRED’S TIMELESS TENANT TALES:  Buffalo’s West Side Stories.

Best,

FRED

FOREVER VIOLET

My novel FOREVER VIOLET : From Stony Hill to Broadway tells a relatable Coming of Age novel for people of all ages. My tales are filled with obstacle’s,barriers, and roadblocks to the future I was determined to achieve. Often I had to adapt to an unexpected plan A, B ,or C never letting go of the power of hope as protection against life’s unpredictability’s.

Forever Violet Sample Book Reviews
Click here to see book reviews

Best,

Violet

 

A message from FRED: Buffalo Building of Dreams 2021 and Forever Violet from Stonyhill to Broadway 2023

Hope warms the heart in times of need. Hope helps us survive to face our fears. Hope transcends our thoughts of loss. Hope is an invisible thread of steel that can be tapped into for a lifetime…

Best,

Fred

Writing

Writing is a puzzle waiting to be solved with a second thought, an eraser, or revision. The joy is compiling scraps of paper filled with random thoughts and ideas.

Moments turn into seconds, minutes and hours.

A project begins with a title and lead sentence encouraging readers to turn the page. Pencils, paper, and time are best friends. When ideas reach an empty page, sometimes they stop in the middle of a thought.

Each revision moves the project closer to the finish line.

Adjectives and adverbs allow it to come alive.

Trials and tribulations provide strength.

It’s climbing a mountain of knowledge realizing “the more I learn, the less I know”. When a project ends and another begins…turning into pure pleasure.

Best,

Violet