Born in England to older Italian immigrant parents, Anna Lucia spent long, hot summers in the Apennine mountain village they had left behind to escape poverty and lack of opportunity. In the local dialect, she listened to the stories of elderly relatives about a time, place and way of life that was far, far removed from 1970s and 1980s suburbia. Those voices, particularly of strong women who led tough lives, never went away, neither did the echoes of Catholicism. Broken Madonna is her debut novel. Powerful and multi-layered historical fiction set in post-WW2 Italy, Broken Madonna is about female friendship, strong women and belief, a page-turner that will keep you captivated through to its poignant ending. It is a Finalist in 2025 Page Turner Awards for Book Award and Best Book Cover Design. Highly rated and recommended by readers. Anna has been awarded support for her writing from Arts Council England, and also writes short stories, flash fiction and poetry. She is Chair of Trustees of literature development agency, New Writing South. She is a writing mentor, editor and runs inspiring courses for writers.