Marc is a retired automotive professional who started writing later in life. The Sunshine Machine is his first novel and part of a trilogy with a prequel and sequel in the works. When Marc is not writing he enjoys playing acoustic guitar, hiking trails in the Adirondacks, reading and spending time with his family. Marc is a graduate of the school of Architecture and Environmental Design from the State University of New York at Buffalo. and resides in Buffalo with his wife, Kathi.

Growing up in the household of ABUELA GUADALUPE, a native American woman and a single parent mother, molds FRANCESCA into a young woman of conflicted thoughts about sexuality and self. Her mother, SORPRESA DA RIMINI, a flower child of the sixties, offers little support to her maturation and Abuela Guadalupe provides only mythical native tales of the “The First People” to school her in feminine sexuality and identity. From an early age she discerns that she is different, supported by the fact that she has a mysterious birthmark on her hand. Abuela Guadalupe insists that it is a sign of her wolf spirit, which affirms strength and vision. Others see the birthmark as a curse and bad luck.

Francesca’s halcyon teen years are interrupted by the untimely death of her mother, Sorpresa. At her mother’s funeral she meets the patriarch of the Da Rimini family; GUIDO DA RIMINI. She is surprised to learn he is her grandfather and requests that she return to the family; The Da Rimini family her mother was banished from years earlier, because of her illegitimate pregnancy. She accepts the patriarch’s proposal but later pays a heavy price, when she is raped by her cousin; ROBERTO “Robbie” DELGADO. Francesca's troubles are far from over . . .

The Sunshine Trilogy

If it wasn't for the cool breeze that blew in from the Bay of the Saints, Francesca felt like she was going to faint. All her senses escalated in intensity. The city noise was unbearable and sweat poured from her pores. The taxi drivers name was Sergei-Antonio Mendez, although a common surname of people from Mexico, it was like the same hyphened surname of the woman on her letter.


"Senor Mendez, before I enter the cathedral would you please look at my letter and tell me if it means anything to you" 


Senor Mendez disengaged the clutch of the taxi and applied the parking brake as the car idled. He motioned with a wave of his hand.


Come out of the sun daughter, por favor, you will get heat stroke if you stand there any longer!


Francesca opened the front passenger door and sat next to the old man. She reached into her travel bag and handed Senor Mendez the letter. Although the letter was written in English, he understood most of its content. When he finished reading, Francesca noticed that he was crying. 


Why are you crying Senor Mendez, please tell me or I will cry too!"


"We never knew what happened to him. He left home when I was attending Seminary school. My stepmother never gave up hope, but she went to her grave without answers about my brothers disappearance."


Your brother? My father was your brother?


"It's is God's will child! I have prayed years to know what happened to my stepbrother. He was a beautiful fun-loving boy that would play tricks on all of us. I was jealous of him because he was my fathers favorite. 


He turned to Francesca and sobbed without shame. Francesca inched over and hugged the old man and felt his grief and joy.


Sergei composed himself and engaged the clutch of the small car. With his large hands he wiped his eyes and faced Francesca.


Would you like to know where your father was born?


Francesca caressed her medallion, thinking of what Abuela would say about the coincidence of their unlikely meeting, nodded and agreed to go with the old man that didnt look like Tony Curtis.


Senor Mendez drove Francesca to a large vineyard in the Valle de Guadalupe. At the winery they entered an adobe like small restaurant. A sign that hung from the entrance way was an unrecognizable language, consonants where vowels should be and vis-a-versa. 


Senor Mendez led her to table on the veranda that faced rows of grape vines as far as the eye could see. A petite young woman with expressive green eyes came to the table to take their orders. Mendez spoke to the young woman in a language she never heard before, then excusing himself, he promised to return soon.


As Francesca waited, she noticed a painting of an unusual looking young woman with reddish brown hair hanging above the rustic fireplace. Leaving her seat, she rose to get a closer look. The young woman was clothed in a somber, colorless dress with padded shoulders and lace collar. An ancient crucifix choker embellished the closed neckline. Lucid poetic eyes stare mysteriously into the future like a Da Vinci painting. Behind the young womans image, azure rolling hills girdle rows of grape veins. At the bottom of the frame is a small inscription embedded in tarnished silver. It read.


Chapter 17: The Portrait