Linda Leuzzi is an award-winning journalist, author and editor. Her latest novel My Year With the Italian Girl was featured in a book talk by Isabella Rossellini. She's written eight non-fiction books for young adults, two of which garnered New York Public Library citations. Linda also wrote a book for the Patchogue Theatre for the Performing Arts celebrating their 20th anniversary.
As former editor of the Long Island Advance, Tide of the Moriches and Suffolk County News who still writes weekly for them, her stories for have won 19 New York Press Association Awards including First Place mentions for In-Depth Reporting, Spot News, Coverage of the Arts, Spot News Photo and Sports Feature. She's won two Third Place Sharon Fullmer Awards for Community Leadership for team coverage of LGBTQ+ issues. Her many celebrity interviews have included Isabella Rossellini, Chazz Palminteri, Bernadette Peters, Sara Jean Ford, Tony Danza, Joe Piscopo, Melissa Errico, choreographer Randy Skinner as well as Nobel Prize, MacArthur Award scientists and astronauts.
Community awards include Woman of Diversity for the Of Colors Black History celebration, Brookhaven Town's Outstanding Service in Media/Communications and a Patchogue Theatre for the Performing Arts honor for her stories. Linda also writes for the Fire Island News. She has mentored several young people over the years in the newspaper business but also via the Rotary Exchange Student program with six hosted at her home.
Linda trains at the Patchogue YMCA, is an avid walker with her dog Tina, loves travel, her latest was a Celtic trip to Scotland and England, trips to the East End and is an avid environmentalist.
Published Works:
My Year With The Italian Girl
It's 1985 and Vivian, the feisty editor of the Bellport Evening Star decides to host a teenage exchange student from Catania for a year. Francesca is hilarious in her descriptions of Bellport Village life as well as life in her ancient home city. She teams up with Keisha, the Black student determined to win the Regional Step Competition for her school who is helped by Keisha's glamorous Broadway dancer Aunt Lea and eventually the whole village. Add an interested Brit neighbor Vivian is trying to hold off, a looming development issue on a pristine parcel, threats to Vivian and life gets pretty interesting.
Publisher, Solstice Publishers, 2022.
Life Connections--Pioneers in Ecology
Examines the 8 lives of ecology greats including Rachel Carson, Jacques Cousteau and (in person) F. Sherwood Rowland, a Nobel Laureate who discovered that chlorofluorocarbons contributed to ozone depletion.
Publisher, Franklin Watts, 2000.
A Creative Life--The Young Person's Guide
Explores what creativity is and features interviews with 13 innovators including actor Lou Diamond Phillips and Boston Pops conductor Keith Lockhart.
Publisher, Franklin Watts, 1999.
Education (Life in America 100 Years Ago Series)
Researches the times and innovations of education in America 100 years ago.
Publisher, Chelsea House Publishers, 1998.
To the Young Environmentalist
Explains how the modern environmental movement began with 8 interviews including MacArthur Fellow Patricia Wright.
Publisher, Franklin Watts, 1997.
Industry and Business (Life in America 100 Years Ago Series)
Researches the times and innovations of industry and business in America 100 years ago.
Publisher, Chelsea House Publishers, 1997.
A Matter of Style--Women in the Fashion Industry
Delves into how American women developed fashion in this country with interviews of women in the industry including couture designer Carolina Herrera.
Publisher, Franklin Watts, 1996.
Urban Life (Life in America 100 Years Ago Series)
Researches the times and innovations of urban life in America 100 years ago.
Publisher, Chelsea House Publishers, 1995.
Transportation (Life in America 100 Years Ago Series)
Researches the times and innovations of transportation in America 100 years ago.
Linda Leuzzi is an award-winning journalist, author and editor. Her latest novel My Year With the Italian Girl was featured in a book talk by Isabella Rossellini. She's written eight non-fiction books for young adults, two of which garnered New York Public Library citations. Linda also wrote a book for the Patchogue Theatre for the Performing Arts celebrating their 20th anniversary.
It's 1985 and Vivian, the feisty editor of the Bellport Evening Star decides to host a teenage exchange student from Catania for a year. Francesca is hilarious in her descriptions of Bellport Village life as well as life in her ancient home city. She teams up with Keisha, the Black student determined to win the Regional Step Competition for her school who is helped by Keisha's glamorous Broadway dancer Aunt Lea and eventually the whole village. Add an interested Brit neighbor Vivian is trying to hold off, a looming development issue on a pristine parcel, threats to Vivian and life gets pretty interesting.
Examines the 8 lives of ecology greats including Rachel Carson, Jacques Cousteau and (in person) F. Sherwood Rowland, a Nobel Laureate who discovered that chlorofluorocarbons contributed to ozone depletion.
Explores what creativity is and features interviews with 13 innovators including actor Lou Diamond Phillips and Boston Pops conductor Keith Lockhart.
Researches the times and innovations of education in America 100 years ago.
Explains how the modern environmental movement began with 8 interviews including MacArthur Fellow Patricia Wright.
Researches the times and innovations of industry and business in America 100 years ago.
Delves into how American women developed fashion in this country with interviews of women in the industry including couture designer Carolina Herrera.
Researches the times and innovations of urban life in America 100 years ago.
Researches the times and innovations of transportation in America 100 years ago.
