Wolfeboro author debuts first novel

WOLFEBORO — The Wedding Toaster, the debut title from Emily Rotondi, is a story of second chances and transformation for Maggie McDonald.

The story of the conception of The Wedding Toaster is also a story of second chances. The inspiration for the story came from a toast Rotondi gave 15 years ago. "The toast Maggie gives at Carrie's wedding is very much based on the toast I gave at my best friend's wedding."

Like her character, Rotondi did not write her speech down, but spoke from the heart. "I kept receiving compliments on the toast and one guest came up to me and said 'you should do this for a living' and a light bulb went off in my head and the story of The Wedding Toaster was born," she said. The book didn't come to life right away. "I wrote the story fourteen years ago," Rotondi said, "I even took a screenwriting class and converted it to a screenplay. At any rate, it's been a long road to publication."

One motivation that kept Rotondi in the pursuit of her dream was her students. "I taught eighth grade language arts," she said. "Every year I'd share the story with my classes and have them read a scene from the script. Their enthusiasm for the story and their unwavering belief in me is really what kept me trying to get it published."

Rotondi reached her goal in March 2020, when a publisher offered her a contract for publication. The Wedding Toaster debuted July 30, and is available on Amazon.

Rotondi is a middle school language arts teacher. She grew up in Massachusetts and spent summers in Wolfeboro. She is currently relocating to Wolfeboro year round. Rotondi is in the process of editing a second novel and writing a third.