Mary Melfi was born in a small mountain town south of Rome. In 1957, at the age of six, she immigrated with her family to Montreal, Quebec where she attended the local English schools. She received a B.A. from Concordia University and a M.L.S. from McGill University. Since completing her studies in 1977 she has published over a dozen books of critically-acclaimed poetry and prose. Her first novel, "Infertility Rites," was published by Guernica Editions in 1991; it was later translated into French and Italian. Doubleday Canada published her children's fantasy book: "Ubu, the Witch Who Would be Rich." In 2009 the author's memoir, "Italy Revisited: Conversations with My Mother," was published in Canada. It was translated into Italian by Laura Ferri and published by Iannone Editions under the title "Ritorno in Italia." The French translation was done by Claude Bèland; it was published under the title, "Là-bas, en Italie, conversations avec ma mère." In 2015 Mary Melfi's novel, "Via Roma," - a love story with a metaphysical twist – was published; the French translation is available from Editions Triptyque. Mary Melfi's most recent work of non-fiction, "In the Backyard, Relearning the Art of Aging, Dying and Making Love" (Guernica Editions, 2018), focuses on the complications and challenges associated with hitting the big 50, the death of a spouse and the subsequent search for a new partner using on line dating sites. Also a playwright, Mary Melfi's comedy, "My Italian Wife," was produced by the Sons of Italy in the fall of 2015; the sold-out production won favor with the audience. Noted for her black humour, wry wit and imaginative style, critics have suggested that this author manages "not only to make us laugh, but also think." She received the "Giornata Internazionale Della Donna Award" in 2010. In-depth reviews of her published works can be found in William Anselmi's book entitled: "Mary Melfi, Essays on her Works" (Guernica Editions, 2007) and in Michela Baldo's publication: "Italian-Canadian Narratives of Return" (Palgrave Macmillan, 2019). Mary Melfi presently lives in Montreal.