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 Virginia hairdresser styles first novel on memories of his younger days in Charleroi, By Ron Paglia, For The Tribune-Review, March 13, 2005 RICHMOND, VA As a student at Charleroi High School in the late fifties, Libero A. "Lee" Tremonti never gave much thought to creative writing. Today, nearly 45 years after graduation with the CHS Class of 1960, Tremonti is celebrating the release of his first book, "Cousins - A Mafia Story." The crime novel, a fictional work based partly on Tremonti's memories of his days in the mid-Monongahela Valley, rolled off the presses of PublishAmerica of Frederick, MD this week. "I'm very excited about it," Tremonti, 63, said from his home in Richmond, Va, where he has lived and worked as a hairdresser and stylist for over 40 years. "It's a totally new experience for me, and I've enjoyed it beyond words." Tremonti is the son of the late Libero "Lee" J. and Anna (Ann) Tremonti, who for many years owned and operated Lee's Grill, a popular neighborhood establishment on McKean Avenue between Second and Third streets in Charleroi. His sister, Marie Tremonti Dolfi, who's married to New Eagle native Joe Dolfi, is another Charleroi High School graduate who also lives in the Richmond area. "No, I never gave it a thought, " Tremonti laughed in looking back on his interest in writing as a schoolboy. " "My world, like most teen-age boys today, consisted of getting through school, playing sports, holding a part-time job and hanging out with my friends." So how did Tremonti, who emphasized that his theme and the characters are completely fictional, finally get the urge to write a book after all these years? "When The Sopranos first aired on HBO, I was fascinated with the show because the characters reminded me of people I had known when I was young," he said. "After the second season I had heard rumors about the series being delayed or cancelled, but by then I was hooked. I figured that maybe they needed some fresh ideas for new episodes, so I wrote a dozen or so short story ideas." Tremonti sent his ideas to his cousin, James Jimirro, a Monongahela native "who's in the business" in California. Jimirro, the founding president of the Disney Channel and a former executive of the Columbia Broadcasting System, is currently chairman, president and CEO of National Lampoon. "Jimmy read the material and sent it to HBO," Tremonti said. "But it was rejected. What I didn't know was that HBO and The Sopranos didn't take on new or outside writers for story ideas." Rejection did not discourage Tremonti. "My wife had challenged me from the outset to write my own story lines and submit them to HBO," he said." When those ideas were turned down, she encouraged me to put all the material together into book form, submit it to a publisher and go from there. After the manuscript was rejected a half-dozen times for various reasons, I found a publisher (PublishAmerica) that was receptive, and we were on our way." Tremonti's wife Colene (Connie) is a native of Stowe, VT. "Cousins - A Mafia Story" begins in Italy with a young boy named Sonnie who lives with his grandparents. He learns the truth behind the death of his parents and, with the help of his cousin Vince, vows to get even in a most unusual way. While hiding outside his grandfather's haircutting shop, Sonnie learns that his grandfather is the head of a small, local mafia family. Upon the death of his beloved grandfather, Sonnie is forced to carry on in his place, only to get in over his head and eventually flee to America to start a new life. Vince joins him in the United States, and the cousins are plunged into a new world of organized crime and the full circle of corrupt police, murder and drugs. How did that central theme evolve for Tremonti, who emphasizes that everything in the book is "completely fiction?" "Someone recently asked me what a Richmond hairdresser knows about writing crime novels, especially if the story is about the mafia," Tremonti, a native of Monongahela who grew up in an Italian neighborhood, said. "It's a rather simple explanation. Organized crime was much more prominent in the days when I was growing up in the Mon Valley. You didn't have to be associated with the mafia to know about it. You either read about it in the papers, saw it on the television news or might have known or heard about someone that was associated with it. "Being Italian myself, I have always enjoyed movies, documentaries and books fiction or non-fiction that include people, places and things that relate to my heritage," he continued. "I just thought that some of my recollections might make for good reading; something that other people could relate to." It took over four decades for Tremonti to put those ideas on paper or in today's sophisticated electronic world, in a computer file. Immediately after graduation from Charleroi High School, Tremonti attended beauty school in Pittsburgh for a year. Ensuingly, he moved to Alexandria, VA and in 1963 he entered the U.S. military, serving for 18 months. He returned to Alexandria and invested in a chain of beauty salons called Vincent and Vincent. In 1970 he moved to Richmond, where his sister had been living for several years. "Marie and I had the idea that our parents could move here when they retired and we would all be together again," Tremonti said. "That's the way it worked out, and we had a lot of happy years together as a family, just as we did when Marie and I were kids." The elder Tremonti and his wife, the former Anna Jimirro of Monongahela, spent the early years of their married life in a home on Park Avenue in Monongahela, where Lee and his sister were born. Mr. Tremonti, a steelworker by trade, bought the bar and restaurant in Charleroi from his father-in-law, and he and his wife moved the family to Charleroi. They lived in an apartment above their business. "After working sixteen hours a day in the mill and at the grill for over thirty years, my father retired, and he and Mom moved to Richmond," Tremonti said. "Sadly, both of them died last year. Both were close to ninety years old, and they had been married for sixty-nine years. I miss them every day." Admitting he is rather lax about keeping in touch with "the folks back home," Tremonti said his family in the mid-Monongahela Valley has "dwindled considerably." "Most of my older cousins also moved away many years ago," he said. "There are some third and fourth cousins who still live there, but I really don't get back there to visit. Mostly it's for a sad occasion like a funeral, although we have returned for some weddings. When I do visit, it's always 'hurry up and get back to Virginia.' There are times when I could kick myself for not taking the time to look up some of my old friends and see what they've been up to. I'm not very good at doing that. I have never even been to any of my class reunions and I truly regret that." This could be the year for making up for lost time. For one thing, the Charleroi High School Class of 1960 will have its 45-year reunion. For another, Tremonti is looking to have a book signing in the Mon Valley, perhaps in Charleroi or Monongahela, where St. Anthony's Roman Catholic Church will present its annual Festa on July 3. Lee's first home on Park Avenue was "just around the corner" from the church. "That would be nice," Tremonti said about returning home as an author. "We're working with some people back there and trying to put something together." In the meantime, Tremonti will continue in his chosen vocation as a licensed hairdresser as the owner of HairBenders Salon in Richmond. And he might be considering a sequel to "Cousins A Mafia Story." "That's on the back burner right now," he said. "Because this is my first book, I'd like to see if it becomes successful before I commit to another one. I do have some ideas about a sequel, but they're still in the early stages. My wife has been a driving force behind all of this (writing), and I've had a lot of support from family and friends. I have a great publisher that has given me a lot of encouragement. But I'll be honest, the whole experience really hasn't sunk in yet. The true test will be if the readers like it. Photo was taken at the Chautauqua On The Mon celebration in Charleroi, Fourth of July weekend, 2005. Charleroi High grad, John Mollenaur is pictured with Lee Tremonti and wife, Connie .   Changes can't alter Tremonti's memories, By Ron Paglia, For The Valley Independent, July, 2, 2005 Standing at the corner of Fifth Street and McKean Avenue in the heart of downtown Charleroi, Libero "Lee" Tremonti looked in several directions as he recalled growing up in the Magic City. That was over 40 years ago, and Tremonti is back in town this weekend as a featured participant in the Chautauqua On The Mon and Community Day festivities in Charleroi. He will signing copies of his first novel, "Cousiins A Mafia Story," Sunday 2 to 4 p.m. at the Friends of the Library booth. "I'm deeply grateful for the invitation to take part in Community Day," Tremonti, a resident of and successful hairdresser and stylist in Richmond, VA for over 40 years, said. "I have so many fond memories of growing up and living in Charleroi, and it's great coming home to see the community again and renew acquaintances with old friends." "Cousins A Mafia Story" (PublishAmerica) is Tremonti's first novel. The fictional work is based partly on his memories of his life in the mid-Monongahela Valley. Copies will be on sale during the book signing. "The town and the area in general certainly have changed," Tremonti said as he and his wife Connie looked around the four corners of Fifth and McKean. "I remember the train station and then the A&P being over there where the drug store (Gabler's) is now, and the Charleroi Hotel was a landmark across the street. Collins Department store was a fixture on the other side, as was Book's Shoe Store for many years. I also remember Might's Book Store, Dub's Cigar Store, and Wolf's and Frank's men's stores being in this area." Tremonti, 64 and a 1960 graduate of Charleroi High School, is the son of the late Libero "Lee" J. and Anna (Ann) Tremonti, who for many years owned and operated Lee's Grill, a popular restaurant and bar on McKean Ave. between Second and Third streets in Charleroi. His sister, Marie Tremonti Dolfi, who's married to New Eagle native Joe Dolfi, is another Charleroi High graduate and also lives in the Richmond area. "We lived only a couple of blocks from downtown, and I have vivid memories of going there on Saturday nights," he said. "There were four theaters in town the Coyle, State, Palace and Menlo and several restaurants, and the sidewalks were packed with shoppers. Even the traffic was bumper to bumper at times. It was a very busy town, as were others in the Mon Valley, in those days." Tremonti and his wife arrived in the area Thursday evening and spent a good part of Friday walking through his old neighborhood and other parts of Charleroi. "I knew the town had changed a lot since I lived here, but I was still looking forward to getting a good look at everything old and new," Tremonti said. "It's a very beautiful community," Connie Tremonti said. "I can understand why people would want to live here and raise their families here." "Cousins - A Mafia Story" begins in Italy with a young boy named Sonnie who lives with his grandparents. He learns the truth behind the death of his parents and, with the help of his cousin Vince, vows to get even in a most unusual way. While hiding outside his grandfather's haircutting shop, Sonnie learns that his grandfather is the head of a small, local mafia family. Upon the death of his beloved grandfather, Sonnie is forced to carry on in his place, only to get in over his head and eventually flee to America to start a new life. Vince joins him in the United States, and the cousins are plunged into a new world of organized crime and the full circle of corrupt police, murder and drugs. How did that central theme evolve for Tremonti, who emphasizes that everything in the book is "completely fiction?" "Someone recently asked me what a Richmond hairdresser knows about writing crime novels, especially if the story is about the mafia," Tremonti, a native of Monongahela who grew up in an Italian neighborhood, said. "It's a rather simple explanation. Organized crime was much more prominent in the days when I was growing up in the Mon Valley. You didn't have to be associated with the mafia to know about it. You either read about it in the papers, saw it on the television news or might have known or heard about someone that was associated with it. "Being Italian myself, I have always enjoyed movies, documentaries and books fiction or non-fiction that include people, places and things that relate to my heritage," he continued. "I just thought that some of my recollections might make for good reading; something that other people could relate to." Following graduation from Charleroi High School, Tremonti attended beauty school in Pittsburgh for a year. Ensuingly, he moved to Alexandria, VA and in 1963 he entered the U.S. military, serving for 18 months. He returned to Alexandria and invested in a chain of beauty salons called Vincent and Vincent. In 1970 he moved to Richmond, where his sister had been living for several years. Admitting he is rather lax about keeping in touch with "the folks back home,"Tremonti, a licensed hairdresser and owner of HairBenders Salon in Richmond, said his family in the mid-Monongahela Valley has "dwindled considerably." "Most of my older cousins also moved away many years ago," he said. "There are some third and fourth cousins who still live there, but I really don't get back there to visit. Mostly it's for a sad occasion like a funeral, although we have returned for some weddings. There are times when I could kick myself for not taking the time to look up some of my old friends and see what they've been up to. I'm not very good at doing that. I have never even been to any of my class reunions and I truly regret that." This could be the year for making up for lost time. For one thing, the Charleroi High School Class of 1960 will have its 45-year reunion. Sunday's book signing at Community Day will pre-empt that event. Photo was taken at the Chautauqua On The Mon celebration in Charleroi, Fourth of July weekend, 2005. Pictured with Lee and wife, Connie are Charleroi High grads, Dennis Harger and his wife, Carol (maiden name McKita). | Margie Surovchak, '68 | Sam Woncheck, '69 | Paul Valovich, '61 | Jerry Parola, '69 IN MEMORIAM | Stan Kemp, '63 | Libero A. (Lee) Tremonti, '60 | John M. Valovich, '63 | Don Saunders, '63 | Carol Semantic Claybaugh, '62 | Paul Hubinon, '60 | Pat Sanders Murphy, '66 | Cal Mongomery, '66 | William 'Gus' Pagonis, '60 | | TEACHERS/STAFF | THE 40's and PRIOR | THE 50's | THE 60's | THE 70's | THE 80's | THE 90's | THE NEW MILLENNIUM! | | Return Home | 'Contact Us'... 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