"Be careful with the wooden frame," I instructed the workers. "I'm told it's original to the building." "You actually want to keep these old studs, Toni?" "Of course! I can breathe new life into them. Repurpose them into shelves or a tabletop." It's what I was attempting to do with my own self, breathe new life into a shattered one. Antonia "Toni" Russo is broken, but reimagining a family business in Chicago's Little Italy might bring back her inner strength and joy. When venturing into this new future, Toni discovers that she's not the first Russo to face obstacles and distress, and her ancestors' stories could be the inspiration she has been looking for. "Award-winning author Geralyn Hesslau Magrady gently weaves an emotional story of despair, surrender, and a glimmer of hope. When Walls Talk provides an insightful look at the human spirit, what it must face, and whether it can endure." -Chanticleer Book Reviews, 5 Stars "Contemporary characters gracefully balance between past and present, seeking understanding of who they are." -Maria Giuseppa, author of R&R: A Feast of Words "Toni's unearthing of Vittorio's letters doesn't showcase two world's colliding; it reveals a sharing of the same vast world through traditions, experiences, and love, even generations later." -J. Shep, author of The December Issue and After Me Geralyn Hesslau Magrady is the 2016 winner of the Soon to be Famous Illinois Author Project for her novel Lines (2015), a story of Chicago historical fiction. Her novella When Walls Talk (2024) takes place in the Windy City, as well. A poet, essayist, and storyteller, Magrady has been included in several anthologies. A veteran teacher and proud mom of two adult sons, she enjoys music, genealogy, and a good cup of coffee.