Former Vermont Poet Laureate Chard deNiord will interview Vincent Panella on his soon-to-be-published novel, Sicilian Dreams, during the Brattleboro Literary Festival's virtual Literary Cocktail Hour, scheduled for 5 p.m. on Friday on the Literary Festival's Facebook page.

In this novel, Santo Regina, a 32-year old activist, immigrates to America after taking part in a failed political movement incited by Vito Cascio Ferro, a prominent member of the Sicilian Mafia. Once in America, Santo becomes entangled again with Cascio Ferro and his arch rival, Detective Joseph Petrosino of New York's famous Italian Squad.