Q&A with author Sally DiPaula, MSA, ’69

Sally DiPaula—a proud alumna of Mount Saint Agnes College, which merged with Loyola in 1971—has woven a rich web of Baltimore’s history and culture in her debut novel, Once Upon a Time in Baltimore. The narrative delves into the intertwined lives of Irish and Italian immigrant families, reflecting on the city’s diverse heritage and following the families through the Spanish Flu epidemic, the Roaring ’20s, the Great Depression, World War II, and the post-war era. DiPaula’s academic journey includes an M.A. in English Language and Literature from the University of Maryland. She lives in the Washington, D.C., area and continues to explore and write about the complexities of cultural intersections.

Once Upon a Time in Baltimore is deeply rooted in a sense of place. How did the city itself shape your writing process?

Since Baltimore was a city full of European immigrants at the time the novel takes place, it served as the perfect setting for the book. There were Italians, Irish, Germans, Eastern Europeans—all intermingling with each other and sometimes marrying each other. It was a place full of stories. I just chose the one closest to my heart.

Were there moments during the writing process that surprised you— either about the city or yourself?

One surprise was that, in many ways, Baltimore had not changed from my youth there and, I assume, from the time period of Once Upon a Time in Baltimore. Little Italy is still Little Italy, for example. In addition, there are resources available now that capture the first half of 20thcentury Baltimore and which really helped my research, such as the Baltimore Immigration Museum in Locust Point and the Irish Railroad Workers Museum in West Baltimore.

How did your education at Mount Saint Agnes influence the way you approach storytelling?

I remember from my years at the Mount the seemingly overwhelming amount of term papers and essays I had to write. It was very good practice for a wannabe writer. Then there was the reading, not only at the Mount but at my high school—Mercy High School—and later at the University of Maryland.

Once Upon a Time in Baltimore is part of a larger storyline. Can you share your plans for the series?

I am almost finished the first draft of the sequel, and it involves the four grown children of the main characters in the first book. It is told from the viewpoint of each and features two wars (Korea and Vietnam) plus other problems the characters face over a period of many years. That, I hope, will be followed by a prequel about the immigrant father of the Italian character and the immigrant mother of the Irish one.