By Elena Perri • Posted July 31, 2026

Not many authors launch their writing careers in their 70s.

For Rose Passero, the motivation for writing her first novel was personal. She wanted to write a story her three grandchildren would enjoy reading.

In 2019, when her eldest granddaughter was about 6 years old, her parents took her to a Disney on Ice show featuring characters from the movie “Frozen.” Her granddaughter later used her birthday money to buy a sparkly Frozen-themed wand with a snowflake on top.

That wand served as the inspiration for the story that Passero would write.

“I let my imagination take flight,” said Passero, a member of St. Kevin Parish in Springfield. “One day I sat down on my computer, and I started writing a story.”

That story became “Little Princess Lamb,” a historical fiction novel geared to 8- to 12-year-olds. Published in late 2025 by Histria Books, the novel takes place in England in the ninth century. “Little Princess Lamb” is the first in a three-book series, according to Passero, with the second one scheduled for release next year.

The novel is a story about Little Princess Lamb who lives in a castle with her parents, who are King and Queen, the friends she meets from a nearby village, a mysterious magic wand, and a young shepherd whose past is the subject of a legend. It’s set during the time of peace that followed the reign of King Alfred in the southern part of England.

While Passero, now 78 years old, wanted the novel to be entertaining, she thought it was important for readers to learn about English history and what life was like for people who lived there centuries ago.

“The book is the product of my imagination based on events that happened historically,” she said. “I wanted to write a nice story that gently introduces children to history and yet has what I consider to be traditional values of family, respect and love of learning.”

Growing up in North Jersey, Passero’s love of history came from her father who had a strong interest in the Civil War era.

“When we went on Sunday rides in the 1950s, we had to stop at every marker and read what happened there,” she said.

After graduating from Our Lady Star of the Sea Academy in Long Branch, New Jersey, Passero opted to attend Monmouth College so she could live at home to be with her father who was seriously ill at the time.

“He died in March of my freshman year, so it was a good thing I stayed home,” she said.

Passero later went to the University of Pennsylvania where she earned a PhD in history in 1978.

Her love of history led Passero to meet the love of her life, Dr. Frank Passero, who was attending medical school at Penn. He served as Chief of the Rheumatology Service at Delaware County Memorial Hospital where he maintained a clinical practice for over 35 years.

Passero worked alongside her husband in his Drexel Hill office, and despite her lack of business experience, she quickly learned about health insurance and how to manage his practice.

The couple raised their two sons, Anthony and Frank Jr., in Drexel Hill, and they were longtime members of St. Dorothy Parish. Their third son Charles died about a month after he was born due to a severe medical condition.

The Passeros were married 48 years before Frank passed away on Aug. 28, 2022.

“There was no bigger supporter of me writing and publishing than my husband,” Passero said.

Before he died, she began looking for publishers who accepted unsolicited manuscripts.

Although Passero thought it was idealistic that she could get a novel published, she submitted manuscripts to about 10 publishers and then waited for a response.

“Most said if you don’t hear from us in six to eight weeks it means that we’re not interested,” she explained. “They wouldn’t even give you the courtesy of saying ‘we’re sorry.’”

About a week after her husband passed, she received an email from a publisher.

“I didn’t open it because I thought it was another rejection,” Passero said. “I didn’t open it for a few days which was a very foolish thing to do because it was the acceptance of that novel from the last publisher.”

The ironic timing of the manuscript acceptance was not lost on her.

“He passed away, and I got this acceptance,” Passero said. “Life is like that.”

While her manuscript was accepted in 2022, it took nearly three years for Histria Books to produce it.

The response to her first published book has been heartwarming for the soft-spoken septuagenarian.

“Adults have read it and loved it,” she said. “Then they bought it for their grandchildren.”

Passero is donating all the proceeds from her book sales to pediatric cancer research at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. She has raised more than $650 so far.

“It was my intention from the beginning before the book was published that I was going to donate to children with cancer,” she said.

Passero’s strong faith in God has helped her cope with the loss of her husband.

She began attending daily Mass at St. Kevin’s and spending time in adoration there.

“There’s a community of people from Springfield who go every morning, so I stood out like a sore thumb,” Passero said. “I say that St. Kevin’s is the homeliest church with the nicest people. I truly believe that because everyone is so kind and nice.”

In addition to her church family, Passero’s sons and their families have supported her even though they live in New York state.

“We stay in touch regularly, and they help me anytime I need anything,” she said. “My daughters-in-law are really like daughters to me. They’ve always been respectful of Frank and me and treated us like they would treat their own parents.”

Her daily routine includes praying the rosary in Italian while she watches priests at the Grotto of Lourdes in France lead the rosary on the Sanctuaire Notre-Dame de Lourdes YouTube channel.

Despite the loss of her husband, her faith continues to be a source of strength.

“I have been blessed because I believe God is with me, and I believe my husband is with me,” Passero said.

While walking her dog Mary, the 11-year-old Bichon Frisé whom Passero rescued three years ago, she often expresses gratitude to God for the beautiful weather or other things that happen throughout her day.

“I feel like my whole day is focused on God,” Passero said. “So many little things that happen and I feel the presence of God. I feel like he surrounds my life.”

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To purchase “Little Princess Lamb” use this link and the promo code princess30 through Aug. 31 to receive a 30 percent discount.