BIO: Alberta H. Sequeira was born in Pocasset, Massachusetts. Her father, Albert L. Gramm, was a One Star Brigadier General in the Army, and she spent her childhood in various towns across the different states traveling. She lives in North Dartmouth, Massachusetts with her husband, Al.
Ms. Sequeira is a four-time award winning author, a Motivational Speaker, and an Awareness Coach on Alcohol and Drug Abuse for private and public events. She is the producer, director and co-host to the NBTV-95 Cable TV Station out of New Bedford, Massachusetts.
1st Memoir: A Spiritual Renewal: A Journey to Medjugorje (March 2012). It’s about her relationship with her father, learning too late about his remarkable military life as one of the commanding officers of the 26th Yankee Division and fighting throughout Europe during WWII in the battles of Lorraine, Metz and the Battle of the Bulge. Her spiritual change takes her on a ten day pilgrimage to Medjugorje a tiny, remote village in Bosnia.
2nd Memoir: (June 19, 2009), her memoir, Someone Stop This Merry-Go-Round; An Alcoholic Family in Crisis, is about her young alcoholic marriage of fourteen years behind closed doors to Richard Lopes of North Dighton, Massachusetts and their two daughters, Debbie and Lori, living in silence with confusion and fear. It’s a rollercoaster with Richie’s struggle trying to combat his alcoholic addiction. Join her on a merry-go-round of enabling and abuse. In 1985, Richie died at the VA Hospital in Providence, Rhode Island at 45 years old from cirrhosis of the liver.
Sequel: The sequel Please, God, Not Two; This Killer Called Alcoholism (2010) is the continuation of their lives after Richie’s death, and the story follows her daughter, Lori Cahill going down the same path as her father. On November 22, 2006, after three rehabilitation stays, Lori died at the young age of 39 years old at the Charlton Memorial Hospital in Fall River from the same horrible, worldwide disease. This book contains some of the author’s speaking engagements to alcoholic abusers at halfway homes and substance abuse rehabilitation centers.
Ms. Sequeira has completed her Narrative Non-Fiction book What is and isn’t Working for the Alcoholics and Addicts; Their Own Personal Stories. It is a book of testimonies from thirty-four recovering addicts from all walks of life on their recovery programs. Hopefully, these honest testimonies will help others fighting the same battle; young children heading down this same destructive path, doctors and counselors. Her next book will be her first fictional The Rusty Years. She wants readers to know there is a lighter side to her.
Speaker on alcohol and drug abuse: at private and public speaking events. She has spoken at halfway homes, substance abuse rehabilitation centers, court-ordered programs, women’s ministries, businesses, libraries, bookstores, conferences and schools.
Senator John Kerry: Alberta and her husband, Al, met with Stephen Meunier, Policy Advisor to Senator John Kerry in his office located in Boston, Massachusetts. They presented ways to try to modify the Patient Privacy Act to help substance abusers and their families. Senator John Kerry contacted the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration in Maryland on the Sequeira’s behalf. Senator Michael Rodrigues will continue the progress since both Senator Kerry and Mr. Meunier have left their positions.
Awards: Reader Views of Austin, Texas had awarded A Spiritual Renewal; A Journey to Medjugorje the Reviewers Choice Award 2008 Semi-Finalist. Allbooks Review of Canada had nominated her memoirs Someone Stop This Merry-Go-Round with the “Editor’s Choice Award” and was nominated for the “Dan Poynter’s Global eBook Award 2011.” The sequel, Please, God, Not Two was also nominated for the “Editor’s Choice Award 2010” and appeared in the December 20, 2010 issue of Publishers Weekly.
Instructor: She is a Continuing Education instructor for a three hour writer’s workshops titled “Bring Your Manuscript to Publication” ….. “How to Self-Publish Your Own Book with Create Space “……”Writing Memoirs.”
***All handbooks have been published from her workshops for those who can not make it to her presentations. Order through Amazon in both paperback and Kindle.
Co-Founder: Alberta joined three other professional published authors (Authors Without Borders,” www.awb6.com) offering their services with speaking engagements, readings, panel discussions, book signing, poetry slams and workshops at schools, bookstores, businesses, and libraries. In August 2010, she co-authored with the group and published their first book Loose Ends; A Hodgepodge of Short Stories.
Interviews: Paul Lazarovich from The Cranberry Country Journal Cable TV in Middleboro, MA (www.youtube.com); Tony Lopes and Bob Folick (4 times)from the WVBF Radio Station in Taunton; Roland Hinds from Blog Radio TruVue Radio, CA; Pete Braley and Phil Paleologos from the WBSM Radio Station in Fairhaven (4 times); Denise Krochta from the WebTVradio show an Addicts Family Lifeline from Indiana; Tony Lewis of The Standard Times newspaper of New Bedford; The Taunton Community Access & Media TV (The Other Side) with Jeff Rothman; Laureen Brenton from WCTV Comcast Ch. 9 *Verizon FIOS Ch. 30 of Wareham; MA; Augusta Alban from the TV show “Don’t Retire, Inspire” from Boston, Sisters of Solace with Christine Dobyna of Westport; Willie Pleasants from the Boston Neighborhood Network from Willie’s Web; NBTV-95 New Bedford, MA with Producer, Thomas J. Sexton.
Book Advertisement: Her books have appeared in the South Coast, Bristol County and South Shore Women’s Journal, The Wareham Observer, Lakeville Call, The Spirit of Change, the Rhode Island Catholic Newspaper, The Anchor, and as far as The Catholic Weekly in Australia.
Co-Host to a Cable Show: Alberta is a co-host to Authors Without Borders Presents, a monthly, half hour NBTV-95 cable show out of New Bedford, Massachusetts interviewing other writers and authors.
Conferences/Workshops: The Massachusetts Conferences for Women in Boston, UMass Dartmouth, Authors Presentation, NBTV-95 Cable TV Training Program, The Cape Cod Writer’s workshops, Break’n the Chainz Ministries: “Empowering our Community Against Addiction.”
Discussion Panels: Lakeville Public Library, Lakeville, MA; Jamaicaway Books, Jamaica Plain, MA, Autumn Glen in North Dartmouth, MA, Bristol Plymouth Technical School in Taunton, MA, Dighton Town Hall, Dighton, MA, Upper Cape Cod Tech Adult Education in Bourne, MA.
Blog Writer: Alberta writes monthly articles on alcohol abuse for the CapeCodToday and the Plymouth Daily News.
Anthology: Her first anthology writing had appeared in October 2010 for “The Unexpected Journey” in the Speaker Anthology book published by Dr. Kent Gustavson and Sally Shield. On October 11, 2010, her article “Self-Publishing or Traditional Publishing” was featured on the Amy Edelman website www.indiereader.com. On June 8, 2011, she wrote “Abuse” for the Smythe Magazine. On December 2, 2011, her bio and first chapter of Someone Stop This Merry-Go-Round was printed in Taste and See, A Sampling of First Chapters by John 316 Marketing Network Authors [Kindle Edition]. Her work has appeared in the Medjugorje USA Highlighter Newsletter (Trusting in God’s Will – 2007, and What Do You Believe – 2008). In October of 2012, her article was published for author Shelley Hitz in her new kindle: 21 Stories of Gratitude: The Power of Living Life With a Grateful Heart.
Newspaper Write Ups: Middleboro Gazette (1.The Hook for the Book 2.Memoir writer to speak on alcoholism) Taunton Daily Gazette (1.Speaker aims to modify Patient Privacy Act 2.Fighting Back 3.The Authors mentor aspiring writers 4.Author recounts family’s battle with alcoholism) Lakeville Call (1.Author speaks out for local libraries, How to write right-and get published 2.An opportunity to support our troops 3.Getting off the ‘Merry-Go Round’) The Enterprise (1. Authors reach out to troops with books) and The Standard Times “It’s Not Too Late for the Alcoholics.”
Articles Written for Newspapers: The Standard Times (Help can be found for the substance abuser).
Alberta Sequeira
Send for a Quote at: alberta.sequeira@gmail.com
Website: www.albertasequeira.org
Blog: www.albertasequeira.wordpress.com
Alberta Sequeira, Author and Speaker 