Rudolph (Rudy) Girandola is a former newspaper editor, reporter and sports writer for the Hartford (Connecticut) Times and the Trenton (New Jersey) Sunday Times Advertiser. He was a teacher and education administrator for twenty six years as an administrator in the New Jersey Department of Education and as Executive Director of a Federal evaluation program funded by The Vocational Education Act of 1973. He taught English in a parochial school in Hartford, Connecticut and was a baseball coach at the secondary school level. In Connecticut, he was also a professional tennis instructor at the Birchwood Country Club in Wesport. In New Jersey, he taught English and Psychology at the Post Secondary Community College level. Girandola has become widely known in State and National education circles.

Rudy has had several short stories and human interest and professional articles published along with poems published in Literary Magazines. Prior to earning his Bachelors and Masters degrees at the Jesuit school of Fairfield University in Connecticut, Rudy studied for the Roman Catholic Priesthood in a minor seminary in Connecticut. He left the seminary and entered Fairfield University to earn his bachelors degree. Following graduation from Fairfield University he accepted appointment to the major seminary of Saint Bonaventure's Christ the King Seminary in Olean, New York to study Theology for the secular clergy of the Bridgeport, Connecticut Diocese. After two successful years of Theological studies in Latin and Latin texts Rudy decided not to accept major orders of Diaconate, thus ending his quest for priestly ordination. He journeyed to New York City and obtained an editorial training position with Colliers Magazine. During that time he met and was engaged by Colonel Henry Mucci of Bridgeport, Connecticut to write the scenario of Colonel Mucci's World War II wartime heroic exploits. Colonel Mucci had founded and organized a special Ranger Force for a dangerous secret mission to rescue Bataan Death March prisoners of war on the Island of Luzon in the Phillipines. Recently, that story is being made into a movie staring Tom Cruise and Benjamine Bratt.

Rudy has been recently nominated for Fairfield University's Sports Hall of Fame and he was honored as a member of the University's first collegiate Baseball Team. He continues to write and remain active in public and civic affairs. He is also active in acting circles and auditions for commercial and movie parts in the New York City area. Recently, Rudy's book, The Jade Chalice was published by Publish America and is enjoying brisk sales in the US, Canada, the UK and Germany. (see reviews in this web site and summary on home page). The novelist is married to Valeria Lucille Brennan of New Jersey and the couple has raised six children. Rudy's score of grandchildren is now 12 and counting. Rudy is currently working on a philosophy book for living and facing the challenges of life and another novel called The Last Alternative about Communist Ideologies.