Maria C. Palmer: Overcoming challenges as daughter of renowned restaurateur later incarcerated

Maria Costanzo Palmer is a writer and Page Turner Award finalist for her co-authored book On the Rocks: The Primadonna Story (Koehler Books 8/8/23). The book has garnered critical acclaim, winning the 2023 American Book Fest Award and being named the 2024 Book of the Year at the New York Book Festival. The book was also mentioned in Forbes Magazine in December 2023 as a must-have for the “Entrepreneurial-Spirited People on Your Holiday List.” She was recognized as one of L.A. Weekly’s “Top 15 Rising Authors to Watch in 2023.” As the eldest child of an award-winning restaurateur, her life took an unexpected turn when her father became incarcerated, inspiring her to work with Get on the Bus, a nonprofit organization dedicated to reuniting children with their incarcerated parents.