“Canada is a land of immigrants; you never lose your heritage, accent or language of your country of birth. Many of my friends came from different countries, spoke English with foreign accents, and communicated in their native language with their families.”
– an excerpt from the book
ARPress is honored to publish “The Big Red Suitcase” by Margot Stornelli. This book is now available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and the ARPress website.
“The Big Red Suitcase” by Margot Stornelli is a memoir rooted in curiosity, movement, and the quiet bravery it takes to follow a feeling before you fully understand where it will lead. The story opens on a symbolic moment, a flight across the pond on the day of her high school graduation, setting the stage for a life shaped by travel, change, and discovery.
From there, the memoir moves between time and place. Margot reflects on her childhood, where her love for travel first took hold, and then brings readers into her senior year abroad. Living a slower, more intentional European lifestyle, she experiences a fairytale-like escape from the fast pace of city life. That sense of freedom and immersion becomes a turning point, one that reshapes how she sees the world and herself.
Retired and living a peaceful life in the Niagara Region of Ontario, Canada, Margot enjoys watching her grandchildren thrive. An enthusiastic librarian, she visits the local public library reading memoirs and historical fiction. She has volumes of family photos, films, and videotapes to convert to digital formats to preserve her family heritage. She enjoys day trips to view live theatre performances of classics, musicals, and dramas. She is looking forward to knocking more places off her travel bucket list, discovering new places when the time is right.
At its heart, this memoir is about self-discovery through experience. Margot’s time abroad opens her eyes to new cultures, perspectives, and ways of living that feel deeply aligned with who she is becoming. Returning home brings a jolt of reality. Education must continue, a career path needs to be chosen, and the familiar expectations of life press back in.
Then comes a weekend trip to Canada, a moment that quietly shifts everything. What begins as an adventure turns into something lasting. She finds love, faces the idea of permanent international relocation, and begins building a new life across the border. The story doesn’t present this as an easy leap, but as a series of thoughtful decisions shaped by emotion, uncertainty, and courage.
Throughout the memoir, Margot explores what it means to adapt. She navigates culture shock, nurtures lifelong friendships, endures personal hardships, and learns how to maintain family ties across distance and borders. The book captures the intensity of a teenage adventure that becomes the foundation for an adult life defined by openness, resilience, and possibility.
The Big Red Suitcase by Margot Stornelli is a memoir about saying yes to the unknown and discovering how far curiosity can take you. It’s a reminder that sometimes one trip, one choice, or one suitcase can change the entire direction of a life.
If you’ve ever wondered what might happen if you followed your curiosity instead of your comfort, this memoir would feel like it was written for you.
“The Big Red Suitcase” by Margot Stornelli is now available for purchase via ARPress Bookstore: