New Bedford Author Celebrates Debut Book With Hometown Launch at Rose Alley Ale House

There’s something incredibly powerful about seeing a hometown story come full circle, and this Sunday, New Bedford will get to witness exactly that.

Local author Rafaela Quintin is celebrating the release of her very first book The Imperfect Path with a book launch and signing party at Rose Alley Ale House, a place that feels less like a venue and more like home to her.

Quintin, 31, was born in Portugal and raised in New Bedford, and her debut book is anything but ordinary. The Imperfect Path is a spoken-word poetry collection from more than two decades of writing,  poems she began crafting as early as age 10 and continued perfecting through life’s hardest and most healing moments.

“This book is basically my life’s work,” she explained. “A lot of the poems come from when I was really young. I didn’t change the heart of them. I just grew alongside them.”

A Book Written Through Healing

Quintin said the decision to finally publish came during a period of deep personal healing. As she worked through her own experiences, she realized how badly she wished she’d had a book like this when she was struggling – something honest, raw, and reassuring.

“I wanted people who are going through the same things to not feel so alone,” she said. “I had so much in my chest, and I needed to let it out.”

The result is a collection that tackles grief, trauma, love, resilience, and survival – themes that are deeply personal, yet relatable. The words and stories within the book are loud, and Quintin knew immediately that a quiet venue wouldn’t feel right for its debut.

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Why Rose Alley Just Made Sense

Choosing Rose Alley Ale House for the launch was an easy decision. Quintin called it her “second home,” a place where she’s celebrated some of life’s biggest milestones – from her engagement party to post-wedding celebrations – and even spent hours writing with a mug and a plate of wings nearby.

“So many of the people who are in this book, I met there,” she said. “It’s loud, it’s real, it’s full of life, and that’s what this book is.”

The launch takes place Sunday, January 18 2026, from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m., and guests are encouraged to bring their copy for signing and celebration. The book is currently available on Amazon.

Love Letters, Ink, and Inspiration

One of the most emotional sections of The Imperfect Path comes at the very end in a chapter called “Love Letters and Ink,” where Quintin dedicates poems to people who helped shape her journey, including her wife Katie, her mother, and her best friend Joss.

“They’ve been my rocks,” she said. “My mom’s strength and laughter, my wife’s kindness, and my best friend helping me rebuild myself at my lowest point. They’re all part of this book.”

Holding the first physical copy was a moment she said she’ll never forget.

“I opened it and just kept thinking, ‘This is real. My name is on this. I did this,’” she said. “And then I cried, a lot. Happy tears.”

From Alias to Authorship

Interestingly, The Imperfect Path also credits an alias Quintin once planned to publish under: Azura Rose Moon. The name was born when she was younger and afraid to attach her real name to something so vulnerable. “Rose” honors a late friend who loved flowers, while “Moon” reflects her spiritual connection and love for lunar symbolism.

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“I kept the name in the book as a thank you to that younger version of myself,” she said. “She believed in these words long before I believed in myself.”

And This Is Just the Beginning

If you’re wondering whether this is a one-and-done moment, it’s not. Quintin is already working on her next project, and while she’s keeping details close to the chest, she did reveal one thing: it’s a thriller.

“There will be a storyline this time,” she teased.

For now, though, Sunday is about celebrating a dream realized, one that started in childhood notebooks and found its way home to New Bedford. Sometimes the most meaningful paths are the imperfect ones, and this one is just getting started.