David Baldacci has seen his name in lights and on the cover of a best seller. He received a $2 million advance for “Absolute Power,” which has been made into a Clint Eastwood movie.

But he had to resort to an American pseudonym to get published in Italy, a place his ancestors had called home.

Italians don’t buy thrillers written by Italians, his publisher told him, so Baldacci, changed the name on the book to a more American sounding name, David Ford.

Baldacci had no problems with his name at a recent gathering in Bangor, however.

On vacation in Maine and visiting distant relatives of his wife, Michelle [Collin], in Madawaska, the author and his family made a trip last Friday to eastern Maine to meet another Baldacci family, the Bangor clan, that includes U.S. Rep. John Baldacci.

They gathered in a side room at Momma Baldacci’s, the family restaurant on Broadway. Both families — in between bites of pizza, spaghetti and made-from-scratch cannoli — traded anecdotes and played catch-up, as if at a family reunion.

A dozen people spanning several generations sat around the red-and-white-clothed table while Rep. Baldacci took their orders for the meal. His mother, Rosemary, hovered around, making sure everyone had what they needed. She also waited for the meal to end so Baldacci could sign a copy of his latest book, “Total Control,” which takes place, in part, in Maine.

John Baldacci quipped that his mother wanted him to be useful with his hands, like a carpenter or electrician or best selling author.

“John, you balanced the budget, for God’s sake,” retorted the author.

Most of the Bangor Baldaccis were meeting the author for the first time. He may even be a distant relative as both families trace their roots to the Tuscany valley, although they have yet to formally find a link between the two families.

Elected in 1994 on the same day David Baldacci signed his first book contract, Rep. John Baldacci first met with the author nearly three months ago at the urging of former U.S. Rep. Pat Schroeder.

Schroeder had met the author and told her fellow legislator that he just had to meet this other Baldacci.

During the course of the hour-and-a-half visit in Bangor, the Baldaccis found they had more in common than just a name.

There’s a strong sense of family, work ethic and entrepreneurship. The Bangor Baldaccis have run the family restaurant since 1929, while David Baldacci’s great-grandfather also owned a restaurant, as well as a vineyard.

The dinner provided insights into the author.

Asked how he goes about the daunting task of writing an expansive novel, Baldacci explained that larger scenes come from putting many smaller ones together. It’s sort of like filling out a 1040 tax form, just 10,000 times, he quipped.

“It’s all in the details,” Baldacci told his attentive audience.

The 30-something Baldacci has a powerful build — something he maintains in a custom-built gym installed in his Virginia mansion. But he’s softspoken.

An attorney who has argued before judges and juries and an author whose works have been praised and criticized for their sprawling prose, Baldacci is at a loss for words when asked about being named one of People magazine’s “50 Most Beautiful People in the World” earlier this year.

But he manages to deliver a tale of the photo shoot that came along with the honor. After more than eight hours of posing and 500 shots, the magazine chose the very first picture taken.

The People photographer reportedly went out of her way to get a scenic shot of Baldacci in a nearby wooded area. Outside, in the winter air, she decided her makeup artist’s shirt would look better on Baldacci than the shirt he was wearing. The two traded shirts and Baldacci wondered how he would explain this to neighbors if they happened by.

A corporate lawyer, Baldacci said he became disenchanted with having to spend six or seven hours a day schmoozing with potential clients on top of 10 or more hours in court or working on cases.

The law firm set earning and client goals for each attorney and kept daily reminders of where the attorneys were in attaining those goals. He left, he said, when he realized he was missing out on his family life, that now includes daughter Spencer, 4, and Collin, 1 1/2.

“There’s just a lot more to life,” he said.

Baldacci has a third book due out later this year, and already has a fourth book under way.

Also in development is a visit next year to eastern Maine, and perhaps a tour of Acadia National Park.