What a difference a year makes: Two published novels and another on the way…

Apologies are in order. After a solid decade of consistent blogging, I’ve been AWOL for  a year after the blog interface changed and I failed to learn to work with it. Mea culpa!

Ahem… almost a year later, I’m (kind of) up to speed with the new bells and whistles, and ready to begin blogging once again.

Luckily, however, the past year hasn’t been completely lost. While I might not have been blogging, I was publishing! For years, I have been champing at the bit to begin on my publishing journey, and this past year allowed me to do just that…

Three Coins

In October 2021, I indie published my first novel, Three Coins, contemporary women’s fiction told through the perspectives of three very different expatriate women living in Rome, Italy. All three women have reached the breaking point in their lives, and are taking time to regroup in an Italian beach town off-season. There the three women meet and strike up an unlikely friendship, one that allows them to grow stronger and take charge of their messy lives and to be brave enough to pursue their dreams and to open their hearts to new love.

This was a lot of fun for me to write, and I’ve been thrilled to hear from so many readers who told me the story resonated with them, that they loved my characters, or that reading my story made them feel as if they’d been whisked off to an Italian holiday.

As a big fan of vicarious travel, I am always in favor of armchair travel to whet one’s appetite for the real thing!

Praise for Three Coins:

“An impeccable combination of approachable characters and sublime descriptions of Italy. Seeing these women wrestle through strenuous self-discovery and come out on top is remarkably cathartic, while offering the vicarious thrill of being immersed in Italian ex-pat life.”-Self-Publishing Review

“Kimberly Sullivan’s Three Coins is beautifully written and edited and the people, landscape, and culture of Italy come alive in this tale of three American women in Rome who become fast friends after coming off of bad relationships.” -IndieReader review

“I thoroughly enjoyed reading Three Coins and vicariously living as an ex-pat in present-day Rome. Author Kimberly Sullivan did a great job entwining the triumphs, tragedies, and loves of Emma, Tiffany, and Annarita, three American women in different emotional and financial stages of their lives.”-Elaine Schroller, Author of Dare Not Tell

Dark Blue Waves

In May of this year, I launched my second novel. Dark Blue Waves. As a huge Jane Austen fan, it was especially fun for me to write this time travel story of a modern woman who finds herself journeying back to Jane Austen-era Bath, England.

I wanted a protagonist who knew lots about English period literature, but who still finds herself in trouble when she is expected to navigate daily life in the time period. I so enjoyed writing this contemporary-historical-time travel-romance tale.

And it’s been wonderful to hear back from readers who love the period as much as I do enjoyed this vicarious journey back to a simpler time.

Praise for Dark Blue Waves:

“Sullivan has crafted a detailed and immersive time-traveling romance populated with colorful characters and plot twists that would make Jane Austen proud.” -IndieReader Review

“A transporting drama of love, desire, and hope. Sullivan’s deft, assured narrative is interwoven with wry humor and shrewd observations as she delves into love, passion, courage, integrity, honor, duty, and sacrifice. The assured prose, visceral images, and sharp dialogue create a suitably period feel, and the swift plot advances unpredictably. Janet is an endearing heroine, and her inner turmoil at the core of the story is beautifully conveyed. Steeped in period feeling and written with intelligence and authenticity, this time-travel tale makes for a winner.” -The Prairies Book Review

“A captivating story about finding love and discovering where you belong. Sullivan’s novel is absolutely enchanting, and it’s a joy to see Janet reassess her contemporary prejudices, offering a compelling take on both the time period and on period literature. Dark Blue Waves is an effortlessly charming novel about following your heart, which is recommended for all fans of Austen and historical romance.” -Self-Publishing Review

Upcoming in October: In the Shadow of the Apennines

Now I’m hard at work finalizing my third novel, a dual timeline contemporary/historical set in the Apennine Mountains of Italy’s Abruzzo region in modern day and in the lead-up to WWI.

This is a region and a historical period I adore, so this was another fun one for me to write. And since I am often in the region hiking and enjoying the spectacular nature, I was happy that most of this novel was either plotted on hikes, or written there post-hiking, when my groaning muscles were eager for a lazy respite before a computer screen!

I’ll be getting this up on NetGalley for early reviews – and I hope you’ll consider reading!

So while I am very sorry to have skipped an entire year of blogging, you can see I’ve still kept busy writing! Happy to be back to novel AND blog writing – and if any of these stories sound like they match your reading preferences, hope you’ll consider giving my work a try!