Novel locations for In The Shadow of The Apennines

I don’t need much of an excuse to get out to the mountains near Rome.

Years ago, I got a small place out in the mountains of Abruzzo, in the town of Ovindoli, and this is a place I enjoy escaping to for relaxing weekends out in the fresh mountain air.

I love it so much that I set one of my novels out here. In The Shadow of The Apennines is set in modern-day Abruzzo and in the tumultuous period in the lead-up to World War I.

Here’s the back cover blurb

An American divorcée. An Italian shepherdess.
Separated by a century, united by common dreams

The sleepy little Abruzzo mountain town of Marsicano seems about as far as Samantha can flee from her failed marriage and disastrous university career. Eager for a fresh start, Samantha begins to set down roots in her Italian mountain hideaway.

At first, the mountain retreat appears idyllic, but an outsider’s clumsy attempts at breaking into the closed mountain community are quickly thwarted when the residents discover Samantha’s snarky blog ridiculing the town and its inhabitants.

Increasingly isolated in her mountain cottage, Samantha discovers the letters and diaries of Elena, a past tenant and a survivor of the 1915 Pescina earthquake. Despite the century that separates the two women, Samantha feels increasingly drawn into Elena’s life, and discovers startling parallels with her own.

And when I get out to this region, I enjoy showing my readers some of the spots of my novel. Here, I show views over Ovindoli, which was transformed into the fictional “Marsicano” of my story.

World War I is important in my novel, and these WWI soldier statues you can find all over Abruzzo also helped inspire my original story – I even “stole” some of the more old-fashioned male names from this monument. You can learn about it here.

And, of course, the hiking trails in this stunning region play an important role in my story, and you can get a good idea of what it looks like from my video out on the beautiful Arano trail. I spend plenty of time out here walking, jogging and biking – and, not surprisingly, so did my modern protagonist Samantha. My love of these trails made it so much fun to write. You can take a look here.

Hoping you might enjoy these glimpses into my novel – and even happier if you decide you want to read it for an escape to Italy’s beautiful Abruzzo region!

Here’s what the reviewers said:

“A poignant and hopeful story of one woman’s search for herself.”

-Kirkus Reviews

“An emotionally nuanced thrill ride. Sullivan’s expert prose allows a deeper look at her protagonists’ feelings, fears, and vulnerabilities. The novel succeeds as both a contemporary fiction and a thoughtfully told story of a heartbroken woman trying to come to terms with the new circumstances of her life. A tale of heartbreak, grief, courage, and self-realization that will resonate with many.”

-The Prairies Review 

“A compelling literary work. Sullivan’s novel is romantic in the way only foreign travel can be, with the prose beautifully describing the sights and sounds of Italy, as well as unveiling the captivating story of two women’s seemingly disparate lives woven together across time.”

-Self-Publishing Review

“From the start, Sullivan’s remarkable storytelling drew me in and had me hooked to the end. The story is filled with delightful descriptions of Italian culture, the breathtaking Apennine Mountains, and details about the hardworking, courageous people who have called Abruzzo home for centuries. This is an unforgettable story about hope, finding the strength to face the past, and embracing new beginnings.”

-Readers’ Favorite