Wine, lace and beauty in the Marche’s Offida
Every winter, my son and I pass through the Italian region of the Marche so he can take part in indoor races in seaside Ancona. These trips give us a great chance to explore all the picturesque towns in that region. One of those picture-perfect towns that’s long been on my list is the hill…
Read MoreAuthor interview with Elaine Scroller
I’m’ so excited to have fellow Women’s Fiction Writers Association (WFWA) author, Elaine Schroller, on my blog today. If you haven’t yet read Elaine’s work, I highly recommend you start now! I’ve read and loved Elaine’s two historical novels, and can’t wait to dig into her writing process, research, advice for writers, and a peek…
Read MoreCagliari’s Ancient Roman Theatre
I’ve been writing posts about my recent visit to Cagliari, the capital of the Italian island of Sardegna. There were lots of interesting places to visit in this city, including the ruins of an Ancient Roman amphitheater. This can be found between the neighborhoods of Castello and Stampace. We walked out here on a particularly…
Read MoreMidwest Review editorial review for Rome’s Last Noble Palace
I’m always thrilled to get a good editorial review from the excellent Midwest Book Review. Here, below is the full review that went live on their site this month, for my newest release, Rome’s Last Noble Palace: Rome’s Last Noble Palace follows the lives of two different women who live in different centuries. There’s 1896…
Read MoreCagliari’s picturesque Castello district
I’ve been to the Italian island of Sardegna a few times, but only visited its capital city of Cagliari for the first time this past September. Cagliari has very distinct neighborhoods, including Il Castello, about 100 meters above the rest of this sea level coastal city. When I was flying into Cagliari, a clear view…
Read MoreAnother year, more great books…
Aother year, another series of great reads. Once again, I surpassed my Goodreads Reading Challenge. In 2023, I pledged 45 books and read 53. This adds up to 17,226 pages read in 2023. I’m happy to “overread”. As an author myself, I’m supposed to be writing, too. So I keep my goal at 45, and…
Read MoreHappy 2024!
Nooo idea at all where 2023 went. It flew by so fast. But wishing you all a wonderful 2024! Happy New Year! I am an unabashed New Years’ Resolution person. And while, as a writer, I always set a writing goals for the coming year, and, of course, always aim to eat well and exercise…
Read MoreNew book award for Drink Wine, 2023 Shelf Unbound Best Indie Book Competition
What can I say? I’m thrilled that my short story collection, Drink Wine and Be Beautiful, has claimed its third literary award. So excited this Italian-themed collection has been named a Notable Indie for the Shelf Unbound 2023 Best Indie Book prize. While I’m always thrilled to receive book awards, it means even more with…
Read MoreEuropean destinations to visit for the Christmas light season
It’s that time of year again … short days made brighter by stunning Christmas lights. Since Christmas celebrations in Europe continue through to 6 January, you’re still in time to enjoy those cheery holiday lights. Here’s a roundup of some European cities and towns to consider visiting to enjoy those holiday lights – and much…
Read More#BooksMakeGreatGifts – Consider my novels and short story collection for the readers in your life
Last week I shared with you lots of great advice for book shopping, with reviews for all my Womens Fiction Writers Association (WFWA) authors’ novels I read in 2023. Any (or all) of these novels would be well appreciated by any bookworm on your list. You can see my blog post with book reviews here…
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