My August 2022 reads
Somewhat sad – knowing summer reading is coming to an end, but I’ve been enjoying a great summer in books. I was on holidays in the US in August, and many fabulous novels accompanied me on my travels throughout the month. Here are the novels I read in August. 2 of the 5 novels were…
Read MoreBirds’ eye view of Dallas, Texas
When my younger son and I were in Dallas, Texas on a hot August day last year, we were melting as we explored the city. We decided it would be best to get the lay of the land from up on high – from the (air-conditioned!) observation tower of the Dallas Reunion Tower. The 561…
Read MoreBook review: The Door
This is a beautifully written, slightly claustrophobic novel of a young, Budapest-dwelling Hungarian author – whose name we never learn until the end of the novel – who employs Emerence, an elderly woman, to become her housekeeper. Everyone in the neighborhood has tremendous respect for the older woman, but no one seems to know much…
Read MoreAdmiring the Roman aqueducts during cross country races at Rome’s Tor Tre Teste
For years, I would rise early morning Sundays in the fall and winter to take my youngest son to compete in cross-country races. Now he competes exclusively in track and field, which means early weekend mornings are at tracks instead of cross-country sites. Kind of a shame because the cross-country sites in Italy are spectacular,…
Read MoreSeeking reviewers for my new novel – up on NetGalley now!
I am so excited to be preparing my third novel for publication. My women’s fiction, dual timeline contemporary/historical novel, In The Shadow of The Apennines, will be released 21 October. In the lead-up, I have my novel up on NetGalley to gather early reader reviews. Here’s the overview: An American divorcée. An Italian shepherdess. Separated…
Read MoreWatching the cross country runners around Veneto’s Fimon Lake
Last October, my younger son had a cross-country championship up on northern Italy – near the spectacular town of Vicenza, located in Italy’s Veneto region. I decided to drive up to watch the race – and lucked out with a spectacular, sunny weekend. The 5K race itself was held on a beautiful course – along…
Read MoreHey ladies, want to go horseback riding?
My latest novel, Dark Blue Waves, takes place in 1813. When my protagonist, Janet Roberts, travels back from modern-day Bath, England to the same town two centuries earlier, she comes armed with a good amount of literary knowledge of the period. Even so, she trips herself up a fair bit in trying to appear at…
Read MoreThe Duck March at Memphis’ historic Peabody Hotel
Years ago, as a kid, I visited Memphis’ historic hotel, The Peabody. I was fascinated by its twice daily Duck March. So when I was planning a road trip with my younger son, I decided to make a stop in Memphis, Tennessee with a stay at the Peabody, and a chance to see the Duck…
Read MoreMy July 2022 Reads
Summer reading continues – yay! I had a great July in books. Here are the novels I read and the accompanying reviews. Have you read any of these? What did you think? I’m always open to book recommendations – so drop any novels you recommend into the comments section. The Lonely Hearts Lido Club…
Read MoreA year later – and still thinking about the brisket at Black’s BBQ, Austin, Texas
I still have to write more about my trip to Austin, Texas, but as mentioned in my overview: this city as it is currently run seems to be a mecca for addicts, not tourists. But the one amazing discovery that still finds us thinking about Austin, even a year after our visit, was our stop…
Read More