The stunning fourteenth century frescoes in Padova’s Palazzo della Ragione
You can’t miss this spectacular structure on your visit to pretty Padova. I’ve already written about the picturesque Piazza della frutta and Piazza delle erbe, on which this palace is located. The bottom of the Palazzo della Ragione (The Palace of Reason) was dedicated to a covered market built in 1166, but the upper section…
Read MoreCall out to Book Clubs!
Is your book club dreaming of a trip to Italy? If so, I may have the solution for you. My novels and short stories (with the exception of one – a time travel story for Jane Austen lovers set in Bath, England) all take place in Italy, and may be perfect for your book club…
Read MoreTraining it along the “English Riviera”
This past autumn, I traveled to Devon, UK for the Historical Novel Society conference. Flying in to Exeter, I took a bus to the train station, and then embarked on a trip down to the Devon coastline – also known as England’s Riviera. I nabbed a coastline window so I could catch views of the…
Read MoreNew Reader Views Book Award for Easter at The Three Coins Inn
So pleased that my newest novel, Easter at The Three Coins Inn, just garnered its second book award. My newest novel earned the gold medal for the Reader Views Book Award 2024-2025. I’m so pleased my novel (and first series!) has been receiving excellent editorial and reader reviews, and has also won its first book…
Read MoreAn afternoon stroll through silent, artistic Totnes, Devon
Back in September, I was at the fabulous Historical Novel Society UK Conference in beautiful Devon. Each day, on our way to the spectacular conference venue, Dartington Hall , the bus taking us from our hotel would pass through picture-perfect Totnes, nestled along the River Dart. I would press my face against thw window and…
Read MoreDownload Italian-themed short stories for free – with my Drink Wine and Be Beautiful
There’s something about (almost) spring that gets that Wanderlust flowing through your veins. But, if you can’t get away right now, I have the perfect solution for you. My short story collection, Drink Wine and Be Beautiful, follows stories of Italian women and expatriates in Italy across Europe and in far-flung locales in Indonesia, Morocco…
Read MoreExploring rock & roll roots at Buddy Holly Museum in Lubbock, Texas
I was in Lubbock, Texas recently to cheer on my son at a track and field competition, and while I spent most of my time in Lubbock at the fabulous Texas Tech athletic facilities, I’m always curious to discover new places when I travel. Although I’ve travelled quite a bit in Texas, I’d never been…
Read MoreWFWA authors among my current reads…
I have a particularly crowded reading schedule right now. I have plenty of great novels by Women’s Fiction Writers Association (WFWA) authors on my proverbial bedside table (since they are ARCs, they’re all on my ereader), but the reviews are forthcoming. Therefore, in the meantime, I’ll highlight all these recently launched or soon to launch…
Read MoreMet Rooftop – Summer 2024
I’m a member at the wonderful New York Metropolitan Museum of Art, and I always love passing by to see the latest exhibitions and visiting my favorite wings, whenever I am back in NY. And, when I’m there in summer, I always stop off to see the installation art on The Met’s spectacular rooftop terrace.…
Read MoreMa che stai dicendo, AI?
For those who don’t read Italian, my title asks “What on earth are you saying, AI?” While I am sure it has its uses, I remain skeptical about AI. I stubbornly stick to the idea that it is one tiny millimeter away from flat-out plagiarism. I am not a teacher, but if I had a…
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