Bookworm Press

Fire in the Vineyard is the third book in the The Wine Lover’s Daughter series. This time, the action takes place on the Central Coast of California, particularly in Paso Robles, Atascadero, Cambria, the Benedictine Monastery of the Risen Christ, and the Cal Poly Campus in San Luis Obispo. The Central Coast of California is one of my favorite areas, which made the research for the novel all the more exciting.

Click on the link below, take a trip from the convenience of your home, and enjoy the pictures.

Fire in the Vineyard, Photo Journey

Dear Loyal Readers,

I have great news for those of you who still like to hold a “real” book–made of reap paper and ink and with a beautiful glossy cover–in their hands. The paperback version of Finding Angelo is now available on Amazon.

Link: Paperback Finding Angelo

As a reminder, here is the blurb again:
 
A hidden diary and a crumpled envelope, postmarked in Italy, are the only clues Martin Segantino has to what happened to his younger brother Angelo, the black sheep of the family, who disappeared under mysterious circumstances twenty years ago. When the police find the skeleton of Angelo’s close friend buried in one of the fields on the Segantino vineyards, the hunt for Angelo begins. Is he the killer or is he himself a victim? Sofia Segantino, great-niece of Angelo by marriage, embarks on her own search for the missing man. On her trip through the Piedmont region of Italy, she uncovers clues of Angelo’s whereabouts, which puts her in grave danger. The local gangsters are equally interested in the elusive Angelo and are ready to do whatever it takes to find him. Will Sofia be able to outsmart them?

Part family drama, part suspense, Finding Angelo takes the reader on a thrilling journey from California via Chicago and New York to Italy.

Happy Reading, my Fellow Bookworms!

Dear Friends and Bookworms,

For those of you who are not on my mailing list, here is an exciting announcement. By the way, getting on my mailing list and being informed about new books and important events in my writing career is easy. I promise, I won’t fill up your inbox. Just click on Mailing List below and fill out the short form:

I was invited by my friend and author Darlene Foster to take part in the Scenic/Landscape Challenge and post a picture a day for the next seven days. I decided to put them on my blog as well, since some of my friends may have missed them on Facebook. Here is my contribution for the first two days:

Day 1: This is a picture of my home town in Switzerland with hoarfrost and the fog snaking its way through the landscape. I thought of it because I woke up this morning in California to a foggy day.

 
Day 2: The following are pictures taken from the Botanical Garden at Berkeley of the San Francisco Bay and the gardens I visited together with my friend Susan Deming. We were surprised to find a rock with a poem by Sylvia Plath in the gardens.

To be continued!

Hello everyone. This post has nothing to do with writing. I simply wanted to show you how I spent my first days back in Southern California. I walked through Santa Monica, enjoyed the views, bought a scrumptious croissant, and got my veggies at the wonderful Farmers Market. Here are a few pictures! Enjoy.

A picture paints a thousand words? Perhaps somewhat exaggerated, but I love pictures and they inspire me. This is why I created a picture journey for each of my novels. Here is the newest one for The Italian Sister (The Wine Lover’s Daughter, Book 1):

Grab some popcorn or chocolate, sit back, relax, and enjoy!

Picture Tour from California to Tuscany

THE ITALIAN SISTER is published and available as ebook for the Kindle and with the free Kindle App on all eReaders. The printed version is in production.

Link to the eBook: http://myBook.to/ItalianSister

Standing at her father’s grave in California, Sofia Laverne mourns his untimely death. Henry had not only been a loving parent but Sofia’s best friend and mentor. Imagine her shock and grief when she finds out her father had lived a double-life, that she has a ten-year younger sister and inherited a vineyard in Tuscany. Torn between anger about his betrayal, grief for her loss, and hopeful anticipation, Sofia packs her bags and takes off for Italy to meet fourteen-year old Julietta. Arriving in the small hill town of Vignaverde, she is greeted by olive groves, neat rows of grape vines, and picturesque houses. Some of the inhabitants of this beautiful estate are, unfortunately, less welcoming and resent her intrusion into the family business. Soon, strange occurrences begin to frighten Sofia. When a suspicious accident lands her in the hospital, Sofia fears for her life.

Part family drama, part romantic suspense, THE ITALIAN SISTER takes us on a wild journey from California to Tuscany and provides glimpses into the exciting world of winemaking.

As a special introductory offer, the Kindle ebook is available for 99 cents from August 4 to and including August 10. So get with it and grab it while the discount lasts.

A post about the research into grapes and winemaking in Tuscany, Switzerland as well as California with lots of great pictures is on Lisette Brodey’s wonderful Writers Castle blog. Research for this novel was a truly pleasurable (tasting wine!) and exciting adventure. Click on the link, sit back, and enjoy:
http://lisettebrodey.com/category/guest-blogs-2/

I fell in love with the small town of El Segundo, a community with plenty of free street parking (hard to find anywhere in California) with a great choice of restaurants, bars, small stores. This town invites you to take a leisurely stroll, stop for a cup of coffee, a meal, a drink, or, visit the cultural treasure, called Old Town Music Hall!

The Old Town Music Hall celebrates the classic period of American cinema and music. The manager and other talented musicians play the Mighty Wurlitzer Pipe organ. The theater itself is lovingly decorated in the old style with beautiful chandeliers, tapestry, and all kinds of memorability.

After a nice dinner at a nearby restaurant, my friends and I went to listen to old cinema music and watched the classic black-and-white film 42nd Street. It was a blast!

In case you’re in the neighborhood, drop by and let yourself be transported into the Roaring Twenties with old-fashioned popcorn and delicious coconut muffins from a nearby bakery!

More information and pictures here:
http://www.oldtownmusichall.org/index.html