One of the most interesting aspects of planning and writing a novel is doing research, meaning reading a lot, traveling to the locals where my novels take place, and taking pictures that fuel my imagination while writing.

I love to travel, and I find joy in “situating” my novels in locations I’ve come to know through past adventures or by exploring new destinations. Unlike a casual tourist, my travels are driven by the eye of a researcher, cataloging every detail—the landscapes, the quaint villages, the bustling cities, the local cuisine, and the diverse tapestry of people.

What sets this form of travel apart is the intent behind the journey. I’m trying to capture the essence of a place that will breathe life into my storytelling. It’s a journey where my camera becomes a tool not just for capturing memories, but for documenting scenes that will later inspire my writing.

Let’s take a trip together through my novel, The Italian Sister (The Wine Lover’s Daughter, Book 1). Enjoy the journey from the convenience of your home. Click on the following link:

Picture Tour – The Italian Sister

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/

The Italian Sister

Dear Friends and Book Worms,

My new (and fourth) novel, The Italian Sister, is on its homestretch. This time, I have the opportunity to win a publishing contract through the Kindle Scout program. This is a contest, organized by Amazon, where readers have an input on which books get published. It’s a new concept and it sounds exciting to me. The first step in the process is to get enough readers to nominate a book. Although this is not the only criteria for having the manuscript accepted, it is an important first prerequisite.

And this is where you come in. You can help me get enough votes. It’s very simple and it only takes a few seconds of your time. Click the link below, which will take you to my Kindle Scout campaign page, where you’ll find a short description of the book, an excerpt, a brief bio, and a few questions and answers, and the important NOMINATE button. This page will be up for 30 days, starting ??

Please click the NOMINATE button – but only once. If you click again, it will undo the nomination. This is of course to prevent some overly enthusiastic supporters from clicking it repeatedly and give the book an unfair advantage.

You will also get something for your help. If The Italian Sister is published through the Kindle Scout program, you’ll get a free Kindle copy!

And now, here is the link:

https://kindlescout.amazon.com/p/1I2WVS88HW5KR
 
After nominating the book, you can continue to help me by spreading the word to your friends and share my announcements and reminders on Facebook, Twitter, and Google Plus.

The competition on Kindle Scout is fierce, so I need all the help I can get. Thank you in advance for your support. It really means a lot to me.
Christa

THIS WEEK ONLY, from Monday, April 20 to and including Sunday, April 26, the complete Family Portrait collection (An Uncommon Family, Love of a Stonemason, Emilia) is available on all Amazon sites for $2.99. You get three novels for the price of less than one!

Link to the Book:

myBook.to/Family_Portrait

CHECK IT OUT AND HAPPY READING! 

Mother

Climbing the stairs
from the cellar to the room
with the tile floor,
eight months later,
after the pain has softened,
after the ashes have been scattered
on the rock, after driving past the
snowy fields of Saint Gotthard,
we feel your presence
fill the spaces between our bodies.

of this merging, of your hands
entwined in the leaves of plants,
your scent lingering in the
cedar closet, your smile
in the candle flame,
your voice trailing the crackling
of logs in the fireplace,
a sound so delicate,
we dare not move
as not to disturb it.

the silent words into our hearts
and choose to believe in the
here and now
of all that was, before you left us.

(The Path of Fire, poems)

Today, I have the honor of welcoming one of my favorite authors to my blog. I loved Lindsay Edmund’s first novel CEL & ANNA, which I almost didn’t read because science fiction isn’t usually the genre I’m interested in. But I liked Lindsay’s blog posts and I figured I’ll give it a try. I am glad I did. I loved her interesting and quirky characters, the humor, and the funny jabs at modern government and society. But most of all, I realized that behind those imaginary beings are real people with real human feelings and problems. Besides, who has ever written about a computer who falls in love with its owner? What was even more intriguing was the fact that I fell in love with Cell, the computer. But enough preamble. Here is Lindsay. Take it away!

Your family trilogy is about good people doing their best. Karla Bocelli and Andreas O’Reilly and their three children do not have trouble-free lives, but their approaches to trouble are heartening. These people fix things. They also make things: Karla is a painter; Andreas, a stonemason. This is heartening.

 I read EMILIA on a summer Sunday, and it was a pleasure to hang out with these folks. The armchair tourist in me also enjoyed the locales of Switzerland, France, Peru.

focus on the human characters and how they solve their problems.

Lindsay Edmunds blogs about machine intelligence, books and independent publishing, movies and TV, and life in southwestern Pennsylvania at Writer’s Rest. Drop by, say hello, and share a story or two. She is newly on Tumblr, looking for people to draw her e-beasts and sometimes blogging about old movies, and on Twitter.