Again, I traveled to research the second book in The Wine Lover’s Daughter series, Finding Angelo. This time, the journey in the novel began in Paso Robles, California, the home and vineyard of Sofia and Nicholas Segantino. Sofia and Nicholas traveled to New York City for a late honeymoon. From there, Sofia embarked on an adventurous and dangerous trip to Tuscany and the Piedmont region in Italy in search of her missing great uncle, Angelo, who disappeared under mysterious circumstances twenty years ago.

The goal of my research was again to capture the unique features of the locals and the people, the vineyards of the Central Coast of California, the bustling life of New York City and Staten Island, and the diverse and fascinating countryside of Tuscany and the Piedmont region of Italy.

Let’s take a trip together through my novel, Finding Angelo (The Wine Lover’s Daughter, Book 2). Enjoy the journey from the convenience of your home. Click on the following link:

Picture Tour – Finding Angelo

As I mentioned in my previous blog post, I went to visit my niece and her husband in Tenerife, one of the Canary Islands west of North Africa. One of the highpoints of my stay was a trip to the Teide mountain, a 3,715 meter (12,188 feet) high volcano. We drove the scenic road about half-way to the top. There is also a gondola to the very top but we stayed at the halfway point. The view from there was spectacular. Here are a few pictures.

You can see the volcanic structure and the rocks. Reminds me somwhat of a lunar landscape.

There were quite a few people watching the sunset above the sea of fog and you can see why. The view was breathtaking.

Now, something more sinister. My nephew told me that a few days or weeks ago, two bodies were found at the bottom of the volcano. At the time, it wasn’t known who the people were or how they ended up at the bottom of the cliff. An accident or foul play? This must have been a terrible and shocking experience for everyone involved. And yet it is a mystery that triggers my writer’s imagination. My next mystery novel could indeed take place on Tenerife. We’ll see.

Enjoy the pictures!

The best rewards for authors are readers who love their work. It makes all the effort of writing a book worthwhile. I’m so excited about the lovely review of my new novel, Letter from a Cave, from Sally G. Cronin, UK author of many books and host of the wonderful Smorgasbord Blog Magazine:

“This is a delightful book with several elements that add interest and colour, along with stunning descriptions of the majestic mountains and lakes of Italy and Switzerland.

The characters in this story have appeared over the years in the author’s other books, but there is enough back story for the book to be a standalone read. It was the first time I had met them, but they are so well rounded and engaging that you feel you have known them for years.

A tragedy towards the end of the war prompts a journey through Italy and Switzerland to unravel the mystery, but it is also a journey of discovery for the main characters as they come to terms with the past, loss and uncertainty about love and the future.

With two romances developing for the younger and older generation there is plenty of light-hearted chapters as well as the unfolding discoveries about the letter in the cave to keep the reader engaged. The fact there is a cute dog in the mix will also make readers very happy and entertained.

There are reminders of a darker past and that there are still those who bear grudges and guilt about their own actions during a time of repression and fear. There are also wonderful moments where there is an opportunity to celebrate the bravery and sacrifice of others.

I highly recommend this lovely and well-written book to romance and mystery fans of any age.”

– Sally Cronin, Author and Host of Smorgasbord Blog Magazine, UK

Dear loyal Readers,

As promised in my last blog post, the Kindle version of the third book in the Wine Lover’s Daughter series if finally published.  The paperback is still in production but will follow soon.

Here is the blurb again:
When bottles of wine disappear from the Segantino Winery and an arson fire kills his close friend, the owner of the estate, Robert Segantino, is faced with the toughest ordeal of his career as winemaker: someone intends to destroy what he has built over the years. As it becomes increasingly clear that members of his staff and of his family are among the suspects, the ambitious wine tycoon is forced to reevaluate his goals in life, and, above all, his relationship to his son and future heir. Part family drama, part suspense, Fire in the Vineyard, the third book in The Wine Lover’s Daughter series, takes the reader on another thrilling adventure through one of California’s wine countries.

To give the book a head-start, it will be FREE for one day on WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2018.

The link to the eBook on Amazon as well as the links to the first two books in the series, see below.

NOTE: Although the books are standalone novels, I recommend reading them in sequence. You get a better feeling for the characters and their development that way. As mentioned before, reviews on Amazon really help make the book more visible!

Fire in the Vineyard (The Wine Lover’s Daughter, Book 3): https://myBook.to/FireVineyard
The Italian Sister, Book 2: https://myBook.to/ItalianSister
Finding Angelo, Book 3: https://mybook.to/FindingAngelo

Happy Reading and thank you for your support!
Christa

I’m so excited because my book was just nominated for the 2018 Readers Choice Awards contest by TCK Publishing!

Please vote for it under the Mystery Book Category at https://www.tckpublishing.com/2018-readers-choice-voting-page/

To Vote:

1. Click on the link above to get to the Voting Page, then scroll down to display the book list.
2. Click on the left or right arrow on top of the list to get to the “Mystery Book” section.
3. Scroll down to the book The Italian Sister and vote.

Let me know if you have problems.

And thank you kindly. Much appreciated!