Well, hello there, dear readers, you sweet book-loving humans you.

 

I'm back from Italy and enjoying the last of what the Mainuhs up here call “a real wintuh.” They've been warning us about them since we moved to New England a few years ago, and now I see the truth. The snow just lingers and is currently well above the seats of the chairs on the deck. I think we've passed most of the cold days, but there were a few this year that cut to the bone. As I saw proof of yesterday, anything above forty in Maine is considered shorts and t-shirt weather. The Mainuhs have already put up their jackets for the season and are dusting off their window A/C units while complaining about the heat.

 

Of the utmost importance, The Secrets of Good People hits shelves March 18th. Ahhhwwwoooo!!! I might do some sort of release party, but not sure yet. So many folks have bailed on Facebook that I'd need to find a new medium. I'll tell you in the next newsletter how this story came to life. In a word: serendipity. Enough to make you a believer. (A believer in what? you might ask. Well, whatever you want to believe. All are welcome here.) I just heard a sample of the audio narration yesterday, and you Audible people are in for a treat. This book is pretty darn wonderful, and I'm allowed to say that because I only wrote half. The wonder of Secrets is credited to my co-author, Peggy Shainberg, who left in her wake a story that just had to one day find its way to publication. I'm honored to have played a part. Goodreads is hosting a giveaway for 100 Kindle copies here. Go get 'em!

 

Peggy's unfinished manuscript allowed me to tap back into what I learned writing thrillers and mysteries years ago under pen name Benjamin Blackmore. Did you now know about good ol' Benjamin, otherwise known as my dark side? Click here for a FREE copy of Off You Go, a mystery novella set in Charleston, South Carolina that will give you a taste.

 

Moving on, Hollywood is nibbling at my books again, so cross your fingers. There is nothing I want more than to see my characters come to life on screen, so know that I'm doing everything I can. Which one do you think would make a good movie or series?

 

Also, on March 5th in Boston, Mikella and I are reuniting with Hedges Family Estate, my favorite winery in Washington State. We are helping our dear friend, winemaker Sarah Hedges Goedhart, pour Red Mountain vino at the Boston stop of the Slow Wine tour. If you're in the area, I strongly recommend the event, as it features a ton of US wineries that are doing all the right things in terms of conscious farming and fermenting. 

 

Now on to what I'm reading. I think I've mentioned before… my agent and I were talking about the importance of an author finding their voice, and she brought up Emily Henry. I'm now onto my second Emily Henry novel, and I just can't get enough. Her books are so very different than what I usually read, but sometimes that's a great thing. True to my agent's point, she has a strong voice--and a sensational sense of humor. I liken her books to a plate of good pasta. It's not complicated, only a few ingredients, but takes a lifetime to perfect. Her pacing is perfect. The dialogue is crisp and never drags. The descriptions are fresh and succinct. The characters are wonderfully dysfunctional. And the sex scenes… [cheeks redden] boy, do I have a lot to learn. She's my first dive into rom-com, and I see the appeal. 

 

I'll finish with a bit about my research trip to Emilia-Romagna and Tuscany. Tuscany was Tuscany, which is just awesome, despite it being a bit touristy. I've been before but never visited Greve-in-Chianti, a gem known as the gateway to the Chianti wine region. In a small restaurant on the square, Mikella, Riggs, and I enjoyed, among other things, a potato ravioli dish absolutely covered in shaved truffles--for twenty Euros. I'll dream of that flavor for the rest of my life (see picture below).

 

Speaking of food… No guidebooks tell you to catch a ride up to the magical mountaintop town of Fiesole and then hike down the steep winding path back toward Florence, perhaps stopping for fried artichokes (when in season), a tonno y cipolla pizza, and a split of Chianti at Pizzeria San Domenico along the way. But it was the Florentine highlight for me.

 

Bologna was sensational, a city not quite discovered by Americans. At least you don't hear English as much as you do strolling the streets of Firenze. I'll have plenty of time to talk about Bologna as I dive deeper into my work-in-progress, but one quick story. A pivotal scene in this book I'm working on takes place in a Michelin-star restaurant, so I had the pleasure of dining at Il Portici for research. It's the only Michelin-star place downtown, and it was wonderful. I had my moleskin notebook splayed open on the table, and I scribbled madly as the server set down each of the nine dishes of my nearly four-hour meal. It became clear early on that they thought I was a food journalist, and it was quite entertaining to see them snap to attention and put in a bit of extra effort. (As you can see in the picture below, I wrote: They are nervous because of my pen.) If they only knew what I have in store for the scene that takes place there. I'm definitely going to have to change the name of the restaurant! 

 

I'll leave you with a few photos of our journey.  

Catch up on old newsletters here.