Goodreads Giveaways Over!

Thanks so much for all the enthusiasm you displayed for my giveaways on Goodreads!

Sail to Italy and Sail from Italy received 639 entries and there are two lucky winners from the beautiful states of Missouri and Tennessee.


Dusk Before Dawn was requested 451 times (who knew people still liked poetry?) and has been awarded to a loyal reader in exciting New Jersey.

I'll get them in the mail tomorrow. A huge thanks to everyone who put their names in the virtual hat. I hope you enjoy my little books.

Goodreads Giveaways!

I have two exciting giveaways on Goodreads right now! They both end on April 27, so get your names in the hat! 

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Dusk Before Dawn

by Jessica Knauss

Giveaway ends April 27, 2012.

See the giveaway details
at Goodreads.

Enter to win

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Sail to Italy and Sail from Italy

by Jessica Knauss

Giveaway ends April 27, 2012.

See the giveaway details
at Goodreads.

Enter to win

New Review of the Sailing Italy Series and More Free Stuff

If you look at my books on Goodreads, you'll see a new review of my silly little Sail To Italy and Sail From Italy:

I was lucky to get an advanced reader's copy of this book and I'm likewise lucky to be very familiar with Knauss' work. Even though I was off the radar and left this up as a current read for a while, the truth was I blazed through it in a few days. Like many of her short stories, this longer Sail to Italy and Sail from Italy is a whimsical and magical tale that will remind you of your childhood fairy tales--but with empowered and intelligent female protagonists, instead of passive princesses. 

The lighthearted nature of the story also makes it totally appropriate for a younger audience, so don't hesitate to share it with the teenagers in your life. After all, youth today deserve better fairy tales than we were told.

As you might have gathered from the text, I know the reviewer personally. She is an incredibly talented writer and I'm tremendously flattered by her words. What's with the star rating, though? They're not Michelin stars, honey! ;) But really, thank you very much.

I've also recently learned that my target audience for this book is actually women over 75 years of age. They have seemed to enjoy it more than any of the younger readers I've tested. That presents a problem, as the only marketing capabilities I currently have are internet-based, and, well, I really don't know that many septuagenarians who go online regularly. If you see this post and have an idea, please share it with me!

In the meantime, anyone who promises to write a review can receive a free copy of this book through the end of the year. Just write to acedrexpublishing at yahoo dot com. Wow! Free stuff!

Check out Sail To Italy and Sail From Italy on eTLC

My cute little adventure stories now rank among the honorable works at eTLC. Seriously, check this site out if you're interested in finding new independent authors. Many of my writer friends are there, so you know it's got to be good.

There's an entire sample chapter of Sail To Italy for your enjoyment available at its eTLC page. Thank you for your support!

New Interview Today!

The generous and thoughtful Ryan Brock of liloQuy has done me the honor of interviewing me. See it here.

In this interview, I have the chance to talk about my recently developed double-track writing (i. e., weird, non-genre stuff and historical fiction).

Notice where I talk about my respect for my readers. I appreciate you very much!

Sweet Saturday Samples First Week!

What better way to end the month than with two -- count 'em, two! -- days of excerpts. Today is the first time around for Sweet Saturday Samples, a concept I truly appreciate. See the other non-violent, non-sexual excerpts here. As I wind down my promotions for Sail To Italy and Sail From Italy, I can think of no sweeter book ever written. :)

This silly scene is from the beginning of the first book, when Princess Noreena needs Pirate Pierre to find the fugitive Giovanni Redicci.

Pierre had come with an offer. “I know where your Giovanni Redicci is. I can get him for you, but it’s going to cost you dearly.”

“How much?” was all Noreena said, though she was taken aback. It was all she could do to keep herself from jumping up and down.

“How much are you willing to pay?” he asked.

“How much are you asking?” she insisted. Though she was willing to hock her new silverware, she was a bargainer at heart.

“Sixty five. French francs, please.”

“Oh? I suppose that means I have to go to France, then.”

“Correct.”

“And that will cost me a fortune in itself.”

“Correct.”

“Monsieur Pierre, I’m afraid you’ll have to take down your offer. I do not have adequate funds at the present.” Noreena was annoyed.

Does he think I’ve got French money growing on my courtyard trees?she thought.

Pierre was silent a moment, then said, “I’ll make another offer, but you may turn this down, too. If you sail to Ireland with me, I will detour to France where you can get fifty five, and I will then get this Redicci for you, then you give me the money and do whatever you wish with him.”

“Fifty five, hmm?”

“I won’t go any lower, so accept or find someone else who can find him. Your search parties weren’t doing so well, and only I know where he is. Weigh all this carefully, your highness.”

“Oh, but I do know where he is. You told me yourself just now. He’s in Ireland.”

“Drat!”

See this and other excerpts here. I'll keep future excerpts shorter.

In Kindle, Nook, or paperback, this saga is not expensive, long, or serious. Enjoy!

Treasure Quest: Discovery Lies Between The Covers: Mega Author Blog Hop Tour WINNERS

The winners have been chosen!

Grand Prize Winner of a signed paperback: Barbara (Babs) Hightower

First Prize Winners of digital copies: Avid book reviewer Saph of saphsbookblog and voracious reader Robin D

Congratulations! Enjoy your copies of Sail To Italy and Sail From Italy!

These are my two favorites out of all the wonderful suggestions I got for the coming year of my blog. (Thanks for the compliments! They make me feel like I have some idea what I'm doing!)

1. "I want to continue following your writing adventures!" Kay Springsteen. iluvkimi220 and Krystal Larson expressed similar (flattering!) desires.

2. "It's cool to put up stuff you like... what makes you you... whether it's hot guys or chocolate fantasy painting" Nikki. Robin D made a similar comment. Sorry to say, my interests outside of writing aren't that inherently exciting! But we'll see what we can do.

I'll address all the ideas I received either in an individual post in the coming weeks, or as a general modus operandi in the coming year. Thanks for the suggestions. I'm so glad I asked!

Happy blogoversary to me....

Treasure Quest: Discovery Lies Between The Covers: Mega Author Blog Hop Tour July 18-25

In Sail To Italy and Sail From Italy, Pirate Pierre is always on the move, on an unending quest for treasure. If you happen to see him while you're about your princess business, it's probably a lucky fluke. 

Of course, the real treasure can be found between the covers of a book, but that's not where he's looking in this imagination of how he ends up getting in touch with his tender side:

Pirate Pierre and his crew were skirting the coast of Iceland. While they were in Greenland dropping off Victor Viterbo, one of the crewmen had heard a rumor about enormous treasure buried under the tundra in Norway. They had to stop in Iceland and stock up on provisions before sallying forth onto the frozen desert. They weren't sure what to expect, but Pierre had visions of wooden chests, perfectly preserved in the permafrost and overflowing with diamonds and rubies as cold as his heart.  

Courtesy ancerstryimages.com

Suddenly the pirate in the crow's nest started ringing the alert bell. "Princess off the starboard bow!" Pierre looked down, and extraordinarily, a woman glittering with jewels was floating on a rickety raft accompanied only by a lap dog. She waved her hand at him regally.

They got her on board and she handed the dog to Pierre when he put out his hand in greeting.

"I'm Princess Christina of Norway," she said. "The Swedes tried to abandon me on Greenland all by myself, except for Muffy here, and probably hoped I would stay there. I put together that raft but had nothing to steer with, and the currents made it impossible to land on Iceland, which is what I assume that island is. I was hoping the Icelanders would help me against the Swedes. But I really can't rely on anyone, anymore, can I?"

    

"I'm not familiar with Nordic politics," said Pierre. The princess was wearing a tangle of necklaces with every gem imaginable, at least one gold ring on each finger, and bracelets and bangles that stacked up her arm and disappeared under her silken sleeves. If Pierre was staring, though, he wasn't staring at the jewels. Her eyes shone brighter than any gem, her hair glittered more than gold. Could she be the treasure he'd been looking for all his life? "My name is Pierre, and we'll be happy to take you back to your loyal subjects."

* * *

Ah, blooming love! 

The treasures on offer at this blog will go to two lucky first prize winners and one grand prize winner. 
GRAND PRIZE: A copy of the gorgeous paperback of Sail To Italy and Sail From Italy, signed by the author. 
FIRST PRIZE: A digital copy of Sail To Italy and Sail From Italy in pdf, epub, or mobi (Kindle) format (winner's choice).

HOW TO WIN: Take a look at this post. Please take a moment to let me know in the comments in that post or in this post (both will be considered valid) what you would like to see in the second year of this blog. Leave your email for full consideration. (I will only contact you to notify you of your winnings and ask for a mailing address for the paperback copies.) The best suggestions will appear on this blog. Thanks for stopping by and for commenting! 

This book is also participating in giveaways on Goodreads and Librarything, but your best bet for winning is right here!

To continue to the next blog in this hop for chances to win more prizes, join author Tricia Schneider on a well-read treasure hunt!

     TOUR RULES:

1)  HAVE FUN!!!

2)  INVITE ALL OF YOUR FRIENDS!!! SPREAD THE WORD!!!

3)  THIS TOUR STARTS:  Monday, July 18, at Midnight (Arizona Time)

      THIS TOUR ENDS: Monday, July 25, at Midnight (Arizona Time)

      Winners will be drawn and posted June 21st! *** 

4)  MEET AND MINGLE WITH ALL THE AUTHORS! EXPERIENCE A NEW PARTY DESTINATION AT EVERY STOP! PARTICIPATE IN EVERY BLOG CONTEST AND BE ENTERED FOR CHANCES TO WIN MULTIPLE PRIZES! EVERY BLOG VISITED IS ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY TO WIN!!

5)  PARTICIPATION AT ALL BLOGS IS RECOMMENDED, BUT NOT REQUIRED. REMEMBER, THE MORE BLOGS YOU HOP, THE BETTER YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING PRIZES. EVERY AUTHOR IS WAITING TO MEET AND INTERACT WITH YOU, SO PLEASE BE SURE TO SHOW EVERY AUTHOR SOME LOVE!

6)  DID I MENTION TO HAVE FUN?  WHOO! HOO!! HERE WE GOOOOOOOOOOOO!

***Authors have full discretion to choose an alternate winner in the event any winner fails to claim their prize(s) within 72 hours of their name being posted or after notification of win, whichever comes first. Anyone who participates in this blog hop tour is subject to these rules***

Six Sentence Sunday More, More, More, Sail To Italy!

Thank you for all the wonderful comments last week! You're fabulous!

Check out the other six sentence excerpts here.

And happy July 4th! In Arizona, we're not supposed to set off fireworks, and I hope people obey the law, since half the state is on fire already.

I'm celebrating the fact that Sail To Italy and Sail From Italy are independent from the digital format and can be purchased in a gorgeous paperback. ;) Still in both -- really inexpensive -- digital formats, too!

In this scene from Sail To Italy, Princess Noreena has set the terrifying Pirate Pierre the unexpectedly difficult task of tracking down her long-lost second cousin, who probably lives in Corsica. Witness the struggle and its silly resolution!

* * * 

Pierre was going mad. He resorted to the very last hope.

“Pardon me, ma’am, but do you know an Antonio Carlucci?” Pierre asked without much hope in the town square.

“Why, yes. I’m meeting him here, today, now. What do you want of him?” said the nice lady.

* * *

Next week: more from The Seven Noble Knights of Lara! ¡Olé!

Six Sentence Sunday Sail To Italy Again!

Sail To Italy and Sail From Italy are back and better than ever, with a spiffy new cover and in print from Açedrex Publishing!

I'm celebrating with six sentences from the beginning of the big blowup between Carlovita and Conchita in Sail From Italy. Conchita was Javier's girlfriend in a time long ago, and I think we all appreciate that Carlovita has to protect her marriage!

* * *

Conchita went directly to the mirror and started adjusting herself. Carlovita slammed the door behind her as hard as she could, to show her purpose in a way the most idiotic could understand.

“All right, missy,” she said as she advanced on Conchita.

“What?” squeaked Conchita before Carlovita backed her up against the wall.

“What do you think you’re doing?”

      Conchita opened her mouth to reply, but Carlovita stuffed a piece of toilet paper in it. 

* * *

The video finishes the scene in rather a more mellow manner.

And look up there on the left. I now have whole page of Sailing Italy excerpts for your enjoyment.

Thanks so much to everyone for the comments last week. I'm so thrilled my work-in-progress The Seven Noble Knights of Lara seems to interest you!

Check out the other sets of six here!

Sail To Italy and Sail From Italy Now Available in Paperback!

You've all seen the gorgeous new cover and have been waiting on pins and needles. Here it is at last, Sail To Italy and Sail From Italy in paperback! It's still economical, but trust me, the book is a thing of beauty. Buy it here, or from the Amazon ad at left. And it will always be available as an e-book, too.

There are tons of great excerpts from these silly books on the excerpt page.

Enjoy!

Trip Around The World Mega Blog Hop Winners

Thanks to everyone who entered the Trip Around The World Mega Blog Hop drawing. I really appreciate your comments and I wish there could be more winners!

As a matter of fact, I've decided to award two winners for each book, so four winners total. The winners who have given me permission to post their names are:

Tree/House winner Inga Silberg hosts an informative and entertaining bookish website at www.ingasilbergbooks.com.

Wonderful commenter Rhonda Helton and ice cream lover Krystal Larson won Sail To Italy and Sail From Italy.

 Congratulations! I hope you enjoy your prizes!

Trip Around the World Mega Author Blog Hop: Ticket to Paradise (Córdoba, Spain)

Interior of the Mezquita (former Mosque, now Cathedral). This part was under
construction during the time The Seven Noble Knights of Lara takes place.

Welcome to Córdoba, Spain! Gonzalo Gustioz, father of the Seven Noble Knights of Lara, travels to Córdoba carrying a very special letter for the de facto caliph of Andalusia, Almanzor, in my work-in-progress, The Seven Noble Knights of Lara. The book takes place in the year 974, and Gonzalo is completely gobsmacked by the beauty, technology, and culture of the capital of Andalusia, also a world capital of learning and science.

Exterior of the Mezquita with Christian Baroque bell tower built on the
site of the minaret.

Córdoba today is a delightful small city having finally regained the population it had in its ninth-century heyday, and the magical atmosphere is the result of being a true crossroads and melting pot more than one thousand years ago. Be sure to visit the Mezquita, an jewel of world architecture, built by Muslim artisans over the site of a Visigothic basilica; one of the very few medieval synagogues that survived the Spanish Middle Ages; the Palace of the Christian Kings, where Columbus first asked Queen Isabel to finance his transatlantic journey, and which is being restored to its former glory; and Medina Azahara, the archeological remains of the caliphs' palace complex, physical reminder of astounding splendor and turbulent politics.

The Roman Bridge links Córdoba's two sides over the Guadalquivir.

Check back at this blog for news about The Seven Noble Knights of Lara.


Leave a comment on this blog for a chance to win a free PDF, epub, or Kindle copy (reader's choice) of my bewilderingly wonderful Tree/House and magnificently silly YA series Sail To Italy and Sail From Italy. There will be two winners! 


This contest runs from May 16 to May 23, midnight to midnight.

Not sunburned enough yet? Are you ready for your next holiday at a super sunny destination? Natural wonders abound in Arizona with author Kim Bowman.


Here are the rules for the Trip Around the World Mega Author blog hop.


1) Have fun!

2) Invite all of your friends! Spread the word!

3) This tour starts Monday, May 16, at midnight (Arizona time) and it ends Monday, May 23, at midnight (Arizona time).

4) Meet and mingle with all the authors! Experience a new destination at every stop! Participate in every blog contest and be entered for chances to win multiple prizes! Every blog visited is another opportunity to win! 

5) Participation at every blog is not required, but is recommended. Remember, the more you hop, the more chances you have to win. Every author is waiting to meet and interact with you, so please be sure to show every author some love!

6) Did I mention to have fun? Whoo hoo! Here we gooooooooo!

Things That Set My Heart Aflutter, Review Edition

Every once in a while, I remember to go to Amazon and find out how Tree/House is doing. There seems to be a large element of synchronicity to my checking, because I always seem to do it when there happens to be a new review up! I found this one in April and felt tremendously flattered:

4.0 out of 5 stars Left me wanting more!, April 14, 2011

By 

A. Toliver "book craver" (Staunton, VA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)

This review is from: Tree/House (Kindle Edition)

This is a wonderful short read. The story is written in a unique style with unusual characters. I was drawn into the fast moving plot at once and wanted more even after surprising information surfaces and the novella comes to an end. I feel there's more to the story and wanted more, but the author gives us a reason to pause and consider what we know by concluding the story the way she does. I hope to see more works by this talented author.

Always leave 'em wanting more! I also enjoyed the following review, although I thought that if the reviewer had been American, s/he would have given it at least one more star... (I say that only because I've had more than one British professor/lecturer and they were all stingy with praise, calling you "mostly good" when you were the top of the class.)

3.0 out of 5 stars Odd story but leaves you thinking!!, April 25, 2011

By 

B. Robinson "Wyres" (Lancs, UK) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Tree/House: A Novella (Paperback)

I read this novella with an open mind but others that I know that have read it previously have found it odd. 

The story centres around Emma following the death of her husband Franklin. It borders on fantasy in my opinion and is told in three parts. The story lets you draw your own conclusions and I've got a theory on it but I don't want to divulge it as it might spoil your perception of it. 

If you like a quirky story that will make you think then this is just the book for you.

Call me a hopeless academic, but I'm thrilled to have given the world a book that makes the reader think! Of course, I'm dying to know what this reviewer's "theory" is, and I hope one day that s/he will answer my question on that matter. (If you're seeing this, please write to me!)

I don't know either of these reviewers personally, and they had no stake in promoting my little book, so there's really no more honest source of opinion. This kind of surprise gift from my readers is the number one thing that "sets my heart aflutter." There is no better feeling for a writer. Thank you!

I'm not doing as well, star-rating-wise, on Goodreads. I'm all for freedom of opinion and the expression thereof, but it's sad to see a couple of readers put only two stars on my darling book. If you have a Goodreads account, please be so kind as to stick a few more stars on Tree/House. I'll love you forever for it!

Six Sentence Sunday: Sail From Italy II

As always, check out the other participants of this amazing institution here.

Because of the popularity of my YA Sail From Italy last week, this week, you get more! Here, we see (married) Javier meet the person who gets so scarily confronted in the video excerpt at bottom. Enjoy!

* * *

Javier gasped when a stunningly beautiful woman emerged from the bushes and turned in to the yard. Her presence improved the appearance of the already gorgeous courtyard. She glowed with an aura that followed her, step by gliding step. Javier sprang up and shouted, “Conchita!”

The lady looked over and exclaimed, “Why, Javier! It’s you.”

       “Oh, but who else?” smiled Javier. 

* * *

Here's the video I mentioned.

The wildly popular Sailing Italy series is available for very little money on Kindle.

Six Sentence Sunday, Easter Edition

Happy Easter to all who celebrate it. Thank so much to everyone for their gratifying comments last week. You can find out what was happening in that clipping here.

And check out all the wonderful sets of six here.

We're celebrating the release on Kindle of the Sailing Italy series!

These six sentences come from near the beginning of Sail From Italy, when Noreena, now the queen, is interviewing the real Repual, Prince of Germany, for the position of King of Italy by marriage at a dinner party.

* * * 

Repual smiled a very large smile, considering the size of his mouth. He smiled more at that dinner party than ever before in his life, and perhaps it was just an illusion, perhaps not, his eyes seemed not quite as large and his mouth seemed not quite so small.

He liked Noreena.

Noreena thought he was sweet.

Everything was fine.

Until a dagger flew through the air and missed Noreena by a foot. 

* * *

Too thrilling for print! (Although if I reach a certain sales threshold, I will seriously consider a paperback version.) Get it on Kindle today by clicking the link above! Super cheap!

Officially Released Today: Sail To and From Italy

Today the people who waited for the real bargain get their reward: Sail To Italy and Sail From Italy are out today in a package deal that saves you $0.49! All the adventure, romance, travel and silliness can now be yours in one neat package. Look at the previous two posts for all the descriptions you can handle, and click on this ad to go directly to the goods. Also in Nook!

In honor of this auspicious day, I've decided to share with you the playlist for the soundtrack to Sail To Italy: The Movie, as I devised it when I was first writing. Click on the links to hear samples.

First and foremost, "A Word in Spanish" by Elton John. This represents the undying love between Carlovita and Javier. I still think it's one of Sir Elton's best!









Next, Gloria Estefan's Spanish rendition of "Anything for You," "No te olvidaré." Although it's in Spanish, it represents Giovanni's continued devotion to Noreena, even in the face of her rejection.








Third, "More Than Meets the Eye," an underappreciated gem from the Bangles. The song has virtually nothing to do with Sail To Italy, but in my mind, it stood for Gofinick's masquerade, revealed at the end of the book.







My attention was drawn to "Family Man," because as well as describing Javier's struggles to do what's right, it pinned down his character with beautiful Spanish-style nylon-string guitar interludes.








"Boy Trouble" applies to the way Noreena feels about Giovanni in the first book, and the way Carlovita feels about Hugo in the second book.









"Music Box" is here because it's the most beautiful instrumental music I'd heard at the time that wasn't already claimed for a major motion picture. I had a plan to put a music box in the plot at one point, but it never came to pass. (The sample is Track 7 on Disc 3.)







I'm not sure what the logic is behind "Dust in the Wind." It might refer to the passage in Sail From Italy when the wind kicks up and the characters flee a storm. It might refer to the evanescent nature of power, as when Noreena gets locked in her own dungeon. It might be that I had the song deeply ingrained in my consciousness because our roving music teacher made us sing it in grade school, and it seemed so very "deep." Anyone's guess, really.



And the grand finale of the whole hypothetical album, "Set Your Sails," by Jem and the Holograms. I think the link to the title of my series is self-evident. By the way, I owe thanks to my mother for the evocative title of the first book. I hope you enjoyed this little jukebox. Thanks for traveling with me. Now, go preview and download the epic story it inspired!

For those of you who want to check out the first part before committing to the second part.

Officially Released Today: Sail From Italy

The sequel to Sail to Italy has more romance, more travel, more adventure, and most importantly, more Spain. Buy it today on Kindle!

What if the Queen of Italy and her best friend were the targets of a mad killer? What if the only way to save their own lives was to travel to Spain? Sail From Italy ties up the loose ends from Sail To Italy. Javier gets to visit his beloved homeland. Carlovita has to fight for her man. Tony confronts the secrets from his past that separated him from the Italian royal family twenty years before. We find out what Repual Gofinick is really like, and discover the soft side of Pirate Pierre. We also have an absurdist interlude in the finest hotel in Hortaleza and a thrilling chase scene in the harbor at Torreblanca.

Sail From Italy is just over 10,000 words long. I wrote it a year after Sail To Italy, so, although the writing is less simplistic, the same restrictions apply: no one over fourteen years old should be reading this book. It will be too lighthearted and fun for such people. And even fourteen is pushing it. Use of this book should probably be limited to people twelve and under, or people who still understand the wonder of one’s first trip away from home, and the innocence of falling in love for the first time.

Although the loose ends get tied up, in my dim memory, I can recall writing the first few paragraphs from a third part of the series, titled Sailing Italy. It was going to be about Italy's economic problems and the way Noreena and her friends triumph over them. The scraps are probably in a box in Pennsylvania -- somehow they didn't get scanned before we left. If I ever find them, I'll be sure to share them with you. 

Tomorrow: the economy combo pack!

The first thrilling book in the Sailing Italy Series is also available.

Officially Released Today: Sail To Italy

It's the one you've been waiting for!

What if the Princess of Italy had only the help of her friends to solve the mystery of her father's murder? What if the Prince of Germany wanted to marry the Princess of Italy in a coldhearted grab for power? This book answers these and other burning questions. Along the way, the reader journeys at sea, meets pirates, bankers, and cousins, spends some time in the dungeon and very nearly gets married. Sail To Italy is a silly story with exotic locations, pirates, mistaken identity, royalty, blacksmithing, romance, and adventure.

At just over 8,000 words, this book is a fast, fun read for people who have not developed beyond the emotional and intellectual level of a thirteen-year-old. Seriously, if you can't think like someone thirteen or younger, this book is not for you. Why do I put the cap at thirteen? Because that’s how old I was when I wrote it.

When I was thirteen, the only source material I had was The Princess Bride. That books remains a major inspiration to me today, so you will see a spark here that I hope I still display: love of words, love of silliness! The biggest debt I owe to The Princess Bride here is the name of the main character. There is a Noreena in Chapter Two: The Groom, but it's not a very flattering picture. Everything else about my Noreena came from my young head. I had quite a hard time finding names for all the characters, and it gets pretty random and creative in places. I hope you enjoy. 

Buy it on Kindle today! Buy it, easy peasy, by clicking on the link above. Okay, so the cover is kind of faint, but it's the best I can do for now. If I sell enough copies, I'll correct the problem, and there may be a print version in the future. 

If you like this book, look for Sail From Italy by the same author. That's right, Sail To Italy begins a series. Sail From Italy will be officially released tomorrow.

Sail From Italy Video Excerpt

In a scene from Sail From Italy that my husband calls "the most frightening in the book," Carlovita establishes her territory with Conchita, Javier's old girlfriend. They both appear to be in an office kitchen, and the casual atmosphere comes out in their performances. :)

Sail From Italy is the more silly, more adventurous, more romantic, more everything, continuation of the Sail To Italy story.

In just one week, you can buy both books on Kindle in the bargain of the century. Can you feel the excitement mounting?

You should!

Comment here and participate in a drawing for a free pdf of the whole series! (Well, almost free. I would hope with my deepest hope that the winner would post some kind of review on Amazon or Goodreads.) Drawing occurs April 20, and will draw from a pool on Facebook, here, and last Sunday's post, so get those comments in!