Literary Love

Take an entertaining ride through the countryside of Italy along with Edward, a first-time traveller. At the dying bequest of his grandmother, Eddie Rudack embarks on a trip to Positano Italy to find a family member he's never met. A stranger in a foreign land, he meets a beautiful Italian doctor who offers to help Eddie with his quest. With the beautiful doctor as his personal guide, Eddie will explore the Italian countryside, see the enduring work of the Renaissance masters, sample the traditional, delicious fare of the regions, and form lasting personal connections with a cast of quirky characters for which the likes he's never known. He'll rediscover his life's passion, fall in love, and in the course of it all, find Edward.

Saving Toby & Keeping Claudia have all new covers! What's New: Eye-catching new illustrated covers. Newly formatted interiors for all versions, both paperback and ebook.  Revised chapters in Keeping Claudia. The first six chapters were professionally re-edited to provide a smoother, more enjoyable reading experience. Each book features a new step-back photograph inside the cover.  Click here for Saving Toby on Amazon Click here for Keeping Claudia on Amazon Click here to view on Barnes & Noble.com

Photo  by  Giulia Forsythe Warm drink for a cold season It's wintertime here in New York. With temps at or below freezing most days, my hands are perpetually cold. I don't want to hold an iced drink and I want to drink one even less. When I'm relaxing after a long day, I want a hot drink that will warm me all over. Hot toddy fits the bill. A little bit of history  If you think the hot toddy is an old-fashioned drink, you'd be right. While no one seems to know exactly when and where it was first created, the hot toddy is rumored to have origins in 1700 Scotland, where pubs in Edinburgh diluted whiskey with hot water and honey to cure colds. Others claim it was created by Irish doctor Robert Bently Todd to ward off illness. Still others claim the hot toddy dates back to India during the 1600s. Wherever it came from, it certainly has a long history. Is a Hot Toddy medicinal?  There is no cure for the common cold, but the mixture of honey, lemon and a sh...

Deck the Halls for Happy Holidays Whether you opt for fresh-cut or fresh out of the box, trimming the tree is a staple of holiday decor in most homes. However, if you'll be entertaining this season, you may want to go beyond the tree and take your seasonal decorating to whole new level. Create a scene filled with festive joy and get your home holiday-ready with these tips from the holiday hosting experts at Macy's: Choose a theme: Designing around a specific theme is a simple way to keep your holiday decor from feeling cluttered. Your theme might be based on color or a favorite seasonal character like Santa or snowmen. If you're starting from scratch, begin with a few statement pieces and let your collection grow over time. Choose a new item or two each year, and soon you'll have a treasure trove of beloved holiday items that can brighten up your home. Cook up some fun: Whipping up dinner for a house full of guests won't feel like such a chore if you rely...

An unique book signing event for those in or near Valdosta, GA. The Written Escape Bookfest is November 3. When authors, readers, & talents connect, something festive happens that only the imagination can create. This is not a normal book signing, this is an escape! Nov. 3, 1:00 PM – 7:00 PM Find out more at www.writtenescapebookfest.com

4 Ways to Fall in Love with Fall Autumn activities for you and your pup (Family Features) The leaves may be changing, but that doesn’t mean the end of outdoor fun. Fall is a wonderful time for you and your dog to get out of the house and enjoy the season. Add these activities to your autumn schedule to make the most of cozy sweater weather with your furry friend. Photo courtesy of Fotolia Visit a Pumpkin Patch – Spend a fall afternoon at a pumpkin patch searching for the perfect pumpkin to decorate your home for the season or carve up for Halloween. For some extra “likes” from your social following, snap an adorable fall photo with your pup and your pumpkin. If you don’t have a pumpkin patch nearby, try visiting a local apple orchard then bake your picks into a fresh apple pie. Photo courtesy of Fotolia Browse Your Local Farmer’s Market – Spend a leisurely weekend strolling your local farmer’s market or fall harvest f...

The best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry. If you’re like me, and most of the world, somewhere around the first of January, you made New Year’s resolutions, and set a few goals. Maybe yours was to get into shape, travel or get that promotion you always wanted. This year, I want to write my next novel and another immediately after that. Anyone serious about reaching a goal needs to have a strategy—because ideas without a plan of action are merely wishful thinking. I had a plan, had it all mapped out, and revved up and ready to roll, I sat down to write. I wrote a few paragraphs, but suddenly I had no interest in telling the story I’d started.  The next day I sat down to try a new story, but my protagonist, suitcase in hand, waved goodbye and sped off to the airport.  After a couple of weeks, I’d written nothing compelling. I literally felt empty, like I had nothing interesting or meaningful to share. Stressed and depressed, I started to throw darts at the who...