Flashback Friday - Happy Holidays from Francesco Totti

aka, Il Capitano!

This ad from 2009 cracked me up.

Buon weekend!

Flashback Friday - Donny Hathaway - "This Christmas"

I miss Donny Hathaway. What a voice.

There have been a zillion remakes of his song, but none can touch the original.

Have a great weekend.

My novel, The Rebirth of Mrs. Tracey Higgins, is now available on Amazon.com

I am very happy to announce that the e-book version of my novel, THE REBIRTH OF MRS. TRACEY HIGGINS, is up and running.

If you don't have a Kindle, you can still purchase the book with the free Kindle App (more info in the FAQ).

Here is the description of my book:

Despite his betrayal, Tracey loves and misses her husband. Will she ever move forward? A carrot cake might hold the answer to that question.

From the outside looking in, Tracey Fitzgerald Higgins seemed to have the perfect life. Married to the dynamic and handsome Reverend Harry Higgins for over fourteen years, as the First Lady of Atlanta's Quinn A.M.E. church, Tracey had power, prestige and respect. Or so she thought.

Now, her perfect world comes crashing down when her husband leaves her for the younger Jessica Waters. Tracey finds herself at forty-two without a husband, career, or home.

Tracey uproots her life and tries to rebuild it from the well-appointed guest room of her brother’s home in Montclair New Jersey. It won't be easy. Tracey is entering the job market during the worst economic crisis since the Depression. Her Trinidadian-American sister-in-law, Victoria Lake Fitzgerald, is a powerhouse attorney who resents Tracey judging her parenting skills. Victoria is not happy the "Church Lady" is staying in her home. Shelby Smith Barnett, Tracey's best friend from childhood, has her own issues regarding being a stay-at-home mom and her husband's wish to quit his high paying job. And then there's Harry, the love of Tracey's life.

A novel by the co-writer of the film Jumping The Broom, The Rebirth Of Mrs. Tracey Higgins is a story about friendship, forgiveness, faith, and a lot of cake.


I hope this will be a fun read for readers who like Womens' Contemporary Fiction, Commercial Fiction, African-American Lit, Chick Lit, Why are Tweeners So Moody Lit, Christian Lit, Divorce Lit, I Like Cake Lit, etc.

Tone-wise it's similar to the film JUMPING THE BROOM and to books like LIPSTICK JUNGLE.

I've kept the price low, $4.99, on the American website. THE REBIRTH OF TRACEY HIGGINS is also available in several Amazon stores worldwide (in English) in the local currency.

Here are the links:

Amazon.com

Amazon Italy

Amazon United Kingdom

Amazon France

Amazon Spain


Frequently Asked Questions:

I don’t have a Kindle or a mobile device – can I read this ebook?
Yes. Here is the LINK to the (free) Amazon Kindle App software for Android phone, Blackberry, iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad, Windows phone, Web OS or Mac or a PC. After you download and install the Kindle App software, you can buy the book and read it on your device or computer

You can also read Kindle books in your browser. Go to http://read.amazon.com using Chrome, Safari on iPad, Safari on desktop and now Mozilla Firefox.


I don't like reading ebooks. Will there be a print version?
Yes, there will be. We are in the process of a setting up a Print On Demand version. It should be available by the end of the year or early next year. The price will be slightly higher.

I see a cross on the cover. Is this one of those super "churchy" books?
It depends on what your version of "churchy" is. If you thought JUMPING THE BROOM was very religious, then reading about the divorce between a minister and his wife, might be a bit much. On the flip side, if you were scandalized by the sight of Paula Patton in her underwear, you might have a problem with my book. There are characters who actually curse sometimes, and have sexy times.

There are typos in your book.
If you see any typos, please leave a comment on my BLOG and we will correct the e-book.

Could you speak to our book club?
Yes, I live in Rome, but we can set something up via SKYPE. Leave a comment on my BLOG with your contact information (I won't publish it) and my manager and I will schedule a time.

Is there a Facebook page or Twitter page for your novel?
Yes. Here are the links.
Facebook
Twitter

If you have any further questions or comments, please let me know. I hope you enjoy spending time with these characters and their adventures.

Thanks Bloggisti for your support!

World's Oldest Interior Design Intern Strongly Recommends "Restoring A Home In Italy" by Elizabeth Helman Minchilli

I wrote about Elizabeth's book Italian Rustic.

RESTORING A HOME IN ITALY is one of her earlier books, written in 2001. I LOVED it and know I will be using it as a reference for a long time.

It's a gorgeous book. Very inspiring. It's a perfect gift for anyone who has an interest in home decor/design, Italy, or beautiful photography.

Twenty-two homes are featured from all over Italy. Elizabeth has divided the book in areas; Northwest, Northeast, Tuscany, Umbria, Rome, and the South.

There is a range of homes from restored farmhouses to apartments in Rome.

One of my favorites is the former candle factory in Trastevere that is now an incredible apartment with a courtyard.

The book is well-written and the project notes sections are useful and accessible. You don't need to be a contractor to understand the building methods Elizabeth writes about.

I read Elizabeth's book the same week I started an internship with a prominent Italian furniture/interior designer (a big fat thank you to a certain friend for the introduction).

The timing was not great as I was in the middle of finishing my novel. The last few weeks have been a little bananas. No, make that extremely bananas.

But it's been a great experience. I'm learning a lot. Also, my Italian is improving now that I'm in an office with Italians and not at home all day writing only in English.

In a bizarre way everything has come full circle. My first job of out college was in the Buyer Executive Trainee Program at Bloomingdales. I interned in the Buying offices at the flagship store during college. After I graduated, I was assigned to the Home Furnishings division.

I've been reading shelter magazines and books since the sixth grade. My friends here thought I was nuts to bring my copies of DOMINO (RIP) and Elle Decor magazines to Rome. I wondered about that too, now it all makes sense.

I'm still writing and will continue to do so. However, my post JUMPING THE BROOM experience has been a real eye-opener.

At some point I will start a separate blog that will focus on design/decor.

In the meantime, I'm very excited about this opportunity. To be able to work in this area in Italy is a plus as many of the top textile, kitchen/bathroom design, furniture, etc. companies in the world are Italian.

So while it's difficult at times to be the World's Oldest Intern (hello, a few years ago I had an assistant), hands-on experience is important. Everything I'm doing now is laying down the foundation for my future.