Ciao a tutti! Wow - I've really got to work on my time management... I was a bit pressed this week and didn't have a Thirteen prepared, so I hope you'll like what I've put together for you: Two peeks at my two Works-in-Progress, with a little something in common.

The first is from the Ask Me if I'm Happy prequel, None So Blind. The second is from my cycling novel, 27 Stages.

So please, allow me to share with you:

"Davide?" Her soft voice brought him out of his reveries and heat rushed to his face at his being caught out.

"Scusami, Letizia - I was, um…" There was no way to say what he'd been thinking without it sounding like he had no idea what he was doing. He did, sort of, but he was ridiculously out of practice now. "Could I see you again?"

She laughed, sending what little confidence he had into a nosedive onto the brick flooring.

"Of course you can! The sooner the better," she added, moving closer to him, her keys jingling in her hand. "Now kiss me goodnight like a good boy."

Relieved to have that mystery solved, he did as he was told, giving her a light, careful kiss at one corner of her mouth.

"Hmm…" Letizia pursed her lips, wearing an expression somewhere close to disapproval. "Try again."

"I'm sorry?"

"Try again," she repeated, tapping her mouth with a slender fingertip.

"I didn't want to push too much."

"Push, Davide; push."

He leaned in again and her arms wrapped gently around his neck to draw him closer still. This time her lips parted slightly under the gentle pressure of his own and the soft heat of her mouth sent paradoxical chills down his spine and into his belly. Before he could draw away she tightened her arms around his neck and pressed closer, the slow sway of her hips enticing his arms around her waist to hold her against him.

At last they separated and his hands rested at the swell of her hips while her fingers straightened the collar of his shirt, her eyes fixed on his. "Better," she murmured, trailing her fingertips over his jaw down to his chin before she moved away toward the door. "Call me and we'll decide when to meet again."

He nodded, unable to speak, and smiled as the door swung shut behind her.


--from None So Blind (c) Kimberly Menozzi

I was trembling. Too many thoughts were running through my mind to keep them all contained, and it took more effort than I'd expected not to run away with them.

Reaching up, he rested his fingertips against the back of my jaw, his thumb just beneath my chin. My eyes closed against the fresh dizziness which swept over me as he tilted my face upward. His lips brushed over mine, so lightly his warmth seemed a figment of my imagination. The next kiss was scarcely more than gossamer tracing the shape of my mouth, until his lips pulled oh-so-gently at mine and lingered there for an eternity or so before withdrawing.

He pressed closer and his mouth sought mine again. His lips pressed and parted mine gently but firmly, and I felt the warmth of his breath, and the fleeting soft, wet touch of the tip of his tongue to my own.

When we parted, he rested his forehead against mine. The warmth of his skin made my blush burn underneath it as he exhaled a quietly satisfied sigh. I opened my eyes, and as he drew away, his eyelids fluttered open an instant later.

I wanted to close my eyes again, childishly thinking the act could somehow hide me, but I didn't. Instead his gaze penetrated mine, his eyes reading my own until I was certain he saw every thought I'd had about him since we'd met.

--from 27 Stages (c) Kimberly Menozzi

So, there you go! A double thirteen! I hope you've enjoyed what you've read here today. With luck (and work, always work), both books will be out soon.





















And in the meantime, I reckon I could keep giving little tastes like this to tide you over.





















And you know, the occasional little something-something wouldn't go astray.





















You know.
























Something-something.

Ciao for now!

Ciao a tutti! Happy Thanksgiving! And yes, that'll be the only mention of the holiday you'll get from me. (I'm such a rebel, yes?) Anyway, the reason I'm not mentioning it is because I'm not in the US for the holiday anyway, and I'm not one of those Americans who desperately tries to recreate the US in Italy. The things I'm missing can't really be replicated, y'see.

However, being away from home does make me a little homesick at times - especially at this time of year - so I thought I'd share with you:

1) Stationery. I can't explain it, but buying new stationery cheers me up.

2) My kitty, Sophie, nearly always cheers me up when I'm feeling down. This video is from a day or two after the hubby and I adopted her. The squeaking sound is from her stuffed-up nose. She had a terrible cold when we adopted her. (She's feeling much better, now.)

3) Goofy jokes cheer me up.

4) Watching cycling videos frequently cheers me up. This video (a longer version of this descent is also worth watching) brings back memories of my personal "discovery" of Fabian Cancellara - and the inspiration for 27 Stages.

6) Snuggling in my blanket with a good book cheers me up even more.

7) My hubby always cheers me up when he knows I'm down.

8) If I watch this, especially from about 1:40 in, I'm cheered up instantly.

9) A good snowfall? That'll cheer me up!

10) This cheers me up too - but it's not for everyone - some "strong" language in it...

11) Cake? That'll cheer me up!

12) Knowing a dear friend has enjoyed my work? Definitely something which cheers me up! (And when they're a fantastic writer, too? Even more so!)

13) And finally... When I hit a great writing groove, and the words seem to simply flow through me, as opposed to being something I'm creating. That cheers me up, big-time!

Ciao for now!

Oof! Ciao a tutti! I had a rough night last night, so I'm a little behind in prepping a post. Since I'm short on time, I thought I'd share a few pics with you, and I sure hope you don't mind.

So now, please allow me to share with you:

So there you go - 13 Random Images!











I reckon you'll agree it doesn't get more random than that.




















And if you don't agree, well... I tried.





















And speaking of tries...
















Rugby, anyone?

Ciao for now!

Every so often, there's a big hullabaloo over a select high profile read --The DaVinci Code, 50 Shades of Gray, The Hunger Games, Twilight, well, you get the idea. Whether you love or hate them, you have at least heard of them.

Every author dreams of being the next one to break through the noise and get noticed, and Independent Authors are no different. Besides, you never know ... right? With hard work and the right marketing – and a touch of luck – any one of us could be the next most-talked-about Author.

Although I'd already participated before, I was invited to join in on this Hop again. Just what is a blog hop? Well, essentially, it’s a sort of game of "Tag", played (at least this time) by a group of Independent Authors.

One author posts, and then tags other authors, who each link back to them. Ultimately, it is a gold mine, and you my fair reader will hopefully increase your "To Be Read" list, while finding new and exciting authors you may never have found otherwise. Some of us are still slogging it out and writing our Next Big Thing, while others are happily releasing them now!

Either way, Fiction Lovers, a treasure trove awaits and I’d like to thank my fellow Authors Heather A. Fowler and Heikki Hietala for tagging me to participate.

Click the links below to find out about Heather's books.

Blog: Bloodthirsty Muses - http://bloodthirstymuses.wordpress.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/h.a.f0wler

Twitter: @HAFowler

Click on these links to find out about Heikki's books.

Blog: http://www.tulagihotel.com/blog.asp

His novel: Tulagi Hotel

And so, to continue: In this particular hop I and my fellow authors each in their respective blogs have answered 10 questions where you get to learn about our current WIP (Work in Progress) as well as gain a little insight to our process, from characters and inspirations to photographic/cinematic eye candy. I hope you enjoy it!

If this or any other items pique your interest, please feel free to comment and share your thoughts and questions.

AND NOW, THE QUESTIONS!

1: What is the working title of your book?

The working title for my current WiP is None So Blind.

2: Where did the idea come from for the book?

I wanted to do a story which showed how Davide from Ask Me if I'm Happy met Letizia, who readers of Ask Me… will recall was his first adult, serious relationship, which ended rather badly. I had already shown how Emily from Ask Me… had met her first husband, Jacopo, (in Alternate Rialto) so it only seemed fair.

3: What genre does your book fall under?

I'm not sure at this point – I think it's simply Contemporary Fiction.

4: Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?

Well, Davide would be best played by Luca Argentero, who would be best-known to English-speaking audiences as Giovanni from Eat, Pray, Love (the man teaching Julia Roberts' character Italian). I've seen him in several Italian films, and had written much of Ask Me if I'm Happy with him in mind.

Letizia is tougher to cast, as I see her pretty clearly in my head, but I haven't seen any actresses who really suit the part. Violante Placido might be good – she starred as the love interest opposite George Clooney in The American, and she's worked with Luca Argentero before. If she dyed her hair a lighter blonde, I could see her in the part.

5: What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?

The novel's current "tag line" would be best:
The truth hurts most when we love a lie.

6: Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?

This one will be self-published, just as Alternate Rialto and Ask Me if I'm Happy were.

7: How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?

I'm still working on it.

8: What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?

I honestly couldn't say, yet. I'll have to wait until it's written to find out!

9: Who or What inspired you to write this book?

Just the need to get to know more about Davide than we previously did in Ask Me if I'm Happy, and to flesh out some of the stories he shares with Emily about his past in that novel.

10: What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?

It's a look at an Italian man who is not the typical "Latin Lover", who isn't a stereotypical "Mamma's Boy" and who is struggling to be a good man in a world which seems to be demanding the exact opposite behavior from him. In short, an accurate representation of most of the Italian men I know in real life.



All righty, then! Below you will find three authors who will be joining me, by blog, next Wednesday, November 21st. Do be sure to bookmark and add them to your calendars for updates on WIPs and New Releases! Happy Writing and Reading!!

Cameron Chapman:
Blog: http://cameronchapman.com
Hold My Hand: http://amzn.to/oPzYhV
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3096743.Cameron_Chapman

Serena Fairfax:
Website http://www.serenafairfax.com/
Blog http://www.serenafairfax.com/serena_fairfax_author_blog/
Facebook http://www.facebook.com/serenafairfax

Shawndra Russel:
Blog: http://www.shawndrarussell.com
Purchase link: http://www.amazon.com/Couple-Friends-ebook/dp/B0092U7Y2G
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ShawndraRussell

Whoops! Running a bit late, this week - but I've got a good reason, honest! I've been writing, and today I had a nice walk around the neighborhood with a friend to enjoy the gorgeous weather. Can't beat that, right? Anyway, now I'm here and here's my list for this week's Thursday Thirteen:

1) First and foremost: Finish this list.

Yeah, that'd be good.

2) I need to assemble this lovely buffet the hubby and I purchased at IKEA last weekend.

Well, actually... *We* need to assemble it. That's our Sunday project, then. What's next?

3) I need to get more time on the bike(s). Definitely need to do that.

4) I need to find a different photo to use for the cover of None So Blind - this photo has been used too many times by other writers - but since the story isn't finished yet, there's not much of a rush on that.

The photo here is of the "mock-up" of the cover, so yes, those watermarks will be gone when I do the final cover.

5) I need to make a final decision on whether or not I'm going to do the "Expanded" edition of Ask Me if I'm Happy to raise money for the Emilia Earthquake recovery efforts.

6) I need to start selecting Christmas gifts, soon. Wow! Time sure does fly!

7) I need to select a new slow cooker recipe for next week. Hmmmm....

8) I need to call my mom.

9) I need to look into getting some of my photos printed as posters, for myself and for family members.

10) I need to finish putting my photos of my niece on this flashdrive so I can give them to her mother. Why is this taking me so long?

11) I need to spend a lot less time on Facebook. Ugh.

12) I need to wrap up my rewrites on 27 Stages. Definitely.

13) And, finally, I need to do a book trailer for Alternate Rialto, along the lines of what I did for Ask Me if I'm Happy.

So, there you go: 13 Things I Need to Do.




















Of course, there's no desperate rush to get things done.






















Everything in good time, right?

























Besides; a little rest does a body good, don't you agree?

Ciao a tutti! It's Thursday, which means I'm bringing you yet another edition of the Thursday Thirteen. However, since today is a holiday and a day off, I'm having to throw together a quick list before heading over to the in-law's for lunch.

So, please, allow me to share with you:

1) I love my "blanket with sleeves". LOVE IT!!!! Soft and snuggly and warm - perfect for watching TV, and possibly also for sitting at my desk and writing. I'll find out soon, I think.

2) Lunch at my father-in-law's house today. I hope I haven't eaten too much for breakfast. Photos *may* follow this afternoon.

3) As usual, I do believe my kitty is trying to kill me. And then snuggle.
But she can't have my snuggly blanket. Sorry. Not happening.

4) I just couldn't find any enthusiasm for Halloween this year. None. Which is unlike me. I just felt "meh" about it.

5) However, as my hubby returned from our Wednesday dinner out, I was profoundly moved by the beauty of the rain.

6) I'm trying to figure out if my current WiP - not the cycling story, but a new novella featuring Davide from Ask Me if I'm Happy - can have a somewhat upbeat ending. It's not looking that way.

7) Images like this make me smile, every time.

8) I've been homesick a lot, lately. Autumn is hard time to be away from the part of the US where I live, because the colors can be spectacular. Since Autumn and Winter are my favorite seasons, that makes it even harder to be away.

9) I wish I could have ridden longer on the bike, yesterday. Alas, I only managed 45 minutes.

Must improve!

10) Am I the only person/writer left on earth who isn't obsessed with drinking alcohol? Sometimes I feel like I'm going to scream if I hear the term "Wine o'clock" once again. If it were just a couple of people saying it, I don't think it'd bother me - but I hear it constantly and it's making me crazy!

11) Pictures like this make me happy.

12) Pictures like this make me ecstatic!

13) But this photo is the one which makes/made me happiest of all.

And so, there we go: Thirteen fairly Random thoughts.
























Posted as they came to me.




























As was this one!