Category: WRITING LIFE
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Tales from the kitchen: Shortcrust Pastry Fruit Cups
Writing has kept me happily busy lately, and my oven has been unusually quiet. But the first hints of spring always make me crave something light, fresh, and a little sweet. These shortcrust pastry fruit cups are one of my favorite seasonal treats. Buttery little shells filled with cream and topped with colorful fruit. Sunshine…
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The Winter We Left Behind: a short story
This short story received an Honorable Mention in the Writers Weekly Winter 2026 short story contest. I hope you enjoy it! The house that once loomed in all its majestic presence above the snow-laden slope wasn’t the same one Anna remembered. It had lost the luster that had made it appear almost magical to her…
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Tales from the Kitchen: Melted Chocolate Heart Brownies
One of the scenes in the YA novel I’m currently working on features a batch of warm, melt-in-your-mouth brownies fresh from the oven. Writing that scene made me crave them, so naturally, I had to make a batch in real life. Valentine’s Day seemed like the perfect excuse. After all, what novel involving growing teens…
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Angels on the Ceiling
A Christmas Bonus Excerpt from my novel Misty Dreams, Chapter 4. 🎄✨ Manhattan, Christmas Eve Richard Kelly had never been a believer. At least, not since he was five years old and still believed Santa Claus was a kindhearted old man from the North Pole who traveled the world bringing gifts to children. Angels, to…
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WINDBLOWN IN LIVORNO: A short story
(A short story loosely inspired by real-life events) Glimpsing her distorted reflection in the polished brass railing, Bianca wanted to cry. Or scream. Preferably both. Out on the Europa’s main deck, surrounded by crowds of passengers, she felt painfully conspicuous, convinced almost every eye was trained on her horrendous hair. She resisted the urge to…
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THE FORGOTTEN LETTER: A Short Story
Image from Unsplash Summers are always busy for me, and writing often takes a back seat. But every now and then, a memory or feeling surfaces, and I find myself racing to the keyboard. This story is purely fictional, though inspired by memories of my mother. I lingered in the entryway, clutching the ring of…
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WRITING LIFE: Excerpt
I’m excited to share another excerpt of my work-in-progress, the Misty Dreams prequel. This scene is written from the perspective of twelve- and thirteen-year-old Richard and Tony. I hope you enjoy this glimpse into their world! Shards of golden light from the low-hanging sun burst between the tall buildings, casting a warm orange glow over…
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THE MEMORY KEEPER – A Short Story
My short story, The Memory Keeper, received an Honorable Mention in the Writers Weekly Spring 2025 short story contest. I hope you enjoy it! The breeze carried a sweetness that hit Marianne before the fairgrounds came into view, bringing back a rush of memories. She paused at the edge of the gravel lot and pulled…
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From Notebooks to Keyboard: How I Wrote My Way Into the Digital Age
As a child I was fascinated by anything associated with the writing craft, from notebooks and pens, to keyboards. Even before I could identify it as my passion, I was enamored with writing. Back then, the personal computer was the stuff of science fiction. Typewriters were the real deal—bulky, mechanical beasts like the one in…
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THREADS OF MEMORY
(Cover image by Freepik) I have very few memories of Nonna, the grandmother whose name I carry— fragile, translucent threads that still linger in my memory after more than half a century. The last time I saw my grandparents, my family was preparing to leave Italy for South Africa, and though I was too young…