Welcome to Books, Chocolate and
Wine. Today my guest author is Amy Schisler. She taken a trip with her husband
and turned it into a contemporary romance with historical fiction woven in for
good measure. Romance, suspense, an inherited vineyard in Italy, I’ll drink to
that!
Wine. Today my guest author is Amy Schisler. She taken a trip with her husband
and turned it into a contemporary romance with historical fiction woven in for
good measure. Romance, suspense, an inherited vineyard in Italy, I’ll drink to
that!
How did you come up with the idea for Whispering Vines? My
husband and I were visiting Italy and touring a vineyard outside of
Verona. As we walked through the fields
and the winery, I could see a story unfolding in front of me. Later in the week, I learned about an artist,
whose work I completely fell in love with, and knew that it had to be featured
in the book. The story really unfolded
on its own from there.
husband and I were visiting Italy and touring a vineyard outside of
Verona. As we walked through the fields
and the winery, I could see a story unfolding in front of me. Later in the week, I learned about an artist,
whose work I completely fell in love with, and knew that it had to be featured
in the book. The story really unfolded
on its own from there.
How much research did you conduct for Whispering Vines and what was the most interesting thing you did
while conducting your research? Who
doesn’t love traveling to a foreign country and learning about producing and
drinking wine? In addition, I read a lot
of books about the history of Italy during World War Two and the preservation
and recovery of Italian art. I did about
three months’ worth of research before writing and the continued researching
while writing.
while conducting your research? Who
doesn’t love traveling to a foreign country and learning about producing and
drinking wine? In addition, I read a lot
of books about the history of Italy during World War Two and the preservation
and recovery of Italian art. I did about
three months’ worth of research before writing and the continued researching
while writing.
Why did you decide to switch from romantic suspense to contemporary and
historical romance? My favorite
books to read are mystery and suspense, so it was natural for me to begin
there. However, I don’t consider myself
a “mystery” or “suspense writer.” I’ve
also written children’s books (one published and one that I am now marketing to
publishers), and Whispering Vines is
a contemporary romance with historical fiction woven through the story. I write
what strikes my fancy and let the characters and the story dictate the genre.
historical romance? My favorite
books to read are mystery and suspense, so it was natural for me to begin
there. However, I don’t consider myself
a “mystery” or “suspense writer.” I’ve
also written children’s books (one published and one that I am now marketing to
publishers), and Whispering Vines is
a contemporary romance with historical fiction woven through the story. I write
what strikes my fancy and let the characters and the story dictate the genre.
What is your process for writing a book? For example, are you a plotter
or a pantser? Do you start at page 1 and write your book sequentially or do you
skip around? Do you start with your characters or the plot? I always begin with a basic storyline and a
cast of characters. I know where the
book will begin and end, but I’m not one to plot the entire story. The most important thing for me is to
establish the characters. I do a
complete outline of the characters including their backstory, family history,
idiosyncrasies, education, careers, etc.
Once the characters are established, the story really writes itself.
or a pantser? Do you start at page 1 and write your book sequentially or do you
skip around? Do you start with your characters or the plot? I always begin with a basic storyline and a
cast of characters. I know where the
book will begin and end, but I’m not one to plot the entire story. The most important thing for me is to
establish the characters. I do a
complete outline of the characters including their backstory, family history,
idiosyncrasies, education, careers, etc.
Once the characters are established, the story really writes itself.
Do you write multiple drafts or barely need revisions when typing, The
End? I typically write the entire
book in about three months but then take another month or so to re-read it and
prepare it to be sent to my editor. I usually need another month or so, once I
get it back, to perfect the book before it goes into pre-publishing.
End? I typically write the entire
book in about three months but then take another month or so to re-read it and
prepare it to be sent to my editor. I usually need another month or so, once I
get it back, to perfect the book before it goes into pre-publishing.
When you are writing, who is in control? You or your characters? My characters are completely in control. They drive the story and sometimes even
surprise me in the direction they take.
I sometimes find that a very insignificant character has taken a life of
his or her own and become a major player in the book. That’s always a lot of fun.
surprise me in the direction they take.
I sometimes find that a very insignificant character has taken a life of
his or her own and become a major player in the book. That’s always a lot of fun.
What books can we expect to see in the near future? I’m really excited about the release of Whispering Vines, but I also have a
children’s book that I am in the process of marketing to publishers. It’s a
fairy take with a strong heroine and unlikely hero. My illustrator is fabulous, and we can’t wait
for children to read this story about a princess locked in a tower who takes
her future into her own hands and finds a way to live the life she has always
dreamed about.
children’s book that I am in the process of marketing to publishers. It’s a
fairy take with a strong heroine and unlikely hero. My illustrator is fabulous, and we can’t wait
for children to read this story about a princess locked in a tower who takes
her future into her own hands and finds a way to live the life she has always
dreamed about.
When Alex O’Donnell’s world falls
apart, she finds it hard to imagine that a door to a new world will open.
Leaving everything she knows behind, Alex moves from her Baltimore apartment to
a villa in Italy where she discovers the inherited vineyard she never knew
existed and a life of possibilities beyond her hopes and dreams.
apart, she finds it hard to imagine that a door to a new world will open.
Leaving everything she knows behind, Alex moves from her Baltimore apartment to
a villa in Italy where she discovers the inherited vineyard she never knew
existed and a life of possibilities beyond her hopes and dreams.
Arriving at the villa, Alex is
taken aback by the animosity and scorn of the vineyard’s co-owner, Nicolas
Giordano. Resentful of Alex’s sudden appearance, Nicolas struggles to
maintain his control over his business and his feelings for his new partner.
taken aback by the animosity and scorn of the vineyard’s co-owner, Nicolas
Giordano. Resentful of Alex’s sudden appearance, Nicolas struggles to
maintain his control over his business and his feelings for his new partner.
The discovery of a journal from
World War II becomes the tie that binds Alex and Nicolas as they work to secure
their future while putting together the pieces of a puzzle from the past.
Unlock the hidden secrets within the Whispering Vines.
World War II becomes the tie that binds Alex and Nicolas as they work to secure
their future while putting together the pieces of a puzzle from the past.
Unlock the hidden secrets within the Whispering Vines.
Review for Whispering Vines
Ms. Schisler successfully
intertwined a compelling and loving romance from Italy during World War II to a
present day romance spanning three generations while educating the reader to
the world of wine making and vineyards. This was an excellent story. …5 Star Amazon Review
intertwined a compelling and loving romance from Italy during World War II to a
present day romance spanning three generations while educating the reader to
the world of wine making and vineyards. This was an excellent story. …5 Star Amazon Review
Amazon Buy Link for Whispering
Vines https://amzn.com/B01D5GOX4E
Vines https://amzn.com/B01D5GOX4E
Excerpt from Whispering Vines
Lunch at Da
Mimmo, a favorite of the Baltimore business crowd, was very nice, and Alex
enjoyed sharing stories about Signora with Peter, Signora’s attorney. Bald at the top, but fit and trim, Peter
looked darn good for his age, not that Alex knew what that was. She was never good at guessing ages. He was charming and kind, and Alex couldn’t
help but wonder why all men couldn’t be like him. Their coffee had just arrived when Peter
opened his briefcase and took out a manila folder.
Mimmo, a favorite of the Baltimore business crowd, was very nice, and Alex
enjoyed sharing stories about Signora with Peter, Signora’s attorney. Bald at the top, but fit and trim, Peter
looked darn good for his age, not that Alex knew what that was. She was never good at guessing ages. He was charming and kind, and Alex couldn’t
help but wonder why all men couldn’t be like him. Their coffee had just arrived when Peter
opened his briefcase and took out a manila folder.
“I would like
to go over the contents of Signora Fonticelli’s will,” Peter said as he opened
the folder.
to go over the contents of Signora Fonticelli’s will,” Peter said as he opened
the folder.
Alex wasn’t
sure how to react. She picked up her
napkin from her lap and wiped her mouth.
“Okay,” she said hesitantly. “I’m
not sure how that affects me.”
sure how to react. She picked up her
napkin from her lap and wiped her mouth.
“Okay,” she said hesitantly. “I’m
not sure how that affects me.”
Peter put on a
pair of reading glasses, glanced at the file, and then looked over the lenses
at Alex. “I assume Signora never
mentioned anything to you about her will.”
pair of reading glasses, glanced at the file, and then looked over the lenses
at Alex. “I assume Signora never
mentioned anything to you about her will.”
Alex shook her
head. “Nothing.”
head. “Nothing.”
Peter took off
his glasses and closed the folder. “This
may come as a shock to you.” He put down
the file and folded his hands on the table.
his glasses and closed the folder. “This
may come as a shock to you.” He put down
the file and folded his hands on the table.
Alex held her
breath as he leveled his gaze on her.
Everyone else in the restaurant seemed to fade away as she waited for
him to go on.
breath as he leveled his gaze on her.
Everyone else in the restaurant seemed to fade away as she waited for
him to go on.
“Alex, do you
know anything about Signora’s estate and holdings?”
know anything about Signora’s estate and holdings?”
Alex shook her
head, unable to speak.
head, unable to speak.
“Of course,
there is the house in Baltimore,” Peter paused, and Alex nodded. It would be just like Signora to leave Alex
her home knowing that Alex was weeks away from graduation and would need to be
thinking about her future. Peter went
on, “In addition, there is the vineyard and villa,”
there is the house in Baltimore,” Peter paused, and Alex nodded. It would be just like Signora to leave Alex
her home knowing that Alex was weeks away from graduation and would need to be
thinking about her future. Peter went
on, “In addition, there is the vineyard and villa,”
“Excuse me,”
Alex stopped him. “Vineyard? Villa?”
Her head began to spin. She had
no idea where this was heading.
Alex stopped him. “Vineyard? Villa?”
Her head began to spin. She had
no idea where this was heading.
“Yes, just
outside of Verona in the Valpolicella region.”
He paused for a second and smiled at Alex. “My Italian is not that good, but Signora
insisted I learn to at least pronounce that correctly.” Alex smiled and motioned for him to go on
though her mind was yelling for his to stop.
Alex had no idea what was coming, but she had a growing feeling that it
was going to earth shattering, at least for her.
outside of Verona in the Valpolicella region.”
He paused for a second and smiled at Alex. “My Italian is not that good, but Signora
insisted I learn to at least pronounce that correctly.” Alex smiled and motioned for him to go on
though her mind was yelling for his to stop.
Alex had no idea what was coming, but she had a growing feeling that it
was going to earth shattering, at least for her.
Peter picked
up the folder again, opened it, removed a document, and replaced his reading
glasses. He cleared his throat. “I, Isabella Abelli Fonticelli, being of
sound mind and body, do hereby bequeath the following:
up the folder again, opened it, removed a document, and replaced his reading
glasses. He cleared his throat. “I, Isabella Abelli Fonticelli, being of
sound mind and body, do hereby bequeath the following:
To Alexandra
O’Donnell, my dearest companion and caregiver, my house at 117 Trinity Street
and all of its contents, to be done with as she wishes (though I recommend
selling it all and taking the money – you’ll need it to pay off your college
loans).” Peter looked at Alex and
smiled.
O’Donnell, my dearest companion and caregiver, my house at 117 Trinity Street
and all of its contents, to be done with as she wishes (though I recommend
selling it all and taking the money – you’ll need it to pay off your college
loans).” Peter looked at Alex and
smiled.
“She always
did like to give me advice on how to run my life,” Alex said quietly as tears
formed in her eyes. As she suspected,
the house. That wasn’t such a big deal
after all. “That was very sweet of her.”
did like to give me advice on how to run my life,” Alex said quietly as tears
formed in her eyes. As she suspected,
the house. That wasn’t such a big deal
after all. “That was very sweet of her.”
“There’s
more,” Peter said, and Alex gasped in surprise as Peter looked back down at the
document. “…. I also leave Alexandra one
half of my family’s vineyard, Belle Uva, to be shared with my great-nephew,
Nicolas Giordano.”
more,” Peter said, and Alex gasped in surprise as Peter looked back down at the
document. “…. I also leave Alexandra one
half of my family’s vineyard, Belle Uva, to be shared with my great-nephew,
Nicolas Giordano.”
Alex placed
her hands on the table to steady herself as the earth shattering
commenced. She wished she had not had
that glass of wine with her lunch. It
suddenly left a sour taste in her mouth, and the Italian cuisine that had
smelled so wonderful just a few minutes before, now seemed strong and
overpowering. “Bell… what?”
her hands on the table to steady herself as the earth shattering
commenced. She wished she had not had
that glass of wine with her lunch. It
suddenly left a sour taste in her mouth, and the Italian cuisine that had
smelled so wonderful just a few minutes before, now seemed strong and
overpowering. “Bell… what?”
“Belle Uva,
which until last week, Signora shared with her great-nephew who inherited his
grandfather’s half of the estate. The
name means ‘beautiful grapes.’ Signora
stipulates that you and her great-nephew, Nicolas, are to share the estate and
run the winery together. I have papers
and pictures for you with all of the details about the estate. I’m afraid that it’s not as glamorous as it
sounds. The winery doesn’t seem to be as
profitable as it once was.” Peter began
to pull more documents and photographs out of the folder, but his words seemed to
be coming from the other end of a distant tunnel. Alex felt dizzy. “Signora and her great-nephew already had a
contract that dealt with how they maintained their shares and profits. Those conditions will remain unchanged. You will simply inherit her shares and assume
her profits.”
which until last week, Signora shared with her great-nephew who inherited his
grandfather’s half of the estate. The
name means ‘beautiful grapes.’ Signora
stipulates that you and her great-nephew, Nicolas, are to share the estate and
run the winery together. I have papers
and pictures for you with all of the details about the estate. I’m afraid that it’s not as glamorous as it
sounds. The winery doesn’t seem to be as
profitable as it once was.” Peter began
to pull more documents and photographs out of the folder, but his words seemed to
be coming from the other end of a distant tunnel. Alex felt dizzy. “Signora and her great-nephew already had a
contract that dealt with how they maintained their shares and profits. Those conditions will remain unchanged. You will simply inherit her shares and assume
her profits.”
“No, please,
stop,” Alex shook her head in confusion.
“I don’t understand. I don’t live
in Italy. I know nothing about wine or
vineyards or estates. I’ve never even
heard of Nicolas Geor, whatever his name was.
Talk about shares and profits is something I’ve never tried to
understand. This must be a mistake.”
stop,” Alex shook her head in confusion.
“I don’t understand. I don’t live
in Italy. I know nothing about wine or
vineyards or estates. I’ve never even
heard of Nicolas Geor, whatever his name was.
Talk about shares and profits is something I’ve never tried to
understand. This must be a mistake.”
Peter took off
his glasses and looked at Alex with sincere compassion. “I’m afraid I didn’t do a very good job
preparing you for this. I did say it
would be a shock.”
his glasses and looked at Alex with sincere compassion. “I’m afraid I didn’t do a very good job
preparing you for this. I did say it
would be a shock.”
“To say the
least,” Alex said as she buried her face in her hands. She looked up and shook her head. “I don’t know what to say. What do I do?”
least,” Alex said as she buried her face in her hands. She looked up and shook her head. “I don’t know what to say. What do I do?”
“I’m afraid I
can’t answer that,” Peter said. “If you
wish, I can continue to handle the affairs of the vineyard, putting the
profits, if there ever are any, into a portfolio for you. You wouldn’t have to do anything except
perhaps hire an accountant to look over my shoulder, which is the smart thing
to do these days. Would you like to take
the papers and photographs with you and go through them?”
can’t answer that,” Peter said. “If you
wish, I can continue to handle the affairs of the vineyard, putting the
profits, if there ever are any, into a portfolio for you. You wouldn’t have to do anything except
perhaps hire an accountant to look over my shoulder, which is the smart thing
to do these days. Would you like to take
the papers and photographs with you and go through them?”
Alex nodded,
her mouth agape, as she reached a shaky hand for her cup. “Yes, I guess so…” she whispered before she
gulped down the lukewarm, now bitter-tasting coffee she had ordered after
finishing her wine and tried to figure out what had just happened. She spent her entire life dreaming of going
to Italy, seeing the famed Uffizi Gallery in Florence, walking along the Gran
Canal of Venice, visiting the Vatican.
But never in her wildest dreams had she ever imagined that something
like this would be the catalyst to take her there. Alex had a lot to think about, but one
thought ran through her mind over and over as she stared unseeing at Peter
putting together a stack of papers – with no family to speak of, no boyfriend,
and no job tying her down, what did she have to lose?
her mouth agape, as she reached a shaky hand for her cup. “Yes, I guess so…” she whispered before she
gulped down the lukewarm, now bitter-tasting coffee she had ordered after
finishing her wine and tried to figure out what had just happened. She spent her entire life dreaming of going
to Italy, seeing the famed Uffizi Gallery in Florence, walking along the Gran
Canal of Venice, visiting the Vatican.
But never in her wildest dreams had she ever imagined that something
like this would be the catalyst to take her there. Alex had a lot to think about, but one
thought ran through her mind over and over as she stared unseeing at Peter
putting together a stack of papers – with no family to speak of, no boyfriend,
and no job tying her down, what did she have to lose?
About Amy Schisler
Amy Schisler is the award
winning author of three novels and one children’s book. Her weekly blog is
followed by readers around the world. A former librarian and teacher, she
writes from the Eastern Shore of Maryland where she lives with her husband,
three daughters, and two dogs. Her books are available internationally in
print and ebook versions.
winning author of three novels and one children’s book. Her weekly blog is
followed by readers around the world. A former librarian and teacher, she
writes from the Eastern Shore of Maryland where she lives with her husband,
three daughters, and two dogs. Her books are available internationally in
print and ebook versions.
Website: http://amyschislerauthor.com
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What a wonderful post! I love the idea of your trip to Italy inspiring you to write Whispering Vines. The excerpt is excellent and I can't wait to read the book. Thank you for sharing!