I'll say it--I'm a confessed Venetophile. My love for Venice began a mere five minutes into my first vaporetto ride down the Grand Canal in 1996. Since then, I've returned to Venice enough times that I've lost count--but not enough times that I've tired of it.



Putting my knowledge of Venice to good use, I worked as the "Venice Consultant" for a company that was creating a video game about a teddy bear sleuthing in Venice. My first book, Free Gondola Ride, published in 2003, is about the gondoliers of Venice. The chapter about Max also appeared in the San Jose Mercury News travel section. 



Most of the year I am a high school English teacher who travels every chance I get. But I also fit in time for writing. My second book, A Small Candle, is about Camp Everytown and how it helps to end prejudice in communities. I also have essays in three anthologies, and I have collaborated on a book about teaching high school English, published by Pearson in 2013.



My Venice guidebook, Seductive Venice: In Casanova’s Footsteps, follows Giacomo Casanova to over 90 locations he visited in Venice. It is also now available in Italy! Published by Supernova Edizioni, it's titled Casanova's Venice: A Walking Guide, and contains the same text and maps, with the addition of drawings and photos. Seductive Venice marries two of my loves into one book.

 

In writing A Beautiful Woman in Venice, I again was able to live vicariously in Venice by researching its women. Of course, writing the book necessitated a trip there for research! Beautiful Woman will be available in the US through my website, major online retailers such as Amazon, and as an ebook. Readers can visit locations where these women lived, loved, and worshipped by booking a tour through abeautifulwomaninvenice.com with tour operator Vonda Wells, who developed the book’s theme.