Sunday 16 September 2012

Papal plots, a sexy priest, and Perugia!




I have published my novel.

The Virgin and the Griffin is now available on Amazon.com as an e-book for the low, low price of $3.99US, plus tax.

www.amazon.com
www.amazon.it
www.amazon.co.uk

It's a work of historical fiction set in the small Italian city of Perugia, and filled with intrigue, Papal plots, and a sexy priest.

I'm urging all my friends and blog readers to buy it - not only because they're friends and I would like their support. But also, because I think it's a good book.

So, bring it to book club! I'll be happy to answer questions; Skype with book clubs about it, if they would like.

And, I would greatly appreciate feedback and constructive criticism. Drop me a note!

This is my first novel, and it took 3 years to write and publish. Hopefully, my next novel, which I'm currently working on, won't take quite so long.

BTW, I should also mention this novel contains a sex scene with a priest - I hope that won't dissuade readers! Really; it's not at all gratuitous!

As I've mentioned before, the novel was in many ways, inspired by a gorgeous textile that I bought several years ago from Marta Cucchia, a very talented weaver in Perugia who is trying to keep the Umbrian weaving tradition alive at her family's Giuditta Brozzetti laboratorio.

The Virgin and the Griffin tells of a young woman's struggle to find a measure of joy and beauty in a violent, fear-filled society in a Renaissance Italian city fractured by politics and war, yet a place where great beauty and love are still possible.

In 1504 Perugia, an ancient city in central Italy, is a place of great art, great violence – and a great many secrets. Isabella Bevilacqua, a young weaver in her family's small workshop, understands this very well. Her dreams of creating a work of great beauty must, like her burgeoning relationship with the enigmatic Father Michele Gialletti, remain carefully hidden from her family and from Perugia's powerful weavers' guild.

Keeping secrets is essential to survival in this city, where wealthy and jealous noble families clash viciously on the streets, in the piazzas – even within the Cathedral of San Lorenzo....

Much of the background to my novel is based on facts: Pope Julius, known so well for commissioning Michelangelo to paint the Sistine ceiling, did in fact march an army on Perugia to control the warring families. Great painters discussed in the novel, such as Raphael, really did live and work in Perugia.

11 comments:

Ciao Girl said...

Excellent news Sandra! I'm so pleased for you! Are you bouncing off the walls? Looks like your post was made in the "wee" hours ~ can't sleep? I don't blame you. What an accomplishment. Brava!!!

I'm going to look it up right now...

Ciao!
Heidi

Anne said...

Woohoo!! I discovered Amazon has a free Kindle for PC app so I downloaded that, bought your book and am ready to read!!!

Anonymous said...

Chapter two already . . . we should ahve an online bookclub to discuss it! You'll need an author website like all the famous authors soon.

Trekcapri said...

Hi Sandra, Congratulations! How exciting. I just purchased it and I am looking forward to reading your first novel. It sounds very interesting and dramatic and I love that it is based in Perugia and that much of the novel is based on facts. Love it.

Thanks so much for sharing. I look forward to reading your future novels too.

sandrac said...

Thanks so much, everyone!

Heidi, I am pretty excited!!! To tell the truth, I actually published early afternoon here in Rome - but I know that's wee hours where you are.

Whoo-hoo, Anne - thanks for searching it out, I hope you enjoy it!

Hi Jerry, I'm looking forward to your feedback - maybe we do need an online book club!

Kathy, maybe it will give you something to read on the plane while you're traveling to South America!!!

Sandi @the WhistleStop Cafe said...

It is a page turner!

I had a momentary thrill for you yesterday, as everytime I would pause my kindle the work of another famous author would appear.
You are a published author too!

sandrac said...

Hi Sandi - thanks for your very kind words! I hope you're enjoying V&G!!

sandrac said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Annie said...

Congratulations - how exciting! I look forward to reading it!

sandrac said...

Thanks very much, Annie!

Anonymous said...

Got a Kindle for Christmas, [didn't really want one]and your book was the first one I purchased. Finished reading it at 4AM today. Just couldn't put it down and now I am looking forward to the next one.