It’s hard to believe that, after thinking about this book for three years, and then taking another three years to write it, there’s a real, physical book. There were times during the process where I didn’t believe I would ever finish it. I hit brick walls (What on earth should come next?). I got bogged down in the details of research (Just one more record might fill in the blanks.). The symbols and letters on my keyboard became faded (especially the ‘delete’ button). And now, here I am, counting down to tomorrow: the official launch day.

Every struggle led to discoveries that brought the story to life, especially when it came to the novel’s setting. Since the book begins in Pedara, Sicily, I realized I knew little about my grandmother’s hometown. Google Maps became my time machine, letting me virtually wander Pedara’s cobblestone streets and see buildings she might have passed over 100 years ago. One evening, I stumbled on a photo in a Facebook group of Mt. Etna looming in the distance, spitting lava.

That Facebook group was a goldmine. I learned how Pedara’s residents sweep ash from Etna’s eruptions and how summer water shortages test their resilience. These details wove themselves into the story, grounding my historical fiction in reality. But I also fell down research rabbit holes, chasing every historical record to nail the timeline. Coming from nonfiction, I obsessed over accuracy, until I realized fiction let me bend time to serve the story. That shift was both freeing and a little terrifying.

This novel, at its heart, is about faith and family. Tomorrow, it’s finally yours to read! You can grab a copy of Emerging From Etna’s Shadow at Amazon. A huge thank you to my family and friends for cheering me on.