Lorenzo is from The Italian Holiday. And let me tell you, as the summer heat settles in, I find myself dreaming of things like Italian holidays. Of course, in my dreams it's cooler in Italy. In reality, now is not the month we would want to go to Italy. The Italians aren't even at home. They're all headed for cooler states of being; whether that's higher mountain towns or the coast, many Italians take the month of August off and leave the heat of the cities. 

So if you're in the same boat as me, dreaming of Italy without the heat, the best I can offer is a cool, mental escape. The Italian Holiday, the book that caused the reader above to fall for Lorenzo in record speed, is set in Italy. In February. A drizzly, cool month. (Let me go spritz myself with some ice water to get in the mood.)

And bonus, below, I'll tell you how you can read the first three chapters of The Italian Holiday for FREE. You know, so you can try before you buy.

Well, here we are friends, bidding ado to another July and welcoming the heat of August.

This summer has definitely been busier than I anticipated. And the calendar for August is already filled up with school starting, romance bookstore day, peach season, laundry, dishes...not that I schedule those things; those bastards creep up on me. 

Anyway...

I had another book signing in the small mountain town of McCall, Idaho last month and it was bucket list stuff. Let me tell you why:

Picture it, a girl of eighteen, lost in a fog of 'what the hell am I really supposed to do with my life?' I was fresh from a summer working for Idaho Fish and Game out in the middle of nowhere.  Seriously, I had been in nowhere, Idaho. 

I was on the way back to smoggy Southern California when I stopped by this small quaint town perched on the side of a large lake, nestled among the pines. Oh! My imagination was alive with story ideas and a yearn to live that sweet mountain lake life. 

And now, fast forward a certain number of years and I live close enough to visit McCall as often as I like and in the next year or so, I'll publish the books I've written that are set in this town. 

So when I contacted the indie bookstore Barn Owl Books (of McCall) and gave them a copy of my book for consideration, I was over the moon when I received an excited 'We want to carry your book and have you do a singing' call in mid July. Mid-July! The day I was heading out the door for vacation. But I called and made arrangements for the only free weekend I had left.

So I'm headed to sign copies of my book in this lovely town of my young dreams, when I receive an email from a friend I haven't talked to in years! She was at the bookstore where her daughter picked up a copy of Big Trouble in Little Italy. When they went to pay, the cashier said, "Oh, Nicole Sharp will be here this Saturday to sign books." 

My friend squealed at the name, made a scene as she turned the book over and found my little picture smiling up at her. She and her family just happened to be camping that week in McCall, so they came back for the signing. We hugged like the long-lost friends we were; excitedly talked over each other as we updated contact information and I signed the books.

That moment alone...I've already said it was bucket list stuff, right?  

No, seriously, it's a thing.

I looked it up. 

Accidentally. 

"August is Romance Awareness Month, when we celebrate both our love of fellow humans and the romance writers who give us meet-cutes, sassy best friends, soul mates and happily ever after endings."

So is it any wonder that this month will also host: 

Bookstore Romance Day

"Bookstore Romance Day is a day designed to give independent bookstores an opportunity to celebrate Romance fiction—its books, readers, and writers—and to strengthen the relationships between bookstores and the Romance community."

I bring up Bookstore Romance Day for two reasons:

1) So you can help support indie bookstores. (Find out what your local indie bookstore might be doing to celebrate: Here

2) This year, I've been invited to be a part of Rediscovered Bookstore's Romance Day events. Saturday, August 19, I'll be on hand to sign books! If you're in the area, come on by. I give away free candy and stickers. (Because I'm not above bribery.)

As I learn more, I'll update my socials with all the information.

I bet you're wondering about the every day, glorious, sexy life of this writer, aren't you? Well that's why I brought up peaches.

Not like that.

Let me tell you one thing I know for sure; the end of August brings Peach Season to my little corner of the world. I have two peach trees and they are looking happy and healthy. Meaning: lots o peaches. And you wouldn't think two trees could produce a lot of peaches, but they produce A LOT of peaches! (These photos are from a previous year.) With all the peaches, it means I'll spend the last weeks of August preserving peaches, and freezing peaches, and giving away peaches, and cooking with peaches. So I thought I'd share my absolute favorite peach cake recipe with you. Of course it comes from 'An Italian in my Kitchen', and I think you'll love it!

This month, The Italian Holiday can be found as part of Bookfunnel's August promotion:  "Fun Flirty Romances"

The Simply Trouble Series