The Story Behind My Story

There are many things to love about travelling, but one of our favourites is meeting people. And when it comes to sparking conversations, I happily leave that to my Bella—she has a way of turning strangers into friends.

On our recent trip through Europe, we met Lori and Sam in Ljubljana, Slovenia—a lovely couple from Golden, Colorado—both recently retired engineers, soon-to-be grandparents, keen cyclists, and full of stories. As often happens, our chats wandered and eventually landed on Letters of Redemption, recently released, which we were also celebrating on this trip. Lori, being an avid reader and book club member, lit up right away. We exchanged details and even made plans to meet again for dinner in Split, Croatia.

A couple of days later in Hvar, Lori and Sam messaged that they’d already downloaded the book and started reading. I was grateful and honoured.

Dinner in Split, Croatia, with Lori and Sam. Local food, Croatian wine, and leisurely conversations.

While touring Hvar Island, we met Susan and Jamie from Rushville, Illinois. Susan runs an Airbnb, and Jamie keeps a family-owned bar going strong.

 Time for a photo with Susan and Jamie after ending the day with an authentic Dalmatian dinner at a konobo—a traditional tavern or cellar, similar to a Greek taverna or Italian trattoria.

If you're ever in the Rushville, Illinois area, check out The Carol Cottage and Rick and Rich's Tap.

That evening, in a tucked-away hilltop village of Malo Grablje, another dinner turned into another chance to talk books—mine included. Their curiosity matched Lori and Sam’s, and soon the same question came up, the one readers always want to know: Where did the idea come from?

And so, a couple of days later, while on a ferry from Hvar to Dubrovnik, I thought I would answer the question.

The answer takes me back to my father. He fought in WWII, and I often teased him about being on the “wrong side.” He’d laugh and then launch into stories about life under Mussolini and on the front lines. One story stood out: during a rare quiet spell in Libya, he wrote a letter home. Nearby, a fellow soldier sat idle. When my father asked why he wasn’t writing, the man simply said, “I don’t know how.” Illiteracy was common among soldiers from the south. My father, grateful for his own schooling, offered to write the letter for him.

That small act stayed with me. What if that soldier—Roberto, in my story—had a sweetheart back home? What if he never admitted he couldn’t write, and his friend Antonio secretly wrote letters to her instead? And what if, after Roberto’s tragic death in battle, Antonio kept writing? From that seed grew Letters of Redemption—a WWII historical romance about love, guilt, and forgiveness in the shadow of war.

And then, just when we thought the trip was winding down, the airport gave us one last surprise. While waiting for our flight home, we met Sam (Samantha) from Markham, Ontario. She works in finance, which quickly sparked a lively chat with Bella—her banking days before retirement gave them plenty to talk about.

Of course, the conversation eventually drifted to books, and Sam was intrigued. We mentioned a couple of events we had lined up back home, and to our delight, she actually showed up at the Cultural Fusion event in Pickering. A wonderful, unexpected connection—and the perfect way to wrap up our trip.

A surprise visit from Sam and Michael, who decided to grab a copy of both of my books.

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Until next time!