Gemelli Press Blog

Books on the Horizon

We are working hard to get Among the Cloud Dwellers by Giuliana Sica out on Kindle, Nook and iBooks before the year is up…

In this compelling and hauntingly vivid novel, Porzia Amard, an epicurean globetrotter, has left her French-Italian roots and her beloved wine-making family behind in Tuscany to pursue her journalistic studies in the USA, eventually settling in Florida; Pensacola, to be exact, where hurricanes abound. And it is on the forceful tail end of one such hurricane that her life suddenly takes a mystical turn and the story begins.
When she unexpectedly inherits the legacy of unusual powers at her beloved grandmother’s deathbed, she embarks on an unforgettable journey of self-discovery. From the winding hills of Tuscany to the perilous landscape of South Australia to the salt-scented beaches of western Florida, Porzia abandons the straightforward path after a past life regression introduces a distant soul mate, revealing a love so intense it has resisted the tarnishing of time.
Narrated in vibrant prose, infused with mouthwatering aromas of delicious recipes paired with inebriating wines, Porzia’s life intertwines with captivating characters. She finds herself embroiled in a world of esoteric secrets and swept up in heated passion when she meets famed off-road racer Gabe Miller. As they experience a love only few of us can imagine, let alone have ever savored, she finds herself believing Gabe to be her lost soul mate reincarnated. Further complicating matters for the pair is Gabe’s elusive past and a private promise, which lies at the heart of the book’s mystery.
This unique and extraordinary novel is an irresistible recipe for lovers of romance, food and wine, and the mystical realm. This book promises freedom from earthly boundaries; it blurs the lines between safety and the unconventional, between love and fear, and between us and the gods.

Looking into 2012 scheduled for release at the beginning of March, Wrestling with the Devil, written so beautifully by Tonya Russo Hamilton in her father’s voice will be on shelves, available for purchase online and in e-book formats.

Plucked from his beloved Italian countryside, severed from his family, and placed on an ocean liner in the Bay of Naples, a ten-year-old child, Antonio   Russo, embarks on the journey of his life. As he steps foot onto New York soil with not a word of English, wearing a pair of shoes for the occasion, and his pockets stuffed with salami and provolone cheese, Antonio recalls the promise from his mother that he would find trees blossoming with gold, and have family members to take care of him. Eight months later, staring at the inside walls of an orphanage, this young Italian boy finds himself hit with a hard dose of reality – obstacles presenting themselves at every turn. These obstacles would become the demons in which Antonio finds himself doing constant battle, but as fate would have it, he comes to realize one day that he is good at something. He finds by chance, that he has a natural instinct and ability in the sport of wrestling. As this story unfolds, it would be the sport of wrestling that ignites a passion, and guides him to the realization of his true potential, giving meaning to the struggle he and his family would endure in their journey from Italy to create a better way of life.

Thanksgiving and Beyond

It almost doesn’t seem possible that another holiday season is upon us! But here we are only days away from preparing our Thanksgiving feasts and sharing the day with friends and family. Obviously, this is not an Italian tradition but I always feel a connection with Italy and Thanksgiving because of the underlying theme of family. It is also a time to give thanks to all the big and little things that we are grateful for. Here at Gemelli Press our family of authors have a multitude of things to be thankful for things that have occurred over the year and we are growing with exciting projects on the horizon.

For Mark Leslie, author of Beyond the Pasta, book signings in Napa, having his recipes posted on Paula Deen’s website with photo props for the article going to our very own Karen Landes, author of In Etna’s Shadow to yes, an appearance on the Today Show and then being a finalist for USA Books and News top Travel books of 2011 really is so much to marvel at.

Another big focus this year has been on e-books. Pieces of Someday by Jan Vallone and Beyond the Pasta have been doing great on the Kindle and Nook. Soon, however, we will have these 2 along with Impariamo l’Italiano con l’aiuto della Mano by Giuliana Sica in color as iBooks. In the next couple of weeks these should all be available for download via iTunes.

Among the Cloud Dwellers, also by Giuliana Sica is enormously close to its debut as an ebook in multiple formats as well. Be on the look out for our first work of fiction.

And last but not at all least, Gemelli Press is so excited about the newest member of our family, Tonya Russo Hamilton. She has written the most touching account of her father’s life from a ten year old boy crossing the Atlantic by himself from Naples to US’ Wrestling Hall of Fame. It is entitled Wrestling with the Devil and will be released March 1, 2012. So many underlying themes grab you in this memoir, honesty, hard work, discipline and once again that theme, I began with; the importance of family.

Happy Thanksgiving!
Kari Hock, Managing Editor

Beyond the Pasta App

The Beyond the Pasta iPad app arrived this summer. Read about it here and purchase it here

Mark Leslie on Podcasts, Videos and the Radio

If you haven’t had a chance to see or hear Mark by way of a podcast, radio or in video, you might want to do so. He is so full of life and hearing and seeing him in action brings the experiences in his book to a whole new level. On his website he lists all of his interviews, including his latest appearance on Wisconsin Public Radio, Here on Earth; Radio without Borders.

Our First Books on Kindle!

As the book publishing business is constantly evolving, we hope that we will too. E-books are a big part of the future and there seems to be more and more platforms to choose from. We have decided to start with the Kindle and make our way through the labriynth of the process in the near future which will include the Nook and iBooks.  So check them out! Both Pieces of Someday and Beyond The Pasta are now available on Kindle!