Hi Elisa:

First of all, thank you so much for having me as a guest author today. I am very proud of my Italian heritage and it's an honor to be able to communicate with Italian readers.

Most of my research for my books is done in a library and online. In the case of THE LILY AND THE FALCON, I had little trouble finding information. There was so much written about medieval Florence. I will research no fewer than 25-35 books and articles if possible. There is always a discrepancy in historical facts, so I go with what the majority says. I came across several different dates for Cosimo de' Medici's exile and return. Here again, if 6 books/articles out of 10 give the same date, I will go with that.

I have to remember that I'm writing a romance first. History is the backdrop. But I tend to add more historical facts than the normal romance, and that is because I understand the Italian culture and appreciate Italy for it's contributions and beauty.

Thank you for your question.