Who are you and why did you write a book?
My name is Patty Civalleri. As a historian, and a member of the Director’s Council of the Cotsen Institute of Archaeology at UCLA, I have spent 17 years seeking out ancient and lost cultures in every corner of the globe. I have enjoyed the honor of traveling with some of the foremost archaeologists and scientists in the world, and have earned quite a perspective.
What motivated you to write this book?
I had returned home from a month-long shoot in newly-discovered ancient Mayan Caves in Belize. That job was difficult on me, and I felt I needed some time away with just me and my camera. No schedules, no agenda, just time and space.
Why Florence?
During my travels, I had visited Florence on several occasions over the years. But each time, I had a very difficult time leaving it. And after leaving it, I could never get it out of my mind. I don’t know why; no other city in the world has ever had that effect on me.
There are plenty of Florence guidebooks out there. Why yours?
Throughout my travels, I have searched (in vain) for travel books that would enable me to hit the ground running. I wanted tons of visuals. I wanted backstories, I wanted smart and quick. Being a bit of a tech buff, I wanted to use technology to enhance my journey as well. Traditional travel books give you plenty of places to eat and drink, places to stay, and transportation details. In terms of depth, you may see a couple of paragraphs about the actual places you’d like to know about. My book has none of these. It is purely smart, deep, quick and snappy, smart, and extremely visual. And don’t forget well-researched. 😉
Are there any interesting characters in your book?
I have included quite a line-up of top Renaissance celebrities with plenty of star-power. Like Michelangelo, Raphael, Dante, Galileo, da Vinci, Donatello, Machivelli, with plenty more. In addition to a brief history of their lives to create a backdrop, readers will find plenty of fun back-stories, trivia, factoids, and images, images, images. Think: “PEOPLE Magazine” meets the Renaissance.
We already know these guys. Why are you telling us again?
A visit to Florence is a great way to connect some dots. For example, did you know that all of these guys began their lives and/or their careers in Florence? That most of these guys actually KNEW each other? And that the combined forces of these guys knocked history off of its axis and sent it careening into a whole new direction? Did you know that that new direction is now known as the Renaissance? See? You just connected 4 dots, learned something new. History was never taught this way in schools. Traveling to old places is the best way to fill in a lot of gaps left behind by our history classes in school. And the traditional travel books don’t do this for you either.
Can I get something new out of the book?
Absolutely. One of the best ways to remember things that you see is to relate them to a story. My whole book does exactly that: it relates the fabulous places you’ll visit in Florence to the fun, tragic, or triumphant stories of the people that touched that place in its past. Those same people (above) that you already know.
What’s are your fav stories from your book?
– A – They’re all fun! Some of the fan favs are:
– Who Punched Michelangelo in the Nose?
– da Vinci’s Secret Woman
– What famous artist was Kidnapped and sold into Slavery in Africa?
– Who was the Pirate Pope?
– The Execution of a Mad Monk
– Her Royally Embarrassed Highness
…and so many more.
But isn’t this a complicated subject for people on vacation?
That’s the point. I took a complex topic like the Florence Renaissance, and I culled it down to make it easy and fun for a busy attention-challenged vacationer to get and to enjoy.
What are the top 3 differences about your book?
– A – This is easy. But do I have to stop at 3?
* I don’t have a staff and crew that worked with a template to create this book.
* I took all of the outdoor and modern-day photos. I let the city inspire me as a tourist. That inspiration told me how to write the book as a tourist.
* Most photo-rich books have great shots, but you never know where to go to get similar shots. My book has a section called “Getting High in Florence.” It leads you to the places where I stood to get all of those beautiful panoramic and scenic photos that you’ll find all throughout the book.
Florence is a city of Art. What if I don’t know what I’m seeing at when I look at a painting?
Florence is THE art city. But for art novices, it can be pretty daunting. So for art newbies, I’ve included some really famous works by some of the Renaissance artists who put fun or interesting things into their work. The reader will find some of these pieces littered throughout the book. And I point out who, or what, or whatever is interesting about or hiding within them.
Are there follow-on products to go with the book?
Ah. Here’s the crux of the difference between this book and all the others: I have designed it with 4 different ‘tools’ to enhance your trip to Florence. Each tool provides functionality that the other cannot.
1. The book. You already know this one.
2. The eBook. With over 1850 cross- and external-links, the visitor can, for example, follow their favorite artist through the city. Or if they are standing in, say, the Palazzo Vecchio, they can hit all the links to see many people that touched or events that occurred in that building.
3. The FunBook. Puzzlers and gamers of all ages: this is a great way to pass the time while standing in a long museum line; or while you’re on the plane; or hanging out in your hotel with your family and friends. In all cases, you can test your knowledge and learn new things about the city, all while playing games.
4. The App. This is cool. Let’s say, for example, that you read something interesting in the book, and you want to go see where it happened. The app will give you walking directions from where you are standing. While you are strolling around the city, the app will signal you when you are approaching something interesting that is in the book. And it’ll give you a brief description with photos, and tell you what page to see if you want to know more. In addition, I threw in some basic vacation functionality, like the weather forecast (so you know how to dress), a calendar with Annual City events and how to find them, and a City Quest where you have to find specific places to take selfies and post them on FaceBook.
How many other cities can you write about?
Hundreds, but I don’t think I’ll live that long.
What is your next city?
I’m leaving for Venice for a few months. The plan is to create another suite of travel tools for the beautiful city of canals as well.
The book is written. The book is published. What do you need the most now in order to succeed?
Distribution. But not just any distributor. I would like to create a relationship with a distributor that sells very specifically into the travel market. And the same goes for an Italian Distributor.
Where can we find the book?
Why, on Amazon, of course.
Amazon Link: http://bit.ly/PCivalleri
