New Edition of Playing By Heart is an Amazon #1 release

Monday, September 8, 2025, was the "book birthday" for a new edition of Playing by Heart, my award-winning historical novel inspired by the lives of Maria Gaetana Agnesi and Maria Teresa Agnesi. This edition now includes Book Discussion Questions in the back of the book. I've also made some updates to the cover to distinguish this edition from copies of the older one that may still be available for purchase online. This cover has the title in a new blue font and includes an excerpt from the novel's Booklist review beneath the title. 

 

I was quite surprised to discover today that the book is currently listed as an Amazon "Hot New Release" and the #1 New Release in Children's European Biographies. I don't know how this happened, since the book isn't really a biography. But it is fun to see all the same. 

 

 

More appropriately, Playing by Heart is also listed as a best seller in the "Teen & Young Adult European Biographical Fiction" category, where it's currently #8!

 

 

I have other exciting news about this edition that I'll share in a future post. Meanwhile, you can read more about it and find buy links for purchasing the new edition on the book's page of my website. 
 

 

     

 

Women's History Month 2018

     Today kicks off Women's History Month. I learned a great deal about women's history while researching Playing by Heart. The novel was inspired by the two eldest Agnesi sisters: accomplished musician and composer Maria Teresa Agnesi and her older sister, linguist, mathematician, and humanitarian Maria Gaetana Agnesi. You can read more about Maria Teresa on her page of this site and about Maria Gaetana on her bio page.

     The six-month anniversary of the release of Playing by Heart also occurs later this month. It's hard to believe the book has already been out almost six months! To celebrate, I'm hosting a special "Book Bag & Swag" giveaway on my website. You can find all the details here.