Dear Torrent Tribe,

Wow, I’ve loved this ride with you—and Gabi and Lia—in medieval Italy. Thank you for so enthusiastically embracing their story and making it your own. From your comments and emails, I know you’ve gathered what I’d hoped you’d get out of it. Not only enjoying the entertainment factor, but also investing in the passion, drive, enthusiasm, interest, power, sacrifice, and Great Questions of life that make life, life. That’s how, for me, this became more of a River of Life series than a River of Time. Regardless of when you’re born, I believe you experience life at a whole different level if you break out of “survival” mode and invest in the plowing/seeding/weeding process, as Gabi and Lia found themselves doing. Then, whether your crop is failing or flourishing, you’re in it…living.

I’ve already heard from many of you, wondering if there will be more River of Time books. I’d truly love to come back and hang out with the Betarrini clan and write Lia and Luca’s love story, but we have to see how these first three books do. In the meantime, I’m writing a series called The Grand Tour, about a group of well-to-do young people in 1914, traveling from England to France to Switzerland, and…wait for it…Italy! (You’re totally shocked, right?) Somehow, Italia has captured my heart like few other places, and I’ll be eager to return—in my imagination, or in person. The Grand Tour books are titled From This Day Forward, To Have and To Hold, and As Long as We Both Shall Live. Look for them to be released June 2012–January 2013 (again, in a short time span, thanks to David C Cook—they know readers agonize as they wait).

I’m heading to Rome soon with my second daughter, off to do research for As Long as We Both Shall Live. But I’ll be holding River of Time close in my heart as I go. Please don’t lose touch with me—find me on Facebook (“River of Time Series” and “Lisa Tawn Bergren”) and on Twitter (@LisaTBergren) and on my own site (www.LisaBergren.com) if you want to follow along with my travels, writing, contests, and such.

I’m so happy you’re one of my readers…which I see is an investment in me and, truly, makes you one of my friends. Contact me at any time via Facebook, Twitter, or email. I look forward to hearing from you.

Every good thing,