Wendy Ridolini

After a varied career in accounting, administration, event management, and PR, Wendy ran away to Italy with her partner in 2009 to renovate an old Italian farmhouse.Things did not go exactly according to plan, as an earthquake destroyed most of it.The renovation was abandoned, but a door opened to a new career as an English teacher.In 2018, she began editing and proofreading Olives and Earthquakes, an account of her adventures in Italy written by her dyslexic partner.She recognised his talent as a storyteller and set up her own publishing business, Sunflower Publishing, to edit, self-publish, and market his and other people’s stories.Wendy has always loved books and reading, been fascinated by the use of language to express emotions, and adored great stories in any genre.She is a book blogger and reviewer for books set in Italy; her reviews are published on Substack, and she hosts creative writing retreats in Abruzzo, Italy.Now in its fourth year, the writing retreat welcomes writers from all around the world.Celebrity guest speakers have included Adele Parks, Leonie Mack, Santa Montefiore, Cathy Rentzenbrink, Katherine Mezzacappa, and Angela Petch.