Many may be wondering where I’ve been. And to answer that question… I moved to the woods. The middle of the woods—specifically the Nantahala Forest—to fix up a house that resembles the Bates Motel. It’s as dumb of an idea as you can imagine.

“How hard can it be?” Rob asked as I surveyed my new surroundings. The house sat on an incline so steep, I thought it might wash away in the next thunderstorm. And with no cell service, internet, landline, or television, I couldn’t fathom going that far back in time.

But that didn’t deter the Pisanis, and we recklessly purchased the property with hopes the fixer-upper was less fixer and more upper. We faced a relentless woodpecker, lurking bears, and determined groundhogs whizzing in our subbasement like it was the Port Authority restroom.

But it’s not just the wildlife that kept life interesting. We were introduced to a cast of quirky characters like Scooter, the forest-dwelling worker; Jimmy, the hardware store’s varmint-battling employee; and Rusty, the ever-friendly neighbor who kept a watchful eye on the two clueless idiots.

A House in the Woods serves as a love letter to the Nantahala Forest and nearby Smoky Mountains, where picturesque waterfalls and serene rivers offer an atmosphere with undeniable health benefits. A place where Cherokee history whispers through the mist, grounding the land in a rich and complex past.

For anyone who’s ever dreamed of escaping to the woods—or just wants to laugh at someone who did—this book is a reminder that the middle of nowhere is the best place to start.

And if you’re wondering what ever happened to that elusive water letter for our Costa Rican property . . . that’ll be another blog post.

AMAZON in both Kindle and Paperback