Historical Fiction Author John Mernone

About the Author

Ever since he was a child in New York City, John Mernone wanted to be a writer. 

He went to Arkansas College (now Lyons College) in Batesville, Arkansas, where he majored in European history. After taking time off to hitchhike for around Europe, he found he was more interested than ever in learning about Europe, so he went back to Lyons College, graduating with a major in European history and minors in political science and art.

For a while, he supported himself by playing bass and singing in bands. But when he married, he started his career in international marketing while he raised his family.

Only recently was he able to return to his original passion, writing. The World Turned Upside Down, was Mernone’s first published work, followed by Star Crossed. He has several others in the works.

About the book

As winter fades in 1453, mercenary Giovanni Augustini returns to his family's palazzo in Siena at a crossroads in his life: loyalty to his band of soldiers has kept him waging war past the time he would have chosen to set his own course. Amidst the revelry with his cousins and brother, he meets Lisa, a stunning young woman from Genoa, who ignites a love that deepens his turmoil. Should he continue fighting others' battles or risk it all for a future with her?

But fate has other plans. The Ottoman Sultan Mehmet II besieges Constantinople, and the pope demands all true Christians rally to save the Byzantine Empire. Giovanni's kin are determined to fight, but his heart pulls him to Genoa. How can he abandon them to a certain death?

Before he can decide, Giovanni is thrust into command, leading a small army to rescue Emperor Constantine XI. Days and nights blur in the fierce battle against the Sultan's forces, yet Giovanni's thoughts never stray far from Lisa. Will he survive this hell and hold her in his arms again, or will his dreams of love be lost forever?

How SPS Helped

The SPS team helped the author launch this captivating novel by assisting with several self-publishing processes beginning with copy editing and proofreading, as well as assistance with cover design, metadata creation, formatting for both print and e-book options, and uploading to all the necessary avenues for publication. The SPS team facilitated the acquisition of ISBN numbers and copyright.