MICHELLE MERRITT'S MEMOIR CONTINUES >>>

"I left Tacoma on April 1 in my Ford Escape," writes Tacoman Michelle Merritt from Wilmington, N.C. "At the moment, I'm couch surfing at a friend's house. I was supposed to be in Italy right now, but had to postpone the trip until May 10. After my stops in Orlando and Tampa - and a little side trip to see Cape Canaveral - I will move on through Georgia, Alabama, Louisiana, Texas, New Mexico, then leave my car at my son's house in Tucson to fly to Italy for a week. Once I'm back in the states, it's Hollywood and four stops in California."

Such is the life of author Merritt who is on a national promotional tour for her new memoir, One Night in Rome and the End of Life as I Knew It.

Instead of flying, Merritt is couch surfing her way across the country with the help of friends. Her adventures described above detail the first half of her 8,500 mile, 28 state promotional road trip. She has already visited 14 cities and broadcast the adventure via her YouTube channel, Web site, Facebook, and Twitter. Tonight, she will do an impromptu book signing at ladies night at the Melting Pot in Wilmington.

"I could go on about all of the amazing people who have opened their doors and homes to me," says Merritt. "Most of them are folks that I had never even met before: The college student who took me on a tour of Butte and loaned me blankets for the night, my second cousin's wife in Minnesota, a Facebook fan in Fort Wayne, Ind., the 82-year-old parking lot attendant at Oprah's studio in Chicago, my cousin's house outside of Pittsburgh, And the launch party for Over 40 Females in New York City."

Merritt's memoir picks up after the death of her parents in 2007 when she embarked on a soul-searching journey with her stepsister. After a series of unexpected events, Merritt found herself alone on her journey. While in Southern Italy, Michelle reunited with the fascinating man she met one night in Rome. Romance ensued.

"I wrote this story in the hopes that it would inspire others to overcome their own personal tragedies and learn to live again," Merritt writes in her book's press release, "and the people I've met on this trip have made every mile matter."

She will return to Tacoma at the end of May - maybe with experiences for another memoir.

One Night in Rome and the End of Life as I Knew It is available for sale online at Amazon.com and other channels and will soon be available at bookstores around the globe.

LINK: Merritt hosts a contest for a night in Rome