Chris DiCroce

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About Chris DiCroce

Chris DiCroce is an author, songwriter, and – a quitter.

He quit the rat-race, sold his Nashville home, and nearly everything he owned and moved aboard a small sailboat, in search of a simpler life. Since that time, he’s authored several Amazon bestselling books, numerous magazine pieces, and sailed to eight countries.

DiCroce’s been writing in one form or another for over 30 years. As a young songwriter and artist in Nashville, Tennessee, he wrote and produced three critically-acclaimed records. His music and introspective lyrics captured the attention of the New York Times and the industry’s top publications such as Billboard Magazine and Performing Songwriter.

He toured nationally and internationally, performing at FARM AID, for the USO, and as the support act for numerous artists including Robert Plant, Steve Forbert, and the Samples.

In 2001, a divorce and the events of September 11th forced DiCroce to reexamine everything, setting in motion a journey of reinvention that ultimately led to his leaving Nashville in 2012.

DiCroce began experimenting and writing in long-form. His pieces on travel and minimalist living have been featured in SAIL Magazine and SpinSheet Magazine, and he’s been featured on numerous podcasts including iHeart Radio’s Speaking of Travel, Boat Radio International, and the Tiny House Lifestyle Podcast.

A staunch minimalist, DiCroce quietly champions the virtues of a simpler life through speaking engagements.

He’s currently working on his next project from his favorite taqueria in Mexico where he lives part-time with his wife Melody.

To find out more, visit chrisdicroce.com.

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$6.99

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What's Up Ditch!: The Ins and Outs of Cruising the Atlantic ICW: America's Secret Highway Mar 31, 2016

by Chris DiCroce

( 62 )

$6.99

If you're thinking about doing a boat trip down the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway, whether by sailboat, powerboat, or trawler, this is a book to add to your arsenal of information.

What's Up Ditch! is a personal perspective and guide based on observations and the navigation logs of Chris DiCroce, an avid sailor who has traveled the ICW on his sailboat more than six times. He discusses how much boat you really need, how to figure out fuel usage, VHF radio protocol, tides, currents, and more. He also walks you through situations you'll encounter along the waterway, from hailing a bridge to maximizing your budget over the course of this 1000 + mile trip.

What's Up Ditch! is not your typical "waterway guide." It's not a roadmap or anchorage guide. Instead, it gives you the practical knowledge that other guides don't talk about.

The ICW is "back-alley America at six miles an hour" and can take sixteen days or sixteen weeks. It's a trip full of challenges and learning opportunities, and this book addresses a lot of what you'll need to know. From the Dismal Swamp to the Virginia Cut, the Georgia mudflats to Florida, you'll get a viewpoint you may not have read in the past. The Atlantic ICW will test your navigation skills, boat-handling skills, and your patience, but in the end, it will reward you with stunning scenery and an experience you'll not soon forget.

If you've ever thought about doing the ICW, or even if you've done some or all of it, there's something here for you. It's a no-nonsense approach with Chris' usual bad jokes and some well-placed sarcasm. Beware, you magenta line hugging boaters... there's something in there about you as well!

What's Up Ditch! will challenge you and encourage you. It will break down and dissect some of the issues that might be keeping you from doing one of the coolest trips we have right here in America.

(Special thanks to renowned sailor and author John Kretschmer for the foreword.)

This title and over 1 million more available with Kindle Unlimited.

You Gotta Go To Know: How One Couple Sold Everything to Live on a Sailboat in Pursuit of Freedom, Happiness and Adventure Jan 31, 2014

by Chris DiCroce

( 156 )

$2.99

If you've ever wanted to sell it all, buy a boat, and sail away, this is a book you'll want to read. Join Chris and Mel on their journey through the decisions, challenges, and triumphs of embracing a minimalist lifestyle to move onto a sailboat full-time.

Tired of the status quo and needing a change, Chris and Melody (along with their dog Jet) quit their jobs and sold their Nashville home and nearly everything they owned to buy a 35-foot sailboat, live aboard, and cruise into the sunset in search of adventure.

Once on board, they discovered that their greatest triumphs often came from their greatest challenges. Champagne wishes and caviar dreams soon fell prey to their bologna sandwich and Miller High Life budget. Boat breakdowns, tropical storms, and over-extended bank accounts brought them face to face with the reality that things don't always go as planned. But sometimes... that's the best plan.

This is the story of a leap of faith -- from making the decision, finding the right boat, downsizing, and finally telling friends, family, and bosses. Light-hearted, humorous, and occasionally sad, this short memoir will draw you in you with its unique look at life on a sailboat and the emotions that come with it. Chris and Melody's story will inspire you to go after your dreams and follow a path less traveled, whether it be on a sailboat, a van, RV, or any other vehicle for travel and adventure.

"Every minute you spend wishing you did something is a minute you spend not doing it."

What Readers Are Saying

★★★★★ "I loved this book. What I liked best was the reassurance that the long-term liveaboard lifestyle can be done without millions of dollars in the bank. If you've got the itch, then this book is for you."

★★★★★ "This is about more than just sailing; it's about finding the thing that makes your heart beat. It's about knowing that when you reach the end of this thing we call life, there won't be as many "what if's" as there will be "I am so glad we did's.""

★★★★★ "Chris writes likes he is sitting across the table from you. You believe all he says because he sounds like a long time friend. And he writes from years of hands on experience. Absolutely delightful."

★★★★★ "I wish this book had been available when I was contemplating whether or not to live my own dream. I might have 'lifted anchor' much earlier than I did."

★★★★★ "I expected this book about moving onto a sailboat to be inspiring, and it definitely was, but it was also a surprisingly funny, page-turning read from start to finish. I picked it up one night on a whim, and ended up reading it cover to cover in one sitting."

★★★★★ "My wife and I have dreamt of living on our boat for years but never figured out how to do it. Chris explained it perfected in this boat, "just untie your lines." Thank you so much for sharing your experience with the rest of the dreamers. I am sure you provided motivation to many to go."

This title and over 1 million more available with Kindle Unlimited.

The Quiet Goings On: A Collection of Short Stories and Poems Jun 16, 2020

by Chris DiCroce

( 18 )

$9.99

I’ve read pieces in the New Yorker that weren’t nearly as compelling. (Fred Grimm, Miami Herald / Sun Sentinel)

The Quiet Goings On is a collection of original short stories and poems about life, grown from the dirt of hardship and pain with slivers of triumph and humor...for those who don't mind a little digging.

Whether it’s an unexpected rescue in the Mexican desert, the son who comes to terms with his irreverent father, or the massage therapist who has to reconcile with herself, one thing remains constant – DiCroce’s characters simply refuse to give up.

Instead, the characters experience transformative epiphanies both great and small; existing within the restraints of loneliness, acceptance, guilt, contemplation, and hope.

Join the growing number of readers who are raving about the work of master storyteller Chris DiCroce. Click the BUY button and get your copy of this collection of poignant short stories and poems about truth, love, and life now.

What Readers Are Saying

★★★★★ “Some fine work. I’ve read pieces in the New Yorker that weren’t nearly as compelling. Quarantine and the poem Rivers give The Quiet Goings On a real and, I’m afraid, lasting topicality. Damn, these characters – so real and so representative of these disaffected times. I could hardly remember if they were DiCroce’s inventions or real people I’d met in some Mexican taqueria, fishermen’s bar, or on a Philadelphia street corner... DiCroce describes, with a poetic clarity beyond the reach of us journalists, this very moment in a melancholy time. In a sense, DiCroce (a noted songwriter and author) has given us one of his finest albums. Except with The Quiet Goings On, the music is all in the words.”
(Fred Grimm, Miami Herald / Sun Sentinel)

★★★★★ “… it touched me and I will be a bit haunted by it for a while.”

★★★★★ “So well written that I could not run away.”

★★★★★ “The human experience beautifully captured... Wow... this book blew me away. I laughed out loud... I shed a few tears. I wanted more, while recognizing that the gift I had received was exactly enough. The Quiet Goings On captured a depth and a breadth of emotion, and of the human experience. ” -Abi

★★★★★ “Thoughtful stories and poems about people in transition, sometimes of their own initiative and sometimes not. DiCroce's characters are imbued with sadness but still with the will to go on.” -BajaGringa

★★★★★ “Perhaps the most relavent, and intriguing literary work of the year. The stunning poetry is as thought provoking as it is beautiful. Chris DiCroce is absolutely one of the best writers I have read.” -Vivian

★★★★★ “Such a wonderful book. The poems especially are so poignant for 2020.” -Whitney

★★★★★ “I’m always impressed when authors can get inside the head of a cast of really diverse characters and convince me all of them are real. The people in these short stories were all over the map (and sometimes weren’t even people), but I believed in every one of them. Great storytelling and authentic dialogue.

Other Formats: Paperback

This title and over 1 million more available with Kindle Unlimited.

Burning Man Jun 1, 2017

by Chris DiCroce

( 42 )

$3.99

A heartbreakingly funny adventure about love, friendship, and loyalty.

One week ago, Nashville music legend Dash Nelson was on the way down. His music, iconic. Revered. He's got one more record in him and it just might be his best one yet. On the morning after the record release party for Heavy Clutch, Dash is roused from a scotch-induced slumber with the news that his long-time manager and best friend, Paul West, was found dead.

Dash abandons his family, friends, and his record to keep a promise he made to Westie many years ago. A promise that he’s certain will land him in prison. When Westie's body goes missing from the morgue, rumors circulate. A mysterious offshore transfer brings the FBI to Nashville, but Dash is nowhere to be found.

After a cross-country road trip and a sacred burial ceremony that pushes Dash to the limits of his own sanity, he ends up in a tiny Western Caribbean island to fulfill one final wish for Westie. An unexpected turn of events leaves him fighting for his life aboard a sailboat with Westie’s biggest secret.

From Dash and Westie’s aeonic friendship comes BURNING MAN, a simmering novel that twists in the grasp of DiCroce’s unique storytelling. If you're a fan of Carl Hiassen, Tom Robbins, or Tom McGuane, you're certain to love this novel.

Readers can also download a FREE BONUS SOUNDTRACK which includes a handpicked selection of original songs from the author's own critically-acclaimed albums, some of which are featured throughout the story.

Join the growing number of readers who have added this book to their collection. Get your copy of this fun, heartwarming, edge-of-your-seat adventure now!

What Readers Are Saying...

★★★★★ “Chris DiCroce has penned a story which ranges from side-splitting humor to edge-of-the-seat intensity. The characters are believable, their dialog natural and witty, and the increasingly amazing and unexpected situations they find themselves in are made all the more memorable by the author’s keen ability to earn the reader’s trust. Throughout the narrative, he uses brilliant metaphors to paint vivid images in the reader’s mind.”

★★★★★ “Chris' imagination takes you from the recording studio's of Nashville to desert winding up on an Island and then into the sea. I was impressed by the flow of the story line and the empathy I was able to feel for the main character Dash and his small circle of closest friends. ”

★★★★★ “The way Chris DiCroce uses imagery allows the reader to seemingly watch a movie of this fast building plot while reading. I just could see every detail. While fictional, it seemed so real! Lastly, the overall theme of the integrity of keeping one's word to a friend finishes this off as one of the best reads ever. Every music fan out there would enjoy this book!”

★★★★★ “Very fun read! A tale of an "undying" friendship and a behind-the-scenes peek at the Nashville music scene--all written with wit and wry humor.”

Other Formats: Paperback

This title and over 1 million more available with Kindle Unlimited.

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