The novel
Deliver or Die
A Project Management Mystery Novel. A thriller/mystery with an educational background in project management. Currently available in Italian.
Why a novel
Manuals started: all of them. Finished: none.
In my life I have bought dozens of “technical” manuals. Started: all of them. Read from beginning to end: none. Concepts that stuck with me in the long run: a couple.
Having trained many (digital & creative) project managers over the years, more than a few asked me to put some of my story and knowledge down on paper. But I felt the need to find a new way.
Why a novel? Because I believe stories are the best way to pass on knowledge and experience. Why a thriller/mystery? Because it’s the kind of literature I love most.
I wanted to tell a story made of stories: elements inspired by reality and fiction, challenges, puzzles, twists and a few touches of humour. With one goal: to bring people closer to project management in an original, engaging way — and perhaps make others fall in love with creative problem solving.
For whom
A book for anyone who manages time, budgets and goals.
i.
Project managers, by trade or in training
An immersion in the world of project management, where every twist reveals new insights into the challenges and key strategies of the profession. A learning experience disguised as a literary adventure.
ii.
Students of management and organisation
A different way to explore the principles of project management through an intriguing mystery plot, and to consolidate theory with a practical perspective.
iii.
The curious about communication
A journey behind the scenes of agencies, where project management becomes the art of bringing creativity, resources and goals together.
iv.
In a word: everyone
Because all of us, at work and in life, manage time, budgets and goals every day. A reflection of real life, where method helps master the chaos.
The plot, in 1000 characters
Plan Island, a paradise island in the Pacific, designed by a multinational as a refuge for digital nomads. Eight women, different but united by the “Primal Mystery” Writing Club, meet for the evening presentation of their stories, each born from a theme secretly assigned by Mr. G.
Stories of eccentric millionaires, unexpected serial killers, creative brotherhoods, fatal advertising campaigns, deadly escape rooms, dystopian cities and team building with murder. The tension is palpable, and not only because of the nerves of presenting one’s work. What is going on?
The “secret subject” they received is just one: write a story that teaches (digital & creative) project management. Because each of them is a black belt in project management, selected for an elite team. Training is over, and an epic adventure awaits them, on the trail of Archia, Antikythera and H.L. Gantt. But that’s another story.
Preview
Read a few pages of Deliver or Die.
A first taste of the novel (in Italian), to browse at your leisure. Warning: it’s addictive.
Extra content for readers
Already have your copy?
To explore the themes woven into the stories, I created a private website for readers, with extra content and resources on people, management and project economics.
Buy
Choose your format and start the adventure.
Available in Italian, in print (colour or black and white) and as an ebook.
The author
A few words about me.
I’m a digital professional who started her career when the internet was still in its infancy: from Database Administrator to Marketing Manager, by way of developer, Tech Leader, Project Manager and Head of Project Management. I worked for 22 years with major agencies, managing innovative projects for national and international brands and helping to train many project managers.
In five words: I fix messes, creatively.
Journalist, blogger or bookshop? Cover, images and bio are in the press kit.