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Wrong Turns Write Life
A Family Vacation Journal
by Frank Rocco Satullo
The OhioTraveler
Life rarely goes according to plan—especially on vacation. But sometimes the wrong turns write the best stories.
Wrong Turns Write Life: A Family Vacation Journal is a laugh-out-loud collection of true travel misadventures, unforgettable detours, shocking surprises, and hilariously human moments gathered from decades of family trips across the United States and beyond.
What began as a handwritten vacation journal tucked in a glove box grew—one trip at a time—into this entertaining, lighthearted memoir of mishaps, memories, and the comedy that comes from simply trying to get away.
From missed exits that led to unexpected treasures… to storms that turned into ridiculous encounters… to bizarre moments so unbelievable they could only happen on vacation—these stories celebrate the chaos, joy, and beautiful unpredictability of the open road.
In these pages, you’ll experience:
- Funny family mishaps that become instant legends
- Unexpected detours that reveal hidden gems
- Cringe-worthy moments you’ll laugh about later
- Heartfelt reflections on the power of shared adventure
- Short, punchy stories perfect for light reading or gifting
Whether you’re a seasoned road tripper, a parent who’s survived family vacations, or someone who just loves a good laugh, you’ll recognize pieces of your own adventures—or be thankful you’ve never experienced some of these.
As author Frank Rocco Satullo writes, “If there’s one thing the road teaches, it’s that the unplanned makes for the best memories.” After more than thirty years of travel across America and Europe, Satullo pulled together his most entertaining, surprising, and downright unbelievable stories into this humorous travel memoir.
Straight from the glove box to the page, this strange, wild, and heartwarming journal reminds us that every road—right or wrong—leads to a story worth telling.
So buckle up. You’re in for a wonderfully unpredictable ride.
Also New in The Bookstore
Travel & tourism also expose us to grim stories.
These encounters discovered on the road were the inspiration of this dark novel.
A dark, honest, and unexpectedly uplifting journey into the human spirit—where suffering is real, hope is fragile, and faith hides quietly between the lines.
The Stars Behind the Clouds is a gritty, character-driven novel that explores the raw edges of human struggle. Told with emotional depth and unflinching realism, this story follows men and women—young and old—whose lives bend under the weight of grief, abuse, guilt, addiction, disability, and loss. Some survive. Some do not. And in every arc, something true is revealed.
This is a book about the shadows people carry, and the surprising ways a glimmer of grace can sometimes break through.
More than thirty years in the making, the novel began when author Frank Rocco Satullo scribbled its first chapter in an attic apartment in West Germany as a nineteen-year-old. Decades later, he found that forgotten notebook at the bottom of a tattered box and read it by flashlight with unexpected intrigue. What he discovered wasn’t just an old idea, but the spark that would guide him in finishing this tale of suffering, perseverance, and the faint stars that guide us when all other light is gone.
In these pages:
- Darkness and light collide in stories of trauma, tragedy, and internal survival
- Characters search for meaning, even when life gives them no reason to hope
- Moments of gut-wrenching sadness are met with unexpected warmth, humor, and humanity
- Quiet spiritual undertones weave through the narrative without preaching
- A few find redemption—others don’t—but all leave an imprint
The result is a soul-searching, redemptive literary fiction novel that embraces both the brutality and beauty of the human condition. It’s for readers who appreciate life’s harder truths, yet still believe in an elusive, hard-earned joy.
This is a dark journey to see the light—to discover The Stars Behind the Clouds.
It makes for a great book club book discussion in 2026
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