Piranhas in the Scampi is a story that began in Sheldon Silverstein's teenage years, when his love of Italy took root after seeing the movie Sunflower, starring Sophia Loren. It culminated years later in Tuscany, when he fell head over heels in love with Elenora Monini, a modern version of Sophia. Drawn by the fantasy of being a gentleman farmer living close to Elenora, he restored a 17th century Tuscan farmhouse, an experience that left him crazed, dazed, and certifiable.