Europe or northern Africa? Mdina, Malta

The small Mediterranean island of Malta is a great holiday destination. This small island appeals to travellers seeking beautiful, sunny weather, gorgeous coastlines, crystal-clear sea and impressive historical sites and stunning Neolithic temples. Although much of Malta has been (horrendously) over-developed, and I did my very best to avoid these areas, there are many beautiful…

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Best writing advice: Finish your book!

Over at the fantastic web site, Women’s Fiction Writers , debut novelist Kim Izzo, author of The Jane Austen Marriage Manual , offers some important, simple advice to aspiring authors – Finish your book ! Kim’s advice is to get it all down from start to finish, without getting too bogged down with perfect phrasing…

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Looking for the picture-perfect beach holiday? Try Vieste

A photo doesn’t lie and Vieste, this lovely, perched seaside town located in the Gargano peninsula (the spur of the Italian boot) in the region of Puglia, honestly  is this picture-perfect. The area has ancient origins, evidenced by the 3rd century tombs and Ancient Greek vases discovered around the town. The town and the entire…

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Be inspired! In the Shadow of the Apennines

Melinda Dozier , talented romance writer and wonderful critique partner, tagged me for this Blog Hop!, hosted by Page after Page . Thanks, Melinda!! As Page after Page points out, all of our stories come from somewhere, whether it be a dream, another book, a life event, etc. And as writers, we need to be…

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More Sarajevo Highlights

Last week, I wrote a post  about many of the highlights of a visit to the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina. But there are so many must-see sites in this fascinating city that straddles East and West, that I continue my highlights this week. Revolution Museum/Historical Museum – open weekdays until 14:00. This museum is just…

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Does keeping up with social media take time from writing?

The literary agent Rachelle Gardner, whose blog is a treasure trove of useful information for aspiring writers, has an interesting post entitled My Love/Hate Relationship with Social Media. In her post, she poses a question to her readers: Is social media worth the time we spend on it? She also points to issues such as distracted…

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Sarajevo Highlights

I love destinations that seamlessly blend a mixture of different cultures and traditions, and the Balkan city of Sarajevo does exactly that. The capital of Bosnia-Herzegovina is a wonderful holiday destination, situated in between rolling hills, with dramatic mountains visible just beyond, and filled with extraordinary examples of Ottoman architecture. Sarajevo was once part of…

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Rejections can be inspiring?

Okay, so we all know an aspiring author must develop a thick skin. Critique groups dish out criticism, so do our beta readers. And on top of that, we’re probably our own worst critics. We’ve all sent out work that we’ve slaved over, but that just doesn’t wow an agent or editor and we have…

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