Archive for August 2013
Less than a month to go to the Matera Women’s Fiction Festival!
Women’s fiction writers … and female authors of romances, thrillers, mysteries, fantasy, young adult and just about any other genre out there, you have less than a month ’til the Matera Women’s Fiction Festival, so be sure to sign up. I already wrote about this year’s festival in an earlier post . There are lots of…
Read MoreGetting around on Maltese public transport
The Mediterranean island of Malta is a great holiday destination, offering visitors historic cities, like Mdina, spectacular beaches – see my post on the Blue Lagoon , and glimpses into its ancient past. On a visit to Malta, my family and I chose to base ourselves in the picturesque capital city of Valletta and to make…
Read MoreWhy I didn’t say yes – An agent’s perspective
On her excellent blog, literary agent Rachelle Gardner authored a useful post ‘Why I didn’t say yes to your submission.’ As Ms Gardner points out, most agents try to provide an explanation when they pass on a full manuscript. It’s interesting to read the reasoning from an agent’s perspective. She likens it to when you…
Read MoreReason #5367 to love Rome: Vatican stamp collecting
It’s the rare visitor to Rome who doesn’t make his or her way to the Vatican. Visiting St. Peter’s and the Vatican Museum are highlights of any visit to the Eternal City. As most visitors know, Vatican City is actually its own state, separate from Italy, with its own Head of State – the Pope.…
Read MoreSarah Waters’ ten rules for writing fiction
I enjoyed British author Sarah Waters’ World War II novel The Night Watch, and I absolutely adored her wonderfully atmospheric, Gothic novel The Little Stranger. So when I saw this Aerogramme Writers’ Studio post with the author’s useful writing advice – Sarah Waters’ ten rules for writing fiction – I had to see what this…
Read MoreVisiting seaside Termoli in Italy’s Molise region
Molise is a tiny Italian region, well off the normal tourist path. The region is squeezed between Abruzzo to the north and Puglia to the south. The region is more well-known for its interior, mountainous region, but Molise also has a short coastline on the Adriatic Sea. On a trip to Vieste, Puglia, we visited…
Read MoreYour story architecture
Going through a complete apartment renovation means I probably have architecture on the mind. But I know I should probably take my story architecture as seriously as I do my home architecture. That’s why I was so happy to see this post on the wonderful Writers in the Storm blog : Figuring out your story’s turning…
Read MoreNature’s stunning beauty at Bryce Canyon National Park
I’ve already written an overview of our (fantastic) holiday to Southwestern America last summer. I’ve been to this part of the country a few times, but it was my first-ever visit to Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah. My family and I adored our time here, and I highly recommend it to anyone headed out to…
Read MoreSummer Holiday Reading
Since I adore travel and reading in equal measure, it’s not odd that I love to combine the two. When I visit a place, I always try to have a novel set in that destination tucked away in my suitcase. Some of my most vivid impressions I’ve experienced while reading books have been for books…
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