Archive for January 2014
What are literary agents’ querying pet peeves?
The excellent Writers in the Storm blog posted recently on Query letter pet peeves – Agents speak. Listen up, writers. It’s hard enough to get an agent today. You at least want to do your best to avoid sending your masterpiece out into the world and having it summarily ignored because you’ve inadvertently angered your…
Read MoreGaudí’s spectacular Casa Batlló, Barcelona
I’ve already written a post about Antonin Gaudí’s first major commission in Barcelona, Spain – the Palau Güell. The Catalan architect’s work are on prominent display all around Barcelona – and one that should not be missed is the whimsical Casa Batlló. This home, also known locally as the Casa dels ossos (House of Bones) for its bone-like shapes,…
Read MoreDo you take the Goodreads Reading Challenge?
I’m probably just a sucker for competition, but last year I signed up for the 2013 Goodreads Reading Challenge, and this year I’m back for more. I’ve always been a bookworm anyway, but it’s kind of neat to catalogue your books for the year, to look back at the covers of the books you read,…
Read MoreStep back to the Middle Ages in Toulouse’s Musée de Augustins
I had a great time exploring the pretty southwestern French city of Toulouse with my family at the end of November. I already posted about the great, outdoor Christmas market we enjoyed. I’ve also posted about the day trip we made to Albi, to see the impressive Toulouse-Lautrec Museum. Another highlight to our visit was…
Read MoreWhen life gets in the way of writing…
Just two weeks ago, I was a good girl, getting out my writing resolutions for the new year. But here’s the thing – writing takes time. Lots of it. Yes, we all know that, and those of us who love to write make every effort to squeeze in writing time into our busy schedules. And…
Read MoreReason #5371 to love Rome: Emperor Augustus
‘Marmoream relinquo, quam latericiam accepi’ – I found Rome a city of bricks and left it a city of marble. Okay, you may not love Emperor Augustus already (thought by many to be Ancient Rome’s greatest emperor), but you’re bound to enjoy the exhibition organized at Rome’s Scuderie del Quirinale to mark the 2000th anniversary of…
Read MoreBeautiful writing and imagery in the film ‘Io sono Li’
A good book can often keep me up long past my bedtime, but I must admit that it’s extremely rare that television has the same effect on me. Still, recently I began watching a film late one night on Italian television, and simply couldn’t tear myself away. It was a simple film, with minimal action…
Read MoreReason #5370 to love Rome: The Appia antica
Even after years of living in Rome, I’m often struck by how truly beautiful it is. My son plays tennis at a club just off the Ancient Roman road, the Appia antica – the Appian way. When I see him play, I can also take a walk along these beautiful, ancient cobblestones lined with cypresses…
Read MoreHappy 2014! And those writing resolutions?
Best wishes for a Very Happy New Year to everyone! The new year is always the time to reflect on what we’d like to achieve in the coming year. And, writers, if you’re masochists like me, it’s a good time to start considering your writing goals for the next year. The ball has dropped, the…
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