Posts by Kimberly Sullivan
My story ‘Holiday Bliss’ is now online
I announced a while back that my short story, Holiday Bliss, was selected for the upcoming edition of the WriteFrance anthology. The publication will be released later this month, but prior to its launch, the WriteFrance site has made the pdf file of the publication temporarily available online. If you’re interested in reading Holiday Bliss,…
Read MoreThe Blue Lagoon, Malta
Looking for a great place to while away a lazy afternoon swimming in clear Mediterranean waters? My Europe travel tip this week is to look no further than the stunning Blue Lagoon, just off the island of Malta. This is truly a splendid place to enjoy a day of sea and sun. The transparent turquoise…
Read More30 harshest author-on-author insults
As every author knows, learning to get critiqued and getting used to reading bad reviews is all part of the job description. Developing a thick skin (and a good sense of humor) is probably one of the best things a writer can do for himself or herself. I do believe writers can benefit from constructive…
Read MoreVienna’s Palmenhaus
Right in Vienna’s Burggarten, just between the Opera house and the Hofburg, is the stunning art deco Palmenhaus, a 19th century imperial greenhouse, which is now an ideal place to sit and relax while sipping a coffee or a glass of wine. Vienna’s Palmenhaus was originally built in 1822 as a greenhouse for the Hofburg…
Read MoreDon’t eavesdrop! Unless you’re a writer
Eavesdropping is rude, or at least that’s what your mom always told you. And it’s good advice… except when it isn’t. For a writer, overheard snatches of conversation can provide a wealth of material. They can spark a story idea, just when you need inspiration. They can provide insight into the thought patterns of people…
Read MoreThe Intrepid – Visit New York’s aircraft carrier
New York City is home when we’re back in the States, and there’s certainly never a shortage of things to do. One a recent trip back to New York, we made a visit to the USS Intrepid, an aircraft carrier-museum docked permanently in New York’s Hudson River. The USS Intrepid had a long career spanning…
Read MoreThe beauty of well-crafted sentences
Thanks to Claire, over at the fantastic Word by Word site for pointing out this New York Times article I had missed, “My Life’s Sentences” by the American author Jhumpa Lahiri. I haven’t yet read Jhumpa Lahiri’s novel, The Namesake, which Claire reviews over on Word by Word , but I have read Ms Lahiri’s…
Read MoreReason #5358 to love Rome: Coffee with a view
What’s better than taking a short break from all your sightseeing on your trip to Rome? How about a little table in the sun where you can rest your legs, sip a cappuccino and enjoy the view. What if the view’s like this? Truthfully, the café is a little farther up the path, but you…
Read MoreWhat’s wrong with being an aspiring author?
Recently I’ve seen some blogs criticizing people who choose to call themselves aspiring authors. The argument goes that since you’re writing, you’re already a writer and it somehow brings shame to the profession to describe yourself as anything but an ‘unmodified’ author. Luckily, there’s always room for debate on every issue. Personally, I find no…
Read MorePlague art in Vienna
The plague devastated Europe between the 14th and early 18th centuries. It’s estimated that anywhere between a third to over half of Europe’s population died from what was called ‘the Black Death’. Despite the shocking death toll, the plague did lead to positive advances in science, health and urban planning and also left behind stunning…
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