Kreativ Blogger Award

I’m honored! I’ve been nominated for the Kreativ Blogger Award by another aspiring author, Amy, blogging over at Amy author blog. Thanks so much, Amy! I’m glad you’ve enjoyed my blog as much as I’ve been enjoying  yours. According to the rules for those nominated, I have to: Thank the blogger who nominated me for the…

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I love Paris in the springtime…

… and all the time! I was just back in Paris for a long weekend. It’s a city I’ve adored ever since I was a girl and first visited it, falling hopelessly in love with the City of Lights. Since then, I’ve been back many times – including a long-ago semester abroad living with a…

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My story won the 2012 SnoValley Writes! contest

I was very happy to receive the good news that my short story, Caves, won the 2012 SnoValley Writes! writing contest .  This week, the peer writing group located in Snoqualmie Valley, Washington held their annual writing and jazz event and I was invited to attend to read my story to participants. If I weren’t…

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On writing and procrastination…

As all writers worth their salt surely know, distraction lurks around every corner. That novel is simply begging to be finished, but everything seems to slow down its completion. It’s not just the demands of daily life, either. Many writers – myself included, I’m afraid – tend to favor the part of the writing process…

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Wish I were here now – Tremiti Islands, Puglia

I love the beautiful Tremiti islands (Isole Tremiti) that lay 22 kilometers off the Gargano peninsula of Puglia, in the Adriatic Sea. One of the (many) things I love about Italy is that its beach destinations are cultural destinations as well. The Tremiti islands are no exception – offering history, nature, sunshine and sparkling blue…

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Getting critiqued

At some stage, every aspiring writer has to take the plunge and find readers to critique his or her work. While your mom or best friend may be willing participants, they may not come back with the honest criticism that you really need. Sooner or later, it’s time to find a critique group. The idea…

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Where time stands still in Perast, Montenegro

I think that tiny Montenegro is a wonderful holiday destination. Once part of Yugoslavia, then Serbia-Montenegro, this Balkan country gained independence with a referendum in 2006.  Although the entire country is less than 14,000 square kilometers, with a  population of just over 600,000 people, its borders contain incredibly diverse landscapes:  stunning coastline and an unspoiled,…

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Where do you write?

When I read articles or interviews about famous authors, I’m always interested to read about their writing routines. It seems that many have special places where they write for a set amount of hours. Most seem to crave quiet and an absence of distraction. I envy this. When I look at my own writing habits,…

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Postcard-perfect views in Santa Margherita and Portofino

I’ve already written about the interesting port city of  Genova  and the places of interest to visit there. The nice thing about Genova is that it’s also a great base for exploring the picturesque Ligurian seaside towns, such as Santa Margherita and Portofino. On a recent trip to Genova, we took the train from Genova’s…

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