‘Tis the season for books!

It’s come around once again … the holiday season, also known as the perfect time in which to purchase books! It’s also a good time for me to check out books I might not have known otherwise. I’ve already selected historical books for my husband, business and economics books for my older son, and everything…

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Egyptian splendor … in Madrid

I’ve been a few times to Madrid, but when I was back for a visit last weekend, I was surprised to learn that Spain’s capital boasts an impressive Ancient Egyptian monument. This can be found at the Parque de la montaña, close to the Royal Palace. It is called the Temple of Debod and it…

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I met my 2018 Goodreads Reading Challenge

A public pat on the back. I finally met a deadline over a month in advance of the due date. Of course, it helps that the deadline was self-imposed, and entirely pleasurable. If only they were all like that … Each year I do the Goodreads Reading Challenge, and 2018 was no exception. I set…

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Prohibition-era beer in Utica, New York

On a trip out to western New York last summer, we were staying near then small city of Utica, New York. I’d never been to Utica before, but I knew its Saranac beer (and soft drinks). We saw there was a tour of the Matt Beer Brewery Company and decided to join in on the…

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A new award for African literary voices

Exciting news that the French literary award, the Prix Orange du Livre, will be celebrating its tenth year by launching a new award aimed at African authors. You can see more in this article (in French). For this first year of the award, editors must submit works that were published between 1 January 2017 and…

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My (kinda, sorta) Rocky moment … in Guayaquil

Well, this Rocky moment certainly didn’t occur in a bout of heavyweight boxing. But I did feel like a (rather distant) cousin of Rocky Balboa each morning in Guayaquil when I went jogging up the steps to the lighthouse to enjoy the views over Ecuador’s largest city. Do you remember the original movie’s opening scene…

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Second week of the NaNo writing marathon underway

I wouldn’t usually label myself as a Couch Potato, but when it comes to assessing my level of writing commitment during the crazed marathon month of November, I suppose it would be pretty apt. As NaNoers diligently tear through 50,000 words of their first draft of their novels, I’m enthusiastically waving them on. Tucked under…

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Are you NaNoing?

It’s that time of year again – when all you crazy writing marathoners take up the challenge to write a fifty-thousand word novel in just 30 days as part of the National Novel Writing Month challenge. Then there are the people like me, who stand on the side lines and cheer you on as you…

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