Posts by Kimberly Sullivan
A spring day in seaside Sperlonga, Italy
During the Easter weekend, my kids and I had a perfect day in the beautiful beach town of Sperlonga, Italy. I’ve already written about this pretty little beach town on teh Tirrenian Sea, half-way between Rome and Naples. See my earlier post about the resort town once the favorite of Emperors. But my day-long escape…
Read MoreLet beach reading season 2016 officially begin…
Over the Easter weekend, I spent a great day in the Italian beach town of Sperlonga. The March day was spectacular, and my children and I had a fabulous time wandering the beach town we’ve visited many times before. We also had fun walking along the wide beach – always beautiful, but even better without the…
Read MoreThermal Tuscany – San Filippo ai bagni
Tuscany, Italy, is a pretty nice travel destination. Every time I go to the Tuscan countryside, I find myself fantasizing about moving to some old, Tuscan farmhouse and spending my time in that peaceful, rolling landscape. My son goes to a running camp in the Tuscan region south of Siena, and I’ve already written about…
Read MoreWriting advice from Jane Smiley
“Writing is only one word at a time.” -Jane Smiley Is there any better advice for a writer? And even better coming from the talented novelist Jane Smiley. As writers know all too well, there are no shortcuts. It’s all about sitting yourself down in a chair and pounding out the words. Some days they’ll…
Read MorePrague’s Old Town Square clock
Every hour on the hour in Prague’s historical center, Town Hall’s historic, astronomical clock chimes the hour as the crowds below watch. The astronomical clock, on Prague’s Old Town Square (Staromětske naměsti) stands at the base of the 14th century Town Hall. The clock itself was constructed in 1410, making it the third oldest astronomical…
Read MoreLosing the childhood writer in us
“All children ‘write.’ I suppose the real question is why do so many people give it up.” Margaret Atwood How true is this observation? And even better coming from the multi-talented author Margaret Atwood. For what child doesn’t enjoy writing and storytelling? Yet how many give up that passion as they grow older and develop…
Read MoreGoats grazing in the trees? Morocco
Strangely for a city girl, I spend a fair amount of time surrounded by goats. I’m often out in Italy’s Abruzzo region, which once was widely known as a region with more goats than people. And way back in the days of yore, becoming a shepherd was among the most popular career choices for local…
Read MoreWhat’s your writing inspiration?
I love reading author interviews and speaking to other writers about what inspires them. I think there are as many different thoughts on writing inspiration as there are writing styles. For me, I find my writing inspiration tends to cluster around a few areas: Travel – always. I’m an unrecovered traveloholic, and will remain…
Read MoreVienna’s plague column
I’ve already written about Plague art in Vienna in an earlier post, concentrating on the impressive Plague column and the monumental Karlskirche. Both of these monuments were erected to commemorate Vienna’s emergence from tragic outbreaks of the Plague, and both are well-known landmarks of modern-day Vienna. The Plague, otherwise known as Bubonic Plague or ‘Black Death’…
Read MoreMourning the loss of your characters?
“After I write a novel or a story, I miss the characters—I feel sort of bereaved.” Marilynne Robinson I love this quote from the author Marilynne Robinson, perhaps best known for her novel Gilead. And for those of us who love writing – or reading – isn’t it too true? Think about reading a book…
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