Dinosaur BBQ, New York City
Okay, so Manhattan barbeque joints probably aren’t the first thing to spring to mind for most visitors to New York. But whenever we’re back in New York, my kids insist that we go back to eat at Dinosaur Bar-b-que, a popular Harlem restaurant and Columbia University hangout. Sometimes we eat there, and sometimes we get takeout…
Read MoreImportant lessons from first-time novelists
The excellent Writers’ Digest web site posted this interesting article on lessons learned by first-time novelists. Five novelists share their experiences along the pathway to publication – discussing their writing lives before their first novel, their submission processes, their experiences with writers conferences, balancing writing and work/family commitments, and what they’d wished they’d known before…
Read MoreShopping in Les Halles market, Toulouse
One of the (many) pleasures of traveling in France is wandering the stalls at the local markets. I’ve already written about some of my favorite markets in France – in the stunning mountain town of Annecy and the Cours Saleya market of the Riviera coastal city of Nice. If you’re travelling in France, always make time…
Read MoreFirst person narrative isn’t serious?
Nathan Bransford, of the fabulous Nathan Bransford blog – a treasure trove for writers – weighs in on the first person narrative in the post Wait. A first person narrative isn’t serious? Bransford received numerous comments for an earlier post weighing in on types of narrators, and was surprised by readers’ comments that writing professors,…
Read MoreBali Hotels you’ll love…
Okay, it’s a cold February day out there, and this is post is a blatant attempt on my side to revisit memories of tropical warmth just a few degrees from the Equator. If I close my eyes, I can feel it working already. Still, if any of you are headed to Bali, Indonesia, or starting…
Read MoreWhat 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…
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