Visiting Telluride, Colorado: Wish all public transport were like this!
Most urban planners the world over suffer the same dilemma: how to decrease car traffic and pollution. The idyllic Rocky Mountain ski resort/summer hiking resort/site of the famous film festival, Telluride, was once no exception. But some years ago, Telluride came up with an ingenious solution for connecting the town of Telluride, the major ski…
Read MoreToday’s the book launch of Catherine McNamara’s Pelt and Other Stories
I am very excited to announce today’s launch of a short story collection spanning continents, Pelt and Other Stories, by my friend, the author Catherine McNamara. I’ve already had Catherine on this blog when her novel The Divorced Lady’s Companion to Living in Italy came out. In an author interview, Catherine shared information and advice…
Read MoreAsian island hopping: Taiwan and Bali
I had a fabulous summer holiday this year. I spent three weeks in August with my young sons visiting two wonderful islands – Taiwan and Bali, Indonesia. I’ve travelled quite a bit in Asia, but this was my first visit to both countries, and I wouldn’t hesitate a moment to pack my bags and return…
Read MoreMy story, Amica del cuore, will be published in the Far Flung and Foreign anthology
Recently I got the news that my short story, Amica del cuore, will be published in the annual anthology of Writers Abroad. I wrote about the call for contributions in an earlier post. The title of this year’s anthology is Far Flung and Foreign, and contributors to this year’s anthology were asked to contribute a…
Read MoreGaeta: A Bay of Naples in miniature
About half-way between Rome and Naples, just at the edge of the Italian region of Lazio, lies the seaside city of Gaeta. Gaeta is situated in a dramatic bay, reminding visitors of a miniature Bay of Naples. The Orlando Mountain rises just behind it. An important seaport, Gaeta has a long and rich history, spanning…
Read MoreLess than a month to go to the Matera Women’s Fiction Festival!
Women’s fiction writers … and female authors of romances, thrillers, mysteries, fantasy, young adult and just about any other genre out there, you have less than a month ’til the Matera Women’s Fiction Festival, so be sure to sign up. I already wrote about this year’s festival in an earlier post . There are lots of…
Read MoreGetting around on Maltese public transport
The Mediterranean island of Malta is a great holiday destination, offering visitors historic cities, like Mdina, spectacular beaches – see my post on the Blue Lagoon , and glimpses into its ancient past. On a visit to Malta, my family and I chose to base ourselves in the picturesque capital city of Valletta and to make…
Read MoreWhy I didn’t say yes – An agent’s perspective
On her excellent blog, literary agent Rachelle Gardner authored a useful post ‘Why I didn’t say yes to your submission.’ As Ms Gardner points out, most agents try to provide an explanation when they pass on a full manuscript. It’s interesting to read the reasoning from an agent’s perspective. She likens it to when you…
Read MoreReason #5367 to love Rome: Vatican stamp collecting
It’s the rare visitor to Rome who doesn’t make his or her way to the Vatican. Visiting St. Peter’s and the Vatican Museum are highlights of any visit to the Eternal City. As most visitors know, Vatican City is actually its own state, separate from Italy, with its own Head of State – the Pope.…
Read MoreSarah Waters’ ten rules for writing fiction
I enjoyed British author Sarah Waters’ World War II novel The Night Watch, and I absolutely adored her wonderfully atmospheric, Gothic novel The Little Stranger. So when I saw this Aerogramme Writers’ Studio post with the author’s useful writing advice – Sarah Waters’ ten rules for writing fiction – I had to see what this…
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