Be an explorer at Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado
The Mesa Verde National Park in Colorado was a great find on a family trip we took out west. I already blogged about it in this post. We (foolishly) thought to make a quick stop here while driving from Telluride, Colorado to Bryce Canyon, Utah but we wound up spending several hours and would have liked to…
Read MoreWorking art into literature
As an undergraduate in a school that didn’t have minors, I unwittingly almost triple majored in art history. I’d accumulated so many classes in it that by senior year I was just shy a couple. In the end, living in Italy, I (only half jokingly) claim it’s the most important subject I ever studied. After all, here in Italy…
Read MoreReason #5365 to love Rome: The Ludus Magnus – gladiator training grounds
When you are next visiting Rome’s Colosseum, be sure to take the time to cross the street and peer into the area known as the Ludus Magnus. Two thousand years ago, this was the largest and most prestigious of Rome’s gladiatorial training schools. The Ludus Magnus was built during the reign of Emperor Domitian (81-96…
Read MoreMore fun with historical research: Ball gowns!
And here’s where most men will stop reading… As Mr. Bennet himself put it so elegantly when his wife attempted to describe ball gowns to him in the BBC film version of Pride and Prejudice: “No lace. No lace, Mrs. Bennet, I beg you!” Chapter three of Pride and Prejudice expresses Mr. Bennet’s disdain for discussions…
Read MoreStunning frescoes in Bulgaria’s Boyana Church
On a recent trip to Bulgaria’s capital of Sofia, I set aside some time to visit the area of Boyana, on the outskirts of the city, to visit the not-to-be-missed Boyana church. Last week I wrote about the spectacular Orthodox monasteries of Kosovo, but Bulgaria’s Boyana church is another impressive example of Balkan Byzantine art that is…
Read MoreI finally joined the Twitter bandwagon
It took me a while, but I’ve finally joined over 200 million users of Twitter. I’ve been using Twitter for my work, and find it quite useful for reaching specialized audiences. Unlike Facebook – which I hate, loathe, despise, makes me break out in hives – I find Twitter to be a great way to…
Read MoreVisiting the monasteries of Pejë/ Peć in Kosovo
My family and I were on holiday in beautiful Montenegro, when we decided to take a daytrip into Kosovo – to the town of Pejë (in Albanian) / Peć (in Serbian). Of special interest to us were two spectacular Serbian Orthodox monasteries: the 14th century Dečani Monastery and the 13th century Patriarchate Monastery. Travelling in…
Read MoreAuthor interview with Crime & Passion’s Chantel Rhondeau
Chantel Rhondeau is a talented writer of romantic suspense and one of my first critters over at the on-line critique group Critique Circle. Over at Critique Circle, I’ve been the beneficiary of all of Chantel’s helpful critiques, which have done so much to help me improve my work. And I’ve also had the chance to review…
Read MoreMountains, swans, and fondue in Geneva – Part 2
In Part 1, I’ve already provided a view of Geneva, the international city of French Switzerland. Now I’d like to turn to the highlights of Geneva’s old town – medieval Geneva. Geneva’s Veille ville, rises above the lake’s shores, and, with its car-free streets, it’s a pleasnt place to stroll and enjoy old Geneva. Just…
Read MoreThe Happy Booker-Alternative Book Award
My friend and blogging buddy, author Catherine McNamara (if you haven’t seen my author interview with Catherine, take a look here), has nominated me to create a list for the Happy Booker-Alternative Book Award. I follow the Booker prize each year – here are the nominations for 2013, but I like the idea of a…
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