Mountains, swans and fondue in Geneva
I’ve traveled a fair amount in Switzerland, but in the German and Italian sections, so when I went to Geneva recently for work, I looked forward to spending time in the international city of French Switzerland. The city is small enough to explore easily – even with limited time after long work days. It’s a pleasant, quiet city on…
Read MoreMy story, Stari most, has been accepted in an online journal
I just received the good news that one of my short stories, Stari most, has been accepted by Milk Sugar: A Literary Journal. I enjoy reading the stories in this online journal, so I was very pleased to learn that my story was accepted for publication in its October/November 2013 edition. Much of my inspiration…
Read MoreReason #5364 to love Rome: Centrale Montemartini Museum
Most tourists never make it to this unusual museum. It’s a little off the well-worn tourist track, in the Ostiense neighborhood , a former industrial zone of Rome. Nevertheless, Centrale Montemartini is easily reached by public transport and definitely worth a visit. This unlikely satellite of Rome’s Capitoline Museum began its life in June 1912…
Read MoreAuthors on Italy
Any of you who are familiar with my site know what an Italophile I am. That hardly makes me original. I’m simply following the lead of a long line of authors, poets, painters and composers singing Italy’s praises. If you find yourself in Rome, be sure to take a look at my earlier post on…
Read MoreFrom the ramparts of Les Baux de Provence, France
Provence is most certainly one of my (many) favorite corners of Europe. If you are visiting the region, you should try to set aside some time to visit the suggestive ruins of Les Baux de Provence. A visit to this site makes it clear why this was selected as a defensive position – visitors have…
Read MoreHaving fun with historical research and 19th century riding habits
Okay, full disclosure: I’m a history nerd. I was always fascinated in my history classes and majored in it as an undergraduate in college. I’m married to an historian and read (and get roped into translating) more than my fair share of academic books and papers. When I travel, I drive my kids insane lingering…
Read MoreNew York covered in snow
When my family and I go back to New York, it’s generally in the summertime when we all can manage longer holidays. But two years ago, we did go back during the winter and enjoyed a big blizzard that stopped the subways from running and had one of the most beautiful cities in the world covered in piles of…
Read MoreBrainstorming at the spa 2013
I’m typing this with my tears in my eyes because I’d been hoping to go myself, but March is shaping up to be more hectic than I thought and I won’t be able to get away this year. But for you lucky writers in Europe – or those of you who just need a thinly…
Read MoreSuffering from snow withdrawal
I’m just back from a fantastic week of sun, snow, and ski slopes and I find myself extremely slow to get back into the rhythms of city life and the difficult rite of catching up with dreaded e-mails and deadlines. I was out in the Italian region of Abruzzo, in a little town called Ovindoli.…
Read MoreI joined the new Women’s Fiction Writers Association
I learned about this association on a blog I follow, author Amy Nathan’s excellent Women’s fiction writers blog. Amy, author of the soon-to-be-released The Glass Wives, posts lots of great author interviews for authors writing women’s fiction. Her site is a tremendous resource for those interested in the genre. It’s through one of Amy’s posts…
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