Eat Wienerschnitzl at Vienna’s Figlmüller
Vienna has to be one of Europe’s best walking cities – and thank goodness for that, since it allows visitors to work up an appetite before sampling the city’s mouth-watering specialties. For me, no visit to Vienna is complete without eating Wienerschnitzl – breaded veal cutlet- at Figlmüller. Figlmüller has been serving up Wienerschnitzl in…
Read MoreLaunch of Foreign Encounters e-book
I already announced the launch of the Foreign Encounters anthology, where I was pleased to have one of my stories – Missed Connections – included. This week, the e-book version of the anthology was launched – on Valentine’s Day. I’ve enjoyed reading the contributions, both stories and essays, that are set all over the world,…
Read MoreThe blue doors of Sidi Bou Saïd, Tunisia
On a trip to Tunisia just before the Arab Spring that swept the region, we took the 20 kilometer train trip north from Tunisia’s fascinating capital of Tunis, to the lovely seaside town of Sidi Bou Saïd. I’ve already written about my penchant for destinations with exotic-sounding names, and this one definitely fit the bill.…
Read MoreStart those revisions with Critique Circle
I’ve already written about my wonderful, face-to-face writing group that I have here in Rome. I look forward to those meetings every two weeks and enjoy the company of a talented group of American writers in Rome. But I tend to write a lot and need a way to keep myself on-track with revisions. As…
Read MoreParadise in the Indian Ocean: The Seychelles
Okay, full disclosure: this is not a recent trip. I was in these tropical islands seven long years ago for a February get-away. But since it’s February once again and it’s awfully cold and dark when I get up and out in the mornings, I decided to relive distant memories by posting about a long-ago…
Read MoreWhy writers should love Downton Abbey
Well, perhaps in all honesty, I should entitle this post: Why this writer loves Downton Abbey. Still, I see it’s become something of a trend recently. The Writer this month features the British period miniseries Downton Abbey on its cover, entitled “True to the Period” and the excellent Nathan Bransford blog had a recent post…
Read MoreReason #5363 to love Rome: Santa Prassede church
There are so many beautiful churches in Rome, that first-time visitors are often left exhausted and overwhelmed by all they have seen. Still, once you’ve seen the most famous, it’s worth the effort to visit some of the spectacular but less-frequented churches around the Eternal City. One exceptional church tucked away on a side street,…
Read MoreHow do you find a literary agent?
Literary agent Rachelle Gardner recently posted on a topic near and dear to the hearts of many aspiring writers. Since I am just beginning the querying game, I have an eagle eye for advice such as this. Take a look at her excellent advice on how to find a literary agents. Plot spoiler: apparently there is…
Read MoreThe ruins of Stari Bar, Montenegro
If you arrive by ferry to Montenegro, you’ll most likely be arriving in the port city of Bar. Although Bar itself is not worthy of exploration, the old town – Stari Bar – is just 5 kilometers from the port and it is a wonderful place to visit. The picturesque ruins are located on a…
Read MoreMy story, Bitter Harvest, won a UK writing contest
Back in November, I wrote a post about National Short Story Week. In that post, I included links to markets for short stories and contests. I also decided to enter one of the contests myself. I’m a real sucker for writing prompts and this one intrigued me. The UK region of Hartlepool decided to sponsor…
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