The Renaissance Villa d’Este in Tivoli
This small city to the west of Rome, once an important stop on the “Grand Tour” of Europe, is today a bedroom community of Rome, yet it still maintains its distinct character. It makes a wonderful daytrip from Rome, either by car or with frequent trains leaving from Rome’s Tiburtina train station. If you are…
Read MoreBuilding up a writing resumé
Suddenly, I’m feeling like a teenager again. Alas, not physically, but mentally. At least when it comes to building up a writing resumé. Remember back when you applied to colleges and you had to fill out a whole application explaining why you were such an outstanding 18–year-old and why the college should select you over thousands…
Read MoreNairobi National Park and Elephant Orphanage
On a business trip to Nairobi, I had the luck to have a Sunday free. Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough time to fly to one of Kenya’s spectacular game parks, but it did provide enough time to see all the big game, all within the city limits. The 117-square- kilometer Nairobi National Park is mere kilometers…
Read MoreA sense of place
Maybe it’s all the fault of my travel addiction, but a sense of place is so important to me as an author. Also as a reader. As I wrote in a previous post, Context reading , when I travel, I make an effort to take along novels set in my destination. It helps the destination…
Read MoreThe “dying city” of Civita di Bagnoregio
The beautiful medieval town of Civita di Bagnoregio, about 100 km north of Rome – within the province of Lazio and just along the border with neighboring Umbria- is known as la città che muore (the dying city). Dying is, unfortunately, just what Civita di Bagnoregio is doing. The city, originally founded by the Etruscans,…
Read MoreKreativ Blogger Award
I’m honored! I’ve been nominated for the Kreativ Blogger Award by another aspiring author, Amy, blogging over at Amy author blog. Thanks so much, Amy! I’m glad you’ve enjoyed my blog as much as I’ve been enjoying yours. According to the rules for those nominated, I have to: Thank the blogger who nominated me for the…
Read MoreI love Paris in the springtime…
… and all the time! I was just back in Paris for a long weekend. It’s a city I’ve adored ever since I was a girl and first visited it, falling hopelessly in love with the City of Lights. Since then, I’ve been back many times – including a long-ago semester abroad living with a…
Read MoreMy story won the 2012 SnoValley Writes! contest
I was very happy to receive the good news that my short story, Caves, won the 2012 SnoValley Writes! writing contest . This week, the peer writing group located in Snoqualmie Valley, Washington held their annual writing and jazz event and I was invited to attend to read my story to participants. If I weren’t…
Read MoreReason #5,356 to love Rome – The Palatine Hill in springtime
I have lived in Rome for – gulp – thirteen years, yet I still never tire of walking around and exploring my adopted city. Rome is a big, outdoor museum that has something spectacular to offer visitors – and Romans –seemingly around every corner. I live near the Palatine Hill and I walk by it…
Read MoreOn writing and procrastination…
As all writers worth their salt surely know, distraction lurks around every corner. That novel is simply begging to be finished, but everything seems to slow down its completion. It’s not just the demands of daily life, either. Many writers – myself included, I’m afraid – tend to favor the part of the writing process…
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