What are your writing projects this summer?
I don’t know about you, but summer can often be one of my slower writing periods. Roman summers are hot, the days are long and there are lots of distractions to keep me from buckling down behind my computer. I find it an ideal time to day dream, and plot out story lines and characters…
Read MoreAdmiring Hamburg on a boat tour
Hamburg is an international port city, so no visit is complete without seeing the city from the vantage point of the water that surrounds it. When we were in this northern German city, we enjoyed going on a boat trip around the city center waterways and canals. We also traveled through locks, admired the Hafenstadt with…
Read MoreLast chance to submit for the Writers Abroad anthology
I’ve already posted about the call for submissions for expat writers or former expat writers. The Writers Abroad anthology, Kaleidoscope, is accepting works of short fiction, flash fiction and poetry. But the deadline is looming for submissions. You have until Monday, 15 June to submit your work. So writers, get polishing work you’ve already done, or…
Read MoreYes I’m leaving on a sea plane. Don’t know when I’ll be back again…
Apologies to John Denver for plagiarism. Earlier this spring we were in the gorgeous Indian Ocean islands of the Maldives. See my earlier post on our idyllic beach bungalow. All international flights arrive in the capital city of Male, then travelers make their onward journey by boat or by sea plane. Our atoll was to…
Read MoreCongratulations to Ali Smith – Bailey’s Prize 2015 winner
Congratulations to Ali Smith! Her novel How to Be Both was named as this year’s winner of the Bailey’s Prize. I’m always pleased to celebrate the Bailey’s Women’s Prize for Fiction (formerly the Orange Prize). I’ve already posted the 2015 short list on my site, and I don’t envy the judges for what must have been a…
Read MoreMonumental Skopje, Macedonia
I was in Skopje, the capital of the Former Yugolslav Republic of Macedonia last spring. I’ve already written about many things to see there, including the Kale fortress, the historic and picturesque neighborhood of Čaršija and the impressive Ottoman Bridge. But this is old Skopje. The modern city is – well, er – constructed on an…
Read MoreDoes absence make the heart grow fonder … for your own writing?
Usually when I finish work on a novel, I set it aside and work on something else. Since I also write short stories, I find this a nice way to break from my longer projects. Then, when I’ve had a little time to distance myself from my work, I return to my project and start…
Read MoreVisiting Taipei’s Longshan Temple and Herb Lane, Taiwan
I loved my visit to Taiwan, and I’ve already written about many areas of interest to see in the country, and in its capital, Taipei. Taipei also boasts beautiful Buddist temples, perhaps chief among them is the Longshan Temple. The temple was first constructed, on a much smaller scale, in 1738. Today, it is considered…
Read MoreIt’s time to sign up for the 2015 Matera Women’s Fiction Festival
Yes, it’s that time of year again. Time to think about signing up for the Matera Women’s Fiction Festival (24-27 September 2015). Early bird rates are in effect until 30 June. Take a look at the registration page here. This festival, held in the beautiful southern Italian “cave town” of Matera (see my earlier posts…
Read MoreSkyscraper Tourism: The Burj Khalifa in the Dubai
As I’ve mentioned in earlier posts, when my family and I travel, it’s rare we’ll pass up a trip to the top of a skyscraper. I’ve already written about our visits to New York’s Top of the Rock, Malaysia’s Petronas Twin Towers, and Taiwan’s Taipei 101. When we went up Taipei 101 and my sons learned the skyscraper…
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