London’s calling … all lovers of short stories
There are many reasons to visit the cosmopolitan city of London. But for lovers of short stories, 18-21 June 2015 is an ideal time to make it there, since these are the dates for the London Short Story Festival. There will be lots of the big names in short stories attending, speaking about their craft…
Read MoreAdmiring the Pura Taman Ayun temple in Bali, Indonesia
The beautiful Indonesian island of Bali is filled with picturesque Hindu temples. Locals have a joke that there are at least 1-2 temples per resident. Pura means temple, and the Pura Taman Ayun means the Temple of the Vast Garden, and is well worth a visit if you’re in nearby Ubud or Denpasar. Figures from…
Read MoreCore Attraction: Can an anti-nuclear activist and a nuclear power exec find true love?
I’ve never been an appreciative romance novel reader. Probably one of my problems with the genre is that the hurdles in place for the romantic couple always seem so flimsy, and I lose patience with the supposedly insurmountable obstacles dragged out painfully throughout an entire novel, with few other plot points of interest to grab my…
Read MoreA day in the sun at Lake Martignano, Italy
Lago di Martignano, Lake Martignano, is a small, volcanic lake reaching depths of 58 meters. This small lake is just beside the larger, and more well known Lake Bracciano. Within the region of Lazio, Lake Martignano makes an easy day trip from Rome. The lake was known to the Ancient Romans, although it was believed to…
Read MoreBest websites for writers
Writer’s Digest came out with their annual list of the best web sites for writers. Many of my favorites made the list. Others I didn’t know of, but will have to explore. Here are some of the sites I enjoy that made this year’s list, and hope other writers will find useful: Nathan Bransford :…
Read MoreJust another day in paradise. Missing my Maldives beach bungalow
Can you blame me? When I think back to our one week on a beautiful Indian Ocean island in the Maldives earlier this month, I can’t help but wish for just another day in Paradise. Usually I’m an active traveler, I love exploring a new destination and leaving no proverbial stone unturned. But in the…
Read MoreBailey’s Prize shortlist for 2015
The Bailey’s Women’s Prize for Fiction shortlist is out. I love following the Bailey’s Prize (formerly the Orange prize). There has been some criticism that there is no longer any need for a separate prize for female authors, but if the final list of last year’s Booker prize (see my earlier post) is anything to go…
Read MoreExploring the gold and spice souks in the Dubai
There’s not much of an ‘historic center’ in the über-modern city of the Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates. Still, there are a few winding streets that date back to the city’s days as a sleepy fishing village not so very long ago. So on your visit, when you tire of shopping malls and high-end boutiques,…
Read MoreSubmissions open soon to expat writers for Writers Abroad anthology 2015
Expat and former expat writers – mark your calendars. The Writers Abroad group, after a year’s hiatus, is opening up for submissions in May from writers who are currently living outside of their country of origin, or have lived abroad as expats in the past. Submissions are free, and authors can submit one from the…
Read MoreThe Adriatic seaside town of Trani, in Puglia
On a drive from Rome to Bari to catch a ferry, my family and I managed to make good time (never a given on Italian highways during the holiday periods), so we decided to stop off to explore the Adriatic seaside town of Trani. This charming port city, with its long history, is well worth a…
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