Writing inspiration in the mountains
Although I live in Rome, I love to escape when I can to the nearby mountains of Abruzzo. I have a small place in a little town up in the Apennine mountains, and I enjoy going out there to escape the chaos of Rome – to hike and mountain bike and ski. I was out…
Read MoreHighlights of medieval Albi, France
We truly enjoyed our visit to beautiful Albi last year. This medieval town, 77 kilometers northeast of Toulouse, is well worth a visit on your trip to southern France. There are two highlights to the town – the thirteenth century St. Cécile – the largest brick cathedral in the world. This imposing fortress was built to symbolize the…
Read MoreUnfinished work for #Readwomen2014. Join #Readwomen2015!
Those of you who may have followed my blog this year know what a big fan I am of #Readwomen2014. Although there are more talented women authors out there than ever, writing from every corner of the globe, it’s clear women writers aren’t getting the amount of attention they deserve. Traditional media tends to favor…
Read MoreMedieval Manhattan? The Cloisters
Living in Europe, when friends and colleagues ask me what to see on their visit to New York, I always get the odd look when I say to spend part of one day exploring ‘medieval Manhattan’. As Europeans know all too well, American history is remarkably short. But money can buy almost anything, as the…
Read MoreWhat are your 2015 writing goals?
Happy New Year! 2015 is already upon us, we’ve slept off all the food and champagne, and it seems a good time for those of us to love to write to set our writing goals/resolutions for the new year. Last year I posted my writing goals for 2014. I’ve – ahem! – somewhat achieved them.…
Read MoreReason #5378 to love Rome: “The Art of Bread” at Rome’s Panella bakery
Romans have loved their bread for the past 2000 years. The famous “Panis et circenses” (bread and circuses) poked fun at how easily the Emperors could maintain their power over the masses in Ancient Rome. Although the circuses (gladiatorial battles, pageantry and ancient circus performances) may have been replaced today – some would claim by…
Read MoreMeeting the Goodreads Challenge 2014
It’s the second year that I take part in the wonderful Goodreads Challenge. And the second year (pat myself on the back) that I met my reading challenge for the year. As a busy working mom, who loves to also carve out time for sports, cultural events, and my own writing, I often find that…
Read MoreA room with a view … of the Acropolis
Earlier this month, my family and I had an enjoyable escape to Athens, Greece. We live in Rome, and live close to the Colosseum and Ancient Roman Forum, so it’s not surprising that we wanted to be close to the Greek ruins on our visit to Athens. Because of its position high up, the Acropolis…
Read MoreInterview with Chronicles from Chateau Moines author Evelyne Holingue
I’m thrilled to have Evelyne Holingue, a talented French author living and working in California, back on my web site. Some time back, I had an author interview with Evelyne about her first YA novel, Trapped in Paris. See my post here. I’m especially pleased to invite Evelyne back to announce her new, cross-cultural YA…
Read MoreRunning at Ancient Rome’s Port Traiano
My youngest son is in a running team, and I spend an awful lot of time on weekends dragging him to races around Rome and its region of Lazio. I always enjoy cheering him and his team on, but it’s even better when I have the chance to make new discoveries. This happened recently when…
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