Hiking the Phelps Lake Loop, Grand Teton National Park
Of the many impressive hikes to explore in the picturesque Grand Teton National Park, in Wyoming, one not to be missed is the pleasant seven-mile loop around Phelps Lake. The stunning hike begins from the Laurance S. Rockefeller Presereve’s parking area. Parking spots go quickly, so be sure to arrive early in the morning. As…
Read MoreShouldn’t women authors write whatever they want?
Back in September, I was attending the Matera Women’s Fiction Festival and I was at a lecture on self-publishing by romance writers Bella Andre and Tina Folsom. The talk was informative and inspiring, and the writers shared their experiences controlling their writing careers and their passion for their writing. When the question and answer session…
Read MoreStrolling La rambla in Barcelona
If you’re visiting Barcelona, chances are you’ll be strolling down La rambla at least once during your stay. This busy, tree-lined, central thoroughway leading to the sea is filled with all day and late into the night. The name comes from the Arabic word ramla, meaning the dried-up river bed. In the 13th century, a…
Read MoreOnce written, a book no longer needs it author – Elena Ferrante
In an era of relentless social media, around the clock tweets, Facebook pages, Goodreads fans, and endless promotion required to sell books, most authors might balk at these words. And yet this sentiment of a seemingly bygone era are the words of the contemporary Italian author Elena Ferrante in a 7 November 2014 interview in Io…
Read MoreExploring HafenCity and the Hamburg Dungeon
Last week I wrote about getting a sense of what life was like for a turn of the 20th century sailor by visiting Hamburg’s Rickmer Rickmers. If you’re exploring the northern German city of Hamburg, it makes sense to also explore the ‘new’ district nearby – HafenCity. Construction on this so-called ‘city within a city’…
Read MoreHappy National Short Story Week 2014!
There’s a week each year in November when I happily become British. That’s because the UK has a great tradition called National Short Story Week. As a reader and writer of short stories, I think we should all adopt this excellent effort and make it International Short Story Week. This year’s celebration falls next week,…
Read MoreAdmire Hamburg’s Harbor from aboard the Rickmer Rickmers
On a visit to the northern German city of Hamburg, a great way to admire the Hamburg port – one of the world’s largest – is to climb aboard the 19th century sailing ship, the Rickmer Rickmers. The Rickmer Rickmers was built in Bremen, in 1896. The three-masted sailing ship is 97 meters (318 feet)…
Read MoreMy short story, Gender Equality, is now online
I’m pleased to announce that my short story, Gender Equality, has been included in the latest edition of Digital Papercut and is now available online. In my story, Francesca has left her native Naples to work in an international organization in Brussels. Recently promoted to a director position, Francesca feels the pressure of espousing progressive…
Read MoreAdmiring Skopje’s Ottoman bridge
I love Ottoman architecture in general, but I especially enjoy admiring Ottoman bridges. Maybe I’m even somewhat of an Ottoman Bridge groupie. I’ve already written about the Ottoman bridge, Stari most, in Mostar, Bosnia-Herzegovina and even wrote a short story where it plays a small role. I’ve written about the Ottoman Goat Bridge and the Princip Bridge,…
Read MoreAre you participating in NaNoWriMo 2014?
It’s that time of year again. Writers around the world are gearing up for National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo), and taking on the challenge to write 50,000-word the manuscript during the month of November. Sounds daunting, doesn’t it? But if you break it down over the 30 days, it actually means committing yourself to writing under…
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