Enjoying sunrises and sunsets on Albania’s coast
I was just in the Albanian coastal city of Durres, Albania for work. To be fair, there’s not that much to see in this city that served briefly (from 1913 to 1920) as the Albanian capital following Albanian independence. Unfortunately, the modern city seems to have forsaken any pretense of urban planning. It’s been built, quite…
Read MoreLooking for romance, medieval battles, and time travelling adventure all rolled into one? Read Tales of a Traveller.
How exciting for me to have talented British writer N.J. Layouni on my site today talking about her debut novel, Tales of a Traveller: Hemlock. Book One, released on 28 April 2014. I met Nicola virtually when she became a critique partner while we were both writing time travel novels. I loved the early version…
Read MoreAn idyllic urban retreat in Hamburg’s Planten un Blomen Park
On a recent trip to the city of Hamburg, a vibrant port city in northern Germany, we were lucky to be staying near the beautiful Planten un Blomen park (‘Plants and Flowers’ in the local dialect). The 47-hectare park is a lovely green heart in a bustling city. Hamburg weather in the sprintime is-understandably-iffy at…
Read MoreLike romance? Read Melinda Dozier’s short story collection
I’ve been lucky enough to announce two of Melinda Dozier’s romance novels on my site. Melinda is a talented (and prolific) romance writer, and a great critique partner. Melinda’s been a guest on my site before, with interesting author interviews when she released Time Changes Everything and Breaking The Rules. In these interviews, in addition to…
Read MoreEat at the Three Little Pigs’ house of straw in Kolašin, Montenegro
Well, okay. It’s not really the lazy little pig’s house of straw, but that’s what I told my four-year-old when we stopped to eat here while travelling in Montenegro. And it’s certainly a dead ringer for the version you see in illustrated children’s stories. The restaurant, Savardak, is located less than 3 km from the…
Read MoreIt’s beach reading season!
Where I live in central Italy, the 1 May holiday tends to kick off the season for beach-going. Yes, it’s great to go to feel the soft sand beneath your feet, to breathe the clean, sea air and to feel the repetitive ebb and flow of the waves, but really, the beach is primarily a…
Read MoreSkyscraper Tourism: Petronas Twin Towers, Malaysia
I’ve already posted about my love of skyscrapers. When I’m in a city with a great observation deck, I like to get up there early to enjoy views over the city and to get a bearing on the city’s geography from up on high. I’ve already posted about things to see in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia’s…
Read MoreSelf-publishing vs traditional publishing
I think most authors today are following this debate closely. Each year, I attend the Matera Women’s Fiction Festival, and follow the discussion on this topic with authors who have been on both sides. Over at the fabulous Nathan Bransford blog, ‘hybrid’ author (meaning she has published both traditionally and self-published) Natalie Whipple provides some interesting…
Read MoreSee the world’s biggest medieval brick cathedral – in Albi, France
Ever see National Lampoon’s Vacation, where Chevy Chase’s character enthusiastically drives his family hundreds of miles out of their way on their cross-country vacation to see the world’s second largest ball of twine? I felt a kindred spirit when I was bumping along on a bus with my family – the milk-delivery bus, apparently, since…
Read MoreThe chicken and egg debate in writing
I was think of the old expression ‘What came first the chicken, or the egg?’ as I was reading W. Somerset Maugham’s foreword to his fabulous The Painted Veil. Maugham claims he always started his novels and short stories from a character, and the setting and story would naturally fall into place. In his foreword,…
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