Welcome to the Blog!
In these pages, you’ll find more about my travels to Italy, Spain, and England for my books, as well as other travel tales from around the world. Plus you’ll uncover more about my daily drama as not only a self-published author, but also as a TV writer for ET Canada. Plus find articles about other minor matters in the world of movies and television.
Golden Globe Envy
Watching the recent Golden Globe Awards, I couldn't help but feel a little bit jealous. And it had nothing to do with all the rabid attention and all the fawning praise and all the shiny golden trophies. But after hearing actor after actor - Hugh Jackman, Jennifer...
Top 10 Disturbing Things About “It’s a Wonderful Life”
(* This post was written years ago as a tipsy, knee-jerk reaction after several festive eggnogs on a cold winter's night. This is not a deep-dive into 1940's Hollywood... Happy Holidays!) I can guarantee you that I cry at least twice a year. And when I mean "cry," I...
Small Announcements and the Best E-mail of the Week
The beginning of December is always an awkward time of the year for me. It gets so dark so early in the evening that soon I'll be heading home without the sun and waking up without it too. Then there's the whole Christmas hustle and bustle. "Are you ready for...
The Best Story My Mother Ever Told Me
Breaking from my Monday tradition, I have decided to post one day early... for Remembrance Day. Now I could go on and on about why it's important to pay tribute to our Canadian armed forces with proper dignity and respect. But instead, I'll just re-tell a favourite...
A Day in the Life (of a Writer)
The lasting image of a male writer is that of a socially awkward man sitting at his desk with stacks of books crowding his space and rings of cigarette smoke swirling above his head. Well, I don't smoke, so there goes that theory. It's true that many nights do seem...
The Ten Categories of Readers You’ll Find at a Book Festival
Sunday began early for me - like three-thirty in the morning early when the DJ/bartender/drug dealer who lives below my condo decided to throw another one of his impromptu, late night parties. He’s very astute at throwing shindigs on nights when I need to get up...
Top Ten Things I Learned in Italy and France
For the past few weeks, I've detailed some of the dramatic 2012 changes in Rome, Siena, and Amalfi since my book research trip back in 2005. Then last week, I listed my "Top Ten Things That Never Change in Italy and France." So today, I'm venturing on the other side...
Top Ten Things That Never Change in Italy and France
So I'm comfortably back from my "Bullets, Butterflies, and Italy Book Reunion Tour." For the past few weeks, I've detailed some of the dramatic 2012 changes in Rome, Siena, and Amalfi since my book research trip back in 2005 - including the closed Supperclub in Rome,...
Back in Amalfi
For the past couple of weeks, it's become quite apparent how you just can't go back again. The Rome and Siena of 2012 just can't quite compare with the Rome and Siena of 2005 when "Bullets, Butterflies, and Italy" takes place. As I've already mentioned, Rome's...