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Writing Truth: Lessons from Morocco

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Last year I had the opportunity to visit Morocco, a country I've had an inexplicable yearning to see for as long as I can remember. It didn't disappoint. Traveling from Casablanca to the capital city of Rabat, experiencing the Old Medina, the kasbahs, the cuisine and the sheer beauty of the place, was a sensory overload, but in a good way. I came away full. But there was one thing that was disappointing (although not surprising). Just as I've witnessed in Italy and so many other countries, there was a certain element of tourists that simply couldn't find it in themselves to show any respect for the host country and its culture. Because, of course. As I continue work on my first novel, those experiences come to mind. In developing characters, whether endearing or insufferable, of course I aim for authenticity. But, I also don't want to disrespect or offend readers (especially those who, if my characters are indeed authentic, may see their own insufferable ways in the...
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Timeless, Ageless Writing Lessons

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       The following is an article I wrote for the expat publication Dispatches Europe back in 2022, when I first moved to Italy. A new acquaintance who is considering relocating to Italy recently commented on some of my old articles, and she said she found this one interesting. She is an artist, and shared similar views about inspiration. After she mentioned it, I went back and re-read the article. I found something interesting. Some of the same lessons I was learning back then, I'm still learning. Different context, new applications, but still learning. The article mentions advice from a few writing greats, and I find that with each new project, those lessons are brand new. I guess the upshot, for writers, artists or in any discipline, is to be lifelong learners. We never actually arrive, but we press on--we grow, we improve, we expand our horizons, continually. We learn. An Expat Writer in Italy      Italy inspires me. Most writers have particular s...
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A Fresh Perspective Equals Fresh Writing

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I’ve always believed that placing ourselves in new surroundings can provide inspiration to enhance our writing. Particularly when traveling to different countries, hearing the language, trying the cuisine, taking in the architecture, the culture—anything that is new and different—will jumpstart our sensory perception. This has been my experience, and it’s partly the reason I love to travel. Not that it necessarily makes my writing better, mind you. But a fresh perspective leads to fresh ideas. Or maybe just a fresh approach to an idea I’ve been trying to articulate. A couple of years ago, this penchant for experiencing new places led me to spend fourteen months circumnavigating the globe on a world cruise. The journey took me to 47 countries on six continents. While I can’t say every one of those countries provided that writing inspiration, each one was an eye-opener, even those I’d been to before. Going into any such experience with curiosity on the top shelf of the old toolbox (rathe...
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A Surprise in the Yucatan

     This spring I found myself stranded in Mexico. I know--all sorts of connotations there. But this was one of those "can't make this stuff up" experiences, one that actually resulted in good things once I focused on finding them. This blog is one of those results, and hopefully also one of those good things.     I live in Italy, in a town called Sesto Fiorentino, a suburb of Florence. I retired here nearly five years ago. Each year I like to spend a couple of months in the Western Hemisphere, usually Central America, where I can conveniently visit family in the States or have them take a vacation to visit me. This year I almost didn't make the trip. I'd only recently returned from a 14-month world cruise circumnavigating the globe, and I was still getting settled back into Italia. But I still wanted to see family, too.     Costa Rica has been my go-to, but this year someone suggested Merida, Yucatan. I decided to try it. I  wasn't sorry, becaus...
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