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The SIWC Surrey International Writer’s Contest

Surrey International Short Story Contest

About the SIWC Short Story Contest This annual SIWC Short Story Contest is part of the Surrey International Writer’s Conference held annually in October of each year. Seasoned writers lead intensive workshops and master classes. I attend annually. During the Friday night Banquet, the winners of the short story contest are announced. Diana Gabaldon and […]

Amazing Author Series – Coming Soon – April 2025

  COMING APRIL 2025 Many of my friends are WRITERS – we meet anually at the Surrey International Writer’s Conference in British Columbia, Canada! I would like to highlight and introduce you to great writers and authors who in my opinion write very well. They are among the BEST.  You decide!  Please comment on these […]

Bonaire – Old World Pace

Roosters crow at almost any time of night or day, billy goats walk the streets, donkeys bray, and the dogs are howling. The dogs on Bonaire even socialize in groups like they do in Greece or Turkey. You can sit in a Hillside Apartment overlooking Klein Bonaire and see a relief on the horizon that […]

Scotland – Planning a trip in 2023

“The west coast of Scotland has many fine strands of blinding white sands and turquoise waters that could pass for Caribbean beaches if it wasn’t for the weather.” The Lonely Planet – Scotland Tweet Scotland is about the size of South Carolina, or half as big as Wisconsin, or 30,000 square miles. So, where should […]

Eating in Aruba

Aruba Faro Blanco restaurant

For a spectacular view visit the California lighthouse, at the northern tip of Aruba. It was built in 1914-1916 and named after the steamship California which wrecked nearby in 1891. The lighthouse is open to the public and you can climb to the top for panoramic views. If you want a great Italian dinner, make […]

Aruba -Why My Happy Place?

Aruba beach

Aruba’s license plates have the motto, “One happy island”. In our experience, I would say, 100% accurate. We arrived in Aruba in the early afternoon. The sun was shining, it was 84 degrees, just a few clouds in the sky and a cool (Jamie says warm) breeze blowing. Exit off the airplane, customs/passport control was […]

Top 20 Things To Do In Venice!

Venice – Venezia The only thing I knew about Venice was what you see at Las Vegas at the Venetian Hotel… a couple of bridges over a pristine canal and some romantic gondolas with gondoliers dressed in striped red or blue T-shirts. I was completed awestruck at my first look of the real, authentic Venice! […]

Wine Preservation

Which Wine Preservation System is the Best? No legs, no nose, and no body- the description of many wines! Sounds scary, right? The wine industry has been held captive by an invention 100+ years old – the good old wine bottle. It is time someone did something new in wine because you cannot trust that […]

You Want To Write A Travel Blog!

We started writing our blog in June of 2019 and it is now July. What were we thinking? For one, Claire needs a hobby! Second, we wanted to follow what we like doing – traveling! So… we started by ranking our competitors – aim high, we said. And we learned how to write a travel […]

Amalfi Coast – Italy

Italy Amalfi Coast

Our trip to the Amalfi Coast will not be long forgotten. It’s no wonder so many movies are made in Italy, the surroundings are stunning! We never had a bad meal and always had great wine to drink! We booked our stay at Medusa Hotel & Boutique Spa in Castellammare di Stabia, near Naples, Italy. […]