Sicilian carts turn up in the most unexpected places. This one is in the castle in Milazzo. They are a work of art. The sides and base depict scenes from Sicilian folklore and history in bright reds and yellows, the colours of the Sicilian flag. Apparently they were first crafted in the late 1700s when … Continue reading
No, not the Inspector! Montalbano Elicona: Secret gardens, ancient streets, old doors and the megalithic stones of Argimusco near Montalbano, now ranked among Italy’s most beautiful Borgos. Montalbano has a role in my next book which is set in Sicily, a family saga which takes place on the streets of another Sicilian Borgo – the … Continue reading
In honour of the centenary of the Armenian genocide, the Guardian has published true stories of some genocide descendants. You can read more in Water Will Find its Way, inspired by the true story of an Armenian genocide survivor.
Some kids from FAVELA Chapéu Mangueira once stole my friend’s camera on nearby COPACABANA beach. Now the favela is one of the 50 out of 1000 favelas to have been “pacified” in time for the World Cup by Special Unit Police … For “pacified”, read: brutal deaths, eviction and abuse of power… The World Cup … Continue reading
“She lived a life as a teacher, activist, artist and human being. She was a warrior for equality, tolerance and peace…” Her son, Guy B. Jonson Her autobiography I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings brought her international recognition and infused the genre with new energy. It was an indictment of the racial discrimination she … Continue reading
“A thousand years of solitude and sadness after the death of the greatest Colombian of all time” – Juan Manuel Santos, president of Colombia. Called “Castro’s courtesan” by Peruvian writer Mario Vargas Llosa, and “one of the greatest writers of our time” by Enrique Pena Nieto, president of Mexico – the writer’s adopted home – … Continue reading
Consideration of my tendency to portray strong women characters brought me to see what other women are saying about the life of women today. What I discovered was not always heartening. Take, for example, Laura Bates’ blog, Everyday Sexism, where the statistics she researched show how few women occupy ministerial or judiciary positions, while reports … Continue reading
One of the most frequent reactions to my first novel, Water Will Find its Way, is that it is an inherently feminist story. Although I explore the mother-daughter bond in extreme situations where the female protagonists show extraordinary courage and determination to survive despite the odds, I didn’t set out to write a feminist novel. … Continue reading
Check out this review by Booklover Book Reviews of Water Will Find its Way. I guess if it ever gets mainstream published I’ll have to change the cover 😉
“You will hear thunder and remember me,and think: she wanted storms…” ― Anna Akhmatova What an amazing woman. Poet Anna Akhmatova (1889-1966), having lived through war, revolution and Stalinist terror, had storms aplenty. Condemned by Russian totalitarianism, desired by fellow writers and admired by other great Russian figures of the time, from Pasternak to Mandelstam, Marina Tsvetaeva … Continue reading
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Bronagh Slevin 
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