Ever suffered from expat loneliness? At some point, most of us go through it. This was my turn. In the most recent blog about my expat journey, A Week in Lagos, I’d reached the end of my time in Lagos and moved to Houston. You might think that after four years in Nigeria, living in the … Continue reading How to be an Unhappy Expat
Jennifer moved to Mansfield eight months ago. She fell in love with the town at first sight and is already active in the community. Read on to hear her tips for a successful transition to country life. Tell us a bit about your life before Mansfield. I lived in Montrose at the base of the … Continue reading Jennifer Harrold’s Mansfield Tree Change
JJ Campbell’s fascinating background includes jobs as diverse as hypnotherapist to video producer. Her first published novel, Reclaimed, is book one of the paranormal trilogy, The Immortal Trinity. The story of how it came about is an inspiring tale of women helping women. What did you want to be when you grew up? I was a … Continue reading How JJ Campbell Reclaimed Her Voice
Today marks a year since I posted my first blog, so it’s time to review progress. In my first year, I wrote 42 posts and nearly 30,000 words. Here are some highlights from The Winding Narrative: I celebrated a win in my writing journey when I signed with Michael Cybulski of NAC, see Five Reasons to … Continue reading The Winding Narrative Turns One
One of the joys of writing this blog is the opportunity to meet inspiring people who have fascinating real-life stories. Not only is Kirsten Alexander an accomplished novelist, but she is the instigator of Storymart, a unique short story subscription site which offers readers a source of great material and writers an paid opportunity to … Continue reading Kirsten Alexander, Novelist and Founder of Storymart
Tweets, blogs, posts, comments … social media can become overwhelming. But writers, whether they like it or not, are in the business of book sales, and few businesses can thrive without an online presence. Social media apps are more than a means to connect with friends, they’re a valuable marketing tool. I’ve heard unpublished writers … Continue reading A Beginner’s Guide to Websites and Blogs for Writers
I am thrilled to announce that I am now represented by NAC, New Authors Collective, an Australian literary agency with an international focus. When, eyes aglow, I tell non-writers that I’ve landed an agent, many of them ask when my novel is coming out. I reply that having an agent is no guarantee the book will … Continue reading Five Reasons to Sign With a Literary Agent
(Photo of dancer Ukalina, Lilian and Zara.) Continued from Malaria, Kidnapping, Jewels … The day before I moved from Lagos to Houston, Buddy came to say goodbye. There was a very real possibility I’d never see him again. It was different with our expat friends—we’d likely meet up again somewhere on the international circuit—but this felt permanent. … Continue reading A Week in Lagos
After Music & Dance on the Lagoon, Buddy and I were full of energy and couldn’t wait to design our next production. My goal was to write a showcase for dancers—singers had musicals, classical dancers had ballet, but where were the stories for ballroom/Latin dancers[1]? Buddy was insistent that we incorporate a social message over … Continue reading Malaria, Kidnapping, Jewels
This Winding Narrative interview is with my friend and collaborator, Whitney Van Nuis. A lawyer by training, she gave up her profession when she became an expat spouse. Instead, she took up painting. She is now a successful artist who specializes in pet portraits, but also does family portraits, abstracts and illustrated Sam and the … Continue reading Whitney Van Nuis, From Lawyer to Artist
Brightside Story Studio 