Fred's Blog

LOVE FOUND A WAY by Tina Wagner Mattern

19/9/2021

Our latest contribution in the 2021 Authors Showcase is the first this year from Tina Wagner Mattern, a long-time supporter of this blog and its writing features.

This is a wonderful heart-warming story and I am so grateful to Tina for sharing it with us. I am sure you will be as touched by LOVE FOUND A WAY as I have been. You can read it by clicking here.

Tina Wagner Mattern

I have been blessed to be the personal recipient of many miracles throughout my life and am grateful beyond words for each of them. But now, being allowed to witness and play a small part in the miracle I’m about to share with you, I feel I am honored beyond measure.

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Can Love Trump Adventure for a Nomad? by Liesbet Collaert

17/9/2021

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As this year's showcase enters its last two weeks, the contributions are flooding in.

Today, it is a privilege to feature a life-changing event from Liesbet Collaert. It is an extract from her travel memoir Plunge – One Woman’s Pursuit of a Life Less Ordinary.

Enjoy reading Can Love Trump Adventure for a Nomad? by clicking here.

Liesbet Collaert is a bilingual freelance writer, translator, editor, and photographer from Belgium who has been writing and traveling her entire life. Her work is published internationally in anthologies and magazines, including Cruising World, Blue Water Sailing, Ocean Navigator, Eldridge Tide and Pilot Book, Islands, Yachting World, Sailing Today, All At Sea, Caribbean Compass, and Zeilen. She also created walking tours for Marigot and Philipsburg in St. Martin.

The author has been interviewed about her alternative lifestyle by Multihull Sailor, Modern Day Nomads, Ocean Navigator, The Wayward Home, The Professional Hobo, and Grey Globetrotters among others. She contributed to extensive cruising surveys for All At Sea and Caribbean Compass and became an assistant-editor for Caribbean Compass in January 2019.

Liesbet loves animals, nature, and the promise of adventure. A nomad since 2003, she calls herself a world citizen and currently lives “on the road” in North America with her husband and rescue dog. Find her stories and photos at www.itsirie.com and www.roamingabout.com. Plunge is her first book.

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My Harem…. by Susan Mellsopp

16/9/2021

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Our latest contribution in the 2021 Authors Showcase is another fascinating story from Susan Mellsopp, her third entry this year.

I am sure you will enjoy Susan's story of how technology has changed her life. You can read My Harem…. by clicking here.

Susan Mellsopp is happily retired and lives in Hamilton New Zealand with her new guide dog Maya, a cream and gold Labrador. She also has her retired guide dog, a golden retriever named Jay. Much of her life has been spent as a dairy farmer, and also working as a librarian, archivist and accessible transport researcher. She runs a writers group and is constantly being challenged to write in genres other than travel and memoir. Susan has published two school histories, written for an alumni magazine, and writes for a national magazine which is published monthly. She is a voracious reader, loves to travel, listen to classical music, cook, spend time with friends and use modern technology.

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Promotion to General! by Ronald Mackay

15/9/2021

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With only two weeks left in the 2021 Authors Showcase, it is a real pleasure to feature the sixth story this year from our our most supportive contributor, Ronald Mackay.

You can enjoy Ronald's latest story Promotion to General! by clicking here.

If you enjoy Ronald's short stories, you should check out his memoirs: Fortunate Isle: A Memoir of Tenerife and The Kilt Behind the Curtain: A Scotsman in Ceausescu’s Romania. They are both fantastic reads. You can find the links on Ronald's Amazon Author page:
US: Amazon.com: Ronald Mackay: Books, Biography, Blog, Audiobooks, Kindle
UK: Amazon.co.uk: Ronald Mackay: Books, Biography, Blogs, Audiobooks, Kindle

Ronald Mackay

Ronald and Viviana returned from a decade of farming in Argentina and Chile and resettled among the forests, farms, hills and lakes of Ontario, Canada. Viviana designed the house for the tiny cottage lot they owned on Rice Lake, and Ronald shouldered the role of general contractor for the construction. Undaunted, they undertook the unskilled jobs that did not demand qualified tradesmen. Content, they have enjoyed “Homebank” for a decade. Nevertheless, they have one major undertaking ahead of them. In 2022, when Ronald turns 80, they plan to move to Elzendreef in The Netherlands, Viviana’s spiritual home, to be close to family and grandchildren.

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PERU—Steps in Life by Shirley Read-Jahn

12/9/2021

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The pace is certainly picking up as we near the end of this year's Authors Showcase, which finishes on September 30th.

Today's contribution is a wonderful piece from another first-timer to our writing features, Shirley Read-Jahn. If you have ever dreamt of visiting Machu Picchu, like I have, then you will love her evocative story.

Read and enjoy Shirley's life-changing event PERU—Steps in Life by clicking here.

Shirley Read-Jahn was born during World War II and educated in England before becoming a hippy and living in an ancient Roman burial tomb in Matala, Crete. She went on to take up many different colourful careers, including swimwear model, interpreter, landscape gardener, paralegal and events organiser. She also co-founded the highly successful San Francisco Jazz Festival as well as running her own landscape business in the United States.

Shirley has belly-danced since her thirties, still plays table-tennis, and now lives in Australia. In retirement, she has finally found time to devote to her passion for writing the books swirling around in her head.

Facebook: www.facebook.com/srjpublications/
Amazon.com/author/shirleyread-jahn
Website: shirleyreadjahn.com

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A Street Dog Named Blade by Jackie Lambert

10/9/2021

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I have a real treat for you today from a newcomer to our 2021 Authors Showcase, well-known travel blogger and author, Jackie Lambert.

Jackie has provided her life-changing story in both written and photographic formats. So, you can enjoy her contribution twice!

To read her story A Street Dog Named Blade and enjoy the bonus of her collection of photos, just click here.

Author Bio:

Hi, I’m Jacqueline (Jackie) Lambert, a dedicated doggie travel blogger and author.

BC (Before Canines) I rafted, rock-climbed and backpacked around six of the seven continents. A passionate windsurfer and skier, I can fly a plane, have been bitten by a lion and appeared on Japanese TV as a fire-eater.

AD (After Dog) I quit work in 2016 to hit the road permanently with my husband and four pooches. Initially, we were Adventure Caravanners, who aimed To Boldly Go Where No Van Has Gone Before.

Now, we’re at large in a self-converted six-wheel army lorry, with Mongolia in our sights.

I have published four books about how we went from wage slaves to living the dream. Fur Babies In France, Dog on the Rhine, Dogs ‘n’ Dracula and Pups on Piste all fall within one of my favourite genres; light-hearted travel memoirs. My forthcoming books will chronicle our tour of Poland in a pandemic and our new life as Trucking Idiots.

‘A Street Dog Named Blade’ is a new piece of writing based on a story from my third book, Dogs ‘n’ Dracula: A Road Trip Through Romania.

Check me out and follow me on the links below:

Amazon:
author.to/JacquelineLambert

Blog:
www.WorldWideWalkies.com

Facebook:
www.facebook.com/JacquelineLambertAuthor

Author Jackie Lambert and Kai

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The desert of riches by Valerie Poore

3/9/2021

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It is a real honour to be able to feature this second story in the 2021 Authors Showcase from one of my favourite authors, Valerie Poore.

I am sure you will enjoy Val's latest contribution The desert of riches as much as I have. You can read it by clicking here.

Don't forget that this year's showcase finishes at the end of this month. You can find out more about the entry guidelines here.

Valerie Poore

Val is an English language teacher by day and a writer during her free time. Born in the UK, she spent 20 years in South Africa and has since spent another 20 living on a historic barge in the Netherlands, a lifestyle she adores despite the hard work it involves.

These diverse worlds have given her some wonderful experiences, and she enjoys sharing her stories in her books and on her blog, which she started in 2006.

To date, Val has written nine memoirs and two novels, but she also writes barge-related articles for the women’s sailing magazine, Sistership.

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Travelling in Switzerland was a Scream by Carolyn Muir Helfenstein

30/8/2021

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As the fifth month of our 2021 Authors Showcase draws to a close, it is a real pleasure to feature this third contribution from Carolyn Muir Helfenstein.

Enjoy reading her story Travelling in Switzerland was a Scream by clicking here.

Carolyn Muir Helfenstein

1955 At the age of 17 Carolyn Muir began her teaching career in a one-room rural school, near Toronto. Attending Toronto Teachers’ College to complete her certification followed. She received the highest academic standing award that year.

After a period of teaching and marriage to British-born Harold Helfenstein, they fulfilled a dream to farm. And they had three children. Many of Carolyn’s short stories come from that era.

1986 The opportunity to buy the local newspaper arrived in the mail; her answer — Why not? CBC-TV learned of the farmers who bought a newspaper. Well-known entertainer Wayne Rothstad and CBC-TV crew spent three days filming the scenes and the interviews and the Teeswater News went prime-time in “Out Your Way.”

Carolyn was elected to the Board of the Ontario Community Newspaper Association; and eventually sat as president.

1991 The News produced an Extra that helped in savings a seniors’ home from being relocated. The community revolted. Another 1st prize provincial win.

1993 After reading of the government’s decision to close institutions for adults unable to live independently, Carolyn wrote Belonging. Her readers began to understand all they wanted was to belong and local communities made that happen. Belonging won 1stprize, provincial competition.

2008 Carolyn’s memoir Why Not? was published, filled with stories about running the Teeswater News. Her readers say they can follow the experiences, the laughter and the tears, as they read.

2010 Carolyn knew she wanted to regain her connections with Newfoundland where she was born. She learned that Waterloo University’s three-year Independent Studies Program would help her research. But she was 73… She graduated with a Bachelor of Independent Studies in 2013. Both Rock Solid and Why Not? are now in the Newfoundland Folklore Archives of Memorial University, NFLD. And Carolyn has regained her Newfoundland identity.

For more info— Google: Carolyn Muir Helfenstein -Spirit of the Hills

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A Chance Encounter by Jennifer Rae

20/8/2021

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The latest contribution to the 2021 Authors Showcase is from another newcomer to our writing features, Jennifer Rae. A warm welcome to Fred's Blog Jennifer.

You can read Jennifer's life-changing story A Chance Encounter by clicking here.

Jennifer Rae was born in Scotland but has lived most of her life working and living elsewhere, in Europe and England, where she taught and lectured in Art and Design for many years.

Although her training is in the visual arts, she has always put pen to paper to record observations about the characters she has worked with or come across while travelling. These scribblings have very often supplemented portraiture and caricature work in clay modelling and drawing.

Now that she is supposed to be retired, she has decided to write about the many people, places and incidents that loom large in her memory.

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HOW BEATING CANCER MADE ME A NOVELIST by Chris Calder

15/8/2021

3 Comments

It is always fantastic to welcome newcomers to the writing features here on Fred's Blog. That is especially true of Chris Calder, who has contributed an inspirational life-changing experience to the 2021 Authors Showcase.

In Chris's introductory e-mail he explained, "If you are fortunate to live long enough, you could have had a hatful of life-changing experiences. Now in my dotage, (my ninth decade!) that is certainly the case for me."

So, a huge thank you to Chris Calder for sharing his story HOW BEATING CANCER MADE ME A NOVELIST. You can read it by clicking here.

Chris Calder was born and educated in India during the so-called British Raj period. A long time ago.

Following a lifetime making a living by exploiting his two engineering patents, Chris retired with his long-suffering wife to live in France. Now, after ten happy years there, he is back in England.

He came late to writing novels, penning his first whilst incarcerated in a French hospital after cancer surgery. At the time he spoke little French. Unable to communicate effectively with the staff, he spent his time fleshing out his first novel. Four more have followed; light thrillers leavened with humour.

Chris knows that readers of fiction expect to be diverted and entertained. He loves feedback and believes passionately that taking on board readers’ views improves what he does.

Now in his cheerful dotage, he is no longer retired; he says that he has simply changed professions.

You can find him at: https//www.chriscalder.com.

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