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.
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.