Our third feature in the Writers Open House includes two entertaining travel stories from travel writer and photographer, Jeremiah A. Gilbert.

You can read Jeremiah's first contribution, Rushed Ruins in Split here and the second one, Slow Boat from Macau here. 

Jeremiah A. Gilbert is an award-winning photographer and travel writer. His travels have taken him to over a hundred countries and all seven continents, while his photography has been published internationally and exhibited worldwide. He is the author of four travel books, including Can’t Get Here from There: Fifty Tales of Travel, From Tibet to Egypt: Early Travels After a Late Start, and On to Plan C: A Return to Travel, which documented his return to travel post-COVID and was the first to include his photography. His most recent, Around the World in Eighty Photos, is out now.
 
www.jeremiahgilbert.com
@jg_travels

Our second entry in the Writers Open House is a wonderful piece of memoir from accomplished author and loyal supporter of this blog, Ronald Mackay.

You can read Ronald's contribution Getting By here.

Ronald Mackay

Originally from Coupar Angus, Scotland, Ronald Mackay lived in Dundee while attending the Morgan Academy from 1947 until 1960. At that time, Dundee was known internationally as the city of the three “Js” – jute, jam and journalism.

Ronald draws significance from his own memories and occasionally from those of others who ask him to. He and his wife, Viviana, reside in Voorburg, the Netherlands. They spend much of the winter in rented accommodation in Santa Cruz de Tenerife and in the rugged municipality of Buenavista del Norte.

Ronald is author of “Fortunate Isle, a Memoir of Tenerife”, “The Kilt Behind the Curtain”, and “Windows On My Worlds: A Collection of Short Stories”.

Ronald and Viviana - Voorburg, The Netherlands

Our new feature, Writers Open House, begins with a powerful fictional story from respected author and publisher, Shane Joseph.

You can read Shane's contribution The Merchant of Death here.

Shane Joseph is a graduate of the Humber School for Writers. He is the author of eight novels and three collections of short stories. Shane’s second novel, After the Flood, a dystopian novel of hope, released in 2009, won the Write Canada Award for best novel in the futuristic/fantasy category. His short fiction and non-fiction have appeared in literary journals and anthologies all over the world. His blog at www.shanejoseph.com is widely syndicated, he has a monthly column in The Sri Lankan Anchorman journal, and is the Book Reviews Editor for Devour Art & Lit Magazine. His most recent novel, Victoria Unveiled, was released in September 2024.

Shane is the owner and publisher of Blue Denim Press (www.bluedenimpress.com), a literary press he founded in 2011. To date, the press has published over 50 titles (fiction and non-fiction) in paperback and e-book formats.  In particular, Shane loves editing to release the story from within the words.

More details on Shane’s work, blog and book reviews can be found on his website at www.shanejoseph.com.  He maintains an active presence on social media via Facebook, Instagram, Threads, Linked-In, Twitter and Goodreads. He has a growing collection of You Tube videos produced by him on literary topics.

Exciting news.
 
After a decade of inspiring writing competitions and showcases, I’m launching a brand-new feature on Fred’s Blog – Writers Open House – starting April 1st.
 
This initiative invites writers of all levels and genres to share their short stories. Unlike previous years, where we focused on memoir and some fiction, Writers Open House is open to all genres, giving even more storytellers the chance to shine. As always, entry is completely free, and selected stories will be showcased on the blog. They may also be included in a future anthology.
 
Whether you’re a seasoned author or a first-time writer, I’d love for you to be part of this exciting new chapter. Submission details can be found here.
 
Get ready to share your creativity with the world.

Great news.

The 2025 Edition of 25 Treasured Memories is now available on Amazon.
 
The Kindle version is on pre-order for release on December 1st, but the paperback is already published. Here is the link to both: mybook.to/25TM

Many thanks to everyone who contributed to the 2024 Memoir Showcase and congratulations to those included in this new book.

I look forward to publishing more of your excellent stories next year.

Although the 2024 Creative Writing Showcase is now closed, we received one last entry yesterday evening before the deadline. It is in the Fiction category and is from Liliana Amador-Marty.

You can read her contribution Red Door here.

Liliana Amador-Marty is a Colombian-American writer, dancer and teaching artist. She has been journaling nearly five decades honing her writing skills at Bates College in Lewiston, Maine where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Theater. Liliana holds a Master of Fine Arts in the Performing Arts from the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis and continued post-graduate work in Memoir Writing at The New School in New York City where she wrote her first story, In Caring for my Ficus published in 40 Inspirational True Stories, 2021 Edition by Robert Fear. While living in London, United Kingdom, Amador-Marty wrote and developed personal narratives, travel stories and poetry with an international collective of women writers, Primrose Pens. Her travel story, Blood Memory was published in Robert Fear's 2020 anthology, 40 Memorable Life Experiences and In Clearing in his 2022 Edition, 40 Life Changing Events. Liliana's personal narrative, Gypsy Curse is on Instagram @thecreativesoulcollective. Liliana Amador-Marty is working with The Inner City Ensemble, the same organization that trained her in the arts as a teen, launching a Playmaking program for teenagers at the Great Falls Youth Arts Center in Paterson, New Jersey.

Photograph by Rodney Pedroza Portraits
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With only a few hours left in the 2024 Creative Writing Showcase, it is a pleasure to feature a contribution from Sue Bavey in the Memoir category.

You can read Autumn reminiscing here.

It is an honour to be able to feature this latest contribution today from Ronald Mackay in the Memoir Showcase, written from recollections by Bernardino de Armas. Ronald wrote this at the weekend and it is very close to his heart (as you will see from his bio below). 

You can read El Desconocido here.

Bio for Ronald Mackay September 2024

When he was 18, Ronald spent a year working in banana plantations around the village of Buenavista del Norte, Tenerife. He learned Spanish and blended in with the village. Later, he wrote “Fortunate Isle, a Memoir of Tenerife” to capture the importance of that period. At the suggestion of the Alcalde, the Mayor, he rewrote his memories in Spanish as “A Tenerife con Cariño”. Both books include photos of rural life as it was in the early ‘60s.

Every year, Ronald and his wife spend time in Buenavista del Norte. Villagers share stories with him and invite him to write about them. Don Bernardino de Armas shared this one, based on a real event.

Nino and Ronald Bar Pilon September 2024
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On the penultimate day of the 2024 Creative Writing Showcase, I am pleased to welcome a newcomer to Fred's Blog, Jeremiah Gilbert, with his contribution to the Memoir Showcase.

You can read Jeremiah's story Don’t Teach While Traveling here. 

Jeremiah Gilbert is an award-winning photographer and travel writer based out of Southern California. His travels have taken him to over a hundred countries spread across six continents. His photography has been published internationally and exhibited worldwide. He is the author of three travel books, including Can’t Get Here from There: Fifty Tales of Travel and From Tibet to Egypt: Early Travels After a Late Start. His most recent, On to Plan C, documents his return to travel in a post-pandemic world and is the first to include his photography.
 
Website: https://jeremiahgilbert.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jg_travels/

As we enter the last couple of days of the 2024 Memoir Showcase, I have a real treat for you.

Award-winning author, Jackie Lambert, has contributed two fabulous stories and accompanied each of them with a wonderful selection of photos. 

You can read A Symphony of Horrors: Oravský Castle, Slovakia here and That Was So Hebden Bridge here.

Author Bio:

Jacqueline (Jackie) Lambert is an award-winning travel writer, full-time nomad, and dogmother, who loves history and curious facts.

B.C. (Before Canines) she hurtled, slid, submerged and threw herself off bits of every continent except Antarctica. Even though she was single at the time, she asked for – and was granted – 'maternity leave' to backpack around Fiji, Australia, and New Zealand.

A.D. (After Dog), with husband Mark, she gave up work to become an Adventure Caravanner. With The Fab Four, their four pups in tow, their stated aim is: To Boldly Go Where No Van Has Gone Before.

Jackie has published six light-hearted memoirs about her travels since quitting work: Fur Babies in France, Dog on the Rhine, Dogs ‘n’ Dracula, It Never Rains But It Paws, To Hel In A Hound Cart, and Pups on Piste.

Her seventh book, Building The Beast, is the first in her Wayward Truck series. It chronicles her Brexit-busting plan to convert a 24.5-tonne 6x4-wheel drive army truck into an off-grid home-on-wheels fit to drive to Mongolia. Subsequent books will follow The Beast’s adventures.

A keen off piste skier and windsurfer, Jackie is the wordsmith behind her own travel blog, and author website . She has contributed to several anthologies, and also writes guest articles and posts for various magazines and international blogs.

Connect with her via the links below:
 
Amazon:
author.to/JacquelineLambert
 
Blog:
www.WorldWideWalkies.com
 
Author Website:
www.JacquelineLambert.co.uk
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Jackie Lambert Author with Ruby in Provence
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