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Your neighbour – Seu Vizinho-Celebrating Creativity and Connection – Open Mic Night
Update: Many of you may have heard Tela Leão who co-ordinated the Alvaro de Campos Birthday Party each year in Tavira and supported me in organising the English side of the Open Mic Night passed away last Saturday 8 November. I visited Tela on Wednesday 5 November and she was pleased the Open Mic night was still coming together with local artists performing and reading. We will pay tribute to Tela at the event with words and music. The event starts at 18:00 at Casa Alvaro de Campos on Thursday 20 November 2025. More information – written before Tela passed.Every year, as the nights darken and the air cools in…
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Next Writing Workshop Thursday 4 September 10:00am – Join us
Portuguese Somersault, published in 1934, is a travel story in the vagabond style by two eccentric Brits, Jan and Cora Gordon. I have been thinking about the September workshop and the stories we write, and this book came to mind. The book sits in the Portugal section of a bookshelf in my home. It is old with a fading red cover and bound. I must have picked it up at a car boot sale about 20 years ago. The married couple wrote an intriguing preface that conveys their voice. They were both artists and musicians. I have photographed the preface to illustrate several considerations we may choose to incorporate into our…
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Blue Eyes and the Secret – A Novella
Coming soon on Kindle Blue Eyes and the Secret. A novella – Venture into the heart of the Algarve with Blue Eyes, a Balinese-spirited feral cat, as she uncovers ancient secrets and fights to protect her home on Monte Agudo. In a land where olive groves meet modern orange farms and water is scarce, Blue Eyes speaks with plant devas and heeds the whispers of the earth. When a devastating threat emerges in the form of disappearing trees, poisoned lands, and a foretold prophecy of end times, Blue Eyes must embark on a transformative journey. Guided by the wisdom of Ceres of Old and aided by a motley crew of animal…
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Writing Workshops begin again in September
Over the last 12 weeks, I’ve enjoyed hosting six writing workshops at my home in Santo Estêvão, near Tavira. The sessions attracted writers from across the Eastern Algarve. Some of us will be away from home for the very hot months of July and August, so, we decided to start again on a Thursday morning in September, and thereafter, we will meet once a month. The format will be similar, as we usually agree on a topic and write about a specific aspect of the chosen theme. As the group has built some trust, we’ll prepare beforehand so that the time can be used for sharing our work, reflections, and…
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The Story Arc Workshop Friday 27 June – 10:00am
Hello writers,Thanks for coming to the last five writing sessions, during which we have examined different genres, form, and structure. We will meet again to write on Friday, 27 June, at 10:00 a.m. (Note the time change.) This is the last writing session of six planned workshops. After this session, the group has agreed to meet once a month. Contact me for more information and directions to Casa Alexandra, near Santo Estevão. sue@suehall.net The topic on the 27th is Story Arcs. We will look at practical examples, such as Barbara Kingsolver’s Poisonwood Bible, which has a strong and impactful story arc. You are invited to consider your writing, create a…
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Developing dialogue and character
Join me for the fourth of six writing workshops. This session focuses on developing dialogue and character. Are you passionate about storytelling or memoir and eager to learn and improve your craft? We will consider ways to create compelling dialogue to reveal inner worlds. Dialogue is valuable in character development because it helps us identify mood, inner conflict, and more. In this session, we’ll explore: How to write dialogue that feels natural. Introduce body language and setting to add depth. Uncover the subtext of what characters are expressing beyond their words. Build atmosphere and mood through dialogue and description. Explore distinctive voices and emotional intensity to deepen the layers of…
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Writing for change – Workshop Friday 30 May 2:30
Are you inspired by stories that can shift perspectives or spark action? Do you have a cause or idea that fuels your passion? This workshop is your chance to explore how storytelling and narrative can become powerful tools for change. This workshop the fourth of six writing sessions will be on Friday, May 30 at my house in Santo Estevão, near Tavira. Why does writing for change matter?Because stories connect us and they bridge divides, challenge societal norms, and highlight injustices. Our words can inspire understanding, provoke thought, and even influence policy change. One example is Braiding Sweetgrass Robin Wall Kimmerer’s book. She weaves indigenous wisdom with scientific knowledge, using…
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Come to Tavira’s community garden party: open to the entire community
The association Ecotopia Activa is inviting local people to a party in the community vegetable gardens in Tavira on 24 May 2025 between 9:30 am and 7:30 pm. There will be music, workshops, a competition and activities to promote healthy eating. The event “Há Festa na Horta!” – from the garden to the plate for a healthy life!, is part of the municipal program Equinócios, promoted by the Municipality of Tavira. The initiative will take place in the Amendoeira Community Garden, in the Posto Agrário de Tavira, and entry is free. “This event is a unique celebration,” says the association, and an opportunity for the entire community to visit the community…
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Writing workshop Friday 16 May – Memoir and Ancestral stories
The third Discovery Writing Workshop will be at 2:30 p.m. on Friday, 16 May 2025, at my home on a hill near Santo Estêvão, Tavira. In the first workshop, we examined origin stories and worked on prompts. We also learned about each other’s writing practices and built some trust. The second workshop considered Magical Realism, Fantasy, and Fabulism. In this week’s genre, we will consider how memoir can take many forms and reflect ancestral connections and cultural differences. Through poems, stories, cultural narratives and research, we will uncover how memories and moments in time may bridge different worlds of experience. A memoir is not about being fair to everyone and…
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Earth Day – Tuesday 22 April 2025
Earth Day.org, the global organiser of Earth Day, observed annually on 22 April, has set the theme for 2025 as – Our Power, Our Planet™. 2025 marks the 55th anniversary of EARTH DAY. To honour this milestone, they have invited one billion supporters in 192 countries to unite behind renewable energy to triple the global generation of clean electricity by 2030. To mark Earth Day, here are a couple of examples of local actions. There are many more that could be acknowledged, so please mention what you are doing or any you know about in the comments. We have 30 solar panels and have been generating solar energy on a…
