Books to read
-
Join us in Portugal on 18-21 May 2026 for our Travel Writing Retreat
For me, travel writing is about connection and community. It is about exploring myself as much as it is discovering new and challenging places. Stephen and I, are inviting you to a journey. This retreat is not just about improving writing skills. It is also about discovering why travel writing matters. We draw inspiration partly from 19th century English art critic John Ruskin, for whom beauty was key. Ruskin taught drawing to working men and he wanted to go beyond technique. His fundamental aim, he said, was to develop in his students a deeper appreciation of beauty. Writing works in much the same way. To describe a place well, a…
-
4 day Travel writing retreat 18-21 May 2026
My neighbour Stephen and I are both writers. During my last writing workshop in 2025, we discussed the possibility of a shared Travel Writing Retreat and created an event page on Facebook.We both live on Monte Agudo, near Tavira, in the Eastern Algarve. I live at Casa Alexandra and Stephen at Casa Anatôlio. Both venues will be used for workshop sessions during the retreat.We created the following text: Could this work as a spring treat – a four day travel writing course in the sunny Algarve? This course aims to give you the tools and the mindset to bring your ideas to life. There can be so much richness in…
-
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…
-
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…
-
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…
-
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…
-
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…
-
Writing workshops and get together sessions for writers in the Algarve
Hello writers and dabblers, I will facilitate some Discovery Writing Workshops this spring and summer at my home on a hill near Santo Estêvão, East Algarve, Tavira. We have lots of space for inspiration. The first session will be Friday, 18 April 2025, at 2:30pm. Writing with a group can often spur writers to accomplish more than when writing alone. Why I write. From seven to twenty-eight, I drank the cool aid of a cult. My family are still believers. When I left, my life was rudderless without family connections, as shunning was what they were instructed to do. I had to find my own community. As a child, education wasn’t encouraged…
-
Open Mic Night – Photos
As part of the Alvaro de Campos Festa, I helped organise an Open Mic Night in English and Portuguese on Friday 22 November. It was a fun evening of kindness, sharing, poetry and song. Big thanks to all the performers, poets and especially to Tela Leao for translation and for introducing everyone. Also gratitude to the Casa Alvaro de Campos for use of the venue. Here are a few photos:Ana Cristina, Tela Leao, Fernanda Guerra, Isabel Pereira, Jay Artale, John Williams, Malcolm Highfield, Marjorie Mallon, Mark Evans, Miguel Andrade, Nana Rebelo, Timothy Halford, Zizi. Timothy Halford would like a regular Poetry Slam in Tavira. Get in touch if you want…
-
Rob Hopkins Tour – What If?
Rob Hopkins founder of the Transition Movement is touring Portugal starting in the North and reaching Faro on the 26 October. “Transition is a movement of communities coming together to reimagine and rebuild our world.” The tour will include interactive workshops, discussions and conversations. Central to this tour is the theme of imagination, especially in times of crisis. This tour takes place as Rob Hopkins’ book is published in Portuguese. “What If: Unleashing the Power of Imagination to Create the Future We Want.” Rob says: “Given the state of the world, the message of despair is pretty convincing. Things look grim. But something about that doesn’t sit quite right with…
