Get inspired with Leonardo Da Vinci

“Painting is poetry that is seen rather than felt, and poetry is painting that is felt rather than seen.” Leonardo Da Vinci was born on this day in 1452. Leonardo Da Vinci didn’t receive any formal education. He was first trained as a musician, a lyre player, and was home-schooled. He trained under the Florentine

Guest Post: Daniel D. Hickey

Leaping Into Self-Publishing By Daniel Hickey Sunday March 7th turned out to be a good day to launch my first book.  The day has sentimental value and I think this may have been less crowded than other days.  Worried sick about my cover and description, I rewrote the latter the night before and I’m still

Frida Kahlo’s Love Letters to Nickolas Muray

Yesterday was the corporate holiday that makes money on people’s tender feelings, but Nickolas Muray was born on this day in 1892. Born as Miklós Mandl, the Hungarian artist traveled to America before the outbreak of World War I with very little money and equally scarce knowledge of the English language but armed with a

My Valentine’s Gift to Romance Authors

I was still a beginner when I translated my first Katie Fforde novel into Serbian. And I remember thinking that no modern girl could be so naive, which is pretty snobby since all of us tend to be a bit ‒ a bit? ‒ unsure and go a little nuts when we are in love.

Mark Krylov’s Birthday with a Writing Challenge

When partners can’t agree Their dealings come to naught And trouble is their labor’s only fruit. Ivan Andreyevich Krylov is known as the Russian Fontaine. It is fascinating that he found the genre that suited him best at the age of forty, which confirms the old saying that it is never too late for anything.

Get Inspired with Judy Blume

Judy Blume is one of the most loved authors for some time now. Her novels sure have provoked controversy, but her works were sold in over 82 million copies worldwide and translated into 32 languages. Maybe you thought that she had some crazy luck and found a publisher as soon as she submitted like in

Author’s birthday AND release date

“A man of genius makes no mistakes. His errors are volitional and are the portals of discovery.” ‒ James Joyce How cool would it be to have your book published on your birthday? Well, that happened to James Joyce. His masterpiece, Ulysses, was first published on February 4, 1922, on the Irish author’s fortieth birthday.

Burns Night

Of course, nobody is celebrating Burns Night with a bunch of friends this year, but that doesn’t mean that we can’t give a toast to Robert Burns with a glass of whiskey ‒ a wee dram. Or eat neeps and tatties ‒ turnips and potatoes ‒ or even haggis if you are not a vegetarian.

Stendhal – Fun facts

Marie-Henri Beyle, born on January 23, 1783, is commonly known as Stendhal. But the French author used over a hundred pseudonyms: Anastasius Serpiere, Louis Alexandre Bomber, William Crocodile, Baron de Cutendre, Poverino… His authorship of some books and articles was discovered only in the twentieth century. After the publication of Rome, Naples, Florence, he used the

Get Inspired with Lord Byron

Isn’t it funny how history and literature can paint some figures with a romantic patina, making them fascinating, even though we are aware that we would probably dislike them in real life? Do you have a figure that allures you like that? Mine is Lord Byron. He seemed so enchanting when I first heard about