Stories

Scotland's Storyteller in Song: Archie Fisher

by Kerry Dexter /
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Apr 18, 2016 / 0 comments

Music from contemporary songwriters, from traditional sources, from his own composing: this is what you will find on Archie Fisher's recording A Silent Song. That is a mix he has been stirring across his career. Now in his mid seventies, Fisher finds that music still draws him on. "It has only occurred to me relatively recently that the incentive to keep doing it is hearing that new song," he says.

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#StudyAbroadBecause it forever changes the way you see yourself

 

Stormy Sweitzer is a consultant, everyday explorer, and co-author, with her husband/collaborator Will Swanepoel, of the YA environmental spy thriller The Drowning Shark: A Sierra Rouge Adventure (read our author interview here!). You can discover more of Stormy's writing at StormySweitzer.com.

WASP of the Ferry Command: Women Pilots, Uncommon Deeds

by wandering freditor / Apr 01, 2016 / 0 comments

I am a great admirer of the author Robert Caro, the pre-eminent authority on Lyndon Johnson, for his command of detail and the thoroughness of his research. In my view, Sarah Byrn Rickman is drawn from the same gene pool, for her definitive work on the WASP during WWII, entitled WASP of the Ferry Command: Women Pilots, Uncommon Deeds.

Where are you from?

by Brianna Krueger /
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Mar 11, 2016 / 0 comments

“Where are you from?” is one of the most common questions when you met someone new. Where someone is from can tell you a lot about them... whether they can drive in the snow, whether they use ‘you guys’ or ‘y’all’, whether they grew up in a concrete jungle or sprawled suburban wasteland or water-front wonderland, whether they’re familiar with the area or not, and so on. 

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Want to be a travel writer? Read this: Travel Writing 2.0

Whether you're a travel writer and want to up your game, or are interested in learning about becoming a travel writer, I've got the resource for you. Tim Leffel, of Perceptive Travel and Travel Writing 2.0 (read my interview here!), has updated his classic guide to travel writing and brings with it an awareness of this new media landscape we live and work in.

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Creating a Mindful Life in a Distracted World: The Moment

Do you feel exhausted and stressed from the constant tending of social media, working harder, and trying to catch up? Join the club. But it’s a club we’d not choose, but somehow it is the way we live our lives today. And if you’re not happy, I recently read a book that addresses these issues, beautifully. Achim Nowak, an international authority on presence and interpersonal connection, has penned a new book, entitled The Moment: a Practical Guide to Creating a Mindful Life in a Distracted World.

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The Drowning Shark: An International Adventure

Rowling, Riordan, and Sweitzer & Swanepoel – authors who GET adventure writing for young adults. Know the first two, but not the last? That’s about to change, with the new Sierra Rouge adventure series by Stormy Sweitzer & Will Swanepoel. The first in the series is entitled The Drowning Shark, and, like all the books in the series, focuses on social change, compassion for the world around us, and adventure. 

Crocodile Love: Unusual People Who Made Remarkable Trips

by Dr. Jessie Voigts /
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Mar 01, 2016 / 0 comments

Imagine traveling for over a year on your honeymoon - exploring family history, traveling off the tourist trail, and making a difference by volunteering long term. How would that affect your new marriage? In Sutay and Josh Berman's case, everything.

Crocodile Love: Unusual People Who Made Remarkable Trips

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Stand #withMalala to improve education for girls

Stand #withMalala to improve education for girls

Education – in all its forms – can change the world. And education is the single most effective way to reduce poverty.  The Global Partnership for Education notes, 

Alsace-Lorraine: Anything but Plain

Blood on the station floor. Mine! Yes, another fall on the escalator as I hurried to catch the high-speed German ICE (Inter City Express) train in Amsterdam’s Centraal Station. Heavy bag deciding to go south, me following. A bang on the head and a cut finger. Police there in an instant, tissues materialised to stem the dripping, wanting me to sit and calm down … and the train to leave in two minutes. And you know how German trains leave as the second hand hits the Twelve. No, not dizzy, shaken but okay ..

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