France – Aspasía S. Bissas

20/04/201918/04/2019

My Notre Dame

Notre Dame Cathedral, Paris, 2016 — Notre Dame Cathedral, Paris. Photo by Aspasía S. Bissas

By now you’ve likely heard about the devastating fire that gutted Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, collapsing the roof and spire and destroying much of the interior (but thankfully not killing anyone). If you haven’t, you can read about it here, here, or here.

Notre Dame Cathedral devastation — Photograph: François Guillot/AFP/Getty Images

Notre Dame is an icon of Paris, and as some locals described it “the heart of France.” It’s also an international icon, a place many people wished to see in their lifetime, and an unparalleled historic monument. What was lost in that fire is far more than just a building. We can take heart in the fact that the bell towers, the rose window, and even the rooster from the top of the spire were saved; that much of the artwork was removed in time; and that Notre Dame will be rebuilt. But it will never be the same.

The first time I saw Notre Dame, I was in a cab heading from Charles de Gaulle airport to my hotel. We approached the Cathedral from the back, alongside the Seine, and as I caught my first glimpse I realized I was looking at Notre Dame. The Notre Dame. The next thing that went through my mind was “I thought I knew Gothic architecture. I had no idea what it was until now.” This wasn’t the neo-Gothic Victoriana I was used to seeing at home in Canada– this was a 900-year-old Gothic masterpiece. You know what else? Flying buttresses are awesome.

When I’d booked it, I didn’t realize my hotel was so close to Notre Dame–just around the corner. I ended up spending time in and around the Cathedral every day while I was there. When I left, I expected I would see it again one day (hopefully when the cherry trees were blooming this time). I’m not sure what will be waiting for me the next time I go, but in honour of what has been lost, I thought I’d share some of the pictures I took on the trip when I got to know Notre Dame.

Notre Dame Cathedral, front — Notre Dame Cathedral, Paris. Photo by Aspasía S. Bissas

Notre Dame Cathedral, Paris — Copper statues in front of the base of Notre Dame’s spire. The statues were removed before the fire as part of the restoration that was taking place. Photo by Aspasía S. Bissas.

Notre Dame gargoyle — Gargoyle, Notre Dame Cathedral, Paris. Photo by Aspasía S. Bissas.

Notre Dame gargoyles — Gargoyles at Notre Dame Cathedral, Paris. Photo by Aspasía S. Bissas.

Side entrace, Notre Dame, Paris — Notre Dame Cathedral, Paris (side facing the Seine). Photo by Aspasía S. Bissas.

Inside Notre Dame — Interior, Notre Dame Cathedral, Paris. Photo by Aspasía S. Bissas.

Stained glass, Notre Dame, Paris — My photos don’t do the windows justice. Notre Dame Cathedral, Paris. Photo by Aspasía S. Bissas.

Inside Notre Dame, Paris — Interior, Notre Dame Cathedral, Paris. Photo by Aspasía S. Bissas.

Stained glass rose window, Notre Dame, Paris — Rose window, Notre Dame Cathedral, Paris. Photo by Aspasía S. Bissas.

Stained glass and woodwork, Notre Dame, Paris — Interior, Notre Dame Cathedral, Paris. Photo by Aspasía S. Bissas.

Painted column, Notre Dame, Paris — Beautiful painted column inside Notre Dame Cathedral, Paris. Photo by Aspasía S. Bissas.

Stained glass window, Notre Dame, Paris — Stained glass, Notre Dame Cathedral, Paris. Photo by Aspasía S. Bissas.

Did you get a chance to see Notre Dame? Do you have any special memories of it? Please share in the comments.

31/01/201930/01/2019

4 Ways Travel Can Help Your Creativity

person pointing at black and gray film camera near macbook pro — Photo by Element5 Digital on Pexels.com

I recently read a great article about how travelling can enrich your writing. In it, the author outlines how travel is unpredictable, fosters empathy and reflection, and creates authenticity in your writing. All excellent points. The article got me thinking about how travelling has helped my writing, and how it can help you with your creative endeavours. Here are four more ways travelling is good for creativity, even if you go no farther than the other side of town…

1. It breaks up your routine. Even the most imaginative person needs inspiration, and nothing is less inspiring than doing the same things and seeing the same few places over and over again, day after day. Going somewhere new shakes you out of your rut, gives you a fresh perspective, and re-ignites creativity.

silver car beside building — Photo by Oleg Magni on Pexels.com

2. It helps you learn. If you go somewhere you’ve never been, you’re bound to learn something, whether it’s a few words in another language, facts about local history, or even a new skill (so many places now offer classes and workshops for tourists). What you discover can be the spark you need for your current project, or the impetus for something new.

asphalt dark dawn endless — Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

3. It gives you the chance to be a different kind of creative. There are so many opportunities for creativity while you travel, and if you can do so in a way that’s not your usual, so much the better (I’ve written before about how creativity begets creativity). Take pictures, write a journal entry (or poetry or even short fiction) about your trip, sketch what you see, take part in a workshop, talk to interesting people you meet along the way. Use it all as inspiration when you get home.

ball shaped blur close up focus — Photo by Porapak Apichodilok on Pexels.com

4. It can help you in unexpected ways. When I was having trouble finding the right image for the cover of Love Lies Bleeding, I decided to look through my photos to see if anything would be useful. Going through shots I’d taken in Paris, I realized the statue at the base of the Medici fountain at the Jardin du Luxembourg was perfect, so I ended up using it:

(The statue at the top of the fountain is on the back cover.) Not only that, but another photo I’d taken at the Louvre became the cover for Blood Magic:

And I have a third photo in mind for my next book, which I’m currently working on. The point is, I didn’t go to Paris to take photos for my book covers, but my travels led to exactly what I needed. You never know what going somewhere new could end up doing for you.

You don’t have to travel to be creative, but it really does help. Even if you can’t make it to another country or continent, try getting on a bus and exploring a different town, or go for a walk and visit a neighbourhood in your own town that you’ve never been to. The important thing is to break out of routine and try something new. It could lead you to places you never expected.

What do you think? Has travelling helped your creativity? Share in the comments…

29/11/201828/11/2018

10 Stunning Writers’ Homes

I love old houses (old buildings in general, actually). While I can appreciate the practical benefits of a new house, they leave me, well, bored. Old houses have style. They have personality. They have soul. Throw in a resident writer and you’ve got a house worth living in (or at least visiting). Here are 10 writers’ houses that are worth checking out…

Higher Bockhampton, Dorset, England: The cottage where Thomas Hardy was born. I love the thatched roof and garden.

Galmpton, Devon, England: Greenway Estate, home to Agatha Christie, was designated a World Heritage Site in 2004. Christie set several of her novels in the area.

Danville, California, USA: Eugene O’Neill wrote The Iceman Cometh and Long Day’s Journey Into Night at Tao House.

Rodmell, East Sussex, England: Not only is Monk’s House where Virginia Woolf worked on Mrs. Dalloway, it was also where she hosted the Bloomsbury Group.

Amherst, Massachusetts, USA: With a house like this, I can understand why Emily Dickinson was a recluse. The poet didn’t spend her entire life at the Homestead, but she was born here, and after moving back as a young woman spent the rest of her life here.

Draveil (former village of Champrosay), France: Can I just go ahead and move into Alphonse Daudet’s home, located a few kilometres south of Paris? Daudet finished Letters from My Windmill here, and also held famous weekly gatherings of the luminaries of the French arts scene (Zola, Proust & Rodin were among the regulars).

Nohant, Indre, France: More gorgeous French style at George Sand’s home. Sand wrote many of her books here, as well as hosting artists, musicians, and writers (Frédéric Chopin lived, and composed, here for several years). The house has been classified as a National Historic Monument of France.

Hartford, Connecticut, USA: Mark Twain wrote The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn in this house’s billiards room, which also doubled as his study.

Lenox, Massachusetts, USA: Edith Wharton’s grand home, The Mount, was where she wrote most of her novels, and where she presumably implemented the advice from her first book (co-authored with Ogden Codman), The Decoration of Houses.

Concord, Massachusetts, USA: Orchard House, where Louisa May Alcott wrote Little Women.

What’s your favourite writer’s home? Share in the comments…

Further Reading:

Orchard House

The Mount

The Mark Twain House and Museum

George Sand House

Alphonse Daudet House

Emily Dickinson Museum

Monk’s House

Eugene O’Neill National Historic Site

Thomas Hardy Cottage

Architectural Digest

KQED Arts

New England Historical Society

Air France

Boston Globe

23/08/2018

Interview with Rita Lee Chapman

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

I’m pleased to post my first author interview, with mystery author Rita Lee Chapman (http://ritaleechapman.com). Welcome, Rita!

Thank you, Aspasia, for inviting me to your blog. It is lovely to have this opportunity
to talk to your readers.

Thanks for being here. Why don’t you start by telling us a bit about yourself?

I have lived most of my life in Australia, but I was born in London and migrated to
Australia in my early twenties. Before I retired I had started writing but never finished a novel. Of course in those days it was written on a typewriter so it required much more planning in terms of the storyline and also the formatting. It is so easy now with computers to turn paragraphs around or even to move whole chapters. I find the editing and formatting much harder and more time-consuming than the writing.

Editing is a chore for me, as well (I think many authors would agree). When did you write your first book?

It wasn’t until I retired and moved from Sydney to Queensland that I finished my first book, Missing in Egypt. This became Book 1 in the Anna Davies Mystery Series, followed by Missing at Sea and Missing in London. In between I wrote Dangerous Associations, a crime mystery, and Winston – A Horse’s Tale, one for horse lovers from teenagers upwards.

You’ve accomplished a lot since you retired. What do you do when you’re not writing?

I play tennis, walk on our lovely beaches or around the river or lakes, and swim. My husband and I are lucky to have a great circle of friends through our tennis club and spend many hours socialising, taking it in turns to cook for each other. We also enjoy travelling around Europe and this year drove around the South of France exploring the Loire Valley, the Dordogne, La Rochelle, Nice, Marseille and most places in between! Horses are still my passion, although I no longer ride.

Wow–can you take me on your next vacation? Where can readers find your books?

Missing_in_Egypt_Cover

Missing in Egypt
Book 1 in the Anna Davies Mystery Series

Amazon
Large Print
Smashwords

Missing At Sea Cover

Missing at Sea
Book #2 in the Anna Davies Mystery Series

Amazon
Large Print
Smashwords

Missing_in_London_Cover_

Missing in London
Book #3 in the Anna Davies Mystery Series

Smashwords
Amazon
Large Print

Dangerous Associations:

Amazon
Smashwords
Large Print

Cheers, Rita, for being part of my blog and giving my readers a chance to get to know you! Find out more about Rita and her books here.

26/03/201826/03/2018

Revealed!

I’m happy to finally reveal the cover and details for my upcoming short story “Blood Magic.” You don’t need to have read my novel Love Lies Bleeding to enjoy “Blood Magic,” but for those of you who have (thanks!) it’s set within Love Lies Bleeding, and features a side adventure for Mara.

The Big Reveal:

BLOOD MAGIC by Aspasia S. Bissas

“No one said magic was pretty. It tricks and it transforms. It tests you. Sometimes it punishes the wicked and sometimes it devours the innocent. And it is never boring.”

“Blood Magic” a new FREE short story by Aspasía S. Bissas. Available mid-April 2018.

What do you think? For those of you keeping track, the image was taken at the Louvre in Paris.

If you’d like to be notified when “Blood Magic” is available, please click on the “Sign Me Up” button on the top right of this page; otherwise, keep checking back here or on my Facebook Page for news.

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

“No one said magic was pretty. It tricks and it transforms. It tests you. Sometimes it punishes the wicked and sometimes it devours the innocent. And it is never boring.”

Share this:

Like this: