Novelist, blogger at www.flybynightpress.com, and lover of world travel and cultural immersion.
A new work of cultural fiction from VM Karren, The Plucked Hen, will whet your appetite not only for travel to France, but make you hungry for the approaching holiday feasting! … More France: The Glorious and the Maddening
Do you have a favorite motto, phrase or mantra that keeps you positive or motivated? Maybe it’s something from a favorite book, or a quote from someone you admire. I have many of these: ‘Stay calm and carry on,’ ‘when the going gets tough, the tough get going,’ and of course, ‘when life gives you … More Luctor et Emergo
With the onset of the COVID-19 Pandemic, some of the details addressed in this article have been greatly modified. You can first read the original article below to get a frame of reference for a traditionally Dutch concept of space, then read the UPDATE at the end to find out how social space in the Netherlands has been affected by COVID-19. … More For Cultural Understanding: A Different Concept of Space
My complete story, Fate and Longing in Lisbon, is now available for your reading pleasure! As of today, May 29th, this Kindle ebook is ready for immediate download on Amazon. You can use your Kindle device or the FREE Kindle app on your phone, tablet, or computer to read it. Click below to order this short Portuguese-style romantic comedy for … More And it’s LIVE!
The fourth excerpt of Fate & Longing in Lisbon reveals a brewing conflict between the Law of Fate and Murphy’s Law. Our poor postman is caught in the middle. … More The Immutable Law of Murphy
Fate doesn’t know her own strength. One nudge from her well meaning elbow can land a blow to a fragile heart with the force of a wrecking ball. She has a habit of stepping in, uninvited, and carrying out renovation plans on content lives without consent and without reassurances that her victim will even like what she has in store. When Fate goes to work, most times she doesn’t have a blue print or a road map and works as precisely as a steamroller. … More Fate is a Wrecking ball
Available in ebook from May 29, 2020. Welcome back! I am so happy that you looked us up again this week to read more of my new short-story Fate and Longing in Lisbon. Last week we met some of the colorful characters of the story and I hope you fell in love with the postman … More The Music behind the Story: Fate & Longing in Lisbon
Fate and Longing in Lisbon is a new short, romantic-comedy set in Portugal. Read about how the story came to be, read the first chapter, and listen to the playlist / soundtrack that will transport you to the old streets of Lisbon. … More A new short story: Fate & Longing in Lisbon
At the end of January, just as the world was changing, I took one last, deep breath before it became clear that we couldn’t take breathing for granted any longer. On the flight home from Lisbon some passengers were already wearing face masks. China had just begun its quarantine. Since January, I have been holding … More One Last, Deep Breath!
Wishing you could get out and go somewhere new and interesting? We have the solution! We’ve just published a new video to our YouTube channel that we think you will love. ‘Maastricht Has It All’ will show you the wonders and delights of our home town in the Netherlands: Maastricht. Never heard of Maastricht? It’s … More Armchair Travel: Maastricht Has It All
