I have known Dr Anne Copeland for about ten years now thanks to the fact that she is on the board of the Families in Global Transition conference that I have attended eight times. This year Anne was the opening keynote speaker and left us all open-mouthed when we heard about the international writers’ club she has run from her home in Brookline, for many years. Anne runs The Interchange Institute. An organisation that offers sterling cross-cultural training programs and also undertakes research into the expatriate experience. Her survey, Many Women, Many Voices, has been an inspiration to many and those who read my articles.

But this writers’ circle was different, combining as it does, English-language learning for newcomer foreigners, support and intercultural know-how. Anne has compiled the stories into a book that is far more than an anthology – it will open your eyes.

To hear about this unique book please …

listen here

Many moons ago I wrote a number of word processing handbooks and my commissioning editor at Macmillan Education was a guy called John Watson. Today, we are still in touch, John is semi-retired, though still working as a publishing consultant. You would think that someone like John, who has all the right connections, would have it easy when trying to find a publisher for his own book. But no. John has written a children’s book for his grandaughter, Belle about a duck called Flappy and is yet to find a publisher. Knowing the ropes, he decided to go to the London Book Fair and corner a publisher there and ask for some advice.

John learned a few things and, being a writer, decided to write his experience as a kind of cautionary tale for other authors. It is witty and dry and more than a touch ironic. It has taught me a thing or two and I am delighted that he has given me permission to include the story of Flappy Duck, The Sequel, here with you.

Enjoy

Flappy duck teaches a lesson

Nothing inspires me more than attending a conference that focuses on something I am passionate about. That is why, I attend at least one international conference a year and sometimes more. In the last 12 months it has been the Women’s International Networking Conference (WIN) because I am passionate about networking internationally and the Families in Global Transition conference (FIGT) because I am passionate about the expatriate experience. Every time I go I learn loads, meet tons of amazing people, connect with people who can inspire my business and wallow in the warmth of being among friends I have never met before.

Nothing feeds my muse more than attending a writing conference or literary festival. I have attended the Romantic Novelists’ Conference in England even though I don’t write romance (current chair is the ubersuccessful Katie Fforde) and the Crossing Border literary festival in The Hague.

At the end of May and start of June comes the wonderful Hay Festival, crammed with author readings on every genre known to man. I shan’t make it this year, but next year’s is in the diary already.

And then in October comes the Guildford Book Festival. This year’s short story competition is bang up to date, with the winning entry being converted to a Commutabook, by local author and creative mentor, Tom Evans, The Bookwright. A Commutabook is  a book that can be read on the iphone, ipad and ipod touch. In other words it is an App. I can’t think of a better platform. Closing date is July 30th, so take a look here if you would like to enter.