What I Learned During My First Ever Writing Retreat
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I break down my first ever writing retreat: explaining how and why I did it, what I got out of it, and how you can make it work for you.
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Anna Hartley is an Australian writer.
She has lived in Paris and Beijing since 2011.
Her work has been published in The Washington Post, France 24, Forbes Travel Guide, The Houston Chronicle, The New Zealand Herald, The Vancouver Sun, the Beijinger, and Babbel Magazine.
The three most useful books about writing I've ever read
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A little while ago, I decided to put my ego aside, and to start reading books about writing, in order to keep improving my craft. These are the first three books I read.
Read MoreBook Review: "All The Light We Cannot See" by Anthony Doerr
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I finished this stunning novel during a writing retreat in Normandy (blog post on that coming up), and its beauty, combined with the beautiful landscape around me, helped me to complete the most productive writing period I've ever had.
Read MoreMy Life, On A Bike
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Studies have found that people who cycle are smarter, more sexually attractive and better at assembling furniture than those that don't.
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Book Review: "It's Raining In Mango" by Thea Astley
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I revisit a book I've been reading since I was 17.
Read MoreBook Review: "Vernon Subutex Vol III"
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A short review of the final installment of the Vernon Subutex series aka "the book of the summer".
Read MoreBook Review: "Selected Stories" and "The Bone People"
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A short review of two of my self-assigned summer reading texts: "The Bone People" by Kerri Humes and "Selected Stories" by Alice Munro.
Read MoreBook Review ""Dans le café de jeunesse perdue"and "Vernon Subutex Vol II"
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A short review of two very different works of contemporary French literature. "Vernon Subutex Vol II" by Virginie Despentes, and "Dans le café de la jeunesse perdu" by Patrick Modiano.
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"Fancy Footwork" - a review of Crazy Horse, the Iconic Parisian cabaret
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The Crazy Horse Cabaret in Paris has been setting hearts a-racing for more than 60 years. I finally ticked it off my Paris bucket list and attended the sexy, witty and iconic show, writing all about it for Marque Magazine in Australia. Check it out...
Read More"Wheels of Fortune" - riding around Greece on a wooden bike
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Published in PrimoLife Magazine June 2017
In September 2016, I rode a wooden bike for 3 days through Athens and the Greek Islands. Jump in the saddle with me and explore this magnificent landscape in this most unusual way.
Read MoreBook Review: En attendant Bojangles, by Olivier Bourdeaut
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A short review of French novel "En attendant Bojangles" by Olivier Bourdeaut. It was whimsical, beautiful, silly and nostalgic, and I recommend it!
Read MoreBook Review: Rendez-vous avec la morte by Agatha Christie
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This is a short review of the "Rendez-vous avec la mort", by Agatha Christie, which is the French translation of the English "Appointment with Death".
Read MoreBook Review: Starting out in 2017
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Anna Reads Books 2016 was such a success, I'm doing it again in 2017! Here are a few short lines on everything I've read so far this year...
Read MoreTravels in the Loire: Visiting Le Château de Chambord
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Our target for the weekend is Château de Chambord. As the most famous and prominent castle in the region, can get very busy in the summer months, but after driving through the thickly wooded domain that surrounds it (and signs alerting us to wild boar and deer that roam about) we find it half-empty in the cold and crisp early December air.
Read MoreHey You! Yes, You: Meet Sarah, the comedian who wants to go into labour onstage
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Sarah is an American stand-up comedian who lives and works in Paris. I met her via my boyfriend, also a stand-up comedian on the scene. I was immediately imprssed by Sarah's energy and professionalism, and eager to talk to her about the comedy scene in Paris and her place in it.
Read MoreBull vs Man: la course camarguaise, a Roman arena and discovering Arles in the South of France
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There are about 15 young men in white, swarming over the sand, luring the bull this way and that. Psssst pssst they hiss and the bull swings his huge muscular body around, legs already splayed and hooves gouging the sand as he lurches forward.
Read MoreParis on Wheels: a short cycling guide
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Published in לאשה Laisha Magazine, May 2016
Paris and it’s surrounds are perfect for family and couple bicycle rides. Enjoy these three fun routes and explore the City of Lights.
Read MorePublic Speaking In Your Non-Native Language
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How comfortable would you feel speaking your second language… on national television?
This is a question I got to answer recently, when I was asked to appear on a well-known French travel show, Echappées Belles.
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