Lucky 13: Women Writers about Women.

March 8th was International Women's Day, but as one of my gorgeous friends declared, 'Surely, one day is not enough.' Hear, hear!

Therefore, without further ado, here are 13 of my favourite quotes about women, by women writers:


"When a woman tells the truth she is creating the possibility for more truth around her."
-- Adrienne Rich


"There are women who make things better... simply by showing up. There are women who make things happen. There are women who make their way. There are women who make a difference. And women who make us smile. There are women of wit and wisdom who- through strength and courage- make it through. There are women who change the world everyday... Women like you."
-- Ashley Rice


"How can you be so many women to so many strange people, oh you strange girl?"
-- Sylvia Plath

"It’s the fire in my eyes,
And the flash of my teeth,
The swing in my waist,
And the joy in my feet.
I’m a woman
Phenomenally."
-- Maya Angelou (Phenomenal Woman: Four Poems Celebrating Women)


"Yet if a woman never lets herself go, how will she ever know how far she might have got? If she never takes off her high-heeled shoes, how will she ever know how far she could walk or how fast she could run?"
-- Germaine Greer


"I, with a deeper instinct, choose a man who compels my strength, who makes enormous demands on me, who does not doubt my courage or my toughness, who does not believe me naïve or innocent, who has the courage to treat me like a woman."
-- Anaïs Nin


"We still think of a powerful man as a born leader and a powerful woman as an anomaly."
-- Margaret Atwood


"Even for women without children, trading hours that produce income for hours that produce “only” art seems like a foolish decision. What a loss for the world, though, to have women's voices silenced because art is our last priority."
-- Holly Robinson


"My gran had always told me that a woman--any woman worth her salt--could do whatever she had to."
-- Charlaine Harris (Dead to the World)


"I hate to hear you talk about all women as if they were fine ladies instead of rational creatures. None of us want to be in calm waters all our lives."
-- Jane Austen


"a woman must have money and a room of her own if she is going to write..."
-- Virginia Woolf


"Have you seen this woman?
I am considered harmless.
Armed and dangerous.
But only to me."
-- Sandra Cisneros


"Seize the moment. Remember all those women on the 'Titanic' who waved off the dessert cart."
-- Erma Bombeck


Which one do you like best?

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Photo 'Look into My Eye' by Poe Tatum, available under a creative commons license. © 2008, Poe Tatum.

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Roses, Thorns & International Women's Day.

Yesterday, March 8th, was International Women's Day.

It was also a busy day at work, so even though I'd thought of ways to celebrate me, myself and all other women, by the time I got home there wasn't much time and energy left to do anything besides cooking pasta (with sun-dried tomatoes and goat's cheese, in case you were wondering), pour a glass of the beautiful organic cava we've recently discovered, and toast with my lover, husband and best friend (all in one person) to the good things in life.

Earlier, over a quick laptop lunch, I'd decided to do something small and mildly meaningful in honour of Women's Day: supporting a female author by buying one of her books. What can I say, I love a win-win scenario!

After careful deliberation, I picked The Tapestry of Love by fellow Litopian Rosy Thornton.

I'd read the sample last week and liked it a lot. So far, its atmosphere reminds me of Peter Mayle's Provence novels and Frances Mayes' Tuscan Sun, but set in the Cévennes and with a more personal story woven in.

The Tapestry of Love is the kind of book that deserves to be read outside on a summer's day, when you're curled up in a hammock with a glass of wine by your side. However, in the absence of summer, curled up indoors in front of the fire will have to do. And yes, there will be wine.

How was your (International Women's) day?

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From Basil to Bottle Bondage.

With spring so close, it's time to start thinking about the garden. I'm a city dweller, but we're lucky to have a patch of land to grow things.

Most of it is taken up by a herb garden. I love cooking as well as pottering around, which makes growing herbs and using them for food, drinks, cosmetics and medicinal concoctions the perfect hobby for me. I trained as a herbalist many years ago, and even though I've never practised it professionally, I still like to put those skills to good use.

Recently, inspired by sites like Urban Gardens and You Grow Girl, I've started thinking about time- and space-efficient ways of growing our own food, even - or especially - when living in a city.

Yesterday, I've worked on an urban gardening experiment of my own: trying to grow basil upside down.

I've killed a lot of basil plants in the past. They don't like to grow in open ground here, and on top of that, as soon as I plant them out, the local slugs gather en masse, conquer any defences I've provided and raze my brave little basil babies to the ground.

Well, not this time. They can besiege all they want, seize they will not.

Hopefully the basil will live happily ever after, at least until I appear with eager scissors. Snip snip!


Any gardening tips and tricks? Share them in the comments!

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Ghent, City of Lights.

'Ghent' by Fobach (cc 2.0)

My home town Ghent made it into the top 10 of Lonely Planet's hottest cities for 2011. It's being described as one of Europe's best-kept secrets, often overlooked in favour of Brussels, Bruges and Antwerp:

'Most Belgium-bound visitors rushing between these see nothing more than the stately fortifications of Ghent’s St Pieter’s Station. Those who do hop off the train and stroll along the Leie River to the historic centre will have their eyes out on stalks. Here hides one of Europe’s finest panoramas of water, spires and centuries-old grand houses.' lp

I might not be entirely objective, but I agree with all my heart. Ghent is an amazing city to visit and to live in. It feels authentic and alive, with a rich history, great pubs and restaurants, an imposing castle in the middle of the historic city centre and lots of festivals, museums and cultural events.

The locals are known for being open-minded and strong-willed, and - like in most places in Flanders - most people speak several languages (usually Flemish/Dutch, English, French and some German) and will go out of their way to show you the best of what their city has to offer.

Belgians are proud of their Burgundian lifestyle, and it shows. All over the city you will find bakeries, tea rooms and chocolate shops, inviting you in with displays of delicious sweets and treats. Many of the pubs offer over 100 different beers to choose from.

When night falls, Ghent becomes even more beautiful. Thanks to the award-winning and well-crafted lighting plan, the city turns into a fairy-tale setting, with different quarters and atmospheres to cater to every mood, from romantic to vibrant, from relaxed to haunting.

To add images to words, here's a video that gives a good impression of the city:





Have you ever been to Ghent? Which are your favourite sights?

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From Words to Brain.

I recently read brain scientist Livia Blackburne's essay 'From Words to Brain', which looks at how our brain deals with reading and writing.

In the essay, Livia, a graduate student at MIT, fellow blogger and fantasy writer, takes us on a fascinating journey to discover how we process language, stories, characters and emotions.

I loved the essay. It's well written, insightful and flows like a good story.

You can tell Livia is fascinated by people, the way we think and react, use language, read and write. That passion, backed up with solid scientific research, makes this highly recommended reading!

Check out her website for more information, a free excerpt of 'From Words to Brain' and an abundance of interesting articles about writing, psychology and neuroscience.

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