Author: travelingmarla

Writer. Photographer. Literary Traveler… http://www.travelingmarla.com

Today I am 45. Here is My Wish…

25 September 2015

Today I turn 45. It’s hard to believe time has gone so far since this photo of me was taken after a tumble at my older brother’s birthday party…

travel Heritage Day South Africa 2015

Heritage Day: Tongues of Their Mothers

24 September 2015

I had so many ideas for a Heritage Day post today, but then I fell in love with a poem, and that made the decision for me. Happy Heritage Day, readers. Following are a few photos of some beautiful South African ladies I know (and one lovely South African man) wearing traditional garments to celebrate … More Heritage Day: Tongues of Their Mothers

I Bet I Can Make a Niq Mhlongo Fan Out of You!

23 September 2015

I want to make a bet with you, dear reader. If you can make it through a book by Niq Mhlongo and walk away without becoming a Niq Mhlongo fan, I’ll give you 50 Rand.

best South African literature

The Way I Tour South Africa

21 September 2015

My latest column is now online at Expat Focus. This month I write about literature as it relates to the way I travel. Please click here to read this month’s column, then come back here for a few snapshots of places I’ve been, inspired by books I’ve read.

My Kind of Patriot

11 September 2015

Today’s post is a follow-up on a post I wrote in 2012, 11 years after the terrorist attacks in America. You’re welcome to read the original here, but it is mostly captured again in the words below, leading up to the 2015 extension at the end. This post is not about conspiracy theories, or blame, … More My Kind of Patriot

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Catch and Release (Tuesdays in Tshwane)

8 September 2015

Welcome to another segment of Tuesdays in Tshwane: notes from life in the suburbs of South Africa’s capital. According to any local you ask, Spring has officially arrived in Pretoria, and with it, the flinging wide of windows and doors. Out with winter, in with spring, and in with…

45 Failures

7 September 2015

Celebrate failure with me! I created this for writers, but anyone can participate. It only takes a willingness to fail. Commit to getting 45 REJECTIONS with me. If you get an acceptance along the way, great. We’ll dance for that together. But let’s focus on submitting and celebrating rejection, as part of the process of … More 45 Failures

Pelicans at Nata Bird Sanctuary in Botswana

3 September 2015

I didn’t retouch the photograph above. Sunset skies at Nata Bird Sanctuary in Botswana really were the color of cotton candy. Just thought I’d share a little beauty today, with these pelicans in the salt pans. Happy Thursday, and thanks for stopping by! Love, MarLa

What Will You Say to Phillippa Yaa de Villiers?

2 September 2015

Welcome to September Book Club! I’m so excited to share the work of award-winning South African author, Phillippa Yaa de Villiers. Please read either Everyday Wife, or Taller Than Buildings, and submit your questions and comments by Wednesday, 16 September. I know my featured readers in the states are already either finished or in the … More What Will You Say to Phillippa Yaa de Villiers?