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• Maggie Scratch

  Maggie Scratch
  Susana Gross
  
  About the novel
  On the Mediterranean island of Ibiza in 1979, Maggie Scratch, a no-nonsense baby boomer writes for the island newspaper. While documenting the present, she relives the past, journeying through her road movie of the 60’s and 70’s, re-creating the relationships and adventures which have brought her from Elkins Park, Pennsylvania to the almond blossom beauty of Benimussa Valley, to the century old farmhouse and the root of her problem with Izzy, the charismatic painter: Izzy has a vasectomy. The book is a psychological jigsaw puzzle. While fitting the pieces together and fantasizing about how she will get pregnant, a surprise piece falls in Maggie’s lap. Destiny? Or, Maggie wonders, are the pieces meant to be?
  Seneca Stone reveals the key to her best friend’s life: “Maggie Scratch Searching For Seeds”. It is this key, both real and metaphorical, that drives Maggie to understand the events that have brought this search to light.
  
  About the author
  
  Susana Gross, born in Philadelphia, earned her Bachelor of Arts in French Literature and Language from Boston University in 1970. She then spent time living and working in Boston, New York, Montreal, San Francisco, Eureka, and Jalapa, Mexico until she arrived in Ibiza where she became a journalist and lived for six years. When her daughter was born she moved to Barcelona and began writing sitcoms for Televisión Española. Her grandfather nicknamed her Maggie Scratch. She used this name as a pseudonym for her column in The Ibiza News and created the character who went on to become the inspiration for her novel.
  
  Maggie Scratch is now available as an ebook from Circaidy Gregory Press at http://www.circaidygregory.co.uk/maggiescratch.htm and on Amazon under these links:
  USA
  UK
  Germany
  France
  Spain
  Italy
  
  Blog: maggiescratchthenovel.blogspot.com
  
  
  

  Posted by Susana Gross April 24, 2012 23:39:14

• British writer living in La Coruña publishes new novel

  British writer Mark Guscin publishes new historical novel, entitled All the Diamonds in the World. Guscin has been living in La Coruña for 25 years.
  
  About the book
  All the excitement of a Da Vinci Code plot, but with the historical knowledge of Umberto Eco and a passionate story of love and romance. The book is a fascinating blend of historical novel, thriller, love story and spiritual search for freedom. A middle-aged historian quietly in search of manuscripts and icons finds himself mixed up with a murdered monk in a remote monastery on Mount Athos, a beautiful woman and a mysterious age-old association known as the Brotherhood of the Holy Face, who would stop at nothing to recover the icon in question – which they believe holds the key to world peace ... or world war. The double chase takes us at a hectic pace through Greece, Italy and Cappadocia (Turkey).
  
  Flashbacks to the Byzantine Empire, its wars, saints and power-crazed adulteresses, and to the Fourth Crusade in 1204, through the eyes of a contemporary chronicler, add to the adventure and give us the background to the icon the historian is looking for. He eventually finds it in the north of Italy.
  
  About the author:
  Born and bred in the UK, Mark Guscin left for NW Spain in 1986 and has not looked back since. After working as Head of International Relations at the City Council of La Coruña, he opened a translation agency and has managed to combine this with writing history books – eight published to date in both English and Spanish, on topics ranging from the Napoleonic Wars to editions of unpublished medieval Greek texts. He has now published his first novel, All the Diamonds in the World.
  
  Mark Guscin obtained a first class degree in Classics at Manchester University and then did postgraduate research in Medieval Latin. He is currently working on a PhD at London University in Byzantine History and Iconography, although living in Spain.
  
  

  Posted by Mark Guscin January 17, 2012 13:26:34

• Writers in art residency

  Jiwar Creation & Society is a new artist residency in Barcelona city (Gràcia). We host all kind of artists and often a English language writers. We organise a meetings and events with them. Please, if you want join us in our activities or share a seminars with our writers residents you can visit our Facebook, our web site (under construction now) www.jiwarbarcelona.com or you can write us to jiwarbarcelona@gmail.com

  Posted by Jiwar Creation & Society October 24, 2011 08:14:02

• Conquering Babel: A Practical Guide to Learning a Language

  This time, you mean it. You're really going to learn Spanish, or Catalan.
  
  Yes, but how? Where do you even start?
  
  This practical guide to learning a language answers questions such as :
  -where can I find a good tutor?
  -do I really have to learn grammar?
  -what are some good self-study resources?
  -how can I stay motivated?
  
  This is your ideal kick start to language learning, and it can be bought from Amazon: http://www.tinyurl.com/conqueringbabeleu
  

  Posted by Claire Handscombe September 15, 2011 12:33:49