Favourite films: Out of Africa Out of Africa is one of my favourite films – I’ve watched it at least fifteen times to date, and it never fails to move me. The film is set earlier in the twentieth century than Burning Embers, but the breathtaking settings (which include Mombasa, where Burning Embers is […] ↓ Read the rest of this entry…
I love music, and I love films in which music plays an integral role. Have you seen Legend of 1900? If not, I wholeheartedly recommend you do so (I understand it’s available in DVD format for a very reasonable price online). This is a life-affirming, heart-warming, touching tale told with reverence, a really romantic […] ↓ Read the rest of this entry…
I defy any romantic to watch this film and not love it! In my list of favourite films, it’s right near the top. I love the colours (of course, released in 1939, it was one of the first films shot in colour), the music, the characters, the vivid settings – the heartbreaking and passionate story. […] ↓ Read the rest of this entry…
As regular readers of my blog have no doubt gathered, I adore music and it often forms the basis of my inspiration for my writing. Classical music is a particular favourite – when a song has no lyrics, it frees my mind to imagine the accompanying words; and of course it’s so easy to put […] ↓ Read the rest of this entry…
Most of my favourite films are romantic classics from previous decades – like Gone with the Wind. But I do occasionally watch a more recent film, and a friend recommended I watched the 2010 film Charlie St. Cloud because she had seen it and thought it would strike a chord with me. At first I […] ↓ Read the rest of this entry…
Have you seen the musical Guys and Dolls? It’s a favourite of mine, because it’s upbeat and atmospheric and has toe-tapping tunes; plus there’s a wonderful cast of Hollywood greats in the 1955 film version: Marlon Brando, Jean Simmons, Frank Sinatra and Vivian Blaine. And of course, hopeless romantic that I am, I love the […] ↓ Read the rest of this entry…
When I was a girl my family used to visit a cabin in a place called Montazah. It was an idyllic spot away from the bustling city – woods, green gardens and the sparkling Mediterranean on our doorstep. My sister, my cousins and I would have a blissful time during the summer holidays, free to […] ↓ Read the rest of this entry…
Elvis Presley, James Dean, Robert Pattinson, George Clooney, Leonardo di Caprio, Brad Pitt… all teenagers dream of talented and handsome actors, and as a young girl I was no different. There were many actors I admired whom I had seen on television and at the movies, but my favourite for a long time was David […] ↓ Read the rest of this entry…
It’s funny to think, now, that this film, made way back in 1938 and starring Hollywood greats Cary Grant and Katharine Hepburn, was not a success when it was first released. Today, it’s widely regarded as a classic in cinematic history, the pioneer of the screwball comedy and one of the best (and earliest) romantic […] ↓ Read the rest of this entry…
Regular readers of my blog will know that ‘place’ is an important source of inspiration for me, and is also a key element of my writing. I love researching settings for my novels – reading countless books on customs and legends and architecture and history and flora and fauna, and visiting places to get a […] ↓ Read the rest of this entry…
