Canada Day fireworks from Harbourfront, Toronto

CN Tower in its fiery, jewelled glory ...

Fiery flowers bursting in the night sky

Island Lovers and The Coral Heart at the Toronto Hakka Festival July 8th, 2017

I will be at the Toronto Hakka Festival this year with my books Island Lovers and The Coral Heart. Hope you can come by on Saturday July 8th, and discover Hakka culture, its roots, and its delicious food. 

Tulip Fever

Tulip fever is overtaking the city. I just love these bursts of colours, their exuberance. Everywhere I turn, my eyes are feasting over an ever growing palette of colours and exploding shapes ... whoever are creating these blending of colours and shapes are amazing nature artists ...

Sharing my Instagram photos

I've given in to social media pressure and I'm now on Instagram. I prefer taking photos on my camera rather than my cell phone as it's difficult to control the quality on a phone, but I'll give it a try as it's an interesting challenge. The technical aspect may not matter as much as the content, the stories they tell, and the mood ... I've always preferred the story telling part of photography anyway ... Below is an Instagram photo I posted that I took a while ago at the ROM. I was fascinated by the Chihuly glass sculptures, the clarity of colours, the fragility of it all in such a profusion of voluptuous shapes. You can check more photos and follow me on Instagram by clicking here.

Looking forward to sharing photos with you there ... :) 

Empowering women

As I'm writing my short stories on relationships, it pains me to think of loving women who are living in denial when they find out their men have lied and cheated on them. Living in a "dishonest reality" can cause stress and anxiety that erodes self-esteem. Women who fall in love and give everything to their men deserve truth and respect. Here is an article with sound advice for women to gain back their self-worth, and move towards a more honest and hopeful future. 

The same could apply for men who have been lied to, but somehow I hear more stories about women being hurt. If you have any stories to share, I'd love to hear from you ...

As I continue with my writing, and try to understand the complicated emotions, dependencies, and manipulations in relationships, I thought I'd share some articles that identify deceptive behaviours. When people care deeply for partners who betray them, they need to protect their own emotional health first and seek professional help if necessary. 

How to know someone is lying

Signs of a pathological liar

Hope

A poem from my book Island Lovers, Poems and Images of Mauritius, 

with the accompanying photo I took on the island. 

Hope

I was lost and grey

an ocean filled with tears

from the dark clouds

a shaft of light broke free

silver slivers of hope

twinkled on the surface

and my forlorn heart

glided with equanimity

bearing no fear

towards uncertainty

Toronto Light Fest at the Distillery District

Fun at the Toronto Light Fest at the Distillery District.

So inspiring to see such creativity in our city ... just love it.

Check it out. It goes on till March 12th.

Spreading my wings ...

Spreading my wings like these geese along Humber Bay Park, or at least trying to.

Always a lot of work behind those flapping wings, at times frustrating, at other times exhilarating.

Writing a collection of short stories that delves into the complications of romantic relationships ... 

Island Lovers, Poems and Images of Mauritius at Indigo Yonge & Eglinton

Hope to see you at Indigo Yonge & Eglinton. It'll be nice to meet new readers and catch up with friends.

If you happen to be looking for a Valentine's gift, come by and check Island Lovers.

Great start to New Year 2017

Wishing you all a wonderful New Year 2017 

Glad to let you know that my book, The Coral Heart was sold out in Mauritius, 

and a third edition, with addition of edited excerpts, is now available on the island at 

All Bookcourt stores 

and

Petrusmok bookstore, Hennessy Park Hotel. 

The second edition, the ebook is still available on amazon, 

and the first edition is still available in Canada. 

The French edition is still in progress and will be coming out by end of 2017.