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The Swedish Midsummer celebration, with its crazy dances around the maypole, ushered in the easy, breezy season! After a long, darkish winter, I’m so excited about this bright and, hopefully, warm time of year.  My family and I follow a ritual practiced by many Swedes in this sprawling country: we flee the city and escape to a cottage by the water.  Our place is in the Stockholm archipelago, which is a cluster of 30,000 islands, skerries and rocks.  We’re usually there from the beginning of July until mid-August, but this year calls for adjustments since we’ll be sending our daughter off to college in New York and our son has an intensive soccer schedule.  We’d like to make the most of this summer together since it feels like we’re entering a new phase in our household.  The long-held tradition, with the four us ensconced in our home for weeks on end, no longer applies.  Kids grow up and have their own plans and, sadly, we parents have to adapt.  I can’t think of a better place to process the changes in our family dynamic than on an island, surrounded by nature and a view of the Baltic Sea.

Let me start off by saying that I love the contrast of being at the seaside and creating a cozy, color-filled environment; preparing lots of food; and welcoming guests.  However, my ambition level exceeds my capacity to deliver and I’ve often found myself exhausted and grumpy–disappointed that I didn’t take time out to enjoy the outdoors or read a book or play Scrabble or watch a movie.  I’ve made a conscious decision to avoid wallowing in regret this year, pining for a summer that didn’t meet my personal expectations.  So, I’ve given a lot of thought to what makes me feel fulfilled and how I’d like this summer to play out.

It’s been easy for me to get bogged down in domestic chores and claim that I don’t have time to do something active.  With all the Rosé and ice cream that’s consumed, I end up feeling bloated and lazy.  In order to combat that, I’ve vowed to do some kind of movement every day.  A power-walk in the forest, a promenade on the beach, tennis, and kayaking top my list.  I also have a backlog of podcasts I can listen to while I navigate the trails.

Reading for me is relaxation and, if the conditions are right, I can pore over two novels a week.  Here are some recent and upcoming releases that will be clambering for a spot on my bedside table!

My daughter going off to college has made me very sentimental and nostalgic.  I found the old photo album below when I was in New York last month.  Transferring pictures from this tattered scrapbook into a new one is a priority this summer–along with talking to my kids about the people and places from my youth. I’ve been rushing through the present and preparing so much for the future, the past has gotten short-changed.  I want to rectify this situation before it’s too late.  My husband also has a bunch of photos to arrange and I think this could be a great family activity, especially on a rainy day.

This photo album was a precious item in my childhood home. Before digital cameras, every picture was taken with care and valued.  I love the photograph of my parents from the Seventies!

I’d also like to start each morning by writing my thoughts, impressions, and feelings in a journal.  Being in the archipelago really clears my head. I often feel my most creative and coherent.  Unfortunately, my ideas and reflections disappear if I don’t record them.  Keeping a journal will exercise my writing muscles and keep me in the right mindset to tackle my new book, either by going through research material or writing a few more chapters.  However, I’ve learned that even the most prolific, successful authors have been known to take the summer off, so I shouldn’t feel too guilty if I don’t make significant headway ;).

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Reduce my screen time!  I won’t reveal how much I average per day, but I think I’ve reached the point of diminishing returns.  A Digital Detox will open up dormant areas of my being–both mentally and physically.  I want to focus on wellness and self-care and know that a tech timeout is a key to that.  Although Instagram and Snapchat are filled with sumptuous holiday pics and adventures, I’ll have to put on the brakes and not fall too deep down the rabbit hole!  All things in moderation…

Getting together with family and friends in the archipelago is my definition of summertime bliss.  Setting a seasonal, thematic table and grilling is my favorite way to entertain.  This year I want to move away from the ubiquitous Rosé and Aperol Spritz and try different cocktails.  I’ve heard great things about the Hugo and Suze Tonic.  I also want to add new salads and meatless dishes to my repertoire.  Above all, I want to master the art of “effortless entertaining” and spend less time in the kitchen so I can enjoy my guests!

With my love of books, I’ve amassed quite a collection which I’d like to make available to others on the island.  I love the idea of the Little Free Library and have plans to build my own with one of these kits from Etsy.  I hope I can make it stable enough to stand upright!  But if all else fails, I’ll donate books to the village hotel and local grocery store.  I want to spread the read/share/exchange/enjoy concept!

I get very attached to our place and am reluctant to leave for excursions on neighboring islands.  I shouldn’t get so complacent though; the Stockholm archipelago is filled with wonderful small bays, beaches, and restaurants.  You can even go on a seal safari not too far from where we are!  I want to be more “adventurous” and do some day trips when the weather is nice.  I might even take a dip in the Baltic Sea.  But don’t listen to the Swedes: The water is not warm at 15C/60F!

What’s on your summer bucket list?


I have long wanted to attend a writer’s conference, retreat, or festival, but scheduling conflicts and family obligations have always gotten in the way.  Little did I know there was already such an event in my own city!  In 2017, the

Stockholm Writer’s Festival (SWF) was established as a non-profit organization to help writers hone their craft, provide them with the tools necessary to navigate the world of publishing, and foster a sense of community.  Catherine Petterson, SWF’s founder, describes it as a way for writers to find “their path to published.”  The event launched in 2018 and was a huge success, proving there was a need for a forum of this kind to educate, inspire, and network.

I was so excited when Catherine and her colleague, Sandra Carpenter, asked me to participate in SWF19 as a faculty member.  I had caught their attention through a mutual friend’s Facebook post about my Book Club Sneak Peek for Lagging Indicators.  They became curious about my move from traditional to indie publishing and wanted me to discuss why I had made the transition.  Not only had I never been to a writer’s gathering before–and it would be nerve-racking enough communicating with these savvy wordsmiths–I was now going to co-lead a panel about my indie experience with Jessica Lourey.  Luckily, I would have several months to think about what I wanted to say!

The unofficial start of SWF19 kicked off with an informal cocktail mingle for contributors and participants at a hotel near the festival location.  Nibbling on cheese and crackers, we chatted about our expat lives (if applicable) and writing interests.  I met so many nice people, many of whom are part of the Stockholm Writers Group.

I got up bright and early the next day to make it to Finlandshuset, the large and fully-equipped SWF19 venue.  It buzzed with the activity of introductions, registration, and a bubbling creative energy and anticipation.  I was a bit nervous since I was all by myself, but once I entered the packed Sibelius Room, I saw many familiar faces, including an old friend who had signed up for SWF because of my Instagram posts. The crowd was very diverse in terms of age and gender.  Many had completed manuscripts and were curious about next steps.  We were all at SWF for the same purpose and it was easy to connect.

Jane Friedman’s workshops were extremely illuminating.  Friedman is an expert on the publishing industry and on the reality for us writers in a rapidly changing landscape.  She broke down the Big 5 publishing houses; explained what a writer’s expectations from an agent should be; compared advances vs. royalties; advised on crafting query letters, non-fiction proposals, book blurbs, and backcover copy; addressed the topic of manageable book length (80,000-100,000 words); analyzed different forms of self-publishing (a service vs. DIY); and weighed in on artistic patronage in the modern age (Patreon).

Although I had made an informed decision when deciding to pursue the indie publishing route, Friedman’s presentation significantly increased my knowledge about the business and confirmed some of my theories.  For example, having a platform and built-in audience helps a prospect get noticed and bolsters the chances of a book deal.  Publishing houses offer very little support for most authors in marketing and promotions.  Rarely does a self-published work become traditionally published.  Friedman also spent time on the “business” of writing and the benefits of employing a business mindset to the post-publication process (marketing, promotions, events).  In spite of pressure to be well-versed on both the commercial and creative sides, Friedman stressed that the quality of the writing and story still matter!

Being surrounded by so many passionate writers was incredibly inspiring.  I applauded the winners of the First Pages Prizes and listened intently as they read the opening sentences of their work.  It took a lot of guts to share those lines with a room full of people!

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My nervousness grew as the day for my panel discussion approached.  Jessica Lourey is a teacher, prolific writer, and accomplished speaker; I was an amateur in comparison.  I wanted to make the session worthwhile for the participants and didn’t want them to feel disappointed.  My best defense against performance anxiety has always been intense preparation, so I skipped the Saturday night mingle and stayed home to polish and study my notes.

My first session on Sunday was a 3 x 10 minute speed dating exercise where 4-5 participants asked me specific questions about the mechanics of publishing independently.  I was very frank about cost, the importance of putting out the most professional product within one’s budget, and the advantages of utilizing an indie publishing service. I then did a breakout session with Lourey that attracted 30 people.  I started by reading from my index cards, but soon found the confidence to let the words flow naturally.  I described the highs of getting a traditional book deal for Uptown & Down in 2004, and then the lows of trying to find my way back into the publishing world after a ten-year hiatus.  I was very open about my disappointment and sense of powerlessness–until I decided to become an indie author.  My goal was to demystify and democratize the publishing process.  There are so many good stories waiting to see the light of day.  They shouldn’t die for lack of a traditional publishing deal.

What did I learn from my first writer’s festival?

SWF19 reinforced that I’m in the right profession. I loved being surrounded by other enthusiasts and was hungry to absorb as much information as I could.  I did have moments when I wondered: Are people in this room more talented and productive than I am?  Who will get a book deal or be the next big-name author?  Can I write another book?  Depending on the speaker, I alternated from a sense of empowerment (workshop on indie publishing) to discouragement (panel with literary agents).  On the practical side, I discovered the broad reach of platforms such as BookBub, Facebook ads, giveaways, and audio books.  The feedback from my indie publishing sessions was very positive.  I enjoyed pepping writers and giving out tips.  As a result, I experienced a burning motivation to focus on my next project.  I also sold a dozen more copies of Lagging Indicators which wasn’t too bad either!

I was very honored and grateful to be included as a faculty member at SWF19 and took pride in the appropriateness of such an event happening in Sweden, a country with a long literay tradition and the Nobel Prize in Literature.  I want to commend and thank the organizers and volunteers for the amazing job they did.  Most of all, SWF19 exposed me to a thriving writer community and I have no doubt we will continue to boost and support each other!

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I first came to Stockholm as a bright-eyed, nineteen-year-old New Yorker with my Swedish boyfriend.  We married nine years later and I’ve lived here since 1997, minus a 5-year spell when we were back in the US for my husband’s job.  Living this expat life has been exciting, interesting, and inspiring–as well as frustrating, confusing, and conflicting.  However, I wouldn’t trade it for anything else and am so grateful my husband coaxed me out of my comfort zone.  As the daughter of Haitian immigrants, I’m familiar with the challenges of combining two different cultures and have built up a strong reservoir of resilience and adaptability.  I choose to focus on the positives and the potential for growth in every situation.  That’s not to say I don’t have issues; my husband and kids can certainly attest to my Swedish pet peeves and #shakingmyhead moments!

Nevertheless, I’ve been reluctant to explore the expat experience in my own fiction.  I think this stems from my preferred strategy of staying positive, both as a coping mechanism and an awareness my life as a foreigner in Sweden is removed from a great deal of the stresses and stigmas many newcomers face.  However, I can still relate.  Half a century ago, my Haitian parents endured prejudice in America and my upbringing was tainted by racist incidents and the burden of constantly having to prove myself.  Thanks to their hard work and sacrifices, I came to Sweden with an American passport, a college degree, and the facility for learning a new language.  My Swedish fiancé had already paved the road and my arrival was greeted with acceptance, not suspicion.

I feel a sense of loyalty towards Sweden out of love for my husband, respect for the country where he was born and raised, and an obligation to the place where we have chosen to bring up our dual-nationality, bi-racial, multi-cultural kids.  Stockholm has been too close to home, both physically and psychologically.  But I’ve come to wonder if this approach prevents critical thinking and objectivity?  Sweden–like a character in any book–should be multi-dimensional, imbued with virtues and flaws.  A blemished character is much more complex and realistic than a spotless one.  Denying that complexity is disingenuous and minimizes the impact.  Many Swedish friends have urged me to write about my observations and interactions.  However, I’ve always feared borrowing too heavily from real-life would be predictable and might unintentionally offend. A roman à clef has never been my style and I doubt I can write one as skillfully–and scandalously–as Lauren Weisberger’s The Devil Wears Prada or Truman Capote’s unfinished Answered Prayers.

My daughter will start college in the US this fall and I’ve been thinking back to my journey from New York to Stockholm.  Those first few years were tough: the long, dark winters; short, dicey summers; sporadic loneliness; professional malaise; homesickness… Yet, I persevered and built a supportive network of close friends.  I’ve also tried to raise my kids with the American, Haitian, and Swedish values I hold dear.  Through it, my husband’s love and encouragement have been steadfast.  He backed my desire to write whole-heartedly and is my biggest cheerleader.

Being an expat has occasionally forced me to turn inwards as a strategy to handle bouts of alienation and reboot after adversity.  I was uncomfortable revisiting those struggles in my writing.  But after 20+ years, I’ve finally gained a hard-earned perspective and inner strength; I feel ready to make Sweden the backdrop for my next book.  I’m hoping to weave the expat framework in an intriguing way while still touching on the intersectionality of being an American woman-of-color in a European country.  I read Nella Larsen’s Quicksand in college and connected with the novel’s cross-cultural and interracial themes, along with Larsen’s courage for writing so close to her own life as the offspring of a Danish mother and African-American father.  My next book is NOT semi-autobiographical, but contemplating the characters and scenes has triggered many memories.

Spring has finally arrived in Stockholm; city parks and streets are abloom with cherry blossoms and magnolias.  Restaurants and cafés are full of outdoor patrons enjoying the season’s first glass of rosé.  The sun shines high in the sky as the hours edge towards Midsummer when it will never fully set.  Stockholm is buzzing and the drawn-out, gloomy winter has become a distant memory.  I think that’s the secret to living in Sweden: the possibility of a bright day makes up for all the gray ones.

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