Welcome to my blog.
I started my blog in April 2011, hit my 100th post in July 2014, and I’m still blogging away. To date over 230 posts. But now (2017) I’ve decided to split my posts between Despatches and a new, Book orientated blog . It’s called The Booksmith, here’s the link: http://thebooksmithblog.wordpress.com
Books and reading are my passion which I’d like to share with others. But this said, I also enjoy writing about just about everything else – for example Tarot, Mahjongg, cooking, social issues, current events, politics, a travelogue or maybe a piece of my flash fiction or short fiction; Occasionally my cat, Chocolat, adds a short bulletin about what’s going on in our lives.
This is the joy of having one’s own blog: I can write what I like. The following quote is a perfect description of Despatches from Timbuktu:
soapbox: an improvised platform used by a self-appointed, spontaneous, or informal orator; broadly : something that provides an outlet for delivering opinions [Miriam-Webster Online]
Why the Timbuktu title ? This African city was once a centre for learning, scholarship, and books. But I live way, way further south than the fabled city. I’m writing from a Southern African perspective. I live in one of the most beautiful cities in the world : Cape Town.
Please leave comments –I enjoy interacting with my readers.
Hey, just thought you might like to know that I’ve awarded you a Sunshine Award 🙂 Enjoy! Sian
LikeLike
Oh, and here’s the link!
http://sianinturkey.wordpress.com/2013/04/01/a-ray-of-sunshine/
LikeLike
Hi Alison,
We’ve been enjoying your blog and have nominated you for the Liebster Award! Check out our blog post to read about the award and rules:
http://travellingmudskippers.wordpress.com/2013/04/21/thanks-to-our-readers-for-the-liebster-blog-award/
We hope you enjoy the attention it brings you and that you’ll pass it on.
Carol & Al (the Travelling Mudskippers)
LikeLike
Gosh! Thank you! I looked at your link and am a bit overwhelmed by the 11 Qs etc. etc. but will do my bnest. Plus there is now the dilemma of the pass-on. Okay. Will get to it. It certainly is a good way to discover new blogs and make new friends.
LikeLike
Alison, would you be interested in doing a guest post on my site to give a. Insight on literature from South Africa?
LikeLike
Thanks for the offer. Yes – provided you are not in a hurry for it. When would you like it and how many words?
LikeLike
wonderful to know that. how it works is that I send you some questions so it looks more like an interview. you can decide how short/long your answers can be – if you want to get an idea of the style, take a look here at previous pieces http://bookertalk.com/world-literature/the-view-from-here/
As for the timing, would it be possible by the end of February?
LikeLike
Yes, end of Feb can do. Suggest you send Qs to my e-mail addr – can’t remember if I gave it to you or not? if not: felix41.as@gmail.com . Look fwd to next instalment
LikeLike
Hello Allison, discovered your blog this evening through your comment on “Cats and Chocolate”. Was wondering if I could write to you in Afrikaans, but it doesn’t look likely, since you grew up in Rhodesia. Anyhow, aangename kennis!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hello Tannie Frannie – aangename kennis to you too! sorry – English is my taal. My Afrikaans is poor – rapid, and poor. I have comprehension but fluency not so good. P,S, my name is spelled with one ‘l’.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It impresses me no end that you do have knowledge of Afrikaans! I’ll remember the one l – you have probably had to point that out many, many times 🙂
Ek hoop ons gaan nog lekker kuier hier op die blogs.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you very much for this site… It reminds us about a more recent glory times in Africa-the City of Timbuktu.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks for following my blog.
LikeLike
Africa–i’m confused. thot you were living MUCH farther north.
LikeLike
Thank you for liking a comment I wrote on Belleza’s blog. I looked you up and like your blogs too. Have signed up to follow. I live in Tasmania and write about travels with my friend the Penguin (he has been on 4 continents), books and life in general mainly in Tasmania. Nice to meet you.🐧🐧🐧
LikeLike
Hello Travelling Penguin – thanks for the blog follows. Will pop into yours once I’ve caught up with the mountain of mail lurking on my PC after my Christmas away break with the family.
LikeLiked by 1 person