Fracas Noir – Susanne Waldau – te Brake ~ for better or worse

I met Carl in a café on Rue Vieille du Temple. It was called La Perle and was a favourite haunt of mine between the hours of 4 and 6 PM. Almost every day that spring, I would occupy table number three or, if not available, number five — either of which would act as [...]

Reminiscence of Childhood   When I was seven and we had just moved into the house my grandfather had left us, I immediately sensed that the post-Napoleonic edifice looming across from our new home hid strange secrets. It was one of those old, grand houses — a little derelict but habitable enough, with grey net [...]

Some weeks ago I told you that I had written a novel. Well in all honesty it was my first draft, and as any proud first time author sent it far and wide to anyone that wanted to read and give feedback. Well first of all, it’s been great and I can’t thank you enough [...]

Needless to say I love books. It’s the one thing I need in my home – a room full of books, typically going by the name of a library, Ours is starting to get full and it’s in fact my aim to make it so – more of a reason to find a home with [...]

I realise I haven’t been blogging for the last few months. As you can understand, reasons exists. Some I’m more willing to disclose than others. What I can say is that while succumbing to the flu which lasted the best of three weeks, I decided to write. I love writing, it’s been a passion since [...]

I’m a one-person show. Admittedly I have very few friends, and in times of adversity the number rapidly decreases to nil. It’s not of fault on their behalf. I get enough calls and emails, but my replies are short and spartan. Lunch dates and get-togethers get postponed until they dwindle down to nothing. I make [...]

Reinout surprised me with a candle light breakfast downstairs. Berries, coffee and Champagne was a perfect start to my Sunday. Today I’m going to try to relax a bit. I just finished a great book (although long and sometimes a bit tedious) called Satan’s Circus by Mike Dash. It’s based on the documents of the [...]

Days are hot, nights are humid. Everything comes to a standstill. Trains are late, service is going down an ever slippery slope. And my own commitments are given way for excuses. They rarely hold up. Last night… I lay awake in bed, tossing and turning. I read a book about the fortunes of one Grace [...]

Summer has really hit Holland, and for once it’s real summer. It’s hot, hot, hot and I suddenly find myself without a proper summer working waredrobe. If it wasn’t for an account in C minus I would’ve gone on a shopping spree, because it’s sales. Instead I find myself planning a weekend of dinner and [...]

18.06 and finally on my way home. An ordinary day in every sense of the word. 1.2 meetings, a number of emails and the start of a lengthy Project Definition Document. At 5 pm my energy level started to wane and despite blueberries, nuts and cold black coffee I couldn’t sustain my creativity level. I [...]