Inhambane

This provincial capital town lies on the edge of a tidal lagoon, in the southern part of Mozambique. The bay is sheltered between two sandy headlands. Today the region is popular with tourists looking for unspoiled beaches and safe scuba diving. For me, though, it is the town's history that is most fascinating.

Inhambane's waterfront promenade and mangrove swamp

Inhambane was founded by the Arabs and was at one time the centre of the East African slave and ivory trades. The Portugese gradually wrested control from the Arab traders, using this region as a refuelling stop on the route to India. Their rule only ended in 1975 when the nation of Mozambique attained independence.

The colonial influence is still there, in the crumbling buildings and language, but Mozambique offers so much more, in the diversity of its culture, its people, and its landscapes, and its down to earth nature.

 The surprisingly art deco Teatro

Even for those of us who live a stone's throw away, across the border in South Africa, Inhambane is exotic and wonderful. As long as you can stand the heat!

 

Inside the grand municipal building

Mozambique

I'm home after an exhausting, traumatic two weeks on 'the road'. Perhaps the best thing about this shoot was the five days I got to spend in and around the Mozambican town of Inhambane, a small provincial town full of run down buildings and potholed roads, and yet so full of character and joy and vigour that I couldn't help but fall in love with both the place and the people. More later. For now, here are a few teasers of Mozambique to whet the appetite.

Missing In Action

I'll be away from home and from the internet for the next two weeks as I'll be travelling to Mozambique, then Durban and then the Drakensberg for a film shoot for our local airline, South African Airways. I've never been to Mozambique so I really should be a lot more excited than I am, but sadly I'm too tired right now to work up any enthusiasm.

This commercial is the biggest I've ever worked on and we've already been working 12-15 hour shifts these least two weeks. Twice I've only arrived home at midnight. The obvious sacrifice has been time with my children and I'm feeling quite heartbroken that I will be completely absent from their lives for two whole weeks. The second biggest sacrifice has been my writing. I haven't written a single word in weeks (unless work emails count!). Amazing how my energy and happiness levels drop when I don't get time to write. I definitely smile more if I start the day with 1,000 words!

As and when I get access to the internet I'll check in on all my Blogland friends, but if you don't hear from me, please don't take it amiss. I'll be missing all of you far more than you'll be missing me.

Oh, and Happy Valentine's everyone. If ever there was an excuse to curl up in bed with a romance novel, a glass (or bottle?) of red wine and some dark chocolate, next Sunday will be it! (And if you have a handy man around, make sure you get a good back massage thrown in too).

My Cover!

Here it is ... my gorgeous cover courtesy of Wild Rose cover artist Nicola Martinez.

Introducing Rae Summers

I'd like to introduce you all to my alter ego, Rae Summers, soon to be a published author with Wild Rose Press. Rae has her own blog over at http://raesummers.wordpress.com

On the advice of friends, and the inestimable Kate Walker, I've decided to 'save' my own name for Harlequin and use a pseudonym for the rather more risque historical short stories I write. And so Rae Summers was born.

Coming tomorrow ... you get a sneak peek at my first ever book cover.