There comes a time, in every holiday, where there is a high-point every bit as evocative as the view from the Eiffel Tower or the sight of the Acropolis, or a dip in a lagoon in Bora Bora – and I am not talking bomb crater in Afghanistan here! I’m talking about that most pleasurable of moments when you say, “I’m going home.” It happens no matter how great the holiday has been, no matter how many “I don’t want this to end” moments you have had.

Writers and seekers of place, there's a great new resource for us! Linda Lappin has penned a new book, called The Soul of Place: A Creative Writing Workbook, Ideas and Exercises for Conjuring the Genius Loci. And let me tell you, this is a book full of inspiration, guidance, and a great deal of thought. It will change your writing!

Li Guo is an international student from China. She just graduated from University of Pittsburgh with a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting. She has been studying for the GRE test during summer. Recently, she just moved to Cambridge, MA area to job-hunt. In her leisure time, she enjoys exploring nature, such as hiking, biking, and fishing. 

This is the most beautiful book I have ever read. It’s at once a memoir, an ode to favorite literature, a glimpse into teaching – and writing. Joelle Renstrom’s new book, Closing the book: Travels in Life, Loss, and Literature, is a work of art. 

Katie Stavros is a 2015 University of Pittsburgh graduate with a degree in Communication and Business and a minor in French. She lives in South Jersey, right outside of Philadelphia. She spends most of her summers at the Jersey Shore with her family and friends. She absolutely loves to travel and explore different cities. Katie spent a European semester abroad in Paris the spring semester of her junior year and it was the greatest experience of her life. 

Ready for a fun, interesting read, one that crosses cultures and makes you laugh? If so, jump into Who Is Mr. Plutin?, a new novel by author Rebecca Strong. I picked it up and couldn't put it down - for here is a heroine somewhat like the rest of us, who blunders around, tries her hardest, and is stunned at the way her life has turned out. It's a tale of Russia and New York, of memory and spying, of family and money.

The time leading up to a brand new Disney movie is always an exciting one. I have to admit, I am often skeptical that the new release will make it up there alongside the classics I grew up with. Yet almost every time, Disney pulls through. This is especially the case with Pixar movies. The newest release, Inside Out, has proved itself as having earned its place among its brethren. Now no spoilers, I promise! I’ll just say that the film tells the story of an eleven year old girl named Riley going through a move to California.

I recently read a novel that completely pulled me into the universe –and what a universe it is! Fling!, the new novel from writer and educator Lily Iona Mackenzie, is set in many countries. It’s at once a glimpse into new, interesting characters - and new, interesting worlds. It’s a saga that spans time, all at once. It’s color, and cold; light, and dark; memory, and forgetfulness; mothers, daughters, granddaughters; culture, and chaos. I love it.