bellebrettOct 11, 20203 minStorytelling through ArtAs an artist as well as a writer, I sometimes opt to tell stories through collage, one of my favored media. For my novel, Gina in the...
bellebrettSep 26, 20201 minConfessions of a Non-Voracious ReaderStandard advice to novelists is to read a lot. Of course, it would be ironic to find a writer who does not like to read. It’s the “a lot”...
Belle BrettOct 2, 20191 minGina Comes to LifeI am excited to introduce my new book trailer for Gina in the Floating world, produced with the help of the talented Melissa Dee. It may...
Belle BrettSep 3, 20191 minInterview with Jeanne Blasberg, Author of The NineJeanne Blasberg’s recently released second novel, The Nine (She Writes Press), is a compelling modern-day tale inspired by the biblical...
Belle BrettJul 15, 20193 minArt and Writing Meet: "Gina's Floating World" at the Great Bay Gallery (Somers Point, I’m not sure when I first got the idea that I wanted to create an exhibit of images that related to my novel, Gina in the Floating World....
Belle BrettJun 21, 20194 minArmchair Travel: Five 2019 Novels Set in Other Places and TimesPack your bags. It’s summer, and it’s the longest day, when your thoughts may turn not only to where you will vacation but also to what...
Belle BrettApr 11, 20194 minOn Martinis and Mozart: A Remembrance of My Father, George F. Brett (1904-1995)This post is my third family remembrance in just over three weeks. The three members of my nuclear family all died in the springtime, and...
Belle BrettApr 3, 20193 minMy Mother, My MuseToday is the 19th anniversary of the death of my mother. In 2010, I wrote this post in remembrance of her in a blog I maintained for...
Belle BrettMar 16, 20195 minRemembering Beth Brett: A Conversation between Beth's Sister and DaughterMarch 16 is the sixteenth anniversary of the death of Beth Brett, my sister, and mother to Pippa. On the eighth anniversary of her death,...
Belle BrettMar 11, 20193 minThe Writer and Home Renovation EnvyOn the cold, dark days of winter, with snow and ice on the ground, I achieve my daily 10,000 Fitbit steps by jogging (slowly) in front of...
Belle BrettFeb 27, 20192 minThe Public Baths in JapanDuring my stay in Japan several decades ago when I was a bar hostess, I lived in a room over a club. The place had only a toilet and sink...
Belle BrettFeb 14, 20193 minOdd Couples: The Many Faces of Jack Lemmon's Film RelationshipsOn this Valentine’s Day, not long before the Oscar ceremony, I was thinking about films that portray complex relationships of various...
Belle BrettJan 27, 20193 minDigging Deep: Four Books on Japan's Nightlife that Informed My NovelThe first draft of my novel, Gina in the Floating World, reflected my own experiences as a foreign bar hostess in a Tokyo suburb in the...
Belle BrettJan 15, 20196 minTruth or Fiction in Gina in the Floating WorldI’m always intrigued by those films that are “inspired by” or “based on” true events. As a writer who likes to use my own life as a...
Belle BrettJan 5, 20193 minPublishing a Book: Not for the Faint of HeartThe start of the new year is a good time for a reckoning. For me 2018 was all about the BOOK—the book being my novel, Gina in the...
Belle BrettDec 18, 20183 minLearning to Read Out Loud: Dylan Thomas and "A Child's Christmas in Wales"Growing up, the one consistent holiday tradition my family maintained was listening to a recording of Dylan Thomas reading “A Child’s...
Belle BrettDec 4, 20183 minYour Holiday Book List: 5 Novels and a MemoirIn her later years, my mother made her gift shopping a little easier by buying each family member a special book. If you know someone's...
Belle BrettNov 21, 20184 minThanks to Parents Everywhere for Providing Fodder for FictionThanksgiving is a time when families, for better or worse, come together. This holiday prompted me to consider how important families are...
Belle BrettNov 7, 20188 minTraveling in Asia on the Cheap before the High-Tech AgeAs a child, I loved maps and fantasized about that time when I could explore the world. Perhaps because I was born in another country,...
Belle BrettOct 30, 20186 minThe Trials and Triumphs of the Week before My Book LaunchSome months ago, a writer friend gave me a little notebook with a Japanese design on the cover to record my preparation for the launch of...