On the first day of January, Bern’s newly elected mayor stepped into her job. Her name is Marieke Kruit, and she is the first woman to be in charge of the city since the last Duke of Zähringer founded it in 1191, one hundred years before the Swiss Confederation came into being. Our new mayorContinue reading “An 834-Year Wait”
Author Archives: Kim Hays
The Books I Enjoyed Most in 2024
Forgive me; it has been six weeks since I wrote anything here. First, my husband and I went to Ecuador, and then, when we got back, it was close enough to Christmas that the holidays seemed to absorb all my energy. Because I’ve been busy, I haven’t been diligent about keeping up with the book-relatedContinue reading “The Books I Enjoyed Most in 2024”
Out of This World
You may not know that The Wizard of Oz is only the first of thirty-nine books set in the world of Oz, the first fourteen written by L. Frank Baum, a subsequent eighteen by Ruth Plumly Thomson, and seven more by miscellaneous other authors. My mother and her younger brothers read them all when theyContinue reading “Out of This World”
The Process of Producing a Book
For me, completing (notice I didn’t say writing!) the first draft of a new book is the most thrilling part of being an author. The second most exciting moment is when I finish what I hope will be the final draft of the text, usually after months of rewriting. Once the publisher’s editor has approvedContinue reading “The Process of Producing a Book”
Never Too Old for the Circus
Recently, Peter and I went to the circus. We didn’t take a grandchild or the little kids from the apartment upstairs—we went with friends our own age, and the four of us had a terrific time. Circus Monti is a one-ring family circus that holds performances in a tent seating 750 people. On the weeknightContinue reading “Never Too Old for the Circus”
When Mystery Writers Party
I read a lot of fiction: both straightforward novels and genre fiction, including fantasy, romance, science fiction, and, of course, mysteries—more mysteries than anything else. Mysteries are divided into sub-genres; the type I read most is what I write, police procedurals. For five days just before Labor Day, I attended an annual conference called Bouchercon*Continue reading “When Mystery Writers Party”
In Praise of Arles
Arles is a town of just over 50,000 people in the French region of Provence that brings history to life in a spectacular way. Visitors can stroll down its narrow streets to tour its Roman theaters and medieval church of Saint-Trophime and then spend a few hours at the Vincent van Gogh Foundation. After lunchContinue reading “In Praise of Arles”
How Much Freedom Is Too Much?
Switzerland’s equivalent of the Fourth of July is August 1; it commemorates a thirteenth-century pact of mutual defense against the Habsburg army among three future Swiss cantons. (See an earlier post about Switzerland’s Independence Day: https://wordpress.com/post/kimhaysbern.com/561). Like the Fourth of July, August 1 has traditionally involved parades and speeches, bonfires on hilltops, outdoor suppers, andContinue reading “How Much Freedom Is Too Much?”
Four Sisters
Hello Beautiful, Ann Napolitano’s 400-page novel, was released on March 14, 2023, to superb reviews. Oprah chose it as her hundredth recommended book since she began her book club in 1996. Nevertheless, it took me sixteen months to buy and read it for a ridiculous reason—the title turned me off. When I tried to analyzeContinue reading “Four Sisters”
How Stories Take Shape
A Fondness for Truth is now officially launched into the world! The Münstergass bookstore co-owners Susanne Bühler and Monika Steiner sponsored the launch, which was held in Bern’s PROGR (short for Progymnasium), a former school building that has been turned into an artists’ cooperative and cultural center. In front of an audience of fifty, myContinue reading “How Stories Take Shape”
