Six Years in London

In all the excitement of last week, the six-year anniversary of my arrival in London slipped right by! This year more than ever, I really feel like London is my home. When I first landed here, I barely knew anyone; I was about to embark on a career in teaching; and I didn't know much about the city. Now, I'm married, I'm a full-time writer and I've written a book about London (and Paris, too)! And I'm going to have a novel published... set in London, of course. What a difference six years can make!

After the wedding ceremony at Dali Universe.

London has played such an important role in my life. The Man and I met on the South Bank and despite both of us being from other countries, we knew it was where we wanted to get married. With our ceremony practically under the London Eye and our reception on the Thames, our wedding felt like a celebration of London, too.

The Millennium Bridge from our boat on the Thames.

Career-wise, London was very helpful in quickly giving me guidance that I really did not want to teach here -- long-term, anyway (thanks, London... I think). It provided the subject matter for my first book, 24 Hours London, which taught me so much about the publishing process, promotion and lots of other details I'd naively thought would magically take care of themselves. Now, with my first novel set to be launched next year, I feel even more grateful. If I hadn't been living here, I never would have met the publisher who helped set my publishing career in motion.

The latest cover design for my new novel, under pen-name Talli Roland.

So... here's to six years in London! I hope the next six will be as brilliant.