Saturday, May 15, 2010

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.

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

Congratulations Marsha! How cool is that, getting married on the South Bank. Dead jealous. Congrats on the book too. Would love to review a copy when it hits the streets.

India Drummond said...

Congrats, Marsha! It's been quite an eventful 6 years for you! So glad we met. :)

Rosalind Adam said...

You look so happy in that wedding photograph. I hope that happiness lasts forever and if the front cover is anything to go by, your book should soon be flying off the shelves. I'm sure it will.

Kathryn Eastman said...

Your wedding photo is beautiful and you and your husband look so incredibly happy. I hope that lasts a lifetime.

Love that the London Eye got in on the act, as well!

I hope London continues to inspire and nudge you into making more great decisions, too. It's helped you make some fantastic ones so far.

Sharon Longworth said...

I'm a Londoner born and bred, and although I now live in the Kent countryside, it still calls me back every now and then. You can't beat the sun sparkling off the Thames on a summer afternoon.
So I'm glad that you came to London and have liked it enough to stay - here's to the next six years!

Anonymous said...

Beautiful photo Marsha. As a Londoner I think we're lucky to have you!

Deniz Bevan said...

Congratulations Marsha! It all makes for a great story in itself :-)

Nancy J. Parra said...

Congrats, Marsha!

What a great story and it's only just begun!! Cheers~

Marsha said...

Aw, thanks so much everyone!

Melissa - I'll send you a review copy soon! I've run out of copies.

India - I'm glad we met, too. Yay for donuts!

Rosalind, Kath, Sharon, BucksWriter and Deniz - thank you all for your lovely comments! :)

Marsha said...

Oh, and Nancy too! Gah!

Okie said...

Congrats. That's exciting...sounds like a great past 6 years.

kanishk said...

Love that the London Eye got in on the act, as well!
free classified india

Lost in London said...

bravo! London is so inspiring. Happy 6th anniversary.