#ThursdayDoors to Friendship, & a #BookReview

Posted on by Teagan Riordain Geneviene

Thursday, September 25, 2025

luxurious tourist resort - luxury homes in south africa stock pictures, royalty-free photos & images

I’m blessed to have made many long-lasting, long-distance friendships through the WordPress blogging community.  One of those is Roberta Eaton Cheadle.

This morning, she posted a marvelous review of my steampunk-fantasy “The Alchemist and the Woman in Trousers.”  Click the big blue link below for Robbie Cheadle’s wonderful post.

Click for Robbie’s Review Post

South Africa Cape Town City Center Long Street City Sightseeing double decker bus.

In honor of Robbie’s review, I’ve collected some photos from Getty Images of lovely homes and resorts in her home country, South Africa.  Unfortunately, city/location information was not available for everything.  But we don’t need locations to find our way through a virtual tour.  Now, all aboard that colorful bus!

modern patio next to swimming pool - luxury homes in south africa stock pictures, royalty-free photos & images

Go ahead and take a refreshing dip in that pool (above photo by Paul Bradbury).  We’ll wait.

Below is a villa-residence in the foothills of Table Mountain, Cape Town, South Africa.  That photo by Edwin Remsberg/also Getty Images.

villa-at-table-mountain-south-africa. Edwin Remsberg at getty-images

What do you mean, you need a pitstop?  And I thought I had a tiny bladder.  Okay, here’s a lovely cabin.  Below, photo credit Klaus Vedfelt.

empty amazing luxury vacation cabin in the bush country - luxury bathrooms in south africa stock pictures, royalty-free photos & images

Below, photo by Simone Kley of a poshly modern-looking door to a home in Johannesburg near the Vaal River.

Radovan Krejcirs home on November 24, 2015 in Johannesburg, South Africa. Krejcirs two luxury homes in Johannesburg and on the Vaal River, will go...

Oh-oh… It looks like we missed our bus…  but not to worry.  We can take this train back home.  “The Pride of Africa” in Pretoria, South Africa in June, 2003 photo by David LeFranc.

The journey that takes the "Pride of Africa" and passengers towards the Mozambican starts at the private Rovos Rail station in Capital Park, Pretoria...

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The video trailer below tells a little about the story.

The Alchemist and the Woman in Trousers: a Cornelis Drebbel Adventure

Universal Purchase Links

E-book:  relinks.me/B0F1KWXJ5P

Paperback:  relinks.me/B0F1KVQGFR

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Please Click for Robbie’s post for her review — and to get acquainted with her wonderful blog.

Thanks for opening this door.  Hugs!

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This post is part of Dan Antion  Thursday Doors challenge. Click the blue link for more information about the challenge.

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All images are either the property of the author, or used with permission, or from free sources.

Copyright © 2025 by Teagan Ríordáin Geneviene

All rights reserved.

51 thoughts on “#ThursdayDoors to Friendship, & a #BookReview”

  1. HI Teagan, thank you for sharing my review here and for this amazing post. I did enjoy your photograph findings of locations in South Africa. Sorry I’m late to this party; work has been very demanding over the past few weeks as its our year end.

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  2. Teagan, this is wonderful! I saw Robbie’s post, and now here you are responding with photos in South Africa. That says a lot for bloggers, doesn’t it? We are a community, a family. We connect in far more ways than we connect with the people in our lives. Thank you!

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      1. You are very welcome, Teagan. Yes, we often get encouragement from fellow bloggers, more than we get from family and friends. Interestingly, I just had our Parent Night at school, and part of the handout we give to parents is a teacher biography; mine includes my blog, and also being a live guest on The Kelly Clarkson Show. Parents have approached me, especially on my blog. So, again, our blogs reach many people – more than we realize – outside of family. I must say, I consider my fellow bloggers a family bigger than the family at home. Really. Many thanks for your kind words, and Mega Hugs! 😍

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          1. Thank you, Teagan. I wouldn’t be there after 42 years if it weren’t a good school. Seeing parents visiting my blog (and in person) is wonderful. Mega hugs!

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  4. Robbie always writes the best book reviews, and you, Teagan, bring us the most imaginative stories. What a wonderful combination to celebrate! I also enjoyed the ‘Doors’ companion — it felt like a virtual journey to South Africa. Always a joy to stop by. Sending many hugs on speedy wings to you and the Scoobies!!!

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  9. Wow, that’s the best book video I’ve ever seen. Yes, your imagination is limitless, Teagan.

    Thank you for this lovely post! I’m heading over to Robbies! She is the cat’s pawjamas.

    Hugs!!!!!

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    1. Thanks so much, Holly. The book was many years (and technical issues) in the making. I had used the part of the cover with the man from the beginning. The rest of it went through several versions along the way, but always with the same man. It just felt right to me. Thanks for opening this door. Hugs.

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  21. Congratulations Teagan on Robbie’s review of your book, “The Alchemist and the Woman in Trousers.”! I enjoyed your presentation of places from South Africa especially the David LeFranc’s photo of “The Pride of Africa”…superb!

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