Early in 2019, I started to jot down a few words, thinking that I might eventually make a reasonable short story. Well, many months of work, many sleepless nights trying to untangle plot knots and a global pandemic later, The Rose of Florence is a full-length novel, ready to
On the night of 3rd November, 1966, the people of Florence went to bed as usual. The heavy rain was nothing unusual for a November night, but this night was to be unlike any other in living memory. The Arno river, which flows through the centre of Florence, is used
Writing is a lonely business...or so I've been told. That hasn't been my experience, so far. Authors are a social and supportive bunch, keen to boost each other when they get chance. This often includes sharing each other's blogs, and one of the
When you first have an inkling of an idea for a book, everything seems so simple, but writing and publishing a book is a whole new world, not for the faint-hearted. I started with a setting. I knew from the very beginning that I wanted to write a story
700 years ago, on 25th March 1321, the "Supreme Poet", Dante Alighieri died. He is widely considered to be the father of the Renaissance, and his most famous work is The Divine Comedy, which includes the well-known Inferno (not the Dan Brown story!). He was also one
If you are a bit of a meat-lover, like me, one of the highlights of visiting Florence is ordering a Bistecca alla Fiorentina – a Florentine steak. Being faced with such an enormous chunk of meat could be daunting, but like many Tuscan dishes, it’s best when shared. Its
Even though he was only 3 during the time of my story and therefore doesn't feature in it, Michelangelo was probably the first to fire my interest in the Italian Renaissance and the wonderful art that came from that time period. I remember watching Charlton Heston in "
Apologies for mentioning the C-word, but COVID has been hard on so many walks of life, including the business of a busy tour guide. However, sometimes a bit of good can come out of the challenges. Last summer, while doing some research online, I spotted a Florence tour guide
Sandra is an author who writes under the name of Jill Barry. She has been so very helpful to me in my quest to write, and I'm always keen to hear stories of how others find themselves in their chosen field. It turns out Sandra had a little
The Rose of Florence
When writing a fiction in a non-fictional place, it's sometimes difficult to get the crossover just right. How much of the story relies on "place"? Does it really matter? Isn't the story better for a bit of poetic licence, a bit of embellishment?
The Rose of Florence
I have already introduced you to the famous Italian Renaissance dessert, zuccotto, in a previous post. After reading all the variations (and actually dreaming about them), in true Eleonora style, I made the recipe my own.
The Rose of Florence
In “The Rose of Florence”, one of the most dependable characters is Eleonora, the household cook. She has skills that I can only dream of, and her reputation as a domestic cook in Florence is second to none. Of all my characters, she is probably the one that I would