Tag: Author

Writing a book in 365 days – 233

Day 233

What is an acceptable age to stop writing

…

Pen Down? Never! Why There’s No ‘Acceptable Age’ to Stop Writing

It’s a question that might silently gnaw at writers, especially as the years accumulate: “Am I too old to be doing this? Is there an acceptable age to finally put the pen down?”

Let’s take a deep breath and shatter this myth right now.

The beautiful, liberating truth is: there isn’t one.

Unlike professional sports where physical peak defines a career, or industries that demand intense, rapid-fire innovation, writing thrives on something entirely different: life experience, wisdom, observation, and the enduring power of the human spirit. These are qualities that only deepen and enrich with time.

Why the Calendar Doesn’t Define Your Craft

The idea of an “acceptable age” to stop writing is a construct, a societal whisper that has no place in the world of storytelling. Here’s why you should ignore it:

  1. Wisdom is Your Superpower: Youth brings fresh perspectives, but age brings the nuanced understanding that only comes from living through joy, sorrow, triumph, and failure. Every single year you live adds another layer to your understanding of human nature, making your characters richer, your plots more profound, and your themes more resonant.
  2. A Richer Tapestry of Experience: Think of your life as a vast library. With every passing decade, you add new wings, new genres, new collections. This reservoir of lived experience is invaluable for a writer. You have more to draw from, more to reflect upon, and more unique insights to offer your readers.
  3. Writing as Lifelong Learning: The act of writing keeps your mind sharp, your curiosity piqued, and your creative muscles toned. It’s a fantastic form of mental exercise that can genuinely contribute to well-being as we age. Why would you want to stop something that is so beneficial?
  4. The Perspective of Time: Have you ever revisited an old memory and seen it in a completely new light? Age provides that distance and perspective, allowing you to craft narratives that explore complex emotions and historical events with greater clarity and depth. What felt overwhelming at 30 might become a powerful narrative at 70.
  5. Technology is Your Ally: Worried about typing speed or hand cramps? Dictation software, ergonomic keyboards, larger screens, and assistive technologies mean that physical limitations are no longer insurmountable barriers. Adaptation, not cessation, is the key.

Legends Who Wrote On (and On!)

History is filled with writers who found their voice late, or continued to produce masterpieces well into their golden years:

  • Laura Ingalls Wilder: Didn’t publish her first “Little House” book until she was 65!
  • Frank McCourt: Won a Pulitzer for Angela’s Ashes in 1997 when he was 66.
  • Agatha Christie: Continued to write bestsellers and intricate mysteries well into her 80s.
  • Toni Morrison: Published acclaimed novels throughout her 70s and 80s, including God Help the Child at 84.
  • Harriet Doerr: Published her first novel, Stones for Ibarra, and won a National Book Award at 74.

These are not anomalies; they are testaments to the enduring power of the written word and the human capacity for creation.

So, When Is the Acceptable Age to Stop Writing?

When the stories stop calling out to you. When your imagination runs dry. When the desire to connect, to share, to create, finally fades.

For most writers, that moment never truly arrives. The urge to tell stories is intrinsic, deeply woven into the fabric of who we are. It’s a fire that, if tended, can burn brightly for a lifetime.

Don’t let the calendar dictate your creative journey. Pick up that pen, open that laptop, and keep pouring your unique perspective onto the page. The world needs your stories, no matter how many candles are on your birthday cake.

What are your thoughts? Have you ever felt the pressure to “slow down” creatively because of your age? Share your experiences in the comments below!

Writing a book in 365 days – 233

Day 233

What is an acceptable age to stop writing

…

Pen Down? Never! Why There’s No ‘Acceptable Age’ to Stop Writing

It’s a question that might silently gnaw at writers, especially as the years accumulate: “Am I too old to be doing this? Is there an acceptable age to finally put the pen down?”

Let’s take a deep breath and shatter this myth right now.

The beautiful, liberating truth is: there isn’t one.

Unlike professional sports where physical peak defines a career, or industries that demand intense, rapid-fire innovation, writing thrives on something entirely different: life experience, wisdom, observation, and the enduring power of the human spirit. These are qualities that only deepen and enrich with time.

Why the Calendar Doesn’t Define Your Craft

The idea of an “acceptable age” to stop writing is a construct, a societal whisper that has no place in the world of storytelling. Here’s why you should ignore it:

  1. Wisdom is Your Superpower: Youth brings fresh perspectives, but age brings the nuanced understanding that only comes from living through joy, sorrow, triumph, and failure. Every single year you live adds another layer to your understanding of human nature, making your characters richer, your plots more profound, and your themes more resonant.
  2. A Richer Tapestry of Experience: Think of your life as a vast library. With every passing decade, you add new wings, new genres, new collections. This reservoir of lived experience is invaluable for a writer. You have more to draw from, more to reflect upon, and more unique insights to offer your readers.
  3. Writing as Lifelong Learning: The act of writing keeps your mind sharp, your curiosity piqued, and your creative muscles toned. It’s a fantastic form of mental exercise that can genuinely contribute to well-being as we age. Why would you want to stop something that is so beneficial?
  4. The Perspective of Time: Have you ever revisited an old memory and seen it in a completely new light? Age provides that distance and perspective, allowing you to craft narratives that explore complex emotions and historical events with greater clarity and depth. What felt overwhelming at 30 might become a powerful narrative at 70.
  5. Technology is Your Ally: Worried about typing speed or hand cramps? Dictation software, ergonomic keyboards, larger screens, and assistive technologies mean that physical limitations are no longer insurmountable barriers. Adaptation, not cessation, is the key.

Legends Who Wrote On (and On!)

History is filled with writers who found their voice late, or continued to produce masterpieces well into their golden years:

  • Laura Ingalls Wilder: Didn’t publish her first “Little House” book until she was 65!
  • Frank McCourt: Won a Pulitzer for Angela’s Ashes in 1997 when he was 66.
  • Agatha Christie: Continued to write bestsellers and intricate mysteries well into her 80s.
  • Toni Morrison: Published acclaimed novels throughout her 70s and 80s, including God Help the Child at 84.
  • Harriet Doerr: Published her first novel, Stones for Ibarra, and won a National Book Award at 74.

These are not anomalies; they are testaments to the enduring power of the written word and the human capacity for creation.

So, When Is the Acceptable Age to Stop Writing?

When the stories stop calling out to you. When your imagination runs dry. When the desire to connect, to share, to create, finally fades.

For most writers, that moment never truly arrives. The urge to tell stories is intrinsic, deeply woven into the fabric of who we are. It’s a fire that, if tended, can burn brightly for a lifetime.

Don’t let the calendar dictate your creative journey. Pick up that pen, open that laptop, and keep pouring your unique perspective onto the page. The world needs your stories, no matter how many candles are on your birthday cake.

What are your thoughts? Have you ever felt the pressure to “slow down” creatively because of your age? Share your experiences in the comments below!

Writing a book in 365 days – 232

Day 232

Sometimes, the best books for writers bear little similarity to their medium

…

The Unconventional Muse: When Your Best Writing Lesson Comes From Anywhere But a ‘How-To’ Guide

We writers are always chasing that elusive spark, that deeper understanding of human nature and narrative that elevates our work from good to truly profound. We devour books on craft, attend workshops, and pore over articles dissecting plot points and character arcs. All valuable, of course.

But what if the most potent lessons for your writing don’t come from a book with “How To Write” in the title? What if your greatest storytelling mentor isn’t a famous novelist, but a philosopher, a historian, or even a scientist?

This isn’t just a quirky idea; it’s a fundamental truth for many successful writers. Sometimes, the best books for writers bear little similarity to their medium.

Why Look Beyond the Craft?

Writers are, at heart, observers and interpreters of the human condition. We craft worlds, yes, but those worlds gain their resonance from reflecting or distorting truths about our world. To truly understand the stories we tell, we need to understand the world itself – its history, its psychology, its moral dilemmas, its scientific wonders.

This is where seemingly unrelated disciplines become invaluable. They offer different lenses through which to view conflict, motivation, and the very fabric of reality.

The Playwright, the Philosopher, and the Clash of Two Rights

Let’s take a specific example that perfectly illustrates this premise: the playwright. Should a playwright read philosophy? An emphatic yes.

Consider the profound wisdom offered by thinkers like George Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel. His work, particularly his dialectical approach to history and conflict, provides an incredible framework for understanding the deepest dramatic tensions.

For Hegel, the true tragedy – and the most compelling drama – lies not in a clear-cut battle between good and evil, but in the irreconcilable clash of two rights.

Think about that for a moment. It’s not the simple Hollywood narrative where the hero is unequivocally good and the villain is purely evil. That kind of story, while sometimes entertaining, often lacks the true grit and complexity of human experience.

Instead, Hegel pointed to the underlying issues in Greek tragedy as a case in point. Take Sophocles’ Antigone. Here, the conflict isn’t between a righteous hero and an evil tyrant. It’s between Antigone’s undeniable moral right to bury her brother, honoring the divine laws and family duty, and Creon’s equally legitimate right to uphold the laws of the state, ensuring order and preventing further rebellion.

Both characters are, in their own frameworks, right. Both are acting out of deeply held convictions and duties. And it is precisely because both are “right” that their collision is so utterly devastating, leading to a profound, unavoidable tragedy. Neither can simply concede without betraying their core identity or belief system.

A Golden Key for Every Writer

This isn’t just an academic point for philosophers; it’s a golden key for anyone crafting a narrative, whether it’s a novel, a screenplay, a short story, or even a compelling blog post.

  • Complex Characters: When your antagonists aren’t just “bad” but are operating from their own deeply held, morally defensible (to them) positions, your characters instantly gain depth. Their motivations become understandable, even if you disagree with their actions.
  • Richer Conflict: The “two rights” dilemma elevates your plot beyond simplistic good vs. evil. It forces your characters, and your readers, to grapple with true moral ambiguity, making the stakes feel far higher and more authentic. Think of a nuanced political drama, a family saga fraught with misunderstanding, or even a personal internal struggle where the protagonist is torn between two equally valid, yet conflicting, desires.
  • Deeper Themes: This approach allows you to explore profound themes about ethics, justice, loyalty, and the inherent contradictions of human existence, without needing to preach. The conflict itself becomes the exploration.

When your characters operate from their own deeply held, morally defensible positions, the story becomes infinitely more resonant because it mirrors the complexities of real life.

Broaden Your Mind, Deepen Your Stories

So, what does this mean for your reading list?

Don’t limit yourself to books on plot structure or character arcs (though those are valuable!). Dive into history, neuroscience, poetry, economics, art criticism, and yes, philosophy. Seek out texts that grapple with ethics, existence, and the nature of reality. Read the great thinkers, not necessarily to agree with them, but to understand how they thought and what they wrestled with.

You’re not just reading to learn facts; you’re reading to broaden your understanding of the human experience itself. And that, my fellow writers, is the wellspring from which truly compelling stories flow. Expand your mind, expand your world, and watch your own narratives deepen and soar.

What unconventional books or fields of study have unexpectedly impacted your writing? Share your discoveries in the comments below!

Searching for Locations: Venice, Italy

Venice is definitely a city to explore.  It has an incredible number of canals and walkways, and each time we would start our exploration at St Marks square when it’s not underwater

Everyone I have spoken to about exploring Venice has told me how easy it is to get lost.  It has not happened to me, but with the infinite number of ways you can go, I guess it is possible.

We started our exploration of Venice in St Marks square, where, on one side there was the Museo di Palazzo Ducale and, next door, the Basilica di San Marco.  Early morning and/or at high tide, water can be seen bubbling up from under the square, partially flooding it.  I have seen this happen several times.  Each morning as we walked from the hotel (the time we stayed in the Savoia and Jolanda) we passed the Bridge of Sighs.

Around the other three sides of the square are archways and shops.  We have bought both confectionary and souvenirs from some of these stores, albeit relatively expensive.  Prices are cheaper in stores that are away from the square and we found some of these when we walked from St Marks square to the Railway station, through many walkways, and crossing many bridges, and passing through a number of small piazzas.

That day, after the trek, we caught the waterbus back to San Marco, and then went on the tour of the Museo di Palazzo Du which included the dungeons and the Bridge of Sighs from the inside.  It took a few hours, longer than I’d anticipated because there was so much to see.

The next day, we caught the waterbus from San Marco to the Ponte di Rialto bridge.  Just upstream from the wharf there was a very large passenger ship, and I noticed there were a number of passengers from the ship on the waterbus, one of whom spoke to us about visiting Venice.  I didn’t realize we looked like professional tourists who knew where we were going.

After a pleasant conversation, and taking in the views up and down the Grand Canal, we disembarked and headed for the bridge, looking at the shops, mostly selling upmarket and expensive gifts, and eventually crossing to the other side where there was a lot of small market type stalls selling souvenirs as well as clothes, and most importantly, it being a hot day, cold Limonata.  This was my first taste of Limonata and I was hooked.

Continuing on from there was a wide street at the end and a number of restaurants where we had lunch.  We had a map of Venice and I was going to plot a course back to the hotel, taking what would be a large circular route that would come out at the Accademia Bridge, and further on to the Terminal Fusina Venezia where there was another church to explore, the Santa Maria del Rosario.

This is a photo of the Hilton Hotel from the other side of the canal.

It was useful knowledge for the second time we visited Venice because the waterbus from the Hilton hotel made its first stop, before San Marco, there.  We also discovered on that second visit a number of restaurants on the way from the terminal and church to the Accademia Bridge.

This is looking back towards San Marco from the Accademia Bridge:

And this, looking towards the docks:

Items to note:

Restaurants off the beaten track were much cheaper and the food a lot different to that in the middle of the tourist areas.

There are a lot of churches, big and small, tucked away in interesting spots where there are small piazza’s.  You can look in all of them, though some asked for a small fee.

Souvenirs, coffee, and confectionary are very expensive in St Marks square.

Writing a book in 365 days – 232

Day 232

Sometimes, the best books for writers bear little similarity to their medium

…

The Unconventional Muse: When Your Best Writing Lesson Comes From Anywhere But a ‘How-To’ Guide

We writers are always chasing that elusive spark, that deeper understanding of human nature and narrative that elevates our work from good to truly profound. We devour books on craft, attend workshops, and pore over articles dissecting plot points and character arcs. All valuable, of course.

But what if the most potent lessons for your writing don’t come from a book with “How To Write” in the title? What if your greatest storytelling mentor isn’t a famous novelist, but a philosopher, a historian, or even a scientist?

This isn’t just a quirky idea; it’s a fundamental truth for many successful writers. Sometimes, the best books for writers bear little similarity to their medium.

Why Look Beyond the Craft?

Writers are, at heart, observers and interpreters of the human condition. We craft worlds, yes, but those worlds gain their resonance from reflecting or distorting truths about our world. To truly understand the stories we tell, we need to understand the world itself – its history, its psychology, its moral dilemmas, its scientific wonders.

This is where seemingly unrelated disciplines become invaluable. They offer different lenses through which to view conflict, motivation, and the very fabric of reality.

The Playwright, the Philosopher, and the Clash of Two Rights

Let’s take a specific example that perfectly illustrates this premise: the playwright. Should a playwright read philosophy? An emphatic yes.

Consider the profound wisdom offered by thinkers like George Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel. His work, particularly his dialectical approach to history and conflict, provides an incredible framework for understanding the deepest dramatic tensions.

For Hegel, the true tragedy – and the most compelling drama – lies not in a clear-cut battle between good and evil, but in the irreconcilable clash of two rights.

Think about that for a moment. It’s not the simple Hollywood narrative where the hero is unequivocally good and the villain is purely evil. That kind of story, while sometimes entertaining, often lacks the true grit and complexity of human experience.

Instead, Hegel pointed to the underlying issues in Greek tragedy as a case in point. Take Sophocles’ Antigone. Here, the conflict isn’t between a righteous hero and an evil tyrant. It’s between Antigone’s undeniable moral right to bury her brother, honoring the divine laws and family duty, and Creon’s equally legitimate right to uphold the laws of the state, ensuring order and preventing further rebellion.

Both characters are, in their own frameworks, right. Both are acting out of deeply held convictions and duties. And it is precisely because both are “right” that their collision is so utterly devastating, leading to a profound, unavoidable tragedy. Neither can simply concede without betraying their core identity or belief system.

A Golden Key for Every Writer

This isn’t just an academic point for philosophers; it’s a golden key for anyone crafting a narrative, whether it’s a novel, a screenplay, a short story, or even a compelling blog post.

  • Complex Characters: When your antagonists aren’t just “bad” but are operating from their own deeply held, morally defensible (to them) positions, your characters instantly gain depth. Their motivations become understandable, even if you disagree with their actions.
  • Richer Conflict: The “two rights” dilemma elevates your plot beyond simplistic good vs. evil. It forces your characters, and your readers, to grapple with true moral ambiguity, making the stakes feel far higher and more authentic. Think of a nuanced political drama, a family saga fraught with misunderstanding, or even a personal internal struggle where the protagonist is torn between two equally valid, yet conflicting, desires.
  • Deeper Themes: This approach allows you to explore profound themes about ethics, justice, loyalty, and the inherent contradictions of human existence, without needing to preach. The conflict itself becomes the exploration.

When your characters operate from their own deeply held, morally defensible positions, the story becomes infinitely more resonant because it mirrors the complexities of real life.

Broaden Your Mind, Deepen Your Stories

So, what does this mean for your reading list?

Don’t limit yourself to books on plot structure or character arcs (though those are valuable!). Dive into history, neuroscience, poetry, economics, art criticism, and yes, philosophy. Seek out texts that grapple with ethics, existence, and the nature of reality. Read the great thinkers, not necessarily to agree with them, but to understand how they thought and what they wrestled with.

You’re not just reading to learn facts; you’re reading to broaden your understanding of the human experience itself. And that, my fellow writers, is the wellspring from which truly compelling stories flow. Expand your mind, expand your world, and watch your own narratives deepen and soar.

What unconventional books or fields of study have unexpectedly impacted your writing? Share your discoveries in the comments below!

First Dig Two Graves

A sequel to “The Devil You Don’t”

…

Revenge is a dish best served cold – or preferably so when everything goes right

Of course, it rarely does, as Alistair, Zoe’s handler, discovers to his peril. Enter a wildcard, John, and whatever Alistair’s plan for dealing with Zoe was dies with him.

It leaves Zoe in completely unfamiliar territory.

…

John’s idyllic romance with a woman who is utterly out of his comfort zone is on borrowed time. She is still trying to reconcile her ambivalence, after being so indifferent for so long.

They agree to take a break, during which she disappears. John, thinking she has left without saying goodbye, refuses to accept the inevitable, calls on an old friend for help in finding her.

After the mayhem and being briefly reunited, she recognises an inevitable truth: there is a price to pay for taking out Alistair; she must leave and find them first, and he would be wise to keep a low profile.

But keeping a low profile just isn’t possible, and enlisting another friend, a private detective and his sister, a deft computer hacker, they track her to the border between Austria and Hungary.

What John doesn’t realise is that another enemy is tracking him to find her too. It could have been a grand tour of Europe. Instead, it becomes a race against time before enemies old and new converge for what will be an inevitable showdown.

Writing a book in 365 days – 231

Day 231

Write the first page of a story based on a strong memory of a trip you once took.

…

Nancy also had a ticket, but had complicated her situation with Corrigan, so it would be interesting to see if she could extricate herself without appearing to follow me to the ferry terminal.

But it was not a deal breaker if she couldn’t get away.

As I came out the front entrance, a short way down the road, I saw a flurry of flashing lights and a bevy of policemen, and among them was the man without glasses, gesturing and protesting his innocence.  One of the two Chinese that had been in the lobby watching him was there, on the side, observing.

Good.  Keith, the man without glasses or the Chinese, would be following me.  That didn’t rule out someone else I hadn’t seen, so I still needed to be careful.

At least I hadn’t tried to conceal where I was going, letting the concierge know and telling him that if anyone was looking for me, that’s where I’d be for the next few hours.

I figured it would be the first place anyone would go to, after the front desk, whom I’d also told, if they, whoever they were, wanted me.

The taxi driver drove past the group, and I could see a man without glasses was fighting a losing battle.  The only good thing about it, he was providing a very noticeable distraction for me.

When I arrived at the terminal, it was pandemonium.

Organised perhaps, but barely.  Buses were arriving every few minutes, dropping off another 50 or so tourists, adding to the throng of about a thousand, all either lining up or waiting on groups for the guide to tell them where to go.

The disembarkation area was about a mile long with terminal buildings for what must be quite a few boats going out that night.

I went into the first building I could see and found an office, and with the few Chinese words I glad, found myself directed to another office further along.

There, my ticket was taken, a stub ripped off by what seemed to be a harassed officer, then pointed to the door that exited onto the wharf. I was told the picture of the boat was the one I was looking for.

Found.

It was behind the office, so I went up the gangway and onto the boat.

For a cruise vessel, it was, if anything, over the top.  Marble staircase, marble floors and the decor of a palace rather than a cruise vessel.

I went up the staircase to the middle level, just reaching the floor as a crowd of tourists streamed up behind me, some almost running.  Perhaps there were vantage points on each of the decks that I didn’t know about, but it seemed they considered the top deck the place to be for the best views and those all-important photographs.

I joined the throng; it was hard not to be caught up in the surging mass, to the rear of the ship and a small section of open space, where the throng was reduced to squeezing through a narrow doorway way and I found myself being jostled briefly until I reached the railing.

Still, the crowds came, and I realised this was the main way to get to the upper deck.  I was surprised the ferry didn’t have a staff member in place to make the process more orderly.

15 minutes later, the vessel cast off, everyone had found somewhere to stand or sit, and the flow of people going up had been reduced to a trickle more coming back down than going up.

I took a quick look myself, and the top deck was filled to capacity with every vantage point taken.

Downstairs again, I crossed the deck to the VIP room and showed the crew member my ticket, after which she opened the door and ushered me in.

A lot fewer people in there, perhaps due to the price of gaining entrance.  I ordered a drink then found a seat next to the window.

By this time, we were underway, moving out into the middle of the river, heading towards the Bund.  I could see the buildings on the nearest riverbank lit up, colourful enough to keep those around me and doubtless everywhere else on the boat, taking endless photographs.

They didn’t notice, and I had almost not, the arrival of the same two policemen who had been at the hotel watching the man now without his glasses.  I did a quick scan of the room, trying not to look like I was doing a quick scan of the room, and couldn’t see him.

Nor had I seen him earlier, before and during boarding.  That didn’t mean he wasn’t on board somewhere.

The two policemen seemed satisfied he was not in the room and went back out again.  They had not given me a second look, or perhaps they were that good.  It didn’t matter; they were gone.

When I sat down, another short, rotund Chinese man was sitting in the seat beside me.  I had no idea if this was the man I was sent to meet, or if he had just sneaked in while everyone’s attention was elsewhere.

I wasn’t going to ask.

He didn’t speak.  He simply sat there, not looking sideways but just straight ahead at the buildings on the Bund, all lit in what seemed to be a continuous line of lights.

And then, all of a sudden, the building lights went out, much to the dismay of all on board, and those in the room who’d been crowding all the available window space.

Then the lights in the room went out, and for a few seconds, there was confusion.  A minute in darkness, at the most, and the lights went back on, and the man was gone.

I’d neither seen nor heard him leave.  But I did feel a slight bump, and out of curiosity, I checked my jacket pocket.

Something small.  Most likely a USB memory stick.  The files I’d been sent to pick up.

Now, all I had to do was get off the boat, back to the hotel, act normal for the next two days, and then go home, acting as if nothing had happened.

Of course, if this weren’t China, that might happen.  But it was, and when I looked over at the door leading back to the exit, I saw the two policemen I’d seen earlier in the hotel escorting what looked to be the man who’d just been briefly sitting next to me out of the room.

That couldn’t be a coincidence, could it?

…

©  Charles Heath  2025

Searching for Locations: Venice, Italy

Venice is definitely a city to explore.  It has an incredible number of canals and walkways, and each time we would start our exploration at St Marks square when it’s not underwater

Everyone I have spoken to about exploring Venice has told me how easy it is to get lost.  It has not happened to me, but with the infinite number of ways you can go, I guess it is possible.

We started our exploration of Venice in St Marks square, where, on one side there was the Museo di Palazzo Ducale and, next door, the Basilica di San Marco.  Early morning and/or at high tide, water can be seen bubbling up from under the square, partially flooding it.  I have seen this happen several times.  Each morning as we walked from the hotel (the time we stayed in the Savoia and Jolanda) we passed the Bridge of Sighs.

Around the other three sides of the square are archways and shops.  We have bought both confectionary and souvenirs from some of these stores, albeit relatively expensive.  Prices are cheaper in stores that are away from the square and we found some of these when we walked from St Marks square to the Railway station, through many walkways, and crossing many bridges, and passing through a number of small piazzas.

That day, after the trek, we caught the waterbus back to San Marco, and then went on the tour of the Museo di Palazzo Du which included the dungeons and the Bridge of Sighs from the inside.  It took a few hours, longer than I’d anticipated because there was so much to see.

The next day, we caught the waterbus from San Marco to the Ponte di Rialto bridge.  Just upstream from the wharf there was a very large passenger ship, and I noticed there were a number of passengers from the ship on the waterbus, one of whom spoke to us about visiting Venice.  I didn’t realize we looked like professional tourists who knew where we were going.

After a pleasant conversation, and taking in the views up and down the Grand Canal, we disembarked and headed for the bridge, looking at the shops, mostly selling upmarket and expensive gifts, and eventually crossing to the other side where there was a lot of small market type stalls selling souvenirs as well as clothes, and most importantly, it being a hot day, cold Limonata.  This was my first taste of Limonata and I was hooked.

Continuing on from there was a wide street at the end and a number of restaurants where we had lunch.  We had a map of Venice and I was going to plot a course back to the hotel, taking what would be a large circular route that would come out at the Accademia Bridge, and further on to the Terminal Fusina Venezia where there was another church to explore, the Santa Maria del Rosario.

This is a photo of the Hilton Hotel from the other side of the canal.

It was useful knowledge for the second time we visited Venice because the waterbus from the Hilton hotel made its first stop, before San Marco, there.  We also discovered on that second visit a number of restaurants on the way from the terminal and church to the Accademia Bridge.

This is looking back towards San Marco from the Accademia Bridge:

And this, looking towards the docks:

Items to note:

Restaurants off the beaten track were much cheaper and the food a lot different to that in the middle of the tourist areas.

There are a lot of churches, big and small, tucked away in interesting spots where there are small piazza’s.  You can look in all of them, though some asked for a small fee.

Souvenirs, coffee, and confectionary are very expensive in St Marks square.

Another excerpt from ‘Betrayal’; a work in progress

…

My next destination in the quest was the hotel we believed Anne Merriweather had stayed at.

I was, in a sense, flying blind because we had no concrete evidence she had been there, and the message she had left behind didn’t quite name the hotel or where Vladimir was going to take her.

Mindful of the fact that someone might have been following me, I checked to see if the person I’d assumed had followed me to Elizabeth’s apartment was still in place, but I couldn’t see him. Next, I made a mental note of seven different candidates and committed them to memory.

Then I set off to the hotel, hailing a taxi. There was the possibility the cab driver was one of them, but perhaps I was slightly more paranoid than I should be. I’d been watching the queue, and there were two others before me.

The journey took about an hour, during which time I kept an eye out the back to see if anyone had been following us. If anyone was, I couldn’t see them.

I had the cab drop me off a block from the hotel and then spent the next hour doing a complete circuit of the block the hotel was on, checking the front and rear entrances, the cameras in place, and the siting of the driveway into the underground carpark. There was a camera over the entrance, and one we hadn’t checked for footage. I sent a text message to Fritz to look into it.

The hotel lobby was large and busy, which was exactly what you’d want if you wanted to come and go without standing out. It would be different later at night, but I could see her arriving about mid-afternoon, and anonymous among the type of clientele the hotel attracted.

I spent an hour sitting in various positions in the lobby simply observing. I had already ascertained where the elevator lobby for the rooms was, and the elevator down to the car park. Fortunately, it was not ‘guarded’ but there was a steady stream of concierge staff coming and going to the lower levels, and, just from time to time, guests.

Then, when there was a commotion at the front door, what seemed to be a collision of guests and free-wheeling bags, I saw one of the seven potential taggers sitting by the front door. Waiting for me to leave? Or were they wondering why I was spending so much time there?

Taking advantage of that confusion, I picked my moment to head for the elevators that went down to the car park, pressed the down button, and waited.

The was no car on the ground level, so I had to wait, watching, like several others, the guests untangling themselves at the entrance, and an eye on my potential surveillance, still absorbed in the confusion.

The doors to the left car opened, and a concierge stepped out, gave me a quick look, then headed back to his desk. I stepped into the car, pressed the first level down, the level I expected cars to arrive on, and waited what seemed like a long time for the doors to close.

As they did, I was expecting to see a hand poke through the gap, a latecomer. Nothing happened, and I put it down to a television moment.

There were three basement levels, and for a moment, I let my imagination run wild and considered the possibility that there were more levels. Of course, there was no indication on the control panel that there were any other floors, and I’d yet to see anything like it in reality.

With a shake of my head to return to reality, the car arrived, the doors opened, and I stepped out.

A car pulled up, and the driver stepped out, went around to the rear of his car, and pulled out a case. I half expected him to throw me the keys, but the instant glance he gave me told him was not the concierge, and instead brushed past me like I wasn’t there.

He bashed the up button several times impatiently and cursed when the doors didn’t open immediately. Not a happy man.

Another car drove past on its way down to a lower level.

I looked up and saw the CCTV camera, pointing towards the entrance, visible in the distance. A gate that lifted up was just about back in position and then made a clunk when it finally closed. The footage from the camera would not prove much, even if it had been working, because it didn’t cover the life lobby, only in the direction of the car entrance.

The doors to the other elevator car opened, and a man in a suit stepped out.

“Can I help you, sir? You seem lost.”

Security, or something else. “It seems that way. I went to the elevator lobby, got in, and it went down rather than up. I must have been in the wrong place.”

“Lost it is, then, sir.” I could hear the contempt for Americans in his tone. “If you will accompany me, please.”

He put out a hand ready to guide me back into the elevator. I was only too happy to oblige him. There had been a sign near the button panel that said the basement levels were only to be accessed by the guests.

Once inside, he turned a key and pressed the lobby button. The doors closed, and we went up. He stood, facing the door, not speaking. A few seconds later, he was ushering me out to the lobby.

“Now, sir, if you are a guest…”

“Actually, I’m looking for one. She called me and said she would be staying in this hotel and to come down and visit her. I was trying to get to the sixth floor.”

“Good. Let’s go over the the desk and see what we can do for you.”

I followed him over to the reception desk, where he signalled one of the clerks, a young woman who looked and acted very efficiently, and told her of my request, but then remained to oversee the proceeding.

“Name of guest, sir?”

“Merriweather, Anne. I’m her brother, Alexander.” I reached into my coat pocket and pulled out my passport to prove that I was who I said I was. She glanced cursorily at it.

She typed the name into the computer, and then we waited a few seconds while it considered what to output. Then, she said, “That lady is not in the hotel, sir.”

Time to put on my best-confused look. “But she said she would be staying here for the week. I made a special trip to come here to see her.”

Another puzzled look from the clerk, then, “When did she call you?”

An interesting question to ask, and it set off a warning bell in my head. I couldn’t say today, it would have to be the day she was supposedly taken.

“Last Saturday, about four in the afternoon.”

Another look at the screen, then, “It appears she checked out Sunday morning. I’m afraid you have made a trip in vain.”

Indeed, I had. “Was she staying with anyone?”

I just managed to see the warning pass from the suited man to the clerk. I thought he had shown an interest when I mentioned the name, and now I had confirmation. He knew something about her disappearance. The trouble was, he wasn’t going to volunteer any information because he was more than just hotel security.

“No.”

“Odd,” I muttered. “I thought she told me she was staying with a man named Vladimir something or other. I’m not too good at pronouncing those Russian names. Are you sure?”

She didn’t look back at the screen. “Yes.”

“OK, now one thing I do know about staying in hotels is that you are required to ask guests with foreign passports their next destination, just in case they need to be found. Did she say where she was going next?” It was a long shot, but I thought I’d ask.

“Moscow. As I understand it, she lives in Moscow. That was the only address she gave us.”

I smiled. “Thank you. I know where that is. I probably should have gone there first.”

She didn’t answer; she didn’t have to, her expression did that perfectly.

The suited man spoke again, looking at the clerk. “Thank you.” He swivelled back to me. “I’m sorry we can’t help you.”

“No. You have more than you can know.”

“What was your name again, sir, just in case you still cannot find her?”

“Alexander Merriweather. Her brother. And if she is still missing, I will be posting a very large reward. At the moment, you can best contact me via the American Embassy.”

Money is always a great motivator, and that thoughtful expression on his face suggested he gave a moment’s thought to it.

I left him with that offer and left. If anything, the people who were holding her would know she had a brother, that her brother was looking for her, and equally that brother had money.

…

© Charles Heath – 2018-2025

Writing a book in 365 days – 231

Day 231

Write the first page of a story based on a strong memory of a trip you once took.

…

Nancy also had a ticket, but had complicated her situation with Corrigan, so it would be interesting to see if she could extricate herself without appearing to follow me to the ferry terminal.

But it was not a deal breaker if she couldn’t get away.

As I came out the front entrance, a short way down the road, I saw a flurry of flashing lights and a bevy of policemen, and among them was the man without glasses, gesturing and protesting his innocence.  One of the two Chinese that had been in the lobby watching him was there, on the side, observing.

Good.  Keith, the man without glasses or the Chinese, would be following me.  That didn’t rule out someone else I hadn’t seen, so I still needed to be careful.

At least I hadn’t tried to conceal where I was going, letting the concierge know and telling him that if anyone was looking for me, that’s where I’d be for the next few hours.

I figured it would be the first place anyone would go to, after the front desk, whom I’d also told, if they, whoever they were, wanted me.

The taxi driver drove past the group, and I could see a man without glasses was fighting a losing battle.  The only good thing about it, he was providing a very noticeable distraction for me.

When I arrived at the terminal, it was pandemonium.

Organised perhaps, but barely.  Buses were arriving every few minutes, dropping off another 50 or so tourists, adding to the throng of about a thousand, all either lining up or waiting on groups for the guide to tell them where to go.

The disembarkation area was about a mile long with terminal buildings for what must be quite a few boats going out that night.

I went into the first building I could see and found an office, and with the few Chinese words I glad, found myself directed to another office further along.

There, my ticket was taken, a stub ripped off by what seemed to be a harassed officer, then pointed to the door that exited onto the wharf. I was told the picture of the boat was the one I was looking for.

Found.

It was behind the office, so I went up the gangway and onto the boat.

For a cruise vessel, it was, if anything, over the top.  Marble staircase, marble floors and the decor of a palace rather than a cruise vessel.

I went up the staircase to the middle level, just reaching the floor as a crowd of tourists streamed up behind me, some almost running.  Perhaps there were vantage points on each of the decks that I didn’t know about, but it seemed they considered the top deck the place to be for the best views and those all-important photographs.

I joined the throng; it was hard not to be caught up in the surging mass, to the rear of the ship and a small section of open space, where the throng was reduced to squeezing through a narrow doorway way and I found myself being jostled briefly until I reached the railing.

Still, the crowds came, and I realised this was the main way to get to the upper deck.  I was surprised the ferry didn’t have a staff member in place to make the process more orderly.

15 minutes later, the vessel cast off, everyone had found somewhere to stand or sit, and the flow of people going up had been reduced to a trickle more coming back down than going up.

I took a quick look myself, and the top deck was filled to capacity with every vantage point taken.

Downstairs again, I crossed the deck to the VIP room and showed the crew member my ticket, after which she opened the door and ushered me in.

A lot fewer people in there, perhaps due to the price of gaining entrance.  I ordered a drink then found a seat next to the window.

By this time, we were underway, moving out into the middle of the river, heading towards the Bund.  I could see the buildings on the nearest riverbank lit up, colourful enough to keep those around me and doubtless everywhere else on the boat, taking endless photographs.

They didn’t notice, and I had almost not, the arrival of the same two policemen who had been at the hotel watching the man now without his glasses.  I did a quick scan of the room, trying not to look like I was doing a quick scan of the room, and couldn’t see him.

Nor had I seen him earlier, before and during boarding.  That didn’t mean he wasn’t on board somewhere.

The two policemen seemed satisfied he was not in the room and went back out again.  They had not given me a second look, or perhaps they were that good.  It didn’t matter; they were gone.

When I sat down, another short, rotund Chinese man was sitting in the seat beside me.  I had no idea if this was the man I was sent to meet, or if he had just sneaked in while everyone’s attention was elsewhere.

I wasn’t going to ask.

He didn’t speak.  He simply sat there, not looking sideways but just straight ahead at the buildings on the Bund, all lit in what seemed to be a continuous line of lights.

And then, all of a sudden, the building lights went out, much to the dismay of all on board, and those in the room who’d been crowding all the available window space.

Then the lights in the room went out, and for a few seconds, there was confusion.  A minute in darkness, at the most, and the lights went back on, and the man was gone.

I’d neither seen nor heard him leave.  But I did feel a slight bump, and out of curiosity, I checked my jacket pocket.

Something small.  Most likely a USB memory stick.  The files I’d been sent to pick up.

Now, all I had to do was get off the boat, back to the hotel, act normal for the next two days, and then go home, acting as if nothing had happened.

Of course, if this weren’t China, that might happen.  But it was, and when I looked over at the door leading back to the exit, I saw the two policemen I’d seen earlier in the hotel escorting what looked to be the man who’d just been briefly sitting next to me out of the room.

That couldn’t be a coincidence, could it?

…

©  Charles Heath  2025