One of the best things about this picture of Zahid and Francesca is that the scene is so true to how I imagined it. The artist has captured perfectly the exotic river which flows through the amazing land of Khayarzah. He (or she!) has also captured the lazy passion which exists between the Sheikh and his once-geeky lover.
Today, I finished the first draft of my latest story, which features a Neapolitan - my first ever hero from Naples. Now all I need to do is polish and tweak and tie up all the ends before delivering the book. I love this part of my job. It's a bit like icing a cake - and apparently, Neapolitans take their cake very seriously!
Anyone out there ever visited Naples?
I've never been to Naples but it is high on my list of places to visit. A good friend (and neighbor) is from Italy and she says Naples is like no other place on earth. Her sister lives there and she visits often. I love to hear her speak Italian...the language is incredible. (So is she. She also speaks 4 other languages fluently.)
ReplyDeleteAnd Sharon, I love the cover too. Very alluring.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on the first draft! I'm looking forward to what I am sure will be another excellent book.
Thanks, Dan - you always say such lovely things.
ReplyDeleteMichela - who is a regular contributor to this blog, has been encouraging me to write a book about Naples for ages! Here's a link to an earlier blog about the city.
http://sharonkendrick.blogspot.com/2009/11/blog-post_19.html
Michela also says: hope one day you will breathe "la nostra brezza partenopea"
(Now all I've got to do is find out what that means!).
I love Michela's comments; they're always excellent.
ReplyDeleteAfter a bit of Googling (..that almost sounds risque..) it translates to "our Parthenopean breeze"...and that sounds lovely.
Hi Sharon,
ReplyDeleteMy grandfather came from Naples. What I remember about him was his blue eyes and gentle ways. He past away when I was rather young (four). I've never been there but plan to in the near future, Diane
How lovely to have a Neapolitan grandfather, Diane! And interesting to hear about his blue eyes as I've heard they aren't that unusual in Naples. In fact, Ciro has a cousin called Giuseppe and HE has blue eyes!
ReplyDeleteFabulous cover! I do love the river in the background.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on finishing the draft of your latest and happy polishing!!
Thanks, Lacey. The river is called Jamanah, which means "silver pearl" - and it's called an exotic river because it has its source outside the country. It's amazing the things you learn when you're researching a land (even if it is a fictional land!)
ReplyDeleteOh, mio Dio - I was in your conversations, Sharon and Dan, and I didn't even know it!
ReplyDeleteI love this blog and I'm very sorry that my job keeps me so busy that I can't visit it so often now. But I'm here when I have more free time :)
...Thank you very much for your lovely comments Dan and, Sharon, I'm so happy that you've decided to write about a Neapolitan hero!
I wished it so much...
The cover of this book is "spectacular" - as Ewan McGregor would say (in Moulin Rouge!) and I can't wait to read it.
I love your Sheikhs' stories.
In the meanwhile - SHAMEFUL SECRET, SHOTGUN WEDDING is on my desk...ready to be read.
Another gorgeous Italian hero is going to be known...
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