WHY ARE CAROUSELS SO….

SCARY?
I recently went to see the play 1984 (completely brilliant) and afterwards walked along the South Bank.  It was a busy, sunny day and everything seemed bright and normal and innocent when I came across this carousel.  My heart pounded.  Immediately, I started thinking about clowns and spooky figures hiding in the shadows.  I was sure I could hear the sound of mocking laughter…

Of course, Carousel is my favourite musical and the one which gave birth to the haunting anthem which has been adopted by Liverpool football team.  And so I leave you with YOU'LL NEVER WALK ALONE

(And it was a serious question: why ARE carousels so scary?)

DALLA SUA PACE*

One of the golden highlights of my summer is a trip to Syon Park to hear opera performed around a grand piano, by a brilliant company called Diva.  This year, it was Don Giovanni and it was BLISS.  

Don Giovanni was played by the amazingly charismatic Changhan Lim and it was easy to understand why women fell so easily beneath his spell.  The danger and the devilishness in his eyes gave me lots of ideas for future heroes!

The evening was full of sunshine and laughter.  There was delicious food, shared with dear friends.
And I got to wear a posh dress, liberally sprinkled with golden sequins.

Sigh.  If only life could always be like this…

*my peace depends on her peace.  Don Giovanni's first aria.

VIVE LA FRANCE!

Rosa Corretti gets much more than she bargains for when she begs autocratic Sheikh Kulal to take her home with him…
Her strict Sicilian family are trying to find her and Kulal is doing his best to get rid of her.
It's one hell of a mess and when Rosa's reputation is compromised, there's only one direction this relationship can go….towards the altar!

I love this cover, though I'm not quite sure why Rosa and Kulal appear to be standing in front of a carpet ...

TEMPTED BY TUSCANY

I'd planned to write about Tuscany and my writing course which takes place every May.

I thought about mentioning the impossibly cute little villages which look as if they've been commissioned from Central Casting.  Or the roses which bloom next to the wine-veranda.  I could describe the crystal clear water which rushes past, making its own particular kind of music.  And the unforgettable trips to the Disney-esque Cinque Terre, or the beautiful city of Lucca.

But in the end, I thought I'd just let the mountains and the sunshine speak for themselves…

And somewhere behind me, you can hear the Angelus echoing out over the valleys….

MYSTERY & INSPIRATION

Today I'm over on http://www.iheartpresents.com  where I'm talking about inspiration and mysterious lakes like this

And I'd like you to drop by and tell me about places which inspire you...

HAPPY ST PATRICK'S!

I love St Patrick's Day.  When I was little, a brown paper package ("tied up with string") was sent over from Ireland, containing masses of shamrock.  For some reason it doesn't grow in England - though that didn't stop us trying, year after year.  
I also had a brooch in the shape of a beautiful golden harp ("The Harp That Once Through Tara's Halls").
So I'll leave you with that particular tune, which I guarantee you'll know….

HAPPY ST PATRICK'S DAY!

"A LITTLE PIECE OF HEAVEN"

One of the most beautiful places I've ever visited is the Cinque Terre - consisting of five exquisite little villages which cling to the rugged coastline of the Italian Riveria.  
It's difficult to access by car (which I love) - but the train takes you straight there, and after that you can board one of the boats which hop from village to village.  
(Read some of the quotes about this magical place here)

This is Vernazza, which you can also reach by foot - to be greeted with a view like this….

Make your way down into the Central Casting surroundings of the village and feast on fresh fish, as the sun warms your skin and your eyes focus in dazed disbelief on the dazzling view.  

If you're interested on a day-trip like this - sandwiched in between learning how to write best-selling romance while sitting in a rose-garden beneath the mountains - then go to www.watermill.net/ where you'll find a couple of places left on my northern Tuscan course, May 2014.

Go on.  Get booking.  You'd be mad to miss it…