people and the past
Corfu Literary Festival
Great artists and me
Once upon a long time ago I studied Art. I also studied History.. Then I studied Art History. soon I came to understand more fully how Art and History intertwine and how the lives of artists matter in an understanding of the society in which they lived. Several artists in particular became important to me. Not just because their artwork brought me joy (and continues to do so) but their lives too seemed important to me. I am never sure why as they lived in very different times to me. What follows are not artist biographies but just a few words on why they matter to me. Those artists are:-
Edward Lear.
Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema.
Sir Joseph Noel Paton.
Don Lawrence
Sydney Nolan
Ellis Rowan
Files coming soon.
Edward Lear
Sir Lawrence Alma Tadema
Sir Joseph Noel Paton - some images Paton Exhibition Dunfermline Art Gallery
Don Lawrence, Sydney Nolan, Ellis Rowan
Genesis of a story - thoughts on writing a published story
This was a story written initially for a call from PURE SLUSH in Australia to write a story on a musical theme. It was written to the word limit of 1000 words and as a result it started and stopped in two very different places. That story 'Air on a broken heart string' played with the themes of music and love gone wrong as it sometimes does.
So, where does the idea (s) for a story like ‘Aria’ come from? PURE SLUSH BOOKS, the publisher had already given us the base idea of music and live. Almost immediately as decided that I would set the story on Corfu, a Greek island with which I have an affinity which goes far beyond ‘taking a holiday’. I also decided immediately that my main character – the musician – would be a woman slighted in love. What would be her musical instrument? It would be something portable that she could easily carry to Corfu therefore not a piano or a big standing harp or the suchlike. I was also thinking the words ‘Sinfonia’ / Philharmonia in my head. At the back of my mind, but never very far back, is an image and a tune. It is of the electric violinist Ed Alleyne Johnson playing his “Variations on Pachelbel’s Canon’as anstreet performer and on his cd “Purple Electric Violin Concerto’. In the original short story I could see my character playing this tune busking on Theotoki Street. So my character was from that moment going to be a violinist. Now, for her name. I have always
Liked the name Rachel though none of my family carry that name. It has the air of purity about it and some fairly obvious biblical undertones. I wanted my character to be the innocent in this story. She would be the wronged woman, abandoned while she yet loved her man. Then I thought did it have to be a man? Might it be another woman she had been in love with? As Inhad no intentions of including any graphic sex in the story I felt it could be either. I put that on hold whilst I thought about settings. Corfu Town. Definitely. With its rich musical history that’s where a classical style busker would ply their trade in the hope of garnering a few euros. I was thinking Theotoki Street mainly because it is for me the epicentre of Corfu a town life, close to the Liston, Plous bookshop, the shops – one shop in particular where one year I paid 160 euros for a polo shirt to wear. It did come in a gorgeous bespoke bag. Then the spark. One of my favourite bars is close to that spot. Everyone known it because it is on three levels with small tables on each tier under a pergola with its plants overhanging. I sit there often and on one occasion I was looking across at the tall buildings in the narrow lane which leads off to the left. I could see the brass plate announcing the occupants but could not read it without my glasses. But when it came to the short story I remembered and decided my main character Rachel would be sitting there looking at the building when she first hears the male voice singing a piece of classical music. As a musician she recognises it and she listens to this male voice which emanates from one of the upper windows. Then comes the sting in the tale. In front of her sits a glass of wine, untouched. That which she dare not touch lest she fall off the proverbial shoogly wagon. That is left open as the story develops. She has to conquer that Demon and her music helps her. And so she sits listening with a vague familiarity creeping over her. After a time the singing stops and soon after the man whom she presumes to have been the singer emerges from the door to the apartment building. It is a face she recognises. It is the man who has wronged her, living his new life she takes a drink, felling in control for the first time in many many months. She had no fear of the alcohol because her real demon is in front of her. The story ends as she confronts her nemesis finally, feeling good about herself. That was the story as published.
Afterwards I wanted to revise the story and include the Corfu Literary Festival in this story. To do that her appearance on Corfu could not be as a busker or accidental. I needed a pretext for Annabelle, Philip and Alex to invite her to the island. A musical autobiography? Perfect. The revised story starts at an earlier stage of the story and brings my musician to the island. All other details relating to Rachel no Robert remain the same. The longer version allows me to develop the story beyond that challenge in the café/bar and resolve Rachel’s story in a much more satisfying way.
The Achilleion Palace Corfu. A tale across the ages. Part 1
- The story of the Achilleion Palace is a story of a Princess, the village of Gastouri, the tragic death of a son and finally the equally tragic assassination of the Princess. It is also a story of a renovation which has faltered due to financial and management problems.
- "I want a palace with pillared colonnades and hanging gardens, protected from prying glances - a palace worthy of Achilles, who despised all mortals and did not fear even the gods." Elisabeth of Austria [Wiki entry]
- If you are new to the story of Empress Elizabeth (Sisi) of Austria the Wikipedia entry is a good place to start where you can read that " The Achilleion property was originally owned by Corfiote philosopher and diplomat Petros Vrailas-Armenis, and was known as "Villa Vraila". In 1888, the Empress of Austria after visiting the place decided that it was the ideal location for her own palace on Corfu." Achilleion (Corfu) - Wikipedia Of course many people came to know about the Palace (either knowingly or unwittingly) through the James Bond (Roger Moore) movie FOR YOUR EYES ONLY. In this film which features Corfu locations extensively, the Palace is portrayed as a casino which in fact it was for part of its history.
Files coming soon.
The Achilleion Palace Corfu. A tale across the ages. Part 2 - Photo Gallery
My Novels
The Evidence of our past
The Evidence of our past
The front cover of my unpublished novel 'The Evidence of our Past' set on Corfu.
The evidence of our past
The Evidence of our past
The back cover of my unpublished novel 'The Evidence of our Past' set on Corfu.
Locations
Locations
Locations
Novel 2 'The Trojan Horse'
Locations
Novel 2 'The Trojan Horse'
Novel 2 'The Trojan Horse'
Novel 2 'The Trojan Horse'
locations
Novel 2 'The Trojan Horse'
Novel 2 'The Trojan Horse'
My short stories
A place to share some of my writing, much of which has been published previously elsewhere. They carry the suffix '25' if they have been slightly revised for publishing here. Is a story ever truly finished?
7 doorways into the light 2025 (docx)
DownloadBeach House Sinfonia 2025 (docx)
Downloadkissing the sunrise 2025 (docx)
Downloadlove song to the grey seas calling b2025 (docx)
DownloadMoney For OId Rope 25 (docx)
DownloadPing Pong 2025 (docx)
DownloadRust settles in 2025b (docx)
DownloadThe ghostly green light above the door marked Exit (docx)
DownloadWallpecker Blues 2025 (docx)
DownloadStep we gaily on we go (2026) (docx)
DownloadHOMECOMING AT LAST 2026 (pdf)
DownloadCorfu - a tale told in many photos.
Excellent food, lovely wine and all the people watching you could want.
Australia - 3 trips. Melbourne/St Kilda, Perth/Freemantle, Brisbane
The joy of walking locally in Scotland
movies and music
Files coming soon.
food and drink
Files coming soon.