Greek painter, sculptor, and architect of the Spanish Renaissance El Greco [The Greek] Doménikos Theotokópoulos [Δομήνικος Θεοτοκόπουλος] was born, October 1st, 1541 in Candia, Crete*, Greece. ✻ part of the Republic of Venice and the center of Post-Byzantine art at the time ❦ El Greco is regarded as a precursor of both Expressionism and Cubism, […]
El Greco [Doménikos Theotokópoulos] [1541-1614] — Marina Kanavaki
When North Norfolk artist Eddie Fowler accepts an invitation from his business partner, Martin Hogg, to visit Venice, he finds that this beautiful, intimate city reawakens long-hidden memories.
He is reminded once again of Martin’s wife, Theresa, a fragile and intuitive artist, who mysteriously disappeared nearly twenty years before.
As he searches for answers to this mystery among the vast landscapes of the North Norfolk coasts and the narrow streets and canal-side cafes of Venice, Theresa’s daughter, Maria, asks him to help her with her own search to discover the secrets of her family’s history; a search that leads to discoveries neither of them expected.
A story about love and sacrifice, about secrets destined to remain hidden.
Copyright Francis Barker 2020
*Venice is such a sublime city, wouldn’t it be nice to travel in style…?
Milly Reynolds’ quirky and quintessentially English crime series ebooks, featuring Detective Inspector Mike Malone, are at last starting to appear on Smashwords.
There are the first two on Smashwords currently, with the others soon to follow, including the two books featuring DI Jack Sallt, the ever-so-dangerous sleuth who is fond of the ladies!
There is also the one-off romantic novel, ‘The Unseen Sky’, which takes place in England and Venice.
There will be nine ebooks in total and others will follow soon.
*Find them here: https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/MillyReynolds
All of these ebooks are already on amazon.com and amazon.co.uk
Boats
One of these boats is mine,
let’s say this one right here,
all ship-shape
and eager for the tide.
So come on, take my hand
I’ll show you around,
there’s no time to lose
because summer’s on its way
and I can feel the warm winds
arrive on this scented ocean air,
promising to take us beyond
that blue-on-blue horizon
to those lands unimagined
in all our dreaming
We shan’t follow the tireless tern
who labours from pole to pole
every year of his life,
merely to survive.
No, ours are the balmy seas
and first port will be St Tropez.
We’ll saunter ’round as if we own it,
then sail slowly on hugging Italy’s leg
all the way to Venice,
where we’ll flop onto chairs in Florian’s,
order the most exorbitant espressos
and demolish bite-sized cakes
And after that? Well,
I propose we simply wander,
let the currents of nature and time
take us where they will.
Because you see, there are no plans,
no timetable.
We’ve earned this shot at life— at living—
this precious smiling space
poem and image © copyright df barker 2012
Ciscography 