A fierce wave slammed into the side of the ship, pouring a deluge of brine across the deck. Magda sat in the corner of her small cabin, whispering a prayer. She leaned forward to press her ear to the wall. The cold waters beyond the hull reached for her through the damp wood. She listened […]
Second update on the Goodreads 2017 Reading Challenge
A reading challenge can be a great way to motivate yourself to read more in a given period. Though I know what you’re thinking – who needs the motivation to read? Back in early January, I set myself a target to read 24 books in the 2017 Goodreads Reading Challenge. I’ve already posted my first […]
Did the Devil stop Vivaldi creating his greatest masterpiece?
Few names are as synonymous with the great city of Venice as that of Antonio Vivaldi. The composer, best known for The Four Seasons, lived here from his birth in 1678 until his death in 1741. But was the composer touched by infernal hands? Our investigation today leads us into the shadowy realm of the […]
Ghost Town – A Free Super Short Story by Icy Sedgwick
Up until Google came along, Pocklebridge didn’t appear on any maps. We took down the signs during the war to confuse the Germans and we never put them back up, so our station remained anonymous, tucked away on a side spur that trains rarely use. We don’t have many amenities so road signs only appear […]
The Fisherman, the Mermaid, and the Brick Heart of Venice
If you know where to look in Venice, you’ll find a special brick heart. But what does it have to do with a fisherman and a mermaid? Before we get to the brick heart, let’s take a look at the legend. A Fisherman gets more than he bargained for A young fisherman named Orio used […]
The Venetian Legend of the Beggar and the Levantine
If you head away from the hustle and bustle of the Piazza San Marco (St Mark’s Square), you’ll head into the stranger, more magical part of Venice. It’s in the tangle of narrow streets and courts that you enter the realm of Venetian legend. One such legend characterises the Campo Santi Giovanni e Paolo in […]