A La Ronde – A Quirky 18th-century sixteen sided house
I’ve just visited the most amazing house that has no less than sixteen sides. Yes, you heard sixteen sides. Here in the UK it’s one of the national Trusts smallest properties on the outskirts of the seaside town
of Exmouth, Devon. While in the house listening to the guides enthusiastically conveying its history, I was pleasantly surprised to learn that it had until quite recently been occupied. The sixteen sides give the appearance of a circular building which was designed for maximum light and the rooms arranged as per the times of the day, i.e. breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea, dinner, reading room etc. It was originally designed and built by two wealthy spinster cousins. The house boasts some amazing interior décor which includes a shell gallery with a collection of approximately 25,000 shells, and a wall frieze made entirely of feathers.
I think that this would be a most intriguing venue for a murder mystery and the sixteen sided-house could be a great title ingredient for a book.
Let’s think about a couple of possible titles for a moment:
‘Murder in the Sixteen Sided-House’
‘The Sixteen Sided-House Scandal’
‘The Sixteen Sided-House Gang’
I’m sure that there could be many more titles created that feature this enchanting property that is set in lush green grounds.
If you get chance, it’s well worth a visit, and you can learn more details about A La Ronde here.
Valencia, Spain
Hello, I haven’t posted for a while, and that’s for a good reason. I’ve been researching locations, resources and writing my new thriller, and yes I’ve been writing a lot! But let me tell you about where I’ve been studying. I’ve chosen some scenes in my current writing project to take place in Valencia, Spain, a vibrant city full of architectural wonders, fascinating people, and exciting culture. Oh, and I nearly forgot lovely beaches and in March a super fiesta in Fallas!
Here’s a short montage of this wonderful city? I hope that you enjoy it?
An Island Castle – St Michael’s Mount
St Michael’s Mount, Marazion, Cornwall, UK is a place that features in my Tacrem Adventure Series. It’s an island with a castle that is separated from the mainland by a tidal causeway. When the tide is out, you can walk over to the island over large cobbled stones and when the tide is in you can cross by small boat.
It’s an interesting place that conjures up all sorts of ideas.
It is full of history and fascinating to wander around. I have many times, and it never ceases to amaze me. I believe that some films and TV channels have used it as a location, films such as Dracula, The Adventurer, and Twelfth Night. The decor, displays, defences, and views are spectacular.
You can see a small collection of photos from my last visit here courtesy of my good lady wife. Click here for more details regarding St Michael’s Mount
Do You Remember the Moomins?
I remember reading and loving the Moomins by Tove Jansson when I was a kid. And I must admit I hadn’t come across this beautiful little shop in Covent Garden before.
It was a very nostalgic visit, one to be recommended. If happen to be in the area, it’s located in the centre of the market. Enjoy 🙂
Thrombolites – Lake Clifton, Western Australia
I just returned from a trip to Australia, and I’m busy sorting out the photographs into categories so that I can use them in my writing. I tend to use photographs in this way as they provide an excellent source of reference. On this particular journey, we had a fantastic opportunity to 
visit the Thrombolites (Living Stones). Evidently, this is the only place on the planet where they can be found, and I can already see where they might feature in a future story. They are situated in a 20 km long lake at a place called Lake Clifton. Lake Clifton is in the Yalgorup Lakes National Park, less than half an hour’s drive south of Mandurah along Old Coast Road. The Thrombolites sit in shallow water along a 6km-long section of Lake Clifton’s eastern shoreline. They appear like giant stone footballs in the water where they multiply and attach to one another. By the way, if you do get the chance to visit the Thrombolites, there’s a beautiful winery complete with restaurant and music nearby. You can see more photos for my trip here.
