No. of words: 79,363
A character come to life:
The second half of my novel is set on the Greek island of Hydra. My character meets these 2 guys who run a bar up a dark back alley. Barry owns it, Charles runs it. It's an ex-pat hidey hole, hidden away from the tourists, based it on a traveller's caff called The Pudding Shop in Istanbul. Anyhow, Barry the bar owner is American, a short easy-going guy with a long beard and a Cheech & Chong bandana. I've been to Greece plenty of times but never Hydra so I've been indulging in a bit of internet research for background, and who pops up but Barry's doppleganger, Pan, or should that be the other way round? I have now put the real Pan in wandering up and down the harbourside so that, if (IF) it ever is published, I don't get accused of stealing his soul. Will that be enough? Do I have to change Barry a bit more to be safe?
Bye bye, thanks for visiting, come again soon.
6 comments:
I guess my first question is that if you have been to Greece dozens of times but not Hydra, why not use a local that you are familar with?
Give Barry a wooden leg or severly crippled arthritic hand, etc.
You've got to see the funny side :)
It's a small island . . .
Amanda,
just stumbled on the blog and love it. I also love Hydra, which is where my wife and I spent our first holiday many years ago. In my humble opinion, any novel set on Hydra should have a walk-on part for Leonard Cohen (who still has a house there)....
Fessing up time, sand storm. 'Barry' & 'Charles' are actually a couple I met in a little bar in Mykonos about 20 years ago. I bumped into 'Barry' years later at an all white party in the hills of Bali. He just came up and said 'hello Amanda!' I then met him again on Kuta beach selling sarongs; and now here he is again imitating the locals. He's just one of those people. It is funny, skint, and a little bit 'Barry' magical. And thanks for your lovely comment, anon. Leonard Cohen is CENTRAL to the reason I set the story there! Rumours are he's touring again this autumn & I'm already stalking Ticketmaster....
The second half of a novel set on Hydra and Leonard Cohen CENTRAL.....? I want to read it immediately, regardless of where you've set the first half.I've just started working on a novel set in Richmond, but Greek islands suddenly seem a lot more attractive.
Thank you anon, you've made my day. Funnily enough mine starts in and around Richmond as well. See you on Hydra.......
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