”Write what you know! That’’s the advice often given to new writers. In the Providence Office Series, I strive to create characters who are believable and speak with an authentic voice. My travels have inspired some of the scenes in my books. For example, In the Public Eye starts on a bike-and-barge excursion in Provence, France, influenced by my experience in 2024. Below I have posted 3 photos from the trip along with snippets from the prologue of the book–all by way of showing how memory informs the imagination
The rays of the sun drifted over the fields of lavender and the slow-moving canal. The bow of the barge gleamed in the late afternoon sun—its blue and white stripes reflecting brightly in the surface of the water. Lena Caruso noticed a line of bikes already lined up on deck at the back of the barge. She couldn’t resist—she stopped, knelt, and focused. The bikes stood at an angle as they leaned in the bike rack, their handles, tires, and frames aligned perfectly. A decade of shooting wars and other stories had taught her to see stories in the smallest gestures: a hand brushing a railing, a glint of light on water. She loved the symmetry of the bright red bikes and the way the rays of the sun shone through them. This was gonna be so much fun. “Excuse me. You’re blocking the gangplank.” The voice behind her was laced with annoyance.
She’d been so preoccupied with getting the perfect shot that she’d missed the changing weather. She tried to shield her camera from the raindrops, but she was at least a hundred yards from her bike and camera bag.
Suddenly, a rain jacket appeared and covered her camera. Surprised, she looked up to see Tony grinning at her as water ran in rivulets down his face.
“Thank you so much…This is an expensive camera, but it is not waterproof.”
“No problem. We can stand by that tree there—it might give us a little protection.” He glanced up at the sky. “It’s already clear over there. I don’t think this will last long.
“You have to admit; this is pretty amazing.” Lena reached over and picked a lush apricot. She sniffed it and held it below his nose. He tilted his head forward and took a delicate sniff.
“It smells wonderful—hard to describe,” he murmured.
“You don’t get much fresher than this!” She wiped it lightly on her jersey and took a bite, gasping as the juice ran down her chin. “Oh, my God! You’ve gotta try this, Tony! It’s amazing!”
He studied her for a moment before leaning forward and opening his mouth. Surprised, she lifted the apricot to his lips, and he bit down gently. She felt a frisson of awareness. She grinned when she saw the juice appear in a little stream.
“Delicious, isn’t it? I’ve had fresh apricots before,” she confided as she wiped his chin with her thumb, “but I’ve never had any as delicious as these.”
“I’m glad we stopped here,” he said simply.
On the last day, Hector led their group around Avignon and its environs, stopping at the Pont D’Avignon, made famous by the children’s song. Lena sang the song softly; Tony chuckled and praised her French pronunciation. During their rest period, several of them took their shoes and socks off and waded in the river, stopping to admire the bridge from the river down below. A guide led the tour around the historic center of the city, home of the former Papal Palace.
She would miss spending time with Tony–he had turned out to be a surprisingly good companion after their rocky start. The following morning would be hectic with people rushing to the train station. They said their farewells on the upper deck.
Tony shook her hand. “It was nice meeting you. Have a good rest of the summer.”
“It was nice to get to know you. Thanks, Tony. Safe travels.”
They didn’t exchange last names or phone numbers. Tony brushed it off. It’s better this way.
Lena decided it was another story to file in her memory box. They recognized that something rare passed between them. Both walked away from the barge haunted by what they didn’t say.
But then, tomorrow they’d be returning to reality. And Provence would become a distant memory.
I tried to capture the magic of that trip. Please let me know what you think. Thanks for tuning in. Here’s a pic of our crew on that unforgettable trip.
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