In writing The Ballad of the Purple Rose, I was able to go to a place which I have always dreamt of going. This is rather funny to me as I haven’t truly traveled anywhere; the farthest I’ve been from Marshall, Tx is Dallas/Ft Worth. However, I can say that I have been out of state, but only because Louisiana is about forty-five minutes away. It also wouldn’t be too far-fetched to say I lived there for a chunk of my childhood because that was where I went to Shriner’s Hospital.
So, anyway…I’ve always dreamt of going to Italy—Venice, Italy, to be exact—as I liked the fact that they ride in gondolas on the water as cars on a street with buildings on either side. It always looked dream-like to me. When I first started writing the book I had no idea I would be writing about Italy; it simply bubbled out. So, I went online and did some research to learn everything I could. I found a language translator so I could write a few Italian phrases. I can only hope that they are accurate! I tried to find people who knew the language who could be of help, but it didn’t pan out,
However, by chance, someone messaged me who knew Italian. So, I took advantage, and he agreed to help… that is, until I told him I was married! HaHa. But in the few minutes we chatted, I gave him some phrases which he translated back to me… and they were correct! So, I’m banking on it all being correct. The writing of this book was my way of experiencing Italy. It is my hope that it will be enjoyed by many!
