I traveled with my husband to Italy five years ago, he worked there with a colleague from the USA. Mike’s wife and I spent time travelling around by train, to Milan, Genoa  and the towns close to “home’.  When the men had finished their work, we travelled by speed-train down to Rome and spent the weekend walking around. We enjoyed wonderful meals in the smaller  restaurants.  Walking through the ancient City had such a huge impact on me, I could almost feel time drift back to the old days, almost see the people as they went about their work and play. It was a strange feeling, I had to buy a book on the history of Rome.

We the traveled north  to  overnight in a small B&B. on our way back to Melpensa airport. The owner of the B&B was a super young man who took us to a local restaurant for dinner, explaining to the owner that we were English and they had to treat us well, which they did. The following morning, around sunrise we had breakfast and were driven to Melpensa. The guy stopped beside a most beautiful lake, where across the other side in the mist stood a  magnificent building. I was again inspired to write. the third time I was shaken into the desire to write was at Melpensa when, as I got out of the car, I looked across to the Alps, majestic and pure white snow. We parted from our friend, they flew back to the Chicago and we to Johannesburg. I studied Roman history for two years and The Senators Daughter followed.