Clear air, clear mind


During a brief stay in the mountains of Piedmont, I woke each morning with words and ideas whirling round my mind begging to be recorded  The trip was at the end of a wonderful but very busy summer with no space in my head for anything creative, 

Walking along the Tanaro river to the sound of the water, amongst butterflies, birds and bees, my mind cleared and when I got back to my laptop a thousand words appeared on the page. A thousand words nearer my finished novel.

We were in Ormea, a town in the province of Cuneo, quiet, friendly and cautiously welcoming. I suspect that in the summer it is much busier with cyclists and walkers exploring the area. 



Mid September the hotel San Carlo was full of motorcyclists whizzing through and fishermen taking a more contemplative break. 






Via Roma off the main square in Ormea is cobbled and lined with wheel smoothed cart tracks and is bordered by multiple minuscule shops .  The food, pharmacy and clothes shops I understood but the one selling only bed linen and bras baffled me and the items crammed into the junk/antique shop defy description. 



The prime reason for this visit was fishing and certainly the best place to go for fly fishing in the area is Albergo San Carlo https://albergosancarlo.com/en/ but investigation during and since the stay shows that there is lots more to see and do. Its an area I will definitely revisit.

https://www.visitcuneese.it/en/dettaglio-localita/-/d/ormea-a-pearl-set-in-the-ligurian-alps

         
After achieving very little during the summer, Hidden 2 is back on track to be completed by Christmas and published early 2026. I'll keep you updated.




The sun is still shining in Menton, the sky clear and blue. The intense heat of the summer has gone, so now (in between writing) I must tackle the garden and re tame the jungle it has become. The bananas are still growing—at some point I will find out if they are edible.  The persimmon are ripening and kumquats are already appearing.



I am so lucky to live in a such a beautiful place

My books are all available from Amazon or can be ordered through your favourite bookshop



The Barwell Trilogy


If you have enjoyed reading this and would like to be sent a link when the next episode is published, please contact me on info@jacquelinejames.co.uk and I will add you to the list.

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