Work, work. Yesterday I got precisely zero words written for my story. Sad times.

Today I wrote a whole bunch! And even better, I liked these words. I got into writing a whole bit about the escape from certain death, and I finally got to write the tram scene…

When you’re on holidays and you go somewhere really fantastic, do you ever think to yourself – “One day I need to write a chase/fight/battle/whatever, with this as the setting”? Well I get that a lot, and so years ago in Hong Kong, when I rode on the trams around the main island, I stored those experiences away. Today I finally put it to use.

These things are ancient. The wooden roof beams of each floor (they’re double-decker) are low enough that anybody over six foot is doomed to a collection of forehead bruises. If they’re busy (which they are, this is HK, where sardines and people fight on a daily basis for the title of “Bearer of the Least Elbow Room”) you might sometimes miss your stop wrestling to get from the back (where the turnstile lets you on board) to the driver (where you can pay and get off). They’re rattly and quaint and just generally feel like something from a bygone age, at least that’s my memory of them. Writing a chase and fight scene around, over, in and between them has been immensely fun and satisfying. I’ll probably be working on it again tomorrow, and I’m looking forward to it!

What places have you visited that have made it into your work? Or maybe you always take notes for a future novel when you travel?

Best regards,

D.R.Sylvester