See the Amalfi Coast: A Short Story

My first self-published short story, See the Amalfi Coast was inspired by my trip to Naples, aged 17, my first time in Italy. It's fair to say that it was a holiday that changed my life as I went on to study Italian at University and have fallen in love with the country many times since. It was a treat to indulge my memories of this holiday in See the Amalfi Coast.

I'd love for you to read this fictional short story of how this beautiful part of the world changes the lives of Martin - a Yorkshireman with a penchant for sheds, swearing and making model planes - and his loyal wife, a woman of few words but many new emotions. 

Download "See the Amalfi Coast" for free as  a mobi for your Kindle , as  an ePub  (for other e-readers like Nook, Sony Reader and Apple iBooks) or download the story as  a pdf to read on your computer  or as  a pdf to read on other platforms , like a tablet or smartphone. 

You can also  download See the Amalfi Coast direct to your Kindle via Amazon. 

If you like what you read I would be truly grateful if you took the time to rate or review the book on Amazon or Goodreads. I hope you enjoy the book, which is part of a full collection of short stories called Shy Feet.

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Here's how the story begins...

Our plane leaves in five hours and he hasn’t packed yet. Instead, hesits in his shed and tinkers with his toys.

“They’re not toys. They’re models. Works of bloody art,”

We booked the tickets a few months ago. Cheap flights from onewebsite, a last minute hotel from another. Martin clicked the mouse,taking us from one page to the next. I read out our credit card details. Itall happened so quickly.

“It’s only bloody money. You can’t spend money when you’re dead,”

The last time we went abroad was fifteen years ago. Ten days in Disney World, one final family holiday. Steven was spotty and grumpy,bored by us all. Stacie was the opposite, hyperactive and clingy. Martinwas relentless, reminding me that this was his “very idea of hell” eachtime we joined a queue. And yet there was a moment of magic. On ourlast hot evening in Florida as the four of us hugged Mickey Mouse, aphotographer captured a happy moment that didn’t exist. I always smileto myself when I move that photo frame to dust the mantlepiece.

This time it will be just the two of us; the children don’t even know.

“You mustn’t tell them. It’s our bloody holiday, not theirs,” I wasinstructed. “Promise?” 

I nodded. I didn’t say yes and I didn’t say no.

“What time is our flight?” He walks through the patio doors, headingon a familiar path to the kitchen sink. There’s sawdust on his cheek andhe smells of glue. It’s a smell I both love and hate. I place a hot cup of teainto his hand and tell him we need to leave in just under two hours.

“Bloody hell! I haven’t packed yet!” I nod and follow him upstairs.

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Download "See the Amalfi Coast" for free as a mobi for your Kindle , as an ePub  or a pdf .

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You can read a different extract of the story here.

The chapter illustrations were done by the talented Laura Hickman who it was a pleasure to work with, thank you Laura!
A very quick final but important note to say thank you to my mother for being the first to read this story and provide incredibly valuable feedback and encouragement. My thanks also to NewMan for forcing me out of more comfort zones than I knew I was hiding in.

(Above photo of flowers by Amber Bridges.)