It shouldn't work. It was a daft proposition: a book to commemorate both the founding of Venice in 421 and the 100th anniversary of the publication
of James Joyce's Ulysses in 1922. To add to the craziness, writers were given a line from Ulysses and charged to write a love story referencing both the book and the city in exactly 421 words. Editors Michelle Elvy and Marco Sonzogni could hardly have made it more difficult.
Yet, it does work! Wonderfully so. Thirty six writers (including moi) accepted the challenge and the pieces are marvellous. None cheated, the book is beautifully designed and Cuba Press delivered it on time.
I could only think of two really famous Venetians: Marco Polo and Antonio Vivaldi. I tossed up and Vivaldi won. I used The Four Seasons as a prop.
My Joycean title line was a real doozy: Hoopsa boyaboy hoops!
Breach of All Size. The cryptic title is a James Joyce Venice pun: Bridge of All Sighs