If you take the U.S.1 from Miami and drive roughly 162 miles, give or take the occasional diversion for food and drink, in a South-Westerly direction (sort of), you will have the Atlantic Ocean on one side and the Gulf of Mexico on the other all the way. When the sun is shining the water will be turquoise and inviting. At the end of your drive you will reach Key West. You can't get lost driving there, it's one long road there. At the end of the journey you will be welcomed to 'Paradise'. In June this year, I visited Key West with the family as part of a holiday that started in New York and after renting a villa at Boca Raton, north of Miami, ended in the Florida Keys.

As you drive along U.S 1 to the Florida Keys you pass through places with familiar names. For me it was hard not to think of James Bond when I drove through Key Largo. Seven Mile Bridge and Marathon are also well-known. It's not a fast road to Key West and because of that, it is possible to admire the view. Of course as you get closer to Key West the sense of anticipation grows. You know it's there but it also seems quite a distance away.



I had been fascinated by Key West long before I actually got to go there. I wondered what made the island tick and why it inspired so many writers. Of course everyone's heard of 'Papa' Ernest Hemingway and his six-toed cats. His former house remains a pilgrimage for fans of his work all the year round.


In their book 'Quit Your Job And Move To Key West - The Complete Guide' Christopher Shultz and David L. Sloan describe Key West as "A place that immediately brings to mind images of beaches, drinking, rumrunners, writers and a lifestyle like no place else in the United States. It is an island of enchantment and mystery that attracts people from all over the world." David will appear later in the series.

As I took my own walking tour around Key West, I delighted in seeing Sloppy Joe's Bar and the original one, now Captain Tony's Saloon, both frequented by Hemingway. Of course there are plenty of other drinking venues and it's amazing how easy you find them. The Hog's Breath and Smokin' Tuna Saloons are worthy of a visit. Of course all the tourists flock to the Southernmost Point of the United States, a mere 90 miles from Cuba, and have their photos taken.


In this mini-series, 'Writers in Paradise', a title borrowed from Michael Haskins who you will also meet later, I will share some of the experiences of writers from Key West. Coming up in the series are Lucy Burdette, David L. Sloan, Mandy Miles, Terry Schmida and Michael Haskins. During my visit to Key West I managed to share a beer or two with Michael and Terry. Judy Blume was busy writing and filming when I was in Key West, but she did sum up the island from her own personal perspective. Judy said "What makes Key West a great place for writers? Other writers, plus a lively community that appreciates and celebrates the arts. Not to mention the Tropic Cinema, a haven where we meet and greet and find inspiration."

Ernest Hemingway once famously said "There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed." Sometimes it can feel like that. So, as this series continues over the coming weeks, I hope to bring you a flavour of Key West and its writers. Welcome to Paradise.....