How a Novel is Born Among the Superyachts of Monaco

In the summer of 2021, after Covid-19 restrictions eased, the author and his teenage son traveled to Italy.

Rome was unusually empty of tourists, allowing them to explore landmarks like the Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain, Colosseum, and Vatican with few crowds.

The author reflected on the contrast between the opulence of the Vatican’s marble halls, silk drapes, and silverware—funded by labor from illiterate workers—and the historical struggles between power and powerlessness, such as the Protestant Reformation and the French Revolution.

They also discussed Karl Marx’s ideas about class conflict.

Near the harbor casino, they observed superyachts docked or anchored, some extravagant and others bizarre, most appearing empty except for crew members like a man in an officer’s uniform spraying the deck with a hose.

This scene inspired the author’s novel, The Red Dress.