For as long as I can remember, I have loved fairytales. I recall so vividly those told to me by my governess, Zula – the traditional tales of folklore and those she invented to suit my romantic sensibilities. One of my favourite aspects of any story was a ball: a colourful, flamboyant, lively party to form a backdrop against which the hero and the heroine would share a moment of meaning and passion. Ugly sisters and fairy godmothers and rats turned into footmen were interesting enough, but it was the ball at which Cinderella stole her prince’s heart that I would beg Zula to describe in detail, over and over; that I would close my eyes at night and travel to, picturing the dresses, the dancing, the music.

Sadly, in the modern age, there is little occasion to make a little girl’s dream come true: put on finery, slip an arm through that of a handsome man and step onto the dance floor at a grand ball. But if you are fortunate enough to work as a writer, you can let your imagination take flight and place your hero and heroine at the scene. That is exactly what I did in my novel The Echoes of Love, which opens at a ball during the Venice Carnival.

Paolo and Venetia, the lovers in The Echoes of Love, may be fictional, but the ball that they attend is by no means fantasy. The 2014 Carnival commences in a matter of days, running from 15th February to 4th March, and you’ll find a whole host of balls on the events schedule: the Casanova Grand Ball, the Enchanted Palace Ball, the Saint Valentine’s Grand Ball, the Mascheranda Grand Ball, the Grand Feast of the Gods, the Thousand Nights of Arabia, the Moon Masquerade, the Grand Carnival Ball, the Baroque Grand Ball, and the Serenissima Grand Ball, to name but a few! Many are held in beautiful buildings – ancient palaces lit by candlelight – and at all guests can expect a truly cultural experience, from the décor to the menu, the music to the entertainers. Drama, passion, splendor, pageantry, and all amid the age-old, traditional masquerade costumes and masks. Magnifique!

I wish I could be there, but this year I’m busy in England with preparations for my son’s wedding, so I’m unable to attend the Carnival.

How about you? Would you love to step out at one such ball? Have you ever attended a ball? Was it a night to remember? I would love to hear about your experiences.

And if you are going to be in Venice for this year’s Carnival season, or you’d simply like to check out the calendar and the costumes, visit its official website at http://www.venice-carnival-italy.com/.