The man who inspired the character Xisco

My children’s grandfather, Fernando Marto, has died. He was the inspiration for Xisco, the stable boy in my novel, A Life on Water, that takes you to Sonim, the village in Trás-os-Montes, Portugal where Fernando had grown up and become a stable boy at nine years of age.

His love of history and Portuguese explorers inspired me to write the schoolroom chapter—the kernel from which this story grew, becoming Chapter Five, The Wind Rose, the first of four chapters dedicated to Xisco and the village. In the story, the character acquires a life of his own. To mark this distinction, I changed his name to Francisco, also known as Xisco.

On February 26, 2024, Fernando died. He was 91 years old. Throughout his childhood in Sonim, he led a hardscrabble life for sure.

May He Rest in Peace.