Curiosity Cafe

It’s been a busy few weeks, spreading word of my new release, The Warder. Last week brought me close to home, with an invite to the Curiosity Café. One of the things I love most about where I live is the feel of community, and all those marvellous individuals working tirelessly to maintain the sense of a community hub. Not to be thwarted by lockdowns, the Curiosity Café sprouted last year. A virtual meet up, with invited guests from the local community, delivering talks and giving insights into a whole host of weird and wonderful topics that occupy their lives.

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The Warder – one month on

It’s approaching a month since the release of The Warder, and it has been a busy, few weeks, chatting with Devon Book Club, and appearing as a guest on Sarah Ash’s blogsite. Easter weekend was spent attending a virtual SFF convention from the comfort of my writing room. Convention days go by in a flurry, with the chance to meet writers and readers, be introduced to new work, and chat through an eclectic mix of topics that exposes what a fascinating and wide-ranging genre this is. At the end we are all left tired and inspired.

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#IWD2021 Abstract Landscapes

March 2021 has been a busy month. Alongside the publication of my new novel, I have also been involved in an art exhibit to celebrate International Women’s Day 2021: a month-long, virtual event hosted by the Menduina Schneider Art Gallery in Los Angeles.

Click here to view my video entry.

Considering which piece to enter from my collection of acrylics on canvas, I was drawn to the African landscapes and waterscapes.

Lagoon – (Actual size 50x50cms)

Beach Life – (Actual size 50x50cms)

Trading Bays – (Actual size 50x50cms)

From my time spent living and working in the Sudan and South Africa in the late 1990s/early 2000s, thoughts of the women who were my friends, colleagues, students and teachers, are never far away. I continue to paint these thoughts, memories and experiences into African landscapes and waterscapes, colourful panoramic views to pay tribute to these women.

Women’s Work – (Actual size 100x50cms)

          

The following collection entitled, Perspectives, was inspired by daily life in South Africa, in particular from the perspective of hawkers and the long distances travelled to sell their wares.

Perspectives Collection

Home – (Actual size 50x50cms)

Long Walk – (Actual Size 50x50cms)

At Market – (Actual size 50x50cms)

The work also considers the connection between people and land, a connection which is increasingly lost in a complex commercial world. The following piece, Desert Life, was the piece selected for the exhibit.

Desert Life – (Actual size 120x30cms)

          

All of my African views seek to highlight the rich colours of Africa. In Desert Life, the colours were also inspired by the symbiotic relationship between wildlife and land, in particular between flamingos and their habitat. I think of it as a painting that celebrates communities living in close harmony with the surrounding natural world.

The gallery stated that this piece was selected for its palette:

“When you think about the desert, you imagine something barren. You don’t imagine something this beautiful. It is filled with colours. Why? It could be the desert or it could be the life spent by yourself, filled with memories, with dreams, with different roads you have taken, and the ones still waiting for you. Are those trees and water there, or are they in the imagination of the woman that is carrying a basket? Are these her friends? The fact that Susie has travelled to these places, the insight she has, the work is tender and poignant.”

To view the live gallery video, click here.

To view more art on my instagram page, click here.

The Warder: A Sequel is Born

***News flash*** The Warder is here!!!

It is Monday morning following a busy few days. There’s nothing quite like answering a knock at the door, to find a box of long-awaited books. Needless to say, I am as pleased as punch!

Like its predecessor, The Warder has been a labour of love, with the writing, editing, thinking process spanning almost 10 years. I’m thrilled with the end result, and to see Books 1 and 2 proudly standing side by side

Available to buy from: Stairwell Books, Waterstones, Book Depository or Amazon

For anyone just joining us, The Warder is Book 2 in my fantasy series, Blood Gift Chronicles. It is the sequel to Return of the Mantra, though can also be read as a standalone. For a reminder of Return of the Mantra, click here for a full review.

(NB: Return of the Mantra is now also available on Kindle)

The Warder is told by three characters, who each have unique gifts that connect them to the land and each other. Suni and Wanda are back, ten years on, and are joined by Luna, a troubled girl. As each grapples to comprehend the gifts and curses that bind them, a new world is introduced…

Expect character-driven, fantasy adventure, with themes of wildlife and the environment, animism, magic, dragons and being true to oneself.

Blurb

What would you sacrifice for the ones you love? In a land of gifts and curses, is anything what it seems to be?

The King has been defeated and the spirit of the Mantra has been restored, Suni has been reunited with her father and all is – not quite right.

Wanda and his cousin Luna are living in the valley beyond the mountains: Luna is possessed and dreams of dragons while Wanda, gifted with the ability to communicate with animals, struggles with the curse of Orag. Ntombi blames Wanda for her daughter Luna’s condition.

Meanwhile, in the town by the sea, Suni fears for Wanda, and watches over him using her gift for dreamwalking. Many, including Suni’s father, suffer from a strange affliction and the townspeople are blaming the Mantra.

Then strangers arrive from the sea bringing hope for the town: but in this land of gifts and curses, is anything what it seems to be?

***

Of course, it’s a strange time to be publishing new work: with lockdowns we are missing the celebrations, and I look forward to a time when we can get out and about again. Thanks to everyone who has supported me this far on my writing journey: all those who follow me on social media, who take the time to offer words of encouragement, who read, buy, lend, review, share my work. I hope you enjoy. And particularly in light of the ups and downs over the last few years: despite everything I kept The Warder firmly in my sights, and thank those who stayed by my side.

Not forgetting Mia the cat. Last week was her eleventh birthday. She joined me on my writing journey as a kitten, and would like you to know she takes full credit.

Happy Reading!

 

Pause for Thought

Taking tender steps into March brings the promise of Spring, despite the rain, howling winds and tumultuous skies. And as lockdown persists, I remain bedded down with my work. Fortunately for me that is no bad thing. I’m as busy as ever with writing and painting, and with a new book on its way, time to regroup and work on creative ways to welcome the new arrival.

That said, once in a while I poke my head above the parapet, in anticipation of being able to explore beyond the usual. It may be a while before we can travel further afield, but I look forward to more day-tripping in the Devon county. Looking back on some photos from December, left me hankering to explore.

Some places on our doorstep are so familiar we forget to stop and look, yet they are pockets of Devon quaintness. A while ago, when looking for inspiration, a couple of places sprang to mind, both places we regularly drive past or through yet rarely stop to look. So, we packed a flask and headed out for a stroll around these towns and villages skirting the city.

Topsham Town

Positioned on the east side of the River Exe, our most regular sighting of the town is from across the river.

This photo of lovely Kate was taken in spring last year; a pitstop on our regular cycle route.

Once a thriving port, Topsham’s location overlooking the estuary is beautifully scenic, even in the throws of winter.

Away from the glorious views of the waterside, the quaint, historic town has a cosmopolitan feel, with distinctive buildings and an eclectic cluster of independent shops and eateries, edged by cobbled streets.

It is also on a cycle route connecting Exeter with the seaside town of Exmouth, but oh for those hills…

The village of Ide

In a valley south west of Exeter, lies the picturesque village of Ide. Winding its way through the village is the Alphinbrook, a tributary of the river Exe. With quaint thatched cottages and narrow lanes bordering the brook, there’s an olde-worlde feel that makes it easy to forget the closeness of Exeter.

With windows and doorsteps decorated for advent (it was just before Xmas)…

And treasures of old meets new…

This tucked away village oozes charm.

I look forward to more getting out and about, exploring and appreciating the local surrounds.

XXX

 

For the Love of Books #6

As a reader, I love to discover authors who I come to trust that pretty much whatever they write, it’s fairly certain I will enjoy. For me, Nnedi Okorafor is one such author.

She is a prolific writer and I have read a number of her works. For the sake of this blog, I have selected two sci-fi titles.

 

Lagoon by Nnedi Okorafor

I am frequently in awe of the imagination and inventiveness this author brings to her stories, but even by her own standards, Lagoon is exceptional. Aliens have arrived in Lagos, and right from the beginning when we meet an eco-warrior swordfish, I was hooked.

The three main characters – Adaora, the marine biologist, Anthony, the world-famous rapper, and Agu, the troubled solder, (not to mention Ayodele, the lead alien) – are supported by a diverse cast which bring to life this modern-day Nigeria. They are refreshingly free from stereotypes, while the author does not shy away from the reality of prejudice and bigotry. The richness of setting is further emphasised by the appearance of monsters and masquerades, which add depth that creates the feeling of folklore as much as sci-fi.

Overall, Lagoon is a breathtaking read, with an urgent pace in line with the enormity of an alien invasion. I loved the attention to detail, offering an immersive experience into the vibrant city of Lagos. And when I came to the end, after I had caught my breath, I was left yearning to sit down to a meal of jollof rice, egusi soup and pounded yams.

The Book of Phoenix by Nnedi Okorafor

In a time when much of Manhattan was under water, Times Square was land stable enough to house Tower 7. There were 39 floors to this two-hundred-year-old skyscraper, and on the 28th floor lived Phoenix – a genetic experiment, a speciMen, an abomination.

She is an accelerated woman, just two years old, but with the mind and body of an adult, and powers beyond imagining. Finding love and friendship with Saeed, another biologically altered human, Phoenix is content to abide by the rules and live a quiet life. Until she is given cause to question the truth of her identity, and discovers that everything she has ever known is a lie. When her powers are unleashed there is no going back.

The richly described world and inventive plotline, had me gripped from the first page to the last. The characters are extraordinary, with multi-faceted personalities and motivations that make them completely relatable; heroines and heroes speaking hard truths to the world, dealing with social injustices and inequalities from the personal to outright war. I was swept away by Phoenix’s journey as she encounters love, truth, power and betrayal, and struggles to comprehend and accept the timeless nature of her powers. This is a multi-layered story, spanning continents; from America to Africa and beyond… literally to the stars.

What are you reading?