Tag: writing

Happy New Year 2022!!

New Year’s Eve was a day for tying up loose ends, making plans, visiting friends, and a quick trip to one of my favourite places in Exeter: the quay.

   

 

The streets were quiet, but the late-night skies were ablaze with fireworks. Now ever-so-slightly-bleary eyed and time to reflect.

2021 has been a memorable year in more ways than one. I was super proud to be able to release The Warder, Blood Gift Chronicles Book 2, and to receive Firebird Awards for both Return of the Mantra (winner of LGBTQ fiction category) and The Warder (winner of YA fiction category). Click here for my award interview.

Like its predecessor, The Warder was a labour of love over many years, and it’s great to hear from readers who have got in touch or listened at various on-line and in-person events this year.

“The Warder is the sequel to one of my favourite books of 2018, Return of the Mantra. I wasn’t sure Susie would be able to increase the enthusiasm I had for her characters and her world, but she left me reeling after a couple of pages.”

“The way Susie was able to expand her world without slowing down the narrative was a masterclass in worldbuilding.”

‘This book is a charming story of loss, love and finding yourself in the most unexpected places. It is epic fantasy with a heart that will leave you scarred but begging for me. Plus it has dragons and who doesn’t love dragons. I can’t wait to return to this world.”

Click here for full review.

I couldn’t wait to return to the world either, and have been immersed in book 3, working towards the conclusion of the overarching story that connects these three books. Tying up loose ends is hugely satisfying, while further developing the landscapes of the world, complete with new characters and familiar faces at the next stage of their lives. With colour, depth, texture and layers, I’m excited to get back to the writing.

For now a pause as we tip into January, complete with a fresh new diary just waiting to be filled.

I love this time of year, these moments of calm after the busyness of Xmas, the quiet after fireworks to consider possibilities for the year ahead.

Wishing everyone a Happy, Healthy, Peaceful, Creative, Wonderful New Year 2022!!

Festive Lights

Blood Gift Chronicles Book 3 is well underway. I look forward to giving a writing update in the new year, but for now I thought I would take a pause in my working day to share some local festive cheer. It was just a quick trip this year, tagged on to a shopping day, but it’s always a treat to soak up the ambience of Exeter Xmas market, complete with the cathedral looming in the background providing a wonderfully gothic feel.

Then on to spot the decorated trees on-route, since no trip would be complete without a visit to the annual charity tree display – a wonderful reminder of the great work of our local charities.

For the Xmas light display we went further afield with a trip to Powderham castle, armed with mugs of peppermint tea and chocolate brownies to snack on. With the whole castle and gardens lit up like a Xmas tree, it was an impressive display.

But perhaps the star of the show were three orphaned lambs wearing Xmas jumpers, tucked away in the grounds of the secret garden, unfazed by ogling visitors looking to catch that perfect Xmas card shot.

For now it’s back to work, but in the meantime…

Wishing everyone a very Merry Xmas

Happy Holidays, and a

Happy, Healthy, Peaceful New Year 

xxx

 

One World

Just over two months in the new house and it’s feeling like home. Mia continues to be outwitted by the resident squirrel on its hunt for buried nuts, and I’ve discovered a wonderfully bizarre monkey puzzle tree on my regular walk.

In other news, the street is being put on trial for food waste recycling. In the spirit of every little helps the environment, we’re all hoping it stays. Of course, we need many more big helps, and like people all over the world, I watched the events of COP26 unfold on the news. And so, to continue with last week’s theme of climate change, I thought I would share a recent poem inspired by global talks and the dedicated activists demanding we all do better in fighting the looming calamity.

Fight the Calamity; By Susie Williamson

Are humans really the superior species,

Skilled in reasoning, language, solving difficulties?

Introspection is seen as one of our strengths,

So what came of the Paris Agreement?

Did we tighten our belts, get smart, or continue in decadence,

Turning a blind eye to owed recompense?

 

Cop26 comes round and the truth will be told,

To climate activists around the globe.

The suited and booted leading with false ideations,

Reckless in the knife-edge survival of Africa, and those island nations.

It’s not 1.5 or even 2, but a roadmap to 2.7 degrees,

Yet again, the same nations will be on their knees.

 

Or under water; some are already there,

Vanishing islands and coastlines, but with new gas fields, who cares?

Until Mia Mottley steps up and takes to the mic,

Calm and considered, but with words set to strike.

This PM of Barbados speaks for those without choices,

For the powerless, angry, despairing voices.

 

Her message is clear, her intent at the heart,

National solutions just don’t work.

Are we really so blinded and hardened, deaf to the cries,

So willing to turn our backs on countless lives?

So adept at othering, we seem to be,

Price tags on people, scrap humanity.

 

We talk peace and prosperity here in the west,

A blanket omittance of nations oppressed,

Prosperity, illusion if only one third prospers,

While the rest of the globe cowers and suffers.

In the face of calamitous threats, life under siege,

When will global leaders fess up and lead?

 

Will they mourn us on the front line? Eddy Grant once said.

Not when pound signs are favoured over existential dread.

Voice, ambition, action is lacklustre so it seems,

In solving global crises of climate refugees.

Will the path of greed harvest our common destruction?

Or will we choose survival via temperature reduction?

 

There’s no time, we’re at that fork in the road,

The train’s ready, horn blasts, all aboard!

Code red G7, G20, wake up at the COP,

1.5 to survive, 2 degrees and no backstop.

Just death to Barbuda, Kenya, Mozambique,

Antigua, Fiji, The Maldives,

Try harder the people of Samoa holler,

Don’t we treasure Barbados and the people of Dominica?

Tuvalu is sinking, it’s happening now,

Don’t sigh, don’t shrug, don’t sit back and ask, how?

Central banks work in trillions, too huge to fit in our heads,

We have answers, resources, so make a watertight pledge.

Sign up to the global peace army,

Say no to death, and yes to humanity.

***

New Horizons

I’ve returned to Blood Gift Chronicles Book 3 and it’s good to be back. In the midst of a revisit to early drafts, I’m no stranger to heavy-handed deleting, as I incorporate ideas I’ve been mulling over for a while. I plan and plot, dig deep for depth and meaning, while leaving space for the story to evolve and the characters to grow.

I’m excited for this story that will once again work as a standalone, but really, why wouldn’t you read the whole series! Each book is a story in itself, but they’re all connected by an overarching theme. The background mystery we’ve seen unfold so far, comes to a finale in Book 3, and as the world expands, new characters arrive, intermingled with familiar faces. As before there is grit and magic, mythology and drama, love and survival, and dragons… all driven by intriguing characters and spellbinding landscapes.

Like I said, it’s good to be back…

A Splash of Colour

There’s a familiar sight outside the window of my writing room: blurred by heavy rainfall, beyond the rooftops of red brick houses, trees are blowing in a blustery wind. While searching for inspiration for tomorrow evening’s open mic, I thought of May’s challenging weather, and came up with my reading: The Story of the North Wind. It’s actually an extract from my novel, The Warder (Blood Gift Chronicles 2). In the book, Suni is a storyteller, among other things, and The Story of the North Wind is a story she tells. It is a fable from the land of Shendi, the setting for my books, and with nature being the theme for tomorrow evening’s open mic, the fable fits in well.

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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

 

Children’s Hour – Jacob’s Story

It’s been an interesting and entertaining journey so far on children’s hour. I had hoped that by giving children a platform during these times of a global pandemic, it might help them to connect with each other and the people in their lives. As far as what was sent in, I had no idea what to expect. I am delighted to see wildlife feature, among other things.

As a fiction writer, I spend much of my time thinking about different perspectives. In building characters, worlds, and cultures, viewpoint and empathy are everything.

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Children’s Hour – Imogen’s Story

I hope everyone is keeping safe and well. With rainbows fast becoming symbols of hope, it is wonderful to see so much colour around. And now, with the UK weather for once being kind, there is colour in the garden of the natural kind. It feels like summer.

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Children’s Hour – Beth’s Story

Here in the UK, social isolation continues. I feel fortunate to be able to step out for a walk each day, and to live close to the river Exe. On the way to the river, just beyond the railway tracks as dusk approaches, wild rabbits venture out. It always feels like a treat to see them, and now in our house we’ve taken to collecting vegetable peelings to deposit on the walk. Then the rabbits can enjoy an evening buffet.

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