Tag: writing

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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Children’s Hour – Alexander’s Story

With the UK still under measures of social isolation, I’ve been thinking about the theme of my last blog, Staying Connected, and all the imaginative ways people have been finding to stay connected to one another.

As a writer, it got me thinking about stories and what they communicate. A favourite pastime when I was young was whiling away the hours in my bedroom writing weird and wonderful adventure stories. I wondered what stories children might come up with at this time, what places their imagination might take them. And so, I spoke to children I know and asked them, ‘Would you like to write a story that I could share on my website?’ I was thrilled to receive the first entry yesterday.

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Female Characters

It’s been a busy few days, beginning on Saturday when I went along to Wincanton Book Festival. Reading an extract from Return of the Mantra, I chose the scene when Suni first meets a mysterious young boy who doesn’t speak. It reminded me of the tenderness that develops in this parent/child type relationship; a relationship that continues to grow in the sequel. Needless to say it was a lovely day promoting all things books, and as I chatted to interested people, I thought more about the complexities of my female protagonist, a girl who struggles to find her place in the world, who survives and adapts and learns to fight to save her homeland.

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The Human Condition

If a novel was good, would you care if it was created by Artificial Intelligence?

Inspired by an article in the Guardian, click here, this was a question posed a few weeks ago by Devon Book Club, a weekly forum on Twitter discussing all things books.

My response was one of resistance. My exact words were, ‘This is so inhuman it makes me shudder’.

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Quiet Reflections for a New Decade

Tuti Island

Two decades ago, or thereabouts, I was in the Sudan. Last year, after returning my revised manuscript to the publishers, I thought about a snippet from life in North Africa, and a place called Tuti Island. The snippet begins with a walk along the river Nile, where I spotted some boys tormenting a small turtle they had fished. Feeling sorry for the turtle, and possibly unwisely, I handed over a few Sudanese pounds in exchange for the turtle. I headed off down the river, intending to release it, but everywhere I went, the curious boys followed. Unable to find a quiet spot, I took the turtle home, filled the sink with water and stones, and fed it flakes of fish. It wasn’t ideal, but then I heard about Tuti Island, a nearby place which friends were sure would offer a quiet spot for releasing the turtle. So one day I put the turtle in my basket, caught a bus, then a boat, arriving at the small island situated where the White Nile and Blue Nile meet. I found a deserted strip of sand, placed my turtle in the water, and watched it swim to freedom.

I never forgot that island, or the colours and designs the Sudan inspired. And so my recent painting is titled ‘Tuti Island’.

Christmas and New Year have been a series of quiet reflections. Following a year of ill health and loss, it’s a comfort to slow things down, to take deliberate note of the small details, and breathe the fresh air. With its dark evenings, crisp air and sodden ground, winter feels like the perfect time to just take the time, to take stock, to gain a wider perspective, to remember that the moment is now to create what we choose.

As a writer who also indulges in painting, I am no stranger to the blank page, and the blank canvas. And yet perhaps it’s never really blank to start with. We create, and we recreate, capturing moments, thoughts and lives we’ve known and returning them to us in fresh new forms.

The last decade saw my first novel published, the new decade promises more. So much of Return of the Mantra was inspired by life in Africa: people, places, situations I had known, recreating the real into an almost unrecognisable fantasy. The Warder picks up the story ten years on, and by this time it really does have its own life and momentum. I was particularly encouraged to see a recent comment on Twitter from a reader, saying how much they loved the character, Wanda. He was inspired by orphaned children I had known, out of a desire to create an unlikely hero, a gifted young boy. In book 2, aged 18, Wanda takes a more prominent role. Together with his female counterparts they are exposed to a land beyond their shores, and so continues their journey in understanding that the world is not a dichotomy of black and white, good and evil. Rather, it is shades of grey, cause and effect, where personal growth and self-discovery are essential in realising the effect each character has. Not too unlike the real world.

And on that note I wish you a Happy New Year and a peaceful new decade.

Reach for the Stars

My lovely partner in life, Kate, gave me this card many years ago, when I completed an early draft of Return of the Mantra. Writing a book and the struggles it entails has been described in many ways, but I love this idea of attributing it to a tortoise catching a frisbee.

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