Tag: emotion

Looking Hopeful

So what is there to be hopeful about? Where do we go from here? 2021 is our big chance to not only reset things but also, importantly, to move forward positively. Easier said than done. Having had time to get my thoughts together, I have decided there are two things that are really motivating me this year. One is writing, as I certainly haven’t lost the bug. The other is sharing the love for our wonderful planet and helping to promote ways to reverse climate change. Both of these things are markedly optimistic and require effort.

Having studied geography for my degree and finding it fascinating, it is something that really gathers my attention and travelling to see natural wonders of the planet such as the glaciers of Scandinavia, I have seen for myself just how fragile our world really is. I also know that each one of us is responsible for climate degradation and shrinking ecosystems. I hope that my blogging about this topic can keep it fresh in my readers’ attentions. Perhaps there is a possibility that my writing can reflect the magical nature of our wildlife and scenery and help to get people thinking about just how fragile those incredible elements can be.

Without a doubt I love fiction. Especially contemporary fiction. This year I shall be publishing my very first full novel, which will be in a YA format and explores a range of issues, within a setting of a pair of teenagers who are tormented by a spooky old farm house. The story explores the modern family dynamic and the angst of friendship alongside mental health issues, loss and the impact dementia has on older loved ones. I really hope that my readership are drawn into this story with its layers of struggle, romance and adventure.

Alongside this, I have been writing on Wattpad over the Christmas period about a TV extra who got into a pickle whilst filming a festive movie on the beach in summer, dressed as an elf. This reminded me of my own experience as an Extra, something that I hope to return to in my spare time, after lockdown subsides.

On a departure from this, I have been slowly writing a crime drama set in a Yorkshire village where corruption sits uncomfortably alongside a seemingly laid back community where, in fact, ruptures are gradually occurring and retaliations are definitely ready to unfold.

I hope that everyone can find a positive way forward in these peculiar times. Join me in a world of fiction and share my journey into new genres and narratives that are meant to distract, entertain and make you smirk.

Writing Shorter Tales

So during lockdown I have been working as usual but also thinking about new writing projects. I’ve decided to go back to my roots and start writing shorts again.

Short stories are always creeping up on me when I least expect them and lately I have been excited by the short stories of such writers as John Boyne and Joanne Harris. I have also been exploring YA fiction, which on the whole tends to be shorter narratives.

If I start a new short story I usually have one particular thing that I want to say. For my first story it was about a meeting linked to a snowdrift. Another of my original shorts explored a woman’s memories of past visits to the seaside and her husband that she lost there.

During lockdown I thought a lot about misconceptions and the opinions that people form superficially, without getting more information to inform their judgements. This led me first to write about a family whose garden was in need of weeding. A secret was hidden in the garden which actually held wonderful memories. Yet the father did not see why his son was so protective of a particularly wild section of the yard.

Another story dealt with a fairly unforgiving lady who got her knickers in a twist about a situation which involved a cycling accident. Her thoughts were selfish and narrow minded and she ended up totally misreading what had happened.

Many of my stories have twists and turns. The latest book of short stories is called, ‘Second Glance’ and was written in lockdown as a series of unrelated stories, simply connected by the idea that situations often need looking at a second time in order to be properly understood.

It is always important to take a second glance.

Notes From A Lockdown Author

We have been in lockdown for nine days already and people are becoming restless. As a writer, I have relished the opportunity to have some time for reflection, keeping fit and generally catching up on reading, TV series and healthy eating. It is beyond me how I have managed to avoid snacking and increased the amount of fruit and veg that I have eaten. There is, of course, one thing that I haven’t managed to get round to doing… and that is writing. I haven’t written a single thing, despite spending most of my time wishing for a chance to write and indulge my imagination.

Remembering my Swiss holiday is therapeutic and inspiring.

I now feel relaxed and used to my new situation as somebody who works from home and today is the first day that I am attempting to get back my writing Mojo. After today, I hope to continue reinvigorating my blog and engaging with readers and writers out there who must also be in the same predicament. From this day onwards, I am going to write a minimum of three hundred words a day. It doesn’t matter if that is simply blogging, being anecdotal on Twitter or creating new stories. Hopefully I can exceed this target and start to build on my writing, working towards a variety of projects.

So please, engage with me, share ideas with me and by all means invite me to co-write with you. I want to explore different genres, scriptwriting and children’s fiction. Today I am going to begin by returning to a kids’ book that I first conceived last summer and one which has been sitting in my documents ever since. It is Christmas based which will definitely make me cheery as I absolutely love Winter, snow and all things festive.

Let me know what you are up to. I look forward to seeing how the writing community thrive during this period of challenge.