Tag: winter

Contemplate for a Minute

This is a poem I wrote about recognising the relevance of wildlife and need to preserve the natural world.

Penguins waddle, polar bears stride,

Humans tag along for the ride.

Elephants stomp and monkeys swing,

While humans compete to show who’s king.

Eagles gently soar while lions growl and roar,

Yet some humans do little but self-adore.

Nature is precious and fragile and bright,

But can humans even notice its delicate plight?

While deserts are growing and ice sheets just melt,

Humans dress up in gold, silver and felt.

Let’s all be wise owls instead of turn a blind eye,

We can all make a difference, if only we try.

Start with something little, like using less of the car,

Many such changes can help us go far.

Stories and more stories…

Having been very busy for the last few weeks, I thought that it was time to restart blogging, at least once a week. I find the process of writing about books, mental health and the media in general very therapeutic. I also like a good old catch-up. I hope you will come along for the ride.

Recently I wrote about three intriguing books that I enjoyed and learned a lot from. Carrying on my reading journey, I am exploring one of Joanne Harris’ early books, ‘Sleep, Pale Sister’ and Matt Haig’s ‘The Humans’, alongside ‘Let it Snow’ (mainly because of my obsession with winter. All are brilliant so far and very different, yet all have strong characters and plots that carry messages which mean they are relatable and page-turners.

Looking around at what is going on in the news it is distressing to see the conflict that has arisen over the Royal family, and especially the issue of mental health. We could definitely do with more love in the world right now. However, it seems that love doesn’t sell quite so well. The most successful stories and movies and TV shows are those involving conflict, controversy and promote debate.

Having said that, of course, everybody loves a good drama. I find that when I write something dramatic, it is really important to show varying perspectives of the unfolding story. For me, multiple characters tend to present their angles on things. In my first novella, ‘The Fathers, the Sons and the Anxious Ghost‘, I told a tale of devastation from the point of view of a husband, a friendship group and the children of the original characters. It was my aim to consider the impact of suicide on a group of individuals, and especially to talk about the long term implications of this upon the children.

My next book is a YA mystery which is all about one guy (Drew) and his close friend and will take the reader on an adventure through his eyes only. It is not my usual approach but in this case it felt right to follow events from his perspective and to lock onto the elements that came into play, as they emerged. A peculiar house in the countryside is constantly covered in black birds who seem to be watching everything that Drew and Siobhan do. Since a chance encounter with it, the house begins to play a massive role in their lives. Drew is trying to pass exams, deal with bereavement, care for a grandparent and protect his friends from a threat that looms in the background.

As the spring begins, I am getting back into my writing and, as well as editing this novel, I am writing smaller narratives on Wattpad and have got about a third of the way into a crime story. This is going to be a rollercoaster of emotions. I hope that I can do it justice.

As lockdown ends and the sun starts to shine, I hope that everyone is feeling optimistic about the new year. More to come from me. Please consider following and trying one of my short stories.

Review of ‘The Chalet’.

A ski trip turns dark.

I had never heard of this author before but Catherine Cooper has made a brilliant first impression on me.

I was initially attracted by the setting which is pinpointed in the title, ‘The Chalet’. It made me think of snow and skiing and mountains. My curiosity drew me in deeper and I decided to purchase the book when I realised that each chapter was told by different characters; a style that I myself like to use.

The narrative was smooth at first, although skipping between 2020 and 1998, and I was introduced to important characters and a situation revolving around missing people. Later in the story, a new character came in and I was initially confused by her presence. All I can say is she added vital components to this skilfully told drama.

Wound together cleverly, so many different events mingle to create a story of awkwardness, death and revenge. I absolutely loved this story. If you like stories set in the Alps, missing people dramas and anything snow related, you will enjoy this fantastic novel.