Reflecting on my own writing journey so far, I came to realise that it was two years ago that I satisfyingly pieced together the final fragments of my debut book, ‘The Fathers, The Sons and The Anxious Ghost’. This book is something I am very proud of because the storyline means so much to me. Having had friends and family suffering from mental health issues, the narrative was my own way of unpicking some of those elements.
In this blog post I want to reflect upon that story and how I created it. When I think about how it all started, it was actually fairly random. Hopefully by sharing my writing experience, you may find some of it relatable. New writers can understand just how complicated everything to do with publishing seems at first but after a while it all starts to make some kind of sense.
How did it all start?
I remember watching lots of drama series where mental health issues were touched upon and noticing that, at the time, a lot of these didn’t focus on men quite so much. This gave me the idea to make my story about three guys. It was just one of many ideas but I quickly sat down and wrote a short chapter introducing a dad and his son rushing to get to school. I wanted to show stress straight away so I ensured that he was late and that his fraught relationship with his wife was immediately apparent.
There were only two things in my mind at that point. I wanted a story about three guys whose kids all went to the same school and I wanted them to be rattled by something. So, I came up with the idea that one of their spouses would commit suicide. From then on, I knew that I had a story that would grow longer than one of my short stories.
In a nutshell
My story is told in three parts with each person writing a chapter. For me, this was a no brainer as I needed the characters to have their own unique voices and first person narrative was the only way to do this.
During a school play, three kids get into a scuffle, leading their dads to come into the same orbit. Soon after, a tragic suicide resonates through the town. One dad loses a wife while the others also feel the weight of the situation as repercussions eventually play out.
Each guy has a different situation at home. One is fed up with his marriage, another has realised that he prefers men and the third is left to parent alone after his sudden loss. But that is not the crux of the story.
Ten years later, the now 18 year old kids tell their part of the story and unpick the ramifications of not only the suicide, but also the destruction of their parents’ marriages. One daughter in particular cannot stop delving into her mother’s past and is determined that another parent caused her mum’s death.
The third part is a short chapter and is meant to draw things together, helping you to understand some of the chaos and hopefully leaving you with interesting questions.
What does the story mean?
It means everything to me. I have witnessed attempted suicide and loss amongst family and friends and have seen how destructive mental health can be. It was important that I got to explore this within a family drama as such events can have long term affects on those around the people who are suffering.
The story also explores an LGBT relationship, the power of long lasting and meaningful friendship, and how communities come together after a tragic event.
Thank you for reading about my first foray into writing a book.If you enjoyed this and like bookish content then please consider following my blog.
One of the things that I care most strongly about is the environment. I always have been a worrier and remember the first time I heard about global warming thirty years ago, at secondary school. I started to campaign then for a better understanding but knowledge of this subject was still very limited as the press seemed relatively ignorant to the matter.
Having done a geography degree which focused on landscapes and changes in the environment, my mind was opened to ways in which the devastating effects of global warming could potentially be reduced or even reversed to some extent. One really obvious way included using aeroplanes less. Planes pump huge amounts of carbon and other pollutants right into the part of the atmosphere which can influence the climate.
On that note, I have decided to reflect upon my own travels and share with you some brilliant places to go on holiday which are affordable and reachable by land or sea, rather than using air transport.
Luxembourg by Train
When I was looking for a lovely destination to visit by rail, Luxembourg grabbed me as it was really intriguing, nestled between Germany, France and Belgium. It was an easy ride via Paris (taking two hours to Gare Du Nord and then a further two to the centre of Luxembourg City).
Beautifully nestled on hillsides. Luxembourg.
I found a quaint and affordable hotel just opposite the main train station where I positioned myself for a five day stay. As far as city breaks go, this was perfect for me as just staying for a weekend would have been rushing things and I also wanted to visit some countryside locations and take in some historic sites.
Vianden Castle. Well worth a visit.
One such visit took me to Vianden Castle which overlooked a beautiful little town which was gently parted in two by a scenic river. With a nice little coffee shop that provided great lunches and some in-tact rooms packed with cannon balls, furniture and photos showing when the castle was used as a film set (including ‘George and the Dragon’ 2004), this attraction definitely didn’t disappoint. Just be prepared for a steep walk up to the castle or catch a ride to the top of the hill.
The river through Vianden.
As for the fascinating city itself, it was full of life, with a vibrant area of restaurants and bars not far from the heart of politics. The Duchy of Luxembourg has a Duke and also a Prime Minister. Visiting the parliament (known as the Chamber of Deputies) and PM’s residence alongside a historic Cathedral is easy to do as they are very close to each other.
Chamber of Deputies
I was also lucky enough to spend time at the very modern and architectural wonder that is the Philharmonie du Luxembourg. In here we heard some incredible live music played by a talented full orchestra at what was a mesmerising event. The building itself was stunning and it felt very cosy inside. The dress code was smart and the snacks were great (not even particularly pricey).
Philharmonie du Luxembourg
Overall, in bars and restaurants prices were typically on a level with those in London. So do make sure you have some Euros with you or some available funds in your bank account. Luxembourg is a busy, independent state which hosts some EU buildings including the European Commission. It is friendly and clean on the whole, with plenty of fashionable stores as well as some appetising menu choices.
I would recommend taking the Eurostar to Gare Du Nord and enjoying the double decker train to Luxembourg city, then exploring the city itself for a few days. Luxembourg is modern, stylish and full of energy. Follow this up with a visit to one of the beautiful surrounding towns, situated within half an hour from the centre. A daily train fare is very cheap (a 1 day ticket to anywhere in the duchy is just €6) as Luxembourg actively encourages using public transport.
Next Time…
I will be continuing my series of blogs about travelling into Europe by land or sea with a review of my trip to Belgium.
