Fiction

Novels are my preferred reading and writing. I like characters with depth that take a novel-length time to develop, often to the surprise of the characters themselves. Building a sense of place, an intimacy of a home or natural environment can't be done without revisiting the location, observing the changes and reinforcing emotional attachments. The rhythm and pace is like a symphony, introducing themes and developing them before returning to a satisfying resolution.

So far I've written a few novels. The first one that's ready for publication, Are We Still Friends?, is a book group fiction about two friends trying to reconnect fifteen years after finding the school bully murdered on the common - Sally needs to know what really happened but Debbie most definitely does not.

Short story

Sometimes a short story is just what you need, like a song that lifts you spirits and stays in your head long after it's finished. Carefully selected words reshape preconceptions of what the story is about or what the characters will become, often accepting that, like life, not everything is going to make sense or be happy ever after. Simplicity is key and competitions like Globe Soup and NYC Midnight can be a lot of fun

I was a finalist in a WAWA competition and you can read my story about halfway down https://www.irelandwritingretreat.com/post/four-stories-from-wild-atlantic-writing-awards-time-competition.

I've also had short stories in anthologies and one is available at https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0BZ94DDTZ?tag=uklinktagbk-21&th=1&psc=1&geniuslink=true

Poetry

Poetry puzzles me. I wrote a long rambling poem called I Hate Poetry after buying a book with a similar title which didn't answer my questions. Songwriting makes sense to me; words and music working together to evoke emotion, describe the confusing world we live in, and invite the listener to sing along, to collaborate in the creation.

Maybe I've just answered my own question; poetry exists when a musical rhythm doesn't fit. Or when the shape on the page is part of the emotion. Or when the gaps between speech are too important to be filled by sound.

I've performed at Word of Mouth in Bristol but, otherwise, my only success was winning second prize in a radio competition when I was eight! Maybe I just need to get out there more.

Creative non-fiction

It probably isn't called CNF anymore but it's a new genre for me as I explore some exciting family tree stories. Not sure where all this is going but with 16th century documents and evidence of ancestors' letters crossing the Atlantic at the time of American Civil War, I'm hoping to find a way to make it interesting for everyone.