Maggie Holman's Blog, page 3

October: The 'Supernaturally' Inspiring Month

 

 

As an author of paranormal and speculative fiction, October is my favourtite month. It's not only because it leads up to Halloween and the Day of the Dead. It's also the time of year when the landscape changes to reflect supernatural moods and becomes a creative tool. The beautiful reds, yellows and browns of September's leaves are replaced by early twilight, leafless, lifeless trees, atmospheric mists and creepy shadows, all of which are frequently used as a springboard into supernatural fiction. 

 

 

   

//

What's the attraction of a good ghost story? Why do we love to bury ourselves in spooky settings, plots and characters, as readers and authors? When we dive into the world of supernatural fiction, we leave our real-world references behind and travel to........whatever we want to find or create! Working with 'unreality' requires a different approach to characters and the world they inhabit. Even if some real-world imagery remains, we have to challenge our imagination to fill in the world-building details. Many authors, from M R James, Charles Dickens, and Emily Bronte to Stephen King, Susan Hill and Neil Gaiman, have shown us that the exploration of the supernatural provides a rich opportunity to challenge our creative skills.        

//

*

Speaking as a teacher with forty years' experience, October is a time of year which inspires students to look at creative writing in a particularly challenging way. The real world, that which we see around us every day, has its own way of generating literacy skills and creative writing, because it gives students the reference points which are familiar to them, but the change in scenery and the subsequent change in atmosphere that arrives with October can help to challenge students in a different way. Their imaginations can become fired up by these changes in atmosphere and mood, which inspire and require less realistic and more fantastical vocabulary and descriptions.       

As a way of encouraging students to develop their literacy and creative skills by exploring the supernatural genre, here are four English language resources based on my own supernatural fiction. More details can be found at this internal weblink: Scripts & Teaching Resources 

The Wishing Sisters

There are classroom resources for two of the five stories in this paranormal anthology:

1. 'The Wishing Sisters' bit.ly/2xXJ6tc and bit.ly/2JkE5zu

The first eponymous story is written in the style of a Victorian gothic story and is in diary form. The resource is aimed at secondary students and contains the complete story text, plus comprehension questions (with answers) and extension questions, which require some research, about the geographical and social setting of the story, the role of women in Victorian society and the concept of 'sisters'. 

 

2. 'A High Windy Place' bit.ly/2zLHWTo and bit.ly/2y5LZYC 

This ghost story is about an old lady who discovers a ghost child living in the cellar of her new home and helps to release him. Aimed at students aged 11+, it contains the full story text, plus comprehension questions (with answers), sequencing and missing words tasks, a creative writing task and an information sheet about the Kymin, a real place in Wales where the ghost in the story is set free.          

//

*

The Knocking

This ghost story novella is based on the Great Flood of 1607, a true event which occurred in the south west of England and on the Welsh coast, and in which more than two thousand people drowned. Modern scientists now think the Great Flood was actually a tsunami. 

 

'The Knocking' resource pack bit.ly/2ND5AoE and bit.ly/2EpOZW2

accompanies the novella. It contains comprehension questions (with answers) and opportunities to develop reading, creative writing, speaking and listening and historical research skills.    

//

*

Cliff Walk

The ghost story 'Cliff Walk' is currently unpublished, but is available at my read-for-free page: Read for Free. 

 

This resource, found at bit.ly/3S9kGEv and bit.ly/3DPTB5a explores the elements of how to begin a ghost story, by analysing the start of 'Cliff Walk' with a view to how vocabulary, description and structure can create tension, atmosphere, setting, character and relationships. The questions in the resource are meant to engender discussion and opinion-based answers, to encourage students to practice these skills.  After discussing  these elements, students can then continue the story in their own words and compare it with the original.    

//

*

If you are interested in these supernatural resources, you can find them, and other resources, at my Teachers Pay Teachers store bit.ly/3fj1hg7. Happy 'spooky October'! 

People & Books #7: David Swatling

 

 

 

When I first moved to Amsterdam, I joined a local writing group at the English Bookstore, where I was fortunate to meet and work with American author David Swatling. David is a long-time resident of Amsterdam but regularly returns to the United States, and his new novel Corpus Calvin was partly inspired by local ghost stories about a haunted New England inn. The book will be available on 15th November, so it seems like a good time to ask David about his writing background, inspiration and plans.     

 

  

//

Who/What inspired you to begin writing?

My mom says I always had my nose in a book as a child, which naturally led me to begin storytelling at an early age – whether staging Nativity plays in our basement or improvising elaborate puppet shows for charity fairs. I studied theatre at university, where I learned about dramatic structure and character development, as well as the importance of themes and subtext. All this was invaluable years later when I began to write and produce feature programs for Radio Netherlands. During that period, I got to interview many fantastic authors, and those inspiring conversations were like personal writing master classes. In the late 90s, I joined an Amsterdam writing group to explore my own creative writing and ten years later, when I retired from radio work, I was able to devote all my time to writing my first novel.   

//

(From left to right: John Irving, P D James & David Sedaris)

Which authors do you admire?

So many authors! Being such an avid reader my whole life, it’s almost impossible to know where to start. I’ll narrow the field by mentioning some I’ve been fortunate to meet and talk with: John Irving, Michael Cunningham, PD James, Edmund White, Dorothy Allison, Dale Peck, Andrew Solomon and David Sedaris, to name a few; also, two writers who are no longer with us: historian David McCullough and filmmaker Derek Jarman. 

// //

 

 

Have you been influenced by any particular books you’ve read?

I could write an essay on this topic but I’ll stick to two crucial books. Was by Geoff Ryman is my absolute favorite novel, combining three individual stories, historical and contemporary, with elements of fantasy, all connected in some way to The Wizard of Oz. I was inspired by both the daring narrative structure and vivid imagination that the author brought to the page. The other novel of great influence is Simple Justice by John Morgan Wilson. This gritty example of crime fiction, with a morally ambiguous gay protagonist, won an Edgar Award for Best First Novel and convinced me there might be readers for the kind of story I was just beginning to develop.     

 

How many books have you written?

I’ve written two novels: Calvin’s Head (2014) and Corpus Calvin (2022) – both of which fall into the category of psychological suspense.

What inspired you to write these books?

In both cases I was inspired by real events in locations where I set the books. For Calvin’s Head, it was my summer of homelessness in Amsterdam when my dog Calvin and I stumbled across a grisly crime scene in Vondelpark. It didn’t take many "what if?” scenarios to get the literary ball rolling. I thought I'd written a stand-alone novel but early readers had other ideas. “What happens next?” they asked. By that time I was spending summers in New England at an old college friend’s inn, built in the mid-nineteenth century and which the locals say is haunted. That’s all the inspiration I needed to start a sequel.

//

The haunted inn which inspired 'Corpus Calvin' 

Do you explore other formats e.g. poetry, short stories, graphic novels?

I’ve dabbled a bit in other creative forms but not lately. I did have a short story published in Chase the Moon: The Magazine of Misfit Stories. It’s called Poets’ Walk and can be found on my website. More often, I’ve continued to write non-fiction work, like author interviews for online publications such as The Big Thrill and blog pieces for other websites, including my own. 

 

What are you working on at the moment?

At this moment I’m preparing for the November launch of Corpus Calvin. That means interviews to arrange, an event at the inn where it all started, and a website seriously in need of updating.

 

What are your future writing plans?

I’m developing an idea for a new novel, combining my background in theatre and the discovery of how much I enjoyed writing the historical chapters in the last book. I have a charming main character with a taste for mischief, a scenic location and an exciting time period – the Roaring 20s. Not much yet in the plot department but I’m not an outliner so I’ll trust my instincts. 

What do you enjoy most about writing?

Author EL Doctorow said, “Writing is like driving at night in the fog. You can only see as far as your headlights, but you can make the whole trip that way.” That’s much the way I approach writing a story. I like the surprises that wait around the next turn in the road. I also enjoy total immersion into the mind of characters, seeing and reacting to the world around them. It’s why most of my writing is either in first person or very close third person. Maybe due to my acting background, it’s easy for me to become the characters, to feel their emotions, their highs and their lows. When writing this way, my immediate surroundings fade, the troubles of the world disappear, and I lose all track of time. I’m living completely in my imagination. That’s the ideal, anyway.    

 

Do you have any particular writing habits or routines?

I’m not big on writing routines, especially the ubiquitous advice “write every day.” I’ve done it for periods of time and understand full well why it can be helpful for many writers. But I prefer a random approach to creative writing. I usually write on my laptop but sometimes I pick up a pen and write on a yellow legal pad. I don’t outline a story as part of my process but sometimes I do see where a story is heading – even if not how it’s going to get there. I like to write in different locations, which is good since I travel a lot. I rarely write with music playing. And I don’t do revisions until I get to the end of a first draft, although my contrarian nature might even decide to try that sometime.       

//

David's writing space at the haunted inn

Do you have any tips for new writers?

Read! Read! Read! 

*

Calvin's Head & Corpus Calvin are published by Bold Strokes Books – www.boldstrokesbooks.com

Copies can be ordered via Amazon, Bol and other online outlets. In the Netherlands, copies can be ordered via the American Book Centre - www.abc.nl.

 

Find David @ his social media:

Website: https://davidswatling.com

Facebook: David Swatling Writer

Twitter: @davidswatling

Water in Fiction - What's the Fascination?

Water plays an important role in our everyday lives. It’s vital to our well-being and survival, as well as an endless source of relaxation and leisure, but what is it about water that inspires so much creativity? Writers, artists, photographers and film-makers are drawn to the imagery of water. What’s more, it’s often the darker side of water which draws us to it as a creative context, where it can be a symbol for sinister ideas. Just look at all the crime fiction and films that use water as a key element of their storylines.  

//

photo courtesy of Tim Marshall @ Unsplash

//

photo courtesy of Brendan Church @ Unsplash

The Ebb and Flow

 

Water moves in a process of ebb and flow. It stops and starts, just as our need to create and share stories can come and go, stop and start or stagnate and release. There is a parallel between the flow of water and the flow of words. Whether it’s the still, hidden waters of stagnant lakes and ponds, the bubbling conversation of rivers and streams or the enormous depths of the ocean, water has the capacity to be secretive, hidden and mysterious. When we ‘dive into’ fiction with a watery theme, as readers or writers, it’s as if we’re diving into a place which represents our emotional connections. This makes it a perfect vehicle for speculative fiction.

*

Elements of Water in My Own Writing

 

Recently I’ve been working on a new short story collection, in which the connection with water is clear; the main character of each story is able to breathe underwater. The locations of the stories are varied: the open sea, a high cliff, a lighthouse, a lake, a park fountain and a man-made urban oasis. The challenge is to make each individual story interesting and stand-alone, while keeping to the collection’s common thread, and what makes the challenge doubly interesting is the water locations, because I find water fascinating and it has inspired some of my previous writing.  

//

 

 

'The Wishing Sisters' (2012)

In my first short story collection, all the stories are inspired by the Forest of Dean, in Gloucestershire. The main character in the eponymous first story has a recurring dream about falling into Cannop Pond. In the second story, ‘Protect and Serve’, a deer culler accidentally falls into the (fictional) Deer Pond, which sets off a series of strange and tragic events. In both of these stories, water is the catalyst that sets things in motion and drives the plot forward. 

*

'The Knocking' (2017)

This ghost story novella was inspired by the Great Flood of 1607. A set of weather events combined with the usual spring tides, to cause an enormous flood across the coastlines of south Wales and the south west of England. A huge wave travelled up the river Severn, destroying everything in its path and killing hundreds of people, at a time when most people couldn’t swim. When it happened, people thought God was punishing them. Today, with the benefit of scientific research, scientists believe the event was actually a tsunami, caused by an earthquake in the Atlantic Ocean. ‘The Knocking’ uses the Great Flood event to tell a ghost story set in the present, in which the two time periods entwine and water is the connection. 

//
//

*

//

 

'The Things We've Seen' (2021)

‘The Things We’ve Seen’ is a ‘set of stories within a story’, supposedly written by a group of elderly writers who produce their stories at a care home writing club. The interaction and conversation in the final story, ‘Making Plans’, takes place completely in the bathroom of an empty apartment. As well as being a stand-alone story, 'Making Plans' is also the final story at the fictional reading event, and this is because it is this story which takes the overall plot of the book into a darker emotional place.      

*

My Recommended Water-Themed Reads:

 

I'm also drawn, as a reader, to stories which are focussed around water. Here are six of my favourite novels in which water is a key element of the story.

'The River of Green Knowe' (Lucy M Boston)

//

One of my favourite books as a child was ‘The Children of Green Knowe’. It was one of the first books which introduced me to the idea that there was an interesting world outside of reality, filled with supernatural and fantastical possibilities, and it inspired my love of all types of speculative fiction. ‘The River of Green Knowe’ is part three in Lucy Boston’s series. Unlike the other Green Knowe stories, which focus on the eponymous house, the main characters of this story - three children called Ping, Ida and Oskar – have their experiences and encounters on the river. As they travel and explore by canoe, they meet flying horses, observe a moon ceremony and have a conversation with a giant. This is a lovely gentle story which I ‘ve read again and again, long after I left my childhood behind.           

*

'Drowning Ruth' (Christina Schwarz)

Filled with family secrets and the tension between two sisters, Amanda and Mathilda, ‘Drowning Ruth’ is a strange, psychological thriller set in rural Wisconsin. When Mathilda marries Carl, and they make their home on an island in the middle of a large lake, resentful Amanda leaves home to go to nursing school. When she returns again, secretly pregnant, Carl has joined the army and she and Mathilda live together on the island. When the baby is born, the sisters agree to lie about its origins, and that Mathilda will raise the baby with her own daughter, Ruth. When Amanda changes her mind, decides to leave and sets off across the frozen lake ice, a tragic chain of events begins, and the story unfolds around the gradual telling of what really happened on that freezing winter night.    

//

*

'The River' (Tricia Wastvedt)

//

‘The River’ is set in the English village of Cameldip. For me, ‘The River’ is not a ghost story. Rather, it’s a story with ghosts in it. In the opening chapter, set in 1950s Cameldip, a young brother and sister, Catherine and Jack, drown after taking to the water in an unsafe boat. Thirty years later, pregnant Anna discovers Cameldip after sticking a pin in a map and travels there, where she  starts to live with Isabel, the mother of the two dead children. While there, Anna gives birth to her son and settles into her new life, but she soon learns that over the years, everyone in the village has been affected in some way by Cameldip’s tragic loss. The tension between people unfolds in a story structure which moves backwards and forwards in time, while the river is ever present, weaving its way through the events. A truly beautiful story.      

*

'Light' (Margaret Elphinstone)

‘Light’ is a fascinating story set in the 1830s on the fictional island of Ellan Bride, which is situated in the Irish Sea, just off the Isle of Man. Archie Buchanan goes to the island to make plans for a new Stevenson light to replace the existing lighthouse. When he arrives, he discovers two sisters-in-law, Lucy and Diya, and their three children. Lucy continues to tend the light after Diya's lighthouse-keeper husband was washed away in a storm. Archie is intrigued by the family's island existence and the children's almost feral life, but he has other things on his mind. He’s been invited to join a scientific expedition aboard HMS Beagle, and he hopes to follow his interest in the natural world while on Ellan Bride. However, he soons learns that this unusual family have some stiff resistance both to the new lighthouse plans and his scientific interests, and tensions between them rise as he tries to complete both. 

//

*

'A Gathering Light' (Jennifer Donnelly)

//

Set in 1906, against the backdrop of Big Moose Lake, in New York state, ‘A Gathering Light’ tells the story of Mattie, who, as the oldest child, helps her father to take care of the home and her younger siblings after her mother’s death, but she has a dilemma. Should she continue in this role, knowing her family need her, or decide to leave so she can study? Mattie works a summer job at the Glenmore Hotel, where a guest gives her a collection of letters and asks her to burn them. Mattie doesn’t do as she asks, and her life is further complicated when the lady’s body is found in the lake the next day. I loved this story, part mystery and part coming-of age, which is based on the real-life murder of Grace Brown.   

*

'The Lace Reader' (Brunonia Barry)

‘The Lace Reader’ is set in Salem, Massachusetts, and tells the story of Towner Whitney, one of a family of psychic lace-readers. The sea and the Massachusetts coastline play a large part in the story. Towner tries to uncover the mystery surrounding the recent disappearance of her Great Aunt Eva, while she also deals with the emotional trauma she carries after her sister died by drowning. In a story which has both psychological and psychic elements, Towner’s past constantly emerges to interfere with her life in the present as she becomes more and more challenged and confused by events around her. I totally enjoyed this story and did not anticipate the ending at all, which makes the story come full circle and, for me, ends with a beautiful water-based message.                  

//

*

I hope you enjoyed reading this post. Do you read stories that are based on water? Perhaps you could share them here.

 

'The Wishing Sisters', 'The Knocking' and 'The Things We've Seen' are available at online bookstores as paperbacks and ebooks. You can find out more about them at the 'Books' page of this website bit/ly/3yKcLqf 

 

If you are a teacher, you can find resources based on two of the stories from 'The Wishing Sisters' at Teachers Pay Teachers bit.ly/2xXJ6tc  and bit.ly/2zLHWTo. They are also available at the TES Resources site bit.ly/2GkE5zu and bit.ly/2y5LZYC. 

 

A literacy resource pack based on 'The Knocking' is available at bit.ly/2ND5AoE and bit.ly/2EpOZW2.

 

Thank you, Maggie  

People & Books #6: Lynne Jorritsma

 

 

I'm excited to interview Lynne Jorritsma, a British author who lives in Maastricht, in the Netherlands. I first met Lynne at an event at the English Bookstore Maastricht in 2021 and we are now both members of the Maastricht Writers Workshop.  Lynne's 'Froggy Cat' series for children was  inspired by her own creative bedtime stories for her children, as she explains here.

//

 

Who/What inspired you to begin writing?

I always loved to write as a child, and particularly enjoyed writing poems at school. However, only after having our first child did I rediscover my love of storytelling and rhyme. This was mainly due to the fact that our little one could not fall asleep at night, and so I lay next to him making up stories out of my head, which he loved. My husband overheard them and suggested I write them down. So that’s what I did, and 'Froggy Cat' was born.

//

Which authors do you admire?

My world is very much one of children’s literature, so I love authors for little ones, such as Dick Bruna, Julia Donaldson and Arnold Lobel, who wrote the 'Frog and Toad' books. David Walliams and Roald Dahl are also big favourites of mine.

// //

Have you been influenced by any particular books you’ve read?

It’s hard to name specific books, since I have read so many that are creative and fun – also by the authors mentioned above. They all really inspire me. Our children make up books that are also creative and very different from anything else. I think they will definitely be influencing future books that we create.

How many books have you written?

Around 4 over the past few years since our oldest son (now 11) was 2. The first one of these was published in 2020, which is 'Froggy Cat'. We also just released the Dutch edition - 'Kikker Kat' - which we’re really happy with . The sequel 'Froggy Cat in Space' should be released by the end of this year!

//

What inspired you to write your books?

Our children, at every step of the way.

 

Do you explore other formats e.g. poetry, short stories, graphic novels?

My husband, Jorryt, and I created the 'Froggy Cat Colouring & Spot the Difference' book, which is something different and fun to do. In the future I would potentially like to explore short stories or novels for older children.

//

Why did you and Jorryt decide to collaborate together?

When we first started talking about the idea of publishing 'Froggy Cat', he drew a picture of Froggy Cat and it was just as I imagined it would be, so I did not need to look any further for my illustrator! His background in automotive design makes his illustrations different from the typical ones you find in children's picture books. They're very fresh and original.

Why did you decide to self-publish?

Our first book was ready and we wanted to share it with the world. By publishing your own work in this way, you can move fast while having full control over the process.

 

What are you working on at the moment?

The final touches to 'Froggy Cat in Space' before it’s launch at the end of this year, which is very exciting!

What are your future writing plans?

I have some ideas already for future books, including the release of some of the stories I previously wrote. However, the illustrations take the most time. In children’s picture books, each picture is often a work of art itself, which of course influences publishing timelines and definitely keeps Jorryt busy!

 

What do you enjoy most about writing?

The creative process of telling a story influenced by so many things in our own lives. Each story is made up of many experiences that have led to its creation.

 

Do you have any particular writing habits or routines?

Not really. I like to write when I have quiet time such as on holiday or when the children are sleeping. Sport helps keep my head clear for the creative process.

 

Do you have any tips for new writers?

The most important thing is to enjoy what you do. Writing should be fun in order to put your best story down on paper. Make sure you have undisturbed time in order to create. Ensure you save this time in your agenda and don’t give up. It takes time to write a book, but if you persevere, you will get there.

*

'Froggy Cat', 'Froggy Cat Colouring Book' & 'Kikker Kat' are all available at online stores, and at local bookstores and libraries. You can contact Lynne at info@froggycat.co.uk, and follow Froggy Cat at this social media:

 

https://www.facebook.com/froggycat.of...

https://www.instagram.com/froggycat.o...  

 

Finding Fiction in My Family Tree: My WW1 Grandad

 

 

This is the only photo I have of my Grandad, John Dodd Vause. The blurred image of him and my Dad must have been taken some time before 1953, because that's the year he died, seven years before I was born. Just like in most families, there were stories about him that I didn't question as I grew up. Years later, now that I write fiction, I decided to research my family tree to see if there were any stories, people or events I could use for inspiration. Finding out about my Grandad's time as a soldier turned out to be an interesting and insightful journey along the road of truth and myth.  

//

The Family Story

My Dad always said that my Grandad refused to talk about his WW1 experiences. The only comment he ever made was that 'if he died and went to Hell it would be like Passchendaele.' The story in the family was that my Grandad had been one of the 'Boy Soldiers' and had run away, under age, to volunteer for the army. Another part of that story was that he'd travelled from his native Northumberland to join the Lancashire Fusiliers, thereby 'tipping his hat' to his own father's roots and also avoiding telling his mother that he'd joined up. Over the years, I never questionned these stories or actually thought that much about them. They were just there and I accepted them, but as I got older, like so many people, I became interested in finding out more.          

//

Finding Out the Facts

After searching online and also communicating with the Fusiliers Museum at Bury, Lancashire, I discovered that the family stories were completely untrue. Above is my Grandad's enlistment paper. He was a private in the Lancashire Fusiliers, as we thought, but didn't run away, under age, to volunteer. He turned eighteen in January 1916. Unfortunately, conscription was introduced two months later in March, and my Grandad was called up in May. The records at the Fusiliers Museum show that he was meant to be enlisted into the Royal Field Artillery (RFA) by September 1916, but was posted instead to the Fusiliers, because the infantry units were short of men.  Consequently, the enlisting decision and posting placement were decided for my Grandad. He had no say in the matter.    

I wanted to find out about the comment my Grandad made about Passchendaele and I contacted the Passchendaele 1917 Memorial Museum, near Ypres, in Belgium. They were able to tell me that my Grandad was a private in the 15th Battalion of the Lancashire Fusiliers, and that this battalion never took part in the Battle of Passchendaele. They were involved further west, in the coastal defences in the Koksijde and Nieuwpoort areas.    

A hundred years later, I felt a mixture of emotions at the news that my Grandad was not at Passchendaele after all; relief for him, but sadness for the thousands of soldiers who were there. This was the infamous, terrible battle in which the mud was just as much a killer as the enemy. To be on  coastal defences somehow sounded much safer, less serious than the battle raging nearby.  

//

How wrong I was. The drawing on the left was sketched by a soldier at the coastal defences and shows a group of soldiers, gassed and blind, being led to safety. The coastal defences were no easy posting, and no respite from the campaign around Ypres. The coastal areas around Nieuwpoort and Diksmuide were also the scene of fierce fighting and heavy bombardment. The photo below shows the trench known as the 'Trench of Death'. 

//
// //

 

Did Experience Cause an Emotional Change?

In 1918 my Grandad was twenty years old and had been in active service for almost two years. There is sketchy information in the records that in 1918 he was wounded and spent time in a military hospital back in England. He received a gun shot wound and also a bayonet wound, evidence of difficult hand to hand fighting. He was also gassed, according to my Dad, but the army never kept records of gas victims. 

//

It's at this point that things seemed to have changed for my Grandad, and if I could ask him, I think he changed too. The above image is his discipline sheet. The second entry is particularly important. The entry, dated 25th June, states that 'when on active service absent without leave from 10.40 pm to 11.40 pm 30.6.18 with intent to avoid embarkation for BEF' (the British Expeditionary Force).  The  discipline sheet shows my Grandad was sentenced to 56 days in military prison.  Basically, he went missing to avoid going back to the front.      

I found a second reference to this event in a different document. It was emotional to read the words 'Finding: Not guilty of desertion but of absence without leave', because in WW1, the British army executed deserters. Many of them were very young and a hundred years later, we understand that many of them probably suffered from PTSD. The Fusiliers Museum staff explained that the military court probably decided on 'absent without leave' because my Grandad was still in the UK when he went missing, and not at the front, but what a relief that this decision was made, or our subsequent family story would have changed. If my Grandad had been found guilty of desertion and shot, some of us would not even exist.     

//

The third entry on my Grandad's discipline sheet shows he broke out of camp at three o'clock in the morning on 19th September 1918 and was confined to barracks for seven days. Two months later the war ended. 

Final Thoughts

What do we learn when we look at war? Current events in Ukraine suggest we learn nothing. And how do I feel after I found out the details of my Grandad's WW1 story? I feel I know him a little better. I also sympathise with his 1918 experience. I think he changed at the moment when he was wounded and he couldn't face going back to the front line. Speaking as a writer, his story has inspired some future writing plans and grounded me in the world of WW1 a bit more, but more importantly, I've gone over and over an obvious question: Was my Grandad a coward? Personally I don't think so, and what right do any of us have to judge?     

 

//

People & Books #5: Nad Wismar

 

 

Nad Wismar is widely-travelled and multi-lingual, and has lived in various parts of the world. She first began writing articles for online publications, and when she began to branch out into writing fiction, her ideas were inspired in part by her global experiences.

 

I first met Nad in 2021 at the English Bookstore Maastricht. She talks here about her books and her future writing plans. 

//

Who/What inspired you to begin writing?

I have been passionate about creative writing since my school days. However, I decided to start writing 4 years ago.

 

Which authors do you admire?

I admire Isaac Asimov, Paul Anderson and Dan Brown.

 

Have you been influenced by any particular books you’ve read?

I think a lot of books which I read in my childhood have influenced my thinking and imagination. Examples are 'Dunno’s adventures' and 'Karik and Valya's Remarkable Adventures'.

//

How many books have you written?

I have written two books: 'The Glowing Earth' and 'Tell Me More, My Little Star'.

// //

 

What inspired you to write these books?

I started writing when I had important changes in my life. I had a lot of inspiration and desire to start writing books.

 

Do you explore other formats e.g. poetry, short stories, graphic novels?

Yes, I have started exploring other genres such as an erotic epic, which is in collaboration with another author. I am also working on a self-help book about various aspects that can help in finding a good relationship.

Why did you decide to self-publish?

I love to achieve new goals all by myself. It gives me more power and enthusiasm for further developments.

 

What are you working on at the moment?

My self help book and an erotic epic fantasy.

 

What are your future writing plans?

I have big plans for my writing. There are some dreams, but I am keeping them secret before they happen!

//

What do you enjoy most about writing?

I enjoy creating characters, new worlds, a new philosophy that will not only entertain but give positive thoughts and helpful tips to my readers.

 

Do you have any particular writing habits or routines?

There are no routines. My writing has its own cycle without any specific habits. 

Do you have any tips for new writers?

Write, write and write. If you really want to keep on going with your project and finish your book, set a daily alarm notification to write at least 300 words. 

//

 

 

'The Glowing Earth' & 'Tell Me More, My Little Star' are available at online stores. Paperback copies are also available at the English Bookstore Maastricht.  

People & Books #4: Jason Griffiths

//

My guest for 'People & Books #4' is Jason Griffiths. After leaving the Forest of Dean to study English in London, Jason returned to the area and is now actively involved in the research and promotion of Forest of Dean literature, past and present. Along with Dr Roger Deeks, Jason is a founder member of the Reading the Forest project. Here he explains his background and his commitment to Forest of Dean authors and readers.      

 

Are you originally from the Forest of Dean?

  

I was born at the Dilke Hospital and grew up on the outskirts of Cinderford. My parents are both from the Forest and many of the family ancestors can be traced back to the Forest of the 19th and even 18th century. But, as with many ‘Forest families’, there are branches of my family coming into the area. Looking at one branch from Leamington Spa, their first child to be born locally was given the middle name ‘Forester’, showing how much they identified with their new home (and perhaps also flagging his eligibility to become a Free Miner).  

Do you have a background in the book world?

 

My Dad was the reader in our house – mostly travel and history books – but I wasn’t much of a reader until when I was about 18. At the suggestion of some more bookish friends, I started reading F. Scott Fitzgerald, then Milan Kundera. After that it was Hemingway, and I was hooked. I studied English as a mature student at the Polytechnic of Central London (now the University of Westminster). This meant reading several books a week, so I had a great time! After I moved back to the Forest I became friends with local author and historian Ralph Anstis, and this was really the start of my interest in Forest literature and history. 

//

How and when did the ‘Reading the Forest’ project begin?

 

Back in 2012 I had just started studying for a PhD, which at that stage would involve Forest literature in some loosely defined way.  Myself and soon-to-be project partner Roger Deeks had, unbeknownst to each other, both suggested that Forest literary heritage should be part of the newly-proposed Landscape Partnership Programme in the Forest of Dean, led by Forestry England. That first bid was unsuccessful but by the time it was resubmitted, Roger and I were working together on what would become Reading the Forest. The bid was successful and we started in earnest in 2015, as part of the wide-ranging Foresters’ Forest Landscape Partnership Programme funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.   

//

How does the project connect with authors and readers in the Forest of Dean?

 

Public engagement was written into the project by us from the start. Roger had experience with the F. W. Harvey Society, and at the time I was running a media course at the University of Gloucestershire, so we had some good insights into how to use different media, the main idea being to ‘go where the audience is’. We knew that creating a website would be the best and most accessible way to share our research.

 

Social media has also been key, but with that space so crowded, we also realised the value and power of local events: people gathering together in the real, physical world! Early on we ran a series of evenings in local libraries. They were ‘hybrid’ events involving audio-visual material, performance, readings, interviews and discussion panels, with the involvement of local authors and poets. Since then we have put on many events in the community, often over a weekend or longer, some involving film screenings, exhibitions, guest appearances, art & photography…Our fantastic team of volunteers have been key throughout, helping with events but also undertaking research – we simply could not have achieved so much without them.  

 

How to you see ‘Reading the Forest’ developing in the future?

 

The website and social media will continue to be developed over the coming years, and there’s lots more we want to do.  We hope the interest generated by our new Anthology of Forest Literature, in particular amongst local schools, will open up Forest books and authors to a new generation. We have exciting plans we’re developing – we’ll keep you posted!

 

 

You recently completed your PhD thesis, entitled ‘Reading the Forest: A History and Analysis of Forest of Dean Literature’. What inspired you to pursue this subject?

 

My undergraduate thesis was on the work of television dramatist (and so much else!) Dennis Potter. He had just done that amazing final interview with Melvyn Bragg, and of course studying him and his work linked me back to home in a way. Years later, back in the Forest, when my friend, the late author and historian Ralph Anstis moved to be nearer to his daughter, he very kindly gave me his amazing collection of Forest books. As I added to the collection over the years I started to become aware of the range and wealth of Forest writing, but beyond the small circle of local book collectors and historians, no-one else seemed to know what a rich literary history the Forest had. When I later embarked on an academic career at the University of Gloucestershire, I was considering studying for a PhD. Discovering that there had been zero academic studies of Forest literature as a whole, the choice was easy.

//

 

How difficult was the topic to research?

 

Having such a fine collection of Forest books to hand made for a good start! All the way through my part-time PhD studies, Roger, myself and our volunteers were building Reading the Forest and all of that activity was an incredibly valuable support.  

 

//

 

Did you uncover some unexpected or surprising information?

  

There were so many surprises but I guess that’s the nature of of original research. To pick out just a few:

discovering the life and work of Ada M. Trotter;

Harry Beddington’s dramas;

Winifred Foley’s writing and appearances on BBC Radio two decades before A Child in the Forest was first broadcast.

Will the thesis be published and available for the wider public to read? 

 

I’m currently looking at adapting the thesis for publication, but in the meantime it’s available as a download for anyone to read here: https://eprints.glos.ac.uk/9466/

 

And do you have any future ‘book’ plans, now your PhD is complete?  

 

Myself and Dr Roger Deeks have just completed Reading the Forest: A Forest of Dean Anthology published by Douglas McLean Publishing. It includes extracts of writing about the Forest of Dean from the C16th to the present day. It’s a limited edition produced mainly as a resource for local school teachers, but you can find copies in any library in the Forest of Dean. There are so many more stories to tell and books to publish around Forest literary heritage, I’m still deciding where to start…

//

*

You can find more about the Reading the Forest project & its upcoming events at this link:    https://www.readingtheforest.co.uk/

People & Books #3: Val Karren

 

 

 

 

I first met Val back in November 2021, at his Russian event at the English Bookstore Maastricht, and I'm delighted to be able to interview him about his work. Originally from the USA, Val spent some time in Russia as a young student. This experience inspired his fiction writing, but he has also explored memoir and travel writing. Here Val talks about how he began writing, describes his completed body of work and his plans for future projects.        

//

Who/What inspired you to begin writing?

 

Although I had attempted to write down the harrowing experiences I had in Russia as a young student, those turned out to be false starts. I had neither a voice nor form. What I didn’t know then is that I was still living through the endgame of those experiences at the time.

In 2001, after reading Michael Ondaatje’s 'The English Patient', inspired by the form and structure of the novel, I tried again to put the stories, as unconnected as they seemed at the time, to paper for my mother and my grandmother, but eventually I learned it was to help me process it all. While I enjoyed Ondaatje’s story very much, I don’t consider myself a disciple of his, but feel that his prose was the spark to ignite the accumulated deadwood in my psyche to start the forest fire that is still burning inside of me.

 

//

Which authors do you admire?

· While I appreciate Hemingway’s (USA) talent, I do not admire him at all.

 

· George Orwell (UK) – for his bravery of speaking truth to power!

 

· Joan Sales (Catalunya) – for his vulnerability. He did not hide behind his writing.

 

· Jose Saramago (Portugal) –For not being afraid of the critics or his editors! The man won the Nobel Prize for Literature using run on sentences without punctuation.

 

· Liviu Rebreanu (Romania) – For giving his nation a voice that matched its identity.

 

· Taras Schevchenko (Ukraine) – His homeland was his muse. His language his protest!

 

· Alexander Pushkin (Russia)- for painting his world so effectively with words.

 

· Elmore Leonard (USA) – for his alchemy of turning cowboy stories into compelling literature.

 

· JK Rowling (UK) - for earning a billion pounds as a writer!

 

 

Have you been influenced by any particular books you’ve read?

 

My writing is a tapestry of the books I've read and the places they took me to. I wouldn’t dare point to one book specifically and say, “This book is the reason I am how I am today!”

What inspired you to write your books?

 

My mantra of “Peace through Proximity” is the muse behind each of my works, as diverse as the genres are. I want my readers to understand that the different cultures of the world are wonderful to experience, not something to be feared and/or avoided.

How many books have you written?

In total I've written eight books (up to Feb 2022):

Three fictional novels in the series 'The Deceit of Riches', based in and around my experiences in Russia in the mid-90s. ('The Deceit of Riches' (2017); 'From the Rooftops' (2019); 'October Revelations' (2021).)

 

One tongue-in-cheek, historically accurate mid-life memoir called 'The Tales of a Fly by Night…and other stories I never told my mother.'

 

 

Four short stories which I call “Urban Fairytales”, set in different European countries and cultures: 'Fate & Longing in Lisbon'; 'The Witch of Drontenburg', 'The Plucked Hen' and 'The Lucky Finn.'

//

Do you explore other formats e.g. poetry, short stories, graphic novels?

Yes. I think some of my most poignant writing are short poetry verses, but these won’t see the light of day until I’ve won the Nobel Prize for Literature and am dead and buried. My estate will release those after I’m gone.

 

Why did you decide to self-publish?

To build experience. To build a library. To entertain. To be read. To be understood.

 

What are you working on at the moment?

In 2022 I will try to produce four new short stories while I stew on a novel about Ukraine. Hoping that Russia won’t attack this year so I can go do some more research and interviews there.

 

What are your future writing plans?

To write a piece that stands the test of time and will be considered a classic in the future.

 

What do you enjoy most about writing?

Connecting deeply with people and places that I research and then passing that on to readers.

 

Do you have any particular writing habits or routines?

I am always taking notes about where I am, what I see, what I feel, funny happenings. These observations distill over days, weeks and always turn into poignant insights that season my finished product with a touch of reality, as they always find their way into what I'm writing at the time, making it a richer, blended product.

 

Do you have any tips for new writers?

 

I still am a new writer. I’ll have to get back to you in ten years with any accumulated advice.

 

*

Find more about Val @ www.flybynightpress.com & https://vmkarren.wordpress.com/. His books are available online and from the English Bookstore, Frankenstraat 149, Maastricht.

People & Books Interview #2: The English Bookstore Maastricht

 

 

 

Walk away from the centre of Maastricht and through the Central Station, and you'll find yourself in a quieter area of the city. Here, on Frankenstraat, you'll find a hidden gem - the only bookstore in Maastricht which is dedicated solely to English-language books.

 

The bookstore has been open for just over a year and is making a mark as part of the local community. I asked its owner, Shakib, about the background to opening the store, what it currently offers and his plans for its future.        

//

Do you have a background in publishing or book-selling?

Not at all.

 

Why did you decide to open an English-language bookstore?

We lived for a few years in the US and our kids went every weekend to the library there. Libraries in America are great; open seven days a week, giant spaces with a lot of activities and great places for the entire community. Children do their homework there, senior citizens read their newspapers and magazines there, language or yoga courses happen and so on. When we moved back to Europe we really missed all that, plus our kids only speak English. In Maastricht, it was impossible to find a good variety of books for them so we basically started the project for them and their friends. We had no commercial intentions.

 

When did the bookstore open?

In November 2020

 

Why did you decide to base the store in Maastricht?

Because the United World College is there, which our kids attend.

 

 

 

What type(s) of readers to you cater for e.g. primarily children, the wider reading audience or specialist topics, genres or authors?

Nowadays, all groups. The shop space is very limited, therefore we try to have a frequent changeover and have a combination of used and new books, usually 2-3 copies of each to use the space efficiently.

//

 

Do you hold specific events?

We try to have an event once every two months.

 

How do you support local authors?

We add their books to our shelves and pass on every penny of sales directly to them.

//

How do you see the place and role of the bookstore in the local community?

People like and appreciate the store and we appreciate their support. Dutch people and the international community are very open-minded, educated and nice. We never regretted doing the project even when lockdown measures were in place.

What is your vision for the bookstore?

Having more events, more books, more friends. The bookstore belongs to everyone - to the entire community - and as I mentioned, it’s not a business we have to live off. It has to be sustainable, but every penny that is left over after paying rent and overhead costs is spent on adding more books. If, one day, the profit is greater, we might consider increasing the space,  so every penny you spend will be given back to the community.

 

 

 

 

Find more about the English Bookstore at: 

 

https://www.bookstoremaastricht.com/

 

and if you're looking for a literary Christmas gift or you just want to have a browse, why not pop along to the bookstore's Christmas Party, this Saturday at 13.30. The more the merrier! 

//

People & Books Interview #1: Author Kirsty Boar

 

 

 

 

 

Having recently moved to Maastricht, in the Netherlands, I set out to find links with the English reading, writing and book community. Via a chance phone call to Maastricht’s English Bookstore, I met Kirsty after we both joined in the store’s Halloween event. Kirsty is also relatively new to Maastricht and it was after her arrival there, that she made her move into writing and self-publishing, as she explains here.       

//

You have a background in visual art. What inspired you to begin writing?

I’ve always been a reader, and volunteered in my school libraries before working for the public library and eventually becoming a librarian, so books have always been in my blood. I think if you grow up surrounded by stories, at some point you'll wonder if you could make one yourself. And when moving to the Netherlands and quarantine left me a little aimless, I decided it was my time to try.

 

Who are your favourite authors?

Currently, my favourite authors are Joe Hill, Mira Grant/Seanan McGuire, Hugh Howey, Jim Butcher, Chuck Wendig, Daniel O'Malley, Ernest Cline, and Elizabeth Gilbert. It's a nice mix of sci-fi, fantasy, horror, and good old realistic fiction. As a child I read anything I could find by Laura Ingalls Wilder, Roald Dahl, Judy Blume, Enid Blyton, Nancy Springer, Lemony Snicket, and Janet Lunn. 

 

Have you been influenced by any particular books you’ve read?

Constantly. Life is better with one foot in reality and one in a story. Specifically, yes, I once cut my long hair into a pixie cut (which I always wanted to try and loved) because a favorite character wears her hair that way and, this way, I could secretly cosplay as her every day.

 

How many books have you written?

Three:

'Knock Knock', a rhyming get-to-bed story; 'Wandeling Walk', a story told through a single word on each page in English and Dutch; and 'The Book of Warnings', a spooky illustrated poem. 

//

Do you explore other formats e.g. poetry, short stories, graphic novels?

Not in any way that I would want to share with the world.

 

You also design and illustrate your own work. What is it like to be involved in both the writing and illustration process?

My inner control freak wouldn’t have it any other way! Especially with children’s books, where the illustrations are so critical to the storytelling. I can be very minimalistic with my text - I always liked formats like haiku or tweets that force you to be concise - so the imagery adds depth to the story. The illustrations show you the jokes in Knock Knock, tell most of the story in Wandeling, and they pump up the horror in Warnings. I start by outlining the text, then work on illustrations, but go back and forth continually to make sure they work hand in hand.

 

Why did you decide to self-publish?

I decided to publish because I felt I needed to be brave. Not something I feel a lot in my life, but there it was, and I decided to self-publish because it was cheap and easy. Self publishing made my Covid project something I could see through to the very end, which is incredible. This wouldn’t have been possible a decade ago, or would have been much more difficult.

 

What are you working on at the moment?

I am working on my digital art and learning some new programs for it, and I am doing a couple custom projects, turning friends' photographs into digital paintings for them.

 

What are your future writing plans?

I might turn back to children’s fiction or a short novel, but that's still bubbling away in my brain and needs more time.

 

What do you enjoy most about writing?

I like the puzzle aspect: there's a final picture or story to reach and you need to work each word, sentence, paragraph together into the final result. As someone who always needs a project on the go, I love having something to mull over and think on when it’s quiet or you need somewhere to park your brain, if that makes sense. It’s similar to reading in that way: it’s a little world you live in for a while.

 

Do you have any tips for aspiring writers?

I’m pretty sure everyone works differently so my tips just work for me. So I'd say experiment and find what works for you. And show someone your work, but don't take their opinion too seriously, good or bad.

 

* 

You can find more about Kirsty and her work @ www.kirstyboar.nl. All Kirsty's books are available from the English Bookstore, Maastricht, and @ Amazon. 'Wandeling Walk' is available in Dutch/English, French/English and Dutch/French editions, and a colouring book is available to accompany 'Knock Knock'.      

#englishbookstoremaastricht    #childrensbooks    #colouringbooks    

//