Walking on Balmedie Beach in my Slippers
I crossed the boardwalk slowly, being careful not to catch my slippers in the gaps between wood. My foot is a lot better, though I still can’t wear proper shoes or put my heel right down on the ground, but I was determined to walk on the beach. So, on the way home from a hospital visit, I stopped at Balmedie.
I made wee slipper footprints in the sand as I went. And then stood and stared out at the wind turbines on the horizon.
The low winter sun made dark silhouettes of the dunes.
There was a tideline of shells. I liked them. I poked them. I put one or two in my pocket.
And then shuffled back through the soft sand to the car, and home to hot chocolate.
There’s two new reviews of The Mermaid and the Bear up on Rosie Amber’s site. They’re both quite profound. I am blessed to have such deep thinking people take the time to write down their thoughts on the book.
The first, from Jenni here: “A narrative about the hurt that can be given carelessly, and the pain that can be survived. A fairytale, and a myth, and a Shakespearean epic all rolled to one—The Mermaid and the Bear is a delight for those brave enough to tackle it. 5/5, would re-read most any day of the year.”
And then from Claire: “I loved this book much more than I thought I would. It has a depth that I did not expect but at the same time, it had an open-heartedness and generosity that I’m not used to when compared to my usual contemporary fiction reading.”
I hope you all have a good festive time, if you celebrate, and stay well and cosy and eat lots of good food.
Escape Christmas 2020 with THE MERMAID AND THE BEAR! Exchange lockdowns for witchcraft accusations! Live in a castle, visit the stone circle and taste the Twelfth Night Cake…
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