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Four Days
“I knew. I always knew that his hold on me was so close to absolute that it made no odds."
When your partner, your lover, your coach cheats on you it's supposed to be easy to end things. It's supposed to be.
It wasn't. Not for twenty-four-year-old Luci Wijn. Not even being a world away from that man was far enough to end it.
Luci had long ago given up on having the life she'd planned. On having a career she'd be proud of. In her first season she had come so close to the making the top fifty in Women's Professional Tennis. So close. But in tennis an inch is a mile and one year counts for nothing in the next.
James Bell was a quiet ride to the airport. He should never have been anything more. Yet Luci's slide to the bottom of the world ended when she met James.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Four Days is a story of two people who grow a relationship from silence. Two people who become a little less lost by dealing with that silence. Four Days is a book of a hope.
When your partner, your lover, your coach cheats on you it's supposed to be easy to end things. It's supposed to be.
It wasn't. Not for twenty-four-year-old Luci Wijn. Not even being a world away from that man was far enough to end it.
Luci had long ago given up on having the life she'd planned. On having a career she'd be proud of. In her first season she had come so close to the making the top fifty in Women's Professional Tennis. So close. But in tennis an inch is a mile and one year counts for nothing in the next.
James Bell was a quiet ride to the airport. He should never have been anything more. Yet Luci's slide to the bottom of the world ended when she met James.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Four Days is a story of two people who grow a relationship from silence. Two people who become a little less lost by dealing with that silence. Four Days is a book of a hope.
128 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 5, 2015
71 people want to read
About the author
Jamie Campbell
11 books22 followersI am a pseudonym, a pen name, a nom de plume. As such, I don't exist in a real sense. I exist to the extent that He lets me exist - at least that's what He tells me.
I am tenuous at best. My very existence is threatened every day - unless I start to pay my way. The threats, the loathing - it really is no way to not quite exist.
I tell Him that I do exist, that I am published. That strangers like what I do, call me literary; lyrical too. I tell Him that I will last for ever - that my achievements are real, tangible - and don't only exist as electrons.
He says I am not real, my achievements are nugatory, transitory; piffling. I tell him that he ought to be like me: lyrical, beautiful - like a cloud. The cloud. He knows the cloud I talk of. The cloud, for what it was, looked close enough to touch; small enough to catch in a butterfly net.
He tells me to shut up. He tells me He has a day job - and it can not wait. And that the cloud is His, and not mine.
I hate Him.
I love him too.
I am tenuous at best. My very existence is threatened every day - unless I start to pay my way. The threats, the loathing - it really is no way to not quite exist.
I tell Him that I do exist, that I am published. That strangers like what I do, call me literary; lyrical too. I tell Him that I will last for ever - that my achievements are real, tangible - and don't only exist as electrons.
He says I am not real, my achievements are nugatory, transitory; piffling. I tell him that he ought to be like me: lyrical, beautiful - like a cloud. The cloud. He knows the cloud I talk of. The cloud, for what it was, looked close enough to touch; small enough to catch in a butterfly net.
He tells me to shut up. He tells me He has a day job - and it can not wait. And that the cloud is His, and not mine.
I hate Him.
I love him too.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
September 8, 2015
Tough sell, worth the read
Ten years ago, before the emergence of Indy Publishing, publishers would have shuffled Jamie Campbell's Four Days to a category known as "midlist." The definition differed, depended on whom you talked to, but midlist authors were never believed capable of hitting the bestseller lists. Nor did they fit in an easily marketable genre.
Four Days fits that description. Campbell lists it as a sports romance, but it's not a romance novel by traditional standards (admittedly, I don't read romances, only the descriptions before hitting the return button to find other titles). There's no brooding hero, the heroine isn't enthralled by passion or at the top of her profession and unconcerned with her need for love. Nor is it truly a sports novel, since the heroine Lucy Wijn never sets foot on a court to compete. Four Days is a literary novel, something indie writers tend to avoid.
Four Days depicts Lucy's journey across New Zealand during an airline strike, in denial that she faces a professional and emotional crisis. In the five years since her rookie tennis season she failed to reach an elimination round and she wants to dump her coach, who she's also been sleeping with. She hitches a ride with washed up footballer James Bell when her best friend introduces them.
Campbell drives the novel with a romantic undercurrent, but no more than the undercurrent expected of two twenty somethings alone together in a jeep for Four Days in the outback. And, naturally, their slow dance of emotional and physical awareness erupts into a sexual encounter the night before she catches her flight to resume her tournament schedule.
However Campbell focuses her prose on the countryside, Wijn's practice sessions (during which Bell, a gifted coach diagnoses the kinetic problems holding back Wijn's progress, issues that would be lost to a tennis professional), and the small details of sharing the cramped space of a jeep on highways, dusty roads and ferries.
Nothing exciting happens in Four Days, Campbell has not produced the blood spilling, bodice-ripping page turner expected to sell indie books from the eBook listing. She has, on the other hand, delivered a graceful and natural prose style that readers rarely encounter from first-time novelists.
Twenty years ago traditional publishers could print four or five thousand copies of books like Four Days and put them on the shelves knowing they would sell because readers would spot them next to the hot genre titles and the best sellers. That no longer happens. Campbell must pray Four Days finds its way into the "readers also bought" listing and that readers click through.
Still, I can only hope you stumble across this review and buy the book. I don't see many literary indie novels. I would like to see more.
Phillip T. Stephens is the author of Cigerets, Guns & Beer and Raising Hell. You can follow him @stephens_pt.
Ten years ago, before the emergence of Indy Publishing, publishers would have shuffled Jamie Campbell's Four Days to a category known as "midlist." The definition differed, depended on whom you talked to, but midlist authors were never believed capable of hitting the bestseller lists. Nor did they fit in an easily marketable genre.
Four Days fits that description. Campbell lists it as a sports romance, but it's not a romance novel by traditional standards (admittedly, I don't read romances, only the descriptions before hitting the return button to find other titles). There's no brooding hero, the heroine isn't enthralled by passion or at the top of her profession and unconcerned with her need for love. Nor is it truly a sports novel, since the heroine Lucy Wijn never sets foot on a court to compete. Four Days is a literary novel, something indie writers tend to avoid.
Four Days depicts Lucy's journey across New Zealand during an airline strike, in denial that she faces a professional and emotional crisis. In the five years since her rookie tennis season she failed to reach an elimination round and she wants to dump her coach, who she's also been sleeping with. She hitches a ride with washed up footballer James Bell when her best friend introduces them.
Campbell drives the novel with a romantic undercurrent, but no more than the undercurrent expected of two twenty somethings alone together in a jeep for Four Days in the outback. And, naturally, their slow dance of emotional and physical awareness erupts into a sexual encounter the night before she catches her flight to resume her tournament schedule.
However Campbell focuses her prose on the countryside, Wijn's practice sessions (during which Bell, a gifted coach diagnoses the kinetic problems holding back Wijn's progress, issues that would be lost to a tennis professional), and the small details of sharing the cramped space of a jeep on highways, dusty roads and ferries.
Nothing exciting happens in Four Days, Campbell has not produced the blood spilling, bodice-ripping page turner expected to sell indie books from the eBook listing. She has, on the other hand, delivered a graceful and natural prose style that readers rarely encounter from first-time novelists.
Twenty years ago traditional publishers could print four or five thousand copies of books like Four Days and put them on the shelves knowing they would sell because readers would spot them next to the hot genre titles and the best sellers. That no longer happens. Campbell must pray Four Days finds its way into the "readers also bought" listing and that readers click through.
Still, I can only hope you stumble across this review and buy the book. I don't see many literary indie novels. I would like to see more.
Phillip T. Stephens is the author of Cigerets, Guns & Beer and Raising Hell. You can follow him @stephens_pt.
September 1, 2017
Four Days: A Lucy Wijn Novel is a contemporary romance. The protagonist, Lucy, needs security even though she’s traveled the world as a professional tennis player since she was a teenager. Lucy was a brave young girl, and her only cares were playing tennis. Her five year relationship with Piet, a not too lovable guy, now becomes stale. Lucy is unsure of herself as the story begins. She debates whether to break up with Piet when he becomes possessive. Alone and single, Lucy attends her friend’s wedding in New Zealand. She’s used to going places solo, but the wedding intensifies her loneliness. Lucy is introduced to James, her friend Shannon’s cousin. When it’s time to catch her flight to Auckland, the airline employees go on strike, forcing Lucy to solve the problem of getting there in time for a tournament. As she gathers information about the best way to get to Auckland, James appears at the airport. Shannon has sent him to give Lucy a ride to another airport unaffected by the strike.
The author describes Lucy’s fascination with the beauty of New Zealand’s landscape, the hills, valleys, ocean and small towns. The narrative begins slowly with Lucy and James getting to know one another. Lucy has a desire to become acquainted with James, but he doesn’t show much interest. She tries to get him to look at her, but he keeps his eyes on the road. James takes the winding road through the gorgeous scenery. His internal struggle is between staying in control, the straight highway, and the curving smaller roads that represent more freedom. Lucy likes the scenic route. When they stop for a game of tennis and a run, James warms up a bit. He tries to control Lucy’s running style and tennis form. Lucy breaks down and cries about her previous relationship, prompting James to open his arms, to open up to the possibility of them being together. They resume their journey. James becomes somewhat warmer to Lucy. James finally looks at her and this allows Lucy a taste of what may come. Lucy doesn’t try to stop her imagination. The slowness of the journey and the beautiful scenes that James points out to Lucy, seem to be a type of foreplay to what happens later. They have a sexual encounter initiated by Lucy. When it is time for Lucy to leave and go back to her life of tennis tournaments and world travel, they are not eager to part. The reader is left with wanting to know more about the characters. Will they meet again? Will they become a couple? What is next?
Jamie Campbell’s storytelling ability is evident. She introduces the characters and sets them up on a mission. Campbell never strays from the plot. Likewise, James and Lucy continue traveling along. They stop and start, rest, then start again until they reach their destination. The body of the story follows a similar sequence. Themes such as the anxiety of meeting a new person and making the decision to let your true self be visible to that person are elements in relationships, whether among people or literary characters. Lucy and James are characters that are universal; their experiences, conflicts and emotions are transferable to all cultures. The variants of the English language as spoken in American English, British, New Zealand or Australia could be a problem for readers, but Campbell explains the vocabulary.
The author describes Lucy’s fascination with the beauty of New Zealand’s landscape, the hills, valleys, ocean and small towns. The narrative begins slowly with Lucy and James getting to know one another. Lucy has a desire to become acquainted with James, but he doesn’t show much interest. She tries to get him to look at her, but he keeps his eyes on the road. James takes the winding road through the gorgeous scenery. His internal struggle is between staying in control, the straight highway, and the curving smaller roads that represent more freedom. Lucy likes the scenic route. When they stop for a game of tennis and a run, James warms up a bit. He tries to control Lucy’s running style and tennis form. Lucy breaks down and cries about her previous relationship, prompting James to open his arms, to open up to the possibility of them being together. They resume their journey. James becomes somewhat warmer to Lucy. James finally looks at her and this allows Lucy a taste of what may come. Lucy doesn’t try to stop her imagination. The slowness of the journey and the beautiful scenes that James points out to Lucy, seem to be a type of foreplay to what happens later. They have a sexual encounter initiated by Lucy. When it is time for Lucy to leave and go back to her life of tennis tournaments and world travel, they are not eager to part. The reader is left with wanting to know more about the characters. Will they meet again? Will they become a couple? What is next?
Jamie Campbell’s storytelling ability is evident. She introduces the characters and sets them up on a mission. Campbell never strays from the plot. Likewise, James and Lucy continue traveling along. They stop and start, rest, then start again until they reach their destination. The body of the story follows a similar sequence. Themes such as the anxiety of meeting a new person and making the decision to let your true self be visible to that person are elements in relationships, whether among people or literary characters. Lucy and James are characters that are universal; their experiences, conflicts and emotions are transferable to all cultures. The variants of the English language as spoken in American English, British, New Zealand or Australia could be a problem for readers, but Campbell explains the vocabulary.
November 1, 2015
Four days in which, owing to an airstrike, Luci and James cross New Zealand together, and, in the end commit to each other despite their itinerant lives - especially Luci, a professional tennis player. I enjoyed the build up of the relationship - sensitive, leisurely, hesitant. I’m only moderately interested in tennis but that was no barrier when James, a footballer, takes it on himself to improve Luci’s game.
Jamie Campbell digs deep into their personalities and their pain and doubt, especially Luci’s. We become intimate with James’ struggle to stay in control and Luci’s quiet emotional turmoil over her failed love affair with her coach.
Beautifully written story of two people finding themselves through each other.
Jamie Campbell digs deep into their personalities and their pain and doubt, especially Luci’s. We become intimate with James’ struggle to stay in control and Luci’s quiet emotional turmoil over her failed love affair with her coach.
Beautifully written story of two people finding themselves through each other.
February 4, 2016
Luci Wijn is a professional tennis player from Belgium and in the four days the book describes, she travels from her friend's wedding to her next tournament with a man from the party who has offered her a ride. She realises her boyfriend back in Holland is a control freak who hasn't contributed positively to her life or her tennis career. And she falls in love with her travel companion. We don't get to know this man much, he seems the ideal empathic partner with good tennis tips as an added bonus. But we do enter the personal space of Luci Wijn. Amazing how the author captures the strangeness of a life that consist mainly of tournaments, ranking, fitness for playing tennis. I found that fascinating to read.
July 10, 2015
Very comfortable read. I enjoyed the journey immensely. I thought I was training with Luci and James and getting to know them, too, I felt so involved in the book. With Luci being a Flemish tennis pro on tour I got to enjoy references I was familiar with and interested in. I am an avid tennis fan, so I could almost envision things referred to in this book. Love the build up and hint of a possible future. I would be in line to read more of this storyline, so I hope it continues.
ARC provided in exchange for honest review.
ARC provided in exchange for honest review.
June 19, 2017
Finished reading: June 17th 2017
"In tennis, inches add up to miles. In life they add up that way too. The trick of it is to understand that fact."
*** A copy of this book was kindly provided to me by the author in exchange for an honest review. Thank you! ***
P.S. Find more of my reviews here.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews