Tag: Women

Flash Review of Gail Aldwin’s Anthology

Gail Aldwin’s Paisley Shirt

I had no idea what to expect from an anthology entitled ‘Paisley Shirt’. I drifted along with the words and became hooked.  Enigma, shock and a wry smile accompanied me as I read these stories.  Each evening, I sipped another story and savoured the unanswered questions.  I searched beyond the words and entered the territory of the unsaid.  As I travelled in the gaps between the words, I admired the meaning squeezed into the story. Even the child’s perspective temps the reader with the innocent gaps in the narration.

‘Stepping back as the glass shatters, his blood speckles the paintwork.’

Some stories are presented as vivid a flash of emotion whispered in black and white tones while other stories are sounded in blast of colour.  Aldwin explores: love, domestic violence, families, political asylum, memories, loneliness, divorce, other cultures and more.  She is not afraid to challenge her reader and is skilled at presenting economical use of dialogue.  This compressed narrative form showcases Aldwin’s poetic style. To unravel each story would spoil the surprise for future readers.

‘The gift is an entry into his world.’

Tension spins in the narratives like a storm waiting for the finale, but the reader often must imagine the conclusion.  Aldwin writes,

‘And there was something tuneful about Australia.  Sitting on the veranda at night, listening to the rhythm of the cicadas or hearing the wind ripple through the gumtree that build to a crescendo when the storm came.’

Here in ‘Blue Skies’, Aldwin captures the way I felt when reading the flash fiction.  Even the titles of the story add to the compressed meaning of the narrative form. Indeed, one must have blue sky thinking to appreciate flash fiction and look into the characters’ world.

Indeed, one must have blue sky thinking to appreciate flash fiction and look into the characters’ world.

As a tribute to Gail’s writing, I have presented words that left images on my mind.  Images presented throughout the post are a snapshot of emotions that flashed in my mind long after reading. The poetic quality of this writing conjures powerful images, and I hope they will tempt you to read on.

The stories have also inspired me to experiment with this genre and have enjoyed reading the language into shape.  Indeed, Gail explained:

‘I write every day and love to see my stories change direction and become more textured through redrafting and editing.’

“‘If she lives it will be thanks to God’, said the doctor, ‘If she dies, she will not be alone.’”

About the Anthology

‘Paisley Shirt‘ is a fascinating collection of 27 stories that reveal the extraordinary nature of people and places. Through a variety of characters and voices, these stories lay bare the human experience and what it is like to live in our world.

 

 

 

Gail Aldwin

About the Author:

Gail Aldwin is a prize-winning writer of flash fiction, short stories, and poetry. Her work can be found online at Ink, Sweat & Tears and Slamchop and in print anthologies including What I Remember (EVB Press, 2015) Dorset Voices (Roving Press, 2012) and The Last Word (Unbound Press, 2012). Gail works collaboratively with other women writers to develop comedy for the screen and stage. With the Dorset Writers’ Network, Gail supports isolated writers in rural communities. She is an experienced teacher who delivers workshops to young people and adults in community settings.

You can find Gail @gailaldwin and http://gailaldwin.wordpress.com

Please see all my book reviews at Books In Handbag and my website and blog at JessieCahalin.com.

 

A Wing and a Prayer : M. W. Arnold

For King and Country

M. W. Arnold is celebrating the release of his saga novel – A Wing and a Prayer. When I discovered the novel is about women pilots, I had to find out more. I invited Mick Arnold to tell me why he decided to write A Wing and a Prayer.

‘How many people do you know who say, often as a throwaway, I could write a book! Then go on to say, if only I had the time.

‘A Wing and a Prayer’ isn’t one of those books. However, it also wasn’t planned. A couple of years ago, I wrote and had my first book published, ‘The Season for Love’, a contemporary Women’s Fiction story. I followed this up with a bout of ill health which lasted the best part of two years. Good author friends suggested it would help to write something new, instead of taking up an unfinished project. The theory was, by going for a new, unrelated project, I could take myself somewhere I hadn’t been before. It worked.

‘Strong female characters and the true British stiff upper lip to keep calm and carry on in order to find out what happened! This book was more than a wonderful story, it was also a history lesson and I just loved it!’ Amazon Reviewer

Write what you know; is also said. I love history and the same day this was suggested to me, I caught a program on television about the women (men did the same job) pilots of the Air Transport Auxiliary who ferried aircraft to the operational squadrons. Now, that sounds interesting, I thought. So, I spent the whole of the rest of the day scrolling through the internet for anything along the same lines.

I’m usually a pantser but on this occasion, I found myself planning out a saga novel. I’d only ever read a couple but with help and suggestions, again from the same friends, I knew what it needed to read like. Quicker than I’ve ever done, this novel came together and the The Air Transport Auxiliary Mystery Club was born! I didn’t set out to write a mystery into the story of how four girls from different parts of the world find a way of living and working together, yet the first scene in the story sets the scene with one of the girls sisters being found dead in the cockpit of a Tiger Moth biplane!

I served for over sixteen years in the Royal Air Force, travelling all over the world and, of course, the United Kingdom. Some of the bases I served on were once visited by these brave people I’ve written about and I feel honoured to play a small part in keeping their story alive and in, perhaps, bringing it to a new audience. Their bravery needs to be heard about and with this story, the first in the ‘Broken Wings’ series, I hope to be able to perform this task I’ve set myself.’

M W Arnold lives near Northampton, UK and is known to his family and friends as, Mick.

M W Arnold lives near Northampton, UK and is known to his family and friends as, Mick. He was in the Royal Air Force for 16 years, visiting many different countries and very much enjoying himself. If he ever meets the Queen, he will have to thank her. He began writing as these characters needed their own voices. For a few years now, he’s been a member of the Romantic Novelists Association, a wonderful group of writers who’ve welcomed this bloke into their fold with open arms. 

 

Please see all my Guests’ Posts and also my website and blog at JessieCahalin.com.

A copy of my novel is available here.