Last Monday, it was International Women’s Day where we celebrated half of the world’s population. Today is Mothering Sunday and/or Mother’s Day, whichever you prefer. As an actual woman, it felt pretty good having two days devoted to me in a seven-day period. As a freelance writer, pre-Covid, I used to spend a fair chunk … Read more …
Instagram influencers and lifestyle bloggers were in the news recently for all the wrong reasons when many sought to escape the UK lockdown by heading to Dubai for ‘work’. Presenting a minutely manicured perfection, they sell us a dream that surely even their reality can never truly live up to. This is the gap that new author Ruth Leigh explores to hilarious and poignant effect in The Diary of Isabella M. Smugge… Read More »
September
This morning, I woke up at 6 am, got up, did my stretches and forty lengths of the pool then said to myself, ‘Isabella, you’re a lucky girl. No cellulite to speak of, all your own teeth, a handsome husband, three beautiful children and a lovely house.’
I wouldn’t want to give you the impression that… Read More »
Last week, my three-year-old grand-daughter was turned away at the nursery school gate because someone had tested positive for coronavirus. The situation was explained carefully and kindly to her, and she said, ‘OK.’ But on the way home she commented dolefully to my son, ‘Daddy, I like school.’ She was missing learning and meeting friends, … Read more …
Stories from the Streets is about the work of Street Pastors – can you briefly share who they are and what they do?
Street Pastors started almost 20 years ago and employs volunteers to care, listen and help in a range of scenarios. It is an interdenominational organisation bringing together Christians from a diverse range of churches. Initially their focus was on the streets during the night… Read More »
Helen, how long have you been writing and how did you get started?
I’ve been writing all my life, really: articles, stories, the occasional poem – and novels. I love words – reading, writing, teaching English, trying to learn languages. I won an article-writing competition in primary school. Read More »
Joy, how long have you been writing and how did you get started?
Although The Treasure Man is my first published book, I have always enjoyed writing and sharing those words with anyone who would listen. I remember I enjoyed writing stories at school, usually with a twist at the end, which didn’t go down too well with the teachers! I Read More »
Prologue
Josiah’s spade strikes wood around five feet down.
‘That’s it. Willard’s coffin.’ Standing at the edge, I peer into the pit.
‘I think it is.’ Josiah scoops soil from the lid, adding to the spoil heap. When he’s cleared half of the lid, we swap places and I finish the job. The coffin is still intact and seems remarkably strong… Read More »
1
When Mum said we were moving back to Edinburgh, I chucked a radge. That’s Scottish for getting angry and losing your temper. I stamped and slammed doors and shouted rude words.
When I finally calmed down enough to talk to her about it, I said, ‘How can it be back to Edinburgh? Cairo is my home… Read More »
Chapter 1
The Story of the Good Samaritan
Thankfully, it was a dry autumn evening. Our patrol hadn’t been that eventful when we came across a man, perhaps in his early sixties, whose hands were bleeding profusely. To our surprise and disappointment, he refused all our offers of first aid. We finally managed to persuade him to… Read More »
