I’ve not posted any updates on ‘No Way Back’ for a while, but I’ve been busy with it. I’ve finally come up with a definitive ending to aim for, and in even better news, I’m nearly ready to write it. I know it’s only the first draft and that ending could change depending on, well, all sorts of stuff, but it’s a great feeling to be close to some kind of conclusion.
You’re going on a cross-country trip. Airplane, train, bus, car, or bike?
It has to be train. I love to take in the views and vibes of train journeys, especially the old-fashioned steam engines. I’ve been lucky enough to go on a short trip at a railway museum, and there’s nothing like the ‘chugga chugga’ sound of gears and cogs doing their thing. The old train stations are a wonder to behold as well. Preston train station is just like Kings Cross with the high billowing roof and framework. Yep. Trains every time.
As promised, here’s one of my flash fiction pieces, which was written live on air on my Instagram show. It needs a bit of spit and polish, but I was pleasantly surprised at how fully formed it came out at the time. Enjoy!
I only just noticed the cat. Margaret always loved cats. Always had cats. And the one that was right there on the other side of the street staring at me looked just like her family’s first cat, Roger. Fantastic name for a cat. We’d never met, but I’d seen photos. I don’t know why, but I knew that he wanted me to follow him. My instincts seemed correct, because as soon as I went to move across the road, he came halfway to meet me, but before I’d even got to the other side, I heard a massive crash from behind me, where I’d been stood seconds earlier. It was the scaffolding. It had collapsed. If I hadn’t moved… I looked down to thank the cat, but he was gone.
What is the last thing you learned?
There is no great karmic control that comes from the universe. We decide how fair the world is. How fair we want it to be. Of course, the people in power control the big picture, but you can make someone’s day a little bit better just from a small, kind act. You can give them hope that the world isn’t this cruel, harsh place that most of the time, the people in power are determined to prove otherwise.
What are three objects you couldn’t live without?
I’m going through a period of hyper creativity at the moment, so three objects I couldn’t live without are my pen, my notebook, and my guitar (don’t make me pick which guitar; the others will never forgive me).
