She left a job in finance

---

One Day by David Nicholls (2009)

The title is the clue as to the novels theme and structure as it is a love story explored on one day - the anniversary of when Dex and Em first meet – over 20 years. You soon despair and root for them as they struggle in the cultural and economic changes of the period getting ever nearer that one day. Think of when Harry met Sally to grasp the novel’s approach but with different and unexpected twists. The characters allow for strong emotional engagement due to the trick of changing point-of-view between the main and some minor characters so along with the writer’s voice this makes for a rich weave of characterisation. David Nicholls background is in film and TV work so the film adaption is done and dusted. And yes, I laughed and cried throughout so turning the last page left me in mourning.

: Exemplar - Its a keeper for reading again. Rush out and buy copies for friends.

---

Life develops before living

The windowpane shattered. As always the shards cut her as they reintegrated. Mals looked out but the street, with its abandoned shops and cars, was empty as usual.

Once she had fought back – all her kind had but who remembered that.

Outside the last immortal knew he wasn’t lonely yet.

 

Random Word: hope has many hues

---

if you want to listen, click on below

Look before you see

140 character post card story – drop by to Grandma's Goulash to see more

---

She sat on a bare mattress

---

The Spiral Staircase – Karen Armstrong (2005)

 

In this book we follow her failures (as a nun, an academic, a TV presenter and finally a teacher) as steps towards the revelation that spiritual experience is wider then Christian belief and practice. Yet this helped her get to the heart of Christianity as she unlocked what the mystics and teachers of other faiths mean through reflection and practicing an idea or argument until its emotional centre is experienced. Her writing is at the heart of the approach  that attempts to move Christianity away from rational literalism and belief to a praxis of compassion and the liberation of myth.

 

 

: Exemplar - Its a keeper for reading again. Rush out and buy copies for friends

---

In days of yore

Random Word: Fabliau

The Church of Dead Girls – Stephen Dobyns (1997)

 

Slow build up of tension as three teenage girls disappear from a small town. The story’s focus is on the town folk whose behaviour becomes as extreme and immoral as the killer. The narrative character is a school teacher, a local loner, whose behaviour the reader mimics as we spy into characters thoughts and motivations.

 

 

 

 : Good - read it again and loan it out or give to friends when shelves full

---

It was a most unusual sight

Random word: It was a most unusual sight

---

The last picture

140 Character story inspired by Stony River

---

They said it couldn’t work

Random Word: They said it couldn’t work

---

They hovered

Random word: They hovered

A village lane