As writers, often we’re advised to drop our characters in ‘the midst of things’ – the Latin term for this is ‘in media res’. A girl running through a forest. A kingdom falling in battle. A boy finding a path that wasn’t there yesterday. Readers arrive late for a story that’s already underway. In the…
March is a pivotal point in the year, as seasons shift and nature reminds us to honour both the light and shadow. The equinox, in particular, is a moment of balance when day and night stand as equals. The name March originates from the Latin Martius, which honours Mars, the ancient Roman god of war,…
In stories, characters rarely travel in straight lines. Irrespective of whether they’re following a map, prophecy or a goal, something or someone always interrupts the main journey, pulling them sideways into unexpected places and quests. Day-to-day life is not much different. We set a direction, start climbing our mountain, and then something/someone pulls us off-trail….
The world is alive with signs and symbolism. Every object, sound, colour, or movement can carry meaning. Even in our daily routines, symbolism nudges us, connecting the visible world with the invisible threads of spirit, emotion, and intuition. The sudden or unusual appearance of a specific bird, or the repeated presence of a certain colour…
Some days it’s tricky – even for dedicated bookworms – to find a few minutes to read. I’m not talking about those glorious, all-consuming books that seize you by the collar and drag you through chapters until you reach the end. Those books somehow create their own time and momentum. You sneak them in between…
“Once upon a time there was a little chimney sweep, and his name was Tom. That is a short name, and you have heard it before, so you will not have much trouble in remembering it.” – The Water-Babies, Charles Kingsley Lately, I’ve found myself turning over character names like shells from the ocean –…
In fiction, change doesn’t always enter a story with fanfare. It can arrive as a mild or unpleasant disruption: a knock at the door, an email, even unwelcome invitations or news. Yet when the call to adventure is obvious, like a dragon at the village gate, or a map discovered in a mysterious location, characters…
A child sits in the playground, knees drawn up, face half-hidden behind a book. Perhaps it’s a little girl with a comic hidden inside her Maths book while the other kids shout and swing. To the outside world, she is hiding, but inside something else is happening entirely. The way I see it is that…