Reviews

‘I opened this book with high expectations. They have been admirably fulfilled.  Here we have a stand alone thriller about two lonely people who pursue a relationship of monthly weekends together in remote spots.  Suddenly one of these two fails to get to the rendezvous-vous and the other realises how very limited her knowledge of her  companion is . . . Gradually the reader pieces together some of the facts as an atmosphere of rising tension envelops everything. The intelligent way Jay, Lisa and others plan their actions is enjoyable and the suspense of the tale is palpable.’

- MYSTERY PEOPLE

The Starlings and Other Stories

MS_BookLaunch_FINALI got back from my holiday in France to find a treat waiting for me: a copy of The Starlings & Other Stories, edited by Ann Cleeves. A while ago I wrote about writing short stories to a brief and mentioned this anthology, to be published by Graffeg, an excellent small Welsh Press: http://bit.ly/1WGllMk. The stories are all inspired by David Wilson’s atmospheric black and white photographs of Pembrokeshire.

I loved writing the story and it was something of a departure for me: for the first time I’ve drawn on my academic specialism, Arthurian legend in the visual arts.

There are sites in Wales that have been contenders for Arthur’s court, for the lake where Arthur received Excalibur, and for the last battle. I wanted to draw on that potent myth and bring it into the present day and I hope I’ve succeeded with my story, ‘Weeping Queens.’ Reading the other stories, I was fascinated to see that I wasn’t the only one to be inspired by Wales’s rich mythological past. There are some great stories here, and it’s a beautifully produced book, too, with David Wilson’s extraordinary photographs as a bonus.

We are having a book launch at Waterstones in Wrexham on Saturday 5th September from 12.00-1.30. Do come if you can. For more about the book and the publisher go to https://www.graffeg.com/product/the-starlings-and-other-stories/. If you pre-order you can save £5!

2 Comments

  1. Helen R Hardie
    August 20, 2015

    I love the title “Weeping Queens” ….my favourite Shakespeare lines are (Richard II) …
    ……. in this place,
    I’ll set a bank of rue, ….
    I the remembrance of weeping queen.

    Best wishes Helen Hardie

    Reply
    • Christine Poulson
      August 20, 2015

      Thank you! I am so pleased to know this. I hadn’t thought of Richard III. I had in mind Malory’s account of the death of Arthur and Tennyson’s lines: ‘. . .mythic Uther’s deeply-wounded son/In some fair space of sloping greens/Lay, dozing in the vale of Avalon,/And watch’d by weeping queens.’

      Reply

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