Not in our Hands – working title

Here’s some up to date news about my writing. The Purple Rose still brings interest and sales as well as invitations to speak to book groups and others about it. Pretty cheering, two years on!

 I’ve had a number of articles in our local newspaper, The Altrincham Messenger in their Thought for the Week column. This is a column provided by our Altrincham interfaith Group and I put in a Jewish perspective. I’ve had a couple more poems accepted by poetry mags and the anthology, ‘The colour of Poetry’ of which I was a co-editor,produced by the writing group to which I belong, Womanswrite M/cr came second in a poetry antholgy comp.! Well done us!

And so to news of my second novel..as it says above, the title may change between now and its publication but it’s unlikely. This is quite different from The Purple Rose, since it is a coming of age story involving a group of students on their year abroad in Italy – studying its laguage and culture. It’s told from the point of view of Jake, the boy in The Purple Rose,now grown up but not quite independent.

Not in our Hands does not require the reader to know The Purple Rose at all but those who have read it should enjoy the connection. Not inlur Hands concerns dicovery – the discovery of a young person’s identity, the discovery of the value of friends and importance of family, the discovery of love in all its forms and the hazards of an unsutitable attachment.  A tangible discovery is made that leads to a revelation about the history of Italian Jewry. All this is backed by the beauty of Italian scenery, culture, cuisine and less salubrious atmosphere of its football.

We hope for publication by December ’14 or Jan ’15.Watch this blog!