Glimmer and other Stories (11 page)

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Nicola McDonagh was born in Liverpool, the youngest of six children. She grew up amidst books, music and lots of animals. She originally trained as a photojournalist, but her love of the theatre and story telling, saw her gaining an Honours Degree in Drama and English Literature. She spent many years as an actor, scriptwriter and workshop leader, but gave it up to concentrate on her writing. She is a creative writing/photography tutor, and editor.

Nicola gained a Diploma in Creative Writing from the UEA, won the Suffolk Book League’s Short Story Competition, and was shortlisted for The Escalator Genre Fiction Competition. The following year her debut novel,
Echoes from the Lost Ones,
book 2 in the series
, The Song of Forgetfulness,
was published by Fable Press. However, the series has been re-vamped and Nicola has self-published all the books so far in the series.

Follow her on:

Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/nicolamcdonaghauthor/?ref=hl

Twitter:
@McDonaghNikki

Blog page:
 
http://nicolajmcdonagh.wordpress.com/

Website:
http://www.nicolamcdonagh.com

Reviews about Glimmer and other stories:

‘With all of her stories, there is a connective fabric. The author uses the reader’s mind as an easel and puts dots, splashes, and strokes of color along with deep incorporation of nature and locations. The end result took me away. The metaphorical richness was akin to the joy of childbirth in which a healthy, vibrant baby is the result.’

‘The subjects range from humour to horror and supernatural romance to repressed creativity - they all have an underlying oddness about them which is quite refreshing. Recommended for those who enjoy something a bit out of the ordinary.’

‘I loved these short stories. Thought provoking, clever. Her writing is filled with suspense, creepy and fast moving. Believe me, you won't skip a page for fear of missing something vital - and it's not what she says, it's what she doesn't say, that's brilliant. Not once was I bored. I wanted more. As a writer myself, I looked for mistakes - there weren't any. This lady blew me away.’

‘Ms. McDonagh has created a world that is like an out-of-body experience almost. The stories took me out of my confined world and took me into science fiction a little horror drama, and wonder. She has a fine imagination and writes with a certain savoir-faire style that takes you on a mental journey into another world, a world of creativity that sucks you right into a whirlwind of emotions and thoughts. These short stories were 133 pages of fine writing and inventive imagery nicely done. I recommend it to fans of science fiction and horror and anyone who likes a good read.’

‘Seven short stories all with one thing in common: intrigue. As the title of this collection suggests Nicola McDonagh's seven tales shift in the light, never quite settling in tangible form. From the opening story, the eponymous Glimmer, to the final tale Rousseau Suburban Jungle you won't quite know where you're being taken by the narrative. But don't take that as a criticism. McDonagh has absolute control over the writing and carefully leads the reader towards the final reveal. What you won't find at the end of these stories are final sentence 'gotchas' a la HP Lovecraft, but evocative conclusions that continue to drift after the page is turned.

Some of the stories are rooted in the real world, such as Scarecrow, Ernest Thirk and the aforementioned Glimmer, whilst others like The Reclaimed Merman and Daub are more uncanny, straggling the line between the real and the perceived.

For me the stand out story was On the Eighth Day. I'm not even going to hint at the subject matter because it's such an exquisite unexpected tale that you need to approach it with a clear mind and enjoy the full impact of a superb example of the art of short story telling.

Glimmer and other stories will appeal to readers who don't want ideas prescribed and spoonfed to them. These stories give you the space to let the imagination roam.’

For information about
The Song of Forgetfulness
 

http://www.thesongofforgetfulness.com

What people are saying about
The Song of Forgetfulness
series:

Whisper Gatherers:

“If you like action, and science fiction then you’ll appreciate one of the first books EVER that gives you high powered adrenalin with chilling revelations of utter suspense! This book is amazing to read and you will not want to put it down!”

“There's danger, humour, pathos, and lots of fast-paced action that makes this book a very exciting read.”

“The author does a great job of drawing you in with her futuristic descriptions, at times it felt like I was watching a movie, that’s how enthralled I was with the book. There’s plenty of action throughout the story, just when you think everything’s calmed something comes along to shake up Cityplace.”

Echoes from the Lost Ones:

“I loved the unique language, and both the style and the voice of the book reminded me of Patrick Ness' Walking Chaos Trilogy. I would definitely recommend it to people who enjoy his books! A brilliant and unique read for adults and young adults alike. Very impressed and will be reading the next installment.”

“Addictive and engrossing-. It creates its own unique world where there's danger, and fear, and regret, but where there is a barrel load of humour, too…”

“A great story full of fun wordplay, great imagery, and an underlying commentary about the frailties of mankind.”

“A story of trust and faith "Echoes from the Lost Ones" is an adventure that takes you to a time and place like no other.”

“Post apocalyptic world where people worry about when they're next going to be able to go to the loo! Genius, why did no one write this before.”

A Silence Heard:

“A Silence Heard was action oriented and perilous! I was definitely on the edge of my seat as I read, waiting to find out what happened next!’

‘A world in which morals do not exist and yet somehow this little band manage to maintain a sense of compassion and humanity. It is a fight for survival against a cruel and destructive enemy who tries to obliterate any good left on the earth. Tremendous read for young adults who I'm sure will identify with the futuristic genre of the book.”

“I admire that the author had the courage to set the personal stakes for Adara very high in this volume. War is a messy business, and it comes at a horrific cost. That's a tough lesson and one that many authors gloss over for fear of alienating readers. Heroes have to win some and lose some, or the story becomes implausible and lacks tension. That's certainly not the case in A Silence Heard. I look forward to the next volume.”