Sometime during the summer we went to a couple of Writers’ Groups. One in the bowels of a café in St James’s Street, the other in Hove. At both venues I read the short, opening episode of a novella, The Man Who Would Do Nothing Twice. Everyone seemed happy with what they’d heard, but afterwards I asked myself: was it with the text or my voice? (You see, I don’t just look like Sean.) Naturally, we didn’t go back. They were on the ‘once only’ list, which was a shame really, because the people we met were incredibly friendly and inviting, and attentive listeners.

Following our return to Scotland I was urged by someone in the literary world to expand The Man, make it less novella and more novel and while doing that and surfing the net I stumbled upon a Guardian flash-fiction competition. It was only a week before the closing date, but - in a flash - I took a leaf from The Man and another from our year in Brighton and wrote Walk A Pavement Once. Enough people liked it for WAPO to be published in an anthology along with other ‘winning’ entries. ‘Nano2ales’ came out in 2008 and I’ve Brighton to thank for it.

Recently I completed ‘novel’ Man – compared to me, Flaubert was an express train – and I’m now endeavouring to get it into the public domain. At least WAPO is, and not just in the UK. I approached the libraries in two Norwegian towns – Trysil and Elverum – where my Norsk anscestors came from, and they graciously accepted my gift of ‘Nano2ales’.

(Coincidentally, the hero of The Man is based on a real guy, Jack Trysil – who has naturally only been to Trysil once. He’s a true adventurer, last heard of sailing out of Seville, and who could be anywhere on planet Earth at the moment. But despite not having seen him in ages, we have a bond that traverses oceans and continents – in fact I feel I know him better than I know myself!) Sadly and inexplicably I can’t report The Jubilee bibliotek has a copy of ‘Nano2ales’ to assuage your curiousity. I sent a copy down and was informed by email that they’d get back to me. As yet they haven’t, and unless my catalogue search is wanting, they’ve shelved my slim volume – but not in the way I want.

(My narrative blog of a year in Brighton with Suzi began here on 17 May with the post 'Arrival!')

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