The COVID pandemic has revealed many things, not all of them very welcome, and empowered people to speak out openly although not always to good effect. The crisis has the potential to shake up rigidly held beliefs, like the nature of schooling and the role of the curriculum.… Read more
When dreams come true as nightmares
Girl or boy – being both and neither…
I’m working my way through the Boy & Girl Saga with a view to (re)publishing all three books: Boy & Girl, In Search of Lost Girls and We Girls Show the Way, the first two in a revised edition, the third, a brand new story of Kate and Peter.… Read more
“Yes!”
Pretty boys, handsome girls
March 31st was the annual International Transgender Day of Visibility. Transgender has become a regular topic in the media where the term is often associated with those who transition medically from one gender to another. But the term also embraces, amongst others, those who, like Peter in the Boy & Girl Saga, dress and act in public or in private as girls or boys when they were born with the opposite sex.… Read more
Activism and government
In today’s press conference about the climate crisis and Africa organised by Fridays For Future International, one of main concerns was getting the message about climate change across and creating wide-spread awareness.… Read more
The dangers of contradicting someone’s feelings
Sarah, Eloise and Peter are lying on Eloise’s bed. Peter is grappling with guilt about having been in Sarah’s arms when his soul-mate, Kate, contacted him. Sarah challenges his words. In this short extract Eloise sets Sarah right.
“Let him speak,” Eloise said.… Read more
Homelessness
It’s all very well telling people to stay at home to combat the Corona Virus. But what about those who have no roof over their heads? Those who have no home to return to?
Extract about homelessness
In Stories People Tell, amongst other things, Annie sets out to publish the stories of those whose voices don’t get heard, using video and the Internet to enable people to bear witness.… Read more
Silence is more than the absence of sound…
Silence had fallen, a thick blanket of snow masking all sound. Snow had been extremely rare in her world, so the texture of silence that accompanied heavy snow was new. Rather like wading through snow, silence resisted movement. Her meditation master had taught her the value of silence, but never had she had such tangible proof that there was so much more to silence than the absence of sound… Kate in We Girls.… Read more
30% Discount on Smashwords
Get any of Alan McCluskey’s novels in ebook format for 30% off as part of Smashwords Authors Give Back Sale. The sale lasts till May 31st 2020.
Authors Give Back Sale
In recent days as the global Covid-19 pandemic unfolded, several Smashwords authors reached out to Smashword’s founder Mark Coker, asking him to run a special sale for readers.… Read more