The Written Word Group

A young girl goes to her parents for a two week visit, but things take a very unexpected turn and a horrific incident means her visit lasts longer than planned.

A terrible scenario, captured sensitively in this piece. 

On a run of the mill, mundane shopping trip with husband Derek, Jenny has an encounter with a stranger.

This one hour, talking with a stranger who is interested in what she is saying, who is treating her as an individual with a point of view, someone who really does have something to say, is life changing for her. 

She feels ready to face up to the fact that her relationship with her husband is unfulfilling.

She feels a nobody, ignored, taken for granted. 

Not anymore, she decides to take action once and for all. 

Frank Sonderborg recounts a true story of spending a year in a Forest Kindergarten in Copenhagen, Denmark. 

The events sparked an arms race.  

Walking at four in the morning and walking out in nature, brings some unexpected surprises.

For me, in this moment, the surprise was the total silence of the night. 

Frank Sonderborg recalls a weekend trip to Kinsale from Dublin, with his C.I.E coachbuilder apprentice pals. The weekend was spent chasing a rumour concerning German student girls, 53 of them.
The perennial metaphysical question is asked:  Where all the events of that trip, already woven into the great Nordic tapestry of life?

A wonderful true story of being a teenager and trying to establish an identity, a story which many of us can identify with. 

Within our writing group we occasionally suggest a word or phrase to include in a piece of writing. 

This particular piece was challenging as there were 5 words:

Bishop

Abyss

Disappointment

Death 

Guilt.

I hit a brick wall almost immediately, not having a clue where to go with this. I started with the word Bishop. The word represented a person that I could build a story around. Subconsciously I thought about a brilliant book, a comforting book, 'Looking in the Distance: The human search for meaning' by Richard Holloway. 

The book looks at what it means to question your faith, to recognize and accept death as an inevitable ending. 

My story wrote itself with the inspiration from Richard's book. 

The reality of war for two airmen in the RAF.

They were known as Brillcream boys and their bravery in these cold, wet, miserable conditions, didn't stop them from getting the job done in hazardous conditions. 

A brush with death is brought vividly alive in this true story of incredible bravery.  

A thought-provoking story in which a woman is admitted to a hospital and the detailed confusion about what happened to her. 

As she waits for transport to arrive, the ticking clock gives her comfort, assuring her that she is still at home. However, it would seem that the circumstances of her accident are anything but assuring. 

Confusion, doubt, fear, a situation that we wouldn't wish to happen to anyone we knew or loved. 

In 1964 two brothers went to see Billy Fury in concert. 

The event was meant to be an exciting treat for young Jimmy, but what happened was beyond his greatest dreams. This was an evening that would change his life. 

A story of friendship that has lasted into old age.

The meaningful act of creating something from a piece of wood, and then gifting that to a dear friend, resulted in so much joy and pleasure.

Proof that money alone definitely does not define the man.