'Random Walk' – the debut novel of dancer-turned-writer, Alexandra Claire

Random Walk

It is 2035, and as lives collide, choices have to be made between the real and the virtual worlds.

 “Brave New World meets Big Brother meets The Road – this is a future world both strangely familiar and edgily strange.’ Jon Gower

“Welcome to dystopian Wales! This is a chilling cautionary tale, but one which is consistently warm and tender. A wonderful debut novel.” Rachel Tresize

Random Walk, published by Gomer Press, is the debut novel of dancer-turned-writer Alexandra Claire. Taking her inspiration from a belief in humanity’s ability to ‘do the right thing’, the novel is a keenly-felt tale of the struggle to find courage in the face of despair. 

Following a devastating flood, a city lies isolated from the outside world. Food and resources are scarce and its hungry inhabitants scrape a living in what remains of their former society. Balancing the city on a knife edge, Oswald White, watches their every move and, using a sociological software that was created decades before, he controls the behaviour of the critical mass. 

Elements of Parkour and gaming feature strongly in this fast-paced novel as Remi, a free-running rebel, takes it upon himself to fight back against the constant surveillance of e-Tel. The relationship between eight-year-old Osian and his grandfather depicts the innocence that was washed away during the flood, whilst the compulsory 3D headsets highlight the danger of denying children the freedom to harbour their own thoughts and ideas. As each of the characters struggle against these pressures, what could the arrival of naïve outsider, Lisa, mean for them?

Echoes of the present reverberate throughout the novel and by combining this with popular sub-culture, the author creates a haunting landscape of a once-and-future Wales. 

Alexandra Claire has taken the unusual and innovative approach of producing a trailer to promote her novel and has collaborated with Italian street-artist, Duca, whose illustrations are included in the book.

Born and brought up in Cardiff and an alumnus of London Contemporary Dance School, Claire is a very enthusiastic young author who began to write short stories in 2005 and has been published by Parthian, Honno and the Western Mail.      

A Facebook page has also been set up for the novel – http://www.facebook.com/pages/Random-Walk/116782665051846

Random Walk is available from all good bookshops and

online retailers.

For more information, please visit www.gomer.co.uk

Nine Questions with Judith Barrow

Author Judith Barrow

AmeriCymru: Hi, Judith and many thanks for agreeing to be interviewed by AmeriCymru. Your most recent novel Pattern of Shadows is set in a WWII POW camp. Care to tell us a little more about it?

Judith: Pattern of Shadows is the story of Mary Howarth, a nurse in the hospital of the German POW camp in her town of Ashford in the North West of England. Initially courted by a guard at the camp, Frank Shuttleworth, she soon realises that he not what he seems; he is a moody, possessive and dangerous man. Mary comes from a difficult background but she’s loyal to her dysfunctional family and, as the main breadwinner, she accepts the weight of the demands on her; she toes the line.  Then she meets Peter Schormann. Peter is a German prisoner. He is also a doctor and under the rules of the camp he works in the hospital alongside Mary. As a civilian nurse Mary Howarth has been warned against the dangers of being too friendly towards any of the patients or German doctors.  However, as the story unfolds Mary’s initial dislike slowly turns to cautious respect for Peter’s skill as a surgeon, then to an illicit friendship. Mary rails against the familial and national loyalties that constrain and forbids her feelings for a man who is considered an enemy. In times of war such a relationship is called fraternization. And fraternization is a dangerous and serious offence. Loyalty and love usually come hand in hand. In Pattern of Shadows they are absolutely opposed. And, inevitably, alongside that conflict there is jealousy. Unable to believe that Mary is rejecting him, and suspicious of her feelings for the German doctor, Frank confronts her - with dreadful consequences.

'Salt Blue' by Gillian Morgan - A Short Review

Gillian Morgan

Salt Blue

In 'Salt Blue' Gillian Morgan has written a fine debut novel which focuses, in its earlier chapters, on life in a quiet Gower village in the 1950's and later, on the transformative power of life-changing decisions.

Stella works as an Account Manager with a small timber merchant and occupies her spare time giving knitting lessons and doing voluntary work to help raise funds for the Gosford County Hospital. She is also involved in a rather desultory affair with Connor, a local farmer. When her employer decides to sell the business and presents her with a check for $750 in gratitude for her past services, Stella decides that it is time for a change.The depiction of 50's life is masterful and replete with period detail throughout. As a portrait of small village society the book also excels. The air of comforting familiarity and spiritual suffocation is powerfully evoked and when Stella announces:-

The words "I am leaving" resonate in the air. It's my voice. I've spoken them and I know I mean them.

-: we do not doubt the seriousness of her intent.

Published by Honno ( originally Honno Welsh Womens Press ) this book will hopefully be the first of many from the pen of Gillian Morgan.


More about Gillian Morgan 

Gillian Morgan lives in Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire. Salt Blue is her first novel. She trained as a teacher after ten years looking after her daughters, and in retirement gained an MA in creative writing.  Read More
 

More about Honno 

Honno is an independent co-operative press run by women and committed to bringing you the best in Welsh women's writing.

It was established in 1986 by a determined group of volunteers who wanted to increase the opportunities for Welsh women in publishing and bring Welsh women's literature to a wider public. They asked the people of Wales to show their support for the new enterprise by becoming shareholders in the cooperative and in the first six months more than 400 people bought shares. Honno continues to be supported by hundreds of individual shareholders who believe in its work.  Read More