Books & Poetry

Books&Poetry HAVING A BALL

One local lad refl ects on his not-so-average existence in a new book detailing his life – with plenty of twists and turns along the way.

Adrian Lincoln lives and works in Flint, having spent most of his life in Manchester, Stockport and Macclesfi eld. The odd events of his tough childhood were to shape his later view of the world and led to a long career in industrial production. But a hard decision and fate allowed travel to become a big part of Adrian’s life.

Adrian’s politics have been shaped by his experiences, as has his ability to look closer at strange events with an open mind. Now in his 60s, Adrian has taken the time to put pen to paper and record his unusual life in an autobiographical account entitled Life And Times Of An Average Oddball, which is out now.

“If your taste in autobiography is only for the rich and famous, then this is the wrong book for you,” says Adrian. “However, if you’re curious about someone who had a strange start in life, followed – maybe as a result – by a hell of a teenage life, you are looking in the right place.”

As well as following the events of his life, the book o ers a glimpse into the author’s own thoughts, feelings, infl uences and impressions. Both his early life in north-west England and his travels played a big part in creating not only the book, but the person he is today.

In the book Adrian writes frankly about the people and events that have infl uenced him. “It’s a carousel of a life

story that shows how sometimes works in Flint, poor health is having spent overcome or most of his life sidestepped, in Manchester, with an addition Stockport and of a little Macclesfi eld. humour where I The odd events fi nd it, and how politics shaped by my of his tough life and work experiences.” childhood were You may not agree with to shape his Adrian on everything, but his memoir is always interesting and thoughtprovoking, and may help you to look at some things in a new way.

fi nd it, and how politics shaped by my “It’s a carousel of a life story” Life And Times Of An Average Oddball is available in paperback or e-book from Austin Macauley, Amazon and other booksellers

LOCAL BOOKS

Reaching For The Light by Jan Mitchell Rogers This is the debut novel from Jan Mitchell Rogers, a writer living in Llanfyllin. After retiring, Jan joined a creative writing group in Llanfyllin which gave her the confi dence to write a novel, and the Covid lockdown meant she could concentrate on fi nishing it. Reaching For The Light is part ghost story, part family tragedy, and deals with a suicide that still overshadows the lives of those left behind, 25 years later. Most of the book’s action takes place in the Tanat Valley in Powys. Arctica Pu n by Rachel Bloor Rachel Bloor is from Market Drayton and has written, illustrated and published three children’s books, available on Amazon. Arctica Pu n, inspired by a trip to Skomer Island, is about a young pu ing (baby pu n) who doesn’t want to leave his burrow. The PE Fairies is based on Rachel’s time as a primary school teacher, and The Spider Knitter was infl uenced by her family, which includes some very talented knitters – though she confesses to being a very poor knitter herself!

The Lightbringers/ by Jan Mitchell Rogers Y Lanternwyr by Karin This is the debut novel Celestine The fi rst of Karin Celestine’s fourpart Tales of the Turning Year series has now retiring, Jan joined a been translated into creative writing group Welsh. The story focuses in Llanfyllin which gave on people coming her the confi dence together with hope and positivity, to write a novel, and and promises that a way out of the Covid lockdown the darkness is always possible.

, inspired by a trip to

The Lightbringers/ Y Lanternwyr Celestine Karin Celestine’s fourpart Tales of the Turning Year series has now been translated into Welsh. The story focuses on people coming together with hope and positivity,

Calling local authors…

If you’re an author living in the Shire area or have written about a local person or place, we would love to feature you on these pages. Please email editorial@shiremagazine.co.uk.

REVIEWS

Our friends from Linghams Bookshop on the Wirral recommend two very di erent historical novels set at the same time – in an era of witches and wars…

The Manningtree Witches by AK Blakemore

Fear and destruction take root in a community of women when the Witchfinder General comes to town, in this dark and thrilling debut set in England in 1643. The war between the Roundheads and the Cavaliers rages, and Puritanical fervour has gripped the nation. The Manningtree Witches plunges its readers into the fever and menace of the English witch trials, when suspicion, mistrust and betrayal ran amok.

Tidelands by Philippa Gregory Midsummer’s Eve 1648, and England is in the grip of civil war between a renegade King and a rebellious Parliament. The struggle reaches every corner of the kingdom, even The Manningtree Witches to the remote Tidelands – the marshy landscape of Fear and destruction take root in a community the south coast. Here Alinor, crushed by poverty and of women when the Witchfinder General superstition, meets James, a young man on the run, comes to town, in this dark and thrilling debut and shows him the secret ways across the treacherous set in England in 1643. The war between marsh, not knowing that she is leading disaster into the Roundheads and the Cavaliers rages, and her life. This is the time of witch-mania and Alinor, a suddenly Puritanical fervour has gripped the nation. enriched woman without a husband, is suspected of possessing Manningtree Witches dark secrets – arousing envy and fear among the villagers, who fever and menace of the English witch trials, are ready to take action into their own hands. A gripping story when suspicion, mistrust and betrayal ran amok. told with subtlety and a wonderful sense of time and place.

her life. This is the time of witch-mania and Alinor, a suddenly