Strawberry Blonde and Freckles
Some housekeeping because of a story about my BFF.
Hello lovely readers, writers and curious passers by, you are very welcome.
I’ve been doing a little housekeeping here on my Substack pages which, before I forget, I would like to quickly tell you about.
I felt my some of my letters were adrift, needed more of a home, a place to sit where you could find them more easily and they would be happy to stay, more especially for future stories and what-not that doesn’t really fit on my main page, like that which you will read below - if you bear with me for a minute or so…
This section, previously named Flash Fiction—which couldn’t be further from the subject, has changed to Obscura, for obvious reasons… it will include poetry (not too much) essays and occasional fictional short stories as well as passages of writing concentrating on all those memories buried beneath the rubble of time passing. Everything that was previously published under the original heading stays but this way will give me wider scope and avoid yet another section.
The reason for this change is because something exciting happened; a few weeks ago Barrie, who writes
including a section called Encourage Meant—something he’s really, really good at—suggested I write a piece for .You may have heard of her highly praised book ‘The Cure for Sleep’. I hadn’t, neither had I heard of the work she has concentrated on in what she describes as her second life; the encouragement and mentoring of writers who would perhaps otherwise never be read being just one amongst her myriad writing and art projects. You can read more of Tanya’s story here and here. Do take a look at her extraordinarily beautiful work.
All of her work seeks to call forth creative responses in others – a practice which earned her Fellowship of the Royal Society of Arts in 2018. Coming from a rural, working class background - the first in her extended family to ‘go away’ from North Devon for a higher education - she is particularly committed to mentoring underrepresented writers.
Praise for The Cure for Sleep.
Lettice Franklin – who acquired the UK & Commonwealth rights in a pre-empt from agent Robert Caskie – said: ‘Tanya Shadrick’s prose intoxicated me from the moment I read it. Hers is an electrifying new voice and her book has the quality of a fable that teaches us how to live, how to step out of the confines we have made for ourselves, how to wake up. It reminds me of the very best memoirs – of Joan Didion’s autobiographical writing, of Lorna Sage’s Bad Blood and of Maggie O’Farrell’s I Am, I Am, I Am. I cannot wait to publish it.’
‘A sublimely written account of refusing to be defined by social constructs and embracing life-enhancing change, The Cure for Sleep is a poignant and inspiring slice of literary memoir’ Waterstones, Non-Fiction Books of 2022.
With all that said, perhaps you can imagine my initial reaction to the thought of presenting something—anything—written in my own humble, inexperienced voice to such an accomplished and brilliant human being… but I did. And, it was accepted! Tanya wrote back after adding mine to the other stories on her website all written by different, shy, perhaps lacking in confidence or encouragement, people just like me. I cannot recommend perusing them more highly, the quality of writing is overwhelming at times and I’m so relieved I didn’t read any of them before attempting my own. It never would have happened!
Strawberry Blond and freckles was my entry for Tanya’s 4th season prompt ‘Childhood Stories’. (300 words)
Strawberry blond and freckles…
My school bus rattled. They rattled very effectively in 1977. Metal parts and chrome clattered to a stop at the bottom of a farm drive where it didn’t usually. Eventually I loved that short sweeping lane, it was bumpy as hell but it said ‘Hi, you’re back’ as warmly as my own lane. Real heart love. Love that felt like home.
She climbed the steps. Without a bus pass, fumbled with coins for the driver, walked the isle, blue eyes searching for blank spaces to focus, anywhere but the myriad curious eyes of thirty others dissecting her every move, her personal coating, her strange.
She tried to be inconspicuous, small, impossible when you wore hair that was anything but! And those freckles! I felt her discomfort almost as much as the itchiness of the scratchy carpet seat that made the bare backs of my legs red raw, they were like that in 1977.
I want to be her friend; an immediate thought in my village wild, unworldly mind, a simple want in collision with the rare and exotic creature I believed her to be.
Three weeks of shy smiles pass; she sits alone left or right, school bag occupying seat negating possibility beside her.
Just before clattering metal, itchy seats end for holidays, blue eyes search through strawberry lit freckles, one seat remains with my bag. A beseeching smile with my own hazel eyes and she sits with her freckled lips, I see this now she’s close. She turns, whispers hello. I sit on my hands to stop myself touching her hair, blush as I ask her name. She whispers a heavenly concoction of letters I’ve never heard of in a refined voice, I mumble my own, ashamed of its common blandness.
Though voice and name never mattered…
If you would like your own voice to be added, the three of you spring to mind especially, you will find all the details you need here…
While I’m here….
This feels like a perfect opportunity to say a huge thank you to some folk!
Firstly, to all of you who have recommended A Hill and I on your own pages recently, I am deeply grateful for your confidence in my writing, I don’t know what I really expected when I joined Substack just over a year ago but it feels like it was a wise decision when I did. And its not often I do anything wise!
Thank you to each of you,
I am, well, just imagine teary eyed smiling emoji and you’ll understand…
Also…
I would like to thank once again
for sending me a copy of her book Sanctuary which is a divine submergence into nature and all she has to offer that is graceful and calm.And thanks also to
for sending me a copy The Villager, which I know will be a fabulous galavant (everyone says so) once I wrestle it from Sassy!Okidoki, I’ve said quite enough, love and light - I hope your weekend is wonderful
NOTE: There are a lot of links in this email, I certainly don’t expect you to open them all but I do urge you to look at all the books I mention.
I could feel all that childhood awkwardness - wanting to be someone's friend and not knowing how to approach them -so wonderfully portrayed. Superb submission and can see why it was accepted. Congratulations, Susie!
I too have recently come across Tanya Shadrick and have her book at my side. I haven’t been brave enough to submit anything yet but am working up to it (always a slow starter 🙄). I’ve also just listened to her speaking with Dr Sharon Blackie on her Hagitude podcast which was excellent. I will be binging further episodes today! x