“Hope.” It was as if Granny Flora had drawn a sword. “That’s what the tales are, hope. And dreams. Dreams a person might make true in the time to come. Nightmares, too, like the monster that squeals and skirls in the night. We each meet our own monster, our own dragon, our own unknown thing in the darkness.”
That’s a snippet from Greatheart, my story in the forthcoming anthology The Art of Being Human, soon to be published by Fablecroft. The anthology recognises the power of the creative arts in helping people through difficult times (such as a pandemic, flood or fire.) We writers, musicians, artists and performers recognise this all too well, but sadly those in authority don’t always display the same insight. There’s a wonderful line-up of authors in this anthology. I was thrilled to be invited to submit a story, as the concept chimes perfectly with my often-expressed belief that storytelling and music have a deep power to teach and to heal.
The Kickstarter for The Art of Being Human can be found at this link. The e-book edition of the anthology is fully funded, and we’re working toward some stretch goals – please consider supporting the Kickstarter, especially if you’d like a print copy.
Greatheart pretty much wrote itself – the characters sprang to life on the page for me and I loved accompanying them on their journey. The story contains a flood, a bitter winter, and a terrible sickness. It includes sorrow and joy, doubt and confidence, despair and hope. It also features bagpipes, singing, dancing and storytelling. And don’t forget the monster.
