Saturday 26th April 2014
My Fiction
Hi again.
I am displaying these books of mine (all for sale, of course, and also to be located on my personal blog: georgemcgilvary.com). I think the books should be shown to my reader - we might find even more in common from them - if they are read!
Below you will find introductions to seven of these fictional works of mine. All are available on Amazon Kindle.
Worth All Your Tomorrows is a full-blooded novel of some 87,000 words. It traces what became of a drifter, and his contact with some people who would have a colossal say in what happened to him (and to themselves). It is all placed in an unusual world setting.
For
Harry Munro, who arrives in Aden in 1958, life quickly becomes extremely
dangerous. An innocent, unaware at first of much of what is going on, he is forced
into becoming a pawn in a spy game, one that will take him to Nairobi, then to
Mombasa and Malindi – fabulous places that line the 'Sinbad' coastline of East
Africa.
The trigger
for all this happening is the immediate physical attraction he and Laura Smith
feel for each other with their first encounter. She is a beautiful woman, but
one with unscrupulous morals. Unintentionally on her part, and unwittingly as
far as he is concerned, Harry becomes involved in her shady financial dealings
and the money laundering intrigues of others with whom she does business. These
bring him into the orbit of the powerful and sinister conspirator, Ibrahim
Sang, long-time opponent and arch-enemy of the Protectorate's eccentric
Intelligence Chief, Norman Abdu Ghalib. Sang has a much more deadly itinerary
to realize.
Through
Ghalib, Harry is made aware of the more perilous scenario that his relationship
with Laura (and her duplicity) has led him into; and of her ignorance of the greater
danger that lurks menacingly with Sang's involvement. Before long, Harry and
the intelligence chief come face to face with the first phase of the havoc descending
on the region, which will become a scene of terror if he and Ghalib fail. It’s
up to them to discover the full dimensions of what Sang has planned, and thwart
him.
Despite
the moral headache entailed in spying, one that sets him against his lover,
Harry is forced to make what he realises is the right decision; but it is one
that will endanger his immediate future and risk his very survival. The dilemma
of his affair with Laura has to be faced, made unavoidable by the situation
that now confronts him.
It is
possible that his lost self-respect can be regained; but, paradoxically, this
will depend on the friendship of his fellows during surveillance of the enemy –
and his chance meeting with a sensitive young girl. The appeal to his senses
that spring from these encounters might bring about such a conversion, if he
can survive.
In the
end, however, all will depend on whether Harry, Norman Abdu Ghalib and the
forces of decency can stem the tide of terror ready to engulf their world. Will
Harry's initial animal passion for Laura ultimately end in his death?
See:
also at http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EXR5MGS
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The Village Concert is a short, colourful and humorous account of what could go wrong putting on such shows, and how far luck and forces beyond anyone's control can step in.
Little concert parties travelled the length and breadth of Britain after the 2nd World War. Many of the artistes (men and women) were just demobbed from the armed forces. These were hard times, people were desperate for work.
The story, which is light-hearted and humorous in tone, can also be seen as a sequel, in some ways—though this is unintentional—to The Good Companions, a novel by the English author J B Priestley. His book was written in 1929 and focuses on the trials and tribulations of a concert party in England between World War I and World War II.
In the working class areas of Scotland and especially in the coalfields, after the Second World War, these productions were known as ‘Go As You Please’ performances. Sometimes a local, possessed of a particular talent, would make a first appearance at one of these engagements. Most, however, came from the ranks of the acting and vaudeville worlds, temporarily ‘resting’—the term used for being out of full-time job elsewhere.
Many, of course, came from South-East England, where most of this type of employment was to be found. Much of the funding for such performing parties came from London agents and producers. This, as we shall see, could cause problems.
See:
also at http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00DP2T0OM?*Version*=1&*entries*=0
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The other fiction works consist of four collections of short stories (placed in a series 1-4), and a compilation issue (5).
1. Strange Tales - A peek at the sort of weird and wonderful stories mankind is apt to create. Are such tales attempts to articulate a greater reality that people sense? Or, faced with the mystery that ignorance stimulates, is it only this lack of knowledge that itself kindles queries regarding existence? It is a habit that seems common to all societies – perhaps telling us something about ourselves. Our dreams, and the activity of the sub-conscious mind, which our conscious state has no control over, are all important to us—most people would say essential.
See:
also at http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00CYLSWUI?*Version*=1&*entries*=0
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2. Snapshots of Love - Love appears in many guises. This selection provides quirky examples of how affection and devotion may make an appearance in our lives. Sometimes it is scarcely recognised, yet is never forgotten, though sometimes a reminder may be required.
See:
also at http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00CXXOP1M?*Version*=1&*entries*=0
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3. Defining Moments - The stories that follow demonstrate that unforeseen quirks of chance and moments of decision have affected all who have ever existed; illustration can be found, no matter when or where we have lived. They are happening now. You cannot escape; we are all called upon to take such decisions at certain times in life: having to be decisive, make a change that is crucial, like it or not; realizing that a defining moment has been reached. At such junctures it might now be clear that we have not been seeing things correctly and a change or re-interpretation is required.
See:
also at http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00D4AUYFO?*Version*=1&*entries*=0
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4. Caledonian Voices - These stories and poems are based on real life in Caledonia. They indicate what you will find when visiting us. No attempt, however, is made to represent the Gaelic tongue, to be found predominately in the West of Scotland, the Isles, and in big cities like Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen. It is too big a task and outside the purpose of this book; and deserves a book on its own. Just remember, though, it adds to the multi-faceted quality of Scottish life touched upon in what follows.
See:
http://www.amazon.com/Caledonian-Voic...
also at http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00EZ5D6J8?*Version*=1&*entries*=0
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5. Round-up of Poems and Short Stories 1960-2000. This volume brings together the collections above 1-4: Strange Tales; Snapshots of Love; Defining Moments; Caledonian Voices. It provides great value, worth having a peek.
See: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EYM75XU
also at http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00EYM75XU?*Version*=1&*entries*=0
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