Beneath the Hills ...: a collection of writings by Ochil Writers' Group

by Ochil Writers' Group

Overview

Ochil Writers' Group's second volume of Beneath the Hills - an anthology of fiction, non fiction, poetry and short stories - offers an insight into the true depth of the collective imagination. A mixture of individuals who enjoy and are inspired by the possibilities of the written word.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780993311451
Publisher:	Resonate & Blue
Publication date:	03/10/2017
Series:	Volume , #2
Pages:	116
Product dimensions:	5.83(w) x 8.27(h) x 0.28(d)

About the Author

Ochil Writers' Group ... Howard Gee, John King, Denise Macdonald, Melissa Macdonald, Monika E. Mackenzie, Mary S. McLuskey, Faith Pentland, Mary Perry, Gary Smith ...

Editorial Reviews

Beneath the Hills Volume I, by Ochil Writers’ Group - Published by Ochil Writers’ Group

THE fruits of nearly two years labour from the Clackmannanshire writers’ group this is certainly a varied collection. From pieces of non-fiction to poetry and short stories it demonstrates a true breadth of collective imagination.

The group began life in 2009 under the auspices of the Wee County’s writer in residence, Tom Murray. Unfortunately funding cuts mean he is no longer in post, but on the basis of this book at least it is to be hoped the group itself will continue for many years to come.

From the pieces of poetry I particularly liked Mary Perry’s description of a flock of rising gulls in “Seascape” where the birds are “a bride’s train” before “One bridesmaid/ let the hem slip/ and the train soared”. Denise Macdonald’s “Erebus” is also particularly haunting with its “the memory/ Of a sound./ The edge of an echo” and her short story, “Columbine”, a touching and life-affirming message of hope for anyone struggling for a sense of self.

Elsewhere in the fiction stakes “Ora et Labora?” by Monika E Mackenzie has a chucklesome pay off as a mother successfully persuades her daughter of the value of hard work while the twist in “Mirror, Mirror...” by Mary McLuskey is rather more gruesome but brilliantly done.

In such a wide-ranging collection, though, it is possibly unfair to pick out too many individual contributions. Certainly the overwhelming feeling the book leaves you with could only arise from its collective nature, produced by a group who seem to truly enjoy the possibilities of the written word and are prepared to go down just about any avenue in pursuit of that enjoyment.

Who knows whether there are any budding bestseller writers here - and, at the end of the day, who cares? Writing isn’t just for “those and such as those”, and as Tom himself says in his foreword, Beneath the Hills is “testament to the ambition and creativity of the writers involved”.

Amen

This review was written by Gregor White in the Stirling Observer, June 2011

From the Publisher