N.O.A. Rawle: Through the Eyes of a Stranger

Imagine my joy on learning that Fox Spirit Books chose my suggested slogan 'Top notch and bushy tales!' along with that by Vick Linde 'Ad captandum vulpes'.  Thank you!

I am a keen gardener (not necessarily a great one though!) and today I completed one of the most satisfying tasks in the garden; mulching with homemade compost. This freed up the sacks for the leaves that are already beginning to fall from the cherry and greengage trees. (I put to good use those horrid non-biodegradable ones that toy stores always have. The one in the picture is on its 6th year!)  I find sacks are better for leaves and bins for household trimmings. If you are lucky enough to have a garden make your own compost, it's easy! First, fill the bag with leaves. Then roll the top down and put a brick on the top to keep it closed. Leave it for two or three months. What you'll find when you open the sack is gorgeous black soil rich in nutrients! Put it in your planters or on the garden. (This is my Japanese Maple Acer just beginning to put on its autumn cloak.) What does this have to do with writing you mig...

Imagine my joy when I finally got into my email (new phone - epic story) and discovered that my flash fiction piece 'Hot Air Ballooning' has won the 99fiction.net July competition! Not bad for an evenings work! It's only the third time I've entered too!  Hot Air Ballooning    

  The title sums the story up and says so many things about how it came into being. I work a lot from mental images and this was one of a great wall of fire, probably sparked by the numerous wild fires that occur in Greece during the summer months. I drew on teenage angst I had over a variety environmental issues that were and still are relevant (the issues not the angst!) and my eternal disgust at how senseless some things humans do are. (I do not claim to be a great activist by the way - I do what everyone can easily do!)   This was a tough story to write, I wanted to get just the right doses of rage and despair and hopelessness into the mix to make it potent. It has taken little over a year from its conception to coming to print and although it's the third story to see print it was the first accepted for publication, so it is rather special.   Want to read it?  Click here!  for       ...