Böcker av Valerie Norris

'Reading, writing and walking: such an agreeable way to pass the days...' This is Rhian's discovery after she takes early retirement and travels to spend time on solitary retreat in a beautiful corner of Wales. From there her life unfolds in ways she could not possibly have foreseen. She revisits fragments of her childhood, reconciles fragile family relationships, survives a bad bout of flu and makes new friendships, especially with her rather eccentric neighbour. Her story and his become entwined and lead to life-changing events for both of them in her through-the-looking-glass existence. 'Step through the canvas, end the mirror-phase...' Set against the magical backdrop of Pembrokeshire's Coast Path and surrounding area, the heart of this novel is Rhian's exploration of what 'home' means, and how that can change. 'Day by day this place, with its serenity and seclusion, continued to nurture me, away from the intruding world. The worst of the winter was now over, and March beckoned with its daffodils, primroses and quietly fattening buds...' Rhian discovers that the poetry she has longed to write takes inspiration from her surroundings and echoes her inner journey. How remote it seems,That time I had the fever,A patchwork of dreamsStitched by a phantom weaverFor a dream-believer.

A golden triangle in a pretty golden life... That is how Simon describes the arrangement between his workplace as a psychotherapist, the home of his ex-wife Lisa and son, and his girlfriend Cora''s flat. It signifies for him the happy equilibrium of his existence. Then Fleur, an old client of Simon''s, makes contact again for more professional help dealing with the aftermath of her husband''s untimely death in a little Canarian town and this careful balance begins to unravel. As Fleur''s complex and unusual bereavement issues unfold, and then move towards a kind of resolution, Simon''s own life starts to spiral out of control. At the same time the dynamics of the practice where Simon works are undergoing their own upheavals. These changing events and relationships force Simon to confront himself and his beliefs. Has he come to terms with guilt from the past? Is it time to step out from the shadow of the old Simon?

Loneliness.  It can lead to out-of-character behaviour.  The solitary figure who sits confined in a small room, hunched over a table and writing feverishly, knows this only too well.Young Susan Smith’s world was shattered when a freak accident killed her mother and nothing was ever the same for her again.  With this shocking event begins Susan’s struggle with insecurity, crippling shyness and guilt. Then, unexpectedly, she is given a chance to escape from these troubles.  Yet even now she feels there is something lacking.Years later another life-changing event resurrects ghosts from her past. Will she be able to untangle her past and confront her shadows? The outcome surprises Susan as much as it will the reader.  

For Kitty, getting a place in the 1992 London Marathon is a dream come true. When by chance Kitty meets Malcolm, another new marathoner, they decide to train together. And so begins an unlikely alliance that not only affects them but also draws in Kitty's husband Rob, who is the landlord of the local village pub, and Malcolm's unhappy wife Celia.The relationship and emotions between these two couples, separated by class, age and life-experience, becomes more complex as the marathon training builds, escalating to the climax of Marathon day itself and its aftermath. Key elements of each person's struggles are exposed and brought to a head as the story unfolds: Kitty's dissatisfaction with her role in the pub, Rob's ingrained deference to his overbearing mother, Malcom's and Celia's grief and breakdown of communication.