All Authors Blog:: The Writer/photographer Within: Nicola J McDonagh

The Writer/photographer Within: Nicola J McDonagh

I am not comfortable talking about myself.

I often wonder why

Anyone would want to know anything about me.

Then I think okay; maybe I have something to say.

I am a dreamer

I am a watcher of all things; a camera eye

That snatches up images hidden and afraid

To come into the light.

My shutter stutters quick and sharp to catch

The murmurs, the movement, the struggle of words

To capture them raw

And develop their potential through snap shot spiel.

And that my friends, is why I seldom write poetry!

Okay, on to my prose.

I visualise words and see stories appear as I write. Sometimes I have a plan, sometimes a phrase, a single word, or just a name that triggers an idea that turns into a tale. At best, I create worlds that no one has ever seen and characters that readers want to meet. At worst I type out black shapes that do nothing more than bore and irritate. These ramblings I store in my ‘Get over yourself you pretentious bitch’ file’.

When I came to write The Song of Forgetfulness series, a YA dystopian/science fiction action adventure, (phew!) I was out of my comfort zone completely. Echoes from the Lost Ones was a huge challenge for me, as I’d never written in that genre or for that age group before.

It was just as much a journey of self-discovery for me, as it was for my main character, Adara. I saw the world I created through her eyes and as the narrative progressed, I became part of the world I created. I became interested in science for the first time in my life, and loved doing the research about cloning, Nano- technology and the very real threat to our eco-system by global warming, disease and destroying natural habitats. But, I didn’t want my book to be doom and gloom. I still retain some faith in my fellow human beings and hope that the message I have written within the text shines through, and gives all who read it a sense of hope for mankind and the future of this beautiful planet.

A Silence Heard, is the second book in the series The Song of Forgetfulness and is out now!!!

BLURB:

It’s a sickly wind that blows, ash black and full of menace. I hear them through the blackness - voices inside my noggin. Meeks calling from deep within the ground.

I stop listening and catch another sound. Agros, lots of them. Feet pounding, shaking the earth, drawing closer. An unseen army equipped with tech we know nowt about. All I have is my voice and the power of friendship. I must act now before the Agro menace snuffs us out.

But there’s a stone in my guts. A hard thing that won’t move. Yet I must, I must rise from all this grief and sing. Sing to save the Meeks, sing to destroy the Agros, and sing The Song of Forgetfulness to send lost loved ones to a better place and peace.

You’ll see, I’ll save my bro-bro yet.

Synopsis:

A Silence Heard continues the quest of Adara and her friends to save her brother Deogol, and all the missing Meeks. They escape from the monastery in the clouds and with the help of a mysterious map, travel to Agro headquarters. The place where the little ‘uns are imprisoned and Agros carry out sinister experiments.

Disguised as Ladies and their escorts, Adara, Kendra, Eadgard, Wirt and Marcellus, enter Agro headquarters ready to infiltrate their colony and free the Meeks. However, Agros are smart and Adara and her companions find themselves at the mercy of torturers and sleazy seducers. However, there is hope. The Meeks have a secret weapon and outside, folk are gathering. A legion of Woodsfolk, Clonies, S.A.N.T.S, Holy ones and Ladies, are on their way.

But time is running out. Adara’s struggle to save her kin becomes a desperate battle of life and death, as Agros send in their army of cloned killers to destroy the insurgents who are moving ever closer. Adara is forced to use her voice again and again, to try and stop the Agros from winning the war, but each time she does, a part of her dies.

As filthy battles ensue and loved ones perish, Adara must sing The Song of Forgetfulness one last time if she is to save not only the Meeks, but all the folk of NotsoGreatBritAlbion, from a life of slavery and despair.