L. G. Jenkins picks out her highlights in book review

Author and Blogger L.G. Jenkins (Lydia) has written an encouraging review on her recent blog, for Count Our Blessings by Fiona Linday.

Lydia imediately starts on a positive note.

“It is full of captivating short stories, highlighting some of the most honest and painful occurrences in the lives of everyday people. Just to name a few: there’s menopause, PTSD, disability and family relationships.”

She reflects on the introduction to the book, where Fiona explains that the poems and short stories had helped her to express difficult and important issues over the previous two decades.

“Linday states in her introduction that the book reflects how ‘creative writing has helped [her] express difficult and important issues over the last two decades.’ That speaks for itself about how the book explores the world we live in, over different times and generations.”

Picking out her personal highlight, Lydia names the poem Our Picasso Dish.

“This poem resonated so strongly for me, that us as ‘earthen vessels’ can be transformed by the ‘artist beckoning forward’ and out of this can finally come ‘progress’, ‘best practice’ and ‘improved craft.’ That ‘despite any flaw,’ we can become ‘refined art.’”

Lydia also picks out a short story where Fiona relates the Covid-19 situation of a ‘new normal’ to the stages of a woman’s life.

” It was very touching to read this woman’s account of the changes in life and how we as humans adapt.”

To read the full article, click HERE.