What would transpire were the Sun to vanish, d’you know? Think you and they and I would be after? What might occur if the Moon hoed own row?
Time determines all the seasons that go. Were the Sun now ceased, would Moon come this near? What would transpire were the Sun to vanish, d’you know?
Change is constant; that the Sun sees below. And the Moon, it’s said, results in strange fear. What might occur if the Moon hoed own row?
Planets move around the Sun, they lay low; And around which force the Sun goes is now clear. What would transpire were the Sun to vanish, d’you know?
Prayers offered to the Moon make life glow; D’you think there is something this Moon does bear? What might occur if the Moon hoed own row?
Moon that’s featured on the night sky doesn’t grow, But results in motions of the seas here. What would transpire were the Sun to vanish, d’you know? What might occur if the Moon hoed own row?
A-M Mawhiney’s Spindrifts is a surprisingly tender science fiction novel imagining a future Earth that has not merely survived catastrophe but is gradually learning how to heal. Half a century later, after the destruction of the past, Mawhiney presents a world shaped by ecological responsibility and an extraordinary belief in what people can achieve together. But this is no faultless utopia. Yet beneath the beauty, questions quietly accumulate, and a current of uncertainty in the novel keeps its optimism from becoming naive. It’s a book about the future, certainly; nevertheless, its most profound concerns feel wrenchingly present: how we co-exist, how we make sense of difference, and whether real progress is possible without compassion.
Evoking Movement And Change
Fania is the fulcrum of this universe, and we see much of it through her eyes. Her curiosity pulls the story along, and it’s never merely intellectual. She has a genuine interest in people From Away, rooted in a sincere desire to know and connect, based on an instinctive belief in equality. ‘I want my communication to be equal,’ she says, a simple statement that reveals something fundamental about both Fania and the society she lives in. The unease she feels about technology quietly reproducing assumptions about whose language matters is what gives this futuristic world a surprisingly familiar human dimension.
Mawhiney’s world-building is strongest when it’s lived rather than explained. Ecological recovery is something we can almost touch, not just observe, as rivers, snow, ice, new plants, and changing seasons are all part of the process. And even that tiny moment when Fania and her great-grandmother, Alicia, hear the fragile crackling of ice becomes almost musical. Spindrifts is also a fitting title, suggesting something that can obscure what lies ahead but also evoking movement and change. This is not only a technological future; it is a living world.
Beneath the Beautiful Surface
But Spindrifts isn’t just praising its own creation. Its quieter mystery slowly draws us under that beautiful surface. Fania’s return to Immersion raises questions about her apprenticeship, Alicia’s work, and the things that remain unexplained. Her strange experiences only deepen the doubt, particularly the recurring landscapes and pink fog in her dreams. Mawhiney doesn’t have to rely on the usual suspense to keep us interested. Sometimes, a hint is enough, and an unanswered question can be more compelling than an immediate revelation. The mysteries contribute to the novel without disrupting its warmth.
Its relationships are equally complex. Fania and Alicia are genuinely warm with each other, but their relationship is not simple, and questions of identity arise naturally. Fania’s sister, Nuna, is tender because it is spoken in the quotidian, not the grandiose. Meanwhile, Kiki, Fania’s former Immersion classmate, gradually reveals humor and the possibility of connection. These relationships add emotional weight to the larger ideas of the novel.
What’s important is how Mawhiney lets those ideas live through her characters. Equality, communication, healing, and responsibility come through the way people relate to one another. The novel constantly demonstrates the interdependence of communities and the natural world, strengthening Fania’s realization that ‘everything is connected.’ Technology can make this future easier, but the real foundation is a changing sense of interdependence.
Mawhiney is also refreshingly candid about progress. Her future society has accomplished marvelous things, but healing is never portrayed as finished. In her opening note, she describes Spindrifts as a utopian vision ‘but one with bumps and twists along the way,’ and that phrase perfectly captures its spirit. Hope here is not the belief that everything is already right; it is the willingness to continue building something better.
An Ingenious Piece of Work
Mawhiney’s prose is at its best when beauty and thought go hand in hand. The cedar and wild ginger, the melting ice, the water in motion, and the new growth pushing through the snow make the future palpable and provide the book with its meditative rhythm. When the novel says ‘there was much more to be done and endless possibilities,’ it feels earned.
Spindrifts knows that healing a landscape is only part of the job. A hopeful future also needs people who acknowledge their place in a larger web of life. With remarkable confidence, Mawhiney balances ecological science fiction, family drama, mystery, and a meditation on human possibility. Its greatest achievement is the tenderness with which it imagines what humanity could be.
I’d give Spindrifts 5/5 because it does something harder than inventing a good future: it makes a better future feel possible. It is a humane novel, intellectually ambitious, ecologically aware, suffused with real affection for its characters and for the living world they seek to restore. Its greatest success is that it has won the right to hope, through the courage to question inherited assumptions. If you want science fiction with a hopeful spirit, Spindrifts is a luminous, deeply satisfying read.
The letter ‘C’ is crystal clear; creates confusion, chaos, climax, and clutter! Companions would be friends but wouldn’t conspicuously chatter. If ‘c’ didn’t exist, you could never become a clever cycling country catcher, Christy’s christened name could change; Casper would be called Dasper.
Your coming would surely cease, and ceasing would conveniently end. You can’t do your household chores, nor can corruption be condemned! If ‘c’ ceased, could Christian Bale climb, clouds collect, crowded clubs contend? Forget China, countries might have to agree on a different name, can’t pretend.
Chubby children could go missing, for citrus fruits and cows would no more be. Compassion could turn hypothetical; corrections won’t be done to a tee. Companies, confidants, and the coronavirus won’t be confident, you see. Anyway, creativity still exists, so chill and cheer me if you want; get carefree!
Book: Escape to Jekyll Island: Gem of the Golden Isles Series Book One Genre: Cosy Romantic Mystery Author: Sandy Malone Rating: 4.5/5 Reviewer: Stavyah Vatsarah
Life changes drastically in Sandy Malone’s Escape to Jekyll Island. After Hurricane Maria devastates her life in Puerto Rico, Tally Davis is back on Jekyll Island. This is a new professional beginning that drags her back into the orbit of people and memories she’s never quite left behind. Jekyll Island is no longer just a backdrop, and soon Tally finds out what home means to her again.
The book’s greatest strength is Tally. She’s capable and determined, but her narration is especially engaging because she has a wonderfully candid sense of humor. And the line that nails her professionalism is, ‘Everything has to be perfect. We have one chance to get this right.’ It also makes for a compelling heroine, for her devotion to her work is never a plot contrivance.
Weddings With Personality
Much of the novel’s flavor comes from the wedding-planning aspect. It’s not an easy job; Tally’s first big wedding is on Jekyll Island, and Malone makes the behind-the-scenes work surprisingly entertaining. Welcome baskets, flowers, guest arrangements—you name it, Tally’s got to see trouble coming before it becomes a disaster. Especially telling of the book’s irreverent humor is her own description of the situation as a possible ‘clusterfuck.’
Malone also notes the absurdity often associated with elaborate weddings. Annabelle continues to add to the already carefully thought-out celebration, and this process leads to some comedy moments. Tally’s reaction to the bride’s Icelandic bachelorette trip is especially funny as she points out that it’s ‘a Caribbean destination wedding that was moved stateside’ after a trip to another continent. These details give the novel a pleasing lightness, yet none of its characters ever feel disposable.
In the close-knit world of Jekyll Island, Tally and Mitch’s romance thrives. Their shared past lends the relationship an effortless familiarity while their adult lives add a new dimension. Their conversations are inherently warm, and the community surrounding them adds another layer of affection to their story. The novel is strongest when it lets their relationship develop through the mundane and avoids turning every moment into melodrama.
The island community itself is one of the most enjoyable pleasures of the book. Malone has created a community where neighbors know each other and care about each other, where personal relationships matter. Small events can be memorable due to the personalities involved. The humor in the book shines in these moments, and the prank involving Etah and a crab is a particularly strong example of the playful spirit that runs through the story.
Photo by The Visionary Vows | FOR REPRESENTATIONAL USE ONLY
Suspense in the Spell
The novel, while romantic and comedic on the surface, also introduces a darker source of conflict. Tension surrounding Tally’s past slowly begins to build as she starts her new life. Malone pulls off the switch nicely, ramping up the suspense without sacrificing the warmth that suffuses the rest of the novel. The contrast between the idyllic island setting and the problems Tally faces drives the story.
One of the best things about this book is Tally’s commitment to being prepared for any wedding disaster. ‘Don’t jinx us, Tally,’ Isabelle commands, with the memorable warning not to count your chickens before they hatch. That little exchange is so typical of the tone of the novel. But real jokes lie underneath, along with a real sense of the pressure Tally puts on herself to make it all work.
A New Beginning
There are places where the novel could have used some tighter exposition. A little background is overexplained, and a few of the developments seem a little convenient. These are minor reservations, however, and they do little to detract from the overall enjoyment of the story.
Ultimately, Escape to Jekyll Island works because it features a likable heroine and a fun professional world. Tally’s story is as much about the rebuilding of a life as it is about the loss of one. The warmth of the novel is summed up by its final gesture toward a future where Tally can finally feel that she has found her place again.
A few months ago, I journeyed from Chennai to Arakkonam, a railroad town some 80 km away. Krishna, a man whom I hold in the highest regard, accompanied me. We met three years ago when I was working for an ed tech company. He was my reporting head. He’s a great speaker with such authority that I was initially intimidated by him; he naturally inspires a bit of awe. But as time passed, I learned he was an incredibly empathetic person who genuinely cared about the well-being of those around him. Talking to him always gave me something to reflect on. I’m still in awe of his amazing ability to juggle time and duties with ease.
On the way to Arakkonam by suburban train, our talk swirled around questions of existence, consciousness, death, and the existence of God. I used to be a forceful believer. However, exposure to epistemology gradually forced me to reconsider many of my assumptions. I don’t say with absolute certainty that God does not exist, but I no longer believe in a creator who is omnipresent, omniscient, and omnipotent in the traditional sense. But that doesn’t mean I’m completely closed off to the idea. I realized, after talking with Krishna for a long time, that I had been carrying so many unexamined assumptions within me for years. It felt more and more important to face these things honestly, rather than to continue living in quiet intellectual inconsistency.
Something to Be Argued Into Existence?
Like so many others who may have searched the internet for deductive arguments that might prove the existence of God, I too had wanted certainty. I told Krishna that I considered myself a seeker, that if I were ever presented with convincing evidence for God, I would willingly change my mind. After all, my philosophy has always been based on the principle that beliefs must be revisable in the face of new evidence.
When I told Krishna that I was a seeker, he replied immediately, ‘You will be a seeker for the rest of your life.’
I didn’t understand the meaning of what he was saying at the time. But in retrospect I can see that I had been operating for a long time under a strong assumption: that God, if He existed, must be demonstrable by argument and evidence. Perhaps even many prominent atheist debaters, like Matt Dillahunty, share this assumption without fully recognizing it themselves.
But what if God is not something that can be proved in the usual sense? What if divinity, if it exists at all, is not something that can be argued into existence but rather something to be experienced? I have heard many people share very personal spiritual experiences, and I have too often dismissed such testimonies too quickly. But I have begun to wonder whether that dismissal itself is ever an example of intellectual unfairness. Is it irrational to take lived experience seriously just because it cannot be universally verified?
Atheists frequently argue that if God exists, then such a being is not worthy of worship because the world is full of suffering. But I find myself wondering if suffering is entirely objective. Is suffering a function of the events themselves, or is it partly a matter of interpretation? Death is, after all, the great leveler. It’s the one thing we can’t escape. And if mortality is the only reality we all share as human beings, perhaps learning to face it meaningfully is more important than winning abstract metaphysical debates.
Krishna pushed the argument further. ‘I’m not concerned about confirmation bias,’ he said. If the belief in a higher power gives me peace, joy, and psychological stability, then why should I be troubled by the possibility that this belief may be false? Why do we reduce everything of value to proof? What if God cannot be limited by the bounds of argument?
The more I thought about what he said, the more it sounded well said. Belief, no question, provides many people strength. It gives confidence and a sense of purpose, even in a universe that may itself have no intrinsic purpose at all. If a common belief can help people to live more meaningfully, why reject it simply because it cannot be conclusively proven?
In my case, more and more I have felt that it is perhaps more important to understand one’s own nature than to settle the question of God’s existence. My cousin, a teacher who believes she has been saved by a higher power in several near-tragic experiences, once told me that obsessively investigating whether God exists is not the main issue. ‘The real question,’ she insisted, ‘is who are you really?’
She gave me an example that I have remembered ever since. When a person dies, we say that they ‘are gone,’ yet the body is still there in front of us. If the individual was simply the body, why would we speak this way? Why do we not go on relating to the body as if the person were still there? The body rots, but we feel something integral has been lost. ‘We can’t just be the body,’ she said. There is something beyond that, and that reality can be grasped only through sadhana.
Photo by Matheus Bertelli
A Worthy Guiding Principle?
I have no way of knowing whether her conclusion is correct, nor do I know how one might definitively investigate such claims. But I am thankful for having lost at least some of my earlier presuppositions. I now try to be more open in answering these questions. I carefully evaluate spiritual testimonies and claims rather than accepting or dismissing them at face value.
More to the point, I have started to wonder whether the pursuit of happiness and inner contentment might actually be a worthy guiding principle. If belief in a higher power does indeed help human beings develop resilience and bliss, then perhaps the value of that belief is not in whether it can be proved, but in what it allows people to become.
But what if God is not something that can be proved in the usual sense? What if divinity, if it exists at all, is not something that can be argued into existence but rather something to be experienced?
Book: A Canadian Werewolf in New York Genre: Paranormal Thriller Author: Mark Leslie Rating: 5/5 Reviewer: Stavyah Vatsarah
Mark Leslie’s A Canadian Werewolf in New York is the kind of book that the cozy confines of genre cannot contain. It may start with a werewolf, a mysterious attack, a bullet wound, and a confused writer waking up in Manhattan with human blood in his mouth, but Leslie soon shows that the real story is far more compelling: the complex business of being human. The disturbing prospect that his body and instincts are now unrecognizable confronts Michael Andrews, the protagonist, while his career as a successful writer brings its own pressures of identity and creative confinement. What you get is a joyous supernatural novel that mixes mystery, humor, tenderness, and philosophical curiosity and shows that to understand humanity, sometimes you just have to put a wolf in it.
A Werewolf with a Human Voice
The opening introduces the wonderfully irreverent character of the novel immediately. Michael wakes in Battery Park naked, injured, and tasting human blood, and his bewildered response is, ‘Michael Andrews, what the hell have you been up to last night?’ It’s both hilarious and ominous. Leslie understands that the supernatural can become more compelling when it is filtered through an ordinary human reaction, and Michael does not behave like the grandiose protagonist of a conventional gothic tale. He behaves like a man confronted with an impossibly awful morning, which makes the extraordinary feel strangely believable.
This comic instinct runs throughout the novel and gives Michael an immediately engaging voice. A particularly striking example is his meeting with Buddy: Michael describes himself as Buddy’s ‘conversational prostitute’ after enduring the older man’s endless monologues. The line is hysterically funny, but it also demonstrates Leslie’s ability to distil an entire relationship into one unforgettable image. His humor never seems ornamental; instead, it is woven into the novel’s narrative bloodstream, keeping the werewolf story lively and unexpectedly warm.
The Humanity Beneath the Fur
But beneath the jokes is a surprisingly tender examination of compassion. Michael’s bond with Wally shows that his transformation has not dulled his instinct to protect others; in fact, his heightened senses make him unusually sensitive to fear and emotional distress. Wally’s question, ‘Do you have to go, Michael?’ is a simple one, but it lends an unexpected poignancy to their short-lived friendship, especially when Michael responds with, ‘Goodbye, my friend.’ What makes this little exchange stand out in a book full of supernatural peril is that affection can be stronger than spectacle.
The meeting also muddies the usual distinction between human and monster. Michael is capable of terrifying violence, but cruelty disturbs him, and he instinctively intervenes when Wally is threatened. His fight with the bully is therefore more than an action scene: it creates a moral tension at the core of the character. The man who looks like a monster may have more conscience than the people who look perfectly human, suggesting the real essence of monstrosity is conduct and not appearance. Leslie doesn’t preach but makes the point, letting Michael’s actions do the arguing.
The most compelling literary aspect of the novel is Michael’s struggle to understand what he has become. The werewolf isn’t just a supernatural curse but a physical manifestation of the split self, forcing Michael to confront impulses that he can’t consciously control. His heightened senses allow him to perceive the world as ordinary human beings cannot. His metamorphoses create gaps between what he remembers and what his other self has experienced. So the frightening question is not what kind of creature one is, but how well any person can ever know himself.
It becomes even more powerful when you realize that Michael is also a writer. He has realized the incredible dream of travelling from Canada to New York, becoming successful, and seeing his books made into movies, but even that success leaves him struggling under the pressure of expectations. If his life were a novel, he thinks, readers would be more apt to believe he is a werewolf than that he would ever become a bestselling author. It’s a wonderfully self-aware observation, one which allows Leslie to play with the relationship between fiction and reality while quietly questioning what makes a believable life.
The Writer Who Has to Find Himself
Michael’s creative crisis is an eerily accurate mirror of his supernatural predicament. The pressure to produce another successful novel threatens to turn his imagination into a commercial obligation, just as his transformation threatens to reduce his identity to that of a ‘werewolf.’ His struggle is therefore double and personal: he has to learn to live with the creature inside him, and he has to decide what kind of writer he wants to be. He finds himself through writing, and the keyboard is almost as essential to his transformation as the full moon.
There’s something very satisfying about creativity becoming a way of taking back control. Michael returns to writing after a particularly turbulent period and finds that the act of writing fiction helps him clear his mind and figure out what he has to do next. Thus, the novel suggests that artistic creation is not only a profession or a product but also a way of thinking and understanding oneself. This strand is given added resonance by Leslie’s own experience as an author, for the author’s note at the end of the book reveals that the novel itself evolved over a period of years before finally coming to completion.
A Monster Tale with a Literary Heart
What makes A Canadian Werewolf in New York so enjoyable is that it does not sacrifice entertainment for substance. Leslie provides the pleasures of supernatural fiction, but it is also quietly a story about friendship, morality, artistic independence, and the frailties of identity. The novel is riotously funny in one scene and surprisingly reflective in the next, and this tonal elasticity becomes one of its greatest strengths. It is a book that knows how to entertain without taking its reader for granted.
In the end, Michael’s journey is more than simply learning to live with a werewolf inside him; it’s about learning to live with all the contradictory selves that make a person whole. Leslie takes the familiar werewolf mythology and makes it more intimate, asking if the creature we fear sometimes shows us the person we have been afraid to become. A Canadian Werewolf in New York therefore leaves more than the echo of a supernatural adventure. It leaves the delightful suspicion that the boundary between man and monster was never as secure as we anticipated. In Leslie’s hands, the howl is not merely the sound of transformation but the sound of a man finding his voice.
Thirty-two-year-old Vinisha Panwar is strong and stubbornly earnest. She loves swimming and despises prevarication. As a matter of fact, the Gurugram-based author values honesty so much that when we ask her if there is something that she would want to be changed in the world, she resoundingly says, ‘People becoming more honest with themselves and with others.’ Furthermore, there is a depth in the way she articulates her thoughts, and she loves reading. In an exclusive interaction with Stavyah Vatsarah, Vinisha Panwar talks about her favourite authors, what made her a passionate reader, her hobbies, her schedule, and most importantly, her new e-book A Deceitful Evening. She also gives some pieces of advice to budding authors.
SPECIAL TO LITERARYHARBINGER
Stavyah Vatsarah:A Deceitful Evening seems like a delightful read. How did it come about?
Vinisha Panwar: I have been writing for the past ten years, but I decided to share my work on a public platform only this year. Once school was over and college began, I faced many challenges. To cope with my emotions, I turned to my pen. I simply could not stop writing afterwards! The idea of publishing a short story as an e-book first came to me this March. Finally, in May, I was able to self-publish it through Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP). Since it was a short story, I did not approach any publishers and instead decided to share it directly with readers.
Stavyah Vatsarah: Is this your debut novel?
Vinisha Panwar: I would not call it a novel, but yes, it is my debut e-book. Since it is quite a short read, it does not qualify as a novel. It took me three months to prepare the final edited version of the story and publish it. Editing consumed most of the time, whereas the publishing process took only about a week. I am currently working on my first novel, and it will take a few more months to complete.
Stavyah Vatsarah: What is the book about? What is the storyline?
Vinisha Panwar: Is not the title quite revealing? (laughs)
Stavyah Vatsarah: No doubt the title is electrifying. A freakish romance thriller certainly makes for an engaging read! Be that as it may, might I ask if you consider yourself a pantser or plotter?
Vinisha Panwar: I did have both the plot and the characters in mind before I began writing A Deceitful Evening. I spent a great deal of time thinking about the characters, their strengths and weaknesses, and how they would fit into the story.
Stavyah Vatsarah: You must be an avid reader, considering you have been writing for over a decade. Who are your favourite authors, and how have they inspired you?
Vinisha Panwar: I have many favourite authors—Ayn Rand, Salman Rushdie, Paulo Coelho, Charles Dickens, George Eliot, Arundhati Roy, and many others. However, the one who has had the greatest impact on me is Ayn Rand. Her work was pure gold. Her thoughts, beliefs, and words have profoundly influenced countless readers, including me. She was an exceptionally intelligent writer. Reading The Fountainhead was an unforgettable experience. I simply could not put it down. It made me realise how powerfully words can influence the mind. It also transformed me into a passionate reader. I admired the way she made readers live through her words. Ultimately, I understood that words possess the extraordinary ability to shape our thoughts.
Stavyah Vatsarah: I could not agree more. Words are indeed incredibly powerful. Moving on, when do you usually write? Do you follow a schedule, or do you write whenever inspiration strikes?
Vinisha Panwar: I usually write at night when everything is quiet and peaceful. I do not follow a strict schedule because I never want to force myself to write. Instead, I let my heart speak whenever it feels inspired. On days when I do not write, I satisfy my love for words by reading the remarkable works of other authors.
Stavyah Vatsarah: That is understandable. But was becoming an author a conscious decision?
Vinisha Panwar: It was definitely a conscious decision.
Stavyah Vatsarah: I am sure you have many responsibilities besides writing. How do you balance writing with everything else?
Vinisha Panwar: Honestly, there is no balancing act. Whenever I need to write, I simply make time for it. If you are truly passionate about something, you naturally find the time. Passion gives meaning to every moment of your day.
‘If We Never Fail, We Will Never Learn How to Become Better Than We Were Before’
Stavyah Vatsarah: Besides reading and writing, what do you enjoy doing?
Vinisha Panwar: I love swimming, especially in deep water. It clears my mind and refreshes my thoughts. I am truly a water baby.
Stavyah Vatsarah: Tell me a little about your works in progress. Do you plan to become a full-time author?
Vinisha Panwar: Yes, that is my dream. As I mentioned earlier, I am currently working on my first novel. It is a work of new adult fiction centred on the struggles of a teenage girl in her late teens. It explores a wide range of emotions that we often ignore or hesitate to express.
Stavyah Vatsarah: What advice would you give aspiring authors who lose motivation when some of their work does not receive the response they hoped for?
Vinisha Panwar: If we never fail, we will never learn how to become better than we were before. Making mistakes is essential, but learning from them is entirely within our control. So keep writing, and keep writing more. Do not rush the process. The first draft is never the final draft. Seek feedback from fellow readers and writers, and most importantly, act upon that feedback. Connect not only with local writers but also with international authors, readers, and book bloggers. Finally, engage with both your existing followers and potential readers through social media. Discover which platform works best for you and use it effectively.
Stavyah Vatsarah: That was quite comprehensive, I must say. I am curious to know what a typical day in your life looks like.
Vinisha Panwar: Reading, writing, reading, writing… (laughs) No, honestly, that has been my routine throughout the lockdown. Outdoor activities have been cancelled; otherwise, I would have been swimming. I also enjoy watching films in the evenings. I am a huge movie buff.
Stavyah Vatsarah: It was wonderful speaking with you, Vinisha. I wish you every success. Before we conclude, would you like to leave our readers with a final thought?
Vinisha Panwar: I simply wish more people would cultivate the habit of reading. We all enjoy watching films and videos, but reading is often considered old-fashioned or tiresome. I hope people never allow their reading habits to fade away. The more we read, the more worlds we discover, and the more hidden truths we uncover through stories.
Making mistakes is essential, but learning from them is entirely within our control. So keep writing, and keep writing more. Do not rush the process. The first draft is never the final draft. Seek feedback from fellow readers and writers, and most importantly, act upon that feedback.
~ VINISHA PANWAR
PS:This interview was originally published in August 2020 in Literary Express. It is republished here with the author’s permission.
A-M Mawhiney reflects on the lockdown that led her back to writing and the unexpected journey that followed
A-M Mawhiney’s creative writing journey began when she was just eight years old, with gloomy, four-line poems. In an exclusive interaction with Literary Harbinger, the septuagenarian, who has been a full-time writer since 2020, says she continued writing throughout secondary school before stopping when she went to university. ‘A busy life with a full-time career as a social worker and then a university professor disrupted my dreams of becoming a famous novelist. I started writing again during the first international lockdown in March 2020. I was desperate to find hope in a distressing world and, to my surprise, began to write a story about a future, almost Utopian world with dark secrets,’ she tells us.
From Spindrifts to Fugitive Rifts
Having self-published three books with publication services provided by FriesenPress, Mawhiney, who also speaks French fluently, says categorically that she tends to fly by the seat of her pants. ‘I sit at my desk, put my fingers on the keyboard and start writing,’ she says, adding that she may have a vague idea of what will happen with the characters on each writing day, but more often than not they and her imagination take her in a different direction. ‘I often write myself into a corner, and I find that a long walk or organising closets helps me discover what might happen next. Then I write some more,’ she explains.
Talking about her debut novel, Spindrifts, the resident of Sudbury in Ontario, Canada, lets on, ‘It was a Covid novel about a future worldwide Earth Project to save the planet. When I finished writing it, I thought my writing career was over until two pre-teens urged me to write a sequel that included a dragon and a magical wolf. This required a great deal of imagination to shift from the world in Spindrifts to a world of fantasy in Spelldrifts, my second book.’ Spindrifts was a finalist in the eighth annual Rakuten Kobo Emerging Writers’ Prize and shortlisted for the Whistler Independent Book Awards in 2022.
Her third book, Fugitive Rifts, is unrelated to the first two and is real-world fiction about four very different teens who each face challenges that shatter their dreams. ‘The only thought I had before writing Fugitive Rifts was wanting the story to involve four teens. All three books have themes of resilience, helping each other, and coming-of-age character arcs.’
I often write myself into a corner, and I find that a long walk or organising closets helps me discover what might happen next. Then I write some more.
~ A-M MAWHINEY
To Mawhiney, Unpredictability Matters
Having been a voracious reader since the age of seven, with very few days since then when she has been unable to find time to read, the writer does draw inspiration from other authors. She says she has always felt drawn to writers who produce something surprising with an unpredictable ending. ‘A recent book that comes to mind is The Last Mandarin by Louise Penny and Mellissa Fung. But in the last few years I have also become a huge fan of P L Stuart’s The Drowned Kingdom Saga (Books 1–6 so far) and Anne M Smith-Nochasak’s Taggak Journey Trilogy. I also continue to read historical fiction such as Jennifer Chiaverini’s Resistance Women,’ she lets us know.
When asked when she usually writes, Mawhiney—who holds two undergraduate degrees, a master’s degree, and a PhD—said that writing Spindrifts consumed her completely. ‘I wrote throughout the day and often late into the night,’ she tells us. Her subsequent books have been paced differently, nonetheless. ‘With Spelldrifts, I usually wrote in the mornings and early evenings. With Fugitive Rifts, I wrote whenever I had a glimmer of an idea about what would happen next and felt inspired to put it on paper,’ she shares.
As the interview progresses, we ask her whether becoming an author was a conscious decision, and the author responds in a jiffy. ‘I would have to say becoming an author was an act of desperation during lockdown. I was finding lockdown isolation difficult after the first few weeks and knew I had to find something to do to take me away from feelings of hopelessness and distress,’ she shares.
She continues, ‘I grabbed my laptop, thinking I was probably going to journal, and instead the first sentence that emerged became the opening line of Spindrifts: “When she awoke it was with such joy in her heart.” I was gobsmacked and had no idea who “she” was or why she was joyful. After thinking frantically while cleaning closets for a few hours, I continued writing.’
I would have to say becoming an author was an act of desperation during lockdown. I was finding lockdown isolation difficult after the first few weeks and knew I had to find something to do to take me away from feelings of hopelessness and distress.
~ A-M MAWHINEY
Getting Immersed in Writing
Mawhiney, however, kept her writing project a secret from everyone except her partner for several months. ‘When I finally told one of my sisters, she recommended I sign up for the Humber College Summer Writing Workshop, which was offered virtually in 2020. I had to submit a sample of my writing and was surprised to be accepted into the workshop, where I learnt a great deal about being an author,’ she lets on.
The author says that since she began writing after she had been superannuated, there were few other responsibilities. ‘So it was easy to immerse myself in writing,’ she states. ‘With the next two books, I did have to balance other responsibilities but was still able to safeguard several hours for writing almost every day.’
Having a very supportive partner who takes care of day-to-day practicalities such as meal preparation and shopping allows Mawhiney to remain focused on her writing. ‘And when I need a break to think about what comes next, I putter around cleaning, walking, and visiting friends, and somehow my creativity flows when I get back to my computer,’ she says.
Mawhiney, we learn, also belongs to a writing group that was formed during the Humber Workshop in 2020. ‘We meet, with rare exceptions, every two weeks to talk about our writing, give feedback to one of us, and write from prompts. I have a strong network of friends, and our get-togethers keep me socially active. My partner and I spend lots of time with family, and we enjoy watching local basketball games. I recently started playing the piano again and am enjoying another rediscovered creative outlet. And I read every day,’ she explains, adding that she knows she is fortunate to be retired because it gives her much more time to write than many other authors. ‘On the other hand, I am aware that I have fewer years left to continue writing, so I feel compelled to make this a priority while I can.’
Mawhiney’s current work in progress centres on a minor character. ‘She is a character from Fugitive Rifts who has no memories of her past. This new book explores what happened to her in her past,’ she says.
And is there anything she would like to tell budding authors, especially those who give up writing if a few of their works do not do well? ‘I would like to say: never give up on something you love to do. One way to work through disappointment about outcomes—sales, fame, reviews, and so on—is to reframe your thinking or remind yourself why you write,’ Mawhiney says. ‘I write for the joy of writing and am inspired by moments when someone tells me they loved reading one of my books, when I see positive reviews, or when I am asked to speak or write about my books,’ she adds.
Furthermore, what Mawhiney has learnt over the last six years is that, unless you are already famous before you begin writing, success can be a long journey, no matter how you choose to measure it. ‘We all dream of appearing on a list of the top ten books and earning huge revenues from our writing, but very few authors enjoy that level of success. Once I accepted this reality, I looked for small moments that inspired me to keep going,’ she tells us.
I write for the joy of writing and am inspired by moments when someone tells me they loved reading one of my books, when I see positive reviews, or when I am asked to speak or write about my books.
~ A-M MAWHINEY
‘If You Love Writing, Just Keep Writing’
She does not stop there. She says she would advise any budding author to take the long view. ‘If you love writing, just keep writing. If you run into roadblocks, figure out ways of dealing with them. Join a writers’ group, spend time with supportive people, and network with other authors. I have met many supportive authors virtually through social media, and on disappointing days, touching base with them helps motivate me to keep writing,’ she shares.
As the interview draws to a close, we ask her if there is anything at all that she would like to change in the world, and Mawhiney’s response is excogitative, to say the least. ‘I would like people to pull together instead of pulling people apart. More unity, more respect, more hope, and less divisiveness,’ she says as she signs off.
We all dream of appearing on a list of the top ten books and earning huge revenues from our writing, but very few authors enjoy that level of success. Once I accepted this reality, I looked for small moments that inspired me to keep going.
Did you know a good dictionary will give you close to forty meanings of the word ‘play’? Yes, you read that right! You might also find it interesting to note that this cool word is actually derived from the Dutch word ‘plien’, which means ‘to leap for joy’ or ‘to rejoice’. Nevertheless, we do not think we would be wrong if we said you would have used this word in more than one way while indulging in generic conversations.
A couple of examples here may help you grasp some meanings of the word ‘play’. In the sentence, ‘I am playing chess with my sister,’ the word ‘play’ (used in its ‘ing’ form) functions as a transitive verb with the noun ‘chess’ being its direct object; but in the sentence, ‘We watched a short play in the theatre last night’, the word ‘play’ functions as a noun and the direct object of the verb ‘watched’. The verb ‘play’ can also mean ‘to perform’ as one can say something like, ‘It was Arnold Schwarzenegger who played the lead role in this movie.’ Also, I am sure you would have asked someone to play music for you. Or heard someone play the guitar. Phew… That is a lot of meanings already!
In this post, however, I am going to be listing ten interesting phrasal verbs with the word ‘play’. So if you are ready, let us go!
Phrasal Verb #1
play about/around
Meanings:(i) to act weirdly or stupidly (ii) to have one or more extramarital affairs
Example sentences:
Will you stop playing about (acting stupidly) and start focussing on the job at hand?
I surmised Smita’s husband was playing about (having extramarital affairs) when I saw him first, for as soon as I had a word with him, I figured out he was great at womanising.
Phrasal Verb #2
play about/around with (something)
Meaning: to consider different ways of doing a particular thing or trying different things before finally choosing one
Example sentences:
I am playing about with all the sparkle pens that I have as I am finding it difficult to figure out which of those will look great on this coloured sheet of paper.
The producer thinks you ought to play about with some ideas before shooting the next scene. He is definitely not happy with the previous shoot.
Phrasal Verb #3
play along
Meaning: to do what someone likes or pretend to agree with someone to avoid making the person angry or upset
Example sentences:
I think he is just playing along with all of us since he wants to find out what our next step of action is going to be.
He was shocked when he found out that he had been played along by the only person whom he considered his best friend.
Phrasal Verb #4
play (something) back or play back (something)
Meaning: to listen to recordings or watch videos that have just been recorded
Example sentences:
Could you record our conversation and play it back while typing out the mail so you do not miss anything important?
He played back the videos we made, and I realised right off the bat that something was amiss.
Note: The word ‘playback’, however, can function as both a noun and an adjective. A playback singer, for example, is a singer who performs backstage. Here, ‘playback’ functions as an adjective for the noun ‘singer’. Similarly, one can say, ‘The playback of the videos they recorded was awesome, so I didn’t have to spend much time working on it.’ Here, ‘playback’ is a noun as it refers to the action of playing back video recordings to monitor their quality.
Phrasal Verb #5
play off against
Meaning: to encourage two people or groups to fight each other in the hope of gaining some advantage
Example sentences:
I have had a bad opinion of her hitherto. Jacob had been playing us off against each other, but I am glad I have finally understood his evil intentions.
Do not try to play me off against my mother. She is the only person that I trust.
Meanings: (i) (Sports) Used to order the players to continue playing, especially after someone breaking the rules or suffering an injury (ii) to continue playing a musical instrument
Example sentences:
We were flabbergasted to see the umpire asking us to play on despite the wicket-keeper getting badly injured.
It was interesting to note that the band played on enthusiastically for almost an hour after it began raining.
Phrasal Verb #7
be played out(never active):
Meaning:to take place, happen, or unfold
Example sentences:
The way everything finally played out was embarrassing, to say the least.
Given the current situation, their wedding was played out without much pomp and splendour.
Meanings:(i) to pretend that a situation is real when in fact it is not (ii) (Sports) to play a match until the very end (iii) to exhaust
Example sentences:
Contrary to what you think, all is well between them. You have only been playing all those fights out unnecessarily.
When I asked him to play out the game of chess, he refused and walked away without saying a word.
His strenCTh played out very fast, and I managed to defeat him easily in the second and third rounds.
Phrasal Verb #9
play on/upon
Meaning:to manipulate a person to get them to do what you want or to use their fears or inhibitions to get them to do a task you want to be done
Example sentences:
Do you not think guys who market such products play on the fears of their prospective clients?
She has played on your weaknesses for far too long, and it is high time you ended your relationship with her.
Phrasal Verb #10
play down something or play something down
Meaning: to try to convince people that something is not that important or that it may not really happen
Example sentences:
When the COVID-19 case fatality rate seemed to be declining in India, I felt the Indian media were playing down the health risks posed by the Coronavirus.
He played down the environmental hazards that may be caused by the setting up of a nuclear power plant in that region.
Author Seth Voorhees lives in the Black Hills of South Dakota, where he attended Black Hills State University and earned a Bachelor of Science in Sociology and Psychology. His mornings, we are told, start with prayer, meditation, and a gratitude list. Then he lets out the family rabbit, Snowball, and feeds him. He writes and edits and writes and edits more until he has to leave for work. After work, he might go to the gym, meet with friends, or run errands, or, well, possibly all three. Then, he is back home to be with his family. The evening might have a movie or a puzzle in store for him, and it is usually followed by reading before bed. The only real change, however, happens during football season.
Having drawn on his experience in adolescent education and mental health to shape his stories, the quadragenarian, who also works as an evidence-based curriculum facilitator and staff trainer for partner sites and wishes to learn Lakota and Spanish, describes himself as a writer of dark fiction. In an exclusive interaction with B Sudharsan, the editor-in-chief of Literary Harbinger, the writer, who lives with his partner and stepdaughter, speaks about his four published books, the works in progress, his belief in the importance of having hobbies, and why he would like to see what he calls the ‘outrage culture’ eliminated. Excerpts from the edited interview:
SPECIAL TO LITERARYHARBINGER
B Sudharsan: It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Mr Voorhees. Thank you for agreeing to do this interview. As someone with four published books to his name, let me start by asking you a very straightforward question: When and how did it all begin? When exactly did you start writing?
Seth Voorhees: I first started when I was in middle school. That was the time I was obsessed with the Goosebumps series. I actually worked on stories and ideas for my own inspired versions. I wrote my first novel when I was nineteen, during my senior year of high school. Eventually, college and other interests took hold, and I put writing down as a serious endeavour for a while. In 2016, I picked it back up at the age of thirty-one, when I was struck by an idea inspired by the television show The Walking Dead. That idea turned into my second published novel, Immune: Rise of the Inflicted.
Where Conflict Shapes a New World
B Sudharsan: That sounds inspiring, to say the least. Immune: Rise of the Inflicted does have rave reviews. So, congratulations to you on that! Could you shed more light on this novel and discuss your other works as well?
Seth Voorhees: Sure. I have four published works. All are available online, on Amazon, or at your favourite bookstore. I always recommend Barnes & Noble. Immune: Rise of the Inflicted is a pandemic narrative that explores how the pandemic reshapes society. As sides form, a new class structure emerges, and conflict erupts between the Immune, those immune to the virus, and the Inflicted, who survive the virus’s harsh trials. Both sides try to rebuild society, and their conflict shapes a new world. As I have already stated, it is inspired by The Walking Dead. I have also taken inspiration from the experience of the swine flu scare.
The Interim is a horror novel about the small South Dakota town of Copper, which, for two weeks in October, is haunted by Leopold, a seemingly invincible, diabolical monster. It is a different coming-of-age story in which the town’s youth tire of this yearly ritual. This one is inspired by Ray Bradbury’s Something Wicked This Way Comes.’
Mid-Glow, on the other hand, is set in the 1940s, around Pearl Harbor, and inspired by the allure of the 1930s bank robber. This version follows a group of bank robbers who are extorted by the very person they have been robbing. Forced to complete taboo tasks, they become part of a larger mystery.
And last but not least, Question 17 is another dystopian novel. Set forty years after Earth won a war against alien invaders, the story unfolds in a futuristic world. The main character, Cory, a brilliant student, lands an internship at a secretive government facility and becomes entangled in its secrets.
‘I Am the Free-Flowing Type’
B Sudharsan: Thank you very much for sharing your inspirations. Now that we understand you not only derive inspiration from books and TV shows but also real-life experiences, might I venture to ask whether you already have the plot and characters mapped out in your mind before you work on a story, or does the story unfold as you write?
Seth Voorhees: I was told there are two types of authors. The plotter—they get everything structured, outlined, and figured out before they start. Then there is the pantser—they write unencumbered and free-flowing. I am the free-flowing type, meaning I do not have an outline or structure. I always start with a nugget of inspiration from a book, show, movie, news article, or something I observe in real life. It starts with a scene, and then I drop the character into it. From there, it goes.
If what I have written is engaging and keeps me interested, the idea of what happens next will come to me later in the day; if it does not, the story was not meant to be. I never know what the finished product is until the end. Now, I will take notes here and there and maybe get inspiration for the next several chapters.
B Sudharsan: I love that. If I were to write a novel now, I would definitely be pantsing! How about the authors you read? Any favourites?
Seth Voorhees: Yes, when I was younger, it was Stephen King and R L Stine. But currently, my favourite authors are Darcey Coates, Jennifer McMahon, and Catriona Ward. Their characters are always well written, and their stories are never boring; they are filled with suspense and have great plots.
B Sudharsan: I cannot agree more, Mr Voorhees! I am given to understand you work a full-time job. So, our readers would like to know when you generally write. Do you tend to follow a fixed schedule? Or… do you write whenever you feel inspired?
Seth Voorhees: I write first thing in the morning, with a cup of coffee, in my office. Sometimes I have music, depending on my mood. The music is typically instrumental jazz or classical. The morning is when my imagination is at its best.
B Sudharsan: How do you balance writing with other responsibilities? Could you also share your hobbies and interests apart from writing?
Seth Voorhees: My other interests include fishing, reading, walking, doing puzzles, watching football during the season, and spending time with family. Of course, my job as an evidence-based curriculum facilitator and coordinator for adolescents and their sites’ staff is also a priority. I do not know if anyone can truly balance it all. I think you take it one day at a time. On some days, you have to neglect one to focus more on another, and then you make up for it on a different day.
B Sudharsan: Tell me about it. How about your works in progress though?
Seth Voorhees: I currently have several projects underway, and all I can say now is that they are all in the horror genre.
B Sudharsan: I love the suspense you are creating! (smiles) Now that you have published four books, it does make sense for me to ask you what you would like to tell budding authors, especially those who lose motivation when a few of their works do not perform well.
Seth Voorhees: I should say, write for the joy of creation. Failure, though, is part of the process, and you need to learn from it and apply what you have learned to your next projects.
On Importance of Having Hobbies
B Sudharsan: And if there is one thing you would like to change in this world, what would it be?
Seth Voorhees: The one thing I would change is to eliminate what I see as an ‘outrage culture’. I feel a lot of people look for things to be mad about, to complain about, and to be outraged by, and they are too sensitive. We have reached a point where if someone disagrees with you, we look upon them as an enemy, and we have to hate each other. I think we need to be more accepting, more mature, and more open-minded.
B Sudharsan: Thank you very much for your honest insights and for taking our questions. Wishing you all the very best in each of your future undertakings!
Seth Voorhees: It has been a pleasure! And before I leave, I would like to say something I strongly believe in, and that is the importance of having hobbies. I think all authors should have them. For me, at least, much of the inspiration for ‘what happens next’ or for a new story often comes when I am engaged in those activities. The two most important ones are walking and fishing.
I feel a lot of people look for things to be mad about, to complain about, and to be outraged by, and they are too sensitive. We have reached a point where if someone disagrees with you, we look upon them as an enemy, and we have to hate each other. I think we need to be more accepting, more mature, and more open-minded.
~ SETH VOORHEES
ENGAGE WITH LH | Click on the cover image of the book you wish to read and buy yourself a copy right offthe bat!
