Claire relives her past but her memories are fragmented, shattered like the remains of a toy kaleidoscope.
A troubled childhood, the loss of her baby, and the end of her marriage are seen through a distorting lens, twisted and unclear.
What really happened? And can Claire find a way through the mirror maze of memories to discover the truth?
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Writer Sarah Leavesley began writing Kaleidoscope after inspiration struck following the birth of her son James in 2003. More than ten years later, she came to TLC for assessment, feeling that the time had come for a specialised professional editor’s opinion on the work.
“Although I’m a published poet, Kaleidoscope was my first fiction work of any length and I was nervous about sharing it. I needn’t have worried; Cynthia Rogerson was bot
h thorough and encouraging in her TLC feedback. It gave me the confidence and direction that I needed – so much so that a few months later the reworked novella was taken by Mantle Lane Press for publication in their beautiful pocket-size range. Delighted is not the word!”
The main character of the novella, Claire, is an over-pressured young mum trying to come to terms with loss and heartbreak. The tale is lit by sadness but also love, insight and some intrigue, as well as tackling the illusion (and pressures of fighting against) the idea of ‘perfect motherhood’.
After being shortlisted in the Gatehouse Press New Fictions Prize 15/16, Kaleidoscope was accepted for publication with Mantle Lane Press. The beautiful pocket-size book is priced at £4 and available directly from the publisher Mantle Lane Press here.
We would like to congratulate Sarah, and wish her the best of luck in her writing career.
