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Rachel Reviews: Casey's Island by Patrick Ford
There is something very solid about Patrick Ford's storytelling. It has pace; it is plotted so you are led, as a reader, convincingly and adeptly from scene to scene through crucial events, action and character encounters, all conveyed with no stutters or comprehension issues with which you, the reader, must contend; the dialogue reads truly; the purpose is direct and unwavering.
By Rachel Deemingabout a year ago in BookClub
What does it mean to critique a story?
I entered a competition. I wasn't overly pleased with the story I submitted. Neither were the judges. Actually, that's not fair. One was enthusiastic. The other two sort of liked it, I think? All three had comments to make about it. I was happy to receive their feedback.
By Rachel Deemingabout a year ago in Critique
The Music That Made Me: Wires by Athlete
This is a song that I can never listen to without crying. It has a potency for me like no other in terms of how it reaches into my very essence and squeezes my heart. It seizes me, like a long lost brother and takes me back to a period of my life which was hard. Very hard.
By Rachel Deemingabout a year ago in Beat
The Power of the Brand
I'm going to write an article about fashion, even though I don't hold with it much. But once upon a time, there was a girl and then a young woman called Rachel who was much more concerned with appearance and clothing and its pedigree, scouring the pages of teen magazines and Cosmopolitan for tips and articles to keep à la mode, as it were.
By Rachel Deemingabout a year ago in Styled
Rachel Reviews: The Adamantine Jewel by Jeffery Pears
Jeffrey Pears has written in The Adamantine Jewel a thriller which combines many elements to create something which is a unique read. It is set in Los Angeles, India and Tibet and presents a story to which we can all relate: a virus is taking hold of the world and it's a killer, threatening a pandemic and as a result, extreme loss of life.
By Rachel Deemingabout a year ago in BookClub
Rachel Reviews: Super Human by Dan Pouliot
Dan Pouliot's book starts off explosively with an action-filled car chase, with characters fearful and frantic, and the way that the scene is described leaves the reader anticipating much from the rest of the action of the book. It is a great way to begin Super Human and sets it up for what it continues to be: a well-paced novel with tension and mystery throughout.
By Rachel Deemingabout a year ago in BookClub
Bite-sized excursions
"I don't understand why you stay when you say you hate it so much." It was a statement that she had asked herself over and over again. She knew the reason. It was because there was nowhere else for her. And she was a coward, scared to set off on her own again, leaving a life behind that she knew, for uncertainty. There were times where she longed for the freedom of difference, a life where she was not measured in terms of who she was with - husband, kids. To start again, afresh! Yes!
By Rachel Deemingabout a year ago in Fiction
The People That Shape You. Top Story - January 2025.
When I was in my twenties and thirties, I was an English teacher at a high school in Staffordshire in England. Previous to this, I had been performing administrative posts and wondering what the hell was I going to do? I knew that I was underperforming but I've never been a particularly driven person or rather, to qualify that statement, not by money or status.
By Rachel Deemingabout a year ago in Humans
Dave's Interview
Police Officer 1 (PO1): Can you confirm your full name for the tape? Dave: David Ronald Thompson. Police Officer 2 (PO2): Thank you. I'm D.I. Watts and this is D.S. Stanford. We'd like to ask you a few questions in relation to some accusations that have been made against you.
By Rachel Deemingabout a year ago in Chapters
Rachel Reviews: HaiLOS by David Perozo
The premise for David Perozo's book is an interesting one. We follow Drew, a lawyer, who is also a would-be entrepreneur, hoping the analyser he has developed is a hit. His invention takes information from urine and offers lifestyle advice and most importantly supplements so that you are, scientifically and biologically, your best self. Testing it on himself, he experiences what could be strange side effects, which raise questions and uncertainties for our protagonist.
By Rachel Deemingabout a year ago in BookClub
