Lorraine Mace: Friday Fiction Feature: This is Lockdown

Today’s Friday Fiction Feature takes a slightly different turn with a post from Marjorie Mallon about This Is Lockdown.

An anthology and compilation of diaries, short stories, flash fiction, contributions from the 'isolation writers,' plus poetry written during the time of lockdown in the UK. This Is Lockdown is written from a writer's perspective highlighting the simple pleasures of day-to-day life during such an uncertain and frightening time. It also gives a glimpse of the blogging, writing world. The book showcases several authors and their thoughts on what it is like to experience 'isolation' as a writer. I also discuss the handling of the pandemic and my thoughts on what might happen next. In the final part of the book I include my latest short story idea: a YA romance and various short pieces of poetry, and flash fiction inspired by the pandemic.

The compilation is divided into two parts; the first part is an anthology of writing set during lockdown which includes my family diaries and poetry, the ‘isolation’ writers featured on my blog, plus poetry and contributions from a wide range of authors and bloggers. There is also a wonderful piece from Jane Horwood and Melissa Santiago-Val about the amazing fundraising - Community Masks 4 NHS which has raised (to date,) £30,000 for the NHS.

The wonderful contributors are:

Richard Dee, (Sci Fi , Steampunk, Amateur Detective author,) Catherine Fearns, (Amazon Bestselling Author of Police Procedural/Mysteries and Music Journalist,) Lynn Fraser, (Author,) Jackie Carreira, (Writer, musician, designer and aspiring philosopher,) Willow Willers, (Poet and writer,) Sharon Marchisello, (Murder Mystery, Financial non-fiction,) Fi Phillips , (Author, Copy Writer) Jeannie Wycherley, (dark stories, suspense, horror,) Chantelle Atkins, (urban fiction, teen/YA,) Tracie Barton-Barrett, (Speaker/author,) Peter Taylor- Gooby, (Crime, Love Stories, Political Fiction,) Ritu Bhathal, (Chick Lit romance, poet,) Alice May , (Author, Artist and Speaker,) Miriam Owen, (Blogger and Doctoral Researcher,) Drew Neary and Ceri Williams ,(Ghost Horror, Supernatural,) Katherine Mezzacappa (Katie Hutton,) (Historical Fiction/Romance,) Sally Cronin, (huge supporter of indie community/blogger/author), Debby Gies (D G Kaye), (Memoirist/NonFiction,) Adele Marie Park, (Fantasy, horror, urban fantasy,) Marian Wood, (blogger, poet and writer.) Samantha Murdoch, (Writer, Blogger,) Beaton Mabaso (blogger, African storyteller.).Frank Prem ,(Poet, Author,) Anne Goodwin (Author, Book Blogger) and Jane Horwood and Melissa Santiago-Val - Community Masks 4 NHS

The second part of the collection includes a variety of individual pieces that I wrote during lockdown, my: short stories, flash fiction, and poetry including my YA romance short story: The Poet’s Club, plus a more mature Love Affair, (flash fiction set post virus.)

My other pieces include topical themes on:

The NHS, who shockingly don’t always get treated with the respect they deserve.

Uplifting flash fiction - an elderly COVID19 patients homecoming.

A gritty domestic abuse tale.

A poem and piece about Vincent Van Gogh’s painting being stolen.

Paper Hugs, a flash fiction humorous family piece.

A sad tale - Stay At Home - expressing the fears of a family man with coronavirus who laments his choices.

Student Flat, a family skype call which leads to a positive decision, and two short, dark humour pieces about Shopping Hell!

Focusing on this project helped draw my attention away from the escalating sadness of COVID19. It has allowed me to engage with many ‘new to me’ writers during this time.

I envision that This Is Lockdown will showcase talented authors and writers in a variety of genres. Some of whom, I may never have discovered if it wasn’t for this project.

Not all of the contributors are new to me, many I have met in person via Bloggers Bash events: Ritu Bhathal, Willow Willers, Sally Cronin, Sherry Matthews, and Marian Wood. Several are long standing online friends: Debby Gies, (D G Kaye,) Richard Dee, Beaton Mabaso, Adele Marie Park, Samantha Murdoch, and Frank Prem.

Author Bio

I was born on the 17th of November in Lion City: Singapore, (a passionate Scorpio, with the Chinese Zodiac sign a lucky rabbit,) second child and only daughter to my parents Paula and Ronald, only sister to my elder brother Donald. I spent my early childhood in a mountainous court dwelling in the Peak District in Hong Kong.

It’s rumoured that I now live in the Venice of Cambridge, with my six-foot hunk of a Rock God husband. My two enchanted daughters often return with a cheery smile.

Sometimes when the mood takes me, I adopt an alter ego, M J - Mary Jane from Spiderman. I love superheroes!

When I’m not writing, I eat exotic delicacies while belly dancing, or surf to the far reaches of the moon. To chill out, I practice Tai Chi and Yoga. If the mood takes me, I snorkel with mermaids, or sign up for idyllic holidays with the Chinese Unicorn, whose magnificent voice sings like a thousand wind chimes.

My favourite genres to write are: YA fantasy, magical realism, and various forms of poetry. I blog about books, writing, photography and inspiration at: https://mjmallon.com.

I enjoy writing articles celebrating the spiritual realm, my love of nature and all things magical, mystical, and mysterious. One of my greatest pleasures is reading. I’ve written over 150 reviews at my lovely blog home: https://mjmallon.com/2015/09/28/a-z-of-my-book-reviews/