This story was written in response to a Writers’ Circus challenge to create a story inspired by a song or piece of music.

The story started with me listening again to Paslm 23, The Lord’s my Shepherd, sung to the tune Crimond by the long defunct Glasgo Orpheus Choir under the direction of Sir Hugh Roberton. This choir’s SABT rendering is in a distictive Kelvinside accent and has long been a favourite of ours.

It stirs me, often to the edge of tears.

Here is the hyperlink:

https://youtu.be/7BciFYFtmbY?si=oLWu9LnpwSEUgqgA

We have just returned from a short stay at Siverdyke Caravan park, Anstruther where the the first version of this tale was tapped out on my iPad, becoming one of a small batch of stories created by a similar process.

Without further ado, I invite you to read on.

This story has its origins from a ‘sighting’ on a train journey to Oxford, long before Covid.

Our train was diverted to Banbury and a lady joined us at a four-seater table.

She was wearing and unusual brooch.

At Banbury, we changed to a bus which took us on to Oxford. They lady went her way and we went ours.

The story began in my head and then I started to tap it out on my iPad and, as happens from time to time, it was ‘lost’ among other snippets to be completed.

Well, here it is at last, perhaps eight years later?

It opens in Harrogate then tracks the life of a girl from Glasgow to Leeds.

To discover more, you must read on. . ..

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This story has been self-edited using ‘Read Aloud’ in Word.

Since there are around 40,000 words there must be errors and if you find one, please make your best judgement and read on.

Thanks.

Note: I have added a Contents listing which enables readers to move directly to a Chapter heading with a single CLICK.

At this website under “Writing”, there is a section called “Maisie Kaywood Stories”. These are about a Robin Hood type character who rights wrong by taking direct action against bad people, sometimes very bad people.

“Living with Myra” is part of Maisie Kaywood’s history, chronicaling the life of her mother, Myra Kaywood (nee Gallagher), a very clever girl from Yoker, one of the poorst areas of Glasgow at that time.

The major part of the action takes place during the WW2 era (1939 to 1945).

The story begins when Myra is approaching her tenth birthday and continues until her death when Maise is eighteen, ready to take on her mother’s role in the modern era.

I hope you will find it readable and interesting. I ask that you give it say, three chapters and see if it grips you. I hope it will.

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My thanks must go to Kareth Paterson from our Writers’ Circus group who kindly edited this 162,000 word ‘monster’ in its original very raw form.

This story has been evolving for around eight years and over the last month I have revisited it using “Read Aloud” in Word to complete a Final Edit which you can read here.

Over these many years I have enjoyed being in Myra’s company, learning about her complex character and ‘living’ with her during her exploits.

Throughout I have tried to avoid anachroisms and keep the text faithful to my idea of what it would be like to live in those far off early days.

Dear Reader, if you find errors, and there simply must be some, please make your best judgement as to what I intended and continue to read.

Thank you.

Note: I have added a Contents list which allows readers to go direct to Chapters by CLICKING on the chapter heading.

This piece came from a Writer’s Circus topic:

“Sandwiches.”

Mercifully, this is a shot story!

make yourself a coffe and give it a go.

This is a story which has been writing itself for a very long time.

Started in 2016, sadly the origin of the initial ‘prompt’ which got me going has long gone!

It begins in Ireland with Charles Horspool, the third son of a large landed family.

Born in 1796 when he becomes of age (21) in 1817, Charles inherits his alloted share of the family fortune.

A wayward child and youth, his family were pleased to be rid of him and Charles was glad to be free of living under the thumb.

The story moves to London, briefly, then Yorkshire and then to Glasgow: first to Garnet Hill, then Pollokshields, Newlands and Pollokshaws.

Other threads of the web of intrique emerge.

Annette Birkley appears and the story centres on her as it reaches its conclusion in 1946.

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Again I offer my apoligies for any errors. One aspect which gave me the greatest difficulty was keeping track of dates and ages of the characters. Hopefully I have lined all my ducks in order but if there are errors, let me know and I will try to correct them.

Ditto for spelling errors and typos. As in recent pieces, I used ‘Read Aloud’ in Word to guide me i my self-editing endeavours.

If you find an anomaly, please use your best judgement as to meaning and do, please, forgive and read on.

Thank you.