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Sixteen new writers add their voices to the world's Tapestry O' Tales. This book is a big wonderful celebration of writing and of the diversity of voices there are in our world. All the writers in this anthology have experience of, or are affected by, mental illness but this does not define them or their writing. This book is full of strong and honest writing that doesn't flinch from difficult subjects. It also contains warm, wise, funny, sad and thoughtful stories, poems, an essay, a play and illustrations produced by writers from the Dundee Rep Theatre Arts Advocacy Project writers group.
Enjoy this glorious feast of new writing.
As society is little more than a consensus about the relative importance of common myths, the absence of new stories makes for a monotonous and confining culture. So those people who have the hardest time writing because their experiences are undervalued and their self-confidence often low consequently have the most new material to add to the ‘Tapestry O’ Tales.’ Jim Munroe, www.nomediakings.org
This book is a big wonderful celebration of writing and of the diversity of voices there are in our world. All the writers in this anthology have experience of or are affected by mental illness but this does not define them or their writing. This book is full of strong and honest writing that doesn’t flinch from difficult subjects. It also contains warm, wise, funny, sad and thoughtful stories, poems, an essay, a play and illustrations produced by writers from the Dundee Rep Theatre Arts Advocacy Project writers group and some friends of the group. The group were awarded a bursary from the Lottery in order to fund this book.
What struck me most when editing the work was the great range of voices. Every person who submitted their work managed that difficult thing that writers struggle with, they found a voice of their own. Many people felt that their work stood best largely unedited and in many cases I agreed (although I have a small box full of exclamation marks that I wrestled away from the authors!).
The process of producing a book was a positive learning experience for everyone involved. Much of the writing you'll read was written at home and some of it was done in the weekly writing group or worked on there. The writers all had a determination to tell a story, to share their experience with others, to add their voice to the ‘Tapestry O’Tales’. Seeing this strengthened my belief in the positive power of creativity and art to enrich people’s lives. Although mental health doesn’t define the writers in this book, it has an undeniable part in many of the contributors lives and seeing people dealing with serious illness and still keep working increased my respect for what they have to deal with and made me feel humble many times. Life isn’t always an easy matter and it can be made more difficult when suffering from an illness, particularly one that people don’t understand, that is stigmatised and needs to be hidden.
Some of the writers in the book have been writing longer than others and there is a huge range of abilities and talents but every voice is unique, original and valid. The book is ordered alphabetically, with each contributor having a section of their own. The book starts with an evocative cycle of manic depression seen from many viewpoints, written by Karen Adam. You can then share the wildy veering experiences of Ablaze Darkstar and celebrate her success. With Graham Burns you can take part in a dramatic and utterly convincing alcoholic recovery meeting. From Mandy Cummings and Delia Gallagher learn a few things about the mental health industry. Read about an unusual landing in Iona from Colin Elder and his elegiac poem to Chardonnay. Have a One Night Stand with Craig Forbes and hear the Chirupping Song of the Butterbee. Take a little sideways view of life with me, Delia Gallagher and My Cousin The Fishfinger. Be moved by Mathew Gray’s clear and compelling pieces on Life, Love and Zorro. Feel the rage against an unfair world where they try to photocopy humans and see the Small Good Things that keep Rhona Hoggan going. Go on an outing to the zoo and see a wonderfully topsy turvy and sometimes sad view of life with Samantha Keddie. You'll delight in the canny wit and wisdom of Kevin McCabe in his journeys and views on the world and wonder about Who Drank The Milk. Learn a little about Dougald Mennie’s world full of inventors, discoverers and explorers, beautifully illustrated by Aszhka Matysiak. Take a trip with Patrick Donnelly as he shares his first experiences with drugs and read his poem written in Rome. Join Jim Strachan in his grandmother’s kitchen and rejoice in the power of a baby’s smile. Go with Rosie Summerton to a vivid and atmospheric desert where you'll feel the joy of rainfall. Meet Tricia Wright and Rabbie Burns in an art Therapy class and feel the sorrow of having no-one. There is also an anonymous section followed by some eye opening questions and answers on mental health written by the group, and a reading list and websites for anyone interested in learning more about mental health.
A lot of people worked hard for this book and I would like to thank all of them. I hope you enjoy our book which can be ordered below.
Delia Gallagher
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Softcover - 264 pages - Price: £3.99 - ISBN: 0-9538413-4-0
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