Kind friends,

The adventures and misadventures of being a writer are numerous.  I know, because my Thespian writes books as well as plays and has just published her first novel, and we were expecting to receive the first shipment from the USA (that is where the book is printed).  We are given the date of arrival, and I am alert on my window sill to advise her when I hear the van arrive.  It was a long wait, a very long wait, and to tell the truth I was exhausted with watching and waiting, and the wait continued for the next four days – nothing arrived.  Where was her ‘child’ she kept asking!  4th day contact with USA revealed that the shipment was untraceable – lost!

LOST IN TRANSIT!
Jacky was not best pleased.  She began to talk of hi-jack and that the Americans didn’t know where Wales was. and had probably sent her novel to Patagonia!  We were now to await another shipment, and I was back on my window sill as ‘look out’ while Jacky paced the house muttering unprintable oaths against all carriers of books. Clearly she was now convinced it was a conspiracy.  Maybe Donald Trump had issued an edict that all newly published books leaving the States should be scrutinised for any un-American dialogue!  A title with the words ‘vigil’ and ‘death’ and ‘innocence’ was probably the trigger for suspicion.  But the book is a ‘peace’ novel, and anti-war – and the title page has an image of an ivy crucifixion – (detail from Simon Barnes’ painting in the Theatre Art Gallery).  By now she was quite paranoid, and I had to give her a good talking to, advising patience.

THE ‘BOOK LADY’!
Seven more days, and the second shipment arrived.  She greeted the carrier with some suspicion, but he was friendly enough, saying she was known to him as ‘the book lady’. Well that’s a new title for her for sure, though as she had never met this carrier before – it did seem strange to both of us!  However, we now have copies of  VIGIL FOR THE DEATH OF INNOCENCE and can confidently announce that it is available in paperback or as an ebook via Amazon, or via Jacky if you can get her to part with any of them.

VIGIL FOR THE DEATH OF INNOCENCE

Jaqueline Harrison Barnes 

HE was a soldier, had fought in wars, had killed, yet he had the gift of healing.
HE was a doctor, trained to heal, to save life yet failed in the one great test.

TWO MEN from different worlds, one black, one white, collide in a car crash.
At that precise moment, as their two lives are irrevocably intertwined,
the security cameras in the Tower of London, watching the Royal Regalia, show
an image of a circlet of thorns beside the Royal Crown – and start to send out to
the world, messages of love and pleas for peace that cannot be stopped.

A political adventure! A weak and bankrupt Government intent on unleashing the ‘dogs of war’ versus a small group of ‘innocents’ who cross their path with a miracle. 

Horatio Nelson says: please go to the Llandovery Theatre Facebook Page or Llandovery Theatre web page for all information on new writing and publications.