Hello everyone,
I’m returning to the world of living, also known as social media! After a two year hiatus, and becoming an almost English Literature graduate (Summer 2019), I am ready to begin sharing my stories and travels with you again.
To find out what direction I was heading in, I needed a break offline to work out what that was. During the time away, I began a sequel to my novel, Jasmine Falling, (for those of you who have followed me before, you will know that I wrote Jasmine Falling, a fictional story based in my heritage homeland of Palestine). But writing the sequel wasn’t as easy as I thought. It wasn’t about the technicality of writing or a lack of storyline. It was something deeper. I couldn’t capture how my feelings have changed, how the Occupation is making me see my character’s through different eyes and ultimately I wasn’t sure how to translate that to fiction in a setting so close to my heart.
So I took a break from all the expectations. I began a writing journal, explored more, spent time in the souks of Jerusalem, the rainforests of Borneo, exploring life in the UAE and back home on the streets of London. What I realised from the break was that I love getting lost in my travels.
I find stories in photographs, conversations, a shared story, a scene, a sight and so begins another story in my writing journal; another point of view to share. I also find we change, we grow up, priorities shift and so the time comes when a new book, what starts as a seedling is nurtured into something bigger.
I want to share the world I see through the eyes of a wandering novelist. My main focus is now sharing my travels, my stories, writing advice, diverse literature and book recommendations straddling the East & West.
I hope to write to you soon & hear your points of view as you join me for the journey.
In the meantime, please share your successes and any new directions you have for the new year. You can now find me via: Twitter, Goodreads, or here.
Shereen Malherbe 