Holding On Letting Go
Against a gorgeous backdrop of pretty villages and stunning scenery, Holding On Letting Go takes the reader to the heart of South West France through the eyes of an ex-pat family and their visitors.
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Change – exciting, unnerving, disturbing the familiar, threatening the comfortable.
‘Last night…’ he said, and again she gave him the sideways smile. ‘It was lovely, Jo, I want you to know.’ She took a deep breath and turned onto her side. ‘It changes everything,’ she murmured. ‘But I can’t think about it, now, my head hurts and I need to sleep.’
Characters
Jo
Jo accepts an invitation to join Chris when he visits his family in the Tarn et Garonne, France. They're good friends, colleagues at work, have seen each other through difficult times.
Predictably, her boyfriend isn't happy and questions her intentions. But his possessiveness is beginning to irritate and only fuels a determination to re-establish her independence.
Chris
For Chris, his wife's words, 'I'm leaving you,' devastated his past, snatched away his confidence. A year later and he is still adapting to a new, more cynical self. How can he ever move on, find a partner?
There’s one woman he could trust, but she’s unavailable - unless he can persuade her otherwise.
A holiday in France
During their stay at Andy and Hannah's farmhouse, they discover a corner of France steeped in history with a dramatic beauty that charms them both. But in the end, it will be the scorching heat, local wine, and the needs of their children that influence the course of events.
And letting go, rather than holding on, may eventually prove the best way to shape the future.
Catherine Finch
During my 30 years in teaching, I loved to write stories, plays and musicals for
children. My audience was enthusiastic and unfailingly appreciative. Unfortunately, as a headteacher, I was also required to write long, tedious documents for school inspectors. I don’t remember quite the same enthusiasm or thanks when I produced these works of fiction.
Although reluctant to leave the village school where I was headteacher for 11 years, I was delighted to find space in my life for some real writing.
I share my time between Lancashire and South West France, taking inspiration from both of these beautiful areas. Long walks give me the space to reflect, to absorb a new setting and to chat with my characters – yes, they talk to me and sometimes dispute what I have in store for them!
I am pleased to have been shortlisted and placed in a number of competitions, including Flash 500, TSS and the Bath Short Story Award 2017.
