Further Beyond - Paperback

by Valerie Norris (Author)

'Reading, writing and walking: such an agreeable way to pass the days...' This is Rhian's discovery after she takes early retirement and travels to spend time on solitary retreat in a beautiful corner of Wales. From there her life unfolds in ways she could not possibly have foreseen. She revisits fragments of her childhood, reconciles fragile family relationships, survives a bad bout of flu and makes new friendships, especially with her rather eccentric neighbour. Her story and his become entwined and lead to life-changing events for both of them in her through-the-looking-glass existence. 'Step through the canvas, end the mirror-phase...'

Set against the magical backdrop of Pembrokeshire's Coast Path and surrounding area, the heart of this novel is Rhian's exploration of what 'home' means, and how that can change. 'Day by day this place, with its serenity and seclusion, continued to nurture me, away from the intruding world. The worst of the winter was now over, and March beckoned with its daffodils, primroses and quietly fattening buds...' Rhian discovers that the poetry she has longed to write takes inspiration from her surroundings and echoes her inner journey. How remote it seems, That time I had the fever, A patchwork of dreamsStitched by a phantom weaverFor a dream-believer.