The beach is great, isn’t it?
In the water you can paddle, wade, swim, throw a ball around, and float your troubles away. On the sand you can walk, talk, jog, run, race, collect seashells, skim stones, fly kites, build sandcastles and erect forts out of seaweed.
I have found solace on the warm sand, thrown my troubles into the sea, and found my footing when the ground below me was shaky. And most of all, I’ve allowed my mind to wander to stories other than my own, stories that became a sweet collection together, that I called Beach Shorts.
It’s funny what things inspired me. The gazania that grows in the rocks gave me Katie, who had been helping to remove the weed to be part of the world turning. The blue sky and the wispy clouds came from the beach too. Walking past collections of shells and rocks washed up on the sand gave me Moira, the palaeontologist struggling with dinosaur bones and the fight between her career and finding love.
The sea gave me the unnamed narrator of Woman, grappling with friendship and attraction. Hearing the blind of a seafront property flap in the wild sea wind gave me Anthea in Famous. A pause looking out to sea gave me Paul and his problems with his old flame.
I wonder if you can spot the front cover in any of the short stories? It features deliberately in at least two, but you might see it in more!
I love the stories in Beach Shorts a Sandthology. Such a diverse mix of lovely tales where people take on their challenges and triumph.
Here’s to the beach, and to the stories.
Joni
Joni Page 