A Quilting of Scars by Lucy E.M. Black is a described as ‘a contemplative novel about identity, secrets, life choices, aging and mortality.’
I am delighted to be joining in the publication celebrations today with an extract which I do hope whets your appetite for more!
A Quilting of Scars ~ Purchase link
[ About A Quilting of Scars ]
Filled with the pleasure of recognizable yet distinctively original characters and a deftly drawn sense of time and place, A Quilting of Scars brings to life a story of forbidden love, abuse and murder. Pulsing with repressed sexuality and guilt, Larkin Beattie reveals the many secrets he has kept hidden throughout his lonely life.
The character-driven narrative is a meditation on aging and remorse, offering a rich account of the strictures and rhythms of farming in the not-so-distant past, highlighting the confines of a community where strict moral codes are imposed upon its members and fear of exposure terrifies queer youth. As Larkin reflects upon key events, his recollections include his anger at the hypocrisy of the church, and the deep grief and loneliness that have marked his path.
There is a timelessness to this story which transcends the period and resonates with heart-breaking relevance.
[ Extract with Notes ]
Notes:
An investigation of a local barn fire revealed the murder of two men. Larkin Beattie lived on a nearby farm and knew the truth of what had taken place. Despite the Coroner’s Inquest Larkin kept the secret to himself, afraid that his best friend might be hanged. Larkin’s solitary life, although marked by loss, was enriched by the joy of caring for his magnificent horses. During the course of one long evening, Larkin reflects on the key moments in his life and how they shaped his path.
The burden of secrets followed Larkin like a dark shadow, always there, a black, menacing shape. Every now and then the darkness would startle him; he’d have to brace his legs firmly and hold his ground lest he disappear into the blackness. It was nothing that others could see or hear or feel, but it was attached to him; it would rise up and appear at will. Sometimes he’d feel a prickling at the back of his neck and he’d stand still, waiting for the tingling to run up and down his arms. Then his chest would tighten and he’d have trouble breathing. The panic would choke him as he flapped his arms, pacing back and forth till he wore himself out. Then eventually, at last, it would subside.His Ma referred to these events as “his spells.” She was sure Doc Mather would have a powder or a cure. But Larkin steadfastly refused to even see him.
The fleeting horror of the attacks marked Larkin. He was afraid of them. He tried to fight them off when they began but didn’t always succeed.
His Pa had once found him in the barn in the middle of one. He’d stood back and watched Larkin flapping his arms and pacing furiously. Then his Pa just walked over, pulled him in against his chest, and held him tightly. He held him without saying a word for maybe twenty minutes. Larkin felt surprisingly calmed by that closeness, by his Pa’s touch.
Larkin always liked to remember the feel of his Pa then, the stubble on his face scratching against his own, the smell of pipe smoke lingering on his jacket and shirt. The gloved hands gripping his forearms tightly while pulling him into an embrace and then the feel of them strong and comforting on his back, making patterns of small circles. It was the embrace of a man who could fix almost anything.
A Quilting of Scars ~ Purchase link
[ Bio ]
Author of The Marzipan Fruit Basket, Eleanor Courtown, Stella’s Carpet, The Brickworks, and Class Lessons: Stories of Vulnerable Youth, Lucy E.M. Black’s short stories have been published in Britain, Ireland, USA and Canada in a variety of literary journals and magazines.
She lives in Port Perry, Ontario, the traditional territory of the Mississaugas of Scugog Island, First Nations.
