The Grand Game of Life
We are living in a world that is often littered with news of doom and gloom. Nightingales provided a flash of escapism.
A Nightingales Fiction serial/novella/spin-off story
Mr Roberts put down his hand of playing cards, retrieved the bottle of gin from the kitchen and plonked it on the table, beaming at his grandson Jacob and the effervescent young visitor, Gen. He felt immensely happy. A feeling that had eluded him for some time until very recently.
His wife had been taken by a horrid disease when they were both only fifty-five, but his teaching job at the local comprehensive had given him something to live for.
However, the moment he’d retired from being the headmaster at the school over six years ago, he’d felt lost and alone. Retirement was not all it was made up to be. Mr Roberts retreated into his shell, hardly ever went out, and only answered the door to the supermarket delivery man.
He knew this would have to change, as he strongly believed that life was for living and even though he didn’t subscribe to a particular religion, he did believe in the notion of god.
In his own mind, god was — and is — inside all of us, and it’s up to the individual to keep in touch with this spiritual element and thereby nourish the soul.
With a heavy heart, Mr Roberts realised that he’d not been doing much of this lately. So he set aside some time to think about what had made him happy in the past.
Immediately he remembered just before retiring he’d treated his grandson Jacob to a holiday on the east coast of Spain. Jacob was eighteen then, and soon to join the Marines.
One night between them, they’d charmed three beautiful twenty-something young ladies to join them for drinks at a bar with a view of the ocean. What a grand evening it had turned out to be. Both men had learned something that day. Jacob — that he was ready to go out into the world and conquer all, including women. And Mr Roberts — that he still had the gift of the gab and a certain twinkle even a younger woman could not ignore.
With fond memories of his past trip with Jacob, the following day, Mr Roberts visited his wife at the cemetery for a chat.
He often did this.
After, he sat down on a wooden bench with graves all around and meditated. A simple way of getting in touch with the god within. He focused on how wonderful it would be to spend time with his Grandson again — not to mention attractive young women.
And would you believe it? The god inside his soul delivered…
A few days later, his grandson phoned to ask if he could stay with him when he finished his term in the Marines. Jacob’s parents (Mr Roberts’ only son and daughter-in-law) were now living the Life of Riley abroad.
Mr Roberts was thrilled to have the company of this compelling young man.
And then more joy… this very evening a wonderful young lady — Genevieve — who Mr Roberts had taught many years previous, somehow landed on his doorstep.
He felt blessed and was determined to give thanks by enjoying every… single… minute.
The above story is a spin-off tale from my Nightingales series. I wanted to take the opportunity to delve into Mr Robert’s background.
Nightingales is a fun, occasionally sexy, romance series which focuses on just one night.
The central characters are Gen, an impulsive, attractive young woman. And her old headmaster, the very same Mr Roberts as above. They are joined in the story by her two work friends and Mr Robert’s sexy grandson.
Writing a Serial
On Medium and Substack, I come across a lot of serials and understand that it is extremely hard to hold the reader’s interest longer than about four parts. Unless they are episodic(series), as in each tale a standalone story, so the reader does not really need to catch up to appreciate the plot line. That said, I was thrilled with the amount of views and engagement my flirty little serial Nightingales received. I think it caught the imagination of readers, as it is very light-hearted.
We are living in a world that is often littered with news of doom and gloom. Nightingales provided a flash of escapism.
You can check out the first two episodes free from this link — then if you enjoy it, why not purchase the paperback? (I changed the title!)
To buy the paperback book:
click here… (UK)
or USA here - The Dare Affair: One Night that changed lives.: Or How I Met Your Father
And for the e-book edition - free in Kindle unlimited
Gen’s waiting for you!
Find all my books here…
Another serial coming from me very soon! It will be published here on substack and is crime fiction with a taboo twist.
I always sing like a nightingale when I read your work!! Off-key, maybe, but gee, what exuberance!! 🎶🦆
Loved the series when I read it on Medium. 😊