Us Greek Villagers are still enjoying getting to know each other over on Facebook, and as I mentioned in my last blog post, I'm going to share the conversation with you here on Goodreads, so you can get to know us too.

If you want to join in on Facebook, come and find me here https://www.facebook.com/authorsaraal...

This week's Ask Sara on Facebook was with reader and friend Clive Webb. I selected Clive to tell us three things about himself, and to ask me three questions.

Here is what Clive told us about him:

I went to boarding school aged 7 and then on to a public school (private school for our American friends) called Christ’s Hospital – also boarding. It was founded in 1552. We wore yellow knee length woollen socks, knee length breeches, a long coat with silver buttons down the upper half, a leather belt with a silver buckle, and white flappy things (“bands”) at the neck. Next I went to London Uni to study Marine Biology. I met my wife Bev there at the first interview.

I have been a nature boy since reading Gerald Durrell on Corfu at the age of 10, and in fairness the degree course was just an excuse to go fishing. These days I fish for Bass and other edible creatures off the south coast – I also love to cook them, and virtually any other quality ingredient.

I started playing the guitar at boarding school and although I have done various party rock/funk/ blues bands over the years, these days I play electric each week at our very lively multicultural church in Southampton, where Bev is one of the main leaders. (I became a Christian at Uni.). My main setup is a Gibson Les Paul through a Cornford amp, for any guitarists among you. We have great musicians and singers, and we range from atmospheric contemplative to out and out rock.

And here is what Clive asked me:

What was your education path? What were the highlights and lowlights?

Ah Clive, this brings back memories I would rather forget! For a brief time I went to a convent school, the first place I was misunderstood because I was dyslexic and I could not remember which hand to cross myself with! The lowlight was at the tender age of six. The school had taught me to give before receiving, so at the tuck shop in the break I would put my money in the dish before taking my sweets and Sister Marie’s face would wrinkle as she smiled at me. One day there was a new nun who did not know our system and she did not see me put my money in the dish, but she did see me take the sweets. With a swish of her robes I was whisked to Mother Superior so quickly my little feet did not touch the ground, where I was accused of stealing. On the way home I tried to explain what had happened to my mother. She listened but insisted it must be a misunderstanding, that it didn't happen the way I said. That was quite a day for me - to be branded a thief by the nun and then to feel like I was being called a liar when I told my Mother, and it burnt deep. That sense of injustice and of not being heard has fuelled the writing of many of my stories.

The highlight? Talking to my art teacher and expanding my mind on how we view things. What if everything was white? What if there were no shadows...?

What in nature grabs my attention? Does it give you any notion of a creator?



Everything in nature grabs my attention. I love nature in all its forms, and especially as it overgrows man’s attempts at permanency; a vine growing up the side of a house, a flower breaking through tarmac. I love wide open spaces as well as the rich foliage of a wood. Moorland is my ultimate release - rolling bracken or heather as far as the eye can see. I can still recall from teenage rambles the sound of a stream still running, bubbling underneath its top surface of ice on a winter’s day.

But does it give me a sense of a creator? Well there is no doubt something has created all this, but was it a big bang, evolution, the god within or the God without? Who am I to answer such a question? There are some things we do not have enough information about to make informed decisions.

I think you appreciate music, but which styles? Have you ever played or sung?

I began to learn the violin aged six and studied seriously until the age of 18 when I achieved my grade 8 and there was some encouragement for me to attend music collage. I tinkered with the violin for a while after that, then studied the saxophone without too much success. I pootle on the Irish whistle if there is one around but I think my days of making music have passed, although I still dream that one day I may pick up the violin again before my fingers get too crooked. As for what I prefer to listen too, I listen to everything from Led Zep to Puccini. At the moment my preferred music is silence - simply because I do not get much of it.


Thank you Clive! And as always, keep an eye out for the next Ask Sara post, and don't forget to come and join in over on Facebook too!