What do you think?
Rate this book
Hiding Behind The Couch #Novellas
Beginnings
Journey back to childhood, where the buds of friendship and romance blossom; take a peek into the lives of the primary school children who would become…The Circle.
“A very sweet short story of blossoming friendships and childhood traumas.”
“…a wonderful, engaging story that made me feel good inside… Highly recommended for readers who love richly written characters and clever dialogue.”
A stand-alone prequel from Hiding Behind The Couch.
“A very sweet short story of blossoming friendships and childhood traumas.”
“…a wonderful, engaging story that made me feel good inside… Highly recommended for readers who love richly written characters and clever dialogue.”
A stand-alone prequel from Hiding Behind The Couch.
61 pages, ebook
First published May 29, 2013
5 people are currently reading
33 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
Read
February 7, 2017Beginnings is available for free on my website, Smashwords, Beaten Track and sometimes on Amazon (Links here: http://beatentrackpublishing.com/beginnings)
Beginnings is a short story (17k) prequel to the Hiding Behind The Couch series, but I wrote it after I'd written the first three novels and the novella/short story, First Christmas.
Whilst I was writing book 3 (The Harder They Fall), little snippets of back story started to emerge, but they were tangential to what was happening, so I kept them in mind for later.
The outcome is Beginnings. Each chapter zooms in on different characters during their early childhood, sometimes in school, sometimes during the school holidays. These are the formative years, the events that shape who they are - the good and the bad.
As my sister wrote in her review, this is "...as they were before life corrupted them - a very sweet short story of blossoming friendships and childhood traumas."
It's also written to be suitable for ALL ages, and deals with issues such as child abuse, bereavement and identity, from the child's perspective and how they attempt to communicate this to the adults around them.
At some point I will take you on a tour of their high school years too, but for now, here's a glimpse of the children who become The Circle.
Beginnings is a short story (17k) prequel to the Hiding Behind The Couch series, but I wrote it after I'd written the first three novels and the novella/short story, First Christmas.
Whilst I was writing book 3 (The Harder They Fall), little snippets of back story started to emerge, but they were tangential to what was happening, so I kept them in mind for later.
The outcome is Beginnings. Each chapter zooms in on different characters during their early childhood, sometimes in school, sometimes during the school holidays. These are the formative years, the events that shape who they are - the good and the bad.
As my sister wrote in her review, this is "...as they were before life corrupted them - a very sweet short story of blossoming friendships and childhood traumas."
It's also written to be suitable for ALL ages, and deals with issues such as child abuse, bereavement and identity, from the child's perspective and how they attempt to communicate this to the adults around them.
At some point I will take you on a tour of their high school years too, but for now, here's a glimpse of the children who become The Circle.
July 19, 2013
Beginnings...a perfect title for a saga of lifelong friendships! This short story was a wonderful way to cheer myself up on a depressing day! It was so nice to immerse myself in a world of the wonder of mischievous children and grumpy teachers! Josh, Shaunna, Adele and the other mates I first met in HIDING BEHIND THE COUCH and it's "sequels" are here, and these are their "beginnings"
It's just a wonderful, engaging story that made me feel good inside. I am hoping one day to get all of the HIDING BEHIND saga on paperback because I just love tangible books that I can pull down from the shelf and read by the fireplace :) Highly recommended for readers who love richly written characters and clever dialogue!!!
It's just a wonderful, engaging story that made me feel good inside. I am hoping one day to get all of the HIDING BEHIND saga on paperback because I just love tangible books that I can pull down from the shelf and read by the fireplace :) Highly recommended for readers who love richly written characters and clever dialogue!!!
August 19, 2014
This is such a lovely start to a series.
I'm not usually big on childhood stories, but I think the author got the perfect balance.
I am now going to read the rest of this wonderful series. I feel a little worried really that I might like it too much and never want to leave it again for the real world.
I only recently came across this author, but I feel we will all be seeing much more of her in the future.
I'm not usually big on childhood stories, but I think the author got the perfect balance.
I am now going to read the rest of this wonderful series. I feel a little worried really that I might like it too much and never want to leave it again for the real world.
I only recently came across this author, but I feel we will all be seeing much more of her in the future.
August 22, 2014
Debbie McGowan is such a fantastic writer. Reading this book has an air of ' calm before the storm'.
Cannot wait to read the rest.
Cannot wait to read the rest.
September 24, 2014
4 stars from me
Well, well, well, where do I start with reviewing this book?!
What a refreshing read it was, so different from anything that I've read for a long while and (as I currently work in a school) so very obviously written by a teacher as the observations of daily school life were absolutely spot on!
This is a short book, a novella, that can easily be read in an afternoon and is easy to dip in an out of as the chapters often signify a change of time or place.
It is quite hard hitting as a couple of the chapters do refer to child abuse, which I wasn't expecting. I guess this is by way of background for the future books in the series but for me it came a little from the left field as the book up until that point had been startlingly realistic yet quite light.
Having said that, the subject was sensitively handled (in my opinion) and was suggested at rather than being horrifically graphic and it really is only touched upon in a couple of places, it isn't the main focus of the book.
Moving on from that as I don't want to put anyone off reading it, just wanted to nod to the fact that it's there, the realism with the books is absolutely brilliant. The observations of school life and childrens' behaviour touches on being amusing and I'm pretty sure anyone who has worked in a school would absolutely love it!
Well, well, well, where do I start with reviewing this book?!
What a refreshing read it was, so different from anything that I've read for a long while and (as I currently work in a school) so very obviously written by a teacher as the observations of daily school life were absolutely spot on!
This is a short book, a novella, that can easily be read in an afternoon and is easy to dip in an out of as the chapters often signify a change of time or place.
It is quite hard hitting as a couple of the chapters do refer to child abuse, which I wasn't expecting. I guess this is by way of background for the future books in the series but for me it came a little from the left field as the book up until that point had been startlingly realistic yet quite light.
Having said that, the subject was sensitively handled (in my opinion) and was suggested at rather than being horrifically graphic and it really is only touched upon in a couple of places, it isn't the main focus of the book.
Moving on from that as I don't want to put anyone off reading it, just wanted to nod to the fact that it's there, the realism with the books is absolutely brilliant. The observations of school life and childrens' behaviour touches on being amusing and I'm pretty sure anyone who has worked in a school would absolutely love it!
August 12, 2013
this is the prequel to the hiding behind the couch series. we get to meet our 'friends' when they were little people just starting out on their future lives. it's very interesting to read of them as they were before life corrupted them. a very sweet short story of blossoming friendships and childhood traumas.
May 13, 2015
This was an amazing book. In a beautiful and concise way, Debbie McGowan managed to bring the characters and plots to life. The stoiry was so evocative of my early teaching career, it was uncanny to read. I really want to read more from this story to see how it all pans out for these characters.
Well worth a read but be warned- you will be hooked!
Well worth a read but be warned- you will be hooked!
February 14, 2015
Review to come when I am over the flu, AGAIN! :(
February 12, 2017
3.5 stars
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews