The North Finchley Writers' Group

by Richard Tearle, Helen Hollick (contributor)

When a group of north London writers meet each month for a chat, coffee, and cake – what else is on their agenda? Constructive criticism? New Ideas? An exciting project? And maybe, more than one prospective romance...?

Eavesdrop on the monthly meetings of the North Finchley Writers' Group, follow some ordinary people with a love of story writing, and an eagerness for success. Discover, along with them, the mysteries of creating characters and plot, of what inspires ideas, and how real life can, occasionally, divert the dream...

142 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 18, 2021

Reviews

[Mercedes Rochelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve never joined a writers’ group, so I was curious to see what I might be missing. I expected the usual jealousies and conflicting egos, and although there is a little of this (very little) the prevailing mood was mutual encouragement. How refreshing! This charming novelette brought us into the lives of writers in various stages of success, and apparently the members were genuinely interested in each other’s progress. Each meeting was held at a different character’s house, and the first person POV changed accordingly. Much of the action was seen through our protagonist Rob—but not always. If a chapter title was another person’s name, that told us who was talking. I learned to pay attention to the headings, though it took me a while to catch on. If the chapter title was not someone’s name, it was Rob talking. The story hinged around an anthology they were working on. Rob was in charge of the project with the assistance of Angela, who was beginning to get mighty friendly with him. We didn’t spend too much time on the “nuts and bolts” of the publication; it was much more interesting to see how everyone interacted. Little romances cropped up and our characters coyly looked the other way. Some characters harbored secrets about their home lives, their careers, or their health. They spent a lot of time wondering about each other:

Monty’s dream was to end the hum-drum slog of tedious office work. What he actually did for a living none of us knew and nobody dared – or had bothered – to ask. He was the only one of us who had never made a single penny from his writing. Well, apart from Sally, but I presumed she made a living from her design work – I was certain, now, that she was keeping schtum about something. I reckoned that she did more designing than she was letting on. Kept it quiet, was paid in cash to avoid the taxman. Good for her, I say.
Was that the reason for Monty’s general attitude at our meetings? Jealousy? We were doing all right. He wasn’t. He was often unenthusiastic and acerbic, yet I always got the impression that he needed us in some way.

The author has a wonderful way with words and the book never bogged down. Everyone has a story, after all. I found myself caring about these little lives, and I felt like I was right in the middle of it. Nicely done!

[Cel Jel · Rating 5 out of 5]

What do writers talk about in writer's groups, how do Anthologies get put together, how do you get a book published? Are there ways of improving a book to have more chance to be published by a big publishing house?
Do some authors keep secret that they are the author of a style of book because they do not want to be associated with that type of writing.
The book has alternating chapters, a chapter involving some aspect of the life of one or more of the writers outside the meetings, and then a chapter in the book group.
Unfortunately returning to work has led to me not being able to read it as quickly as I would have liked.

[Julie Bozza · Rating 4 out of 5]

A charming and very English tale, featuring an interesting range of characters. It almost makes me want to join a writing group! So, mission accomplished, I would say.

[Rohase Piercy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a charming novella about - well, what it says on the tin, a group of writers living in and around North Finchley, London, on whose monthly meetings we get to eavesdrop.
They're a varied bunch, both as regards personality and authorial success - two or three having being well known enough to make a comfortable living while the rest are either moderately successful, self-published, or in one case yet to be published at all. One of them is keeping her former career a secret; one of them is terminally ill; at least two of them share a mutual attraction, and one has a fondness for the bottle. And yet somehow, in fits and starts, they all work together to produce an anthology and support a new publishing venture.
All of us writers will recognise ourselves in these pages as the narrative exposes our hopes, fears, faults and foibles in the nicest possible way. My only criticism is that Rob and Angela really wouldn't be able to fit in all that activity in one afternoon in Brighton .... read the book if you want to know more!

[Loretta · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read a couple of Richard Tearle's short stories before as he is a contributor on Helen Hollick's blog, and I've found them most enjoyable, so I was pretty sure this would be a good read. And I was right. Richard has drawn his characters skilfully, bringing out their individual quirks, sketching their meetings with a light hand.
The NFWG are a collection of authors at various stages in their careers. Started by a couple of seasoned authors, it includes indies, short story writers and a quiet lady with a secret, all of whom cover a selection of genres. As they work together to produce an anthology, they will discover much more about each other, and we can watch them grow.
I found it a joy to read.

[Paul Marriner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thoroughly enjoyed this. Richard Tearle and Helen Hollick have given us a gently thought provoking tale of the aspirations and relationships between and across the North Finchley Writers' Group. It's engaging and relevant and, for anyone that has been involved in any groups sharing creative ideas (and not just writing), is so relatable. The authors have had the confidence (& rightly so) to focus on the people and show us their dilemmas and lives without resorting to over-wrought melodrama - it's real and it works very, very well. The ending brought some bitter-sweetness but also much optimism and it would be nice to think that at some stage the authors give us an update on the ongoing lives of the NFWG.

[David Ebsworth · Rating 5 out of 5]

This one had been on my "To Be Read" pile for a little while and I finally came to it after having been bogged down in a couple of heavy non-fiction books. Blessed relief. I've been in a couple of writers' groups myself so was instantly at home in the company of Richard Tearle's too believable characters. I loved the way he sketched them, like listening to a radio play, allowing my imagination free rein to shape them a bit. And a genuine page-turner, sometimes very funny, sometimes sad. I couldn't fault it, to be honest. But then, almost immediately after I'd finished, I spotted the tragic news that Richard Tearle had passed away. A great loss.

[Michael Derczo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Life is such a splendid journey! This novel was a brisk, fun-filled tour of life in all of it’s faceted dimensions. The characters jumped to life and were so believable. It felt as I was along for the vibrant ride. It was up-to-date in the COVID-19 World but honored each fictional person’s uniqueness, past, present and future. It was just as one would hope it would be: spirited, light and at times serious, but overall a thoroughly entertaining read. Congratulations Richard and Helen on this remarkable portrait of lives being well lived! Hope for more!

[gj indieBRAG · Rating 5 out of 5]

We are proud to announce that THE NORTH FINCHLEY WRITERS' GROUP by Richard Tearle with Helen Hollick is a B.R.A.G.Medallion Honoree. This tells readers that this book is well worth their time and money!

[ChillwithabookAWARD With · Rating 5 out of 5]

The North Finchley Writers' Group by Richard Tearle has received a Chill with a Book Readers' Premier Award.
www.chillwithabook.com

[Joanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

We have all belonged to a club, company or family where there is an anoying person who rubs us up the wrong way. Richard Tearle describes such a person among many other endearing characters in this book. I really like the gentle humour and the realistic way the characters are portrayed. It's not a long book, but it keeps you interested and has a satisfying conclusion and a few surprises along the way.