Welcome to Wayward…
Home to the writing of Adrian P Conway
Aka, me.
If literary fiction or faith reflection is your bag, you’re in the right place.
Here’s what’s here:
Fiction
The Novella
The Pelican Crossing is a darkly spiritual romantic tragedy about the struggles of two London teenagers to be together across gang divides. Think Romeo and Juliet meets A Clockwork Orange via West Side Story and Brighton Rock! And then don’t. Ever again.
The Substack Edition is available for paid subscribers here and also globally available in ebook and quality paperback.
Stunning! Kitty Edwards, Author of forthcoming novel, The Blue Poppy
Read it. Reread it. Reflect on it. Thomas O’Connor, Values-Driven CEO
Writing so visually rich; I can picture everything spectacularly! Mark Owen Ward, Photographer
Economical with his words but creates a big story. Robin Price, Book Reviewer
An immersive reading experience… a city built as much from language as architecture. Danny Anderson, The Untaking
Thought-provoking and at times heartbreaking… a compelling read. J M Elliott, The Problematic Pen
Fulgurites - Short Stories & Flash Fiction
Of various hues. Including reader favourites Pooh Sticks (with accompanying audio by wonderful actress, Katie Pattinson) about a family history that’s hard to scrape off…
Pootchee, a loveable potty-mouthed Pomeranian with a message directly for you…
Legion AI, where an author interview takes one hell of a turn…
and, Books Like White Elephants, which has Hemingway weeping tears of [complete as appropriate] from his hacienda in heaven…
Other pearlers are also available to paid subscribers, such as Liberty Caps which features enough cats to balance out all the dog stories, Unicorns (new audio by the same Katie Pattinson), and the three-parter Molly, which possibly might include another dog.
I tend to write literary realist fiction with a gritty, spiritual feel. That ‘spiritual feel’ is caught up with my Christian faith. Flannery O’Connor, Walker Percy and George Bernanos have most influenced the way I picture the confluences of faith and fiction. Fiction for me isn’t veiled evangelising. Faith is rather the lens through which authentic stories emerge. I’ve started exploring these themes here.
More broadly, Jacques Maritain, G K Chesterton, T S Eliot and St Augustine have also left indelible marks. So too, Joyce, Beckett and Camus are rattling around somewhere in the Jungian depths. Suffice to say, beauty of form and language is central as is exploration of the ghostlier demarcations of Christian consciousness in the modern world.
Silence by Shūsaku Endō, The Power and the Glory by Graham Greene and The Road by Cormac McCarthy haunt my inkiest dreams.
Reflection
Fathoms - Personal Inspiration
Reflections on sources of writing inspiration along with various literary explorations. The opening article about adventures in soundscapes can be read here…
Scriptourer - Bible Story DNA
Exploring the relationship between the Bible and storytelling.
A riveting way to appreciate the riches of Sacred Scripture is to savour the power of its stories and characters. Wisdom is woven deep into the narratives. How the stories are told, why certain personalities take centre stage, what truths are offered up - it’s all there. Unending inspiration, sprinkled with a heavy dusting of mystery.
Opening explorations are deep dives into the early chapters of Genesis.
A Little About…
I was born in SW London so am obviously innately passionate about AFC Wimbledon, but grew up in Northants so am equally wild about fields of low rolling farmland. A fruitful tension, my home culture is both English and Irish. One likes to write a bit as well as cook, and I’m also fond of a chinwag and a good pint. For some reason, dark rum communes with me from the spirit world. Kung Fu and its deeper practices have been a lifelong joy as has been my faith. Nowadays, family life has seen me direct my talents into a new business called Dad’s Taxis. A venture as lucrative as writing.
A Portrait of the Artist as a (not so) Young Man
Joycean parody in acrylics by brushmaster, Ben East, who most certainly knows the difference between chiaroscuro and chicken giblets.
And here, camera alchemist minimalambient somehow transforms dull authorial reticence into golden candour:
In the sublime Lady Chapel at St Albans Abbey
Highly dangerous live action stunt writing shot in local coffeehouse.
How it works here…
Fiction. Generally, each new story is free to read for a week before moving to the paid archive. Stories usually appear once a month. Annual Members enjoy access to the complete archive. Founding Members also receive a signed first edition of The Pelican Crossing.
Reflections. Scriptourer articles will arrive once a month and Fathoms roughly every other month. Scriptourer reflections are free and it’s my intention to keep them so as I understand this work as part of my Christian vocation. Thank you to the many people who have made pledges. I really appreciate the kind gestures of support. Some Fathoms reflections/discussions will be exclusive to paid subscribers.
The Substack Difference. If you like my writing, you have the opportunity not only to support me but also to converse directly and potentially build a likeminded community free from the usual antisocial internet animus. It’s more like investing in my writing journey than paying for articles.
Thank you one and all for your unflagging support for and engagement with my writing. Tis a marvel to me. And a word of particular appreciation for all paying subscribers. The dream is always to live by words.
If you like what you’re reading then please consider telling others about it. Ideally everywhere.
And do feel free to leave feedback or discuss any of the writing.
It’s never entirely clear to me what my writing’s up to. Except, perhaps, not courting popularity. In that sense, I’ll always be happily wayward.
Cover photo: courtesy of Jonathan Bryers, private collection
Header photo by KAL VISUALS on Unsplash
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