Writers at Home and in Isolation

I try to force my eyes shut, hoping in vain to sleep. All day my eyes have felt the weight of the pandemic on my lids, pushing them down. Yet now that I am in bed, I lie wide awake. The room is dark except for the small, blue light from the quiet television. It gives the room an unearthly [read more…]

In Spite Of / Because Of   Winner of the Bath and North East Somerset Libraries ‘Lockdown’ Competition (Poetry)     In Spite Of / Because Of   It is the most beautiful spring I can remember, Bright blue sky, and windows filled with soft sunlight Flamingo-pink blossom floats on the cherry trees Wild garlic wafts across the breeze, and [read more…]

Lockdown   Winner of the Bath and North East Somerset Libraries ‘Lockdown’ Competition (Short Stories)     Lockdown   She’s never been one for the crowded places. The town squares with their fountains and their tourists, the pedestrianised areas thronging with shoppers, the pubs full of drinkers spilling onto the streets. No. She likes the quiet. And the wild spaces. [read more…]

Hello, I’m Joanna, a writer at Paper Nations, and I have a rare condition that affects my immune system. My condition is normally invisible and had a comparatively minor impact on my day-to-day life, until Covid-19. Now I have to take extraordinary precautions and have been self-isolating for some time. Like many other vulnerable people, I am now facing months [read more…]