I was born in Guyana, left there for the UK; worked and studied in London, before taking up residence in Sweden in autumn 1969. In the 70s, I tried my hand at writing fiction, mostly short stories, a four-act closet drama, a novella, and an unfinished novel. I spent two years nurturing the ambition to become an author of some repute. But the going was tough, with no financial security for the future. I shelved the idea of earning a living through writing and got a job as a hospital porter. Later, I got a BA (Eng. & Edu.). After a summer job at a psychiatric hospital, I decided to do a 4-term course for mental-health carers, Following that I completed the first of two stages of psychotherapy education and several short courses in cognitive therapy. After retirement, I did part-time mental health counselling work for several years. In February 2016, my debut book appeared: Strangers In Another Country, a collection of two short stories and two novellas, available in ebook and paperback. On 9th Dec. 2016, I published a novella, The Eternal Struggle: An Amorous Story. In March 2017, Two Girls in a Café, a short story appeared. Making Sense Of Past Time - a Novel available in paperback, and ebook format. Tell Me Who My Enemy Is - a four-act closet drama published this summer (2018). The Ballad of Calle and Maja - a short story published Nov 2018. Getting it Right, if Ever – Romance Novella was published 22nd Aug -19 Four Bittersweet Romances & A Four-Act Closet Drama was published 3rd Nov 2019. In 2020, I published a short story, Darker Than Blue --This Mortal Coil. MY BOOKS ARE UPDATED (Dec 2020). I have a Twitter account @lgt41 and a blog page: lgt41blog.wordpress.com. I’m a hobby photographer, and you can view several of my images at https://www.foap.com/community/profiles/lgt41 I sincerely hope you find my stories enjoyable, and a review of my books would be much appreciated. Lawrence G. Taylor
"Getting It Right, If Ever" is a blend of fantasy and realism. The action takes place in two imaginary countries at the beginning of the seventies.
Benji is a forty-year-old light-skinned gardener, handyman, and aspiring poet who hails from TeeGee Island, an imaginary island in the British Caribbean.
After Sunday service, Benji meets forty-five-year-old Molly, a visitor to TeeGee Island. They become pen pals, and she invites him to Vikland––an imaginary country in Northern Europe.
Benji is beside himself with joy and gets the opportunity to visit another country for the first time.
A few personal grievances plague Benji. His youthful appearance––hairless face and bright eyes––bothers him, prompting him to sport a full beard and dreadlocks of grey to appear older and hoping it will enhance his self-esteem.
Another grievance is his light complexion. The tropical climate did little to make him darker and was not sufficient to Benji's liking. He is known in his village YoYo as 'reds' because of his complexion, but Benji refers to himself as African––wishing he was jet black.
Benji also treasures the ambition to become a published poet but hasn't had much luck.
Then a year or more later, Benji catches sight of a beautiful, brown-skinned woman in Vikland, becomes spellbound and sets out to win her affection.
However, Benji's wooing becomes anything but straightforward, as if the woman's beauty casts a spell over him. His approach is courageous though not conventional.
Olga's Review:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Such a deep understanding of human nature on every page!
Reviewed in the United States on August 22, 2019
This is the book of life and love, of friendship and loneliness, of hope and despair and a lot more! While reading, I am always trying to imagine what the ending will be: this time I haven't come even close.
Lawrence G. Taylor has created his novel in that amazing style, that one simply wonders how writing could have ever been this great! I was impressed that this fascinating read could evoke such warm memories and feelings in me.
To develop the story of the relationship of Benji, the 40-year-old Caribbean gardener, and Angelica, whose affection he is desperately trying to win, the author uses simple but so greatly chosen details that speak a lot about characters and events. Benji's love for jazz, the way he compares his beloved woman to actress Dorothy Dandrige, and many more things help to create a picture that is so easy to visualize.
I was stunned by Benji's analogy of human beauty when he compared it with "fresh flowers in a vase" – the metaphor was used in an unexpected way. However, my favorite thought from the book is: "It's not the thing itself, but how we understand it that affects us emotionally." So simple, yet so true!
The picturesque characters of Benji's friend Monica, Angelica's ex-lover Ram-Paul and numerous flash-backs just add miraculously to the whole narrative, leaving a great after-feeling of reading a true life story. The author managed to convey such a deep understanding of human nature - both man and woman - on every page of his book.
I recommend this book to everyone! Reading it was like looking inside of oneself and experiencing different feelings through the masterfully crafted characters and story.
Título : Getting it Right, if Ever – Romance Novella
EAN : 9798201288105
Editorial : LAWRENCE GORDON TAYLOR
El libro electrónico Getting it Right, if Ever – Romance Novella está en formato ePub
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