Westfjords Writing Residency, Iceland

When I first arrived in Pingeri - a tiny village in the Wesfjords of Iceland, population; 246 - all I could hear was the sound of my ears ringing. It is so quiet. The silence is a sound of its own. And the longer I stare at the mountains ahead and all around me, the more profoundly they come to life.

The power of these landscapes is so deeply moving, it lives beyond words. Nature rules over all here. Yet here I am for a 3-month writing residency with the purpose of finding the words for a new novel.

Creativity is stirring. There is no shortage of inspiration. And this wide-open space and freedom of time to contemplate, walk and write is invigorating.

Amidst the solitude, I find solace within,

A rare harmony that few can comprehend.

The cascading waterfalls, the stoic peaks,

And the elusive northern lights above,

They bear witness to my silent wounds,

With a mysterious yet comforting love.

Harshness meets harshness in a consoling embrace,

As I witness the indomitable spirit of this resilient place.

Like the people who call it home,

I too have braved through storms and sea.

In their unyielding gaze, I see reflected

My unbroken, enduring soul.

And in this untamed wilderness,

I feel whole.

~ Excerpt from ‘A Silent Witness’, a short story published in issue seven of Os Pressen, the Icelandic literary journal

Now I return to my writing desk.

I'm excited to share this next novel with you. Inspired by Icelandic folklore, Jungian dream philosophy, environmental issues, I hope to embed it with as much of the power of this incredible country as I can find the words to do so.