A FORMER journalist and school principal from Leigh has celebrated the release of his first novel ‘Pushing Cotton’.
Former deputy editor of the Leigh Reporter and principal of Gilded Hollins Primary in Lowton, Darran Nash published ‘Pushing Cotton’ with Book Guild Publications late last year.
Described as a “modern adult fairy tale”, Gothic Fantasy follows two story threads, one set in 1903 and the other a hundred years later.
The protagonist, Nelson Hitchcock, is convinced his ancestors left him clues to unmask a killer after his father’s mysterious disappearance three years prior. However, Nelson is unaware that he is about to ignite a blood feud that has spanned a century; a supernatural vendetta where past and present collide with terrifying results.
Darran, who now runs a crèche with his wife Claire, said: “I’ve always been fascinated by fairy tales, and for good reason. The struggle between good and evil, the granting of wishes, magical spells and heroic quests are part of our narrative DNA.
These days, fairy tales are suitable for children; they are animated, even musical. But the original tales of the Brothers Grimm and Charles Perrault were stories for adults, and they were much darker: scratch the surface and the worst of humanity reveals itself.
“I began to think about how these traditional motifs might appear if repurposed into modern times. Would 21st century readers invest in wish-fulfillment for a done deal?”.
Pushing Cotton is published by The Book Guild for £8.99 and is available from bookstores as well as Amazon and Kindle.
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