Time warps

First of all, my apologies for the blog being delayed. We have just returned from a barbeque with some wonderful friends, and I realised today it’s the 30^th, my MTW slot!

We’re staying with friends in Jersey, and time is running away with us. I lost count of the days, maybe because I have no internet when out of our friends’ house? No social media, no instant contact with friends and family. That in itself is odd, like returning to the time of a house phone only. I was in college when mobile phones became more common, although you still needed a huge handbag to carry a mobile around with you.

Jersey is a beautiful place and staying with friends makes it even more special. With hubby, we have been binge-watching Bergerac, to get into the mood. Travelling around Jersey no longer in the 80s is fun as we try to find Bergerac landmarks. I will have to look for books set in Jersey as well, to remind myself of this beautiful place.

Yesterday we visited the War Tunnels, another time warp zone. The sadness can still be felt and being Dutch, I was so interested to read of another place that had lived through the Occupation. Such sad times, so much grief and fear. So strange to come out of the dark, cold tunnels, back into the light and beauty of the island. France can be seen easily, and again, freedom must have seemed so close, but so far away for those living through those dark days.

I love seeing those contrasts, strange twists and unexpected corners. There are some incredibly cool views here, and gorgeous doors. Where do the doors lead to? A steep drop down a cliff or another sunfilled path? Jersey has been inspiring and the beaches have been wonderful. Walking my puppy in the dark has given me some rather creepy ideas as well, for beauty and horror can be so close together. This beautiful week also brought loss when a neighbour messaged me with news. Grief and joy, so close together. It’s just Jesus Christ who is the same always, our Rock and Hope, and the One who has no darkness at all.

Maressa Mortimer is Dutch but lives in the beautiful Cotswolds, England with her husband and four (adopted) children. Maressa is a homeschool mum as well as a pastor’s wife, so her writing has to be done in the evening when peace and quiet descend on the house once more. She loves writing Christian fiction, as it’s a great way to explore faith in daily life. Because of her interest in writing, Maressa is part of Creativity Matters: Find Your Passion For Writing, an anthology encouraging people to write.

Her debut novel, Sapphire Beach, was published in December 2019, and her first self published novel, Walled City, came out in December 2020, followed by Viking Ferry, a novella. Beyond the Hills is the second book in the Elabi Chronicles, and was released in 2021, followed by stand-alone novel Burrowed, released in 2022. All of Maressa’s books are available from her website, www.vicarioushome.com, Amazon or local bookshops.