James Carnarvon

Even during the long, hot days of the summer, the deepest truths are sometimes learned in the darkness, when the sun has spent its fury and the distractions of the daylight hours have given way to the mellow strains of the evening. In the Italian mountain town of Ravello, perched high above the Amalfi coast, dusk lasts for a long time, as the sun dips below the rugged peaks on the far side of the Valle del Dragone long before it falls below the curving horizon of the Tyrrhenian Sea. During

A novel in twelve chapters. Summer again. Thirteen-year-old Daniele Ferrero reaches out to Marco, a lonely and vulnerable boy who has lost his only friends. Meanwhile, teenage couple Toto and Michele take stock of their future, and Gianni and Angelo suffer a loss. There’s trouble in paradise for all concerned. What truths will be revealed when darkness falls?

Empty Shoes is a heartfelt story told, unusually, from the perspective of the loving father of a gay teen. As such, it is written as a series of recollections with minimal dialogue. It starts out as a coming out tale of sorts, although this is really just a sweet prelude. Years flash by in the first chapter in order to deliver us to to the remaining three chapters, where the real meat of the story is. I don't want to spoil the story by explaining what happens next, but major themes include the casual cruelty of random chance and the price of courage. It's safe to say that there are hard-hitting passages in the story that some readers may find a bit too close for comfort; we ride with the main character through a terrible situation in which he feels completely powerless to help, and the author puts us right there with him. But, in both the gentle set-up and the aftermath, the story is also a testament to the power of love and the kindness that, under the right circumstances, people are capable of showing one another. The author, @drsawzall, seems to be wary of putting dialogue into his stories, and I often find myself wishing he would give his characters a bit more of a voice to help us learn about them, how they see the world and what makes them tick. However, the retrospective nature of this tale plays to the author's strengths, and I was surprised by how deeply I cared for these characters despite the narrated style of most of the tale. The ending of the story could be accused of straying from dramatic closure into political statement but, aside from that: a short story that punches above its weight on an emotional level, and a job well done.

A good story @drsawzall. The school shooting was a left turn that I wasn’t expecting. After the first chapter, I was expecting something more elegiac in relation to Mary Ellen, although I also had my suspicions that something unpleasant might happen to one of the boys. Once I realised what the story was going to be about, I adjusted. The actual shooting was vividly told through the eyes of the father, trapped in his office and unable to help. I certainly felt for him, and I was totally with him in wondering desperately what had happened to Ethan. The story of the boys’ recovery was heartening, with the support of the boys’ friends from the golf club. The more political angle of the final chapter was a bit lost on me, I’m afraid, as I’m lucky enough to live in a country where mass school violence is a rare thing. Of course I do hear about school shootings in the US, and I’m always horrified by how easily and frequently they seem to happen. I can totally see why you felt moved to write this. I hope, some day, an informed conversation does begin that leads to real reform.

How nice to read a ‘coming out’ story written from the perspective of a loving parent! It suits your writing style to present this story as a memory / retrospective - a moving fusion of fact and feeling. Evan and Micha were lucky to encounter such understanding. I wonder what the future holds for this family, knowing what becomes of Evan’s mother. I’ll catch up on the remaining three chapters in the next few days.

This was a difficult story for me to review, because I’m not a fan of detailed depictions of sex in stories. In general I find it takes me out of the story when I have to wade through the mechanical / anatomical details of each coupling, and there is quite a lot of that on show here. However, to overlook or down rate this story on the basis of that alone would be a disservice to the rest of Ivor Slipper’s work, in which he has created a thoughtful tale of two gay teens trying to find acceptance in conservative America. The story is told from the point of view of Adam, the intelligent fifteen-year-old son of zealously religious parents who seek to beat sin out of him wherever they find it. When he meets and becomes involved with sensitive school ‘jock’ Troy, it’s clear that there will be no happy ending for Adam while he remains with his birth parents. Fortunately, he escapes from their dubious care at an early stage and the story follows Adam and Troy’s lives together from there. ‘Unbeaten’ is not the most focused tale, and it meanders quite a bit in the telling, but along the way Adam and Troy encounter many ups and downs, ranging from moments of sweet humour and self-discovery to moments of shocking violence. The full spectrum of human behaviour is on display here. Homophobia is a recurring theme in their struggles, often mixed up with repressed homosexuality in a toxic but quite believable fashion. Thankfully, Adam and Troy also make several helpful allies, not least their supportive teacher Mr. Edgars, and Troy’s loving and very open-minded parents. The story progresses to a reasonably satisfying conclusion, even working in a few rather ‘meta’ references to GA towards the end. Through narrative and dialogue, Ivor’s solid writing paints a clear picture of small-town life that I found educational and evocative. I may have read more beautifully told stories, but ‘Unbeaten’ captured and held my attention, I cared for its characters and was rewarded by the growth they both experience over the course of the story. Oh, and the descriptions of Mrs. C’s cooking were wonderful… a feast for the imagination!

It’s official, folks: I have just finished writing the first chapter of Ravello 6, which will be a partial return to more familiar territory for this series. I should have something to share with you by the summer.

Thank you for your attention and for sharing all your thoughts along the way. I read, with interest, all the various comments criticising Giacomo, Emilia and even Dani for not working harder to make things up with Marco. I'm not sure whether it's a criticism of the writing or just the characters' choices. Personally, I think it's quite realistic for a bunch of 12/13-year-olds to not "get it right" straight away. Marco isolates himself in a fairly hostile way (Dani is the only one who truly understands where it comes from and, as the new member of the friendship group, it's difficult for him to act). I can't really imagine Giacomo and Emilia immediately reaching out to Marco with maximum empathy based on what they've seen of the situation. I think those wounds could be healed, but it would be a whole other story... As far as the Ravello setting goes, I think there's actually a story arc of sorts between my novels. The Summer of the Firefly presents a naïve, idealised view of the place until right near the end of the story, when Gianni crosses a line he didn't realise was there. Together We Can Fly presents a more rounded view of the place, with an understanding of why some young people who are brought up there might want to leave as they grow up. Dani the Hero adds the consideration that bad things can happen in good places. It's a violation, although hopefully the bad element has been 'cleaned up' at the end of the story thanks to Toto, Enzo and (eventually) the police. It's ironic that the youngest, most innocent main character gets the darkest story, but maybe that's the nature of the adventure/mystery genre, and it's a triumph for Dani that he escapes the story with his generally positive worldview intact. This is still a Ravello story, where relationships are key, and I think it succeeds in exploring the tumultuous and intense dynamics between the four kids, especially the intense friendship that develops between Dani and Giacomo. I was less happy with the way my old main characters and their relationships aren't really developed any further. Their appearances primarily serve the main plot rather than their own storylines. That's something I would want to put right if I were to write another Ravello story.

Thank you! It was an interesting challenge telling a more dangerous story in the romantic setting I had created with the first few stories. Moments of violence and human threat are jarring and discordant, which I suppose adds to the story in a way. I hope the humanity of it all comes through for you in the end. That’s the space that the Ravello series really inhabits, and that I’ll probably return wholeheartedly to if I write another one. And yes, there will be answers to some of your questions.

Thanks! I went for humour in this story more than I have in the others. Toto & Michele lend themselves quite well to banter. I hope you enjoy it.

I’m glad you connected with Michele. I thought this side of the story had the potential to alienate readers.

Thank you so much! There's a seven-year gap before the start of the next one. I'd urge you to take a break between stories, but I see you've already dived in. 😄

As you've seen, you're not the first one to feel that way! I don't actually agree that it's out of character - there are circumstances at work here - but it is an extreme reaction that is not completely rational (and it may be over-written just a little). I think I lulled you all too much with the romance! This moment was always coming. But it is addressed, to some extent, later on and in subsequent stories.

Don't we all sometimes just wish that things could progress smoothly towards a happy ending?

I will probably go for it if I can break a good enough story. All I have at present is a title and a handful of possible moments and disconnected ideas. I'm currently working hard on other, non-GA writing too. But give me time. 😊

It's always nice when a new reader finds and appreciates one of my older stories. You're very kind to take the time to comment on each chapter. I'm glad you're enjoying it, and thank you for reading! I hope you enjoy the rest! I'm currently weighing up whether or not to write a sixth Ravello story. 😅

The next morning, Daniele awoke to the cries of low-flying swifts just outside his shuttered windows. He opened his eyes slowly, staring up into the gloom of the ceiling, his mind largely free of thought. Tiny strips of early morning sunlight shone through the slats in his shutters, picking up motes of dust that drifted through the air. Giacomo. The thought lanced through the darkness, shattering the peace of his waking mind. Before he knew it, he was sitting bolt upright in his bed, h

The three friends walked back along the footpath in silence. Now they were actually putting Daniele’s plan into action, the potential danger he was about to walk into was starting to weigh more heavily on his mind. They returned to Daniele’s home and Emilia went to fetch her bicycle. Daniele opened the door to let Giacomo in. “Good luck, Dani,” he said, grabbing both Daniele’s hands for a moment. “You’re a great friend.” “Thanks, Giaco,” Daniele replied. Giacomo turned to Emi

What an eventful three chapters! We start with a cute dialogue scene about Mrs. C's cooking and a pleasant trip to the mall, only to lurch sharply left into kidnapping, torture and death. I can only wonder why the homophobes of this world don't have anything better to do than abuse and hurt other people who are doing them no real harm. Some valuable truths are revealed here... we understand that what is driving Mike is not just jealousy, but a bitter, misplaced resentment about what's happened to him. The seeds are sown for a permanent falling out with Kyle. Adam's interpretation of his father's actions is optimistic, but plausible perhaps. I'm not sure it's consistent with his father's attitude at the start of the scene in question, but it's certainly a more palatable way for Adam to remember his father's final moments. It was good to see Adam and Troy finding some more allies at school, and that they played against stereotypes.

I think it's highly unlikely that Adam would be forced to return to his birth family, but I can totally see how even the possibility of that, however remote, would throw him for a loop. Keep the twists and turns coming.

There's a lot to be said for getting back to normality after a traumatic incident. In the supermarket car park, though, guys? Really? Get a room...!

Are we heading for a courtroom drama? Not what I expected, but bring it on. Hopefully there will be justice for Troy from all of this, but I suspect there are many more twists and turns still to come.

'Losing' the photos... Man, I saw that coming. Well done for dropping the hint without actually spelling out what he was going to do. Despicable behaviour by Diamond. I feel truly sorry for Troy, but I'm glad they were disturbed before it got to stage two. What concerns me is how this will affect him in the future, even so... there are bound to be 'triggers' in his intimate relations with Adam. For all the darkness of the last few chapters... and safety feels a long way away at present... I feel this story is growing into itself now we've got past the initial 'honeymoon period'. Thus far, I'm glad I've stuck with it.

Adam is on a mission! At least he didn't run away - I'm glad Mr. C caught him and made him see sense. It's alarming how quickly his thoughts turned to prostitution as the only way to make money. Good chapter!

Oh, a cliff-hanger! The text message seemed genuine, so I guess Troy got mugged on the way home. So far, Troy seems to have been targeted more than Adam, perhaps because of his social status as a 'jock', or maybe just because of Mike's jealousy. What a sick society we live in. I have to admit, I have been wondering whether to continue with this because of all the sex scenes... I prefer to tell/read stories without the gaudy anatomical/mechanical details, which tend to cheapen a story for me... but now you've got me wanting to know what happens next!