HarryC

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I have 179 stories published in 3 collections on the site.
My stories have been read 386765 times and 199 of my stories have been cherry picked.
125 of my 849 comments have been voted Great Feedback with a total of 135 votes

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Kevin Marman

Care worker, writer, memester, autist, dissenter.

I like people who not only think outside the box, but reshape the box into something else!

I've been writing since I was 10.  It's my sanctuary - though the structure often needs maintenance.  Over the last twenty or so years, I've won some writing prizes for short fiction, poetry and playwriting.  In 2013, I published my first novel, 'In the Day'.  Looking at it now, I can see all sorts of things I would change - but I suppose that shows progress.  I also have a collection of short fiction, 'Sacred Shirts', which was published in 2024.

In 2015, at the grand age of 56, I was finally diagnosed with Autistic Spectrum Condition (Asperger's).  I live alone with my cat, Daisy, and lots of books.

My stories

Cherry

Gift: A Son's Story (short extract 3)

By HarryC on Sun, 28 Oct 2018

Another short extract from my book about my time spent caring for my mother during her final illness. After being rushed into hospital with renal failure, she hadn't been expected to survive. Miraculously, though, she pulled through and began to get physically better. But the ward she was put on was dismal and her psychological health began to suffer. She was expected to stay in for ten days. Then it became two weeks. Then three. Each time I visited, they kept putting her discharge date back another few days - and with each delay, she was getting more and more depressed. Her sister, Phyllis, had come to stay at mum's bungalow to keep it occupied for her return.
Autobiography
Non-fiction
Certificate PG
Cherry

Gift: A Son's Story (short extract)

By HarryC on Sat, 27 Oct 2018

In 2017, I took extended leave from work to care full-time for my mother. A sudden illness had left her unable to live independently, and it would have broken her heart - and mine - if she'd had to go into residential care. She was only expected to live for a few weeks, and she wanted to spend those weeks in her own home, with familiar things around her, and family and friends close by. In the end, she lived a further seven months. Afterwards, I wrote a long book about her life, focusing on those precious months. This excerpt comes from near the beginning, when mum's rushed into hospital. She's delirious from the illness. I'm called into a side room and given the news.
Autobiography
Non-fiction
Certificate PG
Cherry

'When did you first realise that you were 'different'?'

By HarryC on Fri, 26 Oct 2018

A classroom experience that still affects me, more than fifty years later.
Autobiography
Non-fiction
Certificate PG

Whitey's Snow

By HarryC on Thu, 25 Oct 2018

Another of my entries in the ABCTales Prose Pentathlon 2013. The remit that week was to write a modern version of a fairy tale. I chose Snow White, choosing a gay gangster as my main protagonist. I was a little worried that it would be seen as homophobic. I showed it to a gay friend, though, and he laughed... so maybe it's okay! My personal jury is still out on it.
Humour
Story
Certificate 18
Gold cherry

Security

By HarryC on Wed, 24 Oct 2018

My first entry in the ABC Tales Prose Pentathlon 2013. 500 words.
Drama
Story
Certificate PG

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