Goddess Fish Promotions Presents
Secrets of a River Swimmer
by S.S. Turner
A randomly drawn winner will receive a $50 Amazon/BN GC – Enter Below
As Freddy gazes at the majestic river gushing past him in the depths of a Scottish winter, he’s ready to jump in and end his life. But what happens next is not what Freddy expects. From the moment he enters the river, Freddy starts a journey which is more beautiful, funny, and mysterious than he could have imagined. And through this journey Freddy’s story becomes interweaved with a cast of unforgettable characters who are equally lost and in search of answers. Eventually they all unite in their quest for an answer to the biggest question of them all: will the river take them where they want to go?
In the tradition of inspirational works of fiction like The Alchemist and Life of Pi, Secrets of a River Swimmer is at once a profound exploration into living with meaning and an affecting story of people on the cusp of change.
Do you have any tattoos? Where? When did you get it/them? Where are they on your body?
No.
Is your life anything like it was two years ago?
There’s been a lot of change in my life during the past two years. The biggest change is where I live. We moved to the countryside just over a year ago having spent a few years in the city before that. I’ve always loved nature so city life wasn’t a match for me, and the moment we moved to a beautiful property with a few acres of greenery around us I felt as though we’d righted a wrong. I absolutely love it! And the move has catalyzed so many other changes in our lives. The most noteworthy is greater appreciation. When you move to the countryside you’ve got less options available on your front door but you tend to appreciate the opportunities you have a lot more. So thanks to the move I’m far more present and at peace. I’m proud to be a country bumpkin who talks real slow these days.
How long have you been writing?
Writing has always been a passion of mine as well as a way of making sense of the world. I’ve been writing ever since I was at school and have written numerous short stories, novellas, children’s stories, and film scripts. I also wrote a regular newsletter for friends and family about the funny little stories which popped up in my life called “The Chronicles”. It ran for over five years and became remarkably popular.
What advice would you give a new writer just starting out?
My best writing advice is to write a story which is important to you for you. Don’t worry about what the reader will think when they read it because if you do you won’t be as connected to the story. Remember, you can edit the novel with the reader in mind later on, but when you’re writing the first draft you really want it to flow out of you.
Tell us something about your newest release that is NOT in the blurb.
The voice and humor of the main character Freddy is mine, and I share many life experiences with him, particularly in the form of river adventures.
Just like Freddy, my friend Matt and I used to jump into the River Tweed in Scotland every few weeks, including in the depths of Scottish winters. Every time we immersed ourselves in the Tweed’s majestic waters we’d experience love, joy, and fun in more beautiful ways than we could have imagined on dry land. We’d laugh like kids at the silliest little things. We’d feel euphoric to be accepted and free and alive. We’d meet fascinating characters alongside the river who were shocked and amused that two crazy humans were swimming so close to the enormous salmon in the river. We’d have life-affirming conversations that put the world to rights, and that involved us speaking our truth to one another and to the universe. We always emerged from the river with newfound energy, clarity, and love for our lives. It was like pressing a reset button on life. And that’s what Secrets of a River Swimmer is all about.
From Page 7
I dip my toe in.
It’s fucking freezing.
I sit and watch the majestically sinister Scottish river hurtle along below me. I’m not sure whether to be in awe or terrified, but that was always going to be the case today, my last day. The idea of jumping into the river reminds me of the feeling you experience when you arrive at the beach, and you’re thinking about jumping into the sea, but you know it’s going to cause you grievous bodily harm from your nether regions up. For some reason, your legs are the one part of your body which can handle intense cold without too much stress. But all body parts above your legs are a whole different story. My voice just rose an octave, and I’m not even talking.
So you sit and watch the sea while contemplating your next move, as if this thinking time will give you the required mental strength to leap into the cold blue water. However, this thinking time just gives the water an opportunity to look you in the eye with laughing menace, because the water knows the questions you are grappling with deep in your soul. The water understands it is strong and you are weak—the eternal power imbalance at play.
The waiting period only makes it worse, of course. All it does is allow you to hand more mental power over to the cold water than a short and simple jumping-in maneuver would have done. Why do we employ such counter-productive strategies in our lives?
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S.S. Turner has been an avid reader, writer, and explorer of the natural world throughout his life which has been spent in England, Scotland and Australia. Just like Freddy in his first novel, Secrets of a River Swimmer, he worked in the global fund management sector for many years but realized it didn’t align with his values. In recent years, he’s been focused on inspiring positive change through his writing as well as trying not to laugh in unfortunate situations. He now lives in Australia with his wife, daughter, two dogs, two cats, and ten chickens.
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