Catena
- Andy Bracken
- Oct 1, 2021
- 3 min read
Updated: Apr 7
Have you ever wondered how one person’s actions might impact on another’s life? How being early or late could cause ripples that have much greater consequences?
Set in Tredmouth, in the county of Brakeshire, this is a story about intersecting lives, where decisions create a chain (catena) of unexpected and cascading events. The consequences weave together people with varying motivations, and from different walks of life.
Sometimes, the things that link people are seemingly insignificant. Other times, the dominoes are large.
Many of the chapters are character studies. They’re almost short stories that could stand alone, as circumstances and relationships are explored.
As well as chain, catena means a series of connected texts. It felt apt.
This is what stemmed from typing the very first line about a man leaving a football match early, and me thinking about why he would do that, and the consequences of his choice.
Author Notes
Oh, I was having fun when I did this one! I was also challenging myself, by applying pressure.
Catena, as in chain, as I wrote the first line with no preconceived ideas. It grew into a chapter. Once done, I started another chapter, that emerged from and was directed by the previous one.
Song titles became chapter titles! The only reason for them, was because I heard them on the radio or played the record, and thought, “oh, that’s a good one, I’ll use that!” And so on, and so on, everything informed by that which had gone before, with no clear plan.
Yet, as I went on my merry way, it was clear. Right up to the point where I stopped, looked at and considered what I had, before tying it all together. A euphoric moment!
Another record came from it - this time a full vinyl LP. Bands and musicians I knew chose a song from the list of chapter titles, and covered them. Not all of them, but enough for a ten track album!
And football shirts! I mean, proper football shirts made of technical material, and replete with sponsor names! Football shirts you could actually very comfortably play football in.
It all took me out of 2021 and into 2022.
Friend and fellow author, Ray Canham, described it as ‘an understated gem.’ It does, I think, play to my strengths. Having seventeen chapters, each essentially belonging to a unique personality, allowed me to examine their nuances and peccadilloes. I do enjoy poking at characters to reveal their psychological flaws and merits.
All in all, an exhilarating experience as a writer, that ultimately produced a book I’m very happy with. But I was exhausted by October 2021, and needed a break. I’d written and published seven novels in three years.
Unforeseen by me at the time, life would take over for a while, and it would be nearly three years before I’d reemerge.
Reviews
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Excellent chain of interconnected stories
"Once again the author confounds expectation and serves up something different from what might be expected. Yes there is the Brakeshire settings, yes there are nods to previous novels, characters etc., and yes it still very much deals with human feelings, faults, fears etc. This time it is all wrapped up in a cleverly constructed, interconnected, chain of vignettes which reveal a larger overall story as you progress through them. It kept me guessing until the end. I'd say the author is becoming more accomplished with every piece of writing he puts out and hopefully word of mouth/social media/reviews will one day get his books out to many more people and if there were true justice in the world, the readership he deserves."
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ A butterfly flaps its wings........
"We often use words like coincidence, synchronicity, predestination or fate when describing random events or decisions that affect outcomes. Andy Bracken’s latest volume is a wonderfully fast-paced read which brilliantly examines a series of occurrences that are set into motion by one man’s uncharacteristic choice to leave a sporting event early.
Even though this is his shortest book to date, Mr. Bracken packs a lot into this story. His gift for compelling storytelling is only exceeded by his ability to create characters who are realistically human and believable. We are given a detailed glimpse into the minds and lives of perhaps a dozen people, each of whom is someone that any of us could encounter in our daily lives. While most of them are strangers to one another, a single random decision will link them all in unexpected and surprising ways.
Having read each of Andy Bracken’s books, I can honestly say that every single one has caused at least a single tear to travel down my cheek while reading. This one was no exception. This was a magnificent little book. You should most definitely read it, then read all his other books, then tell your friends."
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