Nicholas Fairclough

The Tidal Island Nicholas Fairclough

Fairclough's first book is a collection of his previously published short works that were written from his home in Masterton, Wairarapa, NZ during 2017 & 2018. His flash fiction, often allegorical, has a nice precision and a special ability to capture mood in such a short space. In this form, Fairclough uses a combination of almost quotidian or matter-of-fact prose with overwhelming themes of metaphysical and existential desperation. His longer short stories are more located in reality. They have good rhythm and pacing while mixing a certain grittiness and drabness with mystery and wonder. The setting is crucial to these stories and it often seems more like one of the main characters. Overall, the main themes present in this collection include individual struggle, loneliness, human connection and meaning, and the individual's relationship with God and nature.