Writing Samples

Explore a curated selection of writing samples that showcase Brendan Nugent's distinctive style and versatility. These samples offer a glimpse into the creative and editorial skills that define the work of author Brendan Nugent, based in Stoke-on-Trent, United Kingdom.

Exploring the Art of Creative Writing

Creative writing is the heart of Brendan Nugent's craft, blending imagination with an eloquence that captivates readers. In this collection, you will find a variety of narratives, from short stories to excerpts from larger works, each demonstrating a unique approach to storytelling. Brendan's writing transports you to different worlds, bringing characters to life with vivid descriptions and engaging dialogues. The ability to weave complex plots with relatable themes is a hallmark of Brendan’s style, ensuring that each piece leaves a lasting impression on the reader. These samples not only highlight Brendan's creativity but also his commitment to quality and depth in storytelling.

An excerpt from Under Elm Forest.

In smoky Stoke, clouds of black, grey, and white smoke billowed over and across the rooftops of terraced houses which stood in uniform rows, save for the distinctive chimneys of bottle-shaped kilns. More than a thousand of these interlopers across the city breaking up
the uniformity, protruding from some of the rows of tightly packed houses and found on nearly every street corner. During firing, thick black smoke belched out day and night from these pottery kilns and from each individual house during winter. It mingled with grey smoke
from the nearby steelworks, white smoky steam from the railway's locomotives and tarry black, choking smoke churned out in plumes from the pithead engines of the local coal pits. An awe-inspiring yet oppressive sight, as daylight was shrouded, turning sunshine into a
veiled premature night. And the acrid, noxious fumes, clawed at people's throats, overwhelming their breathing. It was Saturday, the 14th of June 1930 and the smoke carried the weight of the times.

An Excerpt from The Unwitting Sin-Eater

The lady of the house took one of the brown paper parcels containing the cake and said to Samuel, "Here is a piece especially for you”, as she then proceeded to place it onto her late father’s chest. She then said to Samuel, “There, this piece is yours, father insists that he share his cake with you”. Samuel felt a little nauseous at the thought of eating a piece of cake which had been in contact with a dead body. However, he also felt compelled to take it and so he reluctantly took it from off the top of the dead man’s chest and slowly unwrapped it. He then stared at the cake as if it had been infected with death itself. Nera then interjected, “Well, eat it then, don’t just stare at it”. Therefore, he did eat it, thankful that it had at least been wrapped in paper, before touching the dead body. Then after he had eaten the cake, Nera told him, “Now, read out loud the words written on the inside of the piece of paper, which the cake was wrapped inside. It was a favourite verse of my fathers from the Bible”. Samuel straightened out the piece of crumpled paper, to read the inscription, which appeared to have been written in dark red ink and he read it out loud as she had instructed, “For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners. For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners”. How odd, Samuel thought to himself, and he thought that it made no sense.

Get in Touch