January Inspirations
A sneak peak behind the stories I published in January
January featured a range of different types of stories, in a range of different styles, and it was a lot of fun reflecting on how each one came to be. The stories I published in January were:
Railway Reverie
Gone Vial (Send Help)
Just For Her
Tuned to Tomorrow
Filling Her Cup
Railway Reverie
The Story
Whenever she travelled by train, it felt like slipping into a secret passageway.
In the city, she got glimpses of people’s backyards — trampolines, laundry lines, garden gnomes. She could tell who had kids, who kept dogs and who loved to garden. She saw families at dinner, cats getting into mischief. A moment of someone else’s world, seen in passing before the train moved on.
Long-distance journeys were even more magical. Vast stretches of wilderness rolled by, untouched and endless, except for two iron rails and one lone train weaving through the silence. This part of the country could only be seen from the train. Sometimes, it felt like she was the first to see it.
She glanced around the carriage. Others were reading, scrolling, chatting.
Did they even notice?
Maybe the magic was just for her.
The Prompt
The photo above was the prompt for this story.
The Inspiration
I love travelling by train. Whenever I go on holiday, I try to incorporate a railway trip, even if it’s just public transport. I also regularly ride the local tourist railways near where I live.
Train travel has always felt like taking a secret passageway. You see things you would never normally notice. In the city, that might be small snippets of suburban life. But I love it most in the country. You glimpse parts of the landscape that are only ever visible from the train.
One tourist railway near me runs only once a week, which means you know you’re one of just a few dozen people who will see that river, waterfall, or landmark that week. I find that incredibly humbling and awe-inspiring.
You could say the same about some roads, but I think trains are different for two reasons: first, they generally travel slower than cars; and second, if you’re the one driving, you can’t really take in the beauty of the natural world around you.
