Jim Shields

Jim Shields worked or many years on civil engineering projects before embarking on a career in academia. He travelled extensively through six continents but never without a good book or two for company. He retired with title Professor Emeritus.

Somehow he and his wife Annette raised five children and are blessed with five grandchildren.

His first venture into the genre of fiction surfaced in 2016 when he won the Short Story category in the Larne Museum and Arts Centre's 7th Annual Art Competition. He won the 8th Annual Art Competition in 2017 and again for the third time in 2018.

The winning entries submitted to these competitions had their roots in stories he conjured up and told to his children.

His first book ' Scene Through A Rearview Mirror' a collection of short stories published in September 2019 is drawn from what Jim calls 'street theatre' - the drama of being. A story in the book 'The Vikings Are Coming' is fashioned from summer afternoons spent at a beach close to home exploring the landscapes of childhood, inventing stories to encourage his children's imaginations to flourish.

In another story, he recounts his first visit with his uncle to the Carnegie Free Library in the town. Jim writes 'I discovered science, technology, engineering, languages, literature and ambition. I discovered I could have future - it was up to me. My imagination sprouted wings; I could visit at will every land my imagination could find. What a joy to be free, to be curious. In the cloistered cells of the Carnegie Free Library my imagination found its wings'.

In his second book ' Naked Windows' published in September 2020 he writes;

'Neighbourhood's streets shaped me

Graffitied walls toughened me,

True love rescued me.

Jim is very active in amateur drama having trod the boards and shifted sets many times.

To Jim street corners, homes and the everyday places people occupy are the theatres of and windows into the worlds of 'goings-on'.

Author Update:

I thought it would be a good idea to allow potential readers of my book Naked Windows to sample some of its content. I made a short video of me reading a short piece called Children. Hope you like it.

Another Author Update:

I've added another short video to introduce to some of the characters in my book -Naked Windows. Hope to enjoy this snippet.

All Royalties I'm donating to Marie Curie.