Our Writers

By Melinda Heathcote

Our Writers!

We are lucky to have (at least) 3 published writers in our parish here at Arundel: Ian Caws a prizewinning poet, Alwyn Dow who has published several novels, the latest of which is described here, Professor Jim Lynch OBE, FRSC, FRSB, FRSA, FRGS, Distinguished Professor of Life Sciences Emeritus, Centre for Environment and Sustainability, University of Surrey.

Ian Caws has published 11 collections of poetry since 1975, the latest of which is The Canterbury Road. In 1988, he was runner up in the National Poetry Competition, having been a prizewinner the year before. He and his wife, Hilary, have been in West Sussex since the late 60s and parishioners at Arundel since Hilary became a teacher at St Philip’s School in the early 1990s. “I am not sure why I began writing poetry but I was 17 and our class had had

Wilde’s “The Ballad of Reading Gaol” read to us some years before and it made an impression. 5 years later I produced a ballad of my own and so it went on. I showed it to a schoolmaster who introduced me to the poetry of Edward Thomas who had lived 2 miles from the school. Thomas’ influence has been lifelong. “Time passed and Hilary and I found ourselves living in the same village as the Welsh poet, the late Leslie Norris, who became a great friend and an attentive and helpful mentor. I also learned from Ted Walker

Ian Caws

The front cover of Ian's latest book "The Canterbury Road"

who lived nearby and inspired with his poetry about Sussex. The poetry of the First World War, especially that of Wilfred Owen, obsessed me for a while. “I began publishing in magazines, here and abroad, picked up the odd prize, including an Eric Gregory Award and runner-up prize in the National Poetry Competition. Over the years I published 15 collections. most recently “Founder’s Day” with Dempsey & Windle. “The Ragman Totts” was a Poetry Book Society Recommendation.”

See Ian’s poem “The Judas Flower” on page 32.

Alwyn Dow is a much travelled and experienced author with four publications to his name. He says that his books, including the latest “The Dawn Birds”, are a mixture of fact and fiction, namely ‘faction’. He adds that his underlying themes usually involve extreme moral dilemmas usually with a large helping of Catholicism and Conscience. He attributes this preoccupation not only to his mother, who nurtured his own faith as a Catholic, but also to his Brentwood School motto, “Virtue, Learning & Manners”, and both have been inspirational in writing this book.

“I have previously written 3 novels: “Bath Buns at Sally Lunns”, a mystery thriller, “The Saga of Doubtful Sound” a musical journey set in racist America, and “Journey to the Stars” in which the alien Gondians seek to return to their home planet of Gondia. All three have been published in the USA. “I began my first book when I retired from teaching, living in Bath, hence the title. That was in 2012 so I am now a Centurion. I have no specific book events planned at present but would welcome suggestions for a screenplay.”

Alwyn Dow

The Dawn Birds This is a story in which love, faith and loyalty collide over a series of decades. The tale is told in turn by three friends who meet at college, namely Elda, Luke and Gordon. She is a young student mesmerised by the personality of ‘Father’ Luke who is a Jesuit priest with ideas that don’t always accord with Church dogma, especially when it comes to love. ‘He loves me, he loves me not,’ she would repeat at night whilst he knelt dutifully at his prayers. An antidote to Luke was Gordon and his kilt. And so, they went their separate ways only to meet up again later in life, in Africa, with a whole new set of challenges, disasters and ultimate triumph.

Front Cover of The Dawn Birds

Jim Lynch

Jim Lynch graduated BTech in Industrial Chemistry from Loughborough University, then PhD and DSc in Microbiology from Kings College London. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry, the Royal Society of Biology, the Royal Geographical Society, the Royal Society of Arts, and is a Chartered Chemist, Biologist, Scientist and Environmentalist. He has worked at BBSRC research institutes, universities as visiting professor (Oxford, Reading, Kings College London, Imperial College, Washington State, Oregon State and Helsinki), and companies as non-executive director or advisor. He was Dean of Biomedical and Life Sciences, University of Surrey, Chief Executive of the Forestry Commission

Research Agency, Chairman of the Biology Division of the International Union of Soil Sciences, Coordinator of the OECD Research Programme on Biological Resource Management, Board Member of the European Forest Institute, Chair of Governors University of Chichester, and is Distinguished Professor of Life Sciences Emeritus at the Centre for Environment and Sustainability, University of Surrey.

He has travelled extensively giving over 60 keynote international lectures and published or edited 15 books and 300 papers and patents, as well as serving on many international boards. He was awarded the UNESCO Prize in Microbiology and Einstein Medal, Distinguished Scientist of the US Department of Agriculture, and the Japanese Government Research Award for Foreign Specialists. Jim is a keen sportsman and is married to Mary; they have four children and seven grandchildren. Jim’s latest book “What Is Life & How Might It Be Sustained? Reflections In A Pandemic” willl be published in July. See Jim’s article ‘Life’ on Page 86.

The cover of Jim’s latest book ‘What Is Life & How Might It Be Sustained? Reflections In A Pandemic”