Iona Community prepares to publish new book

The Iona Community’s publishing arm, Wild Goose Publications, is about to release its latest book, The Pieces We Keep, Stories for the seasons, by Katie

Munnik.

A paperback priced at £10.50, the book will be published next month (December). Wild Goose said:

‘The Pieces We Keep is a collection of short stories told by vivid voices. Some voices are familiar – characters from scripture, history, folklore, myth and legend – while others spring from the world around us and speak a modern tongue.

‘Together, they direct our gaze to life’s small details – taking down the Christmas lights, swimming on a summer’s day, remembering the names of wild flowers, looking back and looking forward.

‘The familiar becomes strange and the overlooked beautiful as Katie Munnik calls us to consider anew why stories matter. The book charts the changing cycles and seasons of the year, reflecting the liturgical patterns of the church and all the weathers of our hearts.’

Donald Smith, director of the Scottish International Storytelling Festival, said: ‘Katie Munnik is an excellent storyteller and her stories are flesh and blood, like the Christian and Jewish scriptures. They bring those big stories to life, while opening up new insights and perspectives.’

Katie Munnik is a Canadian writer based in Cardiff. Her work has appeared in Wild Goose anthologies as well as in magazines and journals.

She has worked with congregations and communities in the UK and Canada, always asking questions and sharing stories.

Her debut novel, The Heart Beats in Secret,

will be published by the Borough Press (HarperCollins) in spring 2019.