Lovers Jim & Martha are gripped by adventure when they decide to leave behind the comforts of London suburbia for a whole new world at a radical ecovillage. With a new environment and new cohabitants, how will they each change and will their love last? A tragicomedy unravels, for nothing is quite as they imagined it would be.
A note from the author:
With rising house prices forcing more people into emergency accommodation and even homelessness, ecovillages are developing all the while. Offering a real alternative way of living, the subject has gained a growing readership. Even if a reader is unfamiliar with the world of an ecovillage, in this book, humor will greet them there.
Get to know some of the characters that appear in this book:
The Couple:
Jim is not overly enthusiastic about the prospect of ecovillage life but Martha is and he has tagged along with her to keep her happy. Jim struggles to adapt to his new environment and some people he meets there, bringing out the worst parts of his personality. As tensions boil over, will he remain the same or will there be a twist…?
A note from the author:
With rising house prices forcing more people into emergency accommodation and even homelessness, ecovillages are developing all the while. Offering a real alternative way of living, the subject has gained a growing readership. Even if a reader is unfamiliar with the world of an ecovillage, in this book, humor will greet them there.
Get to know some of the characters that appear in this book:
The Couple:
Jim is not overly enthusiastic about the prospect of ecovillage life but Martha is and he has tagged along with her to keep her happy. Jim struggles to adapt to his new environment and some people he meets there, bringing out the worst parts of his personality. As tensions boil over, will he remain the same or will there be a twist…?
Martha is glad to have left behind the day job and suburbia, to live the eco dream. If there was ever such a thing as the ‘starving artist’ it would be her. Socially anxious and shy, her love for art and the natural world drive her on. She finds it difficult enough trying to adapt to her new home as it is without Jim creating more problems for her. So when he does, what will she do…?
The Ecovillage Residents:
Meredith is from California. A fashion graduate with attention to chic, she now finds herself in the mud of the ecovillage. Confident and extroverted, opposites attract when she forms a close friendship with Martha.
Peter is organised, meticulous and mysterious. He is not socially adept but has no problem spending time on his own.
Anjit is the main tender to wheelchair-bound Dave, and enjoys staring into space. Sociable and helpful, will his manner alter?
Kristoff is an unconfident and quiet Muscovite. However, he likes to be in the group, learning from others and improving his English.
Cathy is a no-nonsense Northerner with an opinion on everything. She has not had an easy ride through life but has a steeliness and determination for the eco cause.
Dave is a man of few words. Founder of the ecovillage, he forms a friendship to some degree with Jim.
Manny the Mexican is the de facto ‘leader’ of the ecovillage with Dave having lost interest long ago. When he talks, people listen. Proficient in English and with his hands, how will this builder and de facto leader maintain the ecovillage?
Burt is a giant of a man with a little dog called Fred. He is the least sociable character, appearing very seldom with the group.
Sage is a man who wears white robes and sometimes a turban. Confusion persists as to his sincerity, who he is and what he represents. What is known is that, with seemingly a solution to every problem, he sees himself as a sage and has titled himself as such.
The Outsider:
Sue is not a resident of the ecovillage. She is the most prominent of the local residents to feature in the book. She is a supporter of the ecovillage and helps out when she can.
The Narrator:
The Narrator is most definitely a character in his/her own right in Jim & Martha. Opinionated, sarcastic and cynical.