The Vagaries of Swing (Footprints on the Margate Sands of Time) - Mac Carty

The BBC TV series "True Love" was the catalyst for this tale, portraying various romantic encounters, all set by the Margate seaside. True love has many forms. A passion for cricket can also be a manifestation of love. Yet it is impossible to discuss cricket, with its broad themes, without reflecting on life itself. I have set my story broadly in 1965, when a girl lost her life. At the time, her death meant little to us but such are the vagaries of writing, that the more I researched the subject, the greater I became drawn in. Any discussion on the circumstances surrounding her murder led inevitably to the inclusion of another theme, which I have encountered in life, violence towards women. I still return to Margate regularly and regard it with deep affection. It was in danger of becoming a wasteland. There are those now, some famous, some often unsung, trying to fashion a resurgence. Another form of true love. May their guardian angels help them succeed.