Cyril James Morris

A modern-day fable based on the dreams of a mother for her daughter’s future. Through the mother’s teachings we follow the life of a boy through manhood and into old age. The young boy’s mindset is explored in how he manages to overcome a terrible tragedy as a 10-year-old boy which leaves him nurturing an overpowering need for revenge. It is then a second tragic experience as a young man, having been brought up as a displaced orphan and educated in India, which leads him to examine his conscience and his former need for revenge. Circumstance on the boy’s journeys to and from Wales to India and his determination to honour his father give him a fuller understanding about himself. Eventually through his individual effort to succeed, and despite his experiences and troubles, he marries the need to con-join the two important cultures in his life.

Part of a family's heritage is the tales they leave behind, but what happens if you don't have the voice to tell them? Known locally as the Herring Man, Samuel Evans was a fisherman and sailor. He travelled across the seas, sketching down his experiences and leaving his adventure stories as a legacy. His grandson Gwyn is the only living relative left to tell his tales, but he spends his days in silent isolation, fixing damaged fishing nets with the net-needle Samuel carved from a walrus tusk. When a lonely young boy becomes intrigued with his boat and offers to help fix it, they form a bond that gives him hope he'll be able to speak again. As Gwyn starts talking about the past he begins to leave a legacy of his own. A riddle for the young boy to solve. The Herring Man is a modern-day fable, beautifully illustrated by the author, about dealing with grief and searching for hope.