"Bringing together both spirit and matter as they are meant to be, and as a great lover of the ancient bardic storytelling tradition, this author brings us ever closer to the heart and mind of C.S. Lewis, George MacDonald, Seamus Heaney, John O' Donohue, and other writers." -Patti Callahan New York Times Bestselling Author of Becoming Mrs. Lewis and Once Upon A Wardrobe.
“I am happy to see yet another book arrive in the world from the prolific pen of Justin Wiggins. There is an underlying theme of the healing power of music, words, literature, and art – which uplifts and inspires.” -Ger White, Ireland Poet, Author of Newspapers on the Floor Poems on Irish traditional ways.
“Justin Wiggins writes from the heart. His stories draw the reader in with their attention to the detail of what it means to live fully engaged in the trials and tribulations that life throws at us. He is not afraid to tackle tough issues like depression and conveys how healing and hope can be found. He does so with style and grace. Enjoy.” -Jim Bates, Author of Periodic Stories Volumes 1, 2, 3, & Dreamers.
Justin Wiggins is an author who works and lives in the primitive, majestic, beautiful mountains of North Carolina. He graduated with his Bachelor's in English Literature, with a focus on C.S. Lewis studies, from Montreat College in May 2018. His first book was Surprised by Agape, published by Grant Hudson of Clarendon House Publications. His second book, Surprised By Myth, was co-written with Grant Hudson and published in 2021. His most recent books, Marty & Irene, Tír na nÓg, Celtic Twilight, Celtic Song, Ragnarok, Celtic Dawn, Sacred Space, co-written with Matthew Huff, and Avalon, were all published by Steve Cawte of Impspired. Artists, Myth & Hope was also published by Clarendon House Publications in 2024.
Wiggins has also had poems and other short pieces published by Clarendon House Publications, Sehnsucht: The C.S. Lewis Journal, and Sweetycat Press. Justin has a great zeal for life, work, community, writing, literature, art, pubs, bookstores, coffee shops, and for England, Scotland, and Ireland.
Hello friends! My new book of stories, poems, and essays about different writers, called Celtic Twilight, is officially published, and is available on Amazon! I say thanks to Steve Cawte of Impspired for publishing my book, and to my brilliant writer friends Patti Callahan Henry, Ger White, and Jim Bates for the moving endorsements. The unifying theme of this book is the healing power of art, and writing it brought back so many rich memories I made in Ireland, Scotland, and England, and I look forward to going back in July and August! The endorsements are below. "Bringing together both spirit and matter as they are meant to be, and as a great lover of the ancient bardic storytelling tradition, this author brings us ever closer to the heart and mind of C.S. Lewis, George MacDonald, Seamus Heaney, John O' Donohue, and other writers." -Patti Callahan New York Times Bestselling Author of Becoming Mrs. Lewis and Once Upon A Wardrobe. “I am happy to see yet another book arrive in the world from the prolific pen of Justin Wiggins. There is an underlying theme of the healing power of music, words, literature, and art – which uplifts and inspires.” -Ger White, Ireland Poet, Author of Newspapers on the Floor Poems on Irish traditional ways. “Justin Wiggins writes from the heart. His stories draw the reader in with their attention to the detail of what it means to live fully engaged in the trials and tribulations that life throws at us. He is not afraid to tackle tough issues like depression and conveys how healing and hope can be found. He does so with style and grace. Enjoy.” -Jim Bates, Author of Periodic Stories Volumes 1, 2, 3, & Dreamers.
Justin Wiggins' latest work continues to develop the themes he explored in Tír na nÓg. This book, however, places short works of fiction at the forefront. Each of his stories is inspired by and grounded in a specific place in Ireland, England, or Scotland. Wiggins' paints characters with hardships who find healing through the arts, through the "thin places" where the spiritual realm touches earth, and through the grace shared between people. I most enjoyed "Oxford Fairy Tale"--a whimsical love story--and "Celtic Dawn"--a first person narrative that marries the contemplative tone of Wiggins' nonfiction with the fantasy elements of his fiction.
Celtic Twilight also contains several short essays on writers. I learned the most from "Redemptive Love in Shakespeare's As You Like It & Much Ado About Nothing," and "The Humanity of Sir Gawain."
I highly recommend Celtic Twilight as entertaining, educational, and inspiring!
This newest collection from the talented Justin Wiggins is divided into three sections: Stories, Writers and Poems. And what a wonderful collection it is! The first section, Stories, is like chatting with a friend over a quiet cup of coffee or walking with that same friend along a beloved mountain trail. Justin’s stories are character-driven and his incredible ability as a writer allows him to reach into the depths of their souls and truly bring them to life. In one of my favorites, “Bonny Scotland,” Annie gets Covid and during her six-month-long illness suffers a crisis of the spirit. But she is a fighter; a survivor (like all of Justin’s characters), and he writes, “All of the painful things (in her life) did not make her cynical or jaded, but taught her to be strong, show empathy, compassion, and to be a woman of hope.” I couldn’t have said it better. I love that Justin’s characters are wounded in some way, but do not let life’s challenges drag them down. They find hope and solace through friendship, nature and their spiritual life. These stories were a delightful journey through the wonderful possibilities of the human spirit and I enjoyed them all. The section entitled Writers is comprised of interesting essays that take us into the world of the men and women who have inspired Justin. It’s fun to read about them because being unfamiliar with many of them, I learned a lot! The final section, Poetry, shows off Justin’s creative ability and skill at using very few words to say so much. All in all, this is a wonderful collection; one that highlight’s Justin’s ability as not only a wonderfully heartfelt writer but also one attuned to the challenges of what it means to be human in this complex world. It was joyfully inspiring to read. I highly recommend it.
Justin Wiggins, once again, has weaved a spell of wonderment and beauty in his new book, Celtic Twilight. He takes us on a heartfelt and emotional journey by using the vehicles of short stories, essays, and poetry. His stories are pregnant with depth, heart, and timeless beauty. He has the unique ability to cause you to become emotionally invested with the characters in these stories who are faced with painful challenges. But these challenges are escorts for them to lean on friends, nature, and art, where they find strength, courage, and hope. In a section called, Writers, Justin introduces the reader to his literary heroes, who have inspired and shaped him as a writer. Justin completes his brilliant book with his elegant poetry about the people and the places that are dear to him. I can honestly say there is not a writer quite like, Justin Wiggins. I highly recommend this book!
Another collection from Justin W. His work remains honest and heartfelt And is much like spending time with the author discussing things he feels passionate about
Containing offerings of short story, literary comments, and poetry, Justin Wiggins’ latest book Celtic Twilight is a must read for those who love books dealing with Irish and Celtic themes in general or who are greatly interested in writers such as C. S. Lewis, J. R. R. Tolkien, George MacDonald, Seamus Heaney, Neil Gaiman, and others. The section of essays dedicated to writers was my favorite, but I also enjoyed reading the brief mythic/fantasy stories, even with all the flatulence within the stories. A couple of the poems also spoke powerfully to me, such as “Oxford Pub” and “Celtic Twilight”, but I happily read them all. I’d recommend this book of hope, joy, and love.