Welcome
Getting a Bit Personal
Why a site about books and writing? Well, apart from being an internationally exhibited artist for over 25 years, I have always enjoyed writing. I love to observe and often see the funny side of life and I like to write both flash fiction and real-life stories about my life in southern Spain.
Several of my short stories have been published, both in printed and online magazines. I have also published two books. ‘Secret Thoughts’, quirky sensual flash fiction tales with a twist and ‘Cheers’ – The hidden voices of alcoholism’.
Cheers
‘Cheers’ is my 
latest book, one that reveals the human condition behind alcoholism. I myself have experienced the complexity of living with an alcohol-addicted partner. The secrecy surrounding alcoholism in society as a whole and the non-acceptance and judgemental comments from family, friends and outsiders have driven me to write ‘Cheers’.
I have interviewed not only partners, children, parents and friends of alcoholics but also health workers in the field of addiction and alcoholics themselves. I recount their stories openly, yet anonymously, revealing my own and their incredible stories of desperation and pain but ultimately also of hope and escape.
This book will help to raise awareness of the growing problem of alcohol abuse and help those affected by alcoholism to find a way to cope with or, indeed, to discover a way out of this widespread disease.
Compassionately written, ‘Cheers’ also offers information about some of the many avenues of help currently available to those affected both directly and indirectly by alcoholism.
Secret Thoughts
‘Secret Thoughts’ is a collection of sensual, quirky short stories and flash fiction which often end with an unexpected twist. The narrators in the stories vary from female, male, to inanimate objects. Some of the stories are slightly surreal, while others are fictional encounters that only exist in the mind; an exciting traffic jam, impossible love between different cultures, a lamp-post expressing its view of the world, a flying hat taking the writer and reader on a journey and many more adventures form part of this unique story book.
Blog and Articles
On this website you will find examples of my short stories, examples of my paintings and information about Secret Thoughts and Cheers. There is also a blog where you can become interactive about matters that might interest both me and you. I will regularly upload articles that are related to the subjects of my books.
I hope you enjoy visiting my site and do feel free to visit on a regular basis, you will be most welcome.
Cheers!
Renate van Nijen
Dear Renate,
What an important book is this that you have written! It shows so much insight in the complexity of the problem and so much understanding for the deep felt human feelings and emotions in each story, it makes this book really powerful and potent. What a great job!
Love
Gerda
Hi Renate,
Been reading Cheers and it’s so confronting that I have to put it away after reading several stories.
For me it’s not only a book about alcohol, it’s a book about love, how far will we go for love. It’s a book about our limits and our weakness. I say ‘Our’because it can happen to anyone. I know, it happened to my brother. But luckily now he’s clean and I pray for him and others it will stay that way, because it’s a life long struggle. I hope your book reaches a lot of people, to help them overcome!
Cath. Love you and thanks for this great book.