It gives me great delight today to welcome back, children’s author, Lynette Creswell, to Patricia’s Pen. This time Lynette has come along to tell my readers all about her brand-new hoglet book Hoglets’ Birthday Surprise. Without further ado, it’s over to Lynette.

Hoglets’ Birthday Surprise

Lynette Creswell

It’s almost Christmas and a busy time of year for everyone. For some it’s getting those presents wrapped and Christmas cards written but for me it’s an extra special time. Last December I published my first ever children’s book, Hoglets’ Christmas Magic and introduced two cute hoglets, Prickles and Primrose. The hoglets were a magical success and I earned myself a new following of young hogleteers.

As a writer I wanted to continue engaging with my readers and leave a lasting impression. The positive feedback I received for Hoglets’ Christmas Magic far exceeded anything I had imagined.

Teachers, grandparents and parents raved about the story, leaving me compelled to write more.

I received wonderful comments such as…. 

I have a little boy in class who reads your book throughout the year. He says it makes him feel better when he’s sad.

My granddaughter sits wide-eyed with wonder when I read your story to her, (she’s 4 years old). It’s her favourite bedtime story and chooses it every time she visits.

With those comments in mind, I set out to create a brand-new story focusing around kindness and acceptance.

Once again, my talented illustrator brought my story to life, and in October this year I published the second in the hoglet series – Hoglets’ Birthday Surprise.

Hoglets’ Birthday Surprise is a spellbinding adventure for children 6+. This time Prickles and Primrose are out in the woods when they stumble across… a witch.

Blurb

It’s the Summer holidays.

Hoglets, Prickles and Primrose are busy exploring when they stumble across… a witch!

Terrified she’ll eat them for breakfast, the hoglets prepare to escape but soon realise the witch isn’t scary at all. 

Willow the witch is lonely and in need of a friend.

Can the hoglets help her? 

If you love Winnie the Pooh you’ll love the hoglets, Prickles and Primrose, from Briar Wood.

About Lynette Creswell

Lynette Creswell is a multi-genre author who has written four fantasy books, two romance novels and two delightful children’s stories. Lynette’s passion for short story writing has accredited her several writing awards including SWWJ’s (Society for Women Writers and Journalists), Hammond House Publishing and Shooter Magazine. 

Lynette enjoys meeting readers as well as public speaking at WI’s, local schools, author events and book signings where she sells signed copies of her paperbacks.

Links

Facebook – (A great contact for personalised messages and signed copies)

Twitter

Website

Where to Buy

Amazon

Also available from Waterstones

If you missed Lynette’s Blog on Hoglets’ Christmas Magic – Read it HERE

It’s a great pleasure to introduce Rosemary Gemmell to Patricia’s Pen. Rosemary not only writes brilliant novels for adults, but is also a fantastic story writer for children. Today Rosemary has come to blog about her children’s books. Without further ado, it’s over to Rosemary.

Writing Children’s Fiction

Rosemary Gemmell

Thank you very much, Patricia, for inviting me to guest on your interesting blog.

It’s a bit of a departure, and pleasure, for me to chat about my children’s writing for a change; on social media I tend to focus more on writing for adults. However, I’ve written three books and several shorter stories for various young ages.

Thinking about this reminded me that the first children’s story I wrote and submitted to a Scottish competition was before I began writing articles and stories for magazines! I was amazed and delighted to win that first competition with a story for Under 7s, called Jeremy Jones in the Jungle. It was eventually published online by US company Knowonder.

Several more children’s stories followed, four published in anthologies and two published online by SmartyPants. Soon, I turned to longer fiction for young people with Summer of the Eagles, The Jigsaw Puzzle and The Pharaoh’s Gold. The first two were originally published by MuseItUp Publishing in Canada.

As with my other writing, Scotland greatly inspires settings and ideas. With the younger fiction, there is also an element of writing for the child within. This happened with my first book, Summer of the Eagles, for ages around ten to twelve, although that’s only a guide since children read at different speeds and abilities.

Although I love a touch of fantasy or magic in stories, I wanted to base my three children’s books in reality, and gave each of the protagonists a realistic background, including family problems or changes to their young lives. Then I added that touch of fantasy to provide added enjoyment for the reader (and myself!).

I love Scottish islands and visited Millport on the Isle of Cumbrae many times as a child. The painted rocks around the island fired my imagination and I had to set Summer of the Eagles there. This book is also popular with adult readers and is still one of my own favourite stories that I’ve written for any age. I lost my father when I was twelve and wanted to explore what it would be like for a thirteen-year-old girl to suddenly lose both her parents. But Stevie finds healing in unexpected ways.

The second published book is for middle grade readers, around eight to ten years. The Jigsaw Puzzle’s main character, Daniel, is asthmatic (as was my own son) and his parents are having problems. So I take Daniel to his cousin’s cottage in the Scottish countryside between Christmas and New Year, where the touch of fantasy begins with an old jigsaw!

I’ve always loved anything to do with Ancient Egypt and finally got around to writing a time-slip story for middle grade readers, called The Pharaoh’s Gold. While attending a summer workshop about Egypt at their local museum, friends Matthew and Nikki are unexpectedly transported to Ancient Egypt where they become involved in a plot to rob the Pharoah’s tomb.

Hopefully, I’ll continue writing stories for younger children, as a change from other types of writing, for as long as the imagination provides the ideas!

About Rosemary Gemmell

Rosemary Gemmell is a published Scottish novelist of contemporary and historical fiction and children’s middle grade books, and a freelance writer whose short stories, articles and poems have been published in UK magazines, the US, and online. She is a member of the Society of Authors, Romantic Novelists’ Association and Scottish Association of Writers. Scotland greatly inspires some of her writing. 

Links

Facebook

Twitter

Pinterest

Website

BUY Amazon BUY – other retailers

BUY Amazon BUY – other retailers

BUY Amazon BUY – other retailers

The paperback of all three books can be ordered from book shops or libraries.

What a wonderful surprise I had this morning when a friend alerted me to a fabulous review for my monologue, French Knickers, over on Spellbinder Mag. The link’s below if you fancy a read.

Autumn 2022 – Drama

My guest today comes all the way from Montana. It is with delight that I introduce M S Evans to Patricia’s Pen to blog about inspiration. Without further ado, it’s over to M S Evans.

Inspiration in Writing

M S Evans

Most of my inspiration seems to come when I’m out walking. Something about movement makes connections in my mind. My inspiration could be a phrase, an observation of color, relationships, an emotion. I carry those impressions with me until I can write them down. Once I do, I usually leave them for a while.

Writing and editing a poem can take me weeks, sometimes months. Once I think I have a complete poem, I let it sit again. I find the process of having refined it also refines me, and sometimes it’s necessary to allow myself time to catch up, so I can view the poem with new eyes.

Nights on the Line

In my collection Nights on the Line, I touch on many aspects of my life, from growing up in the Pacific Northwest, to travelling, activism, lineage, and motherhood.

My pieces on lineage and motherhood explore the long-term effect of immigration on my family: what was lost when we left our communities? Could it ever be replaced? And what am I able to pass down as a mother?

There’s an algebra I’m aware of: missing patterns, lost rhythms of connectivity and tradition. I suppose poetry is my way of trying to give shape and sound to these. Among the pieces in the book that touch on this theme are: Llennyrch, and Polish Mother Bones.

Travelling and activism were a part of my life in my teens and early twenties. There was a thriving activist scene then in the Northwest, centered on grassroot social justice and environmental campaigns. That community was the inheritor of an American traveler tradition of train hopping, itinerant work, and radical history. Besides technical knowledge – where and how to hop a train – there was an intrinsic code of ethics. You had to prove your worth before someone would chance taking you on the road with them. An untrustworthy person could get you hurt or killed. Integrity and a degree of toughness were prerequisites.  

In one poem, Crew Change, I talk about the care one takes in keeping vulnerable friends safe. In another, Straight-Track Jack, I recall a friend’s uncanny connection with trains, and highlight the humor which made hard times easier. 

About M S Evans

M.S. Evans is a Pushcart nominated poet, and visual artist. Originally from Seattle, she currently lives in Butte, Montana. Her work has appeared in Ice Floe Press, Green Ink Poetry, Feral and Anti-Heroin Chic, among others. Her collection, Nights on the Line was released October 31^st, 2022, by Black Bough Poetry.

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Links

Instagram

Twitter

It is a delight to invite my lovely friend and talented author, Joy Wood, back to Patricia’s Pen. Congratulations to Joy on the launch of her brand new novel Secrets and Lies. Joy has come along to tell my readers a little about it. Without further ado it’s over to Joy.

Writing is my Passion

Joy Wood

Writing books is the “easy” bit – I come up with a story but then need to make it desirable for my readers. Fortunately, I’m surrounded by people who want me to succeed, including my brilliant, insightful editor, and talented cover designer.

I strive with each novel to create a narrative that invites the reader into a captivating, engaging and menacing world. My previous five independently published books fall into the crime category and use twists and turns to keep the reader turning the pages well into the night.

My latest novel Secrets and Lives is a story of intrigue, deceit and rage – packed full of tension to the very last page.

The story is about three women –

Jenna, the beautiful yet fragile wife of the heir to the Montgomery fortune,

Bridget, the wily housekeeper who carries out her duties with diligence and guile,

and Lucy, the jewellery designer living an almost reclusive life.

All three women are bound together by secrets and lies.

Oak Ridge is the mansion where the heinous Montgomery family reside. A place where subterfuge, blackmail and murder have become the order of the day. Challenging the Montgomery family is never an option – defeating them impossible.

All three women are forced to take the family on. However, only one of them is confident of victory because she’s watched and learned from the masters themselves. But she is hiding an almighty secret that she’s never dared speak to anyone about. A monstrous act that is so evil, it’s better left unsaid . . . or could vocalising it, finally free her?

Buy a copy of Secrets and Lies

About Joy Wood

Joy Wood is an independent author and has self-published seven novels. She resides in the quaint seaside town of Cleethorpes in North East Lincolnshire.

Joy is a registered public speaker and has developed a humorous talk about the transition she made from nurse to author (From Bedpan to Pen!) She speaks at WI’s, luncheon clubs, after dinner speaker, book clubs and author events where she also sells signed copies of her paperbacks.

Social Media and website Links

Facebook

Twitter

Instagram

Website

All Joy Wood’s books may be ordered from her Amazon author page HERE

For signed paperbacks (UK Delivery only) email Joy on joymarywood@yahoo.co.uk

Guest Features on Patricia’s Pen – April 2022 – July 2022

Last week I invited you to read some of the previous guest features on Patricia’s Pen from this year. This week check out these further twelve guest features that ran from April 2022 – July 2022 (inclusive).

Martin Lott, fantasy author, kicked off April with his new novel Aldred. Definitely worth a visit and check out the book if you haven’t already. You can read Martin’s Blog HERE

Next up came author, Angela Fish, blogging about The Fractured Globe. Read more HERE

May brought fellow Swanwick writer, Angela Johnson, with Arianwen. Find out more about Angela and Arianwen HERE

Next up in May was the lovely and talented poet, Karen Mooney with Missing Pieces and Penned In. If you haven’t read these pamphlets read more about them HERE and contact Karen to order a copy.

My final guest for May was another talented poet, Peter A, blogging about Art of Insomnia. Read more HERE

Joy M Lilley kicked off June with blogging about her recent cruise and inspiration in her writing. Find out more HERE

Next up in June was another talented poet, Kerry Derbishire who blogged about inspiration behind her poetry collection Jardinière. You can read Kerry’s blog HERE

The third week in June brough The Birth of Symbiosis – my own collaborative pamphlet with my poetry buddy Brian McManus – check it out HERE

My final guest in June was the lovely, talented author, Judith Barrow. Judith came along to blog about her writing journey. Pop over HERE to find out more.

Kicking off July was the lovely, talented poet, Gaynor Kane, who returned to Patricia’s Pen to blog about the inspiration behind her wonderful poetry collection Eight Different Types of Love. Find out more HERE and also how to order a copy of this gorgeous book.

Next up in July was the lovely talented poet, Mary Ford Neal reflecting on her poetry collection Relativism – Check out HERE

Finishing off July was dystopian author Lydia Baker blogging about AVA – Read More HERE

And that’s it for today – watch out for more guest feature flashbacks before the end of the year.

~~~

Next week 22nd November 2022 we have a special blog with lovely author Joy Wood as she launches her latest novel Secret Lives

and on the 29th November 2022 M S Evans blogs about her debut poetry collection Nights on the Line. Don’t miss these blogs!

For those of you who aren’t on Twitter you may have missed that a signed copy of House of Grace and a poetry bundle consisting of (limited edition) signed copies of Taxus Baccata, Symbiosis, and Spirit Mother are up for auction in Children in Read to raise money for Children in Need.

The auction ends in six days. My LOTS are 534 and 535.

Pop over if you fancy a bid. Signed copies. FREE DELIVERY (UK Only).

MAKE YOUR BID HERE

It’s always wonderful to be invited to complete an interview and Broken Asides was no exception. Fancy a bit of insight into what makes me tick as a writer? Pop over to The Broken Spine and read my answers to the fabulous questions.

The Broken Spine

Guest Features on Patricia’s Pen – January 2022 – March 2022

Over the next couple of weeks why not revisit some of the guest features on Patricia’s Pen during 2022?

January kicked off with crime fiction author Val Penny – you can read her blog HERE

Author, Mary Schmidt, followed with her children’s book Davy’s Dragon Castle – you can read what Mary had to say HERE

Next up was one of my favourite poets –

Damien B Donnelly who joined forces with the lovely Eilín de Paor to write their poetry conversation In the Jitterfritz of Neon

If you missed it – you can catch up HERE

Romantic Author, Liz Martinson, started us off in February – you can read what Liz had to say HERE

Author, Camilla Downs followed, blogging about how her walks proved inspirational in writing – read how inspiration helps Camilla HERE

Carmen Radtke, author, was my final guest in February. Read Carmen’s blog about her writing HERE

Family saga, author, Mick Arnold, kicked off March for Patricia’s Pen – read about Mick and his books HERE

One of my favourite poets, Ankh Spice from New Zealand followed. You can find out more about Ankh and his poetry HERE

There will be more catch up features next week. Don’t miss them.

Launch of Nights on the Line

M S Evans

Please join me in congratulating M S Evans on the launch of Nights on the Line published today by Black Bough Poetry.

Patricia’s Pen will feature M S Evans on 29th November 2022 when you can learn about this poet’s writing in detail.

In the meantime why not pop over to Black Bough Poetry and find out more about this poetry collection, check out the early reviews, and find links to purchase a copy of this fabulous pamphlet. Readers are in for a treat.

FIND OUT MORE AND BUY