Please join me in congratulating Linda Huber on the release of The Attic Room (a gripping psychological thriller)
About the book
A father’s secret … a mother’s lie … a family mystery.
An unexpected phone call – and Nina’s life takes a disturbing twist. Who is John Moore? And how does he know her name?
Nina travels south to see the house she inherited, but sinister letters arrive and she finds herself in the middle of a police investigation. With her identity called into question, Nina uncovers a shocking crime.
But what, exactly, happened in the attic room, all those years ago? The answer could lie close to home …
✨ A moving coming-of-age story about love, rebellion, and a young woman’s fight to shape her own destiny.
The publisher has reduced House of Grace down to 99p/99c. if you missed the chance to download at this low price last time, Now’s the time to grab it before the price goes back up.
Please join me in congratulating Carmen Radtke on the release of Axes and Alchemy (a cozy midlife witch mystery): Willowmere mysteries 2.
About the book
Pirate loot and deadly feud …
So much for a peaceful next chapter: Novice witch Bex Merriweather has her hands full running a leading library and secretly studying magic under the critical eye of her opinionated familiar and mentor, cat Cosmo.
The last thing newly divorced perimenopausal Bex needs is more tasks needing her attention. But when a podcast connects a pirate treasure and magic with tranquil Willowmere and treasure hunters as well as occultists flock to the town, feuds erupt.
When a dead body is found, Bex and Cosmo can’t discount the idea that greed and black magic had something to do with the murder. But can she protect her secret and the town without exposing the truth about her inheritance? And is somebody already on her trail – somebody wishing her ill? With only her cat and her trusted circle of friends, Bex sets out to catch a killer before the treasure claims another victim.
Axes and Alchemy is the second case in this fun-filled series. Perfect for fans of cozy mysteries, magical mayhem, and heroines who believe it’s never too late for a new chapter—or a little witchcraft!
Grace Granville/Gilmore begins her new journey with dp books. House of Grace, the first book in the family saga trilogy, is now available to preorder on kindle.
PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS IS NOT A NEW BOOK BUT A RE-RELEASE with dp books so if you’ve read it, you don’t need to buy it again, but if you haven’t, it’s only 0.99p on preorder. And you can still read it with Kindle Unlimited. Paperback still available under White Wings Books.
Please join me in congratulating Allie Cresswell on the launch of The Standing Stone on the Moor.
About the book
Yorkshire, 1845.
Folklore whispers that they used to burn witches at the standing stone on the moor. When the wind is easterly, it wails a strange lament. History declares it was placed as a marker, visible for miles—a signpost for the lost, directing them towards home.
Forced from their homeland by the potato famine, a group of itinerant Irish refugees sets up camp by the stone. They are met with suspicion by the locals, branded as ‘thieves and ne’er-do-wells.’ Only Beth Harlish takes pity on them, and finds herself instantly attracted to Ruairi, their charismatic leader.
Beth is the steward of nearby manor Tall Chimneys—a thankless task as the owners never visit. An educated young woman, Beth feels restless, like she doesn’t belong. But somehow ‘home’—the old house, the moor and the standing stone—exerts an uncanny magnetism. Thus Ruairi’s great sacrifice—deserting his beloved Irish homestead to save his family—resonates strongly with her.
Could she leave her home to be with him? Will he even ask her to?
As she struggles with her feelings, things take a sinister turn. The peaceable village is threatened by shrouded men crossing the moor at night, smuggling contraband from the coast. Worse, the exotic dancing of a sultry-eyed Irishwoman has local men in a feverish grip. Their womenfolk begin to mutter about spells and witchcraft. And burning.
The Irish refugees must move on, and quickly. Will Beth choose an itinerant life with Ruairi? Or will the power of ‘home’ be too strong?
“An interesting tale that transports the reader back into the sometimes-brutal world of nineteenth century Yorkshire.”
“I really enjoyed my time with this book. I love the gritty classics like Wuthering Heights and anything by Catherine Cookson and those books are what this book reminded me of strongly, both in the style of writing and the events that happen on the page.”
“This is a romping good tale with pace, energy and some fantastic twists and turns.”
“The book is populated with a large cast of characters … but a couple require special mention. The first is the moor itself, sumptuously described but staying out of Bronte-land. The second background character is the house, Tall Chimneys, which seems to cast a spell over anyone who’s in contact with it.”
And here’s a teaser:-
The moor was vast and largely impassible—an expanse of black bogs, impenetrable undergrowth and dense woody swathes of small tufted shrubs. Here and there were smooth green deceptive clearings but these were sucking swamps where the unwary sank up to their necks in stinking water. Trees were few and far between, very stunted, and the whole moor—though beautiful in its wildness—was also exposed and bleak. The wind was constant, either benign—just riffling the heathers—or malevolent, a howling tearing violent thing that made men mad who were exposed to it for too long.
Lacing across the moor was a network of tracks used by carters and farmers and by those on foot crossing the heath. Some were wide enough to accommodate a cart or a carriage but dangerous to traverse at night when no light, kerbstone or other guide prevented the unwary from miring his horses up to their chests in black oozing swamp. Other pathways were suitable for foot travellers only, being narrow and meandering. It could take a lifetime to learn the secret ways, and many were the drovers and shepherds who had been lost along them. Sheep possessed a peculiar intuition that kept them from sinking in the bogs as they grazed the tracks, so the grass there was short, and in summertime threaded with innumerable small, sweet-smelling flowers that hummed with bees.
It’s an honour to appear on iambpoet.com (Wave 22) with three of my poems. My thanks goes to Mark Antony Owen who works so hard to make these waves happen.
It would be wonderful if you could visit my iamb page and listen to me reading, Galanthus, Journey Through a Mythical Forest, and I am.
Please also take the opportunity to hear the other featured poets and get acquainted with their work.
Pop over HERE to read and hear my poems. And HERE to listen to all of Wave 22.
It’s a great pleasure to welcome Jessica Scachetti to Patricia’s Pen. Jessica is a wonderful support to the writing world so I’m particularly happy to share this guest feature. Without further ado, it’s over to Jessica.
My Writing Journey
Jessica Scachetti
I write in first-person, dual point-of-view (POV). The two POVs are typically opposites, one coming from a Christian and the other from a Non-Christian Main Character’s perspective. I like to write this way to give the readers some insight from both perspectives since I got to witness both perspectives having grown up in a broken home. My childhood included one Christian parent and one who defied Christianity, which made for a very awkward upbringing. Splitting my time both a religious home as a preacher’s (step) daughter and drinker’s home, who could be volatile and liked to the drop the F-bomb every other word. This awkward upbringing inspired my preference to write Christian love stories that show both sides of the coin, and therefore, have some grit.
I’ve loved writing stories since I was a child. Since that time, I’d penned out a children’s book, a couple of suspense novels and an autobiography that I may or may not decide to polish and publish someday. It wasn’t until after lockdown in 2020 that I got inspired to publish. I’d been dabbling with the story of “Wonder of Light”, and after reading it to a friend, she encouraged me to publish. After researching and pricing out what it would cost to publish, I talked it over with my husband and decided to pull the trigger on publishing my debut novel.
I’d penned out and published 4 books over the next 12 months, but then life happened, and writing got placed on the back burner for a while. Now that things are beginning to smooth out, I’ve been motivated to polish a few of my original novels and relaunch along with releasing hardcovers and audiobooks.
I intend to complete my mafia-inspired Christian romance series with the next two installments hopefully sometime this year. Then, next on the horizon I’ve got some ideas for a Rockstar Christian Romance.
About Jessica Scachetti
Jessica Scachetti is an independently published author of Gritty Christian Romance. The gritty fictional romance stories contain sinful characters who make or have made poor choices, use profanity and inflict violence. There are fairly mild depictions of abuse, assault (non-sexual), threats, revenge plotting, illness, gun violence, knife violence and death. Despite each books use of flawed characters, violence and profanity, each gritty representation showcases the immorality of those sinful actions and displays an overall message of redemption and salvation through Jesus Christ.
I tend to neglect promoting The Oath so I’m excited to announce that it can be downloaded on Amazon Kindle for only 99p/99c. This deal ends 08:00am GMT/ 08:00am PDT 12th June 2025.
The Oath takes the reader on an emotional rollercoaster with its captivating story set in the late Victorian era. Although heartbreaking, it is also uplifting, both of which may cause the reader to shed a tear or two.
Marry the baronet, or vulnerable parents face la prison des pauvres
France 1895 – Seventeen-year-old Françoise abandons her carefree life and sails for England to marry distant cousin Charles Dubois. On arrival she finds her groom aloof and evasive.
‘Playtime is over. Seventeen is old enough to wed and bear a child.’
Draped in expensive silk brocade, she yearns for her homeland and comfortable gowns, and when she discovers the baronet’s clandestine visits, it is her cheery maid she turns to, her new confidante and friend.
BETRAYAL – HEARTBREAK – FRIENDSHIP
The Oath: A coming of age, historical fiction saga from the author of House of Grace family saga trilogy.
“A coming-of-age story with well-rounded characters (I love Tilly!), authentic description and a great plot with many twists and turns. A real page-turner for anyone who enjoys historical romance at its best. Loyalty, love, loss and friendship. You’ll need tissues!”
“I loved all the references to France, and the speech/conversation were particularly engaging. This is a book I can highly recommend (and already have to friends). Well done to the author on such an engaging novel.”
“I was hooked from the beginning, hoping that Tilly would get a lucky break and that things would work out for Françoise. Both main characters were very likeable.”
Please join me in congratulating my close friend and writing buddy on her debut short story collection, Havoc Shore. This book is particularly close to my heart as I was fortunate to witness each story evolve. Maureen Cullen is not only a novelist and poet, but a short story queen with numerous wins and publications in various magazines and anthologies. I’m honoured to have a poetry conversation with Maureen in Sherry and Sparkly (The Hedgehog Poetry Press).
Havoc Shore is where it all began for Kathleen Gallagher from Maureen’s debut novel Kitten Heels. Another highly recommended read.
About Havoc Shore
Spanning generations, Havoc Shore captures the voices of a shipbuilding town through its years of industry, struggle, and change. From 1954 to the present day, these 21 interwoven stories follow families bound by place, hardship, and resilience – navigating the tides of economic uncertainty, social upheaval, and personal triumph.
The McLean siblings each carry their own version of a life-altering event, revealing the fractures and fierce loyalties within a working-class family.
Isa McMenamin, mother of seven, stands her ground against bureaucracy, proving that sheer determination can shift the course of a community.
Dolly Deighan, daughter of an Italian immigrant once branded an outsider, stakes her claim to a future she never thought possible.
Throughout, neighbours, friends, and rivals cross paths in moments of humour, heartbreak, and quiet defiance.
Told in the Scots dialect of its people, Havoc Shore is a richly textured portrait of a community shaped by poverty, emigration, and survival. Against the backdrop of shifting politics and changing times, these are stories of love and loss, resilience and resistance — from voices that demand to be heard.
Keeps the reader turning the page.
Havoc Shore is the perfect choice for any short story reader. From the first paragraph of every story, Maureen Cullen captures her audience by going straight in with the action. Each narrative has the perfect sentence structure, and powerful imagery. The author portrays female protagonists as strong, independent women, and she isn’t afraid to touch on sensitive topics such as domestic abuse, alcoholism and juvenile delinquency. If I had to choose a favourite tale, and that is difficult because each one is a winner, it would be the chilling ghost story, ‘The Boy on the Bridge.’
I highly recommend Havoc Shore short story collection and believe that every bookshelf should possess a copy.
Please join me in congratulating Briony Collins on the launch of Ambergris (Barnard Publishing Ltd)
Blurb
In a fishing trip gone wrong, Henry finds himself on a beach in a storm. With no memory of how he got there, and no sign of anyone around, he must figure out how to get back to his family.
Madeline worries for her husband’s safety and for her granddaughter’s wellbeing as Lacey’s world crumbles around her.
Elen is a hardworking detective put on Henry’s case, and is determined to answer the question: what exactly happened on that fishing trip?
Almost crime, almost mystery, Ambergris is both unsettling and comfortable. Briony Collins writes simply and beautifully through events that destroy a family in front of your eyes.
Opening of Ambergris
Briony Collins
As hard as he tried, Henry Belvidere couldn’t recall where he was or how he got there. The first thing he remembered at the beach was looking for his oxygen tank. He couldn’t leave home without it, but it wasn’t here. The last thing he remembered before waking up was bringing Madeline coffee in bed. She smelled like the eucalyptus soap in the bathroom. Henry hoped he wasn’t dead.
He sat and scooped up a handful of sand, letting it run through his fingers. Some grains stuck under his nails, and he swore. He watched his hands stretch and barely recognised them. His fingertips were nicked with a hundred, tiny white scars from decades of splinters evidence of the forty-three years he’d spent working at Dixon’s Lumber before he retired. Down the side of his left thumb, between freckles and age spots, was a longer, redder scar. Henry stroked the lines on his palms with hardened fingers. It looked like his flesh was cracking, made up of different pieces instead of one unending wrap of skin.
It felt like only recently his hands belonged to a young boy. They weren’t soft and smooth like other children’s, but instead suffered just as many cuts and scrapes as when he took up lumbering. The scratches he got when he was young were different to these in one important detail: as a man, Henry handled the real world. As a boy, his sole line of work was in shaping the imaginary. With one touch a tree could be transformed into a mighty monster, whose almond shaped leaves became thousands of eyes that blinked in the wind. He ran from it to the garden wall, which was his medieval castle. Moss grew between the slabs and stained his palms green– the same colour as the blood of the monster Henry slew. At ten years old, he was Midas; every golden opportunity lay at his fingertips with all of the glory and none of the consequences.
Henry grabbed another handful of sand and let it flow out of his grasp again, aware that he didn’t have the same hold on the world as he did in childhood. In any other scenario, the beach might have been a magnificent place. The sea’s white horses galloped onto the shore that swooped up into the dunes behind him. The golden hills met an oasis of greenery where birds dipped into the thickets of trees. Clouds smoked in a sky that was the colour of Madeline’s eyes.
Want to read more? Order your copy of Ambergris using the links below.
Patricia M Osborne 