Please join me in congratulating my poetry buddy, Brian McManus, on the launch of his Little Black Book – A Tangle of Terror, published by the awesome The Hedgehog Poetry Press.
A Tangle of Terror – Selected Poems
This short volume of poetry reflects on the aftermath of two of the very distressing terrorist incidents experienced in the U.K, and one which was allegedly conceived and considered but ultimately never executed in the U.S.A. Poems are drawn from the Lockerbie bombing of 1988, the 7/7 London subway attacks in 2005 and the potential fallout from the insurrection at the United States Capitol in Washington in 2021.
‘A Tangle of Terror is not only gripping, but powerful and poignant. Several of the poems brought me to tears. Highly recommend you order a copy.‘ (Patricia M Osborne)
And if you still need convincing, here’s one of the poems as a teaser. Get your tissues ready!
How to order your limited edition signed copy via Brian McManus
Special Launch Price of £3.50 FREE postage and packaging (UK) Other countries check p&p cost when ordering.
Brian McManus is a former Serious Crime Squad detective officer and latterly served as a Senior Operations Manager with a Richard Branson media company.
Brian has been nominated for the Pushcart Poetry Prize and a further volume of poetry written in partnership with the prize-winning poet and novelist Patricia M. Osborne will be forthcoming from Hedgehog Poetry in due course.
I’m delighted to welcome back the lovely author, Lisette Brodey, to Patricia’s Pen. On this blog, Lisette discusses her latest release Twice A Broken Breath. Without further ado, it’s over to Lisette.
Writing Twice A Broken Breath
Lisette Brodey
DO WE TELL STORIES … or do stories tell us?
I’ve been interviewing authors, both indie and traditionally published, for over a dozen years. One of the most interesting things is how very differently we all approach the writing process. Many authors say that their characters often lead them down a different path than expected. Others believe that approach is nonsense, and that as authors, we have complete control over our characters. Honestly, I think both views are correct.
I would hope that every author does have final control over what ends up in their manuscript. Some finish with a story as originally envisioned. Others end up with one that is very different because, during the writing process, the characters and their interactions go in surprising directions. Does the story have a mind of its own? Who knows? But, I believe that no matter how we choose to define the process, yes, in the end, we do control what we put out there. I’d be lying, however, if I didn’t say some surprising elements creep into my stories that I don’t always credit myself for having written. As many authors have said, “It’s like taking dictation.”
I’ve published thirteen books. For me, the writing of each novel has been different. A few of them I thought I couldn’t possibly finish (but I did), and some books are easier than others.
GETTING TO KNOW OUR CHARACTERS
My latest novel, Twice a Broken Breath, is a suspense thriller, which begins in Trenton, New Jersey, where Liam lives with his wife, Carly, and their eight-year-old daughter, Rayelle. The story takes off when Liam learns that Carly has cleaned out their bank accounts, taken Rayelle, and plans to leave the country in twenty-four hours with her first love. Hopping on a train to New York City, Carly’s home town, Liam begins a frantic search through the never-ending rain to find his beloved daughter.
Neither Liam nor I knew what would happen once he arrived in New York. I put the ball in his court, and he came through. As he gets off the train at Penn Station, he says, “I’m in a huge hurry. If only I knew where I was going.”
In my own life, when things are overwhelming, I subscribe to the one-day-at-a-time adage. It’s tough not to catastrophize when worried, but focusing solely on the next step is often the only sane way to reel in our fear. And this is what Liam does. He finds a place to start. And he keeps going. Step by frantic step.
Before I wrote the first page, I spent a full month on Liam’s back story.
That was a necessity. Of course, as I got to know him throughout the writing, his backstory changed to align with his character. He’s one of the most interesting characters I’ve created in my books, unlike anyone I know. He didn’t let me in right away. I wrote and deleted a great deal of dialogue until his character was clear—or as clear as it could be during such a time of turmoil. And when a character doesn’t know themselves, that can make an author’s job tougher.
WHERE TO SET THE STORY
I couldn’t imagine setting this story anywhere but New York City, where I lived for ten years. With a ubiquitous electric air and a frenetic pace unlike any other city I’ve known, Twice A Broken Breath belonged here. My previous novel, All That Was Taken, is set in a sleepy beach town on the California coast. The settings couldn’t be more different, but each setting called to the respective stories and the secrets long held.
Lastly, as my characters help me a great deal while writing books, I must admit, they’ve been utterly useless in writing this blog. I think it’s time we have a chat.
About Lisette Brodey
Lisette Brodey was born and raised in the Philadelphia area. She spent ten years in New York City, and now resides in Los Angeles. She’s a multigenre author of thirteen novels, writing character-driven stories about flawed people. Having worked in the entertainment industry off and on throughout her life, she has been member of SAG-AFTRA since 2012 and works occasionally as a background actor.
Please join me in congratulating The Broken Spine on the launch of this gorgeous anthology, The Whiskey Tree.
The Whiskey Tree is a vibrant collection of poems that delve deep into the myriad facets of nature and human experience. Curated by Alan Parry, it features diverse poets, each offering a unique lens through which we can view the natural world. From Alan Parry’s Mother of Seas to Anne Walsh Donnelly’s A North Mayo Blessing, The Whiskey Tree traverses a landscape rich in emotion and imagery. It’s an expedition into the heart of our natural world, inviting readers to lose themselves in the untamed wilds of poetic imagination.
Featured Poets
Anne Walsh Donnelly, from the west of Ireland, adds a bold and experimental style to TWT. Her work explores rural Irish life, giving voice to the voiceless. Her previous works include The Woman With An Owl Tattoo and Odd as F*ck.
Matthew M. C. Smith, a Welsh writer from Swansea, contributes insights into landscape, history, and identity. His works like Origin: 21 Poems and The Keeper of Aeons reflect his deep connection to Welsh culture.
Morag Anderson, a Scottish poet, enriches TWT with her award-winning poetry rooted in Scottish landscapes. Her debut chapbook is Sin Is Due to Open in a Room Above Kitty’s.
Karen Pierce Gonzalez brings a unique blend of creative writing and anthropological insights, with works such as Coyote in the Basket of My Ribs and Family Folktales.
Vikki C., a British poet and musician, infuses TWT with themes of science, spirituality, and existentialism, as seen in her chapbook The Art of Glass Houses.
Order your copy via Amazon or directly from the authors. Select independent bookstores local to the writers will also stock copies.
The Whiskey Tree will be launched on the 17th February 2024 through a ticketed online event featuring several poets from the collection, alongside open mic spots for readings on the theme of unbridled nature.
Tickets via Eventbrite may be ordered HERE. The event hosted on Zoom, promises to be a celebration of poetry and community.
Please join me in congratulating poet, Gill McEvoy, on the launch of her poetry collection Selected Poems published by the awesome The Hedgehog Poetry Press.
The Hedgehog Poetry Press are proud to be able to share with you, the Selected Poems of one of the UK’s finest poets, Gill McEvoy.
Taking work from collections published by Happenstance Press, Cinnamon Press and the Hedgehog Poetry Press, Selected Poems shows a genius for finding the beauty in the everyday, and a perspective entirely her own. This is a masterful collection of work covering twenty years of the career of a poet that is truly unique.
Here’s a little taster to the collection.
Signed Copies are available direct from Gill McEvoy via Twitter and Facebook
Gill McEvoy will return to Patricia’s Pen on 5th March 2024 when she’ll discuss her writing.
I’m delighted to welcome artist and poet, Oormila Vijayakrishnan Prahlad, to Patricia’s Pen. For this blog, Oormila is sharing details about her artwork. You’re going to love it.
My Artwork
Oormila Vijayakrishnan Prahlad
Painting is my favorite form of therapy. When I find myself in a rut, I take my art supplies out and play around. The disquiet just melts away. Making art, for me, is the way to feel centered and grounded.
I have been painting for as long as I can remember. Even though I have never been to art school, I had many wonderful mentors at different points in my life who helped shape my practice. I find inspiration in everyday sights and scenes, and these are the main subjects in my work.
Song for Wintering,8.5″x 13.5″ mixed-media on canvas grain paper, painted in response to Kaitlyn Bancroft’s poem of the same title. Published as a broadside by Thimble Literary Magazine.
In the early 2000s I used to be an IB English teacher. When I quit teaching to be a full-time mum to my kids and moved to Singapore, I took up painting seriously. I set up a studio space, and embarked on a-painting-a-day goal for a few years. I also started exhibiting my paintings at local galleries.
When I emigrated to Australia in 2015, I joined an amazing group called Art Together. We were a bunch of artists who painted together every week at a pub in the city. Then a chance meeting on a train with a nurse who worked at a renal hospital, resulted in a three-year gig where I taught painting to elderly patients while they underwent dialysis. I found immense joy in this art-therapy undertaking. The patients and I created over 50 paintings together which we exhibited in a gallery space. Eventually, I started teaching art to young kids at an after-school program. Then Covid struck and I lost my job. And a lot of things changed for me and my creative practice—I discovered the exciting universe of literary magazines and started publishing both art and poetry in journals and anthologies. I also moved away from my impressionistic roots and began dabbling in collage and mixed-media.
Dragonfly,8″x11.5″ mixed-media on canvas grain paper.
I love vibrant, bright colors. I am an optimistic person at my core, and I want my art to affirm life, to celebrate the beautiful moments. I like to make pretty things from waste materials and scraps. I have several shelves in my studio that are stacked with what most people would call junk: assorted wrapping papers, packaging tissues, cloth bits, lace trimmings, and all sorts of random odds and ends. I love to mix and match these in my artworks, experiment, and explore the possibilities.
Hill Street,8.5″ x12″ mixed-media on canvas grain paper.
I am deeply inspired by the works of Carol Marine, Froyle Davies, Mike Bernard, Elizabeth St. Hilaire, Carol Nelson, and France Papillon. I am a life-long student, keen to pick up new skills and techniques, always looking to improve and try new things. I value the process of creating more than the finished piece. I often donate my works to fundraisers and charities I love. I am very grateful for this gift of expression I’ve been given—art has helped me navigate life’s vicissitudes, connect with people, and above all, find peace and purpose.
About Oormila Vijayakrishnan Prahlad
Oormila is an Indian-Australian artist, poet, and improv pianist. Her art has been featured on the covers of several journals including Pithead Chapel, Stonecoast Review, and Amsterdam Quarterly Yearbook. She has been nominated for the Pushcart Prize and multiple times for the Best of the Net in both art and writing categories, and was a finalist in the Dai Fry Memorial Award for Mystical Poetry 2022. Her poetry book, Patchwork Fugue, is forthcoming from Atomic Bohemian Press (Wales) in February 2024. She lives and works in Sydney on traditional Gammeragal land.
I’m delighted to welcome back, poet, Karen Pierce Gonzalez to Patricia’s Pen. Karen is also an artist and today she’s here to discuss her artwork. You’re going to love it!
Karen’s Artwork
Karen Pierce Gonzalez
For this blog, I decided to focus on only one of the natural elements I work with.
I’m not a trained artist. My artwork is an intuitive conversation I often have with elements of the natural world. The result of this interplay with whatever I discover when outdoors is always a surprise because the journeys we take together are not scripted. I really don’t knowwhat the outcome will be.
The walnuts, similar to most of the other tree-related art I make are what remains. As shown in the group photograph, they’re what’s been left behind after serving their primary purpose (tasty inner meat for crows and squirrels).
How they start
I find them along The Laguna de Santa Rosa path, near where I live in the North San Francisco Bay Area. This particular one-mile strip of packed earth is a favorite spot for local walkers, joggers, and bicyclists. What that means for the walnut shells is that they are often further fractured by human traffic.
Walnut
The fragments I bring home dry in sunlight streaming in from my studio’s south facing window. : Like so many other aspects of my life, where I have learned to ‘make do’ with what I have at hand, I dialogue with these walnuts using a limited supply of art materials.
When I am ready to begin working with them, I always reach for whichever color I am drawn to. I experience this as a sensation of being thirsty for a particular shade or hue. Usually I start with a standard colored pencil then move onto watercolor based pencils, then perhaps onto glitter or thin sticks of oil pastel for texture.
Shell half-life
Over time, and because I have collected a whole tray of these bits in various shapes and sizes, I began to explore with other materials, such as ink tense and metallic pencils which, I discovered, offer deep degrees of color, and acrylic paints which can add another dimension of texture.
However, what matters the most to me is the joy I feel when creating these pieces. Partly because I am always in awe of how the colors highlight certain cavernous qualities otherwise unnoticed, but also because I can make something ‘broken’ whole, and beautiful beyond my expectations.
Basically, the final piece is a collaboration, a give and take in which the shells take in color and give back a new level of being, a new life.
After the Feast
These are small, ranging in size from .75 to 1.5 inches (1.90 – 3.81 cm) in height. And, as such, it is difficult to show them in galleries as I have larger works of found nature, etc. So I photograph them and share them in on my website and related websites like the National Arts Program (USA) and on social media platforms. This year I plan to also submit them to literary journals where I hope they’ll be as well-received as my pine cone and bark pieces have been.
Still in the Sea
About Karen Pierce Gonzalez
Karen Pierce Gonzalez’s visual artistry focuses primarily on assemblage art from elements found in nature. To date, 50+ of her art images, including six cover images, have been or are scheduled to be published in a range of literary journals/magazines. In March her larger textile-related pieces will be on display at the Vallejo Museum and in April she has been invited to share 31 of her art pieces in The Wombwell Rainbow’s National Poetry Month Ekphrastic Challenge.
An award-winning writer, Karen’s work has appeared in numerous print and online publications, radio, and podcasts. Her chapbooks include Coyote in the Basket of My Ribs (Kelsay Books), True North and Sightings from a Star Wheel (Origami Poems Project), and forthcoming Down River with Li Po (Black Cat Poetry Press). Details of a fifth collection are currently under discussion with a North American publisher.
Find out more about Karen’s art and writing over on her website HERE
January was a full on month for guest features on Patricia’s Pen. Here are the links again for all features in the event you missed them, or you might like to read them all over again.
Poet Julian Day kicked off the new year on 9th January 2024 with his poetry feature. Go HERE
Next up in line was author Mary L Schmidt chatting about her new release. Go HERE
Patricia’s Pen’s first artist feature came from Giuseppina Brandi. Go HERE
And to complete the month Patricia’s Pen returned to poetry with Corinna Board blogging about her new release. Go HERE
February is another full on month with two features from artists, an author discussing her latest novel release, and a poet chatting about his new poetry collection. Why not subscribe to the blog so you never miss a post?
February Guest Features
6th February 2024 – Karen Pierce Gonzalez (Artist Feature)
13th February 2024 – Oormila Vijayakrishnan Prahlad (Artist Feature)
20th February 2024 – Lisette Brodey (Author)
27th February 2024 – A R Williams (Poet)
Did you know that all my novels are available to read for FREE on Kindle Unlimited? Or you can buy on Kindle or in Paperback.
You can find out more about them HERE – UKHERE – (.com) or if you don’t like ordering from Amazon the paperback can be ordered via any bookstore. Haven’t got any funds? Check with your local library and ask them to order my books in.
My poetry books published by The Hedgehog Poetry Press, available from my website shop, are signed limited editions. They can be purchased via Amazon but the quality isn’t the same. The poetry books may also be ordered in bookstores or via your local library.
I’m delighted to welcome Corinna Board, a fellow tree poet, to Patricia’s Pen. Corinna is celebrating the release of her new poetry pamphlet, Arboreal, published with Black Cat Poetry Press. Without further ado it’s over to Corinna.
My Writing
Corinna Board
I fell in love with poetry after reading Sylvia Plath at school. I didn’t really understand the poems at the time, but I was intrigued and fascinated. I wrote quite a few poems as a teen, but (luckily?) none of them survived. Then I moved to Paris at the age of 19, and life got in the way, as it often does. I started writing poetry again in 2021 and reading as much as I could.
The seeds for Arboreal were planted during a free Ginkgo Prize Zoom workshop called ‘In Praise of Trees,’ which was facilitated by Seán Hewitt. I had just read Tongues of Fire and was really excited to attend. I remember my Wi-Fi played up, and I couldn’t get back into the Zoom call because it was full! Luckily, a recording was made available afterwards. I worked through the writing exercises and found myself with a bunch of drafts. These poems formed the foundations for my pamphlet, and for months I couldn’t stop writing about trees, I became a bit obsessed with them! At this point, I also realised that I really wanted to focus on eco-poetry.
Inspiration for Arboreal was often found inspiration on weekend walks through the fields and along the bridleways and footpaths surrounding the village where I grew up in The Cotswolds. I spent most of my childhood on my grandparents’ farm, so those memories also naturally wove their way into some of the poems (they’re not all about trees).
My writing process varies and depends mainly on me having enough time! Lines of poems tend to come out of nowhere at the most awkward moments. My favourite way to begin a draft is in one of my trusty A4 kraft notebooks, but sometimes I make notes on my phone. I recently tried speech-to-text on a walk through a field on a windy day and ended up with some very odd stuff…
When I can, I sit outside to write. I recall sitting on a fallen oak trunk in a patch of woodland to write snippets of one of the poems in my pamphlet. Sometimes you need to see, hear, smell and touch things to translate them into words. Many trees were hugged in the process, and I don’t regret it one bit! I also drew on mythology, fairy tales and art for inspiration.
Going forward, I’d love to concentrate more on giving a voice to the more-than-human in a respectful, as authentic as possible, way. One of my favourite poets, Jane Burn, does this marvellously, and she was kind enough to write the blurb for Arboreal. Writing about the natural world is a humbling thing, and my main fear is not doing it justice. I hope I get a few things right.
Corinna Board teaches EAL (English as an additional language) in an Oxford secondary school. She grew up on a farm, and her writing is often inspired by the rural environment. She particularly enjoys exploring our connection to the more-than-human.
Well I promised something new for 2024 and here it is. A guest feature for an artist. I plan for the Tuesday Guest Feature to extend to many creatives as well as writers, including artists, photographers, craftworkers etc. So watch this space. However, today, I’d like to introduce artist, Giuseppina Brandi, whose work I greatly admire.
Giuseppina chats about her influences, inspiration, and artist journey which I’m know you’re going to love.
Influences, Inspiration and My Artist Journey
Giuseppina Brandi
I’m a self-taught emerging artist, mostly of contemporary figurative paintings and illustrations. I was captivated by the magic of creation from a young age; I’ve been drawing all my life, for as long as I can recall. I remember vividly when at the age of five, I told my parents that the only things I wanted for my birthday was a drawing pad and coloured pencils (and a typewriter too), so I got my first Fabriano pad.
Art has always been a main focus, even though I worked a variety of regular, non-art jobs, and even though I stopped making art for a long time, mainly due to lack of time. It’s only been a year since I started painting again and since then I started submitting work to magazines and journals.
My art is influenced by various Schools, from the paintings of antiquity – I’m enchanted by the Fayum portraits – to the more refined works of the 19th century, with a predilection for Caravaggio, Giovanni Boldini, the Impressionism and Surrealism.
I love using different media, enjoying the physicality and the expressiveness of the different materials: watercolour, acrylic and oil paintings are equally important to me, but currently the medium that fascinates me the most is watercolour. Mother technique of the fresh sign and improvisation, its uncontrollable aspect leads you to paint in a more instinctive way, because of those colors that mix randomly, and spur you to find a balance between skills and unpredictability.
As for the subjects of my artworks, each one of them has a story, made up from my imagination, or from history or other fields of human knowledge, even if it is just hinted at, and brushwork after brushwork, their stories unfold on the paper/canvas, mingling with feelings and emotions from my personal experiences. I tend to paint mostly female subjects, and I mainly focus on faces although I like to vary and draw or paint subjects that belong to the natural or fantasy world. I have never set limits on what or how to draw. I definitely have preferences, but I love finding new ways to express myself through my art; I try to create works pertaining to what I am passionate about. I’m fond of fairy tales too and have always loved mythology and folklore, so I really like drawing on these branches and using their fruits.
In the field of illustrations there are various artists I draw inspiration from, including Brian Froud, Sarah Coomer and Angela Harding, to name but a few.
I’m still learning and experimenting to find my true voice. I consider the process of finding my artistic voice a journey more than a destination.
There are so many amazing contemporary artists who inspire me and challenge me to step out of my comfort zone. So I say to myself that it’s ok to try new things and experiment, at my own pace, taking my time, in order to find what truly resonates with me as an artist.
At the end of the day, the most important thing is that I love making art and I have fun and I enjoy doing it.
Giuseppina Brandi lives in Naples, Italy, with her five-year-old son. She has a Master’s Degree in Comparative Literatures, with a Dissertation on Poetry in Europe during WWI. She has mainly worked in tourism as a cultural and tourist information centre officer. She loves the 1920s and 1930s and used to collect memorabilia from that era: necklaces, earrings, garments, postcards and old books.
She is currently taking a Professional Course in Literary Translation.
Autodidact, she has always loved drawing and painting, and she takes inspiration from natural world and human emotions. With a great passion for poetry too, she believes in the power that art and poetry have of healing and connecting. Her artwork has been published in Black Bough Poetry edition Sound and Vision, Acropolis Journal: Issue Seven, Blue Motel Rooms Poetry and Art inspired by Joni Mitchell, The Poetica Sisterhood of Sylvia & Anne, Fever of the Mind Poetry, Art&Music: Issue 8, Cover art of the Spellbinder literary Magazine: Autumn issue 2023, Acropolis Journal: Issue Eight, Moss Puppy Magazine.
For the first time since publication, House of Grace,Book 1 in family saga trilogy, is FREE to download on Amazon Kindle – OFFER IS FOR FOUR DAYS ONLY
Friendship – Romance – Love – Fashion – Betrayal – Social Conflict – Tragedy and much more. Step back to 1950 and travel with Grace Granville through two decades.
Patricia M Osborne 