Please join me in congratulating Mary L Schmidt on the launch of her new release Christmas in Evergreen

Christmas in Evergreen

Mary L Schmidt

Blurb

My husband, Steve, and I have always had a great relationship, married, for the last five years. He’s a private investigator, and I have my artwork. Much of his work involved using a special laptop, one that was rugged and lockable, in his home office and I had my art studio where I could lose myself in painting and creativity. Life was wonderful, until the day I read a completely chilling and startling “Hit List” on his computer screen. Confusion ran supreme in my brain and then it hit me. My name was at the top of that list! Wait! What? No! Never! Yet I read “Kim Daily” plain as day. What would you do if you found out you were the next target on your husband’s hit list? Steve intentionally left his laptop open for me to read. He simply can’t be an assassin! I would know. Or would I? No! That’s impossible! Steve has been the kindest husband for five years and he was a crack ass private investigator; not an assassin. Yet why was my name at the top of his hit list? Why did he even have a hit list? My mind reeling in shock, I had to do something to stay alive! Think, Kim, think! Get your best game on right now as time is running out!

To celebrate this new release, Mary is offering a FREE book to the first TEN takers. To Apply for this offer, contact Mary on this link HERE and mention the FREE offer.

OR

Order your copy HERE (UK)

Order your copy HERE (US)

About Mary L Schmidt

Mary L. Schmidt writes under the name of S. Jackson along with her husband Michael, pen name A Raymond. Books were her thing, her escape to new worlds. After retiring from nursing, she began writing as a second career, and more than 30 books in various genres have been published.

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Welcome back to Patricia’s Pen and my first guest for the new year is poet, Julian Day. Julian has come along to chat about his writing journey, influences, and poets who’ve inspired him. Without further ado, it’s over to Julian.

My Writing Journey

Julian Day

This is a tale told in two halves of my life. The first begins when I was seventeen, when I met a Writer In Residence – the now late Irish poet, Matthew Sweeney – who spent a year at Farnham sixth form college, where I was a student. This was 1984-1985. My passion for reading and writing poetry really started there. Matthew made quite an impact on both students & teachers, and he was much loved & respected. And my first poetry mentor to speak of. I will always fondly remember his gentle, encouraging warmth and playful demeanour.

Fast forward to the next century –  and the more recent past, where poetry found me again, exactly at time when I needed it the most – and we find ourselves in 2020. After nearly three decades working full-time as a mental health professional within the NHS, I was in the middle of my own mental health crisis. Which, was also, in so many ways, a crisis of meaning, as much as it was a crisis facing down a severe second episode of depression. After a long service of care to others, I urgently needed my own care of the soul. I began writing poetry seriously again, for the first time in thirty plus years.

Eventually, I would leave my old life and work behind.

Poetry was not simply soul medicine for a wounded,  troubled soul. Or some escape from a lifestyle that was neither sustainable or healthy for me, or only some type of personal therapy, alongside psychotherapy, to make sense of the life I had been living. Poetry was coming from the future, asking me some timely existential questions. It would take some more time, before I would start to recognise what shape of a life I could reimagine for myself, where writing poetry was right at centre of my renewed sense of self and deep identity as a creative, as a writer, as a poet.

The more I read and write, I realise there is so much more to read, learn and write from, not least of all, learn and be inspired by the example of other poets. There are really so many incredibly talented contemporary poets whose work I deeply admire. Too many for me to name them all here, but let me share a few thoughts about two here.

Firstly, I need to mention the work of Brenda Shaughnessay. I cannot get enough of her poems!  How to describe her poetry? And, then, it’s influence on me?

What I find in Shaughnessy’s poetry is a deep feeling and love for the imaginative reach and possibilities of a poem. Including, ways of intimately engaging the reader. Of being drawn really close to the face of the poem and it’s speaker! 

Rather like Selima Hill, I find in Shaughessay, a very intuitive use of metaphor and skill in turning a poetics of language, the body, as a lens upon human relationships.

Simply said, her work challenges me to push my own poetry into new directions by asking me to feel more deeply, imagine more deeply, into language, into the heart of metaphor, and weigh up the balance and tone of each and every line of a poem I write.

John McCullough is another poet whose imaginative aliveness and invigorating freshness of language, allied to his wit, heart and deeply slant, queer and surreal vision on everyday life-  expand my own sense of what a poem might be able to do and achieve.

Both these exciting and very accomplished poets, inspire me to write more creatively into my own life and writing practices as a poet. Their work, like the work of so many other contemporary poets, feels like a gift that keeps on giving to me, as I grow into my own voice.

About Julian Day

Julian Day is an emergent poet & writer based in Surrey. He has been a featured poet by Blackbough Poetry and had work published by them in two recent anthologies. Julian has been nominated for a Best Of The Net by Blackbough. His poetry has also been published in The Storms journal and appeared three times, reading his poems, on Eat The Storms podcast.

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New Poetry Collection

I’d like to take this opportunity to wish my readers a happy 2024. I can’t believe how quickly time moves, already we’re into the second week of January.

January for me brings excellent news. The Hedgehog Poetry Press will publish my latest poetry collection later this year. Watch out for updates. To celebrate this announcement White Wings Books are offering a special January deal for poetry lovers.

Readers can purchase a signed limited edition copy of Spirit Mother at the special price of £5 plus postage and packaging with a FREE micro poetry collection limited edition ‘Stickleback‘.

For the first three takers, a limited edition of Symbiosis will also be thrown in.
All of the above are published by The Hedgehog Poetry Press.

Spirit Mother with FREE stickleback – UK – £7.50 to include postage and packaging

Spirit Mother with FREE stickleback – EUROPE – £9.50 to include £4.50 postage and packaging

Spirit Mother with FREE stickleback – REST OF WORLD – £11.00 to include £6.00 postage and packaging

We’re having trouble processing PayPal on here so if you’d like to order please go to PayPal.Me link , pay the relevant amount, mark as friends and family, due to the non-profiting deal, and email patricia.m.osbornewriter@gmail.com with your name and address and how you’d like the pamphlets signed.

Patricia’s Pen Tuesday Guest Feature starts back on the 9th January 2024 with my first guest of the year, poet Julian Day. This year artists and photographers will also be featured. Watch this space.

I’d like to take this opportunity to thank my followers for all your support over this last year, and to those who celebrate Christmas, I hope you have a wonderful festive season. To those who don’t, I hope you manage to take a bit of a break from every day life and do something that you enjoy. And to those followers who for one reason or another are going to find the festive period tough, my thoughts and hugs go out to you all.

Patricia’s Pen will return in January with lots more guest features and I’m working on an idea for something a little different too. If that works out then all will be revealed in 2024.

On the writing front the first book, The Woodhaerst Triangles, in a brand new family drama trilogy, will be published next year. Hopefully by Spring. Although it is different to House of Grace trilogy, and The Oath, it does share the same theme of love, family and friendship. It’s set in the 1970s in Woodhaerst, a fictional village, on the border of North Wales and Chester. I can’t wait to hear what you all think about it. Below is the blurb which is still subject to change.

The Woodhaerst Triangles

A 1970s dual narrative family drama

Watch out for the cover reveal early 2024. Remember all my books are able to be ordered not only via Amazon, but any good bookstore, physical or online, or pop into your local library.

If you’re enrolled in Kindle Unlimited all my novels are included.

Wishing you all a festive time.

Until next year…

House of Grace
The Coal Miner’s Son
The Granville Legacy
The Oath

Please join me in congratulating poet Alan Parry on the launch of TWENTY SEVEN. Read on to find out more about the poetry collection and how you can obtain a copy.

TWENTY SEVEN

The Spirit of Morrison Echoing Through Poetry

The collection, Twenty Seven, weaves an intricate fabric of emotion, nostalgia, and vivid imagery that invokes memories of rock icon Jim Morrison. From the raw passion of his musical prowess to the deep introspection of his lyrics, Morrison’s spirit permeates each poem, acting as both muse and ghostly presence.

Beginning with ‘As Children,’ we’re immersed in a world of youthful wonder and innocence, reminiscent of Morrison’s own formative years and his flirtation with the wilderness of experience. The lines, ‘we threw rocks that tore holes in the sun,’ evoke his rebellious nature and yearning to challenge the status quo. The existential questioning, which was a hallmark of Morrison’s lyrical style, reverberates in ‘Lost Innocence’ and ‘I Worry,’ tackling themes of mortality, vulnerability, and the unpredictability of life.

‘Pain Sings Like the Hope of Youth’ captures Morrison’s fervent belief in poetry as a tool of revolution – to be shouted from rooftops and declared to the world. The mention of ‘fields of fizzing flares’ and ‘iron-smoke skies’ draws parallels to the fiery intensity of Morrison’s live performances, setting stages ablaze with his fervor.

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Morrison’s fascination with the duality of life—light and dark, love and pain, life and death—is mirrored in poems like ‘Night-Time’ and ‘Lovemaking.’ These pieces speak to both the electric thrill of the night and the inevitable arrival of daylight. The sensuality and raw passion that defined Morrison’s presence are felt vividly in ‘Lovers,’ with lines like ‘shake the walls & feel violin bows skimming against their paper skin,’ which echo the ecstatic highs and introspective lows of love.

In ‘Backstreets’ and ‘City at Night,’ we are taken on a journey through gritty urban landscapes—a nod to Morrison’s tumultuous relationship with Los Angeles, a city he both loved and loathed. The restless energy of these environments mirrors the chaos and allure of Morrison’s own life.

‘I Dream’ feels especially poignant, as Morrison was a dreamer in every sense, lost in his thoughts, ideals, and visions for the future. Here, the dreamer imagines a myriad of scenarios, from “gambling my days with beer” to the whimsical ‘meeting black & white writers wearing vaseline in their hair.’

‘Regret’ touches on the melancholy of missed opportunities and the quiet yearning for connection—themes that Morrison often grappled with. The desire for solitude, yet the pain of loneliness, are sentiments Morrison knew all too well.

The collection’s culmination, Aurora, stands as a testament to Morrison’s lasting legacy—colorful, chaotic, and graceful. Just as the Northern Lights dance unpredictably across the sky, Morrison’s influence remains, undulating and ever-present in the world of music, poetry, and popular culture.

Twenty Seven is more than a mere homage to Jim Morrison. It is a deep dive into the essence of a rock legend, interwoven with Parry’s own unique voice and experiences. Through these poems, Parry not only captures the spirit of Morrison but also pays tribute to the indelible mark the rock icon left on him and countless others. Whether a fan of The Doors, a lover of mid-20th century literature, or simply an admirer of evocative poetry, this collection resonates with the timelessness of Morrison’s impact, channeled through Parry’s masterful pen.

ORDER YOUR COPY HERE

About Alan Parry

Alan Parry is a Merseyside-based writer, editor, and lecturer. His writing embraces gritty realism, open-ended narratives, and the musical stylings of 60s girl groups. Published by esteemed platforms like Dream Noir, Streetcake Magazine, and Ghost City Press, Alan’s work showcases his talent for evocative prose and poetry. Inspired by Alan Bennett, James Baldwin, and Stan Barstow, he crafts compelling stories that resonate deeply. His debut poetry collection, “Neon Ghosts” (2020), and subsequent works like “Belisama” (2021) and “Echoes” (2022) demonstrate his creative prowess. Alan’s upcoming collection with The Broken Spine is due in December 2023. In the summer of 2023, he performed his debut spoken word poetry and prose show, “Noir,” at the Morecambe Fringe Festival. With an expanding repertoire and a distinct voice, Alan Parry is an emerging force in literature and performance.

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Due to some let downs with the Tuesday Guest Feature, not being fulfilled for one reason or another, I thought I’d share my poetry sequence Survival of the Lesser Flamingo which was inspired by David Attenborough’s, A Perfect Planet (BBC One Series) and Huw Cordey’s book, A Perfect Planet. The poetry sequence was published with Dreich in 2022.
I hope you enjoy it.

Survival of the Lesser Flamingo

Patricia M Osborne

Inspired by David Attenborough’s ‘A Perfect Planet’ (BBC One Series)

1.

A cloud of pink specks

becomes a ballet of birds

as they dance

            down

            to bright-red

            volcanic Lake Natron

            in groups of ‘Vs’ passing

            Tanzania’s Mountain of God.

The flamboyance of flamingos congregate

in soda crust rafts. They march in unison,

            turn their heads

                                     from side to side

            seeking a mate.

Standing behind a female,

the male flaps his wings

to balance his spindly limbs

as he mounts.

Barks and snarls fill the air–

crouching hyenas bare

bone crusher teeth

at the out-of-reach prey

guarded by a burning liquid ring.

Scooping wet clay with their bills,

parents-to-be build a concave

salt-brine mound to keep the egg safe.

She squats in the hollow,

lays an oval egg, stands, preens,

spreads her wings

and makes space for the male

to take his turn to incubate.

2.

A short pale beak peeps out. Azrael,

the chick, grunts. Shedding the cracked

vessel, he reveals soft downy

grey feathers and swollen pink legs.

His parents lower their scarlet bills, drip-feed

‘crop milk’ into Azrael’s opened beak.

When he bounces around the nest, his parents

know it’s time for him to leave and join

the ever-growing chick crèche.

Speeding to a sprint, Azrael trips, falls

on his head racing fellow flaminglets.

He flaps grey-plumaged wings, runs,

kicks his feet off the ground, stumbles,

tries again until lifting himself at last

into the air, flying high.

Feeding on Spirulina blooms

in salty Natron borders, Azrael’s

plumage and eyes turn deep pink

from the rich protein, glucose food.

The middle of the lake dries out,

pushing the chicklet colony to move.

Azrael follows the procession,

marching on foot for miles, as chicks

of all sizes seek freshwater springs.

Trekking sharp soda surfaces

and sticky caustic mud,

Azrael keeps up with the crèche,

stragglers left behind.

3.

Azrael peers up at the clouds,

a muster of storks hover, forcing

the young colony to move faster

out of danger’s way.

Tiny chicklets linger at the side

of the crèche to avoid being trampled,

but Azrael pushes to the centre, hides

from the phalanx of marabou as they sweep

up dawdlers and swallow them whole.

4.

A parade of flaminglets

prance in formation

into the freshwater spring–

millions of flamingos

greet their young.

Adult flamingo pairs dive,

claiming individual chicks.

Azrael grunts. He lingers.

One couple detect Azrael’s

call, fly down to the flaminglet.

He squeaks, opens his small beak,

they lower their dark red bills

and drip-feed Azrael ‘crop milk’.

I was delighted to be invited by the Romantic Novelists’ Association for an interview. We talked about my latest book, inspiration, publication journey, and my writing day. If you fancy a read, pop over to the Romantic Novelists’ Association.

I was delighted and honoured when approached by Lisette Brodey, from across the pond, inviting me to take part in an interview on her blog Writers’ Chateau.

Lisette asked me lots of interesting questions, for instance: “Are you an early bird writer or night owl? And do you have any must haves like coffee, chocolates, wine, music or something else?”

To find out my answer to the above question and see the rest of the interview pop over to Writers’ Chateau HERE

I hope you enjoy the interview.

Please join me in congratuling Kyla Houbolt on the release of Surviving Death published by The Broken Spine. Read on to find out more about this new release.

Surviving Death

Kyla Houbolt

Dive deep into the Kyla Houbolt’s Surviving Death as she sketches with her words. You’ll find yourself on a journey, each poem a window into raw emotions, from the haunting beauty of fading memories to the vivid heartbeat of nature.

“Before She Died” is a gentle embrace of life’s twilight, where ‘white egrets’, ‘flowers’, and ‘great beasts’ become a dance of reality, memory, and dreams. Then, in “It’s Late and Now”, you feel the yearning of younger days, the soft touch of “young firm flesh”, contrasted with the wisdom and acceptance that years bring. It’s like catching a glimpse of a younger self in the mirror and smiling in recognition.

Now, “Apropos the Latest” and “Fruit” – ah, here’s where Kyla’s playful side shines! The first, a cheeky nod to our everyday ‘sins’, while “Fruit” draws you into the very roots of existence, making you taste a mango as if it held stories of ages past.

With “Love Me Some Coyote” and its sister poem, Houbolt introduces the timeless Coyote – that mischievous spirit woven into indigenous tales. This creature straddles our world and something more ancient, reminding us of nature’s fierce grace.

The raw honesty of “Another Death Poem” and “Assistance” hits hard. They’re fearless dives into mortality and life’s toughest choices. You can almost feel the weight of each word, the courage it takes to pen them down.

Ever felt overwhelmed by the rush of modern life? “The Blur of It” and “Be That As it May” voice that very feeling. They’re like shared sighs over a cup of coffee, acknowledging the chaos but also finding strength in it.

“Abidance” is a still moment, a meditation on nature’s serene constancy amidst our human whirlwinds. And “Imagine That”? It’s pure magic, pushing the boundaries of what’s real and what could be.

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In essence, Kyla Houbolt’s work isn’t just a collection of poems—it’s a universe. Her voice pulls you in, making you a part of her musings, her dreams, and her reflections. It’s an intimate dance of words that resonate deeply, celebrating the wonder, pain, and beauty of the human journey.

~~~

About Kyla Houbolt

Kyla Houbolt has been writing poems all her life, and began publishing in 2019.  Her first chapbook, Dawn’s Fool, was published by Ice Floe press, and her second, Tuned, by CCCP Chapbooks + Subpress. Surviving Death is her third. but then I thought will be her fourth and is forthcoming from Above/ground Press. Her work has appeared in numerous publications including Sublunary Review, Barren, Janus, Juke Joint, Moist, Neologism, Ghost City Review, and Stone Circle Review.

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It gives me great pleasure to welcome back my very dear friend and talented author, Joy Wood, to Patricia’s Pen. This visit Joy is celebrating her newly launched novel Dead Pretty. Without further ado, it’s over to Joy.

Dead Pretty

Joy Wood

I’m absolutely delighted to share my new release, Dead Pretty. This book is close to my heart as I actually started my nurse training at the wonderful Harlow Wood Orthopaedic Hospital in the 1970s – sadly it’s now a housing estate. The 70s are a nostalgic memory to many of us (pay phones, The Little Chef on the motorway, and sending our photograph films off to Truprint) – I’m sure the memories are flooding back for you all.

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I’ve tried to recreate the excitement, the hard work, and trials and tribulations of student life in the nurses’ home with a matron who made sure everything was in order as we were only seventeen. Fortunately, she had no idea what we got up to . . . or maybe she did, who knows?

The characters and narrative only exist in my head, however, when writing the story, I’ve tried to recreate the hospital in its entirety, although I have had to use a bit of creative licence as I’m fairly certain there wasn’t a murderer stalking the corridors – not while I was there, anyway.

As always, I’m raising the flag for the many independent authors amongst us. Without the generous support that I receive, I certainly wouldn’t be able to produce a book each year as I do.

Thank you so much Patricia for inviting me onto you blog to discuss my new release, Dead Pretty – that is so kind of you. I know I speak for many authors (and poets) in extending our gratitude. You are a wonderful support to us all – we are fortunate to have you.

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If you’re not yet convinced to order Joy’s book, let me tempt you with this fabulous teaser.

Dead Pretty

PROLOGUE:1977

Killing was a desire that saturated every minute of his waking day. Adrenaline surged through his veins as he fantasised about vibrant, young female flesh trapped within his deadly hands as he tightened his grip around her milky white neck and strangled the final breath out of her. It was an evil, depraved craving, he knew that, but nevertheless, it overwhelmed him. There wasn’t even a hint of trepidation; right now a last kill was as vital to him as water. But the burning question he couldn’t answer was – would he be able to stop at one girl? Especially now he had a death sentence hanging over him.

There was a certain irony that he was in a perfect place to find a victim. A smirk twitched at his lips as he ran his hand along the windowsill of the old sash window, desperately in need of a coat of paint judging by the flaky chippings dropping onto the burgundy carpet. The heavy embossed dark brown curtains shielded him as he peered outside. It was a crisp autumn day, mild for the time of year and his heart rate quickened watching the new intake of excited students as they arrived to embark on a two-year nurse training course at the cottage hospital nestled in the woods.

A new entrant letter would be in each room instructing the students to meet at 6pm in the communal lounge of North House where they’d be told the rules they must adhere to while residing there. Nothing too onerous – it was essential that the nurses weren’t overwhelmed, forcing them to quit. Not when they were the workforce of the future. They’d have to listen to the instructions about quietness, respecting fellow students, keeping the communal kitchen and bathrooms tidy, and using the in/out notice board so that in the event of a fire, they could ascertain who was inside the building. Most would stick to the rules religiously, while others would bend them accordingly. He’d seen it all before . . . many times. And he hated them all. He hated their youth, their eagerness, and their couldn’t care less attitude. Professional training would undoubtedly ensure their lives would change. He knew categorically that for one of them it would. And the reason he knew was because he was going to extinguish it.

The task ahead now was to pick which one . . .

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About Joy Wood

Joy Wood is an independent author living in the quant seaside town of Cleethorpes in North East Lincolnshire. She has written eight books which sell in a local shop and on Amazon. Her first four books were romantic fiction with a crime element; her more recent books are psychological thrillers. She is a registered public speaker and delivers a talk about how she made the transition from nurse to writer (From Bedpan to Pen) in and around Lincolnshire. When she isn’t writing, she enjoys travel and dreams of coming across someone in a foreign destination reading one of her books.

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