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.
Go HERE to download for FREE
Hurry though – the clock is ticking…
Please join me in congratulating Mary L Schmidt on the launch of her new release Christmas in Evergreen
Mary L Schmidt
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)
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.
Links
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.
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.
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.
Links
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Patricia M Osborne 