She was born into nobility. But with times changing, will she be allowed to marry beneath her station?
Brighton, England, 1950. Grace Granville has grand ambitions. So after finishing boarding school, the naive sixteen-year-old manages to convince her aristocratic father to allow her a short adventure to Lancashire. But her sweeping plans to become a fashion designer take an unplanned turn when she falls in love with a handsome coal miner.
Will Grace tempt fate and spoil her own future?
House of Grace is the enthralling first book in the House of Grace family saga trilogy. If you like strong-minded women, social conflict, and stories vividly told across fascinating eras, then you’ll adore this 1950s / 60s saga.
All three books of the trilogy are FREE with Kindle Unlimited
Today on Patricia’s Pen I’m delighted to introduce Poet, Camilla Downs, who has come to chat about how walking inspires her writing. Without further ado, let’s go over to Camilla.
Inspirational Walks
Camilla Downs
Just as a cool glass of water slakes my thirst on a scorching hot day, going for walks quenches the thirst of my heart and soul to know my true self, to heal, to release, to allow joy, and to be at peace. Walking guides me in the loving way to process life, to fulfill life, to let life be, and to take action.
During the years of 2010 – 2019, I took a deep dive into healing myself, learning and practising mindfulness, meditation, and emotional connection. I left a 10 year marriage in December of 2006, becoming a solo parent to my two kids who were 1 year old and 5 years old at the time.
There was much I needed to process having to do with that, along with experiences of childhood, youth, my teenage years, and early adult life.
My way of processing life was (and is) to walk and write about what I am experiencing. During those years of healing I would write about what I was experiencing, ending the writing with asking ‘What do I need to know?’ I would then free-write a response, almost always a writing that soothed my soul, or set forth steps I may want to take.
For the past 20 years I have been going for walks. The meaning and depth of the walks have shifted throughout the years. What started as an activity simply to satisfy my desire to be active, bloomed into a walking practice. A practice to process healing, to release, to discover my authentic self, and to connect with nature.
Photo by Camilla Down taken during a walk at Scripts Wildlife Preserve – Reno, Nevada, USA – 2020
Going for a walk at least three times a week has literally kept me going when I felt I could not carry on, and propelled me into bliss in times of joy. Each time I walk I have a different experience.
At some point my writings combined with my walks and nature photography. Nearly every day when I returned from my walk, I would swipe through the photos I took, paying close attention to how my body felt. When moved, I would choose a photo, and ask what I was to share. Poetry would flow from that. It was really quite amazing for me to experience.
In the beginning of 2019, I decided I was ready to put forth another book. As I sat looking through my writings, the free-verse poetry kept coming to the forefront. I realized that I had been writing poetry for six years, with a knowing that the poetry was to be the next book.
Words of Alchemy was published in December 2019. I’ve been on a sabbatical from writing since that time, as I felt I needed a break. I feel sure that once I’m moved to write again, the words will eventually flow.
May you be inspired to explore how walking could create a shift in your life; whether that be ever so small or ever so big.
~~~
About Camilla Downs
Camilla Downs is a bestselling author, indie publisher, volunteer, and mom. She has four published books, two of which she co-authored with each of her kids. Nature and life experiences are a constant source of inspiration for her writing. She enjoys living a minimalist lifestyle, reading, going for walks and swims, and capturing nature’s essence with photographs. Camilla is the founder of MeetingtheAuthors.com and lives in Northern Nevada, USA with her two kids.
I’m delighted today to feature Author, Liz Martinson, who has come along to ‘Patricia’s Pen‘ to tell you about ‘Why she Writes.’ Without further ado, it’s over to Liz.
Why I Write
Liz Martinson
I’ve always loved reading stories. I used to love playing games of pretend when I was small. I think those games of pretend went from being imaginary to being written, first to entertain myself, then later, to entertain my school friends on the bus, on the way home, when I handed round a daily chapter of trash, loosely based on the spy television series popular in the 1960s.
As well, I think as a teenager, I explored the concept of love, often as crushes, and writing helped me make sense of the world and my emotions.
Throughout school, free writing was my preferred lesson. It filled me with pure delight to be told I could write a story about anything, and I was off. This eventually led to longer and longer pieces of work until I found I could create novels.
Not only that, but they weren’t too bad, and when handed round to friends, which I now understand is the equivalent of beta readers, my friends also thought they weren’t too bad.
It was extremely hard work and involved multiple re-reads to check for errors and plot problems, before formatting, checking everything again, publishing and finally promoting.
I love creating stories and finding background materials from my own experiences of the outdoors. I’ve sometimes gone back to one of my books and recognised interactions between characters as ones I’ve observed and apparently remembered. My husband has certainly complained he recognises characteristics of the heroes, but who else do I take as my role model? Why create a new hero when you have one ready to hand?
One thing I should emphasise for anyone thinking about writing a novel themselves (and I hope you do). Once written, I know for definite my novel isn’t finished. Not by a long, long way. Writing is work, hard work, at that. It needs leaving for a few weeks before re-reading, to ensure the plot runs smoothly and the characters are right. Once written, it needs editing, not once, or even twice, but multiple times. It’s amazing how misspelled words, extra words, missing punctuation and typing errors creep in and lurk.
To be honest, these days, everything from a Booker prize winner and traditionally published books, down to a new author’s Indie contribution, usually ends up with a few errors, despite everyone’s hard work.
I’m now with a publisher, Next Chapter, so I no longer have to create covers or format… but I still have to do all the rest! I hope you try one of my books – and if you do, I’d love a review, even if just one line. Thanks for reading!
About Liz Martinson
Liz Martinson is an author of several novels, short stories and poetry, who uses research and her own extensive experiences to fuel her writing. With a romantic thread running through all her novels, Liz includes life events and adventure to make them page-turning, enjoyable and engrossing. Readers often say they haven’t been able to put them down. Recently taken on by publisher Next Chapter, Liz has one book, Belonging, out under their label. Ullandale, now revised, is due out within a week, with a new cover. Her other two, Counterpoint and Takeover, are available as ebooks, and are also being revised and re-issued. Belonging and Ullandale are receiving excellent reviews. Having taken part in a Creative Writing course at the University of Lancaster, Liz completed it with a Distinction. In the past she has also been a runner-up in the Good Housekeeping Short Story competition, and has had several short stories accepted and published in anthologies. In her spare time, Liz enjoys a wide range of activities, which include cycling, reading and landscape photography, as well as cooking, music and travel. She has also had extensive experience as a hill-walker and has kayaked on rivers, lakes and sea. Living in the Yorkshire Dales, Liz spends her spare time with her husband and two cats, her twin sons having long flown the nest.
Congratulations to Eilín de Paor and Damien B Donnelly on the publication of their poetry conversation In the Jitterfritz of Neon published by The Hedgehog Poetry Press. Don’t you just love that cover?
Something a little different today on Patricia’s Pen, in so much as rather than have one guest poet, I have two. Co-authors, Eilín de Paor and Damien B Donnelly, of In the Jitterfritz of Neon have come along to chat about their new release. Firstly, without further ado, it’s over to Eilín.
Jitterfritz of Neon
Eilín de Paor and Damien B Donnelly
From Eilín
In the Jitterfritz of Neon is a conversation in poetry, sparked by stories shared between Damien and myself, over a number of in-person and Zoom catch-ups during 2020/1. We met for the first time at a poetry event in 2019, so ours is a fairly new friendship. As we got to know each other, though, we soon discovered that, even though our lives to date have been quite different, we share a lot of interests and a compatible world view.
One of the things we found we had in common was how much we both really miss socialising as it was before the pandemic – the adventure of the unplanned and unscheduled. The theme for this pamphlet grew organically out of those conversations. Of course, the fact that Mark Davidson from The Hedgehog Poetry Press announced a pamphlet competition specifically looking for conversations gave us the impetus we needed to turn our germ of an idea into words on a page. We are very grateful to him for the nudge.
Damien and I had such fun writing these poems. We look forward to sharing them and hope some of the joy their writing brought to us will chime with others.
From Damien B Donnelly
Covid brought every past night out that we’d ever experienced down on top of our distanced solitude. Lights of dancefloors that had been packed tightly away in a box labelled ‘dump’ suddenly found themselves opened up and turned on again, in the middle on an empty living room demanding recognition.
The joy of swapping these memories with Eilín and being inspired to find ones that related was such an organic process and was really a lovely, honest way of getting to know a new friend. I think identity has a deep place in the memory and when we share, we show parts of who we are, who we were and who we want to become without actually knowing it. I think we both know so much more about each other now, more than we would have found out pre-pandemic.
This is a journey we will look back on and be proud of what we achieved together, in a time that asked us to stay apart.
I’m delighted to feature Mary Schmidt on Patricia’s Pen. Mary has come along to chat about her co-authored children’s book Davy’s Dragon Castle. Without further ado, it’s over to Mary.
Davy’s Dragon Castle
Mary Schmidt
In my new book, Davy’s Dragon Castle, children learn to get along with others no matter the colour of their fur or skin. It’s important for children to learn the concept of, and how not to be racist, and toddlers are a great age to start the teaching. Anti-racism education in elementary school starts with students’ awareness of themselves, of others and of how those interactions play out. All social and emotional learning helps children to express feelings and be tuned in to the needs of others. This teaching contributes to the development of all children.
Additionally, children are introduced to a character that wears a prosthetic leg, giving children a chance to learn and understand how prosthetics work and if it does/does not limit abilities. Acceptance and inclusion are important in social learning from an early age.
The opportunity to interact with your child/children in a positive environment, such as the castle in this story, illustrates the importance of a positive environment in aiding children with learning social skills with other children and adults. Davy’s Dragon Castle helps parents and teachers to reinforce positive behaviors in an imaginative setting of imaginary dragons, castle, and town. Learning and sharing are essential for social development in all children.
The illustrations were a joy to design, and I feel this book will be significant in the days and years to come.
About Mary 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.
It gives me great pleasure today to welcome author Val Penny as my first guest for 2022 on Patricia’s Pen. Val’s returned to Patricia’s Pen to chat about her new release Hunter’s Rules. Without further ado, it’s over to Val.
Hunter’s Rules
Val Penny
Thank you for hosting me on your blog today. It is always a pleasure to visit.
My family has been moving between the U.S.A. and the U.K. for generations. It is always a bit of a lottery as to where you end up! As for me, I have been moving East all my life. Born in Northern California, I attended high school in the Mile High City of Denver then worked in Virginia before crossing the pond and marrying a Scot.
I write crime thrillers and started writing in this genre because that is what I enjoy reading. I firmly believe that to be a good author, you must first be an avid reader and it is due to my love of reading and story-telling that I began to write novels.
Hunter’s Rules is the sixth book in my Edinburgh Crime Mysteries series and there are many more to come! Although the books form a series, each works as a standalone novel, so readers can join the stories at any point.
The books are set in the beautiful city of Edinburgh which is the capital of Scotland. I chose it because it is a relatively small city and people from different walks of life and backgrounds are known to each other. That allows me to have some fun with my characters and storylines.
I am particularly proud of this book because, although the story is complete within itself, the concept follows on from a short story that I contributed to a charity anthology, Dark Scotland. The story, which is again a standalone piece, is the prequel to the novel. I hope those who read both will enjoy the conceit and those who read either will be absorbed by them.
Blurb for Hunter’s Rules
A bloody scene brings Hunter and Meera’s romantic plans to an abrupt end.
A young woman was attacked in a hotel lift. She has life changing injuries, but she is alive. Hunter notes that her wounds are like those inflicted on two women who previously died.
Can Meera keep the injured woman alive long enough for her to identify her assailant? Is the same person responsible for all three crimes? When Hunter is identified as a suspect in the crime, can he establish his innocence and lead his team to solve the crime and keep Edinburgh safe?
About Val Penny
Hunter’s Rules the sixth book in The Edinburgh Crime Mysteries series of novels. Val Penny’s other crime novels, Hunter’s Chase Hunter’s Revenge, Hunter’s ForceHunter’s Blood and Hunter’s Secret form the rest of this bestselling series set in Edinburgh, Scotland, published by darkstroke.
You can also start at the beginning of The Jane Renwick Thrillers with The First Cut.
Her first non-fiction book Let’s Get Published is also available now and she has most recently contributed her short story, Cats and Dogs to a charity anthology, Dark Scotland.
Val is an American author living in SW Scotland with her husband and their cat.
Hi Everyone, I hope you enjoyed the festive period, whatever you celebrate. Not long now for 2022 and let’s pray that will be a lot more positive than the last two years. I’m honoured to have been invited over on the Meet the Author blog, run by author Camilla Downs, for an interview. Why not pop over HERE and take a read?
As the end of 2021 approaches, I’d like to thank my readers and followers for their continued support. At this time I’d also like to acknowledge some very special people. My writer friend and mentor, Maureen Cullen, for her continued critique, support and friendship, to my online forum friends and Suzi Bamblett for feedback on my prose and poetry throughout the year, to my beta readers, and to my new found supporting poetry community, particularly Damien B Donnelly and Gaynor Kane.
This last year I discovered Blackbough Poetry and #TopTweetTuesday on Twitter which in turn has introduced me to poets from all over the world.
Over the last year, Patricia’s Pen featured close to forty guest authors and poets, some of who, returned for a second or even third visit. Guests wrote blogs about their books and writing in various genres to include crime fiction, historical fiction, poetry, children’s books, and memoir.
Patricia’s Pen2021 Guests included:
Brian McManus: Julie Anne Rudd: Vic Pickup: Jane Risdon: Lynne Shelby: Valerie Poore: Dawne Archer: Matt Duggan: Natalie Normann: Tim Taylor: Darren J Beaney: Val Penny: Chris Cooper: David Bleiman: David John Griffin: Nina Romano: Tania Crosse: Andy Roberts: Paul Brookes: Rachel Deering: Elizabeth M Hurst:Julie Stevens: Lynette Creswell: Margaret Royall: Patricia Feinburg Stoner: Sue Wickstead: Colin Ward: Steven Smith: Joan C Harthan: Anna Shenton: Suzi Bamblett: Nigel Kent: Jeanette Taylor Ford:Helen Christmas:Simon Elson:Sally Trueman Dicken:
To find out more about my guests’ blogs – Enter a name into the search box.
MyPublications in 2021
Poems Heaven in a Spring Garden – Reach Magazine
Victorian Picnic – Reach Magazine
Bridge with a View – Reach Magazine
Sunrise Concertante – Ties that Bind (Edited by Alison and Malcolm Chisholm)
Grandad’s Garden – Ties that Bind (Edited by Alison and Malcolm Chisholm)
First Day at School – Impspired
Isolated – Impspired
The Talent Show – Impspired
Sacred Tree – Ink Drinkers.com
Devil’s Darning Needle – accepted by Dawntreader – to be published in a future issue
The Granville Legacy (The final instalment in House of Grace trilogy) March 2021 – White Wings Books.
Sherry & Sparkly – A Poetry Conversation co-authored with Maureen Cullen – December 2021 – The Hedgehog Poetry Press
Aims for 2022
My aim is to have at least two poetry collections published by The Hedgehog Poetry Press
Symbiosis – A poetry conversation co-authored with Brian McManus Spirit Mother – Experience the Myth – a mythical poetry collection inspired by nature.
To complete my novel, The Oath, early on in the year but it may take a little longer to reach publication.
To become more proactive in submitting poems and short stories to small presses and magazines.
My blog diary is filling up with guests for 2022. So far my guests include:
Val Penny: Mary Schmidt: Liz Martinson: Carmen Radtke: Mick Arnold: Ankh Spice: Damien B Donnelly: Gaynor Kane: Angela Fish: Rosemary Gemmell: Joy Gerkin: Judith Barrow: Peter A.
And there will be lots more too.
2021 has been tough for us all but let’s hope that 2022 sees life a little easier where we can start to get back out and about again.
Without further ado, I’d like to take this opportunity to wish you all a good festive period and look forward to bringing you our first author guest in 2022 – Val Penny – whose blog will go out on Tuesday 4th January 2022.
Why not follow for updates so you never miss out on news or guest features? Follow HERE
It gives me great pleasure to announce the official release of Sherry & Sparkly published by The Hedgehog Poetry Press. I am truly honoured to share the pages with, my friend and mentor, Maureen Cullen.
Sherry & Sparkly – A Poetry Conversation by Maureen Cullen and Patricia M Osborne.
Maureen and Patricia grew up hundreds of miles from each other in different countries of the UK but share common experiences of childhood in the fifties and sixties when ice laced the inside of bedroom windows and corporal punishment was common in schools. They survived to become brides, mothers, career women and technophobes. Sometimes joyous, sometimes painful, these poems are a conversation about love, hope and identity.
Check out Nigel Kent’s review of Sherry and Sparkly HERE
Cancer hits most of us in one form or another and it is for this reason that Maureen Cullen and I decided to donate proceeds, from limited edition copies brought from us direct, to Cancer Research UK.
Sherry & Sparkly makes a perfect gift and a wonderful keepsake. Maureen and I have decided to continue the pre-publication price for a while longer so don’t delay – order your copy today.
Order your copy of Sherry & SparklyHERE and help us raise some money for a worthy cause.
About Maureen Cullen
Maureen was born in West Dunbartonshire and now lives in Argyll and Bute. She is a retired social worker who specialised in fostering and adoption. In 2015, she gained an MA in Creative Writing from Lancaster University where she studied poetry and short fiction. She has been shortlisted in various competitions, including The Fish Short Story Prize and The Bristol Short Story Prize. In 2016, she was published by Nine Arches Press, along with three other poets, in Primers 1. She has poetry published in a range of magazines, including Shooterand The Interpreter’s House. Her current project is a collection of linked short stories based in a fictional town in the West of Scotland.
About Patricia M Osborne
Patricia M Osborne is married with grown-up children and grandchildren. She was born in Liverpool but now lives in West Sussex. In 2019 she graduated with an MA in Creative Writing (University of Brighton).
Patricia writes novels, poetry and short fiction, and has been published in various literary magazines and anthologies. She has published a family saga trilogy. Her poetry pamphlet Taxus Baccata and The Montefiore Bride were published by The Hedgehog Poetry Press 2020.
She has a successful blog at Whitewingsbooks.com where she features other writers and poets. When Patricia isn’t working on her own writing she enjoys sharing her knowledge acting as a mentor to fellow writers.
It gives me great pleasure to invite poet and memoir writer, Margaret Royall, back to Patricia’s Pen. This visit Margaret has come to share details about her combined memoir and poetry new release Immersed in Blue. Without further ado, it’s over to Margaret.
Immersed in Blue
Margaret Royall
First of all I want to say a big thank you to Patricia for inviting me to be a guest on her blog. I am very honoured.
My latest publication, out 5th December 2021, is entitled ‘Immersed in Blue’ and is published by Steve Cawte for Impspired Press. I’m very excited about this latest book, as it’s a fusion of poetry, prose, travelogue, journal and memoir, illustrated with some beautiful colour photographs (cover and postcard photos courtesy of my friend Moira Brimacombe.) This is how it came to be written.
In 2012 a small miracle occurred. While searching for a painting holiday online I chanced upon a creative writing retreat on the Inner Hebridean Isle of Iona. This mystical, magical place has since become what I like to describe as my ‘heart-home’, a place where I feel totally at ease, happy in my skin. I have returned there year on year, each time producing a course project written as a Haibun (a mix of poetry and prose), which seeks to capture the myriad faces of the island and explore its numinous beauty. In this collection extracts from my journals 2012-2021 have been selected with the intention of sharing the many sights and sounds, riches of flora, fauna and landscape that I have been privileged to experience. You can read all about the book, including honest reviews from three acclaimed writers, plus sample poems, by visiting my website.
There will be an official launch evening in the New Year on Sunday, 9th January 2022, free and online, hosted by Damien B Donnelly and starring guest readers, Paul Brookes, Steve Cawte, Simon Royall, Jo Weston, Patricia M Osborne with Brian MsManus and Kerry Darbishire with Kelly Davis. A link to register for a free ticket is below.
Margaret’s work has featured in publications such as The Blue Nib, Impspired, Dreich, Black Bough Poetry and the acclaimed Gloucestershire Pandemic Poetry Anthology. She has five books of poetry to her name. She won Hedgehog Press’ full fat collection competition in 2020 and ‘Where Flora Sings’ was subsequently nominated for the Laurel Prize. Her highly rated memoir of childhood, ‘The Road To Cleethorpes Pier’ was published by Crumps Barn Studio in May 2020. She has been s/listed in several competitions, featured on guest blogs and published widely online. Her new collection ‘Immersed in Blue’, from Impspired, is out on 5th December 2021 and will be officially launched on 9th January 2022 at a poetry evening with guest readers, hosted by Damien B Donnelly.
Margaret is a regular performer at open mic events and leads a Nottinghamshire women’s poetry group. She is currently writing her first novel.
Patricia M Osborne 