I promised a cover reveal today (1st December 2020) for The Granville Legacy so here it is. The full jacket.
I’d love to know what you all think about it, but I’m sure you’ll agree that my designer, Andy Keylock, has stuck to the theme perfectly. Don’t they all look gorgeous together?
If you haven’t read House of Grace (Book 1) and The Coal Miner’s Son (Book 2) yet, you can download FREE here if you have Kindle Unlimited or purchase on Kindle. Also available via Amazon.
Signed copies available (UK only) available from my website shop here – pay safely with PayPal.
A Pre order on Amazon Kindle will shortly be available for The Granville Legacy – watch this space. Anticipated publication is March 2021.
Today I am pleased to invite Karen Mooney, a fellow poet published by the awesome The Hedgehog Poetry Press, over to chat about her conversational pamphlet, Penned In, which is a collaborative project with another Hedgehog Poetry Press poet – the lovely Gaynor also lovingly known as Lady Kane. Without further ado, I’ll pass you over to Karen.
Inspiration for Penned In
by
Karen Mooney
Thank you, Patricia, for the opportunity to provide an insight into Penned In which is a joint pamphlet of pandemic poetry with my friend, Gaynor Kane.
I think we’ve all struggled with our emotions during this unique period and have reassessed our priorities. Life has a way of focussing the mind, although it usually comes to us from individual challenges. ‘We’re all in this together’ is widely used, it is the title of one of the poems, but experiences vary significantly depending on personal circumstance.
Like many, I experienced initial fear which was exacerbated when, as Chair of a Patient Group, I sat in on a Zoom meeting with some GPs at the initial stages of this pandemic. It was a rude awakening. I gained a sense of how threatening the virus could be and of the courage shown by the medical profession in how they were adapting to the threat to support and protect their patients. We owe them so much.
Needless to say, sleepless nights ensued together with admiration for those looking out for us and anger at the inequality that many have suffered. I was fortunate to be able to stay at home whilst Gaynor headed to her work each day, but we, along with some other writers, kept in touch, sharing concerns and experiences. Some of those thoughts gradually trickled onto the page and Penned In, which is how we all felt, took shape. It reflects on the everyday issues faced by many: the struggle to write, social media, inequality, learning in lockdown, sleeplessness, the re-emergence of nature, feelings of being controlled, caring for elderly parents, the birth of a baby, nursing and embrace.
It was Gaynor’s idea to submit our efforts to The Hedgehog Poetry Press, and we were both delighted when Editor, Mark Davidson, accepted it. Gaynor’s an old hand at this publishing business with a Stickleback, Memory Forest pamphlet and her full collection, Venus In Pink Marbleunder her belt but this is the first time that my name appears on the cover of a book. In fact, that was the only thing we argued about as I wanted her name to appear first; she’s not referred to as Lady Kane for nothing!
~~~
I’m sure you’ll all agree that was a wonderful insight from Karen into Penned In. And what’s more all profits from signed copies ordered here will be donated to Action Cancer, Northern Ireland’s leading local cancer charity. Both of Karen’s and Gaynor’s lives have been touched by cancer, and they are mindful many cancer patients, and their families will have faced additional pressures during this pandemic.
ORDER YOUR SIGNED COPIES HERE AND HELP RAISE FUNDS FOR ACTION CANCER
I’d like to take this opportunity to congratulate Karen Mooney and Gaynor Kane on the publication of of Penned In and for donating to such a worthy cause.
This week’s guest feature goes to, Anne McMaster, a fellow cult member of the awesome The Hedgehog Poetry Press. Anne’s debut full poetry collection will be published by Hedgehog in February 2021. Today Anne has come to chat about her writing so without further ado, it’s over to Anne.
My Writing
by
Anne McMaster
When I realised that the casual notes I ‘d been scribbling for a couple of years were focused on memories of life on my family’s farm, the history of the land and the people who’d worked it, I instinctively knew the shape my first full collection would take. In my late teens, I’d worked on the land as a full-time farmer after my father had his hip shattered; I reared animals, drove tractors, cropped the land and maintained machinery – working to keep our family business going. When studying English Literature at university, I fell headlong for theatre. I lectured in Performing Arts for 22 years while working happily as a professional playwright – writing for the stage and designing interactive theatre projects for schools and businesses while directing and touring productions. By the time I left lecturing in 2016 to write full-time, I had 80 stage productions and over 30 original plays under my belt – and my love affair with poetry was about to begin.
Since then, I’ve had work published in journals and anthologies all over the world. I was very grateful to receive a SIAP (Support for the Individual Artist) Award from the Arts Council of Northern Ireland in 2018/19 to undertake much of the necessary research for this collection and I recently benefitted from receiving an Individual Emergency Resilience Programme (IERP) Award from ACNI in autumn 2020. I can’t begin to express how grateful I am for this acknowledgement of my work and for the financial support to continue it – particularly at this challenging time.
Working cover
Walking Off the Land – my first full collection – will be published by the wonderful The Hedgehog Poetry Press in February 2021. This is the phrase given to a powerfully moving rural tradition which takes place when a farmer (or one of his family) dies. On the day of the funeral, the coffin is taken from the main house and carried by friends and family (in a series of ‘lifts’) to the very edge of the land owned by that family. It’s then placed into the hearse and driven to church for the funeral service. Walking someone ‘off the land’ is a respectful and loving way for friends, neighbours and family to pay respect to the deceased and to the land they dedicated their lives to.
As to the future? I seem to be speeding up. Covid lockdown in a rural area has been a bonus; I’m incredibly lucky to have space and peace in which to write. I’m currently teaching classes online, reading at events in the UK, USA and Canada and I’m about to launch a mentoring programme. I’m collaborating with an astonishingly talented composer as we bring my words and his music together and I’ll soon begin work on two more collections: The Letting Go explores the complex process of bereavement and loss while Gods and the Land takes a rural approach to Greek mythology. I’m profoundly grateful to be so busy.
~
A very informative blog from Anne McMaster. How exciting about her upcoming projects. Anne will be back to Patricia’s Pen, in February 2021, around the time of her publication Walking off the Land so watch this space in the meantime let’s find out a little more about her.
About Anne McMaster
Anne McMaster lives on an old farm in rural mid-Ulster. After a lengthy career as a lecturer, playwright and theatre director, she now works as a professional voice actor, editor, poet and mentor. Her work has been published extensively in the USA, Canada, the UK and Ireland.
It could happen to anyone of us. Particularly in these Covid times. One day you could be settled in a nice house, a good job, and the next your whole world could cave in.
Helping the homeless is a charity so close to my heart. When I was a child, we could have been homeless, my parents with four young children, one of them a newborn. Thankfully an organisation in Bolton helped us and we were temporarily housed in a huge house in Farnworth with other families. I remember it like it was yesterday. It was the winter of 1962 and my dad made me go out with him to find the shops. I kept complaining I was cold and my dad told me to stop moaning we were all cold and I needed to know where the shops were so I could show Mum.
That year is the first time I can remember being poorly. I now know it was a bug. I kept being sick for weeks and couldn’t keep anything down other than Oxo which Mum used to make for me. Anyway, I am digressing but if it hadn’t been for that organisation, we could have ended up on the streets. God forbid what may have happened to us in those temperatures. Especially my two-month old brother.
When I started my MA in Brighton back in 2014, I saw lots of homeless people in doorways. I’d give one person the last money I had in my purse but then there was someone in another doorway and I had nothing left to give. I’d often find myself in tears walking back to the station. It was then I realised that I couldn’t help every individual but the best way to help was through an organisation and there are quite a few.
If you look on this link from an earlier blog there are options where you can donate.
What I’m asking you to do today is to consider pre ordering a signed copy of The Montefiore Bride, @ £5.99, and all profits will go to Crawley Open House. Check here to see what this great organisation does.
The Montefiore Bride brought me a winning place with the awesome The Hedgehog Poetry Press after I entered a prickly shorts competition. I knew then that I wanted to donate all proceeds from the first run (less PayPal and p&p charges) and all profits after that. Mark Davidson at The Hedgehog Poetry press has also supplied me with my story in pdf form and that can be purchased for £2.99 and all proceeds of this will go to Crawley Open House.
So are you with me? I’m told my prose poetry short story, The Montefiore Bride is a lovely piece of work. Here’s what it’s about and a preview of the story.
The Montefiore Bride
A Sussex Fictional Tale Based on Facts
by
Patricia M Osborne
Back in 2017 as part of MA in creative writing I was required to take up a writing residency. I chose my local Victorian Park, Worth Park, in Crawley, West Sussex. As part of my remit, I researched the park’s past going back to 19th September 1888 when Sir Francis Montefiore, the first and last Baronet of Worth Park, brought home his Austrian bride.
This short fictional West Sussex tale is based on facts from archived newspaper cuttings, black and white historic photographs and filling in the gaps with fiction.
A preview read
The Arrival – 19th September 1888
Mr Burr and I push past men in top hats and bonneted women hovering around Three Bridges. White and blue bunting shimmers in the autumn sun. Villagers grip red flags. Mr Burr and I wait with eager crowds for the half past four to arrive.
Red carpet in position, Sir Francis steps outside. I remember his Pa before him, a good man, one to respect, the Bart’s inherited that gift. He escorts his child bride, ‘Ice and Snow.’
Elegance in satin, her gown embroidered with pearls, she enchants onlookers. The footman opens the carriage, lifts the lady’s moon-lace train. She settles onto the seat. Her spouse slides close, smiles, kisses her hand. We all cheer.
Step back to 1888 and become part of the Victorian crowd waiting at Three Bridges Station…
Preorder your signed copy now for £5.99 plus p&p and help the homeless at the same time.
Publication date by The Hedgehog Poetry Press 14th December 2020
The Montefiore Bride – UK delivery £5.99 plus £1.00 p&p
The Montefiore Bride – A Sussex Fictional Tale Based on Facts
Ensure your address on PayPal is up to date.
£6.99
The Montefiore Bride pdf format
The Montefiore Bride – sent by email. Ensure your email address is up to date.
£2.99
This beautifully presented pamphlet will make a perfect stocking filler or a little treasure for you to keep.
Order in Pdf format for £2.99 – all proceeds to Crawley Open House.
It gives me great pleasure to invite a fellow Swanwick Writer, Elizabeth M Hurst, back to Patricia’s Pen. Elizabeth has come along to chat about her writing journey.
My Writing Journey
by
Liz Hurst
My writing journey began, as many do, with short stories. The idea of writing something as complicated as a novel, or even a novella, seemed much too big a challenge at that stage. Besides, I was still finding my feet, my author’s voice, so to learn the art of crafting a tale just a couple of thousand words long seemed more manageable. At the time, I was going through a phase of reading rather a lot of erotica so my stories reflected that and this is how Siren Spirit began, as an erotic short story.
It was as I writing the last few lines that the story was feeling somewhat unfinished. Without realising it, I had moulded the character of Emma on myself and my own feelings of disorientation after a marriage breakup. Her sense of loss, her grief and the desire to hide away to heal were all emotions I felt around that time. I should point out, however, that the similarities end there. I have never experienced any paranormal events, sexual or otherwise.
It was after this bombshell that it became clear that I needed to concentrate less on the erotic content of the story and more on Emma herself. Enter Lewis Carrington, her neighbour.
It was a fun story to write and, when the first draft was complete, I was confident that I would eventually publish. Then I had a revelation about telling the stories of Emma’s friends, too, and thus the Lost Souls series was born. The second book, A Friend in Need, was published a couple of years later, and the third (working title Letter of Lament) is due out some time in 2021.
This whole journey has ignited an interest in history that I didn’t know I possessed. I hated the subject at school, dropping it as soon as I could. It was only when I decided to trace my family tree around ten years ago that matching actual people with history began to bring the subject to life for me. Indeed, Grace’s father in Siren Spirit, Joseph, is based on one of my ancestors, who was a blacksmith.
People often ask us, as writers, where we get our inspiration from. For me, it is everywhere – in my own life, the things I do, the places I visit and the people I meet. I just need to be open to receive it. Once I am in the right head space, ideas come thick and fast; the creativity flows like a river in flood and I struggle to get it all down on paper fast enough!
Thank you Liz, aka, Elizabeth M Hurst. It was interesting to read about your writing journey and I can certainly relate to a novel being too much of a challenge as that’s how I felt too.
Links provided below to order a copy of Elizabeth’s books but first, let’s find out a little more about Elizabeth M Hurst.
About Elizabeth M Hurst
Elizabeth has always been a voracious reader since her preschool years, so perhaps it’s not surprising that when she hit middle age, the urge for a career change brought her into the world of writing.
The Lost Souls series brings together her love of the supernatural together with romance and historical settings to create provocative stories around her central female characters.
She has recently left the world of automotive engineering to concentrate full-time on writing and her freelance editing business, and is making plans to move to the south of France, fulfilling a lifelong dream. She is keeping her fingers crossed that her two cats will forgive her at some point in the future.
It gives me great pleasure to invite author, Rebecca Marsh, who has come from across the pond to chat about writing, in particular, her new book Where Hope is Found. Without further ado, let’s go over to Rebecca.
My Writing
Rebecca Marsh
Many thanks, Patricia, for having me on your blog! I have so enjoyed getting to know other authors and finding a community of support.
I started writing at the age of twelve, but I don’t write so much because I love writing, but because I have stories to tell. I’ve been asked many times where my stories come from, but for most of them, I’m not sure I know. However, once they are there, I want to share them. With each story, my greatest hope is to do it justice. There’s no greater joy than a reader telling me how one of my books affected them emotionally.
Why I write what I do
Although I enjoy reading a variety of different genres, the stories I’ve had in me to write (so far anyway) have always been emotional. Typically stories of healing that take the reader on an emotional journey and come to an uplifting ending. As I said before, I write the stories that are in me. But I think the reason these stories come to me is because emotional stories are the ones that tend to affect me the most. They are the ones that hover in my mind for a while, the ones whose characters stick with me.
That’s what I want to do with my own writing; I want to tell stories that move people, make them think, and see an experience of their own in a way they never had before. I want to give hope to my readers offering endings which leave them satisfied.
Where Hope is Found: released Oct. 15th 2020.
Blurb
One tiny moment in time can shatter your whole world.
A family beach vacation turns to tragedy and Marissa must find a way for her and her traumatized eight-year-old daughter, Maisy, to move forward and heal. But memories of what she lost surround her, threatening to take her to a dark place; a place she can never go again.
When her brother extends an invitation for her and Maisy to move in with him on Princess Island, Marissa thinks it might just be the fresh start she needs. But can she really find hope and healing on an island surrounded by the same ocean that broke her heart?
And here’s a treat from Rebecca as she provides an excerpt from Where Hope is Found.
Marissa’s panic grew. She began pushing her way through the crowd, not even hearing the protests people shouted.
When she reached the center of the crowd, she saw the legs of a man sticking out from behind the lifeguard who was performing CPR. Marissa sucked in a breath. She didn’t need to see his face. Staring at the bright red swim trunks, she knew right away it was Kevin.
Marissa froze in place as if time was going on without her. She wanted to scream, but no sound would come out. She couldn’t move. She could barely breathe.
Approaching sirens screamed through the wind, coming closer.
In seconds EMTs were pushing through the crowd. When they reached the center, the lifeguard stood up. He moved aside, giving Marissa a clear view … and her world shattered.
Well I hope that taster gets you buying Where Hope is Found – links are provided below for this book and Rebecca’s other publications. Before that let’s find out a little more about her.
About Rebecca Marsh
Rebecca L. Marsh is an author of women’s fiction and a member of the Paulding County Writers’ Guild. She grew up in the mountains of Western North Carolina, and now lives in Dallas, Georgia, with her husband and daughter.
When not writing, she enjoys spending time with her family (cats and dog included), watching movies, and reading a good book. Rebecca occasionally makes home-made candy and works on her scrapbooks (she is woefully behind).
The Montefiore Bride will be published by the awesome The Hedgehog Poetry Press on 14th December 2020.
You can now pre-order your signed copy to be sent out once I am in receipt of the printed copies, or order in pdf format at a lower price and get your copy emailed to you within twenty four hours.
Profits from all copies bought through Patricia’s Pen, signed copies and in pdf format, will be donated to my local homeless shelter Crawley Open House. Check them out and see what they do.
Pre order your copy here and scroll down. Choose which version is relevant to you – Signed copy options are UK delivery – Outside of UK – Europe – Outside of UK – Rest of the World.
Pdf format – wherever you live.
The Montefiore Bride brought me a winning place in a Prickly Shorts competition earlier this year .
What’s it all about?
The Montefiore Bride – A Sussex Fictional Tale Based on Facts
Back in 2017 as part of MA in creative writing I was required to take up a writing residency. I chose my local Victorian Park, Worth Park, in Crawley, West Sussex. As part of my remit, I researched the park’s past going back to 19th September 1888 when Sir Francis Montefiore, the first and last Baronet of Worth Park, brought home his Austrian bride.
This short fictional West Sussex tale is based on facts from archived newspaper cuttings, black and white historic photographs and filling in the gaps with fiction.
A preview read
The Arrival – 19th September 1888
Mr Burr and I push past men in top hats and bonneted women hovering around Three Bridges. White and blue bunting shimmers in the autumn sun. Villagers grip red flags. Mr Burr and I wait with eager crowds for the half past four to arrive.
Red carpet in position, Sir Francis steps outside. I remember his Pa before him, a good man, one to respect, the Bart’s inherited that gift. He escorts his child bride, ‘Ice and Snow.’
Elegance in satin, her gown embroidered with pearls, she enchants onlookers. The footman opens the carriage, lifts the lady’s moon-lace train. She settles onto the seat. Her spouse slides close, smiles, kisses her hand. We all cheer.
Step back to 1888 and become part of the Victorian crowd waiting at Three Bridges Station…
Preorder your signed copy now and help the homeless at the same time. This beautifully presented pamphlet will make a perfect stocking filler or a little treasure for you to keep.
It gives me great pleasure to invite fellow poet, Nigel Kent, published by The Hedgehog Poetry Press, over to Patricia’s Pen. Nigel has come along to chat about his writing, so without further ado, let’s go over to Nigel.
My Writing
Nigel Kent
I’m so pleased to be invited by fellow Hedgehog Poetry Press author, Patricia, to talk about my writing. It’s truly rewarding to be part of such a community of writers who support and promote each other’s writing.
I have been a lifelong reader of poetry. Though my taste in poetry is fairly eclectic, I have always enjoyed most poets who write in a direct, accessible style: poets such as American Poets, Ted Kooser and Richard Jones or Welsh poet, Jonathan Edwards. This is the sort of poetry I want to write myself. Like them I try to find the extraordinary in the ordinary. I want to explore the beauty, the heroism, the tragedies and courage of everyday lives in verse that continues to resonate and move after the reader has closed the book.
In ‘Psychopathogen’, my most recent pamphlet, the poems describe the effect of these exceptional times on unexceptional people: a reluctant schoolboy; a shielded grandmother; a middle-aged married couple. I wanted to document the individual stories behind the headlines.
Similarly in my collection ‘Saudade’ my subject is the different types of loss and longing that people experience in their daily lives. See ‘Miscarried’ below.
I had my first poem published when I was 17 and was paid the princely sum of ten shillings for it. However, at university I lost confidence in my writing, when I compared it with the wonderful writing I was studying for my degree in English Literature. In retirement with nothing to lose and a lot of time on my hands, I picked up writing again and have been overwhelmed by the attention my poetry has received: I was particularly delighted to have my poem ‘Miscarried’ nominated for the 2019 Pushcart Prize:
Miscarried
When she lost the little girl she’d longed for they did not try again; ‘Too old!’ he said. She did not lie silently in a closed-curtain room; she did not stare mutely into the unused cot.
Her grief was a howling, bared-teeth grief; a sinew-ripping grief; a snapping, snarling grief that locked its jaws around her throat and swiped at both his outstretched hands.
He learned in time to tip-toe round her, flattening himself against the nursery walls, but he never could ignore the quiet sound of gnawing, as it devoured her hour by hour.
*
I haven’t regretted returning to writing. Reading and writing pretty much fills my time and has become a second career. I write most days: I need to as I am a painfully slow writer, taking days to finish a poem (if a poem is ever finished!). Furthermore, I am increasingly getting out to read my poems at live and Zoom events. Sharing the poems you have written is a nerve-wracking but ultimately rewarding experience; after all, what’s the point of writing if you can’t see and hear how your poems affect the listener!
*
Thank you, Nigel for sharing about your writing. I particularly loved your ‘Miscarried’ poem as I’m sure my readers will.
*
About Nigel Kent
Nigel Kent is a Pushcart Prize nominated poet (2019), author of ‘Saudade’ and ‘Psychopathogen’, and an active member of the Open University Poetry Society, managing its website and occasionally editing its workshop magazine. He has been shortlisted for several national competitions and his poetry has appeared in a wide range of anthologies and magazines. His latest publication, Psychopathogen, has been nominated for the 2020 Michael Marks Award for Poetry Pamphlets.
Links to books
Why not order a signed copy of Nigel’s excellent poetry pamphlets?
It gives me great pleasure to welcome back, Queen of Flash Fiction, Allison Symes. Allison has come along to talk about her new release. Without further ado it’s over to Allison.
Tripping the Flash Fantastic
Allison Symes
Hello, Allison Symes, flash fiction writer and blogger for Chandler’s Ford Today, here. Many thanks to Patricia for inviting me back on to her blog. Further to my interview here, just over a year ago, I am delighted to announce my second flash fiction collection has now been published by Chapeltown Books.
Following on from my debut book, From Light to Dark and Back Again, my new book Tripping the Flash Fantastictakes you back in time. I also take you into some truly criminal minds, into fantasy worlds, and show you how motherhood looks from the viewpoint of a dragon. I hope you enjoy the journey!
I loved writing this book and it is such a thrill to see it published. Collections take a while to get together and, as with any book, so much unseen work goes on behind the scenes. It was also great to be working with indie publisher, Chapeltown Books, again.
What was nice here was having input into the cover design. The choice of image wasn’t my first, funnily enough. Due to the nature of Chapeltown’s square frame, I needed an image that would work well within that, my first choice didn’t, and so I looked again for another image. I think what I have chosen is better than my first idea. There’s a lesson to be learned there I think!
Why write flash fiction?
Flash fiction has been my great writing passion since I discovered the form in 2013. I had been writing short stories and having them regularly published on Cafelit, the online story magazine, when they issued their 100-word challenge.
My first thought on reading that was you have to be kidding me! How can you tell a story in so few words? A proper story that is! My second thought was well they wouldn’t have issued the challenge if it really was impossible, would they? Give it a go!
So I did and quickly became addicted to the challenge of writing the very short form of story. I think I love it so much because I’ve always enjoyed the character creation aspect of writing fiction. With flash, I’m inventing new characters all the time so win-win for me here.
Flash has to be character led simply because you haven’t the room for a lot of description but that in turn gives these short stories immediacy and pace, which I’ve always loved. The challenge of coming up with unforgettable characters and situations is always fun to try and meet! The great thing too is I can set my characters wherever and whenever I want to – for that, flash fiction is remarkably flexible. And even within the upper word count limit of 1000 words, there is much that can be done. I’ve written across the spectrum though my natural home is sub-500 words.
I’ll be holding a cyberlaunch for Tripping the Flash Fantasticon Saturday, 10th October between 7.00 and 9.30 pm. There will be quizzes and prizes amongst other fun things. I also plan to share some of the stories from my new book and discuss how and why I wrote them as I have. If you have any questions about flash fiction, I’d be delighted to answer them. Hope to see you there! Join the event HERE
It was a delight to be invited over to Beth Haslam’s, a fellow writer and friend, blog today to chat about my writing journey. This could be of interest. Why not pop along here and see what I had to say.
Beth visited Patricia’s Pen in July this year to talk about her writing – in the event you missed it, or would like a reminder, read what she had to say here.
Patricia M Osborne 