Congratulations to fellow Hedgehog poet, Nigel Kent, on this gorgeous pamphlet Sent published by The Hedgehog Poetry Press.
Sent
(The Hedgehog Poetry Press 2025)
Nigel Kent’s pamphlet of epistolary poems, begins with a work that ironically marks the end of the letter form. Yet as the remainder of the collection makes clear, with the advent of alternative means of messaging, opportunities today for using the written word to communicate to others have proliferated. Pieces such as his text from a jilted lover, his DM to a headliner poet from a disillusioned fan, and his naming card to Lyra redefine the nature of epistolary poems into something vibrant and contemporary, making the reader laugh and cry. Sometimes at the same time!
“The final poem in this collection begins with a quote from Adrian Mitchell: ‘Most people ignore poetry because most poetry ignores people.’ Nigel Kent’s collection of epistolary poems is the opposite of this – it gives voice and a spotlight to the kind of people we all identify with – the secretary who can’t tell her boss what she really thinks of his behaviour, the lover with ‘grief clinging to her chest’, and the ‘bedsit boys’ for whom a better life seems out of reach. The huge themes of our time are also here: the loss of Truth, the abuse of our planet, refugees whose lives are ‘traded for votes’. And running through all of these poems is a deep appreciation of language, its wayward propensity to develop whether we like it or not, a wry and humorous mourning of what has been lost. This is Kent’s love letter to the written word, and any reader who shares that love will find much to enjoy here.”Karen Macfarlane, poet and author of ‘All about the Surface’
Patricia Osborne’s “Nature’s Bookends” is a pamphlet of meditative poems rooted in the natural world and the healing power of re-connecting with nature. While the opening poems are optimistic, don’t be fooled into thinking these poems don’t delve below the surface. There’s no toxic positivity here…
Patricia M Osborne’s Nature’s Bookends is a collection that rises far beyond its exquisite poems. Written during a year when the poet faced deeply personal encounters with cancer, the collection resonates with an urgency and poignancy that gives it profound emotional weight. With all proceeds from limited edition sales going to Cancer Research UK, this is a collection that blends artistic beauty with a mission for change...
Please join me in congratulating author, Ivy Logan, on the launch of And Then You Were Gone
Nina, a popular fantasy author, maintains a reclusive existence. Aside from Nina’s work, her primary focus is her daughter, Sophie.
Incessant bullying at school and a public, mortifying falling out with another girl sparks a downward spiral in Sophie’s emotional state.
Nina watches helplessly as her daughter appears to be unable to move past this unfortunate event. Nina grows so consumed with Sophie’s suffering that she loses her desire to write. How does one help a teenage daughter in torment?
But then Nina has an idea—an unorthodox method to help her daughter. She is going to write a story—bringing in a special character into Sophie’s life. As the author, Nina can control the outcome of the story.
Or can she?
As fiction and reality blur, Nina realizes that things have gotten out of hand. Is her story the blessing she hoped for or a curse she never expected?
Read this riveting and hauntingly poignant tale to find out more.
What Readers Say
I was immediately drawn into the story and didn’t put it down until the last words. It moves quickly and took me on an emotional rollercoaster, with an ending I didn’t see coming. I highly recommend this emotionally charged story that brings to light a universal struggle that never seems to find an end.
I highly recommend this book to everyone who appreciates an emotion-evoking story that tugs on your heartstrings and makes you look at seemingly usual things from a new perspective.
I found Ivy Logan’s latest artistic work full of intrigue and drama. This novella is suitable for either adult or young adult readers. The story begins like a great mystery should, giving pause for the reader to ponder and question exactly what doors are being unlocked in this journey …
Heart pounding at times, tear producing at others, Ms. Logan brings a soul touching story that will cause the reader to stay up late into the night, flipping pages to discover the unbelievable twist in the end. Easy 5 stars, I wish I could give it 10/10…
The Woodhaerst Reunion, Book 2,continues to follow the lives of Rachel Webster and Peggy Davies.
Returning as a journalist, is Rachel about to feature in her own story?
March 1977 – after four years away, Rachel Webster returns to Woodhaerst as a qualified journalist. Crushed following her former fiancé’s marriage, she accepts an offer from an ex to visit him in Paris.
Is romance on the cards for Rachel? Will the spiral continue to turn?
Has Peggy the strength for another round with Fate?
Birth mother, Peggy Davies, has restored her family to the happy unity they enjoyed before Rachel breezed into their lives.
Will this stability continue? Is Peggy’s household about to be thrown into chaos once again?
The coil continues to wind with surprise twists in store for both Peggy and Rachel.
A 1970s family drama centring around strong women, love, and friendship.
Please join me in congratulating memoir author, Beth Haslam, on the launch of the latest instalment to the Fat Dogs and French Estates series. Readers are in for a treat.
About Fat Dogs and French Estates – Part VI
Let’s be honest, relaxed living doesn’t apply to the Haslams. And certainly not with their accident-prone dogs and animal rescues. When a devastating event rocks Jack and Beth’s world, the joy of a new arrival is just what they need. But it doesn’t last long. A dark cloud looms, threatening the community and their beloved Le Palizac. Their future looks grim. Resolute, they join forces with friends to tackle the menace. Meanwhile, Beth is persuaded to navigate the perils of yoga classes – in French. Laugh, shed tears, share fears, and join in the fun. Vive la France!
Please join me in congratulating Suzi Bamblett, writing as B.B. Lamett, on the launch of My Brother’s Dominatrix. Readers are in for a treat.
About My Brother’s Dominatrix
Teacher Sarah thinks she has her life all figured out – that is, until her twin brother Simon’s sudden and mysterious death shatters the illusion.
After being made executor of his will, Sarah not only discovers her twin had a hidden lifestyle… but also that he left his entire estate to his dominatrix, Angel Belle. Determined to discover who Simon really was, Sarah finds herself drawn into Brighton’s shadowy BDSM underworld. But the closer she gets to the people in Simon’s past, the more ‘vanilla’ her own life seems.
When Angel vanishes suspiciously and Sarah is left with more questions than answers, her investigations take her far beyond her comfort zone – and halfway across the world – where she discovers her brother’s ultimate secret.
Can she really reveal the truth, or should she keep it buried forever?
Thank you to Mark Davidson @ The Hedgehog Poetry Press for producing yet another awesome pamphlet for my poetry.
Pre-orders at a discounted price of £7 plus p&p for Limited Edition signed copies. Publication date December 13th 2024.
Each print version order will receive a Free copy of my Stickleback by Hedgehog Poetry Press – while stocks last.
Proceeds will be donated to Cancer Research UK if purchased directly from me.
Please pay via My Paypal – After payment please email patricia.m.osbornewriter@gmail.com with name and address for pamphlet to be sent.
Postage UK £2.50
Postage Outside UK – Europe £5.00
Postage Outside Europe – Rest of World – £6.50
A pdf version is also available (this may be preferable, particularly outside of UK) at a pre-order low price of £1.50 – sent via DropBox due to size of file. After payment, please email patricia.m.osbornewriter@gmail.com for link to dropbox.
After ordering, please email me on Patricia.m.osbornewriter@gmail.com with your name and address/ or email address if pdf version has been selected. Many thanks for the support.
Check out the indepth reviews for Nature’s Bookends.
“Nature’s Bookends is a hymn to our environment. In deceptively artless poems, in which form and meaning are in perfect harmony, Patricia M Osborne evokes the spectacle of nature, capturing its sensory delights that have the capacity both to excite the observer and to bring comfort to the troubled. At a time of climate emergency, this is a collection that provides an engaging balance to the media’s panic-inducing portrayal of nature as violent and destructive. This is nature in all its benign glory, offering the reader an alternative compelling reason for ensuring we do everything possible to preserve it.”Nigel Kent / Poet and Reviewer.
By purchasing directly from me, all proceeds will be donated to Cancer Research UK.Thank you for your support.
And at last it’s here – A collection of nature poetry and poems in the here and now. Lose yourself as you turn over the pages.
Pre-orders from 29th November 2024 at a discounted price of £7 plus p&p for Limited Edition signed copies. Publication date December 13th 2024.
Each print copy order will receive a Free copy of my Stickleback also published by Hedgehog Poetry Press– while stocks last.
Proceeds will be donated to Cancer Research UK if purchased directly from me.
Please pay via My Paypal and leave your name and address for postage.
Postage UK £2.50
Postage Outside UK – Europe £5.00
Postage Outside Europe – Rest of World – £6.50
After ordering, please email me on Patricia.m.osbornewriter@gmail.com with your name and address. Many thanks for the support.
A pdf version is also available (this may be preferable, particularly outside of UK) at a pre-order low price of £1.50 – sent via DropBox due to size of file. Please leave email address.
By purchasing directly from me, all proceeds will be donated to Cancer Research UK.
“Patricia M Osborne’s new collection is deeply meditative, page after page of soothing poems that calm the spirit. Be inspired by the yew, the silver birch and the ancient oak. Find tranquility as you listen to the lullaby of waves at the shoreline. Be hopeful as you breathe in the scents of heather, rose and cinnamon. A prayer to the natural world, a copy should be at every bedside.” Maureen Cullen/ Novelist, award winning short story writer and poet.
“Nature’s Bookends is a hymn to our environment. In deceptively artless poems, in which form and meaning are in perfect harmony, Patricia M Osborne evokes the spectacle of nature, capturing its sensory delights that have the capacity both to excite the observer and to bring comfort to the troubled. At a time of climate emergency, this is a collection that provides an engaging balance to the media’s panic-inducing portrayal of nature as violent and destructive. This is nature in all its benign glory, offering the reader an alternative compelling reason for ensuring we do everything possible to preserve it.” Nigel Kent / Poet and Reviewer.
“Encased between dawn’s mandarin sky and a beetroot-coated dusk, Nature’s Bookends is a poetic whirling dervish, a cornucopia of nature’s creativity and chaos penned against the nature of humanity itself and its forgetfulness of what it is to simply rise, fall and be at one with the breeze. In this plenteous offering, Osborne roots us in the soil so as to witness the force of nature in place of the fight of the Earth’s weary inhabitants. This remarkable collection, mindful of the ground, invites the reader to sink into warm sand and be reborn.” Damien B Donnelly Poet, Editor and Podcast Producer.
“Nature’s Bookends reads like a well-played day of raga music that opens with sunrise. Poet Patricia M Osborne’s intimate collection guides us into a recognition of our place in grander scheme of the world’s natural order. We’re encouraged to breathe along with her, take in the colours and views; let them hold us as we are meant to be held, with awe and care. The treasures in Nature’s Bookends are plenty, and also beautifully written. More importantly, easy to understand, because they’re our treasures too.” Karen Pierce Gonzaez/Poet.
“In The Oath, Osborne skilfully transports readers back to late 19th century France and England. Seventeen-year-old Francoise leaves everything she’s ever known to fulfil an oath made by her parents, eventually finding true friendship and hope in an unlikely place. A coming-of-age story with well-rounded characters (I love Tilly!), authentic description and a great plot with many twists and turns. A real page-turner for anyone who enjoys historical romance at its best. Loyalty, love, loss and friendship. You’ll need tissues!”
The Oath takes the reader on an emotional rollercoaster with its captivating story set in the late Victorian era. Although heartbreaking, it is also uplifting, both of which may cause the reader to shed a tear or two.
From tomorrow, Wednesday 27th November 2024, The Oath is on an Amazon Kindle Countdown Deal at 99p/99c for one week only. If you’ve not read this emotional roller coaster check out more HERE
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December 6th 2024 sees the launch of Book 2, The Woodhaerst Reunion, of the Woodhaerst trilogy
Review from an advanced reader
“Just finished The Woodhaerst Reunion. Really enjoyed it Tricia – what a roller coaster! Looking forward to the third book!”
Returning as a journalist, is Rachel about to feature in her own story?
Although all books act as standalones the reading emperience will be enriched if read in the correct order. Therefore, if you’ve not read Book 1, The Woodhaerst Triangle, you may like to take a look at that first.
In 1971, 18-year-old Rachel is on the cusp of independence — but when she accidentally learns that she’s adopted, her world is turned upside down. Peggy Davies has always mourned her first child, and when Rachel finds her, she thinks her prayers have been answered. But sometimes even blessings don’t go as planned… A heart-wrenching, twisty story of courage, hope, and love.
What readers say about The Woodhaerst Triangle
“This book took me back to my youth. It is a beautifully written story by Ms Osborne which many will empathise with, of an eternal triangle but not solely of the romantic kind...”
“Loved all the little details evoking memories from my youth – clothes, cars, interiors, Woolworth’s….So pleased this is a three-parter which means there are two more books still to enjoy in this series. “
“If you enjoy reading books about interesting characters and their joys and dilemmas then you will love this book.”
“Great characters and storyline.”
See reviews and find out about The Woodhaerst Triangle HERE
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Finally, I have a new poetry pamphlet coming out with The Hedgehog Poetry Press very shortly. Watch out for the cover reveal and how to order your copy – All proceeds from these signed limited edition copies will be donated to Cancer Research UK. Copies purchased via Amazon will NOT go to the charity.
What Advanced Reviewers Say
“Patricia M Osborne’s new collection is deeply meditative, page after page of soothing poems that calm the spirit. Be inspired by the yew, the silver birch and the ancient oak. Find tranquility as you listen to the lullaby of waves at the shoreline. Be hopeful as you breathe in the scents of heather, rose and cinnamon. A prayer to the natural world, a copy should be at every bedside.” Maureen Cullen – Novelist, Award winning short story writer and Poet.
“Nature’s Bookends is a hymn to our environment. In deceptively artless poems, in which form and meaning are in perfect harmony, Patricia M Osborne evokes the spectacle of nature, capturing its sensory delights that have the capacity both to excite the observer and to bring comfort to the troubled. At a time of climate emergency, this is a collection that provides an engaging balance to the media’s panic-inducing portrayal of nature as violent and destructive. This is nature in all its benign glory, offering the reader an alternative compelling reason for ensuring we do everything possible to preserve it.” – Nigel Kent / Poet and Reviewer.
“Encased between dawn’s mandarin sky and a beetroot-coated dusk, Nature’s Bookends is a poetic whirling dervish, a cornucopia of nature’s creativity and chaos penned against the nature of humanity itself and its forgetfulness of what it is to simply rise, fall and be at one with the breeze. In this plenteous offering, Osborne roots us in the soil so as to witness the force of nature in place of the fight of the Earth’s weary inhabitants. This remarkable collection, mindful of the ground, invites the reader to sink into warm sand and be reborn.” – Damien B Donnelly Poet, Editor and Podcast Producer
“Nature’s Bookends reads like a well-played day of raga music that opens with sunrise. Poet Patricia M Osborne’s intimate collection guides us into a recognition of our place in grander scheme of the world’s natural order. We’re encouraged to breathe along with her, take in the colours and views; let them hold us as we are meant to be held, with awe and care.
She suggests we be “mindful of the ground” where we stand. Listen wholeheartedly to the music we hear, manmade or not, and let it “sing in unison/with the beat of my heart.”
As the 18-poem body of work reveals, just as ragas do the melodic moods of day, the contemplative observations include an afternoon beneath a majestic canopy of trees and the midday splash of rain puddles. Coming full circle, as bookends, the start of day begins with:
“the morning show./A ball of fire rises,/strikes docile waves,/amber rollers form.” and closes with: “a bloodshot sphere/sinks into the sea,/turns the sky beetroot,/purpling the waves.”
The treasures in Nature’s Bookends are plenty, and also beautifully written. More importantly, easy to understand, because they’re our treasures too.” – Karen Pierce Gonzaez – Poet.
Watch this space for the cover reveal and how to order your limited edition copy of Nature’s Bookends : Here and Now – All proceeds will be donated to Cancer Research UK. I hope to raise at least £500.
Fancy helping to raise funds for Children in Need while at the same time you receive a signed copy (UK delivery only) of The Woodhaerst Triangle?
The Woodhaerst Triangle is up for auction with Children in Read – TO BID GO HERE
What readers say about the Woodhaerst Triangle
“Full of well-researched detail of the 1970s and with a great twist that I didn’t see coming.” “All of the characters seemed life-like and drew me into their lives. I devoured it and when it ended, I had withdrawal symptoms!”
“This book is a real page turner full of memorable nostalgia and showed family life in a true setting.” “I was absorbed in the plot very quickly, eager to find out what happened next.”
“Recommended to all lovers of family-sagas and twentieth century stories.”
“You think you know what’s going to happen and then there is a sudden twist to the story line that you don’t expect.”
A signed copy of a book makes for the perfect gift.
The Woodhaerst Triangle is up for auction with Children in Read – TO BID GO HERE – Only 12 days left.
And check out all the other lovely goodies on the site. HERE
Patricia M Osborne 