Congratulations to my lovely author friend, Lisette Brodey, on the launch of A Dubious Recall. Don’t you just love that cover?
About the book
When you’re not sure where you’ve been, how do you know where you’re going?
With only one more year of high school to go, New York City teen Bree Farrell disappears, leaving only a note behind, assuring her family that she’s left of her own free will. Despite their best efforts to find her, she remains elusive. Four years later, she returns to the family apartment.
Her muddled sense of where she’s been, her secondhand clothing, and her claim she was abducted by aliens one night in the Mojave Desert cause her family to be uncertain and concerned. Bree’s close relationship with her grandmother resumes immediately, but a lot has changed. For one, she doesn’t believe her brother Silas is really her brother. But she has no rationale for her feelings.
So, when Silas invites Bree to visit him at his bartending job at a well-known Irish restaurant, she accepts. While there, a chance meeting with soap actress Cheyenne Carson, who Bree and her grandmother watched for years, upends Bree’s life in unimaginable ways. Conversely, Cheyenne’s alleged date, Zak, becomes a port in the storm.
With her ex constantly calling her family home and stalking her, and having unanswered questions about her past, it’s only a matter of time before Bree’s life takes another detour… one she’ll have zero control in stopping this time.
From the author of the previous New York suspense novels Twice a Broken Breath, What the Years Remember, and Too Far Standing Still.
I don’t know about you, but after reading that blurb, I can’t wait to read this!
Today I thought I’d share a couple of things with you for Halloween. The first is a flash fiction – Soul Stealers. I hope you enjoy it.
He forces his eyes to stay open. Why did he even agree to this? But if he hadn’t and if it was true, what then? He trys to concentrate on the muffled thunder and thrashing waves.
‘It’s just an old wives’ tale,’ the villagers told him, but the white witch in the woods told him the truth.
He hauls himself up from the armchair, opens the French doors and glances at the illuminated sky as he breathes in the ocean air. A full moon. Suddenly, a strange presence takes hold of him. He shivers.
The phone rings. He makes his way over to the cabinet, perches on the bed, and picks up. ‘Hi, darling, yes, I’ll be home in the morning. Love you too.’ He returns the handpiece to its cradle. Exhausted and shivery, he lies down and pulls the quilt over himself. Just for a few minutes. But when his eyelids droop, he shoots up to a sitting position. No, I mustn’t sleep. Only a few more hours and he’ll be free from danger. He just needs to make it through until morning.
‘Your family is cursed,’ the witch had told him. ‘On All Hallows Eve, your thirtieth birthday, there will be a full moon. If you sleep your soul will be taken. However, if you spend this night at Blackwood Castle and do not sleep until first light then the curse will be broken.’
He lies back down. Once again his eyelids creep shut. The presence becomes stronger so he pinches his arm to help him stay awake. His eyes now wide open, he stares up at the ceiling. ‘You’re not stealing my soul.’ He laps up the humming waves from outside.
Will he get through this? Will he manage to survive? His family need him. He must survive.
He rolls off the bed, circles the room, and glimpses at the hands on his watch. Just a couple more hours. He can do this. His eyes burn for sleep. His body’s limp with fatigue. Dreams beg him to succumb.
The devil’s army waits. He must break this curse.
One more hour until dawn. He’s nearly there. He yawns. Weariness forces him to lie down on the bed, but he won’t sleep. He won’t…
Good morning, everyone. It’s all been a bit of a whirlwind since Monday when Gymslip Bride went live on Kindle.
Right now, I’d like to make a few thank yous.
Firstly, to my wonderful writing buddy and editor, Maureen Cullen, who I simply couldn’t be without, to talented designer Andy Keylock (Marketing Pace) for creating such a wonderful cover. Don’t you think it’s simply the best? Thank you to my lovely ARC readers for taking the time to read the book and providing such brilliant feedback, to all my family and friends for sharing my posts on social media, and to those who’ve already downloaded Gymslip Bride onto their kindles, thank you. I hope you enjoy it. And a final thank you to all my friends and family who support me through it all. As an independent writer I’m indebted to each and every one of you.
I can’t wait to hear what readers think of Gymslip Bride. If you love saga, love romance, and fancy the idea of stepping back in time to 1948 postwar Liverpool then the chances are you’ll find yourself enjoying Gymslip Bride.
Like all my other books, Gymslip Bride contains themes of friendship, family, and romance, along with breaking the class barrier. What’s different about this book is that it breaks culture barriers too as Talia Cohen (the gymslip bride) falls in love with Finn Marsh, an Irish Catholic. Lots of conflict as you may imagine. The question is, whether the couple are prepared to choose each other over their families.
How do you all feel about playing a little Question and Answer game where you can ask questions about Talia and I’ll answer them providing it’s not giving away any spoilers?
I’ll start. Who is the gymslip bride?
Answer: Talia Cohen. She’s seventeen and works at Lila’s, a travel agents. My late mum’s name was Lila and as she and my late father inspired me to write this story, I decided to name the shop after her and that way, every time I typed it, it was like my mum was alive in the story. Corny, I know, but it helped me.
Anyway, I’m digressing. Talia left school at fourteen as they did in those times. She’s rebellious. A bit of a pattern there with my previous protagonists as Grace Granville from House of Grace trilogy, Rachel Webster from the Woodhaerst, and Zara Wiseman from the Zara timeslip series, have all stood up to their parents.
And now it’s over to you. You might want to ask why she was given this name? Or maybe you’d like to ask something else.
If anyone fancies finding out more about Gymslip Bride, or considering downloading and not quite sure, here’s the link. It’s only on kindle at the moment but the paperback will follow sometime next month. And remember if you have Kindle Unlimited then you can download to read without any further outlay.
I’m pleased to let you all know that Gymslip Bride is now available on Amazon Kindle. It’s enrolled in Kindle Select which means if you have Kindle Unlimited you can download without further cost. The paperback version will follow next month.
What’s Gymslip Bride about?
Liverpool September 1948
Turmoil threatens when a Jewish girl falls in love with an Irish Catholic
When seventeen-year-old Talia Cohen discovers the guy she fancies is not only her best friend’s brother, but a twenty-two-year-old Irish Catholic, the magnetism is too strong to deter her, despite the havoc it will cause both families.
Pledged to a boy of her own faith, she stands up to her parents and fights for the right to choose her own husband, of any age and any religion. But can she also go up against a widowed mother who insists her only son weds a nice Irish girl?
With love on one side and family loyalty on the other, how much is Talia willing to risk for the man of her dreams?
Perfect for fans of heartfelt, rebellious post-war romance.
I can’t wait to hear what my readers think of this new book. This one’s special to me as I was inspired to write it by my late parents’ story, although Gymslip Bride is a work of fiction.
I’ve been a little quiet on here but that’s because I’ve been writing stories.
The Girl in the Glass Doorway (Book3 of the Zara timeslip series) is finished and has been to my beta readers. The next step is for the full manuscript to go back to my editor and once any adjustments are completed, it’s time for the formatting, and the cover designer begins creating a lovely new cover. I anticipate this book being published around February or March 2027.
There will be a Book 4 in the series too and I’ve already made a start on The Girl in the Listening Booth.
If you’ve not started the series yet, why not take a look at the blurb and reviews for The Girl in the Ticket Office Window and The Girl in the Attic Mirror (Book 1 and 2 of the Zara timeslip series)
In other news, Gymslip Bride, a post-war romance set in Liverpool, is next up for publication, and the process is well on its way. My cover designer Andy Keylock (Marketing Pace) is working on coming up with a brilliant cover, the formatting is complete, it’s been to my beta readers, so all that remains now is once the cover is ready, it’s uploaded and I order a proof. Following receipt, my editor goes through it with a fine tooth comb, I make any adjustments necessary, and it’s then ready for release. I’m hoping no later than November of this year, so watch this space.
I’ve made a start on a sequel for Gymslip Bride, and I anticipate this story being more of a family saga rather than romance, although it will still have lots of romance content.
If you like family saga and drama, why not check out House of Grace trilogy running from 1950s to 1980
The Woodhaerst trilogy – a 1970s love story wrapped in family drama?
And going back further for historical fiction lovers, there’s The Oath, a heartbreaking emotional rollercoaster saga set in late Victorian/ early Edwardian times.
Watch this space for more news about my upcoming books, cover reveals, preorder dates, and any offers that arise.
The Girl in the Attic Mirror (Book 2 of the Zara timeslip series) is coming soon, and is now available to preorder on Amazon Kindle with a release date of 27th July 2026, so not too long to wait. It will be available to read with Kindle Unlimited once published.
Paperback readers have a little longer to wait as publication date is 9th September 2026. Once released, the paperback can be ordered via Amazon, or via any reputable bookstore, or you can request your library to get a copy in for you.
And here’s the cover…
What do you think? I like it even more than the cover for The Girl in the Ticket Office Window.
What’s the book about?
One woman. Two centuries. A past that refuses to stay buried.
Journalist Zara Wiseman, no stranger to time travel, is excited to be called into action when a headline from an old newspaper flickers an SOS.
But after stepping through a mirror to 1925, she’s stunned to find herself clad as a poor housemaid rather than the lady of the manor.
When life in the present creates havoc for Zara, she craves her life in the past as Rosie Winter. However, on slipping back in time, she soon discovers that the bygone age is equally turbulent.
And when her heart becomes entangled with two irresistible men, she has some crucial decisions to make.
How will she unravel the tangled knots that bind her?
Will she lose the love of her life?
Can her sanity survive?
As in Book 1, The Girl in the Ticket Office Window, it has a dual timeline with Zara Wiseman transporting back in time from present day. In this story, she finds herself back in 1925, with plenty of romance happening in both centuries.
Like the sound of it and fancy preordering the kindle version? Release date 27th July 2026.
Please join me in congratulating, a friend and fellow poet, Margaret Royall, on the launch of her latest poetry release, Hemlock and Honey, published by the awesome Hedgehog Poetry Press.
Introduction to Hemlock & Honey
As I approach my three score years and ten I have been thinking back over the past decades and analysing the memorable events that stand out for me most, reflecting on those that have exerted the greatest influence on my life. Indeed, there have been traumatic times, when life was turned upside down and huge changes were forced upon me. On the other hand I now understand, with the benefit of hindsight, that these have encouraged positive changes and led to hobbies, interests and new friendships that have greatly enriched my life. Without the trauma there could not be the rapture! In these poems I have therefore tried to explore both facets of life. Part One details the negatives and Part Two the positives, thus aiming to provide a balanced overview. I do not seek the sympathy card or see myself as a victim, nor do I want to suggest that life now is totally perfect. It’s a case of moderation in all things.
I have chosen the sonnet form in many poems, having always enjoyed writing in form and particularly using sonnets. Recently I took a course with distinguished poet Anna Saunders on writing sonnets for contemporary times, which I greatly enjoyed. This then naturally followed through into my latest work. It has been a huge challenge to write in this concise poetic form that uses rhyme, but to do it in a non-intrusive way. I hope that in some small way I have succeeded and brought the reader with me on my journey. My wish is to demonstrate that despite life throwing us curve balls, with patient determination we can find solutions, coping strategies that enable us to emerge as stronger, more hopeful and better human-beings.
2025 has been another rocky year but I’m hoping that 2026 will bring calmer waters for us all. My biggest wish is for World Peace and that people learn to accept others for who they are.
Over to Publishing
Publishing in 2025 has been a busy one for me. After signing over House of Grace trilogy to Dp Books in April 2025, a big mistake on my part, I managed to get my rights back in November and republished under White Wings Books. The family saga trilogy runs from 1950 to 1990.
On 10th November 2025, The Girl in the Ticket Office Window kicked of the first book of the Zara timeslip series. If you’ve read it, and enjoyed it, a brief review on Amazon/Goodreads is always greatly appreciated. If you’ve not read it yet, maybe I can entice you to step back in time with Zara Wiseman.
This time travel romance is available on Kindle, Kindle Unlimited, and in paperback.
A journey to the past to fix the future.One face – two women – dark secrets
In 2026, expect to see more publications from me. In the first half a new poetry collection, ‘New and Selected Poetry‘ is to be released by the awesome Hedgehog Poetry Press. Later in the year, Book 2 of the Zara timeslip series, The Girl in the Attic Mirror will arrive. I’m also working on a new historical romance, The Gymslip Bride, set in 1948 Liverpool, which I hope you’ll love.
And there’ll be plenty of guest and launch features for fellow authors and poets.
Thank you for sticking with me, my books, and Patricia’s Pen. I really appreciate it.
I’m excited to announce that The Girl in the Ticket Office Window will be released on the 10th November 2025. It will be available to read in paperback, on kindle and if you have kindle unlimited you’ll be able read it with that too. It is now available to preorder on Amazon Kindle at a special price of 99p/99c. Following release the price will be £2.99/$4.50. The reason for the introductory price is to ensure that my loyal followers get the best deal.
I’m so happy with the cover and I hope you all like it too. Andy Keylock (Marketing Pace), my cover designer, has done an amazing job.
The Girl in the Ticket Office Window, the first book in the Zara timeslip series, is a little different to my normal books in as much that it uses a dual timeline that slips from present day to 1910. I was inspired to write this novel from an old photograph I spotted on a local Facebook group. The story began as a flash fiction and my very good friend and editor, Maureen Cullen, who is also a brilliant writer, advised me, ‘This could be a novel.’ I had my doubts, but yes, I turned it into a novel and what’s more, the second book in the series is over two-thirds written.
The book provides the normal themes of strong friendships and social conflict that I like to use, whilst also adding a bit of mystery and romance, including a love triangle with two men a century apart.
Girl misses train – catches a ride backwards in time
Journalist Zara Wiseman discovers an unexpected story for Feminine Smile Magazine when she finds herself transported back to 1910 and becomes Lady Rebecca. Initially the 24-year-old believes her quest is to save Rebecca from an arranged marriage to Sir Richard Cavendish but soon realises he’s not the true villain. As Zara unearths two deadly dark secrets, she fears Rebecca and Sir Richard’s lives could be in danger.
Torn between travelling back in time to save Rebecca and Richard and leaving her own life behind, Zara summons all her strength to fulfil her mission. With a dual timeline slipping between present day and 1910, Zara is caught in a love triangle with dishy boyfriend, Scott, and Sir Richard, the dashing and devoted gentleman.
I moved over to the ticket office window and peered at my reflection. A straw hat topped with flowers and feathers matching the cream lace bodice was positioned on my piled-up hair. No sign of the wheeled suitcase either. It was like I’d stepped inside someone’s dream. My pulse pounded. There had to be some kind of scientific explanation. I headed back out of the station hoping everything would be as usual but all was far from normal.
The road was empty with not a car in sight. I inhaled clean air. My stomach churned so I covered my mouth to stop throwing up. This couldn’t be real. My eyes shot to a little girl in a white smock dress and straw boater perched on a fence. She appeared mesmerised by two young lads in a scuffle. They wore grey tweed flat caps just like my great grandfather had owned. I was losing myself in a history book. I blinked back salty tears. If this was real, supposing I never got back to my own time? Mum and Dad couldn’t lose another child. And what would become of Chloe? My sister needed me.
The bridge ahead was blemish free and surrounded by greenery. As if in an early twentieth century movie, a gentleman in Edwardian dress promenaded out of The Fox Inn. His eyes lit up with recognition as he approached. ‘Good morning, Lady Rebecca.’ He doffed his bowler hat.
Lady Rebecca? Who the hell was I? My name was Zara. Once he’d passed me by I whispered, ‘Please God, if there is a god’ – I sobbed – ‘please help me.’
After stepping off the pavement I witnessed another blinding flash. Disoriented, I stepped back and tripped. A blue Volkswagen almost hit me. The woman driver hooted her horn and raised her fist shouting abuse. The pedestrian man changed to green. As I hurried across the road my ankle boots felt huge on my feet; the court shoes had gone and so had the dress. I was wearing my own twenty-first century clothes and the suitcase rattled on wheels. The bridge was covered in grime and graffiti. The Fox Inn had disappeared and The Fox Revived had returned. Thank goodness I was back in 2023. I gave a sigh of relief. Had I gone through some kind of portal and then back out again?
My heart pulsated as I turned towards Bridge View Station. Avoiding the main entrance in case it sent me back, I slipped in through the side doorway.
~~~
I hope that the opening has made you want to read more. On release you can order a copy via Amazon, bookstore, or your local library.
In the meantime find out more and preorder on Kindle at the special price of 99p/99c. Price goes up on release.
Watch out for more bookish news concerning House of Grace trilogy.
I tend to neglect promoting The Oath so I’m excited to announce that it can be downloaded on Amazon Kindle for only 99p/99c. This deal ends 08:00am GMT/ 08:00am PDT 12th June 2025.
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.
Marry the baronet, or vulnerable parents face la prison des pauvres
France 1895 – Seventeen-year-old Françoise abandons her carefree life and sails for England to marry distant cousin Charles Dubois. On arrival she finds her groom aloof and evasive.
‘Playtime is over. Seventeen is old enough to wed and bear a child.’
Draped in expensive silk brocade, she yearns for her homeland and comfortable gowns, and when she discovers the baronet’s clandestine visits, it is her cheery maid she turns to, her new confidante and friend.
BETRAYAL – HEARTBREAK – FRIENDSHIP
The Oath: A coming of age, historical fiction saga from the author of House of Grace family saga trilogy.
“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!”
“I loved all the references to France, and the speech/conversation were particularly engaging. This is a book I can highly recommend (and already have to friends). Well done to the author on such an engaging novel.”
“I was hooked from the beginning, hoping that Tilly would get a lucky break and that things would work out for Françoise. Both main characters were very likeable.”
