Tricia McGill’s Other Passion

I have two major awards sitting on a shelf in my home. One is the Romance Writers of Australia’s Romantic Book of The Year which I won in 2003 for Traces of Dreams; now republished at Books We Love as Remnants of Dreams. The other award is The Family & Community Support Award I received in 2008. It was given in recognition of my “valuable contribution” to my local community.

My husband died suddenly just months before our 40^th year together. He was my staunchest supporter of my writing but sadly didn’t live to see my first book published. Only those who have lost a dear partner or husband will know the feeling of absolute wretched loneliness that engulfs you once the initial grieving period eases. It was then I looked for some interest outside my circle of friends and family and came upon the wonderful organisation I have volunteered with now for over 14 years.

So it is that my spare time away from my writing is taken up with my community work. We provide computer equipment and subsidised wireless internet connection at a very reasonable fee to disabled or housebound people on low-incomes. We help a wide range of people from all ages who have a variety of disabilities and illnesses. No matter what, they are an amazing and inspirational lot.

Just as an example we have one lady who is 92. Her husband was disabled by a massive stroke, but could type using one finger. Bert was a writer and over the years had penned many short stories and a few poems by hand. He would then painstakingly type them up using his one usable finger and his wife would edit them (after a fashion). That’s where I came in. I edited these amazing stories which told the story of his life mainly. In due course I collated his stories along with others from the people in our program and edited then published them. We eventually ended up with three books of their stories, comments and poems. Unfortunately Bert passed away some years ago but his wife still uses her computer and emails me regularly. 

 

             Find Tricia McGill’s books at Books We Love here:              

http://bookswelove.net/mcgill.php

Remnants of Dreams is available here on Kindle: 

 http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00IA1XZ94

 

Remnants of Dreams moves from the horrors of the 1914-1918 war to the 1990s, and paints an unforgettable picture of a changing world and of working class people in North London whose only riches are love and the knowledge that they did their best.

Alicia's indomitable spirit sustains her and her large family through two wars, illness, death and loss. From her mother's example Sara finds the courage to escape an intolerable situation and forge a new life in a new country. 

 

Mystic Mountains (Settlers book 1) available here on Kindle:

 http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EFE5UL6

In the early 1800s the penal colony of Botany Bay was an unforgiving and harsh place. Isabella O'Shea is transported to New South Wales for wounding a member of the British aristocracy who raped her, so it is understandable that she loathes members of the upper class and the system that punished her; sentenced her to seven years transportation. 

Tiger Carstairs is rich, ambitious and English-so is it any wonder she is determined to hate her new master. Tiger dreams of making a new life beyond the aptly named Blue Mountains, so called because of the perpetual haze of blue surrounding them. 

Mystic Mountains is a story of courage and persistence-traits that were essential for the settlers who carved out a new life in a raw land where suffering and heartbreak were commonplace. 

Isabella and Tiger face tragedy and many hardships in their quest for a new life in this untamed land.

Distant Mountains (Settlers book 2) coming soon at Books We Love.