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 40th
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:
Remnants of Dreams is available here on Kindle:
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:
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.