Illustrating Her World: Ellen B.T. Pyle

Arts & Photography

Smith, Katharine E.

History & Criticism

University of Pennsylvania Press

On July 7th 2005, London is high on the success of winning the 2012 Olympics bid. The celebrations come to an abrupt end when terrorists attack the city's transport network, striking Underground trains and a bus during the morning rush hour.   At the other side of the country, in comparatively peaceful, beautiful Cornwall, aspiring journalist Jamie Calder finds her own life directly affected by the bombs. Her partner Dave vanishes in London at the same time the attacks take place. The initial impact of that terrible day is followed by a slow but sure falling apart of the life Jamie believed was settled and secure. As well as Dave's mysterious disappearance, she finds she has to face a betrayal by her best friend, and the prospect of losing her job. Meanwhile, a gang of teenagers is wreaking havoc in the town that Jamie loves, culminating in a brutal attack on an elderly lady and adding to Jamie's inner turmoil. The following months hold a number of challenges for Jamie, demonstrating that life does not always run to plan and that things are not always as they may first seem. Only time will tell whether this is necessarily a bad thing.  Writing the Town Read is full of intrigue, angst, excitement and humour. The evocative descriptions and convincing narrative voice instantly draw readers into Jamie's life as they experience her disappointments, emotions and triumphs alongside her. The story focuses strongly on characters and their relationships. Jamie, while believing herself wronged by so many, also finds she has much to learn about life, particularly when it comes to her strong principles and idealistic ways.  Writing the Town Read was inspired by a number of factors, including the beauty of Cornwall, the effects of terrorism, local newspapers, and some of the social issues of the 21st century. It has received excellent reader reviews on Amazon and other book review sites, such Author Alliance and Goodreads. It may appeal primarily to a female readership but it has also received numerous positive reviews from male readers.  Author Katharine E. Smith lives in Shropshire with her family but has spent a great deal of time in Cornwall and much of the story was written there. Katharine has a degree in Philosophy from the University of Hull, and worked for a number of years in the charity and ICT sectors. She now runs a small publishing company and looks after her two young children. Writing the Town Read is her first novel.

Writing the Town Read

Literature & Fiction

Literary

Heddon Publishing

"Without offering coping mechanisms or advice, this is ultimately an uplifting story about being true to yourself and becoming a mother on your own terms." Today's Child Magazine  Sarah Marchley is eleven years old when her mother dies. Completely unprepared and suffering an acute sense of loss, she and her father continue quietly, trying to live by the well-intentioned advice of friends, hoping that time really is a great healer and that they will, eventually, move on.   Life changes very little until Sarah leaves for university and begins her first serious relationship. Along with her new boyfriend comes his mother, the indomitable Hazel Poole. Despite some misgivings, Sarah finds herself drawn into the matriarchal Poole family and discovers that gaining a mother figure in her life brings mixed blessings.   A mother-in-law who just can't let her sons grow up, a midwife who treats her charges like girls in a private school dormitory. These are some of the people who Sarah must deal with as her own pregnancy turns to motherhood and she realises that she must find her own two feet.  Looking Past is a tale of family, friendship, love, life and death – not necessarily in that order.  This is the second novel from Katharine E. Smith, author of Writing the Town Read. The narrator’s voice is clear and strong, with vivid descriptions and intelligent observations. Readers will quickly empathise with Sarah, whose grief and confusion at the loss of her mother at key moments in her life is contrasted with a dry and sometimes subtle humour derived from situations and characters which help colour the book. The father-daughter relationship which develops between the bereaved husband and daughter feels very real, as both come to terms with their grief and learn how best to live together. Sarah's father is unassuming and appealing, as he struggles to find a way to deal with his broken heart and support his daughter throughout school, puberty and on into adulthood.  Smith's readers have praised her honesty, realism, warmth and humour. Both Looking Past and Writing the Town Read - Katharine's first novel - are written from a strong female first person perspective. However, don't be fooled into thinking this is chick lit - or indeed exclusively women's fiction. Looking Past has received praise from a number of male readers, including an ex-US Marine. You don't get much more macho than that! Nevertheless, this is a story guaranteed to strike a chord with mothers, daughters - and daughters-in-law - everywhere.   The dual settings of Yorkshire and Cornwall will interest people with strong links to those places but the characters and events hold universal appeal.  This is a book for people who like people.  Looking Past was selected for the People's Book Prize Winter 2015 Collection.

Looking Past

Anna and Mike have a plan, to escape her abusive husband. Lee has his own plan, to stop his wife and so-called best friend for good. Who will succeed, and how has a lifelong friendship come to this?The three friends meet in early childhood, coming of age together and supporting each other through problems at school and in family life.Everything changes when Lee and Anna decide to marry. While Mike swaps urban England for rural Spain, Anna finds herself trapped in an abusive marriage, with nowhere to turn.When he discovers his friends' relationship is far from happy, Mike is compelled to return to Bristol, to a life he thought he'd left behind.He must rebuild the friendship, convince Anna that he can help her find a way out, and make sure that Lee knows nothing of what is going on. With his volatile temper and strong sense of pride, a vengeful Lee is unlikely to allow himself to be made a fool of without a fight.Amongst Friends is the third novel by Katharine E. Smith. It turns traditional story-telling on its head, beginning with the dramatic end to the friendship and gradually unveiling what has happened for things to have gone so wrong.If you like contemporary, psychological fiction, strong characters, and a twist of mystery and intrigue, you won't want to put this book down.Pick up a copy of Amongst Friends today and discover an exciting, original new voice in British fiction.

Amongst Friends

Genre Fiction

The scene is set for the perfect summer. Business is booming. The weather couldn’t be better. Best of all, Sam is coming back to Cornwall. For good.A storm is brewing, however. It seems that somebody, somewhere, has it in for Alice, although it is not clear who, or why. As Julie tries to help her friend, she finds her own thoughts turning progressively towards motherhood. Sam, meanwhile, has the pressure of a new job, as well as a stressed-out girlfriend and a teenage daughter to contend with.Fearing for her business, her relationship, and her sanity, can Alice get to the root of the problem before any permanent damage is done?

Sticks and Stones: the exciting and much-requested next chapter... (Coming Back to Cornwall)

Business & Money

Industries

"I LOVE this book. It flowed perfectly from beginning to end. I couldn't put it down." All is set to change for Alice and Sam as they expect their first child together. Just how they are going to fit themselves, their baby and Sam's daughter Sophie into their little two-bed cottage is a mystery, but Alice is determined not to get stressed out. Her focus is on best friend Julie, who is trying unsuccessfully for a baby, and on Sophie, who is torn between staying in Cornwall with Sam, or moving to Devon with her mum. Then there are Alice's parents, who don't seem happy with their own move to Cornwall, and Jonathan, who also appears to be falling out of love with life there. At least work is going well, with a glowing review of Amethi in Staycation magazine, and the possibility of picking up some tourism awards. But it should be no surprise when life throws a couple more challenges in the way. Can Alice really survive her pregnancy stress-free, and can her friendship with Julie survive the strain of the differing situations they now find themselves in? Preceded by A Second Chance Summer, After the Sun, As Boundless as the Sea and Sticks and Stones, this much-anticipated fifth book will not disappoint. As we travel through a long, cold winter, from the solstice to Christmas and into new year, the emphasis is on fresh starts and new beginnings. An inspirational read.

Lighting the Sky: Book Five of the Coming Back to Cornwall series

With their wedding on hold and rented house sold to new owners, Sam and Alice are all at sea - moving in with Julie and Luke, along with toddler Ben and new dog Meg, until they find a place of their own. Sam struggles to adjust to the changes - particularly as teenage daughter Sophie has moved away - and compensates by throwing himself into his work and lifeboat training. Alice finds herself missing him; even when he's at home, he is clearly not happy. This is only exacerbated by the problems between Sam's sister Janie and Alice's chef Jonathan, whose relationship appears to be in trouble. Add to this the untimely appearance of a significant ex, the advent of a new hotel (which threatens direct competition for Amethi), and a frightening accident one dark, rainy night... Alice should know by now that nothing is straightforward - but at least there's never time to get bored.

Weathering the Storm: Book Seven of the Coming Back to Cornwall series

What dark secrets could a harmless old lady possibly know? Elise Morgan is nearly ninety years old. She loves her family, the sea, and night-time walks. She hates gossip, and bullies, and being called 'sweet', or treated like she's stupid, or boring (and sometimes like she's deaf), just because she has lived a long time. Elise was sent to an all-girls' school, which was evacuated to Cornwall in the Second World War. She never left the county. She is an orphan, a mother, a grandmother, and a widow. Since her children moved away and her best friend died, life has seemed increasingly empty. These days, she spends a lot of time sitting at her window, looking out at the world, as if nothing ever happens, and nothing ever has. To passers-by, she might seem just an old lady, but of course there is no such thing. There was once a time when she lived a lot... and there are things she has never forgotten... Elise is the first book in the Connections series: a group of stories whose protagonists' lives are inescapably interwoven, in the Cornish town they call home.

Elise: Connections Book One

Dramas & Plays

Maggie Cavendish is a single mum to Stevie, who has never known her dad, and that’s how Maggie wants it to stay.Coming from a steady, stable family home herself, Maggie’s world changed irrevocably when her father died, and she discovered something about him that she has never mentioned to her mum, or her twin sister.Deemed ‘the clever one’ at school, expectations were set for Maggie from the outset, but what should have been a blessing often seemed exactly the opposite, particularly pitted against her popular and pretty sister Julia, and their best friend, Stacey. It’s a surprise to everyone when Maggie discovers she is pregnant.After years of living with her mum and her daughter, circumstances force Maggie to make a change, starting afresh in a small town on the coast. As Stevie settles in at school, Maggie finds voluntary work at the local seniors’ club, and befriends eighty-something Elise. As other parts of her life begin to click into place – an exciting new job, and possibly a new relationship – she rediscovers her sense of self-esteem, and begins to regret not being more honest: with Elise; with her mum, sister and daughter; and with herself.Maggie is the second book in the Connections series: a group of stories whose protagonists’ lives are inescapably interwoven, in the Cornish town they call home.

Maggie: Connections Book Two

Cornwall is warming up for the summer and, this year more than ever, it promises to be a season packed with celebrations.\nAlice is in for an emotional time, with son Ben’s fourth birthday, stepmum Karen’s hen do and wedding, and the end of stepdaughter Sophie’s school days, just as Ben’s are about to begin. David and Martin are returning from the States, and in the slow emergence from covid restrictions, everybody is eager for life to return to some kind of normality.\nAmethi is coming to life once more, with a return to the much-loved yoga retreats and solstice celebrations, while down at the Harbour Hotel, there are whispers about manager Lydia’s rumoured relationship with a famous actor, but Lydia is giving nothing away.\nBefore the high season begins in earnest, the town is planning a special festival. Just as long as the sun is out, and the sky is blue, it promises to be a beautiful day, and the perfect opportunity for the community to come together.\nOf course, there are never any guarantees in life. The unpredictable British weather threatens to ruin the longed-for celebrations and, while the world is slowly finding its feet again, it’s clear that the pandemic is still not really over. Covid creeps closer to Alice and the people she loves. How will the summer really play out? Only time will tell.

Time and Tide: Book Nine of the Coming Back to Cornwall series

British & Irish

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Books by Smith, Katharine E.