The Skies Will Open
Delighted to have my short story – THE SKIES WILL OPEN – in the Colchester Writenight collection publicised my Patrician Press.
You can order this book here https://patricianpress.com
Noon – Stories and Poems from Solstice Shorts Festival
My story, VERANDA, is included in this wonderful anthology published by Arachne Press – March 2019
A woman prepares for an event but her past catches up with her and memories flood back which make her want to disappear.
Sageism
Packed with information, advice and humour, Sageism addresses all the issues middle aged and older women want to discuss, laugh about and change. It considers what we learnt from our mothers, what we want to pass onto our daughters and where we are now.
SAGEISM helps older women deal with ageism and sexism without losing their sense of humour. With chapters on everything from sex to confidence, from appearance to death, from the menopause to children leaving home, it is a bible for feminists who are reaching maturity and a manual on how to be an older woman.
The Mother & Daughter Diaries
Sixteen-year-old Jo makes lists to manage her world, but somehow she still feels out of control. But she has found one way to cope: watching what she eats – or rather, what she doesn’t eat. And she is losing weight…. but not quickly enough
Lizzie, Jo’s mum, doesn’t make lists.
She’s too busy being a single mum, hating her ex-husbands new wife and trying to keep an eye on Jo – who seems to have stopped communicating with her altogether.
When Jo is diagnosed with anorexia, Lizzie is desperate with worry and their lives spin out of control. Jo needs help and she knows it.
Beneath Jo and Lizzie’s Fears and frustrations is a funny, warm and insightful story about a mother and daughter who go on a journey to find themselves- and each other.
Read the reviews
Sarah Broadhurst’s view…
Written in alternating chapters, a mother and teenage daughter go through the anxiety and fear of anorexia while being helped by an interesting therapist. It is a very poignant portrait of the illness, of a mother-daughter relationship and a life’s journey. The author has written several books on parenting and brings her understanding and compassion to this sensitive novel.
lovereading.co.uk
This is a fantastic book. While the main plot covers daughter Jo’s problems with food and the response of her mother Lizzie, the book is about so much more than this. There is so much depth to this story, largely helped by characters who have been developed so well you feel as though you know them. You really get an insight into the heads of a typical teenager and her worrisome mother. I’ve read very few books which are written with as much depth as this one, yet it is funny and easy to read at the same time. It’s almost a self-help book; as Jo and Lizzie learn to cope with the changes going on around them, valuable lessons can be learned by most readers.
A brilliant book, well worth a read
Amazon.co.uk 19th Febuary 2008
Lovely book, I thoroughly enjoyed it. I particularly liked the Dolly character and I love Clare Shaw’s style – I was able to develop a very clear image of each character and exactly how they would look and sound. Great read for anyone who has a teenager, whether they have an eating disorder or not.
Beverley Lyons
The introduction of mysterious therapist, Lily Finnegan, draws readers in and makes them want to find out more about who she is and what she does, especially when she begins to get a hold over Jo
Colchester Gazette 25th January 2008
Other non-fiction books
Help Your Child Be Confident
Talking and your child
Prepare Your Child for School
The 5 Minute Mum
