Friday 28 October 2022

This Brother of Yours — a new Hawk & Dove book

This summer I wrote two new books, beginning a second series of St Alcuins (Hawk & Dove) novels.

The first of the two is called This Brother of Yours, and has just come out. The second one, Brother Cyril's Book, we aim to have out in February. 

The new series is being published through Amazon's publishing programme, for our own little publishing imprint called Humilis Hastings, because I've made the choice to part company from traditional publishers and just publish my work simply and personally. I've linkified the pic for you, to the UK Amazon Kindle store. The paperback is here on Amazon UK and here on Amazon US.



This Brother of Yours is about pathways of healing, and is also a meditation of sorts on Jesus's story of the Prodigal Son. What is often overlooked in that story is that there are two brothers needing help, not just one. The brother who stayed faithfully at home needed to learn how to loosen up a little, as much as the prodigal needed to find his place in the family once again. It's a story about what it really means to be at home, to find your place, to belong.

In the new books I'm writing, I am trying to get the tone right for some particular characteristics of the readers of my stories. Many of my readers are carers at home, or for other reasons seeking to explore ways to look after people and work on relationships. They come to St Alcuins to find encouragement, companionship and a light on the path. I hope these new books will add something helpful. 

Some of my readers are neuro-divergent, or have responses shaped by experience of trauma. For the readers, any level of threat or tension is unbearable. I've deepened my already existing practice of crafting stories in which the threat and tension are effectively non-existent — they are just gentle, a safe place to go.

And so many of us now find it difficult to get through a whole book; relating online has increasingly accustomed us to much shorter blocks of text. Books have come to seem more chewy and daunting that they used to. So I'm writing now in short, divided chapters that give you a book easy to pick up and put down. You can stop and start without losing the thread because there is no plot complexity; the stories are built around encounters and conversations that accumulate to create a narrative arc.

I hope you enjoy this style of writing, but I'm telling you about it partly to warn that if you enjoy nail-biting drama then these may not be the books for you!

17 comments:

Kortney Garrison said...

Oh, Pen! This is just the best news! I had seen FB updates that you were writing, but didn't dare to hope for more Hawk & Dove stories.

Pure gift!

I just told my family that this would be an ideal Christmas present for me, but they'd have to find something else because I can't wait till December! 😂

Pen Wilcock said...

Thank you so much — you are a sweetheart! I do hope you enjoy the story. x

Anonymous said...

My copy is on its way. I only wish I could meet you for tea and ask you to sign it. ❤️

Pen Wilcock said...

Waving to you! I hope you enjoy the story. Blessed be. x

BLD in MT said...

Congrats, Pen! Well done.

Pen Wilcock said...

Oh, hello Beth! How absolutely lovely to hear from you! Waving to you! Blessed be. xx

Anonymous said...

Absolutely thrilled🤗🤗🤗

Pen Wilcock said...

Awww — thank you, friend! So pleased. Blessed be. x

Anonymous said...

I just happened across an announcement of this latest book. I met Father Peregrine and Brother Tom almost 30 years ago when an Australian friend sent The Hawk and the Dove to my husband and me in Kikwit, Zaire (DRCongo). The book was read mostly by the light of a kerosene lamp and started us on the habit of me reading aloud to my husband. I was thrilled to find the follow up books a few years ago when I wanted to find some books for my pastor to read during her maternity leave (she also loved them all!).
I see that you have referenced the parable of the prodigal son in this latest book. Perhaps someday you could write one that incorporates the prodigal son’s mother? The one who has lost a lot of sleep over the consequences of the son’s decisions?
Thank you for keeping your readers happy!

Pen Wilcock said...

Oh, my goodness — the prodigal son's mother! What an absolutely superb idea! Friend, you must write a novel! Blessed be. x

Jennifer said...

Pen, I'm so glad you're back! Off to order the book now. And I absolutely love your quiet style of writing.

Pen Wilcock said...

Thank you so much — I do hope you enjoy the story. x

Anonymous said...

I was so thrilled that you have written another book in this series. After losing my husband of 42 years in 2017, a friend introduced me to these books and from the very first book, l was hooked. I am not a particularly religious person, but found peace and calm and lessons to be learned in these books. Whenever l began to feel panicky about how l was going to get through the future, these books would settle me down into a gentle rhythm and make me feel at peace again. Being able to visit St Alcuins Abbey again, is the best christmas present l could buy myself. Thank you, l will look forward to more titles in the future.

Pen Wilcock said...

Oh, bless you, friend! You are reading them for the same reason I am writing them — to find a pathway through the storm, to light a candle for hope and gentleness in a difficult world. I am so very glad you have enjoyed the stories and they have helped you. May your Christmas be peaceful, may you find reassurance and good friends. Blessed be.

Em said...

*bounces* So exciting. (It's funny how excited I'm getting over books that are not in themselves "exciting"—but depth and meaning and emotional exploration and relationships and Christward-ness are all profoundly exciting to me and I can't wait.)

~Emma

Pen Wilcock said...

Hurrah! Thank you, Emma. x

Em said...

Absolutely my pleasure! ;D

~Emma