Ever since Pat Kelly was eight years old her story writing ability has been noticed.

“My teacher would read my stories out to the class, which made me proud and encouraged me to have a love of writing,” Pat said.

Even now at the age of 81 and on the other side of the world, she shows much pleasure when reviewers describe how much they have enjoyed her writing.
Pat’s latest book, Shadow of the Wheel, has just been published and readers are being impressed by her story telling ability.

It is a historical romance, which could justifiably sit among novels by accomplished authors.

Pat has always been interested in history. She enjoys researching and learning new things and it shows in the detail of her novel.

Born in Glasgow, Scotland, a year before World War II started, she was 13 months old when her father went off to war and she hardly saw him again for eight years.

Perhaps as an escape, she turned to writing.

Pat grew up in the small village of Westaton. In her teens and early 20s she wrote several books and sent them to publishers, but never received a response.

In January 1968 she arrived in Australia as a ‘10 pound tourist’ with her then husband and four children, Dawn, Andrew, Alison and Keith.

Pat worked as a clerk in Elizabeth, then moved to Gawler and lived there for 16 years. She opened a water garden home business while her children were growing up and got up at dawn each day.

Her marriage ended after 25 years. Three months after the divorce she was contacted by an old acquaintance, Mike, from her school days. He had also divorced three months earlier and was keen to come and visit her in Australia.

Mike and Pat have now been happily married for 31 years.

Pat moved back to Isle of Man when they married, but she found it quite lonely.

She would sit and listen to Mike’ s mother’ s stories of her childhood.

Louvima reminisced about the war and when government built an internment camp next to her village. The small town’s population went from 20 people to 25,000 with interns from Germany, Austria and Turkey.

Pat thought this was such an interesting story that she decided to write a book, Hedge of Thorns. It was a great success on the island.

The research for this sparked Pat’s interest in Manx history and so followed her second book, Smuggler’ s Urchins.

In the late ‘90s Pat started writing Shadow of the Wheel. She had written 20 chapters and her publisher was keen to publish. Unfortunately the taxman caught up with the publisher and the company folded. The manuscript was put in a drawer.

When Mike took an early retirement they decided to spend half the year in Australia and half in Isle of Man. This was their life for the next 10 years.

During their six month stays on Isle of Man they had a plant nursery and would sell the flowers at markets and at a road side stall.

Their time in Australia was spent at Lyndoch, Coffs Harbour, Newry Island, Repton, Kingston on Murray and many more.

Age caught up with them and because Australia had the warmer climate they decided to stay here permanently. They moved to Lakes Entrance in 2014 and happily settled.

In December 2014 Mike unfortunately had a stroke and Pat gave him 24 hour care.

In 2017 Mike moved to Opal Lakeview Nursing Home as it became too difficult for him to stay in his own home.

Pat can’t speak highly enough of the care he receives at Opal. The staff are so caring and he is being well looked after.

This left a lot of spare time and Pat picked up the old manuscript and began writing once more.

Publisher, Sid Harta, gets at least 1000 submissions each year, but only publishes 30. Pat Kelly’s Shadow of the Wheel is one of them.

It tells the story of an Isle of Man native that settles in South Australia in 1854.

Val Griffiths, author of Coona Girl, said Shadow of the Wheel is a realistic and well written love story.

Beginning in the Isle of Man, the tale takes readers through an authentic immigrant journey of travelling to South Australia searching for a new beginning in a new country.

Alison Lewis, author of Missing and Seasons of Life, also reviewed the book saying, “Shadow Of The Wheel is a joy to read. It is a marvelous piece of historical fiction. From the beginning to the end the story will draw you into its pages with a new drama unfolding that will keep you wondering what happens next. Pat is, without doubt, a wonderful storyteller, and she has produced a most enjoyable book”.

The book is available at Just Books or by contacting Pat Kelly.

PICTURED: Pat Kelly has been writing as long as she can remember and recently published Shadow of the Wheel. (PS)