Bringing Shakespeare to Sussex

Mandy Pannett, 60, of Collingwood, has received positive reactions to her book ‘The Onion Stone’, with ‘excellent reviews’ from Amazon, Waterstone’s and The Guardian’s website.

It is set in 1980s Sussex and Elizabethan England, looking at who was the real Shakespeare.

The inspiration for the book came after Mandy bought a book about the Earl of Oxford from a second-hand shop, and heard a story about someone who claimed to be a descendant of Shakespeare.

With this information Mandy began unweaving the strands of a ‘what if’ story.

She said: “I spent many hours writing in-situ for The Onion Stone, bringing to life the characters in their Sussex surroundings. There are many landmarks readers will recognise.”

This is Mary’s first venture in prose, having previously published poetry collections.

She said: “I do love writing poetry and am currently working on another collection but I enjoy writing prose as well.”

The Sussex section of the book takes place in Midhurst, Chichester and Parham House.

She said: “The setting of a story or poem is important to me when I am writing and I find it helps if I am familiar enough with a place to be able to recreate its landscape, history and atmosphere.”

Mandy is grateful to the publishers Pewter Rose Press who gave her this opportunity.

She hopes to begin work on her second book this year. She said this was “in order to please the publishers and the many people who have contacted me saying they are keen to read it. It is rather alarming as well as flattering and encouraging.”

The book can be purchased on Amazon.co.ukand Waterstones.com