| Pam Fudge comes from Poole, Dorset where she was born
and grew up. ‘It’s a beautiful place
and I have never wanted to live anywhere else,’ she says.
Pam shares her home with a dog, two cats and the occasional guest. Three
grown up children, seven grown up stepchildren and numerous grandchildren
make up the rest of Pam’s immediate family. She also has two sisters.
Pam works part-time as a Recruitment Administrator at Bournemouth University
and was a part-time tutor for the Borough of Poole Adult Education Service
teaching Writing For Pleasure And Profit for eleven years until March
2002. Many of Pam’s students found their way into print under her
tuition.
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Pam, herself, began her writing career in similar AE classes
to the ones she went on to teach. One of her tutors was the late Nancy
Smith, who encouraged Pam to take over the tuition of the class
when she moved away from the area herself.
‘Nancy said “Never say no to anything,
just because you think you can’t do it”,’ Pam
recalls. ‘I’ve found myself not only
teaching, but judging writing competitions, giving talks, not to mention
writing books, just because Nancy assured me I could. I have a lot to
thank her for."
Pam’s love of books came from the mother who ‘took
us to the library as soon as we could walk,’ according to
Pam. It was her elder sister, Barbara, who persuaded her to enrol for
her first ‘Writing For Pleasure And Profit’
writing course. She had, however, been making up stories for her other
sister, Pat, from a very early age and has been writing poetry for family,
friends and colleagues for most of her life.
‘I was a typical wife and mum for many
years,’ Pam says, ‘Very into
baking, sewing, knitting and all those homely pursuits. I loved the luxury
of being at home while my children grew up and I enjoyed every moment
of the time I spent with them. Only when I could see forty looming on
the horizon did I begin to look for something that would be just for me.’
That ‘something’ turned out to be a previously unsuspected
talent for short fiction, and Pam’s first acceptance from ‘Hers’
magazine came only four months after she joined her first writing class.
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Several years and numerous published short stories later,
Pam had her first book accepted for publication. It was a romance, the
hero inspired by Pam’s late husband, Eddie, and the character was
based loosely on him. The following year her second book was published.
‘Eddie and I had a long and happy marriage.
He was always very supportive of everything I did and the first book was
dedicated to him. This dedication was a complete surprise to him and gave
him immense pleasure. Eddie died suddenly in 1996 at only 52 years of
age but I’ve always been very glad that he was here to see me get
so far with my writing.’
Inspiration eluded Pam for some time, as she fought to come to terms with
the loss of Eddie, but she eventually found success again with short fiction.
She has been published in World Wide Writers
- with a story for which she won a joint 3rd prize - and also in The
Lady Fiction Special, Woman, Take
A Break, Best, Fiction
Feast and Woman’s Weekly.
Pam met Frank in the summer of 1997, they were married in July 1999 and
were blissfully happy until his sudden death in September 2003. ‘I
never expected to find love again,’ she says, ‘and
I certainly never expected to marry again or to be as happy. Though our
time together was relatively short, I still feel very, very lucky to have
had that time and I wouldn’t have missed one minute. My time with
Frank taught me a lot, not least to cherish those I love, and to enjoy
every single day I am given. I know I am a better person for having known
and loved him. He was a very, very special man. I would give anything
to be able to turn the clock back, but I know that isn’t possible.
I owe it to Frank – and to Eddie, too - to be happy as they would
wish me to be.’
The following is just one of the many poems
I wrote for Frank during our time together:
The sign said, Closed,’ across my heart
And then you came along
To put a smile upon my face
And fill my life with song.
You took the pieces of my life
And worked to make it whole,
You took my heart so tenderly
And then you took my soul.
No wonder that I love you so
And that you will forever be
All that I ever wanted,
Part of my life, and part of me.
Pam Fudge 14th February 2000
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This
poem was written for Eddie on what was to be his last birthday:
When it comes to saying, 'I love you,'
I never know where to start,
And cards just never say the things
I feel deep in my heart.
I love you for the things you do,
And the way you show you care,
I love you for supporting me
And always being there.
Anything I might achieve,
And whatever I can be,
Would all be less than nothing
Without you next to me.
Pam Fudge/19th October 1995 |
This saying is pinned above my PC:
‘God, grant me the serenity to
accept the things I cannot change,
The courage to change the things I can,
And the wisdom to know the difference.’
I try to heed those words and also that ‘Time is a
great healer,’ and ‘Life goes on.’
Hearing about the publisher, Transita, and their very specific requirement
– ‘novels featuring women over 45, who are facing new challenges’
- was a turning point for Pam and her third novel, Widow
On The World was published by Transita in April 2006.
Widow On The World is a
work of pure fiction, but Pam would have to say there have been certain
similarities between her life and that of Denise, the main character in
the book. Widow On The World is about one woman’s
efforts to put her life back together after bereavement – hampered
at times by well-meaning family (most of the time!) and friends. It’s
a confirmation that life can begin again at any age – and still
be full of surprises.
News of Pam’s success with Widow
On The World has been reported in the Bournemouth Echo,
Writers News and The Community Magazine. A book signing session at Ottaker’s
Bookshop in Poole resulted in a sell-out, Waterstone’s in Bournemouth
reported that Widow On The World
was ‘flying off the shelves,’ and it was a recommended read
in Bella magazine issue dated 25th April 2006.
In addition Widow On The World
has been awarded 4 stars and described as ‘a
sensitive tale’ when reviewed by The Bournemouth Echo, was
among ‘Pick of the best reading to take
on holiday or savour at home’ in My Weekly Holiday Reading
Special and was dubbed ‘A good read’
by Yours Autumn Special with the following comments,
‘A true roller-coaster of emotions – it takes you from tears
to laughter and back again with just the turn of a page. Definitely recommend.
It’s a good choice, particularly if you’re looking for an
easy entertaining read.’
Widow On The World has also recently been
very favourably reviewed by the American ‘Bluestalking Reader and
Pam was also interviewed by the same person. A more recent review from
America on the Ex Libris blog dated May 26 2007 concludes, ‘Widow
On The World is an enjoyable and thought provoking read.
It is well written with witty, quick prose and several plot twists that
keep things interesting. The author also provides compelling food for
thought on various issues, which makes the reader stop and think. In my
opinion, all of these factors add up to a good book,’ (both
can be read in full on NEWS).
In recent months Pam has judged the Short Story Competition for Bournemouth
Writers’ Circle and acted as co-organiser for the Bournemouth Literary
Festival ‘A World of Romantic Fiction’ Event which took place
on 30th June 2007. She was also interviewed for the ‘Writer’s
Room’ slot in Writers’ Forum.
Her fourth novel, High Infidelity,’ is due to be
published in hardback by Hale in 2007.
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