I’ve nursed the abused and their abusers, I’ve seen the spiral of despair that drive people to horrific acts on others, and then seen those who’ve been abused repeat those behaviours on others. I’ve spoken to families torn apart by abuse. Stephen King talks about “What if?” for me it’s “What if that was me?” I’ve nursed people who’ve been to hell and back and I wonder how they coped. In case anyone is worried, she had a healthy baby (though labour did start in the attic, it did not finish there) and following the birth she accepted treatment and when she came back to see us six months later mother, baby and family were all doing well. I decided against adding the attic ending to my novella as I thought my readers would have found it far-fetched. She actually did manage to escape from the hospital ward she was on and ended up barricading herself in her attic, no one could get up there, and she only just fitted so even if we got up there no one would have been able to safely get her down in restraint. For her family and for the medical professionals involved in her care it was terrifying: she was refusing medication and we were unable to treat her without her consent, she was a flight risk but due to her pregnancy full restraint was not safe, and she wouldn’t eat or drink because she was sure we were poisoning her. Everyone was part of the conspiracy so she hid her fears until her psychosis was so acute she was no longer able to hide it. For her it felt as if she was living in a nightmare where one by one her family were being replaced by their evil twins. It was a terrifying time for both her and her family.
I’m a trained mental health nurse and one of my patients developed postpartum psychosis, but during the last two weeks of their pregnancy rather than following the birth. It’s actually based loosely on a patient of mine from years ago. Matryoshka is about child birth, loss of identity and post-partum psychosis. I believe your Novella Matryoshka Is due out in April? What can you tell us about that?
Although I do have a couple of poems published, a novel that is currently doing the rounds of agents and publishers, and a novella that is due out in April. But I would say I am drawn to dark fiction and horror, especially in the short form and the majority of my work tends to sit within that remit. So the majority of the time my work tends to be dependent on what publishers are looking for. I still see myself as very new writer so my work tends to be whatever open submissions catch my fancy, or if I’m lucky I might get invited to submit something to a publisher. Would you like to tell us a bit about your work? Penny is contactable on Twitter Penny! Thanks so much for agreeing to be on Rebbie Reviews this month!
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