poet : writer : blogger
Simone Mansell Broome
The good thing about the lockdowns of 2020 and 2021 is that Simone has reclaimed much more of her time for writing from her life on the family’s small organic farm, (where guests came pre-pandemic to glamp, camp, attend workshops, eat great food and, sometimes, get married).
This last year she has written more poetry, been involved in a collaboration with an M.A. student at the University of Bucharest on the translation of 50 of Simone’s earlier poems, written commissioned pieces for ITV Sport and written a blog about life in West Wales during the pandemic – which she has just published (Nov ’22) as a book ‘Pause – 12 months of going Nowhere’.
She has also written and published her first children’s book ‘Valletta and the Year of Changes’.
More book reviews from Amazon
children’s book By Simone Mansell broome
Valletta and the Year of Changes
For Valletta Stowaway, (a fiery busy little mouse who speaks her mind), it’s an extremely dangerous and difficult year.
But surprisingly, extraordinary and good things happen too…
Simone’s first children’s book – the adventures of the Stowaway mouse family and their lives during lockdown.
‘Valletta and the Year of Changes’ by Simone Mansell Broome is a chapter book with beautiful illustrations that follows a fiery little mouse called Valletta Stowaway and her family. The first thing that struck me was the lovely illustrations by Cerys Susannah Rees, on the cover and of the family tree. I think that young readers will find them enchanting.
The story flows well, we see the Stowaway clan have to come to terms with the lockdown, as the humans do above the floorboards of 46 Spring Blossom Road. Focusing on positivity, kindness and family support this book covers a lot of the feelings I’m sure lots of young readers would have been feeling during the initial stages of lockdown, from a lack of certainty to cabin fever and frustration about not being able to go on holiday. I like the Stowaway song that’s repeated throughout the story and I could see younger readers joining in with it throughout.
A very relevant picture book to the events of the past 18 months or so but with larger messages about family support and community. With entertaining characters and lovely illustrations, I see this book having a wide appeal.’
My Books
Falafels, some frogs and a ferret
A memoir full of interesting, illuminating stories of family life, swinging from laughter to sadness, pathos to pleasure. There is a richness and depth to how everyday occurrences are told, with a wry and sympathetic eye for the nuances of human relationships and...
A cwtch in Kyrenia
Simone’s new slim volume of observational, narrative poems, based on a lost-and-found notebook, a journal of a trip to Kyrenia, re-discovered late in 2022.
Pause-12 months of going nowhere
Adapted from the blog, locklites.co.uk, written in 2020 and 2021, about life on a smallholding and wedding business in rural West Wales.
Getting Off Lightly
A e-book collection of 17 performance poems which are meant to be read aloud. Two have been published in Simone’s earlier books. Several have darker themes, but humour is a thread linking many of them.
Cardiff Bay Lunch
Full length collection of Poems “these are lived-in, unblinkered poems of great insight, range and skill… there’s real energy here matched by a dark laugh-out loud humour and above all – they’re readable”
Juice of the Lemon
Poems of Earth : Air : Water “These are finely observed poems, verses we can all identify with and enjoy… poems to make you think and laugh”
Valletta and the Year of Changes
Gentle advantures pf a fiery, busy little mouse who squeaks her mind. Sensitively exploring the events of the last few years but with larger messages around family support, community and finding hope.
..she observes life around her, and approaches subjects from an oblique angle to show us things we haven’t seen. She is concerned about how we live now, in the ‘justfornowplace’, and the people from her past and present who are her landscape
Upcoming Events
Sat 1st April 10-4 pm
The flower Meadow Llainmanal, Llandysul SA44 5QH
I will be having a stall there with my books
Sunday 2nd April between 2:30 – 4:00pm
Pole Barn in the Ceridwen Centre, SA44 5XE
Book launch for ‘A cwtch in Kyrenia’ . I will be having a wee launch for my new little book of Poems. (I have just come back from holiday in Scotland). All welcome and there will be cake! All Free
Wed 12th April 6-7:30 pm
The Seagull Gallery 49 St Mary Street Cardigan SA43 1HA
I will be having a wee launch for my new little book of Poems. (I have just come back from holiday in Scotland). All welcome and there will be cake! All Free
My Writing Blog
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Falafels, some frogs and a ferret preview
The title of Simone's new memoir to be published soon by Cambria publishing. Here is a sneak preview of part of the cover....
Notions of Hiraeth
You are cordially invited to an evening ofpoetry and writing related to the Welsh word Hiraethat The Seagull on Wednesday 12 April6pm to 7.30pm. Simone will be reading her poem specially commissioned for the event; ‘For him there was no longing’
‘A cwtch in Kyrenia’ book launch
Book Launch of Simone's new slim volume of observational, narrative poems, based on a lost-and-found notebook, a journal of a trip to Kyrenia, re-discovered late in 2022.’ Sunday 2nd April 2:30-4:00 pm at the Pole Barn, Ceridwen Centre
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