COMP CLOSED | Book Giveaway | Valentine George

A heartfelt novel based on the author’s grandfather’s life, a story of love, loss and joy that goes from World War One to the Swinging Sixties

Valentine George is an ordinary man, born in extraordinary times. He experienced love, loss and joy – just as we all do – but his life was still worth recording.

In this novel we follow his story from where it began: in the slums of London during Victorian times. Then, he takes us through World War One and Two, and leads us along the path of the Swinging Sixties.

Author Note:

‘Although it is fiction, I have used the life of my grandfather as my main inspiration for Valentine George. He died when I was only 17, but I have enough memories of him to form the backdrop to this novel.

He was a quiet man, a man who had lived through turbulent times, but who, rather than dwelling on the worst, preferred to look on the bright side.

He was a great storyteller and when I was a child, I really believed that he had actually met Guy Fawkes, as he often recited a poem that went something like: “As I was going through the mews, I met old Guy Fawkes shining his shoes……” It sounds very like some of the nursery rhymes published in the late 1800’s, but I can find no trace of it published anywhere, so maybe he just made it up to impress his grandchildren!

It has been a joy to write this book, to research and learn more about the times my grandfather lived through.

The book cover features a silhouette of him, taken from an old photo I found from the 1930’s. It makes me smile every time I look at it, remembering that kind, gentle man and imagining how amused he would be to learn that I have woven his story into my book.’

About the author:

Pat Backley is an English woman who emigrated to New Zealand at the age of 59.

Her first book, Daisy, a historical family saga novel, was written and published during lockdown in 2020.
Since then, she has also published her memoirs From There to Here, With an Awful Lot in Between and has co- authored a best-selling coffee table book, The Warrior Women Project: A Sisterhood of Immigrant Women.

She published The Second Daisy, the sequel to Daisy, in December 2021. This continuation of the family saga which began in 1887, taking it almost to the new millennium in 2000.

‘The First Daisy had a hard start in life. She was born in the slums of London in 1887 to a poor unmarried mother. A hundred years later, we meet her namesake, the Second Daisy. Her life is much easier, but in many ways, the two Daisies are very similar – bright, sunny and loving. The only difference is that the Second Daisy is Black.’

Seventy Years’ Worth of Travel is her travel memoir publishing May 2022, and releasing in June 2022 is her latest novel, Valentine George.

‘Having found my perfect career at the age of 70, I now intend to write until I die!’ says Pat cheerfully.

Pat lives in Auckland. More info at www.patbackley.com

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1. 1. You must be a GrownUps member and receive our newsletter to be eligible to win.
   2. Competition closes on the 7th June 2022, winners will be notified via email by 9th June 2022.
   3. As a competition winner, you must confirm you have received our email notifying you of the win within three days. If we have not heard from you in three days the prize will be redrawn, and your prize will be forfeit.
   4. Winners are drawn at random by the GrownUps administration team.
   5. GrownUps employees and family are not eligible to enter.
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   7. One entry per person.
   8. Prize in non transferrable.
   9. You must reside in New Zealand – the prize will only be posted within New Zealand.
   10. You must be over 50 years of age to enter, check your details are correct in your membership dashboard.