About Martha Ashwell
Independent Writer
I am a writer of memoir and literary fiction. I also enjoy writing poetry and short stories and the occasional very short play. My retirement years have been spent writing and attending writing groups enjoying many aspects of the art of writing including workshops and presentation evenings.
I’m a true Mancunian with Irish heritage and have worked in the world of banking, social services, educational administration and counselling. I always loved writing, but didn’t have time to devote to it until after my retirement. Since 2015, I have published two books and had a number of short stories and poems included in anthologies.
For many years, I had wanted to write my story about the impact a family secret had had on my life. Writing my memoir ‘Celia’s Secret: A Journey towards Reconciliation’, provided me with a way of analysing and evaluating my experiences, helping me to work through a process of acceptance and understanding. I have always been an avid pursuer of the truth but, at the same time, I understand that there are two, or more, sides to every story.
Writing, for me, is an intensely personal activity and, although it can be isolating, I relish my involvement with the world of literature and the pitfalls of publishing. I am a member of the Manchester Irish Writers and the South Manchester Writers’ Workshop. These groups provide an opportunity for me to read my work and receive constructive feedback.
My second book, ‘The Happening at Bessbrook’ is set in Northern Ireland in the early 20th century. The incidents in the story are entirely fictitious but the background is based on sound historical research. In another world in another time, these things could actually have happened.
I enjoy a very busy life, caring for my family including eight grandchildren. I have also taken up another hobby recently; watercolour painting.
Published writings
‘Celia’s Secret: A Journey towards Reconciliation’
‘The Happening at Bessbrook’
‘Something About Home: New Writing on Migration and Belonging’
‘The Buzzin Bards: A Manchester Poetry Anthology’
‘Life and Soul’ A Retrospective Collection of Writing