This week, we’re talking with Patrick J McTaggart about his book, Our Dementia Journey
Tell us something unexpected about yourself!
Prior to writing my first collection of poems “Our Dementia Journey” I had never written a poem in my life before. It is very therapeutic and I now encourage others to do it.
Why do you write?
As a carer for my Dad who has dementia, I know how difficult both physically and emotionally dementia can be for both the person who has it and close family particularly those who are carers day to day. Often books can be quite long and time to research on the other hand very short. It was only by chance that I saw on-line some quotes and a few poems about dementia and these really hit the mark with me. Having never written a poem in my life before suddenly I started writing poems. I found that they helped me by putting down on paper how I was feeling including my emotions and helped me better reflect on and better understand certain situations. Being a carer I find to be a constant process of learning and trying to do things better. Over time as I wrote more poems, I started to think that perhaps some of the things I learned from our dementia journey may be of some small help to others on the same journey or who are about to start it. Poetry seemed to me to be a good way to provide it with fairly short poems, easy to read and often with a simple message. I hope the messages and advice in the poems will help others avoid some of the heartache and emotional stresses that dementia can bring. The Author Royalties from the books I write go to Alzheimer's Research UK which funds research into treatments, prevention and finding a cure for dementia.
Where did you get the inspiration for your current book?
It occurred to me in writing my first book that caring for loved ones, no matter what illness or condition they have, is a similar journey for all carers certainly from an emotional perspective. The collection of poems in this book is therefore aimed at and inspired by all of those on a caring journey and includes some poems that have been sent to me by other carers. The book to be released on 20th February is titled “Poems for People Who Care” and is Poems in celebration of carers worldwide for the love and compassion they show and their dedication in caring for those they love.
What do you enjoy the most about your genre?
I enjoy the succinct nature of a poem that in a few words can impart a simple but powerful message. Poems can be easy to read but can move people emotionally sometimes making them cry sometimes making them smile.
How would you describe your writing process?
The nature of my books thus far means I often take inspiration from day to day events while caring for my parents. These can be happy days but also challenging days and I find the poems or ideas come to me either when I am lying in bed at night or when I am up early in the morning when it is still quiet. Often it is during times of great emotion that are followed by a cathartic experience that comes with writing a poem.
What do you think authors have to gain from participating in social media?
It is a chance for author's to put their work out there in the public domain and get feedback, in my case perhaps a few poems from a forthcoming book. It also helps spread awareness of the books published which would be difficult to do on such a scale otherwise without considerable expense.
What advice would you have for other writers?
I look at it from two perspectives: there can be a personal sense of achievement in completing a manuscript and then publishing it as self-publication is so much easier these days – so give it a go. Secondly, take advice and learn all you can about marketing your work.
How do you select your books’ titles and covers?
I find they just come out from the content of the book and playing around with different themes.
What book do you wish you had written?
“The Cure for Dementia” – if only we had it.
How do you react to seeing a new review for your book?
Excitement, trepidation hopefully followed by joy!
What's your next step?
I have a series of follow on books in mind and aim to release one or two books per year.
FOLLOW PATRICK ON HIS TWITTER
AND GET HIS BOOK ON AMAZON
