Cathy Rentzenbrink

When Cathy Rentzenbrink was still a teenager, her happy family was torn apart by an unthinkable tragedy. In 'A Manual for Heartache' she describes how she learnt to live with grief and loss and find joy in the world again. She explores how to cope with life at its most difficult and overwhelming and how we can emerge from suffering forever changed, but filled with hope.

For as long as she can remember, Cathy Rentzenbrink has lost and found herself in stories. Growing up she was rarely seen without her nose in a book and read in secret long after lights out. When tragedy struck, books kept her afloat. Eventually they lit the way to a new path, first as a bookseller and then as a writer. No matter what the future holds, reading will always help. 'Dear Reader' is a moving, funny and joyous exploration of how books can...

Ann is a reluctant Vicar's wife. She loves her family and tries hard to do her duty, but is beginning to wonder how she ended up here. Her husband is too preoccupied with the needs of his congregation to notice those closer to home and her son is asking questions she is struggling to answer. When her brother makes a cry for help, Ann travels from Cornwall to be with him in London. And then she meets Jamie, and a new world unexpectedly opens up. Ann...

Why do we want to write and what stops us? How does the urge to express ourselves fight with the worry that no-one will care or that we will get in trouble? How do we identify and overcome everything that gets in our way so we can start making work? Author Cathy Rentzenbrink shows you how to tackle all this and more in 'Write It All Down', a guide to putting your life on the page.