Patricia Gooch, a 60-year resident of the Heartsease Estate, started writing her book when she was 50.
Pat wanted to relive some old memories and has seen her efforts published by Austin Macauley, making it available to purchase through major companies including Amazon and Waterstones.
Throughout the course of the book, Pat meets her idol Cliff Richard multiple times and makes her singing debut on BBC television at the age of 52.
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Pat said after completing the process she “felt a little bit sad because I felt like my life was over” despite this only being true for the book.
However, after reading her memoir, she enjoyed it so much that she thought it would be worth an attempt at publishing.
Three years later, under the title Just an Ordinary Life, the book was published by Austin Macauley Publishers on August 18.
Pat traces her life from childhood, from her unhappy first marriage through to her joyous second to her life companion, Bill.
“If I have one regret it would be that I hadn’t met my husband sooner,” Pat adds, sourcing Bill as her source of strength and support for everything she’s done.
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The book champions making the most of every opportunity life brings, living without regrets and that an ordinary life can often bring the greatest happiness.
“It’s up to you what you do in your life,” Pat said. “I am living proof to anyone that a nobody can live a wonderful life.”
She adds that readers “might be surprised at how ordinary I am, but I hope they enjoy it and take advice from it”.
Pat, despite her self-proclaimed ordinary life, confidently concludes: “I would not change my life for anybody’s.”
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