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meet grace
Grace Olson is an author, therapist and animal lover based in Leeds, West Yorkshire. She is the writer of a best-selling book, The Yard, and has featured on Channel 5's "The Yorkshire Vet" with her wonderful therapy sheep.
All About Me
Well, I never expected to be writing about myself in regards to being an author but life clearly had other ideas!
I actually wrote my first book many moons ago when I was 16. It was an illustrated, comical book about the body and I sent it to Terry Pratchett to see what he thought of it. Incredibly, the great writer himself actually replied. I was stunned. He loved the book and gave me advice on how to get it published. Why I never wrote back to him is a mystery to this day and I could kick myself for it. I shoved his letter in a cupboard and did nothing more with the manuscript. I can only assume I was so full of self-doubt that I couldn’t believe he’d bothered to reply - and now he’s dead I can’t even apologise to him for my rudeness!
Fast forward a few decades and here I am, finally a published author and still a bit in shock about that…
"I love writing and I love how my book has helped so many people to laugh and cry and to open up about their own mental health issues.."
My writing
My writing always begins with comedy. The original manuscripts for The Yard and The Farm were 95% silliness. But that’s how it was with the crazy people I met on my adventures at the various livery yards. It was funny and bonkers! What I failed to include was the emotional depth of what was really happening in my personal life at the time and isn’t that the case with all comedians? It’s easy to make a joke rather than admit the deep sadness that most of us carry at some time or other.
Thanks to my amazing editorial team at Cornerstones Lit, they poked about in my heart and drew out the gritty truth of my life and I am glad that I have been able to share it all. It has added a richness and a purpose to my writing, transforming it into more than just a good laugh – it’s a tool to help other people to feel better too.
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"Helping others is the theme of my life. I have been a therapist for 30 years, helping people with a wide range of problems. My goal is to set up a 'therapy farm' with the proceeds from my books."
My Dream
My favourite work is the most painful and difficult honour of helping people with terminal illness prepare for their take-off into the mysterious spiritual realm. I cry each time one of them flies away but it will always be the most worthwhile part of my life – it is my soul purpose.
My aim is to earn enough money from my books so that I can afford to do my therapy work at no cost for people with terminal illness. I would love to be able to own my own land and set up a ‘therapy farm’ with my horses and my sheep. They do wonderful work, helping lots of people but I would feel happier about it if I actually owned the land rather than renting it.
So that’s my dream and each time you buy a book you are helping to make it a reality.