Stone by stone, seed by seed, they discover that sometimes life grows, not in spite what is broken, but because of it.

Weaving of memoir and herbal folklore, All My Wild Mothers is a story of re-wilding our wastelands, and the transformation that can happen when we do. In a time of uncertainty, it has something to teach us about resilience, and the power of joyful resistance. She and her son set about transforming the rubble around them into a wild apothecary garden. Daisy, for resilience. Dandelion, for strength against adversity. Red campion, to ward off loneliness. Sow thistle, to lift melancholy. Borage, to bring hope in dark and difficult times. Two Roads has won a five-way auction for All My Wild Mothers: A Memoir of Motherhood, Loss and an Apothecary Garden by Victoria Bennett, author and founder of Wild Women Press. Human Geographies -explores how literature can collaborate with immersive, digital spaces to share our grief stories - recipient of an ACE DYCP Grant 2021

It took a year of iterations and submissions, but then the book found representation with Jenny Hewson at Lutyens and Rubinstein, following a fantastic response from querying agents. It went on to be acquired in a hotly contested five-way auction, by Lisa Highton, at Two Roads Books. All My Wild Mothers was published February 2023. Victoria Bennett (MA Creative Writing, 2002) tells how she founded Wild Women Press and grew her debut memoir, All My Wild Mothers, over 10 years between the hours of motherhood, care and grief. There are some books that you read, knowing that they will stay with you for a long time. Victoria Bennett’s memoir is one of those books ... All My Wild Mothers is one of the most achingly precious books that I have encountered in recent times’ On Magazine At seven months pregnant, Victoria Bennett learns her sister has died in a canoeing accident. In that moment, her life changes.

What was meant to be our happy-ever-after has turned out to be our barely-hanging-on. It has been four years since my sister died, and my son was born. Since then I have walked like a ghost-mother, broken by grief that wraps itself around me and will not let go. I am worn down and tired of failing to be the lover, the mother, the women I thought I was meant to be” I absolutely loved this book. I liked how it was structured and how each chapter began with a description of a plant, its uses, and where they grow. Alkanet to lift melancholy, lemon balm to ward off evil, cow parsley to calm emotions and bring courage (Victoria needed that – she faced a lot of adversity). My latest poety pamphlet, To Start The Year From Its Quiet Centre is published by Indigo Dreams Publishing Ltd .I am currently working on All My Wild Mothers , a nature memoir that examines motherhood, loss, and the ancient art of wortcunning. This work- in-progress was long-listed for the Nan Shepherd Prize (2019) and the Penguin WriteNow Programme (2020). I am grateful to New Writing North and The Society of Authors, for awarding me the Northern Debut Award and an Authors' Foundation grant to complete this work. What a wonderful read this is. The memoir of author Victoria Bennett this is her story interspersed with pictures and descriptions of herbs and plants and their historical folklore and medicinal uses. Beautifully written, almost poetic, it’s a very relaxing read, like cuddling up on the sofa with a box of chocolates and watching a favourite film. That’s not to say it’s not emotional. It is. Very emotional. I had tears when her son was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at just two and a half years old - heartbreaking.

you've captured my lifetime in palliative care. Just wonderful..." (Dr Kathryn Mannix, author 'With The End In Mind -- How To Live And Die Well) My ugly grief does not fit this pink-tinged world of motherhood. No one wants to hear about death, so close to birth. In my last trimester, there were no trips to buy baby clothes, no antenatal classes to learn breathing techniques for an easier birth, no numbers swapped with other expectant mums. When others were nesting, I stayed in my room and cried and, when the time came, I gave birth at home beside the coal fire, as snow fell from the January sky.” Briefly, Victoria was born into a family who spent their lives moving around with her fathers job as an engineer. They settled when she was just five. When she was 7 months pregnant her eldest sister was killed in a canoeing accident, this had a lasting effect on Victoria. When her son is six Victoria moves with her family to a social housing estate in Cumbria and with her son decides to create a magical garden. With little money they craft their garden from wild flowers and plants, an apothecary’s garden. When Bennett is seven months pregnant the phone rings to inform her that her eldest sister has died in a canoeing accident. What is supposed to be a period of preparing for motherhood, turns into a seemingly never-ending grief. I admired the composition, with each chapter starting by highlighting a plant - it’s virtues, dangers and healing properties. What I really gained from the book was the vulnerability of the author and the impressive way she was able to encapsulate these emotions so psychically that I could live each situation along with her, a rare occurrence for me. Grief, pain, joy, death, life, pressure, relief, memories, childhood, oppression and bringing life into the world and the little battles and pleasures of growing.Interview on The Naked Muse Photo-Poetry Project, 2011/12 -- Guardian/BBC/Huffington Post/WriteOutLoud/PhillyMag/View From Here/Poetry Foundation She lives in Orkney, with her husband and son. When not juggling writing, full-time care, and genetic illness, she can be found where the wild weeds grow, growing her apothecary garden. All My Wild Mothersis her debut memoir, and was published in 2023 (Two Roads Books). Founder of the rural, radical Wild Women Press. Programming, delivering & producing Wild Women workshops, projects, live events & publications in rural Cumbria and beyond, working with over 2000 women. Curating the global #WildWomanWeb. Co-ordinating multi-artist projects and touring. Organising annual creative retreats for 20 years. www.wildwomenpress.com