Jane Blanchard's Unloosed is a book of worry, wit and woe that makes a sharp left turn to wonder, all in poetry that speaks and sings directly from a woman's experience. Readers will savor the truths, and admire the craftsmanship of this fine craftswoman. -Alicia Ostriker These poems are the incitements, ripostes, advisories, and evocations of someone who has come through. Jane Blanchard uses form to real effect, as a vehicle for wit and emotional precision. Her travails and triumphs have the feel of a life honestly rendered in succinct words. -Baron Wormser Reminiscent of Elizabeth Barrett Browning and Jennifer Reeser, Jane Blanchard tells the story of love lost and found, the innocence and experience of relationships. "Mother to Daughter" and "Bridge" are standouts. Skilled in the sonnet, Blanchard has a particular gift for the closing couplet. Joining the tradition of women's poetry, she makes the point in "Lesson on Loss"-as many women have- that "So often, less is simply not enough." -Kim Bridgford

Jane Blanchard is a poet who unapologetically makes use of rhyme and form in her work. Her control of both is very impressive in a most engaging way. -Peter Thabit Jones, editor, The Seventh Quarry Jane Blanchard's most recent work will appeal to any lover of finely crafted not-a-syllable-wasted rhyme. She sifts through the everyday to reveal what deserves our attention. -Lora Zill, editor, Time of Singing Jane Blanchard finds the poetry in the everyday, often taking an apparently unpromising subject and making something individual and special out of it. Her poems are formally varied and always readable. -George Simmers, editor, Snakeskin As always, with this latest collection from Jane Blanchard, I am amazed. Her "love of language" shines and glistens throughout her poems. -Maurice Ferguson, literary editor, Artemis Jane Blanchard turns her inner eye and voice to family and life events, often with tongue firmly in cheek. You will smile in recognition. -Jean Milliken, editor, The Lyric

Wouldn't you love to go on an adventure and find that it was more than what you expected? That's what happened to Jane V. Blanchard when she walked the Hadrian's Wall Path, and what she wants to share with you in the this book. Join her as she walks eighty-four miles across northern England, explore the sites and legends associated with this historical wall, and see if you too can journey back with her to the time of the Romans, the Brigantes (powerful Celtic British tribes) and the Picts (ferocious Celtic Scottish tribes).Whether you enjoy trekking or armchair-adventures, Hadrian's Wall Path: Walking into History is an exciting journey. This book from the "Woman on Her Way" series takes you along the ancient Roman frontier between England and Scotland. Explore this World Heritage Site with more than 130 full-color photos and illustrations that display the majesty of ancient Roman engineering and the beauty of the Cumbrian and Northumberlain landscapes. Learn what Roman life was like more than 2000 years ago. Enjoy walking along this imposing monument with Jane V. Blanchard as she describes in a heartfelt way, the terrain, the culture, the challenges, and her personal growth and changes.* Discover Hadrian's Wall, what it encompasses, then and now.* Learn about Roman life and what it was like living on Rome's most northern frontier.* Visualize the beauty of northern England through Jane's vivid descriptions, photographs, and illustrations.* Find out about the current English culture and lore.* Understand why so many people visit sites along the Hadrian's Wall Path."Hadrian's Wall Path: Walking into History is a riveting, well-written chronicle of a hiking adventure across the English countryside. More importantly, it is what Jane Blanchard herself learns, that 'History becomes interesting, and it is coming alive.' Fortunately, she does this for the reader as well. I found the details to be illuminating and thought-provoking, yet simple and to the point. Some highlights of the adventure: Once Brewed, Twice Brewed; Nine Nicks of Thirlwall, King Arthur, "Bogle", mizzle and all. Highly recommended!." Maryann Burchell, South Bay Publishing LLCHadrian's Wall Path is the second book in the "Woman on Her Way" series. These books describe Jane V. Blanchard's adventures on ancient European routes or primitive wilderness trails. Travel with her as she explores new horizons and venture with her into this world's premier historic, scenic, or cultural itineraries.

Women of the Way describes Jane V. Blanchard's 2011 pilgrimage across Spain on the Camino de Santiago. That year more than 44% of the pilgrims were women, each with a different story. As the author walked, she talked with other female pilgrims to see what motivated them to undertake this adventure. She relates their compelling stories in their own words so other woman can understand and, perhaps, become empowered to do likewise, whether it be a physical journey or one of the spirit.

Jane Blanchard's neatly-crafted verse focuses on daily life, marriage, family, travel, gardens and social conventions. But there is much wry wit, from raccoons to royals, and deft use of such forms as haiku, villanelles and sonnets to make for a pleasingly thoughtful and varied collection. -Jerome Betts, editor of Lighten Up Online Jane Blanchard writes of contemporary concerns in an easy voice that sometimes mutes, sometimes elevates the traditional forms of her verse. Teasing us with strains of T. S. Eliot, her poetry shifts to entice us with the cutting perspicuity and frustrations of a Georgian (as in "Georgia Peach") mother and housewife. Playful, ironic, sophisticated and down-home, this is a collection of metrical insights into the commonplace, with an often uncommon twist. A veritable (and delightful) Forrest Gump box of chocolates. -Paul Schreiber, poetry editor of Two Thirds North Jane Blanchard has a knack for the well-turned line and the perfectly apt detail. This book is a delight, full of poems that sparkle with wit and stick in the memory. -Brooke Clark, editor of The Asses of Parnassus

Jane and Dennis Blanchard never do anything the easy way, and myriad adventures hiking the Vermont Long Trail during a summer of record-breaking cold temperatures and unprecedented rainfall were just another of the couple's challenges over their 45-year-plus marriage. Full of hard-won, practical advice for novice and experienced hikers alike, this story contains many unexpected twists and turns. The co-authors, Dennis and Jane Blanchard, explore the nuances of hiking solo versus hiking as a couple with candor and wry wit and poke fun at themselves and their relationship. A must-read for everyone contemplating a long distance hike.

WANTED - producers, presenters, technicians, scriptwriters, buyers, office staff to help set up a brand new shopping channel, Getting It. Qualifications: You don't need a sense of humour to work here - you must be crazy. Salary: how low can you go? Stella and Fran are in their early forties and have secret hopes that the channel will brighten up their rather dull lives and catapult them into a new world of show biz. They are delighted when taken on. But it doesn't quite work out like that. Products collapse during live demonstrations, prices given out are wrong, descriptions don't match the products... Complaints pour in both from the public and the statutory bodies. Word gets round, journalists start to pick up the story and viewing figures rocket as people tune in just to see if there are any more bloopers. It becomes a success! However, fame isn't quite what Stella and Fran envisaged and, by the end, they realise they just aren't cut out for that sort of life...

In Cahoots! It seems a long time since Sarah,Vicky and Judith were bright young things. Middle-age is looming and threatening to be middling. Romance is something that happens to other people. If life is meant to begin at forty, then where the hell has it got to? Over a bottle of New Year champagne three friends decide to take control of their lives, to let their hair down and rediscover life - and love - all over again... Nailing Harry The strut of a peacock, the libido of a rabbit and the morals of a skunk. That's Harry Hampton, office super rat. The Board of Directors at the media company he runs think he's brilliant; the staff think he's a bully, a womaniser and talentless creep. After surviving yet another round of Harry's spectacular sackings, four brave women decide they've had enough. For their own sanity, they plot Harry's downfall. Meanwhile, there's someone else who has also reached breaking point over Harry's antics. His much younger, beautiful wife Val also wants her revenge -and she wants

This is the paperback with black and white photos. For the paperback with full-color photos, see ISBN-10: 1507886780 or ISBN-13:978-1507886786.Wouldn't you love to go on an adventure and find that it was more than what you expected? That's what happened to Jane V. Blanchard when she walked the Hadrian's Wall Path, and what she wants to share with you in the this book. Join her as she walks eighty-four miles across northern England, explore the sites and legends associated with this historical wall, and see if you too can journey back with her to the time of the Romans, the Brigantes (powerful Celtic British tribes) and the Picts (ferocious Celtic Scottish tribes).Whether you enjoy trekking or armchair-adventures, Hadrian's Wall Path: Walking into History is an exciting journey. This book from the "Woman on Her Way" series takes you along the ancient Roman frontier between England and Scotland. Explore this World Heritage Site with more than 130 photos and illustrations that display the majesty of ancient Roman engineering and the beauty of the Cumbrian and Northumberlain landscapes. Learn what Roman life was like more than 2000 years ago. Enjoy walking along this imposing monument with Jane V. Blanchard as she describes in a heartfelt way, the terrain, the culture, the challenges, and her personal growth and changes.* Discover Hadrian's Wall, what it encompasses, then and now.* Learn about Roman life and what it was like living on Rome's most northern frontier.* Visualize the beauty of northern England through Jane's vivid descriptions, photographs, and illustrations.* Find out about the current English culture and lore.* Understand why so many people visit sites along the Hadrian's Wall Path."Hadrian's Wall Path: Walking into History is a riveting, well-written chronicle of a hiking adventure across the English countryside. More importantly, it is what Jane Blanchard herself learns, that 'History becomes interesting, and it is coming alive.' Fortunately, she does this for the reader as well. I found the details to be illuminating and thought-provoking, yet simple and to the point. Some highlights of the adventure: Once Brewed, Twice Brewed; Nine Nicks of Thirlwall, King Arthur, "Bogle", mizzle and all. Highly recommended!." Maryann Burchell, South Bay Publishing LLCHadrian's Wall Path is the second book in the "Woman on Her Way" series. These books describe Jane V. Blanchard's adventures on ancient European routes or primitive wilderness trails. Travel with her as she explores new horizons and venture with her into this world's premier historic, scenic, or cultural itineraries.