From Hugh Baird College to Published Poet, Joanne Stenson Launches ‘Relatable You’
Former Hugh Baird College Functional Skills English student Joanne Stenson is celebrating publishing her first poetry book, ‘Relatable You’.
The book features a collection of forty poems created by Joanne to guide readers through the difficulties of grief and the trials and tribulations of life. The poems are dedicated to Joannes's late brother, who was tragically murdered fourteen years ago, aged 19. Following the sudden loss of her brother, Joanne returned to Bootle, Merseyside, after spending eight years working in London as a Police Officer for the Metropolitan Police. Joanne joined Virgin Atlantic as a Cabin Crew member in late 2010, with her base in the North West of England.
Joanne enrolled at Hugh Baird College on a Functional Skills course in 2018 to refresh her English skills, during which she reconnected with her love of literature and decided to embark on a journey in poetry with the support of her tutors.
Joanne stated:
Writing poetry is something I have always loved. However, after losing my brother, I found writing down my feelings and emotions helped me with the grieving process; it provided me with an escape from reality. I created this poetry book to help others going through experiences similar to mine.
Refreshing my English skills at Hugh Baird College gave me the confidence to set up my dog grooming business alongside my cabin crew job at Virgin. I felt confident and supported by my tutors, and they pushed me to achieve my goals.
English Tutor, Victoria O'Toole stated:
I had the pleasure of being Joanne’s English Tutor at Hugh Baird College. Joanne was a committed and passionate student. She consistently demonstrated dedication to her work and a genuine enthusiasm for literature. Her passion for helping others through poetry was something Joanne was passionate about from the beginning. I am so proud to see her poetry book published and excited to see what the future holds for her.
Joanne, who authors under the pseudonym Jaycee Micheals, intends to publish three additional books: Relatable Too, Relatable Me, and Relatable Wee. The next book, 'Relatable Too,' will be published in April 2024. Joanne intends the last book, 'Relatable Wee, ' to be aimed at the younger reader, with the same concepts as the other books but presented in a more child-friendly style.
‘Relatable you’ is available to purchase via Amazon at [https://bit.ly/3tOx7id].
Those wishing to find out more about Hugh Baird College’s Functional Skills courses can do so via their website at https://www.hughbaird.ac.uk/subject-area/english-maths.
