Interview & Op-Ed Opportunity:
Mary Hamer, Chair of The Kipling Society, Published Author and Opening Keynote Speaker at Upcoming Annual Child Psychotherapists Conference

Press Release, June 11^th2015: Mary Hamer will give the keynote presentation entitled ‘Kipling & Trix, biographical novel or case study?' at the opening of the annual Association of Child PsychotherapistsConferenceon Friday 26^thJune at 7pm at the University of Bath.

While the conference has a closed guest list, journalists are invited to request interviews with Mary Hamer before, during or after her presentation. Editorial commissions are also possible including an exclusive feature written by Mary Hamer focusing on the themes included in her presentation. To discuss opportunities please contact Literally PR: info@literallypr.com.

Lessons from the early years of the Kipling siblings

Mary Hamer's presentation will address why and how the very unique childhood experienced by internationally renowned writer, Rudyard Kipling, and his sister Trix Kipling, impacted their decisions, choices and experiences as adults. They effectively lost both parents and the country they knew as home when Rudyard was just five years old as his parents decided he and his sister (three years old) should return to England while they remained in Bombay, as was customary during this period. In Portsmouth, they were ‘cared' for by a dominating and harsh lady in England who, in Mary's words "attacked Rudyard and made a creepy pet out of Trix".

Mary Hamer explains: "Rudyard entered into a string of matrimonial engagements during his early adulthood, but it wasn't until he returned to India for a spell that he came back and got married within just two weeks. Sadly, the loss of his daughter threw him completely off track. For Trix, her childhood experiences also had a big impact. She chose to marry a horrid man and was unable to find her voice as a writer, which led her to spiritualism and finding her voice as a medium".

Why is Kipling still so talked about in 2015?

2015 is the sesquicentennial of Rudyard Kipling's birth. Throughout 2015 many Kipling related events are running to commemorate the life of one of Britain's best-loved and most influential writers. A calendar of many of the events can be found on Mary Hamer's website:http://mary-hamer.com/calendar.html.

Why is Mary Hamer well placed to discuss Kipling's childhood at the Annual Child Psychotherapists Conference?

Mary Hameris the quintessential expert on Rudyard Kipling. Having discovered a love for Kipling as a child, Mary turned to researching him as an adult. Her research led to her take an esteemed role as Chair of TheKipling Society, as well as to follow in Kipling's footsteps all over the world. From his house in Vermont to his birthplace in India, on to South Africa and even to their family home in deepest darkest Sussex, Mary has travelled wide and far in the name of Kipling research.

Whilst researching the extraordinary lives of the Kiplings, Mary became increasingly fascinated by Rudyard's sister Trix, which led Mary to write the fictional storyKipling & Trix, awarded theVirginia Prize for Fiction in 2011. This is a book that highlights the brilliance of Trix Kipling and weaves a compelling story out of the facts that are known about Rudyard and his sister.

Mary is available for interviews and editorial commissions.

SamuelBatt@literallypr.com/HelenLewis@literallyPR.com

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