MEET GRETCHEN
Welcome to the official website of Gretchen Ryan, author of Secrets of a Stewardess, Flying the World in the 1980’s and There’s an elephant in my swimming pool.
Born in South Africa, Gretchen grew up in a rural farming community. After graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree, she joined SAA as an air hostess. Ten years later she left the airline and entered the corporate world of event management before settling in the UK where she obtained a Masters degree in Creative Writing.
Her humorous memoir- Secrets of a Stewardess – was published by The History Press in May 2019.
Gretchen currently lives between Surrey and Cape Town.
BOOKS
SECRETS OF A STEWARDESS
People always seemed amused whenever Gretchen Ryan recounted tales of her transformative experiences as an air hostess in days gone by. Many even suggested she write a book about it. So she did.
These were the debauched days of flying in the 80s, when flying was sexy, hanky-panky abounded, smoking was permitted, passengers wore suits, the cockpit was never locked and the cutlery was made of steel. This was a time of excess, wryly disguised as fun.
This humorous, tongue-in-cheek memoir recalls amusing incidents, and a fair few tragedies, both in the air and around the world, as Gretchen’s adventures saw her bounding through London, Hong Kong, Mauritius, Ilha do Sal and New York.
Against the backdrop of this anything-goes world of flying, for 10 years life was a kaleidoscope of fun and excitement.
IN THE PRESS
Radio Interview With BBC World Services
Featured in Prima Magazine
Article In The Daily Mail Newspaper
Radio Interview With Talk Radio Europe
Constantia Bulletin Book Launch Coverage
THERE’S AN ELEPHANT in my swimming pool
Published by Krest Publishers, South Africa, July 2023
This book was the winner of the Eyelands Book Awards (Unpublished Children’s Novels) in December 2019. It was also shortlisted in the Wells Festival of Literature Children’s Book competition in both 2016 and 2019. For this book, I have obtained an endorsement by Virginia Mc Kenna, OBE, award-winning actress and co-founder of the Born Free Foundation.
While on holiday at his Grampa’s game farm near the Kruger National Park, eleven-year-old Toby has close encounters with various dangerous wild animals, but worse than that, the most dangerous of all; rhino and elephant poachers!
Toby is adamant to catch the poachers, while his younger and more responsible sister, Tara, makes his mission difficult.
With his parents forbidding him to go into the bush, and his sister watching his every move, will Toby be able to stop the poachers?
IN THE PRESS
Read HERE about the competition that was held to find the cover of the book
Nominated for the category
BEST BOOK COVER
Book Signing
Book Signing
Book Launch
Book Signing
“Don’t let the title beguile you into thinking this is a book only for young people. It is for young,old and everything in between. It cannot fail to persuade those who have been to Africa to return, and to encourage others to take their first, thrilling steps. Touching, amusing and serious – and particularly relevant to the present critical situation facing the irreplaceable wildlife of the world. The human characters are true to life, and I feel sure the readers will smile as they recognise themselves and their families. I was really disappointed when I turned the last page – and there is no greater compliment a reader can pay than wishing a book had not come to an end.”