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“Clinch offers a novel that weaves multiple stories through an account of the real-life Eileen O’Connor (1892-1921), the Australian founder of Our Lady’s Nurses for the Poor…. Spiritual readers are likely to find great inspiration and value in this novel, which consistently illustrates Eileen’s grace and the strength of her conviction; in real life, she’s long been considered for possible sainthood.” —Kirkus Reviews
The true story, woven with fiction, of Eileen O’Connor—Australia’s saint-in-waiting
In this inspirational novel, a family traumatized by addiction and catastrophe discover their great-grandmother’s lost account of Australia’s saint-in-waiting—a severely disabled woman who barely survived childhood but defied the Catholic Church and provided free nursing care in Sydney’s slums—and miracles happen. With a dual timeline, novelist Kate Clinch weaves the story of Eileen O’Connor, whose cause for sainthood is currently active in Rome, with the lives of a fictional contemporary family a century after her death.
The backdrop is Sydney in the midst of World War I and the Spanish Flu. Eileen is crippled by tuberculosis, partial paralysis, and interminable pain. Her determination and faith that she is called to help others, drives her to establish a private domiciliary nursing organization, and brings her into conflict with the Catholic hierarchy. A diverse array of colorful fictional characters and situations also then help bring to life this twentieth-century story of courage and resiliency. One of Eileen’s friends, believing her to be a living saint, records Eileen’s story, leaving it to be found like a lost artifact, in 2019.
“An immersive journey into the tumultuous times and faith-filled culture that calls forth a miracle--a severely disabled woman whose entire life is devoted to the healing of her community. Meeting the extraordinary Eileen O’Connor in this rich and compelling novel is an unforgettable experience—and I am sure many readers, like myself, will find themselves devoted to her by the final pages.” —Perdita Finn, author of The Way of the Rose and Take Back the Magic
“I was enthralled by this gorgeously written novel about Australia’s next potential saint, Eileen O’Connor. The plot leaps and circles, propelled deftly across two timelines: that of Eileen in the early 1900s; and a modern-day family suffering their own crises of trauma and faith. The privations of life in Australia before and during World War I, as well as Eileen’s specific and devastating health challenges, are incredibly well drawn, in rich and unflinching detail. But this is no bleak read—as one character notes, ‘This is an unconventional love story. On many levels.’ The elegant balance of the contemporary family’s story against that of Eileen and her circle not only emphasizes the reality of generational trauma, but also the very real possibility of generational healing, and hope.” —Kristen Holt-Browning, author of Ordinary Devotion
“Inspiring and engrossing time travel story of one tiny woman’s giant achievements. Amazing! Let Eileen’s incredible life inspire you to just—get on with your own!” —Mary Lea Carroll, author of Saint Everywhere and Across the Street Around the Corner
“Kate Clinch has written an engaging portrait of Eileen O’Connor, Australia’s saint in waiting. Full of firsthand recollections and skillful reenactments, Eileen’s short but remarkably well-lived life are brought vividly to life with wonderful care. A fascinating read.” —Tricia Stringer, author of many books including The Road Trip and Queen of the Road, winner of the Romance Writers of Australia’s Romantic Book of the Year award
“Kate Clinch has created such a vivid story of young Eileen O’Connor. She has brought to life Eileen’s unstinting energy and commitment for those who were left on the fringes of society. This novel shines a light on the remarkable strength of a young woman who, despite the extraordinary physical pain she endured, refused to compromise on the call she felt from her God, inspiring others in the journey and leaving a legacy that shines on even today.” —Jane Woolford, CEO, Mary MacKillop Today
“The novel is the debut work of Adelaide author Kate Clinch…whose own life took an unexpected turn when she discovered Eileen O'Connor during a Sydney holiday in 2018. What began as curiosity became devotion—and then, during Kate's own cancer diagnosis and recovery, something closer to a lifeline. She rewrote the novel during chemotherapy, finding in Eileen's patience and surrender a model for her own…. Kate brings to the novel a rare combination: the clinical precision of a medical background, deep archival research into WWI and early twentieth-century Sydney, and a profound personal investment in her subject. She had access to Eileen's X-rays. She walked the streets where Eileen had lived. She was guided, she believes, every step of the way. Every Inch a Saint is a story about the kind of power that doesn't announce itself—and the women who wield it anyway.” —Australian Book Lovers
“Clinch offers a novel that weaves multiple stories through an account of the real-life Eileen O’Connor (1892-1921), the Australian founder of Our Lady’s Nurses for the Poor…. Spiritual readers are likely to find great inspiration and value in this novel, which consistently illustrates Eileen’s grace and the strength of her conviction; in real life, she’s long been considered for possible sainthood.” —Kirkus Reviews
Born in England, Kate Clinch has lived in Australia since she was six. After a near-death experience, she left her medical practice and began researching and writing about spiritual matters—especially mysterious soul connections and miraculous healings. She’s co-authored research papers as a doctor, in the 1990’s wrote regular columns on garden history for Australian Doctor magazine, and in the 2000’s on homeschooling for Education Choices magazine. Her unpublished first novel was long-listed in Australia for the Richell Prize for Emerging Writers.
In 2020, after meeting Eileen O’Connor’s nuns to discuss Every Inch a Saint, she wrote them a medical report to support the investigation into her sainthood. She lives in Adelaide.