#10thingsIlove

To balance out the good with the bad #10thingsIhate here are my #10thingsIlove.

1. Spending time with friends and family. There’s nothing quite like this, I’m definitely a social animal. Love going out for coffee, dinner or just hanging out at home with my family. Friends both on and offline are the best for supporting and encouraging you to pursue your dreams.
2. Eating tasty food. This just had to be on my list! LOL… I love food, any food, but especially spicy meals, as I grew up with a diet of Malaysian fare – my mum is from Kuching, Malaysia.
3. Travelling. Absolutely, would love to travel more. I grew up with a father who had a penchant for travel so this isn’t entirely surprising. Recently, I entered Dan Alatorre’s recent Word Weaver writing competition with the first chapter of my dad’s travelling adventures. Sorry, the competition is now closed, but Dan has a great blog so go follow! I’ve been to many places in the world but there are still many to explore.
4. Going to the Theatre to see drama and dance. Where would we be without the theatre to make our imaginings take form? I adore going to the Edinburgh Festival and try to go every year if I can. The buzz is fantastic.
5. Visiting Edinburgh to see my mum, dad, brother and extended family. Love Edinburgh, it is one of the best cities in the world Edinburgh ranked Second in the World for Quality of Life and is my home from home.
6. Writing prose and poetry, and reading books. Of course, this has to feature here. What has writing done for me? So much, it has given me such confidence, and so much enjoyment. I wish I had started writing decades ago! Reading books and going to Book Festivals ranks pretty highly up there on my favourite things to do. Books make me cry, they make me smile; they delight me. Where would we be without books? I daren’t contemplate such a fate. And book festivals, again, my favourite is the Edinburgh Book Festival
7. Tai Chi. I have been attending classes in Taoist Tai Chi for many years, and I love it. I find it helps me relax, keeps me balanced and gives me a terrific boost. I would recommend it. Start young and you’ll stay fit well into your old age! Start older and it will keep you young! It’s a win, win situation… Recently, we had a Tai Chi intensive at my local branch. Here’s the link to the Facebook page to see photos: Taoist Tai Chi Intensive in Cambridge. What’s a Tai Chi Intensive? It’s a special lesson when a particularly awesome instructor comes along to impart their knowledge to us Tai Chi enthusiasts. We partake of a bring and share lunch and generally have a lovely time.

Here’s the instructor considering what to teach us next:

8. Sea air and sunshine. These two I’ve combined, as I enjoy the seaside best when the weather is nice. If the sun is out, I can swim, (not in the UK!) sunbathe, eat an ice-cream, walk and explore. When it’s cold I still enjoy it, but I have to wrap up in many, many layers!
9. The blogging community. Have been a blast, so helpful, supportive and amazing. Love you! In fact I love you so much that I set up a special community on Facebook for authors/bloggers and bookish souls. Please do investigate and join …. Authors/Bloggers Rainbow Support Club. My fellow administrators of the group are Colleen Chesebro, and Debby Gies.
10. And last but not least, crystals and cats. I collect crystals and write about them too. My current manuscript is entitled: The Curse of Time – The Bloodstone. I intend to release this YA fantasy this summer. Cats, well I like their independence, and cats always seem to like me! Unfortunately, I don’t own one as both my husband and daughter are allergic but I get my fix over at Samantha Murdoch Blog. Samantha and I are good blogging friends and she has kindly been providing me with lots and lots of photos of her cat Lily who looks like the cat Shadow in my book.

Here are the latest photos of Samantha’s lovely cat Lily.

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In life, there is always good and bad but it is always nice to end on a high note. There is much more to enthuse about when writing about what I love. The list could have gone on and on…

Bye for now,

My Links:

Authors/Bloggers Rainbow Support Club

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May 4, 2017 13

#10THINGSIHATE – Some funny, some deadly serious.

Today I came across this tag on Instagram via author Grace Rose Thomas. #10thingsIhate. Normally like Grace I focus on things I love but sometimes it’s good to have a good old whinge. Here are my 10 things. In no particular order….
1. Rude and inconsiderate people. 😠Unnecessary don’t be rude or inconsiderate. I will tell you so! Late people who expect others to always be on time and then get stroppy when their friends are late! If you’re prone to being late why whine? Or folk who barge into you, stand on your toes, hit you with a metal implement and not apologise…
2.Bats. 😬Yes I’m scared of them. I run in the house at night if I see one. We live near a country park and they seem to like being near us… Me, I’m not so keen. That goes for snakes too, and various assortment of creepy crawlies.
3. Racism, bigotry of any kind. 😰We’re all human – treat folks as you’d like to be treated.Be kind. Be fair.
4. Dog mess.😒 💩If your dog messes pick it up!
5. Picking your nose whilst driving and then eating it…. 😱One time I saw someone doing this – we were in the car behind. It was an unpleasant sight. Still scarred…
6. People who make promises to invite you over for a fabulous meal 🤤but never intend what they say. 😶Say what you mean or keep it to yourself. I love my food 😍so this really hurts!
7. Insomnia. 💤😴I’ve suffered with this on and off for most of my life. It’s bad at the moment as I am overexcited… too much going on in my life. Can’t stay asleep. Woke up at 5am this morning! Very hyper…
8. Unhelpful folk. 😖Why? This I don’t understand. That’s why I set up The Authors/Bloggers Rainbow Support group because I like to help and support others. More about that below. We’re all in this together. On your own you’re invisible in a team you’re powerful. 🙂
9. People who can reverse well. 😝I am rubbish at parking. So jealous. Perhaps in my next life… Oh, and I forgot to say drink drivers… This is serious. Don’t drink and drive.
10. I don’t really hate no. 10 but it makes me sad. 😞People who give up. I’ve come across cases were talented writers get knock backs and pack it in. Keep on trying, that’s my motto. I’ve had lots of knock backs but that’s not going to stop me! Yes, I’m stubborn that way.

What are your ten things? Or if you want to turn it on its head and tell us the ten things you love that would be awesome too. I’ll do that next time to show that I’m not a complete whinge! 🤣😆😜😝😛

Bye for now,

If you’d like to join Team Awesome, a club for bloggers, bookish souls, and authors do get in touch we hang out on Facebook here:

Member Page: Authors/Bloggers Rainbow Support Club

and we have a general information page here too:

Join The Book Love Team at Bloggers/Authors Rainbow Support Club

Don’t be shy, join this supportive, friendly club. x

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May 3, 2017 17

Colleen’s Weekly #Poetry Challenge # 32 – LEAD & SAVE

The prompt words from Colleen this week are lead and save which are appropriate for two reasons. First, I lost some of my manuscript! Somehow bl**** word, yes I am swearing profusely, lost three of my chapters which had me in a right old state… I knew something was going on when my word count dropped dramatically. Luckily, I’d backed up a recent copy so it could have been worse. Much worse. Secondly, the prompt words lead and save fit in very nicely with my sharing part of my YA manuscript The Curse of Time – Book 1 – The Bloodstone with you lovely peeps.

I decided to write a prose envelope which is appropriate as the story begins with an invitation.

Though, there is no invitation mentioned in this short excerpt from Chapter 2:

At that moment I heard a rustling in the nearby grass. Mitch let go of me startled by the noise. I turned, still clutching the camera to my side as I observed a young man who appeared out of the shadows near the edge of the path. His appearance caught my attention because he wore black jeans and a faded black tee-shirt washed so often that its original colour had all but vanished. His strange eyes sought me out. I stood gazing into two of the strangest eyes I had ever seen. One shone black as the richest smeared ink while the other glowed green and reminded me of the lushness of a meadow.

I continued to stare and noticed a dark shadow cloud Ryder’s face. I acknowledged this subtle yet powerful moment. When his eyes darkened, I swear they flashed thunderous daggers at the lads. Ryder’s face locked into a fixed expression as if he prepared to battle. His body became rigid, and his muscles tensed. I stepped back as I observed the hard ground beneath his feet crack, extending in a black shadow as he moved towards the boys. My hand went to my mouth, and I screamed.

To join in Colleen’s challenge: https://colleenchesebro.com/2017/05/02/colleens-weekly-poetry-challenge-32-lead-save/

Hope you like the short excerpt, and the haibun too. Please leave comments to tell me what you think.

Bye for now,

If you’d like to join Team Awesome, a club for bloggers, bookish souls, and authors do get in touch we hang out on Facebook here:

Member Page: Authors/Bloggers Rainbow Support Club

and we have a general information page here too:

Join The Book Love Team at Bloggers/Authors Rainbow Support Club

Don’t be shy, join this supportive, friendly club. x

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May 2, 2017 12

Self-Publishing and Formatting Quick Tips

Jo Robinson with some tips on editing and proof reading swapsies, cover design, and formatting self published books. This is on my to do list as I will be self-publishing. Lots to think about… Thank you to Jo for this fabulous article.

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May 2, 2017 0

There are hundreds of ways to promote a self-published book. However, if you don’t get the following nine basics right first, you could be wasting a lot of your time, energy and money. Many, if not most authors who self-publish for the first time make mistakes, which is completely normal because you are trying to do something totally…

via How To Promote A Self-Published Book – 9 Basics — Just Publishing Advice

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May 1, 2017 0