Paula R.C. Readman's Blog, page 8

Check Out My Work, and Enjoy Some Amazing Tales by Other Writers.

“There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed.”
― Ernest Hemingway

Hemingway’s words echo around me at the moment. As far as my writing goes, I just want to cut my wrists and never type another word. Losing the main publisher for my novels isn’t the problem, but knowing all the reviews my three novels have received will disappear on the 26th July when they are removed from Amazon has frozen my writing soul.

I’m busy painting at the moment, so my writing has been put on hold. This morning, I received a rejection on a short story. It took me a moment to recall writing and submitting the tale to Bridge House Publishing for their annual collection. It seems like a world away since I’ve immerged myself into writing.

Having a new story accepted would have lifted my dark mood. I’m not down because my work was rejected, but because writing has lost its sparkle to me. It all seems like a lot of work for so little reward. The pressure to be successful is quite soul destroying. Painting has brought me a lot of joy as well as monetary payments. Seeing the looks on the client’s face when they come to collect the finished painting is priceless.

While checking the stories on the CafeLit site, I found a sample of my writing on there to allow readers to taste before buying the Best of CafeLit 13. Please check the site as I’m sure you’ll find some of the stories to your taste between the covers.

Best wishes to you all.

No Rest For The Wicked

How do you want to retire?

“You don’t stop laughing because you grow old. You grow old because you stopped laughing.” – Michael Pritchard

Retirement…. What actually does this mean? Am I retiring from life completely. Death being the end. Or are you talking about taking life, or what is left of it into a different direction?

I took my life in a different direction when the company I was working for decided to reduce the workforce. It was a tough decision to take redundancy, but at the time, it gave me the opportunity to pay off the mortgage and leave my husband and I debt free.

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I had always wanted the opportunity to be creative and to be able to spend my time writing full-time seemed amazing at the time. Being at home all day has many advantages but there’s disadvantages too.

To start with: housework. My mind won’t focus if there are things around the house that need doing. Garden: the changing seasons bring more work in the summer than during the winter months. Cold callers: you just get into the flow and the door bell or phone rings. Then there’s the attitude that as you are at home, you’re not working your time is your own like you’re on permanent holiday.

In reality, time is ticking and you find yourself stressing about whether you are good enough, why fame and fortune isn’t hammering on your door, especially when you receive rejection after rejection.

Finally, you have a small glimmer of success but realise the goal posts are just an illusion. Writing a bestselling novel isn’t quite what it seems. It certainly doesn’t happen overnight, or within the first year of retiring from the workforce. You need to have a back catalogue of at least 30 books to make any sort of livelihood, or to buy a couple of loaves and a pint of milk .

The book industry is flooded with writers all believing their book will be the next bestseller and will bring them fame and fortune, but all to soon they find this isn’t true. Even self-publishing doesn’t bring riches.

Now I write and paint for my own joy, and stopped worrying about monetary gains or deadlines. For me, retirement is about keeping healthy, happy and productive in things I enjoy doing this includes looking after my husband, seeing my son, and growing vegetables etc. Oh, and having a decent pension to relax my stress levels after 35 years old working in dead end jobs. This helps to keep the bills ticking over nicely.

Stay happy and keep laughing, everyone because life is precious.

Mirror to the Past

What’s the oldest thing you own that you still use daily?

You use a glass mirror to see your face; you use works of art to see your soul.

George Bernard Shaw

The oldest object I used daily is a dressing table top that belonged to my great-grandmother. It was in my childhood bedroom, which I shared with my sisters, in the early sixties.

One day, my mother had it stand on the floor in her bedroom. I asked her what is was going to do with it. At the time, I was about fourteen. After our parents divorced my younger sister, mother and I lived together and money was tight.

“I was going to take it to the junk shop to see what I could get for it, but it was too heavy to carry,” Mum said.

“Can I have it,” I asked.

“If you want, take it to your room.”

Mum didn’t have to tell me twice. The mirror has travelled with me from house to house. The silver may be coming off the back of the mirror but I won’t be changing it because I like the fact it’s the same glass my great-grandmother looked into when she was eighteen.

My great-grandmother (18 years old) and her niece, Margaret

It is easy to say material things are not important. Material things can be easily replaced but this isn’t always true. They help us touch the past. Walk around any museum and you know how important they are for us all to see. They are a physical reminder of how far civilization has come. A record of human development across the centuries.

If the rosewood mirror had only been a camera it could have recorded the changing faces of my great-grandmother, grandmother and myself. Also, the fashion we wore, and in the background the houses we called home. Now that would have been interesting to watch.

I don’t know what will happen to the mirror in the future, or what will become of it when I’m gone. After all, in this high-tech world, an old mirror is out of touch when modern mirrors can tell you the state of your health.

Thank you for reading my post. Have a great weekend. Chat again soon.

Passion Drives You On.

What are you passionate about?

Nothing great in the world has ever been accomplished without passion.”

Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel

I’m passionate about the natural world, especially what surrounds me where I live in England. I walk the local footpaths around my village, across the farmland which grows array of crops throughout the year. These farms stop the erosion of the countryside between my village and the three nearby towns.

In England today, there’s a fear that if our farmers keep selling their land we will not be able to feed ourselves, but lose more wildlife too as the spread of housing swallows up woodlands and wild places.

While out walking, I take my camera with me in hope to photograph the natural world. I have been lucky enough to catch on film roe deer, muntjacs, foxes and barn owls among the many wildlife my friend, Ana and I have seen and recorded.

We walk most days for up to two sometimes three hours. I can’t imagine living in England without our wide open places and not to see hares running, hawk on the wing or a barn owl.

This year there has be many bee and Pyramidal orchid growing among the other wild flowers and grasses.

Chat again soon.

Tis’ the season to be cheerful!

What is your favorite season of year? Why?

Change is the only constant in life, and the seasons have their own unique way of reminding us of that.” – Anonymous

At the beginning of the year, I always feel as though I can begin my life again and step out into the world with fresh eyes. Put the problems of the past year behind me, and start a new year with a positive outlook.

For me all the seasons offer me something new and special. I have reached a point in my life where every new day of good health and happiness is a bonus and shouldn’t be taken from granted.

Time passes so quickly and overnight things can be gone in a blink of an eye. Every morning whether it’s a bright sunny morning or a dull overcast day, I draw back my curtains and start the day with a positive thought.

Ashes to Ashes, Dust to Dust
life passes in a blink of an eye

In the Spring, it is seeing the first signs of the change from winter to spring as I hunt for the first wild flowers of the season. In the early summertime it is the return of swallows and swifts. Come the autumn, I hunt for fungus among the falling leaves. In the winter, it’s waiting for the chilly morning that creates a frosty landscape.

I look for the beauty in Mother Nature to inspire me and bright my days.

So for me all the seasons are special and should be enjoyed no matter what is happening in one’s life for life is too short.

Chat again soon.

What’s a Luxury to One Might Not be to Other?

What’s the one luxury you can’t live without?

A library is not a luxury but one of the necessities of life.

Henry Ward Beecher

To me, my house is a luxury. To know I have a safe place I can call home is a luxury many don’t have, so I don’t take it for granted.

Freedom to be able to speak my truth quietly and clearly in Britain is a luxury in many other countries is a death sentence. To wander the footpaths around my village in the knowledge that it is safe to do so is a luxury.

Free education in Britain is a luxury, as in many other countries people have to pay for it, along with free health care. However, we have to remember it isn’t totally free as the British people paid for it by working hard and paying their taxes.

Another luxury we take for granted in Britain is our libraries. The freedom to be able to educate ourselves by borrowing books for free is wonderful. As a young mother, with little money to spend on my son, libraries were a treasure house.

Sometimes we take our luxuries for granted because we see them as commonplace.

Thank you for reading my post.

Have a great day. Chat again soon.

Words and Brushstrokes

If humans had taglines, what would yours be?

 “Not in doing what you like, but in liking what you do is the secret of happiness.” —J.M. Barrie  (August 1933)

Hmm, being a complex human, I suppose mine would reflect my passion for books and art. My thirst for knowledge and understanding of the world around me drives my desire to know the truth.

Books and works of art are the way most humans express themselves so others can understand their points of view.

I use words and brushstrokes to allow others to understand my point of view and what is important to me.

The natural world is at the heart of my life. Looking back over the past helps me to understand where humanity is moving to while learning about mistakes made in the past. This is why I love history so much.

So my tagline must be. ‘A mirror to the past, heart of nature brings words and brushstrokes.’

Create Your Own Sunshine.

What are the most important things needed to live a good life?

The good life is one inspired by love and guided by knowledge.

Bertrand Russell (1872 – 1970) British

Life isn’t easy. If you are expecting it to be so, then you are heading for disappointment. Having said that please keep this in mind when you set off on your journey through life. Life is what you make it.

One has to be positive, and not just sit around waiting for life to give us what we want. Hard work makes us appreciate the things we’ve worked for much more.

What does one need to live a good life?

I know I’m lucky to own my house, but it didn’t come easy, I had to work hard for it. I worked in low-paying jobs and was made redundant three times. I had a young son who relied on me at the time.

To keep a roof over our heads as money was in short supply, I grew vegetables in our garden and shopped in Charity shops and car boot sales for clothes, books and toys. In the main shops, I had to count the pennies and buy ingredients to make healthy food rather than buying fast food.

After years of living as cheaply as possible, it’s made me realize that you can live well inexpensively.

I love living simply. Love, good health, fresh air, clean water, good, home-cooked food, and a roof over my head are the most important things to me. Not forgetting books and art materials.

In the autumn my friend Ana and I hunt the hedgerow for wild fruit and berries. I have always looked after my health and teeth so there would be no expense but I’m in the future, there might be more expenses due to failing health in old age, but for now, I’m enjoying the sunshine my hard work has created.

Thank you for chatting.

What is Loneness When You Can Find Peace with Yourself.

Who do you spend the most time with?

“I restore myself when I’m alone.” – Marilyn Monroe

As an author and an artist my creativity only begins when I’m on my own. I’ve never been one for crowds and much prefer wide, open spaces.

I spent much of my day alone, but busy. When my friend Ana is available we will set off as early as possible in the morning so we can see the wildlife that surrounds our village. We have witnessed foxes, deers and barn owls. The quietness has a peace and beauty of its own that stills the heart. On returning to my home, I sit and look through the photos I have taken to enjoy the things I have witnessed.

My quiet time allows my mind to process what I’ve see and this gives me the opportunity to create something new to add to my writing or art work.

Relax the mind to heal the body.

In this mad racing world , our minds need time to switch off from the every day stresses to allow our bodies to heal and rest. Many of today’s mental and health issues are due to us not being able to make time to rest our physical body and mind.

Being creative allow us to find rest while exercising the mind in a positive way, to switch off negative thoughts and emotions and find peace. Prayer and meditation does this. Focusing your mind on positive thoughts is helpful, but as I’m not a religious person I channel my mind into being creative instead, or at one with the natural world.

So I spent most of my time with myself. This is my happy place too.

Have a great day. Chat again soon.

Name Me

If you had to change your name, what would your new name be?

How interesting… hmm what would I change my name to?

I suppose, if I were on the run and needed to escape my past I would choose a name so far removed for my old self.

If I needed a stage name, I would choose something that reflected my personality or the character I was playing so I became synonymous with them.

I’m me

If I need a pen name I could choose to use my married name along with one of my middle names this might please my husband as he will feel as though he is married to two different women

As for a totally different name, what would I choose for myself? That’s a hard question. Do we grow into our names or our names become part of who we are?

I really can’t imagine being anyone else but me.

Chat again soon.