Anita Dawes's Blog: http://jenanita01.wordpress.com, page 24

Five Things We Should Know By Now...

These are some of things I have been reliably informed, are essential if we want to make a success of our writing. In retrospect, there is possibly too much information out there and all of it supposedly the right way to write, that it can be downright confusing.

And to think, all this time I assumed it was a simple as picking up a pen!
1. There is no such thing as the 'perfect' book. This came as quite a surprise to me, because I'm sure I have read quite a few that are, at least in my opinion. But according to some of these experts, I shouldn't be striving to produce the perfect book. (I shouldn't?)All this time I have been trying to write well, constantly comparing my feeble efforts with that of my idols, something I have been told in the past was a good idea. But what I should be doing, apparently, is simply the best I can. (who would have thought of that?)
2. No matter what you do, it takes time.I have discovered that writing is all about improvement. 
Every time you pick up a pen or switch on your computer you will have improved since the last time you did. That's how the brain is supposed to work when we let it, you know, practice makes perfect? The trick is not to argue with it, which is something I still do sometimes. It has been hard to trust in something, which lets face it, has let me down big time in the past; but by using what I have learnt, I think I may have found the right work ethic with my writing. And the experts were right; it did take an awful long time.
I do try, honest I do!
 3. How do you make readers care?This one still stumps me, either they will care or they won't, how can you make them? And if you do find a way to do it, how is it real? Then I read that you should try to treat writing like any other job. One that doesn't make you feel good every day. One that frustrates the hell out of you, but one you have to commit to, for better or worse.That makes it sound like a marriage, doesn't it? But maybe it is a partnership of sorts. In a marriage, you usually get out what you put in; in other words, if you care so will your partner, so I do get their point.But trying to get anyone to care has never come easily to me. In my youth I was convinced that I was unlovable; indeed, I have several failed relationships behind me, nothing to be proud of, ever. Now I am older, I find I can communicate better, so that might be the answer. Personally, I think becoming a silver surfer was the solution. Through the Internet, I have met so many interesting and lovely people all over the world, far more than you could meet in a lifetime without a PC.The Internet also removes the awkward shyness that most people have, meeting people for the first time, for which I will be eternally grateful.


4. How to make friends and influence people.I try to make our posts interesting; although I am still not sure I'm doing the whole blog thing properly. Being self taught can be a problem, I think. You can never be sure if you have absorbed all the information needed, or missed a valuable point that would make all the difference in the world. Let's face it, some of the stuff we have to learn would try the patience of Job and I didn't have much of that in the first place! my daily inspiration!

We are supposed to be trying to attract the kind of people who would be interested in us as writers, who might like to read our books; and although we are getting more interest these days, not many people comment which leads me to believe that maybe something vital is lacking.






5. Whatever happens, don't give up.Sometimes it seems an impossible task, all this marketing and promoting. As if writing wasn't hard enough. You don't have to self publish, I hear you say, but we have tried the conventional route. To say we are stubborn is probably an understatement, but we are great believers in 'how hard can it be?' and despite finding out that self publishing is, indeed very hard, we have no intention of giving up just yet. We are having too much fun and meeting so many lovely people!

The last photograph on this page is by Jonathan Gunson from BestsellerLabs.com and I have it pride of place on the wall above my computer. Just so I can remember his advice on a daily basis; for of all the people I have listened to, he manages to make everything I am trying to do, that much more achievable.

Signing off now...
Jaye

Reclaiming Souls...

Arielle Caldwell participated in NaNoWriMo in November 2013. Reclaiming Souls is the finished product. It’s a New Adult Paranormal novel. Make sure to follow her on Facebookor Twitterto keep up with upcoming release dates! Also, be sure to check out her websiteor reach her through email.
Synopsis:       When a person dies, sometimes, they are given judgment and sent straight to heaven or hell. Most sit in purgatory while a select few are given a second chance at life. If they screw up and awaken the monster that sleeps dormant inside us all, it’s my job to reclaim their soul and set the balance of nature right again. My name is Devalynn Rose. After my death, I have been tasked as a Soul Collector.
                                                       Kale swept into my afterlife when he got his second chance. While watching his judgment, I cannot unlock my eyes from his. I am left stunned with feelings of déjà vu.

Kellin is also a Collector. We connect on a deeper level and I can’t help the feelings that overwhelm me for him.
                                                       Reclaiming souls is a faulty system that desperately needs repair. I am left with two options...to lose my memory and reform the system or keep my memory and nothing changes. With time ticking away, I need to make a choice...but which one?

Follow Devalynn as she fights her way through her afterlife and tries to save those that mean the most to her.

It didn’t take long for my heart to stop beating. My eyes closed for the last time and death became me...but it wasn’t the end of my life. ~Devalynn
Excerpt:
I followed him to the edge of everything, where the stars began and the pavement ended. I stopped, frozen to the spot. “It’s okay, you won’t fall. Nothing is going to happen to you,” he reached out for my hand as he jumped out and onto a star. I landed on one behind him and he was right. I didn’t fall. “This is beautiful,” I huffed out as I followed behind him and jumped from star to star.“Just wait, it gets better,” he yelled back to me. I jumped onto a small one, my foot barely fitting on it. I wobbled and put my hands out to balance me. We did this for a while. Before I knew it, we were completely surrounded by nothingness. There were some planets around us and we sat on one of the moons as it circled around. For the first time all day, I felt relaxed and completely calm.“So, do you like it?” he cocked his head to the side, gauging my answer as he rested back on his elbows.“I love it. Thank you for bringing me here. I needed this. No one around, nothing to bother me; I don’t have to think about working.” I laid back on the ground of the small moon and watched the stars swirl around above us. I counted three shooting stars within just seconds of each other. “Do you like it up here?”“It beats being down there, that’s for sure. Why?”“I don’t know, just wondering. I want to remember earth and what it was like to be alive but I can’t.”“Dev, you have to stop beating yourself up over it.”“I know.” He laid down next to me and held my hand. There we were; two unbeating hearts, two souls, two people just floating around the solar system. I never wanted to leave that moment.#
 Buy Links:
Amazon US: http://amazon.com/B00IOVUVY2
Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1496022106
B&N:http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/reclaiming-souls-arielle-caldwell/1118861165?ean=2940045729031
Smashwords: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/413251




Our Review for Reclaiming Souls
Originally written for NaNoWriMo, which is enough in itself to warrant a medal. (I know, because I have tried it) Reclaiming Souls is the unusual story of Devalynn, a girl whose life was brutally ended. She finds herself in the afterlife, with a job as a Soul Collector.She quite likes the responsibility of her new job and meets some interesting people. Along the way, she meets someone she thinks she once loved on Earth, stirring up all kinds of forgotten and confusing sensations. Added to which are the feelings she has discovered for another Soul Collector. This is a story with a strong moral message of good versus evil, and also a complex love triangle in a place where physical love is unecessary.Devalynn finds herself choosing between a good friend and the one she might have loved on Earth. A hard decision, considering she doesn't remember the half of it. You follow Devalynn as she fights her way through the afterlife as she tries to save the lost souls and the people she loves, and find yourself cheering her on.Reclaiming Souls is written with a lot of humour and engaging dialogue. The fact that it is destined to be a trilogy means we will enjoy following Devalynn on her journey for a better, happier life. I, for one, will pre-order the next installment as soon as possible.
Signing off now, 
Jaye

Snow...unusual name for an unusual novel...

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Novel invokes thought-provoking questions on controversial topics: Coincidence or Divine Creation?
Snow : by Kathryn HewittKathryn Hewitt, a breakout author, writes a compelling, thought-provoking novel that collides harsh realities with inspiring interventions.  Women and young adults will reflect on their own convictions of the controversial topics of abortion and the presence of a Supreme Being. Grab a box of tissues and prepare for a tear-jerking novel that will leave a smile on your face and a heart filled with hope.
Camden, SC-2012- Kathryn Hewitt’s own life-altering experiences inspired this fiction novel. Snow is a glimpse into the life of a teenage girl who struggles to balance maintaining sexual abstinence and pleasing her possessive boyfriend. Women and young adults everywhere will be devastated by circumstances, angry with characters‘ decisions, and heart broken for the unseen before being filled with awe and wonder at the miracles appearing just at the right moments. At such a time as the present, Snow addresses the controversy over abortions in a way that represents both perspectives. Whether one is pro-life or pro-choice comfort can be found as this novel provides a new vantage point and offers an alternative. Readers must make their own decision regarding premarital abstinence and abortion, but this novel will give them a perspective of divinity and it’s presence in their everyday lives. The reader will be left to wonder, was it coincidence or divine creation?“The author gives details in the story that most parents or teachers would not go into with a young teenage girl (especially a virgin), but I think is necessary with all that teens face in school these days. You can't generalize, sometimes the dirty details is what they need.” M. Morgan amazon.com reviewer“Should read for all girls and women.” amazon.com“The honest account girls need.” amazon.comTitle: Snow     Author: Kathryn Hewitt        Publisher: Westbow Press: A division of Thomas Nelson Publication Date: 5/2012   ISBN: 1449749445            Retail Price: $22.95 (paperback) $37.95 (hardcover) $3.95 (eBook)Distributions: Wholesale through Ingram and Westbow Press. Amazon.com, bn.com, booksamillion.com, etc.
About Kathryn Hewitt- Kathryn Hewitt was born and raised in the small town of Camden, South Carolina. Because of her own experiences, including becoming a teenage mother at fifteen, Kathryn knows the value of life and the blessings it contains. Understanding the importance of making wise decisions, Kathryn passionately seeks to instill that wisdom into the minds of every young lady she encounters. Kathryn married in 2005 and is a stay at home mom with her four sons. She and her family currently live in the same town she grew up.
For more information about Snow, please visit www.kathrynhewittnovels.com.  To schedule an interview or a speaking engagement please contact Kathryn Hewitt at 803-243-4245 or khnovels@yahoo.com.
Addenda includes book cover image, author photo, photography release form, author bio, novel overview and summary, and author Q&A.




This is our review of Kathryn Hewitt's novel Snow,  the raw and honest account of one teenage girl's journey into womanhood and all of the attendant perils.

This story is beautifully told and richly informative.  Just gritty enough to get the message across that being a teenager can be the hardest thing in the world to be. That you face more important decisions and pitfalls than at any other time of your life and just one stupid mistake, one wrong move can completely ruin your life before it has even begun.   Ideally it should be required reading for all teenagers.
What happens to Ruth was sometimes harrowing to read, as I remembered only too well making the same mistakes and suffering the same consequences when I was young. Which was one of the reasons I wanted to read this story.
In this day and age, it is remarkable to think that such a message would be sorely needed, but unfortunately it is, for far too many young people face life choices completely uninformed of all the options that are available to them; not to mention the dire consequences if you ignore or do not know of them.

Signing off, see you all soon...

Jaye

 

My favourite book...

This week I thought I would share the first chapter of one of my favourite books with you. Anita wrote it in 1995 and yes, I edited it, but the fact that it stays at the top of my best read list is proof enough of its excellence. At least I think so. Please feel free to comment, I would love to know what you think.


                                             Scarlet Ribbon ... by Anita Dawes
I can still remember the icy touch of that cold September rain against my face and my husband Jack screaming, 'Maggie, watch out! Run Maggie, run! The panic in his voice should have made me move, but instead I turned to him, just in time to see a dirty blue car mount the wet pavement and come hurtling towards me. Everything seemed to slow down. I tried to move out of the way, make my legs carry me to safety, but it was as if time itself was gradually stopping. Biting shards of pain sheared through my body as the car smashed into me and carried me along the pavement. The sound of breaking glass as I crashed through the supermarket window seemed to be happening somewhere way off in the distance. There was a sudden flash of noise and colour as people ran screaming in all directions, looking for cover. As I lay on the cold, ceramic tiled floor, I remember thinking, I've seen this film. The heroine wakes up in a clean hospital bed, her make-up hardly smudged and hair still neatly in place. There will be a handsome hero by the bedside, holding her hand and gazing adoringly into her eyes. But it wasn't a film star lying on that shop floor, it was me, and my Jack was holding me, his hands shaking, telling me that everything was going to be all right. I couldn't tell him that I'd seen the film and knew they lived happily ever after, because just then someone turned out all the lights, leaving me in total darkness. Everything vanished, the blinding strips of fluorescent lighting, the chilly, rain spattered floor-tiles, and mercifully, all the pain. The faces that had been looking down at me had gone, but I could still hear Jack's voice, a long way off, saying my name over and over again. Someone else was talking now. A man was telling Jack that it was all right, 'We'll take care of her now, mate. Stand back and let us do our job.' I felt my body being lifted and the pain returned in a blinding rush, tearing its way through my body. I screamed, and the darkness dragged me away, where there were no thoughts or memories, just a warm feeling of peace. In the darkness time ceased to exist and I was in no hurry to find a way out, back to the pain.I realised that I had reached a place of safety. A place where there was nothing at all, no pain or hunger and I don't just mean for food. That awful longing for something you can never put a name to, but know exists. Here in the dark, somehow I knew I was in the place where everything began, and this time I wouldn't let them throw me back into the pain and the light. I wanted to stay, but the darkness was changing, fading, turning grey and growing paler. Like someone slowly washing the dirt from a window so you can see through it. I didn't want to look; I knew what was out there. Pain, misery and hunger, most of all the hunger was everywhere, even in a stranger's eyes if you cared to look. The light was getting stronger. Washing the last dirty marks from the window until I could think clearly again and the memories came flooding back. I'd been hit by a car, smashed through a plate glass window, but I wasn't dead. Thoughts began to run through my brain like the rush hour at Waterloo Station. Why didn't I feel any pain? Why couldn't I see Jack? The darkness seemed to be gone, but I couldn't see anything at all. There was a clean, empty sound and I could feel Jack's hand on mine. He was talking to someone. 'Look, there are tears on her face, Nurse, she must have heard me... it's a good sign, isn't it?' His voice was all shaky and excited. I heard a young female voice answer him. 'Mrs Haynes is my first coma patient. I'd like to believe it's a sign, but we just don't know enough to be sure.' Jack gripped my hand harder and whispered, more to himself than anyone else, 'It has to be a sign.' The word 'coma' flashed like bright neon lights in my brain. Was that what was wrong with me? How long had I been like this? Why didn't someone say how long? If I can think and hear, why can't I speak? If only I could open my eyes, Jack would know I was still here. But it was like trying to fight my way out of thick, sticky syrup. My body had gone on strike and was refusing to obey any orders I gave it to speak or move. There had to be a way to let them know I was listening, that I was coming back. I'd read too many books and seen too many films where they pronounced you brain dead, turned off the machines and the sad relatives are led away; all because their stupid machines weren't clever enough to pick us up from where we were. They just didn't understand. The young nurse had said it all and she was right. A sudden rush of panic threw me back into the darkness as if I'd been hit by the car a second time. It felt different now, not quite so safe and protective. I supposed it was because my mind was my own this time. I knew I had to beat this thing, find a way out, a way back to my life...
 That was the first chapter and I hope you enjoy it. As I said, any comments would be appreciated, so feel free!
Scarlet Ribbon has five star reviews and been downloaded over 400 times on Smashwords, www.smashwords.com/profile/view/anitadawes, www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B009T6ANUS.

This is Jaye, signing off, see you all next week!

Our Review of 'Stepping Stones to Emotional Resilience'...

Stepping Stones to Emotional ResilienceA Guide to Embracing Your Inner Strengthby Marquita Herald
You don't need to be facing a crisis to decide you want to become stronger and more resilient.Trials will always be a part of life … a lost set of keys, financial stressors, overloaded schedules, relationship or health crisis.  Even the most longed for changes such as marriage and the birth of a child require adaptability and emotional resilience.Consider this … how it is that two people can be faced with the same obstacle and while one becomes mired in a web of negativity and feelings of helplessness, the other is able to overcome the challenge and bounce back stronger than ever? Emotional Resilience is the Key When we make the choice to look at all experiences as stepping stones for growth and greater long-term resilience, we are able to approach life on a whole new level, and in the process realign ourselves with what is truly important in our lives. Stepping Stones answers the questions …* What emotional resilience is and why it matters. * Is resilience a gene reserved for the lucky few or can it ever be developed?* Is the value of emotional resilience limited to crisis management or can it improve the quality of everyday living in any meaningful way?* Is it ever too late to begin cultivating the habits of emotional resilience? * How does one go about changing behaviors and strengthening the capacity for resilience?
“Unlike so many other books that wander in the vagaries of self-empowerment and self-motivation, I found "Resilience" to be not only practical, but applicable to literally every day of life.  Stepping Stones is an uplifting and easy read, with some especially poignant quotes. Well done!”~M. Hanks






Our Review...



I began to read this book because I have long recognised the need to make some changes to my life. Most people would if they were honest and if it were as simple as taking a pill, this world would be a far happier place.Unfortunately, I have found that it's not that simple or easy to do, so I needed a little guidance. Was this resilience something I was lacking?
Basically, I think I am quite resilient. I've had to be as my life has been far from kind. But resilient or not, I was never completely happy or content most of the time, just soldiered on as most of us do.
As I read 'Stepping Stones to Emotional Resilience'  I discovered the question,  'How well do you really know yourself?'And  'Do you, or have you ever, had a glimmer of your life's purpose?'The answer to both questions was no.  Some of us have been searching for years and not found either one. Maybe we actually think we are not destined to be ecstatically happy.
I have never been one to take the path of least resistance for the sake of peace and quiet. Not all the time anyway, and I have often thought that this was the cause of much of the strife that seemed to follow me around for years.
It would seem that lack of confidence is what ails me, maybe I have the wrong kind of bravery.
"It is not the strongest of the species that survives, or the most intelligent. It is the one that is most adaptable to change."   Charles Darwin.
I would have thought that I was one of the most adaptable beings on this planet, so what was my problem?The more of Stepping Stones to Emotional Resilience that I read, it really did seem to be describing me, the 'before' picture if you like. Marquita Herald seemed to be talking to me personally, as if she knew me very well. I also discovered that she knew most of my secret thoughts and excuses too.
This book not only helped me to see what changes I needed to make in my life, but those I could make. Reading it gave me the confidence and determination to actually want to do them.
So if your life is less than perfect, this book could make all the difference in the world to yours...



Marquita HeraldAuthor Profile


Marquita Herald is an author, blogger, trainer in personal resilience and founder of Emotionally Resilient Living and Owner of Resilient Living Publications.Her professional background includes a successful 20 year career in International sales and marketing, followed by a decade as an award winning life and small business coach.Marquita is an avid reader, loves to take spur of the moment road trips, and enjoys the occasional game of golf. She is a lover of all dogs (especially her adopted pal Lucy), and a passionate advocate of grassroots volunteer movements and community service. She is also a world-traveller and her trip of a lifetime is Machu Piccu via Orient Express.


       
             Emotionally Resilient Livinghttp://www.emotionallyresilientliving.com
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/emotionallyresilientliving
Twitter  http:/twitter.com/MarquitaHerald Email


m.herald@emotionallyresilientliving.com


See you all soon...Jaye

















 






  

Hopefully, the future looks brighter...

When my desktop PC died and went to the shop to be resurrected, I proceeded to have, in some respects, the worst six days ever.
I haven't had my laptop long and getting used to it was proving to be very difficult. Windows 8, I think, could send a saint mad and I'm no saint. But it was all I had so I had to buckle down and make the best of a bad situation.Well, six days have passed, my PC is back and normal service can be resumed, I hope!


Apparently, they had to strip all the components from the motherboard, test everything to find the fault and then reassemble. This complete overhaul, by a wonderful company called Syn-Star, cost just £49 all in, although I did pay a bit extra to jump the queue. (I didn't think I could survive too long without it, you see.) and I think it was worth every penny.
The time I was without it was not wasted, as being forced to use the new laptop for just about everything, I have had a major crash course in Windows 8. Although I still loathe and detest it with a passion, I can at least work with it now.



In the meantime, I have discovered that two of our books need new covers (what was I thinking?) Bad Moon is in entirely the wrong category on Amazon as it not really a horror. It should really be renamed and maybe the word 'Bad' is not entirely conducive either.Also with all this going on, I haven't done any work on my book, so will be playing catch-up for a while.
In the midst of all this drama and frustration, I have discovered something called 'PicMonkey' and what fun it is to use. Normally I create our covers on 'Paint' but it doesn't have the scope of 'PicMonkey'.Hopefully I can learn to create more impressive covers in the future.
While all this was going on, I did manage to get away from it all for a while and take a walk around our lake, where I spotted this nest of baby ducks. The swans are nesting again, so that's something else to look forward to.  
See you all next week, when I post a review for a non fiction book, 'Stepping Stones to Emotional Resilience' by Marquita Herald.  Goodreads asked me if I would, and the title seemed to resonate with something in my head so I am giving it my best shot!
Jaye

Finally, my birthday...

I finally get to tell you all about my birthday...



It had been a strange day, waiting for the family to come together to celebrate a birthday Inever expected to see.

But it had arrived, almost like a thief hiding among all the normal days. It seemed like any other day, nothing marked it as out of the ordinary, yet in a surreal way it turned out to be far from normal.

We all expect to feel different, somehow changed on our birthdays, but I never had. All my life they had been just ordinary days; sometimes celebrated, often not. Becoming 70 years old was not something I ever thought would happen to me. (especially with two heart attacks under my belt) Not even when I was very young when you think you will live forever.

Then there were those other days, those days when you don't want to think about living that long, the thought of all that missing youth, agility and diminished capabilities. Who would really want that?

And here I am, not exactly ecstatic to have arrived here, but at least acknowledging it as an achievement of sorts, but it feels strange.


I spent the day doing all the normal things, waiting for the evening when the family will gather together, chinese food would be shared and everyone would celebrate my advancing years.

They all arrived at six o clock. No one was missing, nothing was more important than I and they made me feel very special with their gifts and surprises. The food was delicious and the company exuberant. Tears were shed by all of us at varying moments and some were happy tears, but there was an undercurrent of fear and sadness. I could feel it and so probably could they. That unspoken question mark. That unworthy wonder that tried to sneak into the evenings celebrations.

Birthdays had always seemed to be an achievement, something you had gained, but this one felt different. It was an achievement, but it also felt almost like a swan song. Like the times on New Years Eve when everyone sings 'Auld Lang Syne' and we all think of all the people we wish were with us and are sadly not.

They all made jokes about saving up for the next milestone and they were pretty convincing, but a part of me wanted to tell them not to bother, not to expect anything like that.




But after they had all gone home and I walked around and looked at all their cards and gifts, I had the strangest feeling. Suppose I am still here at 80? What then?

I suppose this feeling I have is simply fear. Not fear of the end, for in a way I am more than ready; but the fear that it is not. I'm not really ready to leave the ghosts of my past behind, even though there are times when it is my dearest wish. There are still so many things I want to do, the list seems as long as it ever was and gets added to every day. I am actually planning several craft projects and my next book!

Not exactly time to hang up my spurs and settle for a rocking chair and slippers, even though there are too many days when that would be nice.

(I hope this turns out all right, it's the first proper post with new laptop and Windows 8...)

See you soon, all being well (and cooperative!)

Jaye



 

How not to celebrate your birthday...

 


   a weird substitute for my birthday pics!

This post was to have been about my birthday, with lots of pictures of the happy event. But sadly this will not be happening just now. My desktop PC has been playing up for a while now, flashing lights and switching itself on and off whenever it felt like it. I think it was demonically possessed!

But then it died, and is now languishing on repair shop shelf until they figure out what exactly is wrong with it.
Round about then I began to be grateful that I had acquired a laptop, not that I had been having much luck with it. I was on the verge of throwing it at the wall as Windows 8 was doing my head in. There was just so much to learn, and I'm not very good at learning anything technical. I follow the instructions (I have several books, all of which promise to make you a very clever bunny, but I think I have a defective brain as it's just not happening.)

I have persevered, as there are just so many things that I do that need a computer, and have mastered the basics (I think!)  but for some strange reason, I cannot access all my photographs. They weren't uploaded at the time when PC died, so this post would look a bit strange without them. I have subsequently uploaded them, but Blogger in their wisdom cannot find them.

Hopefully, I can post again in a few days when either I, or Blogger decide to toe the line and come up with the goods!

See you soon...
Jaye

The Merlin Charity and White Roses...

                                                                Why are we combining The Merlin Charity with the release of our short story 'White Roses'?Quite simply, we thought we would try and do something amazing and give something back.The name  Merlin was the first thing that got us interested several years ago, being King Arthur nuts, but when we realised what good work the Merlin Charity was doing, so we started donating on a regular basis. Trying to think of another way we could help, we came up with the idea of publishing a short story and having all the proceeds go to The Merlin Charity.  

99 pence is not much to pay for the opportunity to help those less fortunate than ourselves. The book is available on Amazon hereand the print copy will be there soon.
Why Merlin?There are many charities working hard to help those less fortunate all over the world, but The Merlin Charity ( now in conjunction with Children in Need) is in it for the long haul. They recognise the need for long term medical help and stay to help rebuild the health infrastructure in so many countries. And they will stay for as long as it takes.To Merlin, merely helping countries and individuals to survive is not good enough. They want them to thrive.
To date, they have treated over 6.5 million people, and vaccinated more than 200,000 children. They are helping in 18 countries all over the world and have over 4.500 health workers.Merlin's aim is to make a difference, which is why we are donating all the proceeds from every single copy of 'White Roses' that is downloaded or sold, to them. This way, we can all be a part of their valuable and important work to help so many more people.99 pence is not much to pay for the opportunity to help those less fortunate than ourselves. The book is on Amazon now here and the print copy will be there soon.


Why White Roses?Anita wrote this short story back in 1997 and it has been languishing in a drawer for years. It did get some interesting feedback from the Ian St. James Award panel at the time, but when we decided to help The Merlin Charity we thought it would be suitable as the story is all about caring for each other. the Merlin logo
We want this idea to work; after all, what can you get for 99 pence these days? A newspaper, a loaf of bread? Doesn't go very far does it? But we both think that you get back what you give out, that we can all create miracles and save lives, so we would like to thank you all in advance for your generosity...
Go on, get your copy now, you know you want to!

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00K20IL86

Long Awaited Walk in the Sun!

Last weekend the sun finally came out and I deemed it warm enough to venture outside. Admittedly it was not the first time it had shown its cheery face, but I was getting desperate!


The wind was still a little chilly, but I had waited so long that I didn't care. I needed the sea; the sight and the smell and the wonderful sound of the surf unrolling itself onto the beach And it was glorious.

The winter had seemed incredibly long, longer than usual I thought, so I was glad it had finally picked up its miserably cold and wet skirts and departed.
Hayling IslandI have found it very hard to stay motivated, when all you can see
out the windows is grey and dismal. Sheer determination is what
has achieved any of the progress I have made these last few months.
Now, as the sap begins to rise and everything in nature is reborn in glorious technicolour, I can feel gret things stirring inside of me too. At least, I hope that's what it is!

We are running another Goodreads Giveaway this month (see top right of blog) with #Simple Says, Anita's second book.
It remains to be seen just how productive these are, but nearly 900 people entered the one we ran for #Bad Moon, so the interest is there and that is the most important thing.

I have also become involved with a group on Goodreads called 'Making Connections'. They run Blog Tours for up and coming authors, and I thought it might be interesting to do some reviews and promotional work with them.
I hadn't a clue if I would be any good at it, but found I liked doing it. Another way to stretch those creative writing muscles. And you get to help other authors, which is always a good thing. And you never know, I might just pluck up the courage to get them to do a Blog Tour for one of our own books.
I wonder what this used to be?
I have been making considerable progress with my new laptop, despite more frustration than you can shake a stick at!
Being made to feel stupid is not exactly a hobby of mine, but when it comes to anything remotely computer-ish...I just can't seem to help myself.
But...and this is a massive but... I do appear to be getting somewhere. I even managed to write some notes on the new instrument of torture and send them back to my PC, so it looks as though I will be able to work out in the garden this summer and that has to be worth getting the grand daddy of all headaches for, at least I think so!

See you all next week...
Jaye