Injections of Joy

In late August I received a Goodreads message to say that I had won a book. Me? Win something? Yay! The prize is Louise Belanger’s ‘Your Words Your World’. When it arrived in the post it was as if I’d received an injection of joy. Packed with uplifting words and exquisite photographs, it’s a book to read and read again.

This prompted me to remember finally to give away one of my books. I was having a conversation about the surprising intelligence of animals when it occurred to me that my friend might appreciate a book with surprising animals in it. I hadn’t expected her response: sheer joy at receiving an unexpected gift. She immediately thumbed through and then clutched it to her chest. She looked as though she treasured it. Now can you imagine what that does for an author? Another injection of joy for me and one for her too! You can see where this is leading, I suspect. Give an unexpected gift of a book and inject some joy into someone's life . You can be like the planet Jupiter (the Bringer of Joy in Holst's The Planets). Well, haven't you always wanted to be like the biggest planet? The bright light in the sky? No? A syringe? Oh well...

Am I batty in real life? Um...

And my book with the surprising animals? Here’s an excerpt from ‘Immortality: This is Probably a Novel’.

“The camel behind him caught up with the back end of his camel and it rested its muzzled head on Chester’s leg. Was this normal behaviour? He called out to the leader, who didn’t seem to understand the problem or was too preoccupied. The camel looked up at him. Huge brown eyes with long lashes charmed him. Unable to keep its head on Chester’s knee all the time, it settled for being as close as possible without bumping into him. The camel began to speak to him. Not in English, thankfully, but a sort of low rumbling. It stopped and appeared to be awaiting an answer. All his inhibitions were thrown to the increasing wind and he said, “Hello, who’s a pretty camel then?” He waited for gales of laughter from the camel’s female rider, but there was not a sound. Deserts cloak their guests in silent awe. He turned his thought over – if he were still writing, he could use this encounter.”

Sage Saying: Life is like a roller coaster. It’s your choice whether you scream or just enjoy the ride.
Handy Hint: Create a Boredom Box. Put notes of things to do or see, ideas and outings and consult it when you feel bored. Works well for children too.
Stress Reducer: Prepare for the morning the evening before. Put out the clothes you plan to wear, ensure the purse/wallet/keys or other essentials are on top of them. Maybe even set a breakfast out in the kitchen. It helps with sleeping soundly.






★ And prices start from £0.77/$0.99 for three of the books to £2.45/$3.45 for Hide in Time