May – Thinking local, thinking global

Summer has arrived and I am awaiting the final results of my Data Visualisation course. By contrast with pre-Pandemic years, I have not been out working on trees very often. I’m walking to shop, walking to the library which has re-opened after refurbishment.


While writing another YA book, I’ve been preparing a paperback version of A Dog For Lockdown. The plan is to release a series of three Irish Lockdown paperbacks, because A Pony For Quarantine and the 2014 book Show Jumping Team are the most popular paperbacks I produce. I sold many around Christmas, presumably as gifts.

All my books are available on Amazon Kindle, and that is where most of my sales / page reads are made. While some people see Amazon buying as detracting from local businesses, I can safely say that my books would never have made it into Irish bookstores at the rate publishers were paying attention to me. Amazon sends me money each month, and I spend that locally. I spend most of it within walking distance of my home. Many independent authors would say the same. I do not buy palm oil products, nor soft drinks in plastic bottles. Spending locally, ideally on locally produced goods, is one of the ways I help to rebalance the world.

I was invited to the UN premiere of the short film Plastik. Here is the YouTube link; the film is less than three minutes long and shows a child seeing the world differently through a plastic bottle.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fua7E...


Some of the environmental books I’ve been reading lately include Neal Stephenson’s Termination Shock, which is a near future SF, strongly influenced (I feel) by Kim Stanley Robinson. Sea Turtles to Sidewinders provided superlative photos of on-ground wildlife and much info on finding, handling or not handling these creatures (mostly the latter). Vultures of the World didn’t have photos in my review copy, but provided excellent information. A Clouded Leopard In The Middle Of The Road studies purpose-built road crossings for wildlife. This is a must-read for ecologists and surveyors, among others.


Finally, an inspiring horsey book is Mini Horse, Mighty Hope. This memoir explains how a non-profit called Gentle Carousel was established, and works to bring mini-horses to provide cheerful company to those who need it. If you don’t think this is necessary, just imagine an elderly lady in a care home, who used to be a horse rider, seeing a tiny, beautiful, snow-white horse arrive at her bedside.

This month I am making Murder At Irish Mensa free, June 16 – 19.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/0992638682
https://www.amazon.com/dp/0992638682

Follow my published articles on Medium or my JournoPortfolio page.
https://clareobeara.journoportfolio.com/

Watch my book trailers for my science fiction series:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GadPp...

Visit my website:
www.clareobeara.ie
for news, puzzles, books, reviews and events. We have created a new page for Young Adult readers. This contains plenty of horses and dogs! You can find my podcasts on the News and Events page. I provide a Writers’ Page giving tips about how to be an independent publisher. I am also adding book covers to Pinterest boards after I review the books, so feel free to find me on Pinterest.