Monday 29 June 2015

Can we all please...just start to have a heart…



I really do fear for the future of our children and their children. Whilst my deepest condolences go to the families of the victims of all three terrorist attacks last week, I do get a sense of frustration that world leaders, the ones we elected (well most of us) are not exercising the power we have given them to fully represent and protect us – you know the whole point of their jobs in politics!! It is always innocent families that have to bear the grief. We need to kick some very arrogant political butts into gear – GET IT SORTED! Oh and kick the incessant, scare mongering media into touch too!

My heart also goes out to the people of Greece – again they are bearing the brunt of European bureaucrats flexing their financial muscle – well actually the bankers financial muscle – you know the real ones who can hold us all to ransom with no redress or penalties.  What would really happen if ALL countries debts were cancelled? Let’s face it, it’s not even REAL money. It is grossly unfair that we work hard all our lives, pay into pensions pots and save to give our children a better life when all that happens is legalised thieves lose our pensions and when their policies fail, they close banks and cashpoints and restrict OUR cash that WE have worked hard for and deposited in their care. We are constantly made to feel guilty for their failures. Capitalism really works - doesn’t it!!
What I would like to see for my children is a safe, fair and honest world. They have been brought up to understand tolerance, compassion, equality, hard work and integrity but it is an uphill battle to maintain these standards in a society hell bent on displaying none of these traits. 

The world is a horrible place right now and I am trying my best, SINGLE-HANDEDLY to ensure that, hopefully when we all decide to be humans again and display the wonderful heart-felt characteristics I know WE are ALL capable of, my boys will have a head start. If we had leaders that really did care about their people.

Rugby League

Enough of the doom and gloom. I am very privileged to be part of Wesley’s journey as a rising rugby league player. Most of all I love that my son wants me there, to be a part of his exciting path.

On Saturday we travelled to Leicester. What a day it was. The sun was shining, the location was incredible and the performance…well, the performance was one of the best team performances I have seen in my 30+ years of watching this great sport. I kid you not. It was a true TEAM performance, lots of talking, skills and more importantly FUN. You could see the team really enjoyed it and that is priceless. It is so great to be a part of something special. Personally, I was super proud of Wes who had an enforced week off due to tonsillitis. He was nervous about his fitness levels before the game but it was needless worrying. He looked agile and fit. His recovery and commitment to getting back on the pitch was outstanding. He has always had a great work ethic. Super proud Mummy.

Writing

The most frustrating thing about writing is…

For me, it’s my hands don’t work as quickly as my brain, whether it is handwriting or typing. I always hand write all of my work first. That way, as I am typing it I can edit it.  I always find that if I type whilst I am thinking, I am not as engrossed in the work. It works for me. I don’t think any method of writing would be as fast as my brain works when it is at full capacity. When the brain fog hits it is a completely different story…

I have a 177 page script so far and approximately twenty scenes left to write. I really love this story and am looking forward to having a go at pitching it to agents and production companies… there is a hint of sarcasm in that!!

I already have two more ideas for new scripts but I have to work on the sequel to Beyond the Past next otherwise I may face a lynch mob of angry readers outside my house!!

Beyond the Past



Have you had the chance to read it yet? Would you like to review it for me?

Read the first three chapters FREE on my website
Available from:
Pegasus Publishers
Amazon UK
Kindle
Amazon US

 Or you can order from your local bookshop. The ISBN number is : 978-1-84386-789-0


This weekend is the British Grand Prix and I usually spend this week with goose bumps every time it is mentioned. Sadly, due to no money and rugby league commitments, I can’t attend Silverstone this year but hopefully if you continue to support my work, 2016 could see me there celebrating with my two babies.

Whatever you are doing this week, have a safe and happy one. Be true to who you are.

FOLLOW YOUR DREAMS.








Tuesday 23 June 2015

Could, Should, would have… Nah I’m doing IT!



Don’t ever be afraid of re-defining yourself. The two biggest obstacles that have held me back in my life have been:
  1. Listening to the negativity of other people
  2. Being afraid to make mistakes
NEITHER, are important really. If only I had known that thirty plus years ago and certainly ten years ago when the pain of this illness took hold. At least my painful lessons have meant the boys will never suffer the curse of third party induced self-doubt or the crippling fear of making a mistake. They have been taught very valuable life lessons including:
  1. Everyone can and will have an opinion – everyone doesn’t have a moral motive.
  2. Everyone’s opinion really does NOT count.
  3. Opinions are not always based on knowing all the facts but usually on bias fuelled by envy, jealousy and just pure evil.
  4. HUMANS make mistakes – it is a fact!
  5. Mistakes are ACCEPTABLE. They are NOT important. What IS important is how you react to those mistakes.
  6. The boys have been taught to hold their hands up and admit to their mistakes – I admit this is challenging with the youngest one but we all have to start somewhere. Once they admit their mistake, they will apologise if necessary, learn from it and most of all FORGET it. Don’t let it eat away at you – worry is the most unproductive human trait – it just makes you grow old quicker – I should know!!


Lessons learned the hard way are character building, honest. The intolerance, prejudice and damn right ignorance of some people doesn’t shock me anymore, it saddens me.

I was at the doctors surgery last week with Wes – Severe tonsillitis – only second time in his life he has had antibiotics! Anyway, we were waiting to see the doctor and the receptionist was dealing with this sweet, older gentleman. This obnoxious woman, late twenties, early thirties, struts in and stands over the man. She rudely interrupted the conversation with “I’m very busy and in a hurry. I’d like my prescription now.” Wes and I looked at each other with the same ‘there goes another one’ look on our faces.

The receptionist APOLOGISED to the man and dealt with the woman first. Incidentally if I’d been the receptionist she would have been seen last! That one act of total ignorance and arrogance sums up what is wrong in the world and something Wes and I discuss all the time. Too many people think they are so much more important than anyone else. 

An exercise for you


Next time you are out and about – restaurant, bank, supermarket and DON’T get me started on driving! It's like those people who are convinced everything that is written is about them. 

 Do it, sit and observe people while you are out. Just see how many people display the attitude of ‘I am the centre of the universe; I am the MOST important person in the world.’ Do it and let me know your thoughts. It is very entertaining yet infuriating. Still it’s a very good lesson for the boys.

If you are one of those self-centred ‘I’m so important’ people then – SHAME ON YOU!


Writing


A fellow writer messaged me recently to say he had read the first three chapters of Beyond the Past on my website. His comments were really encouraging. He said I shouldn’t underestimate my talent of holding the reader’s attention.


Beyond the Past



Have you had the chance to read it yet? Would you like to review it for me?

Read the first three chapters FREE on my website
Available from:
Pegasus Publishers
Amazon UK
Kindle
Amazon US

 Or you can order from your local bookshop. The ISBN number is : 978-1-84386-789-0

In addition, I get lots of messages asking me when this will be made into a screenplay as it would be great for television or film. The answer is: it is on my ‘To Do’ List.  At the moment, I am working on a screenplay for television. I am hoping (fingers, toes and everything else crossed) this will provide me with some much needed income. Then, I can have some additional help in the time consuming jobs that come with being a Mum and a writer – cleaning, marketing, editing and the rest! I am looking forward to have pounds in the bank instead of pence! I keep dreaming and working…. Working and dreaming.

I have to say I love writing both books and scripts – it’s hard to choose between the two. So, I’m going to continue to do both. Why? Because I can… and I am totally insane!





Please remember, whatever your challenges are in life, your life matters. It is YOUR life though not anyone else’s. Make the most of what YOU have.

Right, I’m off to sports day now! I sit there shaking my head at the over competitiveness… and that’s just the parents! Lucas was reassure this morning that the position of finishing is not as important as the performance!!

Enjoy your week.

Monday 15 June 2015

Meet my two new BFFs … and they aren’t fake!



Well I had my first Tinnitus therapy session this morning and I am so glad I did it. For the last eight years I have seen Menieres and Tinnitus as very much an enemy within – painful, irritating intruders! Gremlins trying to constantly trip me up and stop me from living my life. I have fought them every single day. I have had little sleep but yet refused to let them beat me.   

However, I was fooled! It seems these Gremlins tricked me into believing that fighting them was the best course of action when in fact, fighting them, stressing about them and working around them not with them, has only fed them and helped them to thrive.

I accepted a long time ago that my ears were ‘wired’ differently. However, according to the therapist I have been doing the exact opposite of what I should have been. Nothing new there!! There is little consolation in knowing my actions have been perfectly normal human reactions. I am miffed that instead of fighting these I should have been befriending them. Instead of trying to ignore them like petulant children or twittertrolls, I should have been accepting them as my… well… best friends. You see stress, anxiety and above all increased brain activity causes them to feed – for the symptoms to grow!! Like water and food after midnight for Gremlins!! 
So from today I am trying a new strategy:

  1. More relaxation
  2. Less stress
  3. Time for myself
  4. Soothing sounds during relaxation and especially at night.
  5. I’m going to retrain my brain (I’m sure there is one in there!)
As the therapist suggested, ‘this is easier said than done’ but I will try. I have tried the strategic battle cries and working through the pain – the very British ‘you won’t beat me’ attitude. Now it is time to make peace and become allies. Diplomacy is my middle name. From now on Menieres and Tinnitus are my BFFs, quite literally FOREVER. Let’s see how you two like that!

Rugby League


What can I say we had a weekend off and it rained so much I couldn’t sort the garden out!! All I can say is the rain dance worked. Sometimes I feel all rugbyed out until we don’t have a game, then I miss it! Can’t win really.

Streetwise


This is my new screenplay. If I could I would sit 24/7 and write this. I love everything about it. I have this deep, warm feeling inside about this one. I’ll keep you posted. Let's just say charity does not always begin at home!


Four lives, four deadly pasts, one common path

Beyond the Past



My debut novel is still available:



Have you had the chance to read it yet? Would you like to review it for me?

Read the first three chapters FREE on my website
Available from:
Pegasus Publishers
Amazon UK
Kindle
Amazon US

 

Or you can order from your local bookshop. The ISBN number is : 978-1-84386-789-0


The blog is like me this week… SHORT !! I face the biggest challenge of trying to train myself to relax. How do you relax? (only clean answers please!). My brain hasn’t switched off… like… EVER!

Have a fabulously successful week. 

FOLLOW YOUR DREAMS.