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2-Ply & Pasta

Ever felt as if you are living in a parallel universe? Yep, me too! A trip to the supermarket this morning has reminded me of why I like books more than I like people. What is wrong with everyone? And will someone please explain the global obsession with toilet rolls?

Nowhere have I read that this virus requires an abundance of 2-ply or pasta. Maybe I missed the memo about the zombie apocalypse, or the last ever ‘Best Pasta Art in a Crisis’ competition – Who knows!

I used to collect milk bottle tops for charity, maybe it’s something like that, in which case I applaud all of you selfless creatures for doing your bit for humanity. Or, perhaps you are all hosting massive neighbourhood pasta bake-outs for the vulnerable people within your communities? Again you will get nothing but praise from me. If, however, your garage has been converted into a European mountain range, made up of fragrant smelling soft white’s topped off with layers of Farfalle & Penne, then SHAME ON YOU! What the hell were you thinking? No amount of pasta or toilet rolls are going to stop you from getting this wretched virus; it’s a PAN_DEM_IC. Sadly what your actions will do is to stop those who need those items from getting them. So if you are one of the many who temporarily forgot what it means to be human, you are forgiven. Get yourself and your plentiful supply of ____________ (paracetamol, pasta, toilet roll, flour – you fill in the blanks) down to your local food bank and donate as if your life depended on it – OK? It costs nothing to be kind, in return, you will get a nice warm fuzzy feeling, and the inner self-loathing you felt when you started reading this post will be gone.

Here endeth today’s lesson.

Immo Wegmann

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International Woman’s Day 2020

Happy International Women’s Day brothers and sisters! In celebration I wanted to share with you some of the woman writers whose books have inspired me over the last 5 or so years. This is by no means a complete list, and given eternity perhaps I could fill it. I have highlighted only the last 5 years because we all know the classics which have been listed to death! The books on my ever growing list are those which for one reason or another have had a profound effect on me. Books can do so many things, they can educate, inspire and help you make sense of the world. Any book that makes me feel is more precious than gold, and the books listed below did exactly that. As the wonderful Maya Angelou said


“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”
― Maya Angelou

If you haven’t read some of these books I would urge you most strongly to seek them out and allow them to work their magic. In no particular order…

  • Sealskin ~ Su Bristow
  • The Goldfinch ~ Donna Tartt
  • The Hiding Places ~ Kathryn Webb
  • A Little Life ~ Hanya Yanagihara
  • Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine ~ Gail Honeymoon
  • The Salt Path ~ Raynor Winn
  • The Giver of Stars ~ Jojo Moyes
  • Grown Ups ~ Marian Keyes
  • The Binding ~ Bridget Collins
  • The Miniaturist ~ Jessie Burton

You can find all links below. Happy reading!

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Taming the Beast…

I have taken procrastination to a whole new level. Today my friends I give to you a short poem which I hope will bring a gentle smile to your face – Enjoy…

Taming the Beast by Nicole Fitton

Sitting here my pen in hand

My thoughts and ideas shift like sand.

To write a 1,000 words at least

The only way to tame the beast

Which sits within my head and cries

Type faster girl for time it flies.

I write without a care for time, or food,

Or drink, or love – I’m blind

To anything that disturb’s my flow

Of how my perfect day will go.

So there you have it – I have found another way to talk about writing without actually doing too much of it!
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Thank You!

As we come towards the end of the decade I wanted to take a moment and say thank you for sharing my journey thus far. This year has been particularly tough in so many ways, and your kind words and thoughtful messages have held me up when I’ve been ready to crash and burn. I take none of it for granted, and am thankful for each and every one of you who takes the time to buy my books, read my posts, offer advice, post a comment or simply thinks of me.

We all lead such busy lives and can easily drown with the overwhelming amount of ‘stuff’ there is to do. It is easy to forget to say thank you but it is so important. So, from me to you this holiday season a very big heartfelt thank you for being there. I value everything you do for me, from a simple smile to a wonderful review of one of my books. I may not know you all by name but I do appreciate you 🙂

Here’s wishing you all a very happy and healthy holiday season x

Happy Christmas 2019!

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Gifts Worth Giving…

In this crazy world of fake news and dwindling access to reality, books are more important than ever. As a child I stood outside my local library many times waiting for it to open. I was desperate to trace my fingers across the shelves and find books that would stimulate, educate and inform.

I’m saddened to think that children today have far less opportunity than I did to access such a rich seam of knowledge. Libraries encourage freedom to think, they give you courage to be who you are. Almost a fifth of UK libraries have closed since 2010 – it is a shocking statistic.

Organisations which support reading projects get a big thumbs up from me, which is why I want to draw your attention to the charity Give a book. They promote reading for pleasure and give books where they will make a difference. They work within many settings including prisons and schools across the UK.

From December 3rd – December 10th if you donate to the charity through The Big Christmas Give link here your donation will be match funded!

Poor reading is linked to economic disadvantage and reduced life opportunities. If you truly want to give a gift worth giving please donate what you can.

Photo credit ~ Jarred Craig Unsplash

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Update

According to the Cambridge Dictionary to update is to~

“Make something more modern or suitable for use now by adding new information or changing its design.”

That is a lot to live up to, but I’ll give it a go!

I live in a continual state of updating, whether personal or professional. I think the key is to keep pressing forwards – a blog post here, a  red pen edit there, a finished novel here, another red pen edit there, a new blend of coffee here – coffee, did someone say coffee? I’ll admit I am not the best blogger in the world, and as life crowds in my blog gets pushed down the list of ‘to do’s’. The frequency of my posts leaves a lot to be desired, but like any good cookie will tell you (digital not edible), there is always something going on in the background. Continue reading “Update”

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Nativity Anthology

I have to admit to being a tad excited and a little overwhelmed.
Today see’s the release of Nativity, a collection of outstanding stories by very talented authors under the Bridge House Publishing banner. I am very lucky and honoured to have my short story ‘New Shoes For Christmas’ included.

Many of the stories featured take place at or around Christmas time. Mine is a dark tale of birth and rebirth, but like the proverbial box of chocolates there is plenty of choice! It is available  as an e-book, with the paperback expected within the next few days, with the film following… haha only joking about the film,  but hey that would be something wouldn’t it?

I would love to know what you think of the anthology. Feel free to purchase a copy from the link below… reviews would be most welcome 🙂