tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-61665088484468869992024-02-21T05:04:51.670-08:00LEONIE'S LIVESI write creative nonfiction and live with two quirky Labradoodles and CFS/ME in beautiful coastal Yeppoon, Queensland, Australia. I'm a mother and grandmother and I'm interested in just about EVERYTHING mysterious and mystificatious about life. Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger73125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6166508848446886999.post-72438564167227579512014-08-06T18:32:00.002-07:002014-08-06T18:32:34.051-07:00Finishing a Book is Like Selling a House. It's All in the Detail.<div style="text-align: center;">
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It's Insecure Writer's Support Group's Monthly Post Day again, Hooray.</div>
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For a time I've been mulling over my house situation. I've lived in my beautiful, old timber house with tongue and groove walls for 8 and a half years. The moment I first walked into it as a prospective buyer I knew it would be mine, and I was the first to view it. But the time has come for us to part ways. I'm here on my own now, in a large house on an even larger block of land, 1/4 acre or 1400 square metres of mostly tropical garden which has become too much for me to care for.</div>
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Health issues, and gardening, care and upkeep of my paradise mean my paradise is becoming neglected. The decision has been made to hand it over to others for their enjoyment. </div>
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About a month ago I was browsing the local real estate sites, just out of curiosity only, and what do I see but the perfect little 2 bedroom beach side cottage in my price range. I wasn't really looking, but as things happen, so did this and so I deemed it 'meant to be'. I now have a contract to purchase it.</div>
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And what, you may ask, has this to do with finishing a book? </div>
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Having decided to go ahead with selling my house and downsizing, I was faced with the need to do a lot of work on my house to bring it up to scratch before selling. I realised the process would be much like what happens after the first draft of a book is finished. I had the body of the work but fine tuning was now required before I could sell a polished product. </div>
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Suddenly I had many glaring faults I needed to fix and this is how it looked.</div>
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BOOK HOUSE</div>
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Review draft(s) Review what to do</div>
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Rewrite Begin jobs eg. patch, paint, clean, clear yard</div>
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Edit De-clutter</div>
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Review and (get) edit until happy Finish jobs</div>
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Cover Flowers in vase, candles</div>
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Finished Finished</div>
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Promote Present </div>
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Sell Sell</div>
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Writing a first draft can be likened to having lived in a house for any number of years. The first draft is rough and full of superfluous words, and errors, the emphasis being on superfluous. Over the years we gather stuff and display it in our homes. We're comfortable in our own environments and our stuff lies here and there, with often-used items strewn carelessly about without much thought to their placement. But to prime a house and a book for sale, if you want to make the most of what you have, it's all in the detail. A little effort goes a long way.</div>
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On the house front the effort has been put in and advertising is about to begin. On the book front, my latest effort, a memoir, is at the "Reviewing until happy" stage. It was so close "Finished" before I spotted the cottage, but now almost seems a distant memory. I was hoping to have it finished this month, but this is the first time in weeks that I've written anything. So, book on the back burner for the time being, again. </div>
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And this is how writing is for many of us. There is life to live, things to take care of and no matter how burning our desire to write and how frustrated we may be sometimes when we can't, we write when we can. I for one become frustrated with slowness of progress, but as I live on my own I have to attend to everything myself. I have to make big decisions myself, and follow through when doubts and fears take hold. </div>
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It's the same with writing. The doubts and fears will always take hold at some point, but I see this as part of what makes us who we are. If you can get through the hesitations and doubts about buying a house, a car, getting married etc, then you can get through to the "Sell" part of your writing journey.</div>
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Looking at it this way when I decided to sell my house made me realise that writing really is no easier or harder than many other actions in life. It's another action you take, and then you get on with it.</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6166508848446886999.post-51212386827249834562014-07-19T20:15:00.002-07:002014-07-19T20:15:46.462-07:00Writing is a Journey of Self-Discovery.<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><b>STAYING STRONG</b></span></div>
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A Memoir</div>
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<span style="color: blue;">Coming Soon</span></div>
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<span style="color: red;"><b>LEONIE VAN DE VORLE</b></span></div>
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As I near publication next month of "Staying Strong" my memoir of breakdown, I know how relevant the self-discovery journey is to writers. Certainly I've had some big self-discoveries during the writing of this book. Understandable you may say, but isn't all writing about putting a little of your own heart and soul into your story, no matter what that story may be? And in so doing don't we discover truths or other aspects of ourselves previously not conscious?<br />
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I believe this is true for all artists, and thinkers . As we pour forth and pick over ourselves and our worlds, we 'allow' for more information to follow through, as the door widens ever more.<br />
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As writers and artists we must continue the journey of self-discovery our entire lives or risk becoming stale and boring. We need to hone our writing skills, our craft itself, the nuts and bolts of what we do, how to put together a great book or journal article, and also market, promote and sell etc if we're self-published, like me. But wait, more importantly, we need to uncover and understand more of ourselves.<br />
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I get fired up by such possibilities and potential discoveries. I'm a knowledge seeker and lover and can be inspired at any given moment to investigate an unknown thing, to uncover the magic and power of understanding.<br />
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I love it when this happens, when answers to questions come, when things unclear attain clarity. Sometimes I can work on a project but sense that in some way <i>for me</i> it is incomplete. It can be so close to completion yet that feeling remains, then as if by magic or design, I come across a piece of information, knowledge, a discovery, that explains everything, and changes <i>me. </i>It's the "aha" moment when the fog lifts and thoughts clear.<br />
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Writing a memoir is a mega journey of self-discovery. I knew it would be to some extent, and it has surprised me. It has taken a long time to discover what I wanted to know, 16 years in fact, and maybe I could have found my answers earlier, maybe not. Maybe it was all in the timing. In the end, what I discovered about myself has been life changing; beautiful, special and amazing. Imagine that.<br />
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Back in February I wrote a post entitled <a href="http://leonievdvorle.blogspot.com.au/2014/02/staying-strong-thechangingnamesofamemoir.html" target="_blank">"Staying Strong" The Changing Names of a Memoir</a> Part of that post described my journey through the book title changes I went through until I came to "Staying Strong" after reading this quote on Facebook.<img height="320" src="http://media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/1e/86/b1/1e86b13b1336834bd146d04c0359ce0c.jpg" width="320" /> I was nearing the end of the first draft when I saw the quote and it was then that I had the first "aha" moment associated with the book. The title "Staying Strong" perfectly described how I felt before, during and after my experience but also portrayed a person full of inner strength.<br />
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Acceptance of myself and of what had happened to me and why had come to me via a very powerful quote. I felt more certain that what I was writing about would be okay. Memoirs after all are very self-exposing and therefore carry inherent risks. Was I really prepared to do this? I was, because I wasn't doing it just for me.<br />
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Then in April I had another insight on my journey of self-discovery which brought everything together for "Staying Strong" and for <i>me.</i> Whilst Pinteresting one day -I love Pinterest remember- and during conversations with my daughters, I came across personality information from <a href="http://www.myersbriggs.org/my-mbti-personality-type/mbti-basics/" target="_blank">Myers-Briggs Personality Type</a> that seemed to scream "me". I already knew some of my personality type, don't we all, but the complete picture was very illuminating indeed and provided the second "aha" and explained so much about why I had had a breakdown as well.<br />
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Now I could finish my book feeling satisfied I'd put as much as I could into it. I'd covered all my bases, dotted my i's and crossed my t's for the story and as a bonus, for <i>me.</i><br />
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This is why I love writing. It gives me a sense of wholeness and wellness, completion. It's not only from a memoir that I get this, it's from any writing that I do which I've carefully considered and constructed, which has sprung from my heart and been delivered thoughtfully to the page.<br />
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This creation is a journey, an inviting journey of self-discovery, one not to be taken for granted, for it is truly amazing and soul inspiring.<br />
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<span style="color: red;"><b>STAYING STRONG</b> </span>A Memoir. Coming soon to Amazon, Barnes and Noble (Nook), Kobo, iTunes, Scribd, and more, many more.......<br />
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Have an inspiring week everyone,<br />
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Leonie<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6166508848446886999.post-90622265484699842352014-07-13T20:48:00.002-07:002014-07-13T20:48:34.098-07:00Writers: Get Your Fix, and Feast on Pinterest. 6 Pins to get You through the Week.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<img alt="27 Delightful Obsolete Words Its High Time We Revived" src="http://media-cache-ec0.pinimg.com/736x/e3/54/0a/e3540a5e5d4a58efa2017600f137944b.jpg" height="320" width="254" /> 27 Delightful Obsolete Words It's High Time We Revived.</div>
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<a href="http://bit.ly/1tG0XPs" target="_blank">Buzzfeed</a> and on my Pinterest Board 'Write All About It'. See Sidebar.</div>
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I love Pinterest! How many times have you heard that? It's true. I love it because I'm a visual person and so is Pinterest. It's all about images, and initially, they speak to me louder than the words, unless of course the words are the image.</div>
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I've had a busy fortnight with little time for writing as other events have taken priority. My laptop has sat idle in this time, but my tablet, which I use for email and social media, has not. </div>
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Every morning I commit writers' mortal sin: I read emails and scan my social media pages over breakfast before I do anything else in my day. I know I'm not supposed to if I want to be a serious writer, but I'm not the sort of person you can tie down to a routine, except for breakfast and social media that is. I like to do things differently, that's all, but therein lies another post I've been thinking about.</div>
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This week is about being lazy and taking the easy route, me that is, hence a Pinterest post with lots of images that can speak for themselves with fewer words from me. Incidentally, this serves to illustrate how valuable Pinterest can be as a writing/information/filing/promotion/marketing/business tool. But you probably know this already. If you don't then this is how it works. Sign up at <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/" target="_blank">www.pinterest.com</a> It's free. Follow the instructions and create Boards on which you pin images you like. </div>
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On my 'Write All About It' Board I Pinned several images this week that I wanted to save for future referral. Crapulous above was one of them. I only read it this morning; it was the image that caught me. I didn't want to read it at the time, so I saved it. It's easy to find as I scroll through, and even though it may not be the most obviously useful Pin, it made me laugh but then had me thinking about word choices and their power. So, all power to the image, and therefore Pinterest for their inspiration in setting up the website.</div>
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As well as the Crapulous Pin, there was 'How to Use Pinterest As an Author'.</div>
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<img alt="How to Use Pinterest as an Author with Cynthia Sanchez | Author-shift" src="http://media-cache-cd0.pinimg.com/736x/99/a1/b6/99a1b6e3d2f69f459d33a3ce904db6ab.jpg" height="320" width="208" /></div>
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K.M Weiland's 'Do You Know the Answer to Your Story's Most Important Question?' in which she talks about the "dramatic question" and how "it defines your story".</div>
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<img alt="Do You Know the Answer to Your Story's Most Important Question? - Helping Writers Become Authors" src="http://media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/64/1c/b3/641cb3ab09ca44e3ce661b7e486bbba4.jpg" height="211" style="text-align: center;" width="320" /></div>
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How about </div>
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<img alt="100 Ways to Say "Good" These are wonderfullll" src="http://media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/6e/04/18/6e0418bb54c915629c34f9bf31e34bd1.jpg" /></div>
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and so on and so on. There are many list like this one. Authors'/writers' aids in image form, just how I like them, nice and colourful, rather than boring black and white print. I find these images easier to use, therefore I use Pinterest more as a writing tool than any other medium.</div>
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<img alt="5-5-14 b" src="http://socialmediajustforwriters.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/5-5-14-b.jpg" height="214" width="320" /></div>
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8 Tips for Writers Using Pinterest by Frances Caballo</div>
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And last but not least...</div>
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<img alt="I try to keep an open mind about everything except grammar, spelling, and punctuation." src="http://media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/40/cd/45/40cd459fba5333b6674eb4b3972d1fc0.jpg" /></div>
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Find all these Pins and more on my sidebar, and by searching Pinterest.<br />
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Have a great week everyone, </div>
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Leonie</div>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6166508848446886999.post-22310197663625415682014-07-05T20:17:00.001-07:002014-07-05T20:18:30.225-07:00Off With a Ducati Roar on Holiday whilst Celebrating, Reminiscing and Researching.<p dir="ltr">I'm back.</p>
<p dir="ltr">I've been away holidaying, celebrating, reminiscing and researching, hence no post last week. I had no internet access yahoo, sorry for the pun, and mobile (cell) phone coverage was reduced to isolated pockets. It was wonderful. </p>
<p dir="ltr">I took my gadgets with me expecting to use them, indeed need them, but what I found was the glorious opposite. After 24 hours without I was relieved to be living independently of them. How little it takes.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Personally, I could easily live this way, far from the hustle and bustle and demands of modern day life, if someone else took care of the basics for me. I very much enjoyed living in the technology-free lane if only for 4 days. I glimpsed again how pressured and goal orientated life has become. Give me the 'good old days' like childhood, when now, as a mature adult those days were full of magic, wonder and awe, when everything was slow. Ahhh, nostalgia.</p>
<p dir="ltr">But wait, maybe it's BECAUSE I'm a mature adult that everything seems fast now. Oh dear and sigh, as realisation comes and I shake my head!</p>
<p dir="ltr">And speaking of fast, there are some fast things in life not to be missed. Whilst away, I had the great fortune to ride pillion on a magnificent red Ducati ST4s. For 3 hours last Sunday I sat thrilled and sometimes terrified as 3 of us snaked our way on 2 bikes around some narrow country roads and open highways. What an awesome day and a very special treat, one I wasn't going to miss for anything, except bad weather, of course. We did go very fast.</p>
<p dir="ltr">This week has also seen my eldest daughter move back 'across the ditch' to Dunedin in New Zealand, Aotearoa, Land of the Long White Cloud, land of our birth. We came here to Oz 24 years ago, but home always calls. Those 24 years have passed faster than my childhood.</p>
<p dir="ltr">When it comes to reminiscing, part of my holiday was to do just that, as I wrote in my previous post. My friend Liz and I had travelled Europe in a kombi van during 1975 and 1976 and I needed her memories for my next series of books. Out came the old photo albums and as always, she remembered people, places and events that I didn't. Her information will be invaluable in recreating our story and adventure.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Last but not least amongst all of this I turned 60, a 'mature' adult. A joke really because I believe in fairies. And fast bikes, mostly without me on them but occasionally I'll go along for the ride because that's where you can find something extra, in life, and in yourself. </p>
<p dir="ltr">See you next week, and have a good one,</p>
<p dir="ltr">Leonie.<br><br></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFgR_obpSFnrCPMRjdiTmOae7_A-PT1bSAUfYeGtjmlBcGAoHVzlhDW8ZaZJBv4n3QKrTKK68w_cOS8D-RBAWAT6TxSkyv-vk5o3Ri5os6ZERArwKcC0mDCvE9LwozslXml4RQQaWGysk/s1600/293.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFgR_obpSFnrCPMRjdiTmOae7_A-PT1bSAUfYeGtjmlBcGAoHVzlhDW8ZaZJBv4n3QKrTKK68w_cOS8D-RBAWAT6TxSkyv-vk5o3Ri5os6ZERArwKcC0mDCvE9LwozslXml4RQQaWGysk/s640/293.jpg"> </a> </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6166508848446886999.post-29650422086928378822014-06-21T16:10:00.002-07:002014-06-21T16:10:43.346-07:00How's Your Global Indie Publishing this Year?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Christian Fischer: Wikimedia Commons</div>
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I thought I might ask this question because we're now half way through 2014 and each year self-publishing becomes more intense. It seems that more is expected of indie authors with regards to book and self promotion and marketing. Is this good or bad? In my view it depends on whether you put pressure on yourself to keep up with developments, and whether it's easy for you or not.<br />
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Personally, I'd love to have my books in every new estore that opens, and there are more by the day. Markets have been opening in Asia, Russia, Africa and Europe where there are many English speaking readers who, through estores, have access to our books like never before.<br />
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But here's the rub. It's up to us to place our books in these stores. As if we didn't have enough to do! Sure, we're making ourselves known using social media etc., but if we need to do more and more distribution, promotion and marketing, we're left with less time for writing. How does this work? Ultimately, the pendulum will move from Write 80% Promote 20%, to less than Write 80%. Or, do we employ assistants for covers, editing, promotion and marketing? Oops, that's already happening. Well then, let's all set up our own publishing houses? And here we are back at square one. This is probably how the very first books were written and published methinks.<br />
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Please forgive me, I'm not complaining, I'm just wondering where indie publishing might be going. In the recent good ole' days all we had to do was write a book ( a good one of course), upload it to Amazon and leave it to the powers that be to do the rest. As you may have guessed, I don't like promotion and marketing. Let's face it, it's not the most romantic aspect of writing. I'd rather write and upload, sigh.<br />
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Then, there was only Amazon, now there's more, much more, so I mustn't grumble. As well as Amazon, I also have my books listed through <a href="https://www.draft2digital.com/" target="_blank">Draft2Digital</a> where they appear on Kobo, iTunes, B&N's Nook and now this week on Scribd, with more to come. Draft2Digital is more user friendly than Smashwords, and although I haven't used Smashwords yet, I do have an account and will upload books there soon because they have a wider range of stores.<br />
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There are a multitude of other estores to upload your books to. I discovered just how global you can be when I subscribed to <a href="http://ebookbargainsuk.wordpress.com/2014/05/02/bookbaby-looks-east-why-indie-authors-should-too/" target="_blank">E Book Bargains UK Blog</a>. Some stores are accessible through Smashwords, some you have to access yourself. That's where my distribution stops.<br />
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Because I can't spend a lot of time writing, I spend less time on promotion, so I have to weigh my odds and stick to what I CAN do. I can best use MY time writing and uploading to Amazon, Draft2Digital, and Smashwords, and tell you all about it via this blog, Twitter and Google+.<br />
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Everyone has a way which works for them. Thank goodness for the digital age and the ability to self publish. How many of us would never have realised our dream of writing if we'd been born before this time?<br />
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I for one wouldn't be on the brink of publishing my 9th book, "Staying Strong". That's right, everything is complete except for my beta reader to finish, and editing. I even have a cover sorted. I'm excited!<br />
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My crystal book is "coming along", and I have started preparing for a new series. In September 1975 my girlfriend and I set off in a kombi van from Arnhem in Holland, and spent a year traveling Europe. We were in our early 20's and had "the time of our lives". It was a great adventure. We traveled through Germany, Luxembourg, France, Andorra, Spain, Portugal and Morocco.<br />
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My travel buddy and I remain close friends 40 years later, and I shall be seeing her next weekend, partly to celebrate my upcoming 60th birthday Yay!, and partly to reminisce over and garner stories for this series. I've already gone over my old scrap book and photo album, and have begun to plan.<br />
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With that it's time to sign off. Wishing you all a great weekend,<br />
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Leonie<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6166508848446886999.post-68259854680522794262014-06-12T20:58:00.005-07:002014-06-12T20:58:51.351-07:00Are You DIFFERENT? Are You UNIQUE? Then HOORAY! You're OKAY.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9nEMJ0oplRexSxxwMBZlKKEj2ffGKgvXeZvhyphenhyphenLwbp0-C-4T5EUmQhAglWKfsm7bID_BZB0TyAJuCB42vvqxbF-d8OMMF82bvuOEP_ecTSJwJ5b5_KOm4xsQwJWhG8JKOnd-YJbpqGmG8/s1600/004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9nEMJ0oplRexSxxwMBZlKKEj2ffGKgvXeZvhyphenhyphenLwbp0-C-4T5EUmQhAglWKfsm7bID_BZB0TyAJuCB42vvqxbF-d8OMMF82bvuOEP_ecTSJwJ5b5_KOm4xsQwJWhG8JKOnd-YJbpqGmG8/s1600/004.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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Back garden view from my veranda.<br />
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NB: From next week, my posts will appear over the weekend.</div>
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About a year ago I wrote a note in Evernote and forgot all about it. As I didn't have anything special lined up for today's post I thought to resurrect that note.<br />
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What I wrote then was about finding peace in a world where being different is hard to accept, for me and for others. Me, I'm a serious lone wolf. I prefer my own company in a quiet, secluded environment, away from the demands of the world, <i>to the extreme</i>. I dislike going out, and prefer the company of my 2 fur babies Winnie and Hunny, who you've met, to that of visitors and other people. Mostly all I need is my peaceful, beautiful garden to gaze upon and stroll through. I write, often from my veranda, or from my office/guest bedroom which overlooks the garden. I also read, research and crochet from the veranda, or garden and play with the dogs when I can. I go out only when I must. Now I'm not being rude. It's just how I am. But some people don't understand that about me, and I'm okay with that, now. It wasn't always that way.<br />
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Many people would consider my lifestyle unhealthy, weird, sad or worse. Few would think I live an idyllic life in subtropical eastern Australia, by the beach.<br />
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My personal experience is that my way of 'being' sits outside the majority way, and other people seem to have a need to rope me in like a stray from the herd. You have to belong or you're an outsider. Being an outsider can be uncomfortable and create issues for all parties, but for some it's our path.<br />
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If you're an outsider, different in some way but not necessarily a lone wolf, you've no doubt felt pressure from the masses to fit in at some stage in your life. My mum, bless her, always pressured me when I was a teenager. She tried to get me involved in activities, to 'join in' and be gregarious. I tried for years, believing I 'should', because everyone else was. I hated and resented it, only wanting to be with a good friend or 2. I wasn't okay then.<br />
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Teenage years were testing enough and even as a young adult I somehow felt the differentness was a fault, my fault, and I should change it. I set about attempting to change, living out and believing in the life of others yet always searching for me. I looked outside of myself for peace and happiness, but because I couldn't find it, I kept finding it for my nearest and dearest, thinking I'd find mine too.<br />
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I knew I wanted and needed space, but how do you achieve that when you have a family? And I wasn't even clear what space meant to me. I'd been brought up to be the same as everyone else but knew I wasn't. On the outside I looked similar to everyone, on the inside there was a power struggle between the real me and the pretend me. Trouble was, even as an adult I couldn't tell which was which.<br />
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Then my children grew up and left home. I would be alone. I couldn't wait, and I LOVE it! (I love them too and they know it). These years are heaven and have given me the space to uncover me and my differentness. Maybe I'm a slow learner in that I've not understood myself sooner, but some just don't. Maybe I've got such depth that it takes longer to explore me??? :) I like exploring and excavating all sorts of things including myself and these pursuits take time. That's how I'm most happy, how I'm at peace, when I'm okay. It's my natural state of being.<br />
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Accepting being different, i.e being at peace with who I am has not been easy. It's an ongoing and evolving process. Recently my process hit a major roadblock. I've had to stop and take stock of a big chunk of my life, again. It's harder being a lone wolf because I'm more self reliant than other people and have to make important decisions myself more often than not. There's a risk of becoming <i>too</i> alone, so I need to be aware of myself. Currently I'm learning to evolve, learning not to repeat mistakes made in the past. I'm learning more everyday about me, what feels good, what works for me, therefore what's right for me, not what's right for others anymore.<br />
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If you're reading this and going "What the...?" then you're OKAY already, HOORAY. If my words gel with you and you feel different, take heart. Being different is okay just as much. If you can accept that, you've got yourself in the right frame of mind. Set about supporting you as that person, loving your uniqueness, and see it as a gift that no-one else has.<br />
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Being different often means being a lone wolf and therefore being disinclined to join support groups or clubs or online chat groups for help. It's like knowing that visitors are coming; you've got to be there for them, be responsive and alert, when all you really want to do is ignore everyone and be left alone. Often it's hard to find what you're looking for about yourself but these days the internet offers so much information without ever becoming involved. Personality tests such as <a href="http://www.humanmetrics.com/cgi-win/jtypes2.asp" target="_blank">Myers-Briggs</a> are excellent and fun, yet serious ways to get insight into yourself. I did it and was blown away by what I discovered.<br />
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I also ask myself these questions from time to time. The answers keep my happiness, my differentness on track.<br />
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<li>What do I like?</li>
<li>What makes me happy?</li>
<li>What is fun?</li>
<li>What is good?</li>
<li>Where is good?</li>
<li>Who is good?</li>
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When I answer these questions honestly I have peace and happiness in my life. I no longer feel different, I realise being different is only a point of view, just like in a scene in a book. What actually counts you see is how YOU feel about being different. In fact, being different is rather cool :)<br />
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Maybe there's a book here one day.<br />
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At the moment I'm catching up on some leisure-time reading, mostly when I've gone to bed. I've started on R D Brady's <a href="http://www.amazon.com.au/The-Belial-Stone-Series-ebook/dp/B00DB91JQQ" target="_blank">The Belial Stone</a> series and am loving it.<br />
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That's it from me and Winnie and Hunny for this week, have a great weekend everyone,<br />
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Leonie<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6166508848446886999.post-1591130323279203682014-06-04T19:31:00.002-07:002014-06-04T19:33:29.833-07:00Blogging's YaYs Outweigh YuKs.<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="IWSG Badge" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVet61rkRHshI_qt8nSYGcxqWisOEMvAQ852xsLoUJjTQ6MR1qKhKclM0ClIphD669kYMRxltSEUWWVY7g6Ac8r9-NwDU9NsDLgBjjJ4KO8HXiPaQONq1pg0yafjmv-G2P1qkXnmPmPSk/s1600/IWSG+badge.jpg" />It's <b>Insecure Writers' Support Group</b> Blog Hop day again YaY!</div>
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My blog is nothing fancy, I don't have a huge following nor is it my favourite writing occupation. In fact, I never wanted to start one. So why did I?</div>
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I decided after I self-published my first book last year that I needed an author platform. You know, visibility. I learned all about it after I signed up with Amazon and bought some ebooks on writing and self-publishing. So I set off on the path of social mediadom - this blog, Twitter, Pinterest and Google+ accounts. I had resisted social media before because I didn't think I had anything to contribute and neither did I want to 'engage' all the time. I was a private person after all. </div>
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However, blogging provided many unexpected spin offs which I'm very grateful for. No, it's not the greater visibility, although that has happened. What I've found is this:</div>
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<li><b>Improved book writing</b>. Through writing my own and reading other peoples' blogs, I've learned a great deal about honing and cleaning up my skill. For example, my use of adverbs is now almost non-existent YaY! This is a biggie because I'm not a trained writer and I've climbed some steep mountains in the past year to become acquainted with the craft.</li>
<li><b>I'm persistent. </b>I love writing. Sometimes I'm unable to write much for health reasons, but if I keep my blog going I'm still writing and improving my writing. I'm not giving up, and writing a once a week post is do-able.</li>
<li><b>Good discipline.</b> It's a little like being persistent. Blogging is writing, and being disciplined about writing is always a plus.</li>
<li><b>Information. </b>Blogging has opened up a wonderful world of bloggers and their information. If I hadn't started blogging and following other blogs I'd never have discovered so much helpful information on writing.</li>
<li><b>Helps with organisational skills. </b>Blog posts need to be planned and organised. I'm not too good at this one yet, but there's been significant improvement in the past year. I used to have no plan and just write. Now I'm more organised and have a plan which I think of and add to during the week before a post.</li>
<li><b>Communication.</b> I can write in my p.j.'s if I want to. I can write anytime, anywhere and no-one knows. Blogging is a means of remaining private whilst going public.</li>
<li><b>Social media. </b>Social media is wonderful! Now I can communicate my thoughts and ideas across the planet with a click of my mouse button. I can tell the world, via my blog, about progress with upcoming books or how my week's been. If the world wants to know that is. </li>
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As for the Yuks here they are just to balance things out.<br />
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<li><b>Time.</b> Blogging takes up way more time than it should. When I think about it I almost shudder. Some say half an hour is all you need per post. I don't. Mine are magnum opi, time wise. I won't tell you how much time I spend each week on a post. Maybe it's because I'm a 2 finger typist?</li>
<li><b>Pantster.</b> There's that word again. Pantster. AKA 'fly by the seat of your pants'. I'd love to have my posts planned before they are written. And even though I'm improving, even though I now prepare before post day and have a draft ready, I often rearrange the post, like today.</li>
<li><b>Not my favourite.</b> Sadly, blogging is not my favourite writing exercise. Despite all the benefits it brings to writers, and I firmly believe it does, remember visibility, I'd rather be doing something else. </li>
<li><b>But it's growing on me!</b></li>
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Yes, I have to admit it. Blogging is growing on me. I'm liking it more with each post and if anyone new out there in writing world is considering whether it's worth your while I'd say a shouty YES.<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6166508848446886999.post-1008097479466450072014-05-29T20:41:00.002-07:002014-05-29T20:41:20.526-07:00Staying versus Quitting: It Can Be a Very Fine Line.<br />
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<a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8a/Arist%C3%B3teles_por_Luis_Alberto_Costales.jpg/83px-Arist%C3%B3teles_por_Luis_Alberto_Costales.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Aristóteles por Luis Alberto Costales.jpg" border="0" height="200" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8a/Arist%C3%B3teles_por_Luis_Alberto_Costales.jpg/83px-Arist%C3%B3teles_por_Luis_Alberto_Costales.jpg" width="138" /></a></div>
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Image: Aristotle by Luis Alberto Costales</div>
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YaY! HooraY! "Staying Strong", my mini memoir of breakdown is ready for review. With one mighty push, I've got it ready for scrutiny before publication.<br />
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I'm not a quitter, even though some things take longer to complete than I'd like, and sometimes I wonder whether it's worth the time and energy. Who knows that one? Most of us in one life aspect or another. So I'm a stayer.<br />
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On occasion however, staying can be flawed and we need to know when to quit. Not easy I hear you say? I agree. There's a fine line between the two, and making the decision either way is often difficult, especially when you're under pressure.<br />
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We all know the scenario of new writers envisioning fame and fortune. I did. At least, I was hopeful of some fortune. I didn't care for the fame, I'm too introverted for that. We write a book, thinking (knowing) it to be a masterpiece, self-publish it to Amazon and sit back waiting for the rest to be history. Nothing happens. We're shocked, become angry, disillusioned, and give up on writing forever. Yes, it does happen this way.<br />
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But how about this. What happens in the <b>staying too long</b> scenario? Let's take a look.<br />
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Let's say you wanted to be a full time stay at home writer, but instead you worked in the city. This job was highly paid but demanding and stressful and you hated it. It meant that everyday you had an early start and long commute, and when you arrived home late at the end of a long day you were exhausted physically, mentally and emotionally. You snatched what time you could with your spouse and rarely saw your young children.<br />
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Weekends weren't much better. There were sports events and family outings and precious little time for you and your craft. Whenever you had a spare moment you would write. You would write because it kept you sane, because you loved it and you believed you were good at it. You would love to write full time but that would mean serious changes.<br />
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Time came when working in the city became unbearable and you made the decision to leave. You self-published your first book, and with great anticipation looked forward to the extra income you expected and needed. It was a success, but your success was short lived. Your next book wasn't as good and you had some bad reviews. You put on a brave face and wrote on, determined to do better.<br />
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Below the surface however, cracks began to appear. Writing had become a labour not a love but you continued writing because you had to. You had responsibilities. You had a spouse and family depending on your share. Guilt mounted, <i>you</i> had taken them down this path - they had put their faith in you. They had trusted you.<br />
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Now creditors called almost daily but you couldn't tell your loved ones, anyone. That was too embarrassing. And private. Besides, maybe if you re-wrote the last book with a new angle? But you were so tired, you could hardly concentrate. You had to carry on. You weren't a quitter. If you quit now, what else would you do?<br />
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Then unexpectedly your spouse's mother passed away. Your spouse who had been your rock now needed you. But you couldn't help. It was all too much. It was the final straw, the extra stress and worry tipped you over the edge. You broke. All your walls came crashing down into panic, anxiety and depression. You collapsed into a shuddering, sobbing mess, useless to yourself and all those around you.<br />
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You stayed too long.<br />
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And yes, this happens too. This brief story is not in the realms of fantasy. In fact many people find themselves overwhelmed by life. Such overwhelm takes time to build, and this is important. I'm talking about sustained, long-term worry, stress and pressure, not one-off events. Under these circumstances it's vital to take stock and get help to make some decisions.<br />
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Decide if you need to quit. It won't be the end of the world if you stop writing or whatever you do, for a short while or even permanently. You've given it a GOOD shot. Stop before you become unwell.<br />
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As an indicator of what too much stress is here's the Holmes and Rahe Stress Scale to give you an idea. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holmes_and_Rahe_stress_scale#Adults" target="_blank">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holmes_and_Rahe_stress_scale#Adults</a>. Even though the study was done in the 1960's it is still relevant today. I did the test recently and found I was way over the stress limit during events in "Staying Strong."<br />
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Personality plays a significant role in how we cope with life situations and therefore affects our decision making. Check out The Meyers-Briggs Personality Test. <a href="http://www.personalitypathways.com/type_inventory.html" target="_blank">http://www.personalitypathways.com/type_inventory.html</a>. Being in the smallest group has had a major influence on my life. Again, this is a recent find but explains much.<br />
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Therefore the question of quitting or staying is difficult. Writing one book then giving up because it wasn't a raving success is not giving your talent a good enough shot. I'd say it's more about not having <b>enough </b>staying power. Your talent, if you have it, never had a chance to develop, it never got beyond crawling. Maybe you hurt yourself a few times when trying to walk and decided that was too hard, and gave up too quickly.<br />
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In an ideal world we'd all be balanced people, yet the reality is that most of us fit somewhere off-centre. If you're near the extreme end of imbalance, GET HELP. For you, staying may not be the wise option, no matter what. And yes, I know it's hard to judge for yourself, I know you think you can go an extra round. If you've written and written and your career's going nowhere, get help, ask for advice.<br />
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There's no shame, no disgrace, no weakness or failure in saying "This is no longer for me." It's far better to be honest and to move on than it to stay knowing this is no longer your path. I say "Well done" for the knowing.<br />
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Whew! I wonder whether extroverts have this issue??<br />
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Have another great weekend folks :) Time for lunch for me. See you next week.<br />
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Leonie<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6166508848446886999.post-55248873156099425852014-05-22T19:50:00.000-07:002014-05-22T19:55:29.531-07:00The Perfect Plan for Indie Authors. Who's Got It?<div style="text-align: center;">
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Image: melbourneseoservices.com</div>
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What's your plan indeed? Everyone's plan is different, there is no "one plan fits all scenario", yet each of us is working on our own perfect plan and we take bits from here and there to suit us best. Joanna Penn has a good plan. <a href="http://www.thecreativepenn.com/entrepreneur/" target="_blank">http://www.thecreativepenn.com/entrepreneur/</a> and many useful links to further sites.<br />
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As an indie author I had BIG plans when I first started writing full-time a year ago. Since then I've published 8 books which is not a bad effort, although I know it could have been more, much more. I have CFS though which means I write when I can, and that amounts to about 6-8 hours a week including this blog. I didn't plan it that way, but that's how it happened. I wanted to write more, more, more, to allow all the ideas in my head to reach the keyboard and eventually the world wide web.<br />
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And of course, I had dreams of living off my new found wealth. That hasn't happened yet, but I'm only 8 books and 1 year in, so still consider myself a newbie indie.<br />
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Before publishing my first book I read lots of "How To" downloads and ebooks. This one was brilliant <a href="http://www.amazon.com.au/Publish-Repeat-No-Luck-Required-Self-Publishing-Success-ebook/dp/B00H26IFJS" target="_blank">http://www.amazon.com.au/Publish-Repeat-No-Luck-Required-Self-Publishing-Success-ebook/dp/B00H26IFJS</a>, and this <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Ways-Sell-Nonfiction-Kindle-Books-ebook/dp/B00BSG4LXW" target="_blank">http://www.amazon.com/Ways-Sell-Nonfiction-Kindle-Books-ebook/dp/B00BSG</a><br />
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I set up this blog and several social media accounts which were a new experience for me. I informed myself straight up on the best way to set up a platform, to make myself known. I'm an introvert who likes anonymity, ha ha ha, so you can imagine the quandary I found myself in. Maybe it's a writerly thing? Leave me alone, I want to stay home and write, I don't want to be in the public eye?<br />
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But thank God or whoever for the digital age.You can hide, sort of, and be out there at the same time. And if it wasn't for for the e-age, I and so many others would never have had the opportunity to publish our work. I love having information at my fingertips and to be in control of my output. Now anyone can write and self publish. Of course, it helps to write quality, and not flood the market with crap. I hope I don't.<br />
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Everyday there are more avenues opening for our books. There's no longer just Amazon. <a href="http://ebookbargainsuk.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">http://ebookbargainsuk.wordpress.com/</a> is a great site with the latest on new stores and how to get your ebooks listed. And then yesterday this email arrived from one of the Google Circles I'm in. <a href="http://dcakers123.wordpress.com/2014/05/20/free-book-submission-made-easy-what-took-so-long/" target="_blank">http://dcakers123.wordpress.com/2014/05/20/free-book-submission-made-easy-what-took-so-long/</a>. This is next on my "To Do" list. A step by step guide to getting you ebooks listed for FREE. ebooks stores are global now and it's easier than ever to have your books everywhere, and you should, to optimise exposure, readership and income.<br />
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Earlier in the month this came in from the same Google Circle. Another excellent step by step strategy to bring in the sales and the money. <a href="http://okdork.com/2014/05/07/10-marketing-tactics-to-net-41000-downloads-on-amazon/?hvid=2FYO01" target="_blank">http://okdork.com/2014/05/07/10-marketing-tactics-to-net-41000-downloads-on-amazon/?hvid=2FYO01</a> I've got this on my "To Do" list as well. When I get around to both these plans is unknown, but they are planned. CFS remember.<br />
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This week luckily I stuck to my plan. In the 6-8 hours of writing I've done more "Staying Strong" editing. I had hoped to publish "Staying Strong" by June, but maybe in June now. Such is the way with plans. They do need to be flexible, not set in concrete.<br />
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Also, the Crystal book is firing along quite nicely. It's different from "Staying Strong" in every way. I'ts a guide book, not a story, and it has no plot, characters or theme! But I had a crazy idea one day and it's being transferred into this book. Of all my boards on <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/leonievdvorle/" target="_blank">Pinterest</a>, Crystal Healing is the most popular, so my idea stems from there. I can't say when it will be out either, but you will be kept up to date.<br />
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That's it for this week.<br />
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Happy weekend everyone,<br />
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Leonie<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6166508848446886999.post-82996427931459378712014-05-15T21:11:00.000-07:002014-05-15T21:11:39.321-07:00Creative Nonfiction is as Good as Fiction: Show it Well and Don't just Tell It.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_WgHsXBK_8WeqgPQYMzq6DECEvomz11GbIEB0EMAUW55IUQ4yJzJT2I6rF9dbvEQKnD8CocdfrudA7xnF46oRcMhC_LehOJA_jcFyQqovhUohEvT25laW0MrF1nM2VE4FKxJ0fbTrIt8/s1600/IMAG0898.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_WgHsXBK_8WeqgPQYMzq6DECEvomz11GbIEB0EMAUW55IUQ4yJzJT2I6rF9dbvEQKnD8CocdfrudA7xnF46oRcMhC_LehOJA_jcFyQqovhUohEvT25laW0MrF1nM2VE4FKxJ0fbTrIt8/s1600/IMAG0898.jpg" height="320" width="191" /></a> I'm a writer of <a href="https://suite.io/ashley-anderson/37ce28n" target="_blank">Creative Nonfiction</a> and I love it. It's not the dry, dreary, boring or poor second cousin of fiction, but when written well, is just as vibrant, exciting and page turning. I love making my stories entertaining and informative and hope to enrich and excite readers' lives through the reading of those stories. And surely this is what good fiction aims for too, especially if you show and not just tell.</div>
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Just telling a story is not enough, in fact it's downright boring and I myself will put that book down fast. When you show me a story, i.e. bring it to life in my imagination, I'll read it with all that I've got. </div>
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This is especially true for creative nonfiction. I've read some wonderful stories long and short that, to me, are excellent examples of the what the genre is all about. <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16218778-coming-clean" target="_blank">Coming Clean</a> by Kimberley Rae Miller is a memoir about a child growing up in a house of hoarders. The book and her writing style are very contemporary examples of creative nonfiction. </div>
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As is this very short piece <a href="http://heartandcraft.blogspot.com.au/2014/04/flash-memoira-versatile-tool.html" target="_blank">First Kiss</a> by Sharon Lippincott. It's only 474 words, but speaks volumes and paints pictures and images so beautiful they linger much longer in the memory than the words alone. </div>
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Let's look a little deeper. Creative nonfiction has all the <a href="http://cstl-cla.semo.edu/hhecht/the%20elements%20of%20fiction.htm" target="_blank">Elements of Fiction</a>: characters, plot, theme, setting and style. </div>
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One of my first forays into <a href="http://www.riverteethjournal.com/blog/2013/02/01/what-is-creative-nonfiction" target="_blank">creative nonfiction</a> was a short ebook called <a href="http://amzn.to/QOt2BU" target="_blank">Hi, I'm Winnie.</a> <a href="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41Uk%2BmWN%2BgL._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-sticker-v3-big,TopRight,0,-55_SX278_SY278_PIkin4,BottomRight,1,22_AA300_SH20_OU01_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41Uk%2BmWN%2BgL._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-sticker-v3-big,TopRight,0,-55_SX278_SY278_PIkin4,BottomRight,1,22_AA300_SH20_OU01_.jpg" width="200" /></a>Winnie is my very clever Labradoodle. She dictated the book to me and insisted it be written in her voice. The book became a series of 4 and included Hunny, my other Labradoodle.</div>
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When I write my creative nonfiction stories, I use all of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiction_writing#Elements_of_fiction" target="_blank">Elements of Fiction</a>. For example:</div>
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~ characters ~ Winnie and Hunny</div>
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~ plot ~ everyday funny, quirky happenings and challenges only dogs can have</div>
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~ theme ~ Winnie and Hunny's lives</div>
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~ setting ~ our backyard, our town, the beach</div>
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~ style ~ humorous, 1st person dog perspective</div>
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First and foremost I need colourful and interesting characters with issues, who readers fall in love with or hate, and whose personalities evolve and enrich reader's imaginations.</div>
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There needs to be a plot which takes readers on a journey and has an ending, a theme which is engaging and page turning, and a setting vivid enough in print to bring images to mind.</div>
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Then I like to use charming humour for these short stories because it's perfect for gorgeous fur-babies who've written their own books :)</div>
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Just as much effort goes into the work of my books, into creative nonfiction in general, just as much research, just as much blood sweat and, oh yes tears, as goes into fiction. Follow the same process and structure, write, edit and question what stays in and what goes. Edit more, fine tune again and again, and at some point there is a book which you're happy with and is ready and good enough for publication. </div>
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The technicalities are the same, yes, and nowadays the products are pretty damned good too. </div>
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And that's it. The essence of writing either fiction or creative nonfiction is the same. Whether the story is made up or whether it's true life doesn't matter, it must be able to show not just tell. Creative nonfiction does that now too. </div>
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Next week: Updates on "Staying Strong" and the crystal book</div>
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Have a great weekend everyone</div>
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Leonie</div>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6166508848446886999.post-88694169396546928902014-05-08T00:19:00.002-07:002014-05-08T00:19:34.201-07:00Your Spare 5 minutes: Do You Write or Relax?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
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Yikes! As I got into bed last night (Wednesday 9.30pm) in Australia, I realised it was IWSG's monthly blog post and I has nothing prepared. I'd missed posting last month due to unforseen circumstances, and if I missed this month as well I could get the chop from the blog hop.<br />
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Fast forward 15 hours. I'm now sitting in hospital waiting for an MRI, having last night planned to write this post whilst waiting to see if I could fill the time productively rather than flipping through magazines and checking the clock to see how many 5 minutes I've been here. I wanted to see how much <b>I</b> could achieve in 5 minutes.<br />
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I have it on good author authority that every 5 minutes of spare time counts, and if you've got it, you could be thinking about, taking notes for, or writing your next article, short story, novel etc. <br />
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Personally, I dislike this idea. Firstly because I doubt anyone could do much creatively in 5 minutes. Prove me wrong if you can. It seems to me that it would take as long if not more, to get the ipad, iphone, tablet, or goodness me pen and paper out, then the thought processes organised, let alone get any constuctive work done, notes taken or words written. By the time <i>I've</i> ummed and ahhed and organised myself 5 minutes is up, game over. (sigh)<br />
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Secondly, I dislike the idea because we're already busy and pressured enough. Why fill life with more of the same?<br />
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Instead, I say, take 5 and relax, chill out, take some deep breaths, take a brief walk. I'm sure my/your creativity will benefit more from this activity than trying to squash in extra writing productivity.<br />
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So you've guessed it, I'm not into grabbing 5 minutes to write whilst waiting for a meeting to start or between train stops (yes seriously, author authority remember). <br />
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By the time I finished writing this at the hospital half an hour was up. I had chosen to take pen and paper although I could have taken my tablet or used my phone. I'm happy I made the old school choice as no one else was fiddling with any device whatsoever, as I suspected, and old school made me feel right at home.<br />
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Here then is to however, wherever and whenever we write.<br />
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Write on writers!<br />
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Cheers,<br />
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Leonie<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6166508848446886999.post-23397833538077646532014-05-01T19:17:00.001-07:002014-05-01T19:17:44.197-07:00Can Ice-Cream save the Great Barrier Reef? Will it? Decisions.Can ice cream save the Great Barrier Reef? It would be a first, but why not? Stranger things have happened, like a government boycott on ice-cream. What the?<br />
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<a href="http://resources3.news.com.au/images/2014/04/28/1226898/570211-069f4848-ce9d-11e3-8fb0-f8d7f99ee21f.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://resources3.news.com.au/images/2014/04/28/1226898/570211-069f4848-ce9d-11e3-8fb0-f8d7f99ee21f.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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The Queensland Government's Environment Minister Andrew Powell has accused <a href="http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/ben-and-jerrys-ice-cream-hurting-reef-qld-govt-20140429-37eg7.html" target="_blank">Ben and Jerry's</a> of "false and misleading" statements regarding threats to the Great Barrier Reef. In fact, Australians are being urged to boycott the brand altogether. I believe Ben and Jerry's sales have sky rocketed in the past week. Good on ya Ben and Jerry's, I'm with you.<br />
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These days there are many worthy causes, fights to fight, opinions to voice, and serious decisions to make such as which side of the Great Barrier Reef issue do you take; do you Save the Arctic, the Whales, the <a href="http://www.wildlife.org.au/news/2011/bimblebox.html" target="_blank">Bimblebox</a> or do you simply sit on the fence and take no notice of any of these?<br />
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Many of us take a stand in one way or another, often unawares that we do, and I don't mean voicing opinions opininatedly (I doubt there's such a word but it fits what I mean here). I mean that in every given moment of every day we make decisions about what happens next based on what happened before.<br />
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What happened before could be anything in our personal experience. For example, what we "learned" from our parents, teachers, friends or acquaintances in the form of love, advice, pain, habits etc. We tend to follow what we've always followed, and therefore decide what we've always decided. Life's comfortable that way.<br />
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But what happens when challenges come along and life throws a spanner in the works? It will happen, someday.<br />
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What do you do when say, The Great Barrier Reef is under threat of being poisoned by dredge spoil? Well, probably not a lot because for most it's on the other side of the planet. It's not affecting you, you can't see it, someone else will take care of it. If you live on the Reef's doorstep there's a higher chance of action.<br />
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What do you do if you currently live in Ukraine or Russia? I'm sure you'll be doing a lot of worrying if nothing else. You may have decisions forced on you, and have major decisions to make.<br />
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It's all relative. It's all about where we are at any given place and time. For some of us, decisions and actions are non-negotiable, they must be taken. For others, there is a choice.<br />
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In my own little world, I discovered this morning that my sweet Winnie woof probably has epilepsy, and that I may have some decisions to make regarding her future well being. She is only young at 2 and 1/2. I've been through fur-baby epilepsy before with another dog I had many years ago. Sadly, his fits became so bad I made the decision to let him go to fur-baby heaven. He too was only young.<br />
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Maybe medical advances will ensure a better future for Winnie, as I'm not wanting to make a decision for her based on one I made in the past.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglncvs5iqmFY3uCbQtqT_mAn4AfhQAiWEffsuu1rLwdEWnT9BlQJM6ibvSt2La3ck5awNZL45nRoZp1eLj9IIcN8jOYI3nsLNbJB3ZswSO77BU-JMQy0RIwkI6uGDV8Yhe8tA0NvyKa7w/s1600/IMAG0214.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglncvs5iqmFY3uCbQtqT_mAn4AfhQAiWEffsuu1rLwdEWnT9BlQJM6ibvSt2La3ck5awNZL45nRoZp1eLj9IIcN8jOYI3nsLNbJB3ZswSO77BU-JMQy0RIwkI6uGDV8Yhe8tA0NvyKa7w/s1600/IMAG0214.jpg" height="191" width="320" /></a></div>
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Winnie's 1st birthday photo with birthday ribbon round her neck.</div>
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Now I'm off to have a chat with the vet. Then it's back to head down, fingers on the keyboard and onward with the Crystal Healing book.</div>
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Until next week, have a great weekend everyone, and enjoy some ice-cream.</div>
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Leonie, Winnie and Hunny.</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6166508848446886999.post-36513281917903548472014-04-25T16:18:00.000-07:002014-04-25T16:37:21.306-07:00Write Then, It's Time to Write Again.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSlTMh9RfaEzS-eeDVyXIJ-kAV_HhfNKp9Qs71icFhLebh6hvkd" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSlTMh9RfaEzS-eeDVyXIJ-kAV_HhfNKp9Qs71icFhLebh6hvkd" /></a>image Susan Smith</div>
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There's been a writing hiatus here lately. Events have unfolded in the past month that have kept me away from <a href="http://leonievdvorle.blogspot.com.au/2014/03/staying-strong-2.html" target="_blank">"Staying Strong"</a> but which have required me to do just that. I'm now chomping at the bit to continue with my memoir, and have had a brilliant idea about another ebook on my "to write" list.<br />
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It's on the healing benefits of crystals, but with a clever twist, which I'm not about to reveal, of course.<br />
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Many years ago I was a practicing Crystal Healer, along with other natural therapies, and I still use crystals daily. My post from February 2 talks about crystals; <a href="http://leonievdvorle.blogspot.com.au/2014/02/now-for-something-entirely-different.html" target="_blank">Now for Something Entirely Different: Crystals</a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=6166508848446886999#editor/target=post;postID=3856380520545914496;onPublishedMenu=posts;onClosedMenu=posts;postNum=9;src=link" target="_blank">.</a>and my <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/leonievdvorle/" target="_blank">Crystal Healing</a> board on Pinterest, (see it also on the sidebar), has the most re-Pins of all of my boards, making it the most popular. So why not put this book at the top of the list I thought to myself?<br />
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Now crystals don't appeal to everyone, I understand that, but I'm not a mainstream sort of person either. I circulate to the left of centre, therefore my interests lie there and so does what comes into and out of me.<br />
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Being left of centre also means I'm more likely to to do things my way, rather than follow the crowd, sometimes to my detriment, eg, when I want to make myself known in the literary world but write obscure books on crystals. However, and oh well, at least I write what I love and maybe one day I'll be famous ( laughing happily).<br />
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We're told these days to do what makes us happy, write? Do what you love then you'll love what you do.<br />
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The same goes for the details. I love writing. At the moment romance fiction is hot, hot, HOT. There's money to be made if you can make it writing in this genre, but I don't think I can. I have to admit I haven't tried and maybe I will down the track, no doubt when it's all over red rover.<br />
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I like creative non-fiction where I can tell a true story and dress it up with all the sights and sounds of fiction, that way I don't have to start from scratch with plots and characters and all that. I've already got half the book in my head if I'm writing something from personal experience. Much easier.<br />
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So whatever comes out of me will always be different and unusual to some degree.<br />
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"Staying Strong" is that. It is a difficult book for me, its finishing point, like many goal posts, keeps moving. I expect it will be finished one day soon.<br />
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'Till then, I'll write when I can on "Staying Strong" and get started on the crystal mystery.<br />
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Cheers everyone,<br />
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Leonie<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6166508848446886999.post-9956271802009669102014-04-19T21:35:00.003-07:002014-04-19T21:35:41.487-07:00E is for Eostre, Eastre, Easter, even Ostara. What..?<div>
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Goddess Eostre</div>
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Wherever you are in the world you <i>may</i> be celebrating Easter, you <i>may </i>be celebrating spring, or you may be in the southern hemisphere like me where it is autumn. All the same, you're probably feeling the vibe.<br />
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I'm not celebrating per se. Although I was brought up Catholic, I chose to leave religion behind in my late teens, many, many years ago. As for eggs and bunnies, well, having children and grandchildren means they're still part of my cultural experience.<br />
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Many Christian festivals are said to have deep roots in ancient indigenous, traditional, seasonal festivities some people refer to as pagan rituals. Christmas and Easter are obvious and easy examples. There are many cultures globally which have variations on numerous festival themes and a quick internet search on any of them brings up enough results to keep anyone happy.<br />
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Back to Easter, and I did just that as I'm interested in the deep roots and origins of things rather than what's put in front of my face. It's a simple assumption that Easter was adopted by Christianity from earlier festivals celebrating the return of the sun: i.e spring, after a long, cold, barren winter, and further to add a young woman (goddess) to the festival. At this time of year birds lay their eggs, soon the chicks are born along with many young animals, flowers bloom, days lengthen, the cycle of life begins again etc.<br />
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Yet there's no hard evidence to suggest that there was a goddess associated with an Easter-like festival, and that her name was Eostre/ Eastre/Ostara. <a href="http://www.manygods.org.uk/articles/essays/Eostre.shtml" target="_blank">Easter Goddess?</a> Have some of us been trying too hard to create something from nothing? <br />
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I'm of the opinion that Christianity pinched most of its festivals from older traditions. I hold those traditions in higher regard because they follow natural rhythms and cycles, and incorporate both the feminine and the masculine. In ancient times spring festivals occurred in March around the vernal equinox for you northern hemispherians, as Easter does in some years, but as you can see from the above article, the goddess worshipped at spring time was probably not Eostre/Eastre/Ostara. So where does that leave todays Easter?<br />
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Maybe it's a Christian festival after all and maybe it's not linked to earlier, ancient spring celebrations? I'd like to think it's not. I'd like to think they're separate and autonomous, and have their own meaning, symbolism and story.<br />
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I like to keep an open mind about, well, everything. That way, life's exciting. That way, I can suddenly be off and running on some never explored subject of extreme interest and fascination, just like this one.<br />
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<a href="http://www.beltaineinthegrove.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/vintage_easter_bunny_postcard-ra9faef48a3cc4de990c8b25105e865cd_vgbaq_8byvr_512-350x350.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.beltaineinthegrove.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/vintage_easter_bunny_postcard-ra9faef48a3cc4de990c8b25105e865cd_vgbaq_8byvr_512-350x350.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
And that way, maybe myth, magic and imagination can be kept alive and real.<br />
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HAPPY EASTER EVERYONE.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6166508848446886999.post-45824339286763906772014-04-10T20:11:00.001-07:002014-04-10T20:11:43.344-07:00Daughter, Sister, Mother, Wife.<img height="150" src="http://img2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20140217220120/happyfeet/images/9/95/Companions_adelie_penguins.jpg" width="200" /><br />
Image: Wikipedia<br />
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DAUGHTER, SISTER, MOTHER, WIFE</div>
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Once, a lady shared my life,</div>
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She was daughter, sister, mother, wife.</div>
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Far away she came to be,</div>
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And traveled long across the sea.</div>
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From family strong and loving, kind,</div>
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A different life she had to find.</div>
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With her husband, soon a child,</div>
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She settled in a country mild.</div>
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Four years on came baby two,</div>
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Her life was full with much to do.</div>
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Supremely caring, ever loving,</div>
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She gave her all, willingly, smiling.</div>
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Patience and kindness were her style,</div>
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Never was anything a trial.</div>
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Friends and gardens a joy for her,</div>
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And creatures great and small with fur.</div>
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Love and grace in full she had,</div>
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Strength to endure when life was sad.</div>
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She the determined and forthright one,</div>
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At times was I at odds with mum.</div>
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When twilight years came along,</div>
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Her man and son had already gone.</div>
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The women continued to carry life,</div>
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Mother, daughter, sister, wife.</div>
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Mother and daughter, four to two,</div>
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Family re-shaped, changed, new.</div>
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Now mother passed, back to one,</div>
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Rust zacht, I love you mum.</div>
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My mum passed recently, hence no post last week. I am happy for her, she is finally with my dad and my brother. </div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6166508848446886999.post-55835860822910363412014-03-27T21:00:00.001-07:002014-03-27T21:00:52.953-07:00Koffie before the drive Home<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLBkyxyb-4IOrlIvApzo-Za-RlLjHBLh5fYBsFPpgD91Uv3T5tNKgeZl9_1fhrqJcwGuZbWImcmtzP0kLpVjm_hwVhCO4WKMbBvvryX4uuAVnJUdVQSHeR_xcOk6T_pQVCvjh4-DkvvK0/s1600/Koffee.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLBkyxyb-4IOrlIvApzo-Za-RlLjHBLh5fYBsFPpgD91Uv3T5tNKgeZl9_1fhrqJcwGuZbWImcmtzP0kLpVjm_hwVhCO4WKMbBvvryX4uuAVnJUdVQSHeR_xcOk6T_pQVCvjh4-DkvvK0/s1600/Koffee.jpg" height="200" width="120" /></a></div>
Before sitting down today to write, I made my daily coffee. I have a little espresso machine and buy ground coffee which I store in my fridge, except for some which I keep in a small container ready for use. The last time I shopped the supermarket only had beans on special so I knew I was in for a hard road ahead.<br />
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So this morning I unearthed one of my treasures, an old 'koffie' grinder belonging to my parents. It came with them from the Netherlands when they emigrated to New Zealand in the 1950's and I recall them using it for many years. I only became a coffee drinker in the past 10 years, but maybe I kept the 'koffie' grinder for more than one reason. After a good clean, I had a great cup of coffee.<br />
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The other road traveled was south last week down the Bruce Highway. After a most fantabulous adventure in Townsville my girls and I headed home on Wednesday 19. The trip north from Yeppoon had been 8 hours plus in one day, but going home would be different.<br />
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We were tired after our full-on, happy days, but at one point considered heading straight home. Leaving Townsville at 3pm meant we would arrive around midnight. No worries, (Aussie lingo meaning that's ok) been there, done that many a time before. However, the plan was to stay in Bowen tonight, about 2 hours away. So we did.<br />
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Erica had booked accommodation weeks ago, and when we arrived at <a href="http://www.tripadvisor.com.au/Hotel_Review-g499636-d2285444-Reviews-Whitsunday_Sands_Resort-Bowen_Queensland.html" target="_blank">Horseshoe Bay</a>, I remembered it immediately as a very spectacular and charming spot we'd stayed at many years ago, when the children were young, about 6, 3 and 1. What a coincidence. We'd hired a 'tinny' (Aussie dinghy), and motored about for several hours fishing and having fun.<br />
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This time the 3 of us arrived in the late afternoon and strolled along the shell and coral strewn beach, and among the granite boulders before taking in the wonderful sunset.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtg_T5dYtyCyJyGq080oMv9SQrDexVyCXfUuuuNMFLFqewNHsImcIczmUbzzP3vCUE0J62R1VPMca3C5nYjFD9dDIic-PzKqfzs8t6CeQvAAkUuyjarG5h5jcskgfgu1vU1s0pmYmfI7E/s1600/Horseshoe+Bay+shells.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtg_T5dYtyCyJyGq080oMv9SQrDexVyCXfUuuuNMFLFqewNHsImcIczmUbzzP3vCUE0J62R1VPMca3C5nYjFD9dDIic-PzKqfzs8t6CeQvAAkUuyjarG5h5jcskgfgu1vU1s0pmYmfI7E/s1600/Horseshoe+Bay+shells.jpg" height="119" width="200" /></a></div>
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And after having dined like gourmets in Townsville, all we wanted for dinner was fish and chips! So that's what we had.<br />
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On Thursday morning, the Autumn Equinox, we were off by 8am. Only 6 or so hours to go now, we were new people.<br />
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An hour into the drive and we spot the <a href="http://www.travelonline.com/trains/spirit-of-queensland/" target="_blank">Spirit of Queensland</a>. It's travelling south, the track running parallel to the road, and in many places within stone's throw the entire length of the Bruce Highway. The Tilt Train also moves along this route, on other days, and it's faster.<br />
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Heading towards us are many green and purple <a href="http://www.jucy.com.au/?&gclid=CJrkmcmhtL0CFYHxpAod-QcARw" target="_blank">Jucy</a>, and white Wicked Campervans. Several were parked near the Strand in Townsville, with young people spilling and milling out of and around them. Ahh, I remember. Been there, done that too.<br />
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It's raining on and off now. Mist hangs low in places over the hills. We've been lucky as this is the middle of the wet season but it's been a very dry wet season. The wet season means cyclones and Cyclone Hadi has been lurking in the Coral Sea, teasing us with his indecision whether to make landfall or not.<br />
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By midday we need to make a comfort stop. Out in the middle of nowhere is a small 'servo' (Aussie slang for petrol station/roadhouse) Not being hungry, we buy coffee and a sausage roll and sit outside at the picnic table to eat. Ten minutes later we're on the road again, by 2.30pm we're home.<br />
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I silently thank my guardian angels for a safe trip as I take my bags inside, and an hour later I'm off to collect Winnie and Hunny.<br />
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Hooray!<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6166508848446886999.post-29049998530048396952014-03-22T00:26:00.000-07:002014-03-22T00:26:19.848-07:00"A Most Fantabulous Week of Adventures..."This past week has been made up of fantastic, fantabulous celebrations, adventures and ceremony. It all began early on Monday morning with a road trip up the Bruce Highway <img alt="From: Yeppoon QLD To: Townsville City QLD" src="https://www.google.com.au/maps/vt/data=VLHX1wd2Cgu8wR6jwyh-km8JBWAkEzU4,mWKc4hzACu1BXw1ZNq01JF_SdZ4cZlHAhEA-S99AGXOnQlQwUiyFqNS3DOaND8BWbR3_ngiYNHS1LUKicU6XhaQ7BzCBXDfKgl6W8LZiFZdY2MxjGyMYkSAuv6dh3O89aCTTny7PBIBBrYiKXuULMgYTcs6Q7TkXhUT9bVOEsUf-NKbq3hMJxLWd2SZU4Q9G28rWvGbLx_ludTfStCXAIAhbwRgKF4au5q1mrj2njkHFP2E2HbCCjpbIsLNNQeFhoRvLJo8Q4HtT1SFiIgUoMnpgncPNv8vJAN8btdoYakrYl9GfKxkOgmB8LVQa8L6WtSNZJHhmLvRYO2RidzvGO1A_6z35SDacGgSqGqeF5SS5LSjnzM6tWWgYLWQ&h=256&w=256" /> from <a href="http://bit.ly/1dkfSaO" target="_blank">Yeppoon</a> where I live, to Townsville, a journey of 741.9 km (492 mi) according to one of the many calculators available, and taking 8 hours and 1 minute, rather funny that 1 minute, it seems to me. Now, I've made this trip before and vaguely knew distance and time details, but time always varies according to how many stops you make and whether there are road works. Both are guaranteed. The Bruce Highway is the south-north National Highway in Queensland which runs 1,652 km (1,027 mi) from Brisbane to Cairns close to Australia's east coast, as you can see from the map.<br />
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My daughters Erica and Fini and I were travelling to Townsville for Erica's Ph.D Graduation Ceremony on Tuesday afternoon. We were understandably super excited about the upcoming ceremony, not so much about the forthcoming drive of 8 hours, and 1 minute, which could quite easily become 9 hours.<br />
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Predictably for Queensland, Monday morning was bright, clear and warm, and the further north we went the warmer it would be, so we had packed lightly for the 4 days we would be away. We were taking Fini's car, so she drove, Erica was the front seat passenger and I had the back seat to myself. I was grateful for this as I'd only slept 2 to 3 hours the night before due to excitement and anticipation, funny that. I don't get away much, so when I do, it's a big, beautiful deal! I could relax, close my eyes and tune out in the back seat and regain some lost energy for the days ahead.<br />
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"Our" stretch of the Bruce Highway - Rockhampton to Townsville - would take us through <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marlborough,_Queensland">Marlborough</a>, <a href="https://www.google.com.au/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=18&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CMgBEJoTKAAwEQ&url=http%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FSarina%2C_Queensland&ei=vd8sU8-FFdCsrAfpo4GYDg&usg=AFQjCNHfqwLUsY0MNH9nscW3OvhDzg_X-g&sig2=zv1C0Sl4wb2tbjYqeOWXnQ&bvm=bv.62922401,d.bmk">Sarina</a>, <a href="https://www.google.com.au/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=17&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CMYBEJoTKAAwEA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FMackay%2C_Queensland&ei=3eAsU5G3HMiWrgehn4DwAQ&usg=AFQjCNEFsuHEKu1Vs_aEMu0RU8sq7prVkg&sig2=O-m6IYX3S_N7V8HjPQGbag&bvm=bv.62922401,d.bmk">Mackay</a>, <a href="https://www.google.com.au/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=18&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CNABEJoTKAAwEQ&url=http%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FProserpine%2C_Queensland&ei=K-EsU6WnPMSPrgfzq4GwAQ&usg=AFQjCNHrroqAQ_L0mpOJT2FghwliqifnbQ&sig2=01cCt2wb2PNW3GqSa6zp8g&bvm=bv.62922401,d.bmk">Proserpine</a>, <a href="https://www.google.com.au/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=14&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CKoBEJoTKAAwDQ&url=http%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FBowen%2C_Queensland&ei=euEsU-G7DYSFrgf0w4GwCg&usg=AFQjCNH7d2ew8TrMEnOn9lOsCYS0Ua6QmQ&sig2=ZCvrY_a36iFQ87v3pVdbug&bvm=bv.62922401,d.bmk">Bowen</a>, <a href="https://www.google.com.au/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=13&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CKQBEJoTKAAwDA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FHome_Hill%2C_Queensland&ei=s-EsU46OFsOOrQeTjoFI&usg=AFQjCNEi6gmSIolJ9XmJeUCNZrLB7erufg&sig2=J873QZJegpUWSWlci6nmBA&bvm=bv.62922401,d.bmk">Home Hill</a>, and <a href="https://www.google.com.au/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=20&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CLcBEJoTKAAwEw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FAyr%2C_Queensland&ei=3uEsU_bsG87arAf43YGgAQ&usg=AFQjCNEaiTpFUo866ajmJH0zJoeO5oJOVg&sig2=hGwjw6BG3cZcRcetGN8Lvg&bvm=bv.62922401,d.bmk">Ayr</a>. Mackay is a city about half way, 4 hours or so, otherwise most other places are small towns with an occasional settlement interspersed like <a href="http://www.isaac.qld.gov.au/greenhill-and-ilbilbie">Ilbilbie</a> or <a href="https://www.google.com.au/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=13&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CJ0BEJoTKAAwDA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FGumlu%2C_Queensland&ei=P-MsU9WMHoLrrQfU84DYBw&usg=AFQjCNHbMJjlDeuIG9MAZlWp2hcJnnBh2A&sig2=OWIbvzQe3lq-TfOiqCuHbg&bvm=bv.62922401,d.bmk">Gumlu</a>.<br />
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There's not much to see for the first several hours before <a href="https://www.google.com.au/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=13&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CJ0BEJoTKAAwDA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FGumlu%2C_Queensland&ei=P-MsU9WMHoLrrQfU84DYBw&usg=AFQjCNHbMJjlDeuIG9MAZlWp2hcJnnBh2A&sig2=OWIbvzQe3lq-TfOiqCuHbg&bvm=bv.62922401,d.bmk">Sarina</a> other than cattle country where there are white Brahman cattle <img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/86/Brahman_bulls.jpg/320px-Brahman_bulls.jpg" /> in their fields of light green grass (not the photo above) sprinkled with <a href="https://www.google.com.au/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=17&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CJ4BEJoTKAAwEA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FEucalypt&ei=COgsU7XcFMOWrgek3oHoDQ&usg=AFQjCNHW8PfDL7X6jrSMS5qbYnbFc-8fPQ&sig2=H2CMzL8Cxby8wVtW9IzkQQ&bvm=bv.62922401,d.bmk">Eucalypts</a> and <a href="https://www.google.com.au/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=19&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CLEBEJoTKAAwEg&url=http%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FAcacia&ei=necsU5vCCYbnrAfuxoHQBw&usg=AFQjCNEFgHwupJUB0KI5Tr3ALkYrzTWoeA&sig2=_9tPylxQy81qEiYFLbM3Wg&bvm=bv.62922401,d.bmk">Wattles</a>. <a href="https://www.google.com.au/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=21&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CLgBEJoTKAAwFA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FMelaleuca_quinquenervia&ei=QOgsU-_tFYborQeb4ICoCg&usg=AFQjCNHInFPihoTQvh34b8MYGvPPryFVWw&sig2=jO0iqWSwvj3hwvI_O6eJUw&bvm=bv.62922401,d.bmk">Paperbark</a> trees with their soft, peeling, paper-like sheets of bark flourish near rivers and creeks. At this time of year, most of the vegetation is green after the (unfortunately not enough) wet season.<br />
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As we near <a href="https://www.google.com.au/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=17&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CM4BEJoTKAAwEA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FMackay%2C_Queensland&ei=iOgsU4WzHYrGrAenqoCYCA&usg=AFQjCNEFsuHEKu1Vs_aEMu0RU8sq7prVkg&sig2=EmQ0nPjBOh6M5ploYKYAnA&bvm=bv.62922401,d.bmk">Mackay</a> we pass into sugar cane country, established in the 1860's shortly after the founding of the then town. Kilometres and kilometres and hectares and hectares of sugar cane plantations spread out in almost continuous rows on either side of the highway, sometimes as far as the eye can see. Harvesting time approaches and most of the tall, lush green cane stalks look to be 3 to 4m tall as we rush by. In fact some of the cane is already being processed as evidenced by the occasional brown, stubbly field, and smoke rising from the stacks of local mills. The unique cane trains are nowhere in sight, but there are many empty bins waiting along tramways which frequently cross the road, bins to be shortly filled and hauled to the mills for round the clock sugar processing.<br />
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We'd made lunch and coffee and bought fruit and snacks for the journey, but nature called so we make a quick stop on the outskirts of Mackay, just beyond the turn off north. It's around 11.30 am and Erica takes over driving. About an hour in, Fini changes our entertainment from music to <a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Book-Secrets-Unlocking-Dimensions/dp/1400098343">Deepak Chopra's "The Book of Secrets".</a> I settle in for a session of deep learning, ahhh, excellent.<br />
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I listen, but also notice changes beyond the car. Traffic volume has increased, particularly heavy traffic like freight haulers. Small settlements and towns are more numerous. There are older types of houses here, Queenslanders,<img alt="Abandoned farm house" src="http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/image/3133062-3x2-460x307.jpg" /> (image Abandoned Queenslander farm house in sugar can fields by teejaybee) square shaped timber dwellings of often only 2 bedrooms, set high with wide verandas all round to catch the breeze as much as possible during the long, hot summers in the days before air conditioning. I imagine the women 'glowing' in their long dresses and the men, dust covered, tanned and sweat stained, at the end of their day from the labour of hand cutting the cane...<br />
Eventually the countyside becomes less flat, there are hills and ranges of hills to pass over or through, and the more hills, the less cane, until there is no more. Deepak's words are still sinking deep into my subconscious as we reach the outskirts of <a href="https://www.google.com.au/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=17&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CLgBEJoTKAAwEA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FTownsville&ei=t_ksU-e2F8vuoASOhIDICg&usg=AFQjCNEv_FrRus8mrylXVMxMLBFb6_Pxqw&sig2=Vv2qLKSRFckLD-OHz2ut1g&bvm=bv.62922401,d.cGU">Townsville</a>. Don't ask how long the trip took, I'm not interested. All 3 of us are too happy to be out of the car. Needless to say, we'll have an early night, for tomorrow will be a double day of celebration. Ethan, my oldest grandson is turning 3. We'll phone him at some point in Yeppoon.<br />
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<img src="data:image/jpeg;base64,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" />.<br />
Wreck Point, Yeppoon, looking towards Byfield.<br />
<br />
Tuesday, and first things first; breakfast. Erica knows all the good spots as she has lived here for nigh on 4 years until December. Her apartment was close to the northern area of <a href="https://www.google.com.au/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=18&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CLABEJoTKAAwEQ&url=http%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FThe_Strand%2C_Townsville&ei=DwEtU57IHIeGogSkloGgAw&usg=AFQjCNGC9_eR6gJB4QUyP53NPpDkwXC5qw&sig2=8mj4kAuxhTUcDAi-CaMOEQ&bvm=bv.62922401,d.cGU">"The Strand"</a>, Townsville's fabulous foreshore recreation and dining precinct. Her favourite brekky spot had been <a href="https://www.google.com.au/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CCoQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.odysseyonthestrand.com.au%2F&ei=agEtU-j3PM6EogSz7oDwDg&usg=AFQjCNFfSFKmT3RvGvgUw52b-E5VMiz_Vw&sig2=2w3mpxhthPZDVsAAShahBQ&bvm=bv.62922401,d.cGU">Odyssey</a>, so we head there. After Bircher muesli and coffee, the day is ready for me and we stroll back to our motel. The girls need some last minute supplies for the ceremony later so go shopping then swimming. I simply rest.<br />
<br />
Barbeque chicken on fresh rolls with salad is for lunch, then it's suddenly it's 1pm. Yikes! How did that happen? The mad rush is on to be ready for arrival at the Townsville Entertainment Centre by 2pm. Unlikely methinks, 2.30 probably. Erica needs to collect her gown, hood and bonnet by 3, for the ceremony at 3.30. <br />
Finally, dressed "to the nines", we make our way, in bright sunshine under palms, over sole-deep, carefully tended grass and concrete paths to the entrance area of the Centre. Erica disappears, to return a glorious sight in royal blue bonnet trimmed with gold cord and tassel, royal blue gown lined with red, and a royal blue hood also lined in red which is draped over her arm. WOW, WOW, WOW! My daughter looks so deeply happy, and beautiful. Someone told me once that doing a Ph.D is one of the most stressful times of your life. Erica can vouch for that, but oh so very shortly she will be duly awarded her prize and rewarded for her focus and persistence. And when her turn comes, the hood she's been carrying is placed around her neck and the bonnet reset on her head. Doctoral Degree in hand, she can now say the 8 years it has taken to get here have been worth it. And I am a very, very proud parent :).<br />
<br />
By the time we've taken photos it's 6.30pm. We'd made reservations in the morning for 7pm at <a href="https://www.google.com.au/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CCsQFjAA&url=https%3A%2F%2Fplus.google.com%2F113631356276588791806%2Fabout%3Fgl%3Dau%26hl%3Den&ei=GQstU9eqLYnZkAXwioGgDw&usg=AFQjCNEjvYAGQz2Fe7pYtVOTIpti-5LEdw&sig2=OEHSkdvhXXmV7Lg8nKueHA&bvm=bv.62922401,d.dGI">A Touch of Salt</a>, a great restaurant with delicious food situated on the Ross River. We have a table outside on the terrace right next to the river. The sun is down and the balmy evening breeze blows gently, just perfect. We order mojitos, a martini and a whiskey sour, all with a twist, then wonderful mains consisting of Duck, Moreton Bay Bugs and Aubergine Lasagne. We're even brave enough to have chocolate dessert and port after. Yum, YUM. Whist at dinner we ring Ethan and sing him Happy Birthday. Nearing 3, all he wanted was Ninja Turtles, so that's what he got. At a "non party" event for him on Saturday afternoon, he was showered with all things NT, including a TMNT cake to round off the day. We too are well rounded off this day.<br />
<br />
Wednesday morning breakfast found us at the <a href="https://www.google.com.au/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CCsQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cbar.com.au%2F&ei=Xg4tU4KyAoiWkgWrxIEw&usg=AFQjCNGwe2JL3wMZfHRPRhGsXemu7D2v6A&sig2=4Tf-l3o6KPXjckZ8wWG-Ig&bvm=bv.62922401,d.dGI">C Bar</a>, also on The Strand, and another round of Bircher muesli and coffee for me. I don't vary my breakfast menu often, even when away from home, preferring a light start to the day. The C Bar sits right on the water's edge, with rocky foundations keeping it steady from whatever weather events come ashore, and cyclones regularly do. In February 2011 Severe Tropical Cyclone <a href="https://www.google.com.au/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=5&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CDcQFjAE&url=http%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FCyclone_Yasi&ei=vg4tU4G2MISukgXb4oCYBQ&usg=AFQjCNGfVf-8VDhl-kkMEHEZ_3QSxP1I4w&sig2=esRksGT1I-Nh7BNV1sjloQ&bvm=bv.62922401,d.dGI">Yasi</a> crossed the coast at Mission Beach, about 250 km to the north, and still left Townsville and surrounds battered, bruised, snapped and exfoliated. Erica was here then and and was evacuated from her apartment to higher, safer ground. Even Yeppoon, 980 km's to the south experienced strong winds from that storm.<br />
<br />
Back to our motel after breakfast to pack up before 10am and begin the journey home. We're not travelling the full 741.9 km today, but only going a few hours down the coast where we'll spend 1 night, then continue home on Thursday.<br />
<br />
Before setting off, Erica goes out to the uni to say goodbye to some friends and Fini and I relax on the foreshore of The Strand. Before us not more than several km's offshore is <a href="https://www.google.com.au/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=14&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CK0BEJoTKAAwDQ&url=http%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FMagnetic_Island&ei=exAtU--KH8OKlQXCl4DoBg&usg=AFQjCNH42hw0Okqy4lGyIvoTTNpPh-Y_SA&sig2=acuGtmjQUiywddzN0yYa2w&bvm=bv.62922401,d.dGI">Magnetic Island</a>, and behind us are joggers and walkers, grandparents with their grandchildren and fur babies with their mums and dads, and in the background stands <a href="https://www.google.com.au/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=14&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CKABEJoTKAAwDQ&url=http%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FCastle_Hill%2C_Queensland&ei=RREtU5GMG8qClQXIm4HQBw&usg=AFQjCNFzcv81eOrzwJPVGBhprPYkfNTwxA&sig2=tS4yAWS3dmFqgWqn4w7uvQ&bvm=bv.62922401,d.dGI">Castle Hill</a>.<br />
<br />
This is quite likely the last visit I shall make to Townsville, and indeed up this stretch of the Bruce Highway. Driving long distance is not my thing, I prefer to fly. Tomorrow afternoon I'll see Hunny and Winnie again hooray! They've been boarding in kennels, and even though I explained everything clearly to them, I couldn't help but feel sad to leave them, hoping they would be happy.<br />
<br />
(They had a ball).<br />
<br />
Now for the return.<br />
<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6166508848446886999.post-64050514531982475892014-03-13T19:13:00.000-07:002014-03-13T19:13:24.113-07:00"Staying Strong": 2.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
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<br />
Wednesday 12th of March marked the 16th anniversary of the breakdown I experienced, the subject of my memoir "Staying Strong". It's not an anniversary I usually notice, but since revving up the writing of this story, it is one that's in front of me much of the time. Two weeks back I posted a snippet from my upcoming "Staying Strong", and this week and next I shall post further insight.<br />
<br />
In 1998 I went through 9 long months that were dark, painful, frightening and full of despair. There are no fancy words or lively phrases to describe those months because there was nothing in my life then that came close to fancy or lively. There was only pain, fear and despair. That was it. NOTHING else existed, everything else was too difficult to cope with since my mind and body overloaded on the 12th March from staying strong for too long.<br />
<br />
Now I was paying the price for what I previously thought utterly necessary. If only, if only...If only I had been able to de-stress sooner, or feel less guilty, or not be studying and working or, or.......It went on and on.<br />
<br />
Prolonged severe stress for too long has a way of breaking the mind and the body. It does so to stop the prolonged severe stress, and it does so in dramatic style, one way or another. I slam-dunked into a breakdown and shut down.<br />
<br />
There are lots of analogies for something like this. Anyone who has ever been through major trauma knows the same. There's the incident itself, the trauma, the realisation of what this means, then the road beyond. It's the road beyond where things become interesting because it's here where reality of the situation kicks in. Do I cope or don't I? Can I cope? There are physical, mental and emotional sides to trauma which become very raw and remain so for a long time, not just a day or so.<br />
<br />
A breakdown is COMPLETELY OVERWHELMING. I was b r o k e n d o w n. I wouldn't start, couldn't. Parts of me were so worn from over use I malfunctioned and simply stopped on March 12th 1998. I slowly repaired and 9 months later I was able to go again, slowly.<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">"...Bone
weary, I headed to my bedroom, so happy I was still at home and able to lie down. I
thought for a moment that I may be coming down with the flu as I did have some
of the symptoms.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">I
lay on my back, closed my eyes and tried to relax. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">“If
I give myself 5 minutes I’ll be OK”, I thought. I was expecting the light headedness and queasiness to pass, but they didn’t. Instead, my legs began to
tingle. It was as if I had pins and needles, so I flexed and relaxed my feet, thinking
that would help. It didn’t. I began to feel very hot and started sweating
profusely, even though it was cool in my room from the fan. I was very
restless, moving my legs and now my arms because they too were tingling. It was
if a change of position would relieve the weird sensations. But there was no
relief, no matter what I did.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">By
now I was becoming scared. This, whatever it was, was escalating and I couldn’t
stop it. Extreme nausea took over so I began breathing deeply, hoping it would
improve my situation and cause the sensations and feelings to subside. I was
also breathing deeply to try and get more air. I just couldn’t get enough air!
Seemingly immense pressure was bearing down on my chest as well as building
from within. My heart was pounding wildly, my head felt about to burst. Nothing
I was doing to calm myself was working.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">“I
must be having a heart attack! I’m going to die” I thought, which was a
reasonable conclusion given my situation. “What the hell is happening here? Why
can’t I control this, and what is it anyway?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Everything
hurt so much. It seemed as if every fibre of my entire being was in pain. I was
terrified. Petrified! NOTHING like this had ever happened to me. I was always a
calm, cool and collected person. This was off the planet stuff and that scared
me even more..." <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia;">from "Staying Strong"</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Next week I will be travelling but should be home in time for Friday's post. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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<span style="font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Have a great weekend everyone,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Leonie.</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6166508848446886999.post-54785364971245593622014-03-05T16:00:00.004-08:002014-03-05T16:00:50.350-08:00The Crafter's Graft: The Labour of Love.<img alt="IWSG Badge" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVet61rkRHshI_qt8nSYGcxqWisOEMvAQ852xsLoUJjTQ6MR1qKhKclM0ClIphD669kYMRxltSEUWWVY7g6Ac8r9-NwDU9NsDLgBjjJ4KO8HXiPaQONq1pg0yafjmv-G2P1qkXnmPmPSk/s1600/IWSG+badge.jpg" /><br />
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I've always crafted, but only recently started writing again on a regular basis. Over the years I've crafted many things, clothing, jewellery, gardens, poetry, nik-naks. I've sewn 'till the cows came home and crocheted 'till the chickens came in to roost.<br />
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The 'work' we do as craftspeople is a labour of love. I loved every stitch I sewed, loop I crocheted and word I wrote and write. I love it when the Pantster in me takes over and I'm off and flying with the sheer joy and freedom of my project when it's fresh and new. I'm like the kid in the candy shop, forever young with no constraints on my imagination and all the potential fun I can have.<br />
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It's true! This to me, is what crafting is all about. We are the lucky ones. We are writers able to craft and create whatever we want. Only crafters can do that. Our 'work', our labour, is what we love to do.<br />
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Yet 'labour' and 'graft' denote hard work. And let's get real here ha ha, crafting, be it writing, crocheting, woodworking or whatever beautiful we create, can be long, arduous and frustrating, and not worth the time and effort we put into it. All the same, ALL the craft I have ever done HAS been worth while. I have never made much money from my craft, it has always been because I loved what I was doing.<br />
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Likewise writing. It's a long and frustrating road at times. There are days and days, weeks even of sunshine and roses when inspiration flows and everything goes right. Then follows, for some odd reason no-one can ever explain, those brick wall days and weeks when there is no end of problems - no flow to the story, the computer dies, the perfect book you worked on for so long is actually crap etc, etc.<br />
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Many years ago I crocheted a beautiful but intricate round tablecloth for my mum. I can't recall how many times I had to undo it because at some point I went wrong. There was no option but to undo it to the mistake and start again, and again...but because I loved the 'work' so much, I finished it. It was truly a work of art and worth all the graft.<br />
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So it is with writing. It is a beautiful work of art, a craft, a labour of love. At some time we are all apprentices, like I am now. We do our time, learn our trade, always keep learning and never give up.<br />
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Through this process do we become Master Crafters.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6166508848446886999.post-62235089676209471962014-02-27T18:32:00.000-08:002014-02-28T17:32:13.518-08:00"Staying Strong": The~Changing~Names~Of~A~Memoir. <br>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7CJbASD_7CKpMy2mzl9TJglpRClA4pVnPY39FQmYvrQnBXGgYV6tlFGL43lTu1FD0PNPuaPYYqIcHy3BSxzHocs1zm4782aE4sJ-AQqKR6q8pSdVOvWx1t1AqfGHjgYK9NOIGchfkEvc/s1600/Cloud+flickr.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7CJbASD_7CKpMy2mzl9TJglpRClA4pVnPY39FQmYvrQnBXGgYV6tlFGL43lTu1FD0PNPuaPYYqIcHy3BSxzHocs1zm4782aE4sJ-AQqKR6q8pSdVOvWx1t1AqfGHjgYK9NOIGchfkEvc/s1600/Cloud+flickr.jpg"></a><br>
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Changes happen for one reason or another. My Memoir has been a stop, start, stop, start again story for at least 10 years due to the pain and deep emotion that arose every time I tried to continue writing it. Consequently it has gone through many, many re-writes in 10 years, including cover changes and title changes, but now as it's close to being primmed and polished I can finally say I'm happy with what I've created.<br>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Image by Honou flickr.com</span><br>
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For at least 8 years the story was called "My Story" because I had no name for what it was. Then I was undecided among "I Died a Little Death", "Freak Out" and "Frozen by Fear", all suitable and descriptive titles. But they weren't quite right and I eventually settled on "Broken". Ahhh, the relief of having that sorted. However.<br>
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I had finished the first draft about 6 months ago and not looked at the book until 4 weeks ago, I was writing other books, and it's good writing policy to leave big projects for a while then go back to them. On going over the memoir, I very recently had an 'Ahhaa' moment when all things previously not quite right suddenly become crystal clear. <br>
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The clarity I received provided a new and final title that is perfect. " Staying Strong". As often happens, a book's evolution encounters mutation and diversification - it has been 10 years in the creation after all - but the more I primmed and polished "Broken" the more I understood how much I wanted to portray the strength in me, in all of us, not the weakness which "Broken" offered up. Although I was writing about a personal experience and did not perceive it as a weak period in my life, I none the less realised that having (a nervous breakdown with associated) panic attacks, anxiety and depression was frequently perceived as a weakness.<br>
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After I finished the first draft I found this:<br>
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"<span style="font-family: Georgia; text-align: center;">Depression, anxiety and panic attacks are NOT a
sign of weakness. They are signs of having tried to remain strong for way too
long."</span><br>
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<i><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 10.0pt;">Author unknown<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: x-small;">I knew immediately that the burn out and breakdown I had experienced was a direct result of having remained strong in a non-sustainable situation for WAY too long. Cogs began to shift in my brain. I hadn't seen the breakdown from this perspective before and it gave me new belief in myself and...new strength.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: x-small;">Staying strong interestingly had different purposes before, during and after my breakdown. It acted against me when I was under extreme stress by taking me to breakdown, then down the dark road of depression. Yet it kept me afloat when I was at risk of giving up all hope of survival, of sinking, of possibly taking my own life. Of course, the nature of staying strong under each circumstance was unique.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: x-small;">Staying strong was always a choice, but now it is a <i>concious</i> and positive choice, without the stresses of the past. It means I and my memoir have come full circle. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: x-small;">And having said that, it's currently close to peer review, if anyone is interested?...please contact me :)</span></div>
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Here are 2 exerpts for you. This first piece is from the INTRODUCTION.</div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">It
has been 16 years since events brought me to the reason for writing this book,
about the day my life changed direction. I first started writing the story at
least 10 years ago, but never managed to journey far down the dangerous and
difficult road to its end. Going over everything again was always painful and
depressing, so the story stopped and was forgotten. It would be restarted, but
with a different beginning, many times, and often only in my head. I did not
believe in myself enough, let alone my ability to write a book. But at least I
had kept copies, for sometime, maybe, when it could grow into a real thing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">That
‘thing’, this book, has finally been born. I could now write the story reasonably
comfortably, without the pain, the sickness in my stomach or the depression that
always rose with earlier attempts. And it was time. Remaining tucked away in my
shadow world where embarrassing and shameful events were kept was no longer
right.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">W</span><span style="font-family: Georgia;">hat was this story about and what was such a big deal you might ask?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Well,
in March of 1998, I completely burnt out and had a nervous breakdown.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">It
officially started on the morning of Thursday 12<sup>th</sup> of March at about
8am when I had the first of what-were-to-be many severe, full-blown panic
attacks. Until December I suffered daily with extreme anxiety and became deeply,
clinically depressed. I was a complete mess, unable to function ‘normally’. For
9 long months, with my life held in limbo, I lived life in a slow motion bubble.
Imagine that.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Those
months, and the rough and uphill climb to wholeness afterwards defined the
darkest and most challenging period of my life. But life had to go on. I didn’t
want to die, but I didn’t know, while in that state, if I would be able to stop
myself from ending my life. What if I was I capable of tricking myself into ending
it?"...<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: x-small;">And this from the first chapter COUNTDOWN</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">..."In January 1996 I shifted with my family to the small coastal Queensland town of </span>Yeppoon<span style="font-family: Georgia;">...Within 12 months however, my life was very hectic, stressful and full of emotional turmoil. I was forever busy, going from one activity to the next, always “up”, moving, never relaxed. I had lots on my plate. I had issues, but I didn’t have the time, the energy, or desire to deal with them.</span><br>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">“I’ll deal with it later,” are the famous last words I used about everything immediately un-resolvable. I always intended to deal with ‘it’ and ‘things’ later, but by now ‘things’ had stockpiled.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">You see, I knew I would go into overwhelm if I stopped to address some important issues and so I simply didn’t. I couldn’t, I no longer knew how. They were personal. Keeping going, staying strong seemed the only option, so I kept going. I’m referring to my marriage. It had been in trouble for some time and sadly it was getting worse. I had become an emotional wreck, my self-esteem had plummeted and I was living on the edge whilst pretending to the kids and the world that everything was fine."...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Next week I'll be posting on Wednesday March 5th with the Insecure Writers Support Groups' monthly Blog Hop. My post will appear here, but I may not post next Friday (Thursday for some of you :))</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Until then, have a great weekend,</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: x-small;">Leonie, Winnie and Hunny</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: x-small;">C6M8UAZV7K7R</span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6166508848446886999.post-31477770626504453882014-02-20T18:49:00.002-08:002014-02-20T18:49:37.742-08:003 Powerful Ways to use Colour for Health and Harmony.<img alt="Ysanne Lewis - Colour Chart" src="http://ysanne.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/SmallColorChart-300x300.jpg" /><br />
Image: ysanne.com<br />
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These days, with having CFS/ME, many of my best laid plans don't go to plan. My intentions are good, my diary is sorted and set for the next day, but when the day arrives, quite often the 'plan' has to be adjusted for one reason or another. For example, I was going to write about my memoir today, but this past week has been a particularly slow, fatiguing and frustrating one and my plans to continue with the edit/rewrite have come to naught. In fact, I've spent some confusing and irritating hours on a laptop that is also suffering fatigue it seems as it has taken to shutting itself down on occasion without prior notice to me! Looks like I need a new one. Wish I could say the same about myself. Oh well,...<br />
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So I decided to continue this week with a post on Colour Therapy because the Crystal post last week was more lively than a serious memoir. There will be a book on Colour at some point too, when plans go to plan. Maybe sooner than the memoir, and one on Crystal Therapy, and why not even one on Aromatherapy :) Just short ones, with enough to give you the basics for First Aid/Self Help at home. What do you think? I've run workshops on exactly these topics in the past so I should know something, right?<br />
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Colour is a non-invasive yet powerful healer that was known and used by many ancient civilisations such as the Lemurians, Atlantians, Egyptians, Maya, Indians, Chinese, and North American Indians. They all had a great knowledge of colour healing, and today many people are embracing this pure healing force again.<br />
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Colour is part of the electro-magnetic spectrum, and comes to us via white light from the sun. White light is broken into the visible spectrum - the rainbow - the colours that we see. Colour penetrates our entire being, every cell is light sensitive, but when this light energy is blocked, imbalance and dis-ease can occur. For example, bad diet, unhealthy lifestyle, negative thoughts, suppressing emotions or stress can all negatively upset the body's energy balance.<br />
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In Colour Therapy, it is the vibrations or healing energies, carried by the different colours, that are used to promote balance and harmony between body, emotions, mind and spirit to help keep us healthy.Therefore, colour can be used to balance energy, aid creativity and learning, release blocks and help alleviate physical and mental conditions.<br />
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Lets look first at the colours that are used in traditional Colour Therapy. These are also the ones I used in my Practice. Have a look at the Colour Wheel above for the <i>colour </i>of the colour :). Notice also on the Colour Wheel that directly opposite each colour is what's known as its Complement, e.g, Yellow' s Complement is Violet, Blue's Complement is Orange. More on this later. As well, we need to know each colour's unique healing quality, outlined below. These come through via the vibration that the colour inherently carries as part of its place in the electro-magnetic spectrum. The energy of this vibration, our belief in and invitation of this energy into our life is what brings about healing. As with crystals, so for colour. The principle is the same, it's just a different medium delivering the healing energy.<br />
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RED is life force energy. It is stimulating, energising, revitalising. It is good for circulation, chronic illness, the blood and RAISES blood pressure. Associated with the Base Chakra, the feet, legs, sex organs, bladder, large intestine.<br />
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ORANGE is joy and creativity, sensuality, sexuality, generosity. It is good for the heart and artery disease, the digestive system, and it assists in balancing, cleansing and purifying the hormones. It relaxes, uplifts and opens up the body and mind to nourishment. Associated with the Sacral Chakra and small intestine.<br />
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YELLOW is learning, the intellect and will. It is good for the digestion, stomach, gall-bladder, liver and nervous system. It is cheerful and helps dispel fear and stuck energy as well as give clarity to our thoughts. Associated with the Solar Plexus Chakra, the diaphragm, upper digestive organs.<br />
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GREEN is balance. It is abundance, new beginnings, growth, calming, soothing, nature, trust. It is good for the liver, tumours, cysts and growths, the chest and skeletal system. It helps balance our emotions, thoughts and decisions. Associated with the Heart Chakra, the heart, the chest, the arms.<br />
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TURQUOISE is immunity. It is good for inflammation, burns and infections, and boosts the immune system, the lungs and large intestine. It assists with deep change and immunity from the negative thoughts and emotions of others. Associated with the Thymus Chakra and Thymus Gland.<br />
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BLUE is calming and deep inner peace. It is cooling and anti-cramping. It is good for headaches, nervousness, pain, fever, haemorrhage, insomnia, and helps LOWER blood pressure. It is soothing, protective, nurturing, expansive and relaxing and helps calm the mind if you cannot think calmly. Associated with the Throat Chakra, the throat and neck.<br />
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VIOLET is wisdom. It is the higher mind, spirituality, intuition, inspiration, loyalty. It is good for the spleen and lymphatic system, is anti-viral and relaxes the entire body, mind and spirit. It promotes self-respect and dignity, and enhances meditation. Associated with the Brow Chakra, the eyes and ears.<br />
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MAGENTA is transformation. It is the connection to spirit, love from beyond, compassion, letting go. It regulates the brain, pineal gland and autonomic nervous system. It helps us let go of old emotions, thoughts, patterns, habits, relationships. Associated with the Crown Chakra.<br />
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AND.......As promised, 3 of the ways colour can be used are as follows:<br />
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<li>Colour Affirmations</li>
<li>Colour Breathing</li>
<li>Colour and Crystals</li>
</ul>
COLOUR AFFIRMATIONS are short positive sentences which are repeated regularly and often. We can use affirmations to move stagnant energy and change ingrained patterns or thoughts often developed in childhood. If you've been in the habit of repeating statements like "I'm no good at math".....insert yours :)...then you've probably said it a million times (truly) without realising it, and, as a result you now believe it :(. The GOOD NEWS is, YOU CAN CHANGE IT. Truly. With an affirmation. A Colour Affirmation. Here goes.<br />
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<b>The colour yellow helps me with my math. </b>Yellow being the colour of the intellect, will and learning is perfect for anything to do with study or learning. You could also add another sentence/affirmation using Magenta, for letting go of old patterns and habits.</div>
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<b>Magenta helps me let go of my old beliefs about math. </b>The idea is to make the affirmations positive, in the present tense, ie. I <b>am</b>, I Leonie <b>am, help, are, do, balance, express, bring, strengthen </b>etc. The here and now. State the colour, and put yourself in the affirmation. </div>
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Here are some more.</div>
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<b>Every day I am energised and revitalised by the colour red.</b></div>
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<b>The orange ray brings me joy and happiness.</b></div>
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<b>Yellow, I am worthy of my own self-love.</b></div>
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<b>With the colour green I restore balance and harmony to every cell in my body.</b></div>
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<b>Through turquoise I am able to boost my immune system.</b></div>
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<b>Through the colour blue, I attain more peace and tranquility in my life.</b></div>
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<b>The violet ray heals every nerve fibre in my body.</b></div>
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<b>With magenta I can let go of the past.</b></div>
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COLOUR BREATHING is another simple technique that can be done anywhere, anytime, just like the affirmations above. Because we breathe involuntarily, adding colour to our breaths is a powerful self-help natural healing tool. Hold a clear quartz crystal in your hand or have one nearby and the energies are amplified. All the better for you. </div>
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Colour Breathing requires that you lie down or sit in a chair with your back straight, preferably in a quiet, peaceful environment, but if that's not available to you, this lovely exercise need only take 5 to 10 minute, so is do-able in the office, the park, on the train, or in the shower (wonderful). Like I said, anywhere, anytime you can close your eyes and zone out for a few minutes without someone disturbing you. First, identify which colour you need , say MAGENTA for a relationship breakdown. You will also need its Complementary colour Green. If you have an inflamed and infected cut you will need TURQUOISE and its Complement Red.<br />
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So settle yourself, relax, close your eyes and take some deep breaths.Then return your breathing to normal. Image yourself at a time when you were completely well, positive and happy. Put an imaginary smile on your face, even if you don't feel like that now. Continue to breathe normally, then on the next in-breath, breathe in your chosen colour and imagine it passing in through your nose and spreading from there throughout your body. On your out breath, breathe out the COMPLEMENTARY colour. Continue to breathe normally. MAGENTA in, GREEN out, or (Turquoise in, Red out) for 5 to 10 minutes. You can repeat this whenever you like, or feel the need. If you become distracted that's okay, just gently bring yourself back to your colour breathing. You can flood your body with the colour, or simply direct the colour with your mind to the inflamed and infected cut. This is a really simple but powerful exercise.<br />
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Naturally, I've skimming the surface of a vast subject, but I hope you get the idea :) I've got one more lovely colour treatment you can give yourself and it involves .... CRYSTALS...., some of which I wrote about last week.<br />
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Colour and crystals are intimately bound together and work, dare I say, magic together. They posses not only their own mineral healing energies, but the healing energies of colour as well. Here is a choice for each colour. Carry them with you, place them on your body according to the area their colour governs and ask them to aid in the healing process. The ones I have/like are in bold.<br />
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RED:<b> Ruby</b>, Garnet, <b>Red Jasper</b>, Red Agate<br />
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ORANGE: <b>Carnelian, </b>Orange Jasper, Orange Agate, Orange Quartz<br />
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YELLOW: <b>Citrine, </b>Golden Topaz, Yellow Agate, <b>Tiger Eye</b><br />
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GREEN: <b>Aventurine, Jade, Peridot, </b>Emerald, Green Jasper<br />
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TURQUOISE: <b>Turquoise, </b>Green Quartz<br />
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BLUE: <b>Lapis Lazuli, Blue Lace Agate, Sodalite, </b>Blue Quartz<br />
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VIOLET: <b>Amethyst, Fluorite, </b>Tourmaline<br />
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MAGENTA: <b>Clear Quartz, Rutilated Quartz, </b>White Topaz<br />
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There are soooo many beautiful crystals. When choosing a new one, I generally go with what appeals to me. I look and choose within what I'm broadly looking for, rather than what was specifically written in the book or on the website. That way I'm always surprised and pleased.<br />
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So there you have 3 ways you can use colour at home or anywhere for health and wellbeing. I've only scratched the surface here, colour is a powerful long-standing healer sadly hidden away and deemed quackery when main stream medicine came along. Just take a moment and look around you at the colours in your life. If you pass a long dreary grey winter, maybe you experience S.A.D, Seasonal Affective Disorder, in which some people experience often severe depression in winter, only to be perfectly okay again in summer. Then if you life in the Cook Islands maybe you have sunshine and warm weather all year round and have a very relaxed, carefree and sunny disposition.<br />
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I have a very green, lush and beautiful back yard. It is warm and tropical in our southern hemisphere summer right now. Most of the plants and trees were planted by yours truly before I had CFS and I'm so happy I did that. I love gardening, but I can't do it anymore. My point is, the garden soothes me. The <i>green </i>soothes me. Green is my favourite colour these days. It used to be blue for a long time, blue for relaxation because I was always too stressed, now it's green to maintain balance. It all works. On all levels of consciousness, whether we believe it, whether we want it to work, or not. Everything works better if we do want it to and if we do believe it.<br />
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And on that note, it's time to sign off and have some coffee. Next week, an update, I hope, on the memoir, ha ha.<br />
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Have a happy, colourful weekend all,<br />
<br />
Leonie.<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6166508848446886999.post-38563805205459144962014-02-13T20:33:00.002-08:002014-02-13T20:33:41.674-08:00Now for SoMethiNG enTiREly diFFerent: CRYSTALS.My Dood books are finished. I loved writing them, they were fun stories. I'm an observer, and as such I had an insight into how my Doods think and do, their interests, fears and sense of humour. Yes, they have one and it was/is quite easy to detect. Because of my books, I was recently given another doggie book called "Inside Of A Dog" What Dogs See, Smell and Know. <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/09/books/excerpt-inside-of-a-dog.html?ref=review">http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/09/books/excerpt-inside-of-a-dog.html?ref=review</a> This International New York Times Bestseller by cognitive scientist Alexandra Horowitz "explains how dogs perceive their daily world". It's an in-depth, eye-opening, fascinating look into what really goes on for dogs.<br />
<br />
RADICAL change of subject. For some time, my Crystal Healing board on Pinterest has had the most re-Pins of all my Boards. Almost every day I receive notification that there has been at least one Crystal re-Pin. There are many people out there who are interested in crystals, not only their beauty, but also their healing properties.<br />
<br />
My interest began as a child picking up pretty pebbles. Later I became a Geologist, later a Natural Therapies Practitioner specialising in Hypnotherapy, Colour Therapy, Crystal Therapy, Electro-Crystal Therapy, Aromatherapy Massage and Reiki. Somewhere in between I had a breakdown. Ironic isn't it? I've done other things too.<br />
<br />
Now I write, and as you can see, I've traveled many places, covered many bases. Even though I don't practice Natural Therapies for others anymore, I still have my "tools", my crystals, colours, books and various gadgets.<br />
<br />
I've always had crystals around the house. There's currently a piece of sparkly Green Aventurine <img alt="Aventurine" src="http://crystal-cure.com/pics/aventurine-dark.jpg" /> on my bedside table, simply because it 'appealed' to me one day so I knew it needed to be there. At some point it will return to join my other crystals, only to be exchanged, or not, for another.<br />
<br />
At the front door is a large chunk of unpolished Rose Quartz. <img alt="Rose Quartz" src="http://crystal-cure.com/pics/rosequartz-rough.jpg" /> It has been there for 8 years, as long as I've lived in this house. It seemed 'right' for it to be there. It's there to promote loving, calming, peaceful thoughts and actions in anyone entering and leaving my house. I also have another piece in my room, and one on the back veranda, and a tiny polished piece in my purse :). The piece of Rose Quartz in my room sits on a small table next to my meditation chair with other crystal companions an Amethyst Cluster <img src="http://crystal-cure.com/pics/cluster-amethyst01-s.jpg" /><br />
a Clear Quartz Point <img alt="standing crystal point" height="200" src="http://crystal-cure.com/pics/point-crystal-standing2-s.jpg" width="200" /> <br />
and a Milky or Candle Quartz <img alt="Candle Quartz crystal point" src="http://crystal-cure.com/pics/candle-quartz75.jpg" /><br />
to balance the energies of the Clear Quartz. I suspect I may have at least 100 crystals!<br />
<br />
This Saturday the 15th there is a Full Moon and approximately 2 dozen of the crystals I use the most will be Moon Bathing. That is, I will be setting them out under the rays of the Full Moon to cleanse and re-energise them. First I will wash them in a bath of cooled, boiled water which has a little sea salt added for detox. Then I'll rinse them in extra plain cooled, boiled water and place them in a dish or tray outside to absorb the calming, heavenly energy of the Full Moon. It's like us having our daily shower. In the morning, after having received some of the sun's early energy, I bring them inside, all sparkly, refreshed and renewed. They love it!<br />
<br />
I do this partly because I believe crystals, like plants and animals, are sentient beings. They help us, take care of us, look after us and look out for us...why are we otherwise attracted to them?...so we need to do our part in return. Washing off the dust and dross of daily life and the energy that surrounds it is the least we can do for them. Even if this is not quite your thing, it's hard not to be fascinated by the many colours, forms, habits and sizes crystals can take. Some are miniscule. Some are gigantic. Some come in singles, some form magnificent clusters in vast caverns and caves. Wow, Wow, Wow! I'd LOVE to visit those!!<br />
<br />
So on Saturday I'll be Moon Bathing a piece of Amethyst <img src="http://crystal-cure.com/pics/point-amethyst01-s.jpg" /><br />
a piece of Blue Lace Agate <img alt="blue lace agate" src="http://crystal-cure.com/pics/agate-bluelace.jpg" />, <br />
a Carnelian <img src="http://crystal-cure.com/pics/heart-carnelian-s.jpg" /> several Clear Quartz points, a small Citrine Cluster <img src="http://crystal-cure.com/pics/cl-citrine-plate3-s.jpg" /><br />
Fluorite<img src="http://crystal-cure.com/pics/py-fluorite-s.jpg" /> Hematite <img src="http://crystal-cure.com/pics/palm-hematite-s.jpg" /><br />
a piece of polished red Jasper <img src="http://crystal-cure.com/pics/gem-redjasper2-b.jpg" /><br />
a piece of Lapis Lazuli<img alt="Lapis Lazuli pyramid" src="http://crystal-cure.com/pics/py-lapis-s.jpg" /> a polished raw Ruby <img alt="ruby bead" height="200" src="http://crystal-cure.com/pics/bead-ruby-facet-tear.jpg" width="200" /><br />
and a Single Smoky Quartz Point.<img src="http://crystal-cure.com/pics/pt-smokey-polished-s.jpg" />Check out my <b>Crystal Healing</b> board on the <b>Sidebar</b> here for the healing properties of all of these crystals.<br />
<br />
My crystals are kept in a beautiful wooden box my Dad made. They rest on a white sheepskin bed, and when I have 'need' of one or another's healing properties I'm simply drawn to a particular crystal, like the Green Aventurine on my bedside table. It's not magic, or science, or hard for that matter. If you would like to start using crystals for healing, or would just like some crystals in your house but don't know which or where to start, when visiting your crystal shop buy the one you like the most. It's as easy as that.<br />
<br />
As for my current writing project, my memoir BROKEN - I may rename it, maybe- is coming along nicely. I have nearly finished another review of it. As this book is SERIOUS, I'm putting much more SERIOUS time and energy into it. It will be peer reviewed before publication (yikes!) because I want my work to improve with successive books.<br />
<br />
Next week an excerpt, unless you're craving more crystals or such.<br />
<br />
Until then,<br />
<br />
Happy weekend<br />
<br />
Leonie.<br />
<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6166508848446886999.post-48828175622011297482014-02-04T20:33:00.000-08:002014-02-04T20:56:49.081-08:00WANTED: Female Authors' Tips for Lone Wolf with Issues.<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnoy6lQ-JZCTaHVjigbgbU42sQpa4F-mKekOGiJAf4mMErG7_l6VUGIs6gwpBFabM2LoD9rEaXleFyAQDd-V9RURAyIlwN5ZGF4VMqP0ayQ8F0XZn4zKVWVhRHXUHN_i7Lre35sCv1T0U/s400/InsecureWritersSupportGroup2.jpg" /><br />
<br />
This is my first post for IWSG http://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/p/iwsg-sign-up.html ... and I'm feeling nervous and excited for the same reason. As my post title suggests, I'm a Lone Wolf, yet here I am about to take another plunge into very social waters. Not so long ago I could not have imagined myself doing this. Two posts ago I even talked about some hurdles and the benefits of being social, but now I'm about to walk my talk.<br />
<br />
And guess what, I believe I'm enjoying myself! Prior to enjoyment, my emotion was fear. Fear of interaction and fear of the time it takes to interact. I just wanted to put my head down and write, publish my book and get on with the next one. I had no time for time wasting. I see things differently now mostly because I was forced to, but also because I realised, thank goodness, that it's good and healthy for my creative processes to be social.<br />
<br />
Having said that, what do I want?<br />
<br />
I'm wondering how some authors deal with 3 issues, namely<br />
<ul>
<li>Health. Chronic Illness which exhausts and slows you down whilst,</li>
<li>Self-publishing, self-promoting, living alone. Being a Lone Wolf and,</li>
<li>Money. Income insufficient to support a gnat.</li>
</ul>
Now many of you will have traveled the hard money and self-publishing road already, but how many of you have a chronic illness as well? Oh and are female? What I'm saying is, that to qualify to answer, you must be<br />
<ul>
<li>female, </li>
<li>live alone, </li>
<li>do everything, </li>
<li>have a chronic illness, </li>
<li>self-publish, self-promote, AND </li>
<li>have less income than expenses. </li>
</ul>
How do you/did you deal with these issues together, not singly, but particularly the money one, because this one directly and indirectly affects all the others? I'm interested to know because this is where I find myself now. Now is 8 short ebooks self-published (no income in my pocket so far), the first draft of a memoir complete and many more ideas waiting to be written. Now is where I've faced several writing hurdles and am still here. Now is where I'm about to cross the social threshold of the writing road.<br />
<br />
So is being social about "I'll read and edit your book/create a cover if you read and edit my book", and bouncing ideas off one another? Is it about asking for help and not pretending that you're doing fine when you really do have issues?<br />
<br />
I don't know yet but am hoping to find out very soon. So yes, I am nervous and excited.<br />
<br />
As to that memoir, it's called BROKEN. A Memoir of Breakdown, and here's a snippet. I hope to have it published within a month, all going well.<br />
<br />
Until next time<br />
<br />
Leonie<br />
<br />
from BROKEN - Introduction<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;">"In
March of 1998, I had a nervous breakdown.</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">It
officially started on the morning of Thursday 12th at about 8am when I had the
first of what-were-to-be many severe, full-blown panic attacks. Of course, I
had no idea what was happening and my not knowing caused me to panic even more.
From March until December of that year I experienced what it was like to have
my life held in limbo. I suffered daily with extreme anxiety and became deeply
depressed. I was a complete mess, unable to function normally on a day to day
basis.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">To
say those months were painful, and the road to wholeness afterwards was rough
would be an understatement, but life had to carry on. I wasn’t suicidal, didn’t
want to die, but there were times then when I felt so bad, so
far down, that I didn’t know if I could ever get up again. I didn’t know, while
in that state, if I would be able to stop myself from ending it all. What if I
was I capable of tricking myself into ending my life?"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6166508848446886999.post-34982626602009608592014-01-30T18:56:00.000-08:002014-01-30T18:56:05.234-08:00Your Baby as a Wood Horse in 2014. <h1 class="title-news" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #111111; font-family: georgia; line-height: 36px; list-style: none; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Being a Horse myself, but only a little familiar with the finer points of Chinese Astrology, I decided to dig around online for more information. I discovered that this year is a Wood Horse or Green Horse Year (Wood is Green in Chinese Astrology), and much to my surprise and pleasure, I (re)discovered that I too am a Wood Horse. Then I found this in The Huffington Post and couldn't help but make comparisons!</span></span></h1>
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</div>
<h1 class="title-news" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #111111; font-family: georgia; font-size: 32px; line-height: 36px; list-style: none; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;">
Year Of The Horse, 2014: What It Means For You And Your Baby</h1>
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<b style="border: 0px; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"></b><span class="posted-and-updated" style="border: 0px; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Posted: <span itemprop="datePublished" style="border: 0px; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">01/16/2014 10:53 am EST</span> | Updated: <span itemprop="dateModified" style="border: 0px; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">01/25/2014 4:01 pm EST</span></span></div>
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Get ready, expectant parents. Jan. 31 marks the Chinese New Year and with it, the <a href="http://www.chinavoc.com/zodiac/horse/five.asp" sl-processed="1" style="border: 0px; color: #5e3786; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_hplink">year of the Wooden Horse</a>.</div>
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According to Chinese astrology, which has 12 zodiac animal signs and five rotating elements, a baby's sign has a strong effect on his or her personality.</div>
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If you're due between Jan. 31, 2014 and Feb. 18, 2015, here's what you might see in your little Wooden Horse:</div>
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<big style="border: 0px; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><strong style="border: 0px; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Personality:</strong></big><br />
<img alt="bossy child" src="http://i.huffpost.com/gen/1560807/thumbs/o-BOSSY-CHILD-570.jpg?1" style="border: 0px; height: auto; list-style: none; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px;" /></div>
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Horses are known for being strong-willed and unbridled as well as charming and intelligent. According to "The Handbook Of Chinese Horoscopes," the Horse is self-centered by nature and wants things done his way. "Performance and success oriented, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Handbook-Chinese-Horoscopes-Theodora/dp/0061990914/ref=pd_sim_b_2" sl-processed="1" style="border: 0px; color: #5e3786; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_hplink">he always has his sights set on some target</a>... With his remarkable powers of persuasion, he will set out to sway people to his way of thinking. Snapping his fingers and clicking his heels, this trailblazer could talk you into anything once he begins to dish out the charm. People find it hard to resist his positive and self-assured outlook on life."</div>
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Wooden Horses are thought to be <a href="http://www.chinavoc.com/zodiac/horse/five.asp" sl-processed="1" style="border: 0px; color: #5e3786; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_hplink">the most reasonable of the five types of Horses</a>. (The last year of Wooden Horses was 1954.) Wooden Horses are less impatient than their brethren, finding it easier to be self-disciplined and organized, but they are <a href="http://www.chinavoc.com/zodiac/horse/five.asp" sl-processed="1" style="border: 0px; color: #5e3786; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_hplink">still strong-willed and resist "being dominated."</a> They are very happy and active in social settings and are known to be good conversationalists.</div>
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<big style="border: 0px; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><strong style="border: 0px; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">How To Handle Your Wooden Horse:</strong></big><br />
<img alt="rebellious child" src="http://i.huffpost.com/gen/1565245/thumbs/o-REBELLIOUS-CHILD-570.jpg?3" style="border: 0px; height: auto; list-style: none; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px;" /></div>
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Horse babies are boisterous, full of life, and a bit devilish. "While this child will tend to be disobedient, stubborn and willful when held back," warns "The Handbook Of Chinese Horoscopes," "<a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Handbook-Chinese-Horoscopes-Theodora/dp/0061990914/ref=pd_sim_b_2" sl-processed="1" style="border: 0px; color: #5e3786; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_hplink">he is not the whining, crybaby type</a>." Parents are encouraged to give Horse children plenty of independence and time outdoors since they don't scare easily and prefer to fight their own battles. Too many rules or restrictions will constrict Horse babies and cause them to resent their parents, but discipline is still strongly encouraged since they still need to learn to control their impulses.</div>
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<big style="border: 0px; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><strong style="border: 0px; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Relationships:</strong></big><br />
<img alt="black siblings fighting" src="http://i.huffpost.com/gen/1565260/thumbs/o-BLACK-SIBLINGS-FIGHTING-570.jpg?1" height="95" style="border: 0px; height: auto; list-style: none; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px;" width="640" /></div>
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Horses are most compatible with dogs and tigers and least compatible with rats.</div>
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<strong style="border: 0px; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Tigers</strong> and horses are natural companions, even partners in crime. Both are highly energetic, adventurous and emotional beings. 2010 was the last year of the tiger (Feb. 14, 2010-Feb. 2, 2011), which means siblings in these two years will be fast friends.</div>
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<strong style="border: 0px; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Dogs</strong> and horses are loyal partners. The dog is a good confidante and trusted advisor to the horse and the horse is a champion for the dog. The last year of the dog was 2006 (Jan. 29-Feb. 17) and the next year is 2018 (Feb. 16-Feb. 4).</div>
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<strong style="border: 0px; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Rats</strong> and horses butt heads and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Handbook-Chinese-Horoscopes-Theodora/dp/0061990914/ref=pd_sim_b_2" sl-processed="1" style="border: 0px; color: #5e3786; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_hplink">don't work well together</a>. According to "The Handbook Of Chinese Horoscopes," the two use their wits against each other: "The Rat is clannish and possessive, while the Horse is carefree, independent, and afraid of being tied down." The last year of the Rat was 2008 (Feb. 7-Jan. 25), but a word of warning to Rat parents born in 1984 (Feb. 2-Feb. 19): You might find your new baby rebelling against you from an early age.</div>
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<big style="border: 0px; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><strong style="border: 0px; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Noteworthy Wooden Horses from 1954:</strong></big></div>
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<li style="border: 0px; list-style: disc outside; margin: 0px 0px 4px 20px; padding: 0px;">Denzel Washington</li>
<li style="border: 0px; list-style: disc outside; margin: 0px 0px 4px 20px; padding: 0px;">Rene Russo</li>
<li style="border: 0px; list-style: disc outside; margin: 0px 0px 4px 20px; padding: 0px;">Ron Howard</li>
<li style="border: 0px; list-style: disc outside; margin: 0px 0px 4px 20px; padding: 0px;">Angela Merkel</li>
<li style="border: 0px; list-style: disc outside; margin: 0px 0px 4px 20px; padding: 0px;">Condoleezza Rice</li>
<li style="border: 0px; list-style: disc outside; margin: 0px 0px 4px 20px; padding: 0px;">Jackie Chan</li>
<li style="border: 0px; list-style: disc outside; margin: 0px 0px 4px 20px; padding: 0px;">Christine 'Chris' Evert</li>
<li style="border: 0px; list-style: disc outside; margin: 0px 0px 4px 20px; padding: 0px;">James Cameron</li>
<li style="border: 0px; list-style: disc outside; margin: 0px 0px 4px 20px; padding: 0px;">Yours Truly (maybe one day)</li>
</ul>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">Having made the comparison, I can say that it's very close to spot on! Naturally, I consider myself an expert on the subject as I've experienced my life for nigh on 60 years. What I can say for certain are the following:</span></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"> </span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"> </span></div>
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<ul>
<li><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">Self-centered. Yes, I'm very focused.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">I like things done my way. It just means I know they're done properly.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">A trailblazer. I'm a private trailblazer, not so much a public one.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">A positive outlook on life. I have an infinitely positive outlook on life, but sometimes life is tough. When it is, I'm tougher!</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">I'm extremely reasonable and very patient.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">I'm strong willed and resist domination. There are exceptions, which cause inner turmoil :(</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">Good conversationalist when I know my subject.</span></span></li>
</ul>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">Well, that wasn't too bad. All parents eagerly anticipating the birth of your Wooden Horse can rest assured. Your bundle of joy will have his/her/their (multiples) moments of disobedience, willfulness and stubborness, but that's because s/he/they are innately strong and independent movers and shakers and it will take their junior years, with your guidance, to learn how to direct their talents. That's good. So your job in the interim is to be firm with discipline yet understanding when your little wooden horse only wants free rein.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">Personally, I believe it's great to have spirit. I'd rather be free-spirited and free-thinking, which to my mind go hand in hand. Free thinking opens the mind and therefore many, many doors and gives you opportunities that could otherwise have been missed. A free spirit implies someone with a joyful and positive personality and in a horse, a person with strength and courage. What a wonderful combination for your new baby. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">And on that note, I wish you all a Happy Chinese New Year, especially expectant parents.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">On another note, this is a rather short and hopefully properly published post. I'm having a few issues with, I think, the size of the HP article. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">As well, Tropical Cyclone Dylan crossed the Queensland coast early this morning about 600 km north</span></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"> of Yeppoon with a King Tide and storm surge. We've had gales since Sunday, so all in all I've been somewhat distracted. For us in the Southern Hemisphere, and living along a tropical coast means Cyclones, (Hurricanes in Northern Hemisphere) have strong influences to their south. Thankfully the winds have died down. Although the sea here is still wild, we now have lovely steady, instead of driving, rain.</span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">Have a great weekend everyone,</span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">Leonie.</span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"><br /></span></span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6166508848446886999.post-76075816057195223662014-01-24T18:15:00.000-08:002014-01-24T18:15:20.308-08:00Writing Hurdles? What Writing Hurdles?OMG. I haven't written a word all week. The portents foresee gloom, doom and disaster. Panic, panic, panic. What am I to do? Shall I ever put pen to paper again? I'll never finish my book/short story/blog post/whatever now. My writing roll and role are over!<br />
<br />
It's true. Many of us give up before we even get started. As a self-published author, I believe I can now confidently say that I have passed the first and possibly the second hurdles of what it takes to be a writer/author in the modern world.<br />
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What many don't realise, and I surely didn't, is that there's oh so much more to writing than writing. I thought self-publishing would be a relatively easy process. Write, read a 'how to' on uploading and publishing to Amazon, hit the button, done. Sit back and enjoy the profits of my labour, right? Of course it didn't happen that way. I was disappointed, but hey, my book was a volume of poetry and maybe too obscure. It didn't matter that much. It was an experiment, really.<br />
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Six months later, and not another word written, I decided to get serious. I downloaded several ebooks and articles on writing ebooks and how to make money writing them, that sort of thing. I read a few blog posts and did a short writing course. Okay, I was ready. Ready to write yes, but not ready for all the <i>other </i> information I needed to acquire, digest, absorb, learn, make sense of, sort, then use to live and grow in self-published author land.<br />
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I discovered tons of information written by mega numbers of experts on how to write, what to write, tips, tricks, hints, suggestions, directions, sites and links to more information. I subscribed to blogs, newsletters, writers groups and forums and set up several social media pages when I was only a casual Facebook user. Was I going to set up a blog (yes), a website (not yet). I learned about Author Profiles, Product Descriptions, Mobi, epub, Scrivener, Createspace, Smashwords, D2D, Gadgets, Widgets, Platforms (not shoes) and more, more more!<br />
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Hey, I hadn't signed up for all of this. I just wanted to write, dammit. But here I was, head near exploding point, ears ringing like a million cicadas singing, heart pounding and body so tired I couldn't sleep (okay I have CFS so this is often 'near normal', but by far not so extreme). How was I ever going to be able to do all this, and write? How could anyone? There was sooooo much to learn, it seemed totally bamboozling and I realised how little I actually knew. I needed to learn the language, the landscape and the layout of self-publishing land AS WELL AS the process of writing.<br />
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But here's the rub. I'm the 'quintessential' writer. I work alone, I'm a loner, the lone wolf who comes last to the author forums and writers groups. I'm the last to seek help, preferring to get on with the job by myself because it takes time - that precious commodity - to interact in groups and forums - time away from writing. However, and of course, the flip side is that groups and forums help simplify and speed up learning through shared knowledge, and can help reduce that mountain of new information.<br />
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Did I mention hurdles? Yes, I did. Anyone stepping solo into the realm of writing these days needs to be very focused, very brave and very far-sighted. You also need a brain suited to multi-tasking and assimilating a vast amount of new stuff. Being younger would help! Looking back six months, I consider I've jumped that particular hurdle, rather, crawled up to it, knocked it flat, then crawled over it. I'm still crawling and learning, but I made it past what I consider to be an important point in the writing journey.<br />
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And that's precisely what this is. It's The Yellow Brick Road of writing. I know that now. I know that there will always be speed bumps, diversions, distractions, mountains, hurdles and more, all along the road to wherever I'm going.<br />
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However, in the process of learning, I became temporarily totally confused, lost the path, and almost the plot, but that was because I was trying to be like everyone else, do like everyone else, and work as fast as everyone else seemed to be. I wanted to know everything as fast as possible so that I could produce the best books as fast as possible. Again, I expected I would then be able to ease back and reap the rewards sooner rather than later. Still it didn't happen, but I got lucky again, and came to came to realise that having crossed that hurdle, I WOULD SURVIVE. I have survived the initial steep learning curve, and I will survive if I miss a day or two of writing. I won't have a panic attack and I will take up my pen and write another day, so strong is my desire. I couldn't see that at the beginning because my head was not clear, there was too much for me to recognise that.<br />
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New writers want to get up to speed ASAP, especially I believe ones like myself who come to writing later in life and maybe without 'formal' writing training, if there is such a thing. We write because we have done everything else and never thought we could do this but have always wanted to. <i>AND,</i> I discovered it's important to do it your way. At first it was difficult to know what my way was, what my style was, so I tried several. Now I'm starting to find it and I'm relaxing and much more happy, not the overwrought, almost lost the plot, the plan, the Road and myself person I was six months ago. What a relief! I'm now finally ready to continue my journey.<br />
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I know there will always be hurdles, speed bumps, detours. I also know there will be fields of flowers, friends, joy, laughter, love, light <i>and </i>success. In fact, I already have all of those, how lucky am I? I'm a self-published author, I've learned a valuable and interesting new craft, one I happen to love, I work at home in a beautiful environment and have met and made wonderful new friends, the lone wolf me. It was tough and touch and go there at times, but never did I think to give up.<br />
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If you love what you do, then you too are on the right path and one by one the hurdles will be behind you.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0