Geek Girl Eats Cake

Dear Teenage Mel,

With the release of The attempted demise of Augusta Walsh age 15 years, 4 months and 6 days on the horizon, it got me thinking…if I could speak to my 15-year-old self, what would I say? This is what I came up with…

Dear 15-year-old Mel,

Important stuff first, dump that boyfriend! He’s an a🤬hole and way too old for you. I know you think you are fat 🐷, you are wrong. You just have skinny friends!

Get rid of gimmicky fad clothes like slogan crop tops with suggestive messages, and stop wearing so much make-up 🟠 (Orange belongs only in Essex, and everyone can see that line around your neck.).

Stop wasting all your money on 20/20 and Lambert and Butler 🚬 and save it for learning to drive.🚗 It might not seem very important now, but you will wish you had, and not rely on mates who have actually got themselves together.

You have some amazing qualities- you love books (hurrah!), you are passionate about human and animal rights (ignore the teasing, it’s wonderful how much you want to make a difference), and you are tall (it’s actually good you are partying early in life, works out for you in the end), you know what you want to do (writing plays a big part in your future).✍️📚

But you also have some things you need to stop. 😠

Boys. 😍 Stop focusing on boys! Just because a lad has a gorgeous ass and a curtains haircut does not mean he is right for you. Like I said, dump your boyfriend. He will make you cry and give you trust issues for years 😭. I know this is the last thing you want to hear but listen to your parents. They are right. You do need to focus on schoolwork. Otherwise, you will have to do a whole other year of school, which I know does not appeal to you in the slightest.

2. Stop believing a little plastic troll has special powers. It is plastic. Just because it has brightly coloured hair does not make the stupid thing lucky.

3. Stop dying your hair mahogany red. As much as you try, you are no Claire Danes, and in real life, there is no one like Jordan Catalano.

(Although, in college, there will be a guy called Robbie who will come close. You will have a major crush, you will get gutsy enough to ask him out, and he will say no (because he’s dribble worthy and so cool😎), but you took the plunge.

And he actually talked to you 🙂 )

4. As well as not being Angela Chase, you are also not All Saints. Nope, none of them. Throw away that massive combat jacket. You look like an ass and will live to regret how often you wore it with those matching combats. Don’t worry, later you find your style and completely OWN IT LIKE A BOSS.

5. Stop saying WWWWAAAAAAASSSSSSSUUUUUUUPPPPPPPPPP!!!!! You’re an idiot.

6. Stop worrying about the world ending when we get to the millennium. Nothing happens. Seriously. Nothing.

7. Don’t worry about getting Atmosfear the Boardgame. I know you have asked every Christmas since the age of 12; you don’t get it till you are 22. The guy does not come out of the TV or make the lounge a horror show. You only want it so bad because you love Knightmare so much. Atmosfear is no Knightmare. That show is awesome.

8. No one is impressed that you know the raps to popular Salt’n’Pepa songs. Stop inflicting people with your bad rapping. You are still pulling this shit at 30. No one is impressed.🙄

Follow my advice, hopefully it’ll save you a few embarrassments that you will find a bit cringe later on.

I’m guessing you want to know a bit about the world now. I’m afraid you do not move to London and become this amazing career girl in the big city (I know, SPOILER!), but you end up pretty good and happy.

I’m afraid 2022 isn’t like The Jetsons or Back to the Future part 2. Although I do wish we had those trainers that do up by themselves!

It’s pretty ordinary but very techy (hence all these emojis! Umm…little pictures. Cute aren’t they? 😃). And Queen Elizabeth II is even still on the throne.

Our Queen, the one and only Madonna, is still going too. Inspiring as ever. Except with a few more kids and husbands under her belt. And we get to see her in Hyde Park! I know, crazy, right?

In fact, thanks to conventions, you get to meet lots of your heroes, including Helen Slater, the actual Supergirl herself. She even holds your baby!

Before I get carried away and give even more spoilers, (one of your favourite movie stars, Arnie, goes into politics. I know, mind blown! 🤯) Okay, no more now. Promise. (We also get to drive the Batmobile- it is so frickin awesome!)

I think the main thing you need to know is you will make mistakes, but you will learn from them. Believe in yourself a bit more; that will save you many years of body issues and self-doubt) and embrace you because you’re pretty cool. And you have some amazing times ahead.

Stay awesome,

your future self x

AUTHOR INTERVIEW

CELEBRATED CORNISH AUTHOR SHINING LIGHT ON 70% OF GEN X GENERATION

Today we are talking to Cornish fiction writer Melanie Stephens about her upcoming book, The attempted demise of Augusta Walsh age 15 years, 4 months, and 6 days. More than 70% of teens say they and their peers suffer from anxiety, depression, or both. So Melanie decided to help.

CAN YOU TELL US MORE ABOUT THE INSPIRATION BEHIND AUGUSTA WALSH AND WHAT YOU HOPED TO ACHIEVE?

As soon as I became aware of how badly mental health issues impact the Gen Z generation, I had to look closer. The numbers have trebled in the last two years; it’s a real problem affecting many young people today. I wanted to know how it felt to be a teenager today with additional pressures of social media, the worries about the future, our planet, and with so much focus on identity of gender and sexuality. I want as many teenagers as possible to know they are not alone. Unfortunately, so many believe they are the only ones who feel this way, as hardly anyone talks about it. Hopefully, Augusta can bring them some comfort and give them someone they can really relate to.

WHO EXACTLY IS AUGUSTA, AND WHY IS SHE WORTH KNOWING?

Ah, Augusta! She’s awesome. She is 15 and going through a bit of a hard time. She is talented at art and used to be outgoing doing school productions, a star pupil in virtually every subject, so she’s smart. But in the last year or two, Augusta has gone further and further inside herself. She doesn’t see herself how others do, there’s bullying, and she doesn’t know her own value. But Augusta is thoughtful, caring about issues, and funny. A key friendship dynamic has changed, and Augusta doesn’t know where she belongs. Augusta is a hidden treasure and holds so much power. She just doesn’t realise it. Augusta Walsh’s a typical teen, I suppose.

AMAZING COVER AGAIN!

Thank you! I do love my covers!

THE ART AND DOODLES THROUGHOUT THE NOVEL REALLY SET IT APART FROM MOST OF THE OTHER BOOKS OUT THERE.

Thank you, as Augusta is an artist, it’s the main thing she likes to do. So it made sense to me that if it was her notebook, she would naturally draw all over it. I thought it would also help engage even the most reluctant reader. We live in a visual age; TikTok and Instagram are all driven by visual entertainment. So I wanted Augusta to appeal to as many teens as possible. Plus, it gave an extra insight into what was happening inside Augusta’s head. She draws and sketches as a form of expressing herself and therapy.

THE NOVEL WAS WRITTEN AS A DIARY. HOW IMPORTANT WAS IT THAT The attempted demise of Augusta Walsh age 15 years, 4 months, and 6 days WAS IN THE FIRST PERSON?

Vital. Augusta doesn’t talk about it like many people suffering from depression and anxiety. We needed her voice, her thoughts; she needed people to understand.

THE FRIENDSHIP BETWEEN AUGUSTA AND DAKOTA IS ONE OF THE MAIN DRIVING FORCES IN THE BOOK. CAN YOU TALK A BIT ABOUT THAT?

Augusta and Dakota have been best friends forever. They are both pretty similar in insecurities, so when their social status suddenly changes, they struggle in different ways. When you have been friends and spent what feels like your whole life together, it’s hard when things shift onto a different path. But at their core, Augusta and Dakota care about each other deeply. Friendship is massively important along with friendship groups during adolescence, so I knew if I had to portray a 15-year-old accurately, a big focus had to be on that.

WERE YOU WORRIED ABOUT WRITING ABOUT YOUNG ILL MENTAL HEALTH?

It was a challenge but an important one. With so many young people experiencing ill mental health, there should be a book that deals with it within 21st-century teenage life. I worked with experts to ensure the subject was handled with sensitivity but kept relatable and authentic. Also, they made sure I didn’t unknowingly negatively influence anyone. It did concern me that as we are inside Augusta’s head, it could be hard going or hard to read, but everyone who has read it so far has read it so fast! Within a day, I was a bit relieved.

AND FINALLY, WHAT ARE YOUR HOPES WHEN IT COMES TO PEOPLE READING THE NOVEL?

I hope people see they are not alone in thoughts or feelings. I hope people see Augusta as proof that there is help out there. You are not powerless. Augusta goes through so much, yet all that happens is real, and she reaches dark depths that keep getting increasingly further into the mindset that there is no way out. I want people to see beyond Augusta’s perception of herself. As we discover what’s underneath Augusta’s mask, I hope any sufferers recognise the benefits of lowering theirs. She goes from being invisible to being spectacular. They can too.

THE ATTEMPTED DEMISE OF AUGUSTA WALSH AGE 15 YEARS, 4 MONTHS, AND 6 DAYS IS AVAILABLE FROM 15 AUGUST, FROM AMAZON, APPLE BOOKS, KOKO, AND BARNES AND NOBLE.

FOLLOW MELANIE ON SOCIAL MEDIA AND ONLINE http://www.melaniestephensauthor.com

Learning on the Job

With each book you write, you learn and adapt, applying new skills to each experience and pushing yourself to try new things.

With my first published book, Isolation Tales, everything was new. The book contains poems and short stories highlighting key workers during the pandemic. I had never put so many short stories and poetry together of the same premise or written so much fiction based on facts and interviews. It was a rewarding project as I knew I was helping the NHS (I donated all my royalties both now and from every future copy to the NHS).

Luckily I had studied journalism for years and knew how to put a press release together, which was paramount. Although it wasn’t the first book I had written, it was the first that had gone so far in the process. The whole thing was pressured, emotional, fascinating, intoxicating, energising, consuming, challenging, and frantic but also wonderfully monumental. Thankfully, I was fortunate with my timing and hit things just right.

My second book, The Collection, brought different challenges. In a way, it was my hardest writing project as it was so personal, and I really put myself out there. I have never felt more vulnerable. I even used photos from my own albums. Every part of me was on show, my hopes, fears, and best and worst moments. It was tough, but to me, you have to give everything when you become a writer. Show your readers you trust them. As I am such a private person, this book is one of my bravest achievements.

I had a fantastic experience researching and building relationships. At one point, I was on a zoom call with LA which was quite exciting (literally had to pinch myself), and I had lots of resources such as recordings so I could do the piece justice.

For the first time, I made an email address just for my readers after taking inspiration from Dorothy Koomson. Instead of going through a team, each email comes straight to me, and I answer them personally. A few do this now, and it’s such a lovely touch.

I taught myself how to build a website; being technically daft, this was quite an undertaking, but I got there. And eventually, I got into libraries with both books. I even had the honour of Isolation Tales being placed in the World’s largest archive of Cornwall’s history, Kresen Kernow (being extremely proud of being Cornish, this felt incredible, pinched myself again).

With this third book, The attempted demise of Augusta Walsh age 15 years, 4 months, and 6 days, I changed things again. I learned from my previous endeavours. My book will be submitted straightaway to be included in libraries this time. I have also taken fewer royalties so I can make the book more accessible on multiple platforms and so I can aim to approach bookstores to achieve another writing goal.

For the first time, I set up pre-ordering and made sure I had reviewers ready to go to get the book off to the best start possible.

Isolation Tales was two years ago, so I will have to dust off my skills and put together a press release once again. The book is about teenage mental health and anxiety, so it’s a big issue to talk about. Some media I last contacted on a whim really got behind both myself and the story, so I know they are a priority as the groundwork for a relationship has already been built.

Due to the nature of the book of Augusta, I had to send the first presentable draft to a media consultant in London. Her job was to make sure I wasn’t unknowingly influencing anyone negatively. This was an unusual feeling but necessary. I approached charities so I could include information, and I also included a bibliography for the first time. I even employed someone. I had professional photos taken to promote myself in the best possible way.

Thanks to my previous publishing experience I plan to do a competition with brands to spread the word. I found this was the most effective way to let people know about your book other than word of mouth.

When I look back at my writing career so far, I am proud of what I have achieved but also very aware I am still so new and fresh. I enjoy learning so much with each day; I find it exhilarating. I need to keep myself in check, and make sure I pay attention.

Being a writer is the most competitive saturated crowded career choice, you have to really love it to keep going. So many hours of craft go into every book, in fact for most, its probably the poorest paid job you can get. Especially when you start out when no one is aware of you. There is so much work to do when it’s down to promoting yourself and trying to get your stuff out there. So why do so many of us do it? The answer is simple, it’s absolutely thrilling. When someone enjoys your work, there’s no feeling like it. I like learning. And I can’t wait to see what comes next.

Camera shy? Better try! 📷

I had bitten the bullet, and my session was booked. The time had come for me to take the plunge and get some proper photos for my upcoming release and freshen up the website, so I also had pics ready for the publicity fuss I planned to make with my new book.

Like my main character Augusta Walsh, my confidence is not exactly sky-high. As many of you know, I have changed drastically, down 5 clothes sizes to be exact. I am a big believer in everyone loving the skin you’re in, but when it comes to myself, I am still learning to. Normally I hide behind a packed wardrobe and let the clothes get noticed instead. So, I did not envy the photographer, or make-up artist put it that way.

The day before, I tried on tons of outfits and delved through the depths of google images of author attire until I was all set. I had three looks ready to go:

White shirt and trousers (in Google it looked classic and sophisticated, but I was a tad concerned I’d look like part of the waiting staff.)

Blue fitted dress (the sleeves sold it. They were like mini caped sleeves. Little superhero nod. 🦸‍♀️ Total geek moment.)

And this pink dress which was light pink but looked lovely on.

At the studio, the ladies were ridiculously charming and tremendously patient;

Me: I have a long face.

Them: You don’t.

Me: It’s as long as a horse. 🐴

Them: It really isn’t that long.

(Thought…” that long”…they agree it’s long. In every photo, I will be the Cornish equivalent of Applejack from My Little Pony)

Me: I have a McPartlin forehead.

Them: Your forehead is not like Ant McPartlin.

Like I said, I didn’t envy them. I asked for a loose updo (when in doubt about how to look classy, always think of Downton 🎩). And natural makeup. I told her, “Just make me look pretty” Poor lass looked concerned (or admittedly, that might have been me). After she had finished, I looked decent. I was a bit surprised when I looked in the mirror.

The shoot itself was good; the photographer told me exactly how to stand, how to move, freeze, dance the macarena, and eat a banana with no hands🍌 (okay, I might have made up the last two.)

My only plea was please don’t make me look fat! When I got the pics back, she hadn’t, I was pretty chuffed. I included some here for you to decide for yourself what you think. Admittedly, it’s kinda nice sometimes going outside your comfort zone. You never know what will come of it; you may just surprise yourself. And I may look a bit less horse-like than I thought!

Create and Cover

Even though they are advised against it, potential readers always judge a book by its cover. This makes it one if not the, most essential part of any book release.
With all my books, I am fiercely aware this is what will draw people in and help sell my book. So I always plan everything that has anything to do with it.

For my latest book, The attempted demise of Augusta Walsh, age 15 years, 4 months, and 6 days, I knew pretty quickly what I wanted to do. The main character Augusta is an artist and loves to sketch, so I planned some artwork for the front in a sketchy style; for the back, I wanted a close-up of a branch. There is an excellent part in the book about skeleton leaves. It was one of those moments where an idea falls into your lap, and it is perfect for your story. So, of course, skeleton leaves are stuck in my head, and as regular readers of this blog will know, I do love a delightful tree! 🌳

I thought it would be cool to draw on a blackboard. White on black always stands out and would look nicely distinctive on a shelf. I have kids, so chalk was relatively in plentiful supply. As luck would have it, what do I spot whilst shopping in Home Bargains (a fabulous discount store)? A roll of adhesive blackboard- bonus!
Whenever the kids want to do arty stuff, we use this giant board of MDF to rest all the messiness upon in a foolishly optimistic attempt to stop paint from wrecking the carpet. But, of course, all hopes were dashed years ago when the glitter-gate years began, and we’ve been living in Jackson Pollock-style disco hall ever since. But alas, we still try in this vain hope it’s making a difference.
So I covered this enormous piece of MDF with adhesive blackboard. That sounds relatively simple, doesn’t it? And it would be except for one thing- air bubbles. Lots and lots of air bubbles!🙄

I used my Star Wars ruler to scrape it like wallpaper to keep it smooth. I wish cutting straight was my strong point!

I also cut small bits to ensure the whole board was covered, as I slightly misjudged every measurement! Honestly, anything that isn’t six inches, I’m lost!
As it happens, as an adult, cutting straight doesn’t come up overly often. When your child is into arts and crafts, they are usually pretty young and don’t care if anything is straight. Judging by the stuff they bring home from school, their teachers don’t either! 😒

But unfortunately for me, my children refuse to see a hairdresser. So it is down to me to cut their hair. Yes, I do a pudding bowl finished with my own interpretation of layers (it has to be seen to be believed 🥣✂️). And typically, you guessed it, I seem to time it perfectly with school photos 😱. (Everything is last minute, I have no idea what happens at any time in my children’s schools. The receptionists, thankfully, are legends and have realistically low expectations of my calendar and timekeeping, reminding me if anything comes up. ) Due to this flawless timing, we have hardly any school photos of the kids. Most are at Grandma’s house as they would think the pictures were beautiful even if the uniform looked like a blue and orange potato. 🥔😍

So the blackboard finally got done. I drew a line down the middle so I could picture the cover art front and back. I had my sketches ready, and so I began.
The drawing itself was fun. I was in my element. I enjoy drawing as a hobby every now and then. As nothing had to be too detailed, the design was pretty simple. All I had to do was a chair, jewellery box and photos in white chalk.

As the book is a diary, I planned to write the title in white by hand.
As it was chalk, any mistake I made could be easily erased with a bit of wet paper towel. So I concentrated and managed to draw both cover images in about an hour and a half.

I took pictures of my work and proudly showed a couple of my friends who I knew would be brutally honest.
Messing around with filters really changed the image of the tree to look like a painting, and that’s when I got excited. It looked beautiful.

My friends told me to get rid of the writing. So I tried it. They were right. It looked way too young. Less charming, more amateur.

My friend told me to put the tree at the front because it was stunning.
I tried it, and again, my friend was right. 🙄

So I decided to try and put notepaper under the title. But slightly torn, so it appeared ripped from the pages of a diary. It took me ages to get the wording to fit on it(The attempted demise of Augusta Walsh age 15 years, 4 months, and 6 days is a mouthful), but I did it.

My friend said to get rid of it. I did. Again, they were right. 🙄 After messing around with fonts, I had to keep going.

I am so happy I learned to let go and listen to others. The cover is gorgeous, and I have had so many people tell me that. Always listen to a second opinion, as new eyes are essential.

I got there in the end and couldn’t be happier with the result. Thank goodness because, as a writer, I will look at it for the rest of my writing career.
So if you are a writer of any kind, spend time on that all-important cover. If you don’t love it, you got no hope of any else loving it either. And train your mates to be blunt. If you are preparing for judgement, you need to be ready!

Reaching those Milestones

When you dream of doing something, especially for a long time you form goals. Your own personal milestones so when reached you know you have made it. When I began writing full time, I had five in mind where I would reach my own definition of success. To me, writing was never driven by money or fame, my five goals were as follows:

To have someone, not friends or family read my work and enjoy it.
To change the way someone thinks or views the world
To be on the shelves at libraries
To walk into a bookshop and see my books on the shelves
To make a living from writing, not masses but enough to get by.

I have been lucky to have a few pinch-me moments so early on in my career. And this week a new milestone was reached.

I am a big believer in libraries. When I was a kid, my mum was in and out of the hospital a lot and my father worked long hours. So after school, my brothers and I walked to the library and hung out there until we were collected. The library became a safe haven, I never got bored. I had a world of knowledge at my fingertips, fantasy worlds, leading figures to learn about, and I could learn a new language. In fact, my interest in journalism stemed from scrolling through endless rolls of microfilm of old newspapers, turning the dial. When my children were born, the first thing I did was enrol them in the library. We visit often, even though we have bookcases of books stacked all over our house.

Yesterday I visited the library I spent so many hours of my childhood in. The familiar surroundings and comforting smells greeted me. It was a special visit as after weeks of organising and yet almost a lifetime of dreaming, my work was on their shelves.

I found my creations, in the heartwarming plastic coated sleeves and white hidden inserts. A lump came to my throat as I held them. Turning them over, breathing deep, my daughter rubbed my arm gently as I did. Definitely a pinch-me moment.

We took photos of our visit, myself standing proudly. I do not need photos to remember it but it’s nice to have them.

The library had a further surprise in store for me. Cornwall Library obtained a copy of Isolation Tales for Kresen Kernow, home to the World’s largest collection of documents, books, maps and photographs related from Cornwall’s history. To enter that archive is a huge honour, and I was so humbled when I found out what they had done. I am fiercely proud of being Cornish, and I love Cornwall, so becoming part of its history is an incredible feeling and one I did not envisage at all.

All over Cornwall, locals can reserve and borrow my books, opening up a whole new scope of potential readers to discover my writing. And who knows, maybe somewhere amongst them is a girl or boy who practically lives at their local library after school. They might begin their journey, establish goals and milestones just like I did.

Libraries are miraculous places, they help you discover what you love, what you want to do with your life and how to do it. They did it with me, they can do the same for you, and best of all, they won’t charge you a penny.

For me, being in the library is one of my proudest achievements. I want to go back in time and tell myself one day you will be here. Your name will be next to the spines of authors you have admired and adored your whole life. Your work will be alongside Shakespeare, Oscar Wilde, Stephen King, Roald Dahl, Judy Blume, all of you under the same roof. Your words will join the flurry of literature already housed in this wondrous place. And anyone could walk through those doors and discover you. People could read your books and be inspired to write themselves. You have the opportunity to do the one thing that matters more than anything else. Make a diffrence.

Short story

Stephen King who is a master to all writers always advises that to write you must read. Read everything. He is completely right, you learn about language, plotting, characters, location and most of all different techniques and angles to do the most fundamental thing as a writer-how to tell a story.

Fact or fiction, storytelling is the basis of a writer’s profession. You can learn from anything and anyone, you just have to be open to it. The two books I have published are short story collections. I do not class myself as a short story writer, it is just how the opportunities have played out. The first book Isolation Tales was about the world in lockdown. The stories were fictional they were based on true accounts and testimonials, it gave readers a chance to view the pandemic from a different perspective they might not have considered before.

The second, The Collection, was about my journey as a writer and collected articles, poems, short stories about how I got to that point. I am in the middle of writing a novel, my first adult, but it has a lot of research involved due to the nature of the story. The Collection although takes you through my journey, doesn’t do one thing- it doesn’t show you the books that influenced and taught me what I needed to get there. Short story collections are often overlooked, but it takes a lot of thought to encompass what you want to say over a limited word count. Like anything, I had to learn my craft. I have done courses, countless workshops, but my biggest education into writing has come exactly where Mr King said it would- reading.

So I am showing you a few of the short story collections that have helped me along the way. If you are unfamiliar with any I suggest you seek them out- cause to me, they are the best I have ever read.

Different Seasons by Stephen King

Of course, I was going to choose this. The Shawshank Redemption and Stand by Me are two of my favourite movies of all time, so the source material is too impossible to resist. Three out of the four stories in this collection have been made into movies: Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption, The Body (Stand by Me) and Apt Pupil. The Breathing Method makes up the book. The thing that Stephen King is the master of is although his writing always is quite complex and thought-provoking, he always remains readable, relatable. The subjects within the book are quite sensitive-death, car crash, Nazi, prison but what King does is he doesn’t make the stories about that. Each story is intensely character-driven. From this book, I learnt that in any situation, anything considered taboo should not be shied away from if the characterisation stays upfront. Make it a thing but by no means the main thing. Difficult subjects are happening within the character but the story is not consumed by them. It is just a premise, not a plot.

The Selfish Giant and Other Stories by Oscar Wilde

Often headed by The Happy Prince, this wonderful collection has been a favourite of mine since I was a child. Its five stories The Selfish Giant, The Happy Prince, The Nightingale and the Rose, The Devoted Friend and The Remarkable Rocket came after Wilde wrote regular fairy tales for magazines that proved incredibly popular.

The stories all have a moral to them, you can see little touches of the time they were written woven throughout. There are themes of religion, society and poverty, yet each story within it tells of sacrifice and are incredibly moving. The reader discovers good deeds and small acts of friendship and love, so often can be ignored, treated with flippancy and almost disregard. These five stories showed me that everyday objects that we may not notice or pay attention to in our everyday lives can also have a story to tell, and project relatable emotion to your reader.

Roar by Cecelia Ahern

Thirty women, thirty stories. I imagine this book as a kind of project I would have done. I can really see her thinking behind it. What Ahern does is take the pressures of everyday women and show them in an uplifting way, sometimes literally with the woman who unravelled to a piece of string, or the trophy wife who just sits on a shelf, the woman who melts into a puddle, or the ground swallowing a woman up and she meets lots of women down there who have all been embarrassed or suffered indignity in some way.

This book looks at everyday phrases and exclamations and explores them. Each story is only a couple of pages long and almost serves as little anecdotes. The fun element of storytelling and the worries and complexities of humanity in everyday life shines through and I learnt to access that in my writing and own short stories.

Say You’re One of Them by Uwem Akpan

This award-winning collection features five stories all about and focused on five children in different African countries. The stories are hard-hitting and powerful. They deal with hunger, slavery, riots, religion, civil war, but they are all real struggles going on within the world today.

Each child’s story is heartbreaking but you read it aware those situations and stories are being lived by hundreds, maybe thousands in the world today. Akpan brings the trauma suffered by so many children to the forefront making it personal and bringing it to life. He makes you care. This book taught me the power even a short story can have. You can make people think, take notice, care about what you care about if you tell the story in the right way.

The Christmas Books by Charles Dickens

Without a doubt, the most famous Christmas story in history is the main reason for this choice. A Christmas Carol. Nothing can parallel the genius behind this ultimate short story. Arguably the greatest short story of all time. It has everything you could wish for; friendship, villainy, love, hate, greed, redemption, originality, fantastic well-drawn characters, an uplifting feeling, easy to read, relatable, fantasy, horror, heart, and it underlines causes bringing to the surface issues the author cared about. Poverty and the class system.

A Christmas Carol is the short story every writer strives to write. Scrooge, Bob Cratchitt and Tiny Tim stay with you for a long time after.

The Red Pony (& other stories) by John Steinbeck

John Steinbeck is one of the biggest influences to me as a writer. Of Mice and Men is my favourite book of all time. The beauty of Steinbeck’s work is he does not waste a word, he sets the scene beautifully and his characterisation work and the way he forms them is nothing short of incredible.

The stories in The Red Pony are all based on a boy called Jody and the horses and the visitors that are at their ranch. The setting is modest as well as the plots. But due to the quality of Steinbeck’s writing you are kept intrigued, engaged and yearning to know more. It’s Steinbeck work that makes me go over each sentence and really pay attention to whether a better word can take any place of another. I wish for that quality of work and is one of my big ambitions to achieve it. Every aspiring writer should read and study John Steinbeck, he is a teachers favourite to inspire students to love English and it is easy to see why.

Tales of the Unexpected by Roald Dahl

Roald Dahl is my hero. I have worshipped him since I was a young kid. The first story from Tales of the Unexpected I ever read was Lamb to the Slaughter and I thought it was genius. I love twists in stories, and dark humour and Dahl uses both in abundance, especially in Tales of the Unexpected.

The talent of Roald Dahl is beyond the scope. All his children’s books are dark, deal with children’s fears but it’s the children that outsmart the cruel adults. He understood children in a way that made his books timeless and favourites for generations to come. His memoirs of Boy and Going Solo are notorious for his liberties with the truth. His screenplays for You Only Live Twice, Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang are celebrated and loved.

The poetry collections are fun and great for reading out loud. The rhythm in his writing taught me the importance of how you put words together. I use twists reguarly in my work as I remember reading that Lamb to the Slaughter story, and the rest of the collection.

Bon jovi

Jon Bon Jovi turned 60 this month and so I thought I would celebrate one of the greatest songwriters of our time. The anthems penned by Jon Bon Jovi and Ritchie Sambora are the best for feeling pumped or belting out in the car. The lyrics in the ballads are stunning and every uptempo number gets you jumping and screaming out the words faster than roadrunner.

I first discovered Bon Jovi in my friend’s car when she had the Keep the Faith album playing on the stereo. It blew me away. It became a life-long love with the New Jersey boys, and to this day, Keep the faith is still my favourite album.

Most people no matter how cool they are, admit that they like Bon Jovi. They are impossible to dislike. Everyone has a favourite Bon Jovi song. Wanted Dead or Alive is insane, every hit has this incredible guitar solo and if you get the chance to see them live (and he re-joins) you will be mesmerised by Ritchie Sambora. His talent is a joy to watch. The energy from their shows is unparalleled, they are a stadium band through and through and know how to work a crowd.

The reason Bon Jovi has been around for such a long time is that although they have not been favoured by critics, the public has adored them and kept asking for more.

They rejoice where they come from, write about the everyday man, the worker, single mums, hope, life, everything is relatable to their fans and their day to day lives. The brilliance of Bon Jovi is they are at the core what music is meant to be; joyous and pure enjoyment even on the slow songs.

So all hail the lads at Bon Jovi, old and new, and may they remain brilliant for decades to come. May we have belter after belter like It’s My life, Keep the Faith, Livin on a Prayer, These Days, Bad Medicine, Runaway, Bed of Roses, Always, and so, so, many more. Check out their MTV Unplugged on YouTube if you have never seen it. Well worth the watch, just make sure your singing voice is ready, you’ll need it.

World Poetry Day 2022

Happy World Poetry Day 2022

If you love the English Language then you must love poetry as nothing embraces it more. The rhythm, expression and joy of words to convey life, emotion, nonsense, storytelling or just a depiction of a Summers day- a poem in just a small chunk can make you think, feel, and rejoice in this celebration of words. It is without doubt a format of the written word that must be applauded with its own day.
I love writing poetry, and I have decided to share a poem from Isolation Tales that was a favourite amongst the readers. It was a favourite peace of many that gave feedback, so I hope you enjoy it.

Isolation Tales is avaliable from amazon with all profits donated to the NHS Cornwall Covid Appeal.

The Lockdown Ripple

It seems that finally, the world is getting back to normality. Masks are becoming optional, isolation rules are changing, we are beginning to consider other colds and viruses being more of a possibility when we cough. But there is one side of Covid that is only just beginning, and that is the aftermath to our children’s mental health.

Back in 2020, when lockdown came, many children were excited by the extra holidays, time at home, and quality time with Mum. Homeschooling was half of the usual school learning day, and lie-ins became a regular thing. No routine!

They are from a generation that talks predominantly online with their friends or on mobiles during Snapchat and WhatsApp, so understandably we thought they were fine. They didn’t seem affected, they were taking it all in their stride. However, now the reality has come to light.

Many children are only now processing what has happened. Lockdown affected everything in our lives, we watched the news every night, waited for Prime Minister broadcasts for any information he could give, desperate to know what was happening.

If we think back, and over both lockdowns, how much information did we give to our children as to what was going on and why? Did we tell them and explain what the new rules were? When their favourite places would again be open? What would happen on their birthday? At Christmas? What could they have and not have? How much detail did we give? What about supermarket shopping? Errands where they would have a treat? Their friends birthdays, families birthdays and get-togethers? When could they go to the park?

And not one of these questions, which I promise you your child would have wondered and worried about are about the main thing that dominates their day to day lives: school. Everything they knew vanished, and without warning, without preparation and all due to this mysterious word: Covid. How many questions did they ask you about what was going on? When you think about how it affected our children’s world, it was absolutely monumental. Everything they knew had disappeared. Gone. And a lot of us were too busy trying to keep our families, country and world safe from harm we didn’t realise. It was an impossible situation, we all tried keeping track of rules, keeping our infection rate down (if you were a key worker then serving the country in ways we can never repay), protecting the vulnerable, there is no way we could have understood what was going on inside our child’s mind.

Almost two years is how long it has taken for children to start coming to terms with what has happened. 95% of staff in UK schools this year, have witnessed significantly increased levels of anxiety. Many families with special needs children are struggling to cope as their child’s processing disorders are unable to manage their feelings from the lockdowns alongside the pressures of everyday life.

In a report of just under 1200 teachers, 86% have seen a considerable increase of low self-esteem within their classrooms. Social workers in the UK reported just 10 days ago, there are dangerously growing demands for help, with numbers almost reaching 1500 children a week with mental health problems. Students facing exams this year have either reached full anxiety or simply switched off. The children are grieving for what they lost during Covid.

Unfortunately, it seems that it is the pandemic that will become the key inherent attribute of this generation. I just hope, that with more awareness thanks to the stories in the news and from professionals on the subject, we can give the kids the help they need to absorb and work through the events of the past two years.

Covid has taken so much away already, we can not allow it to define a generation. Below are a few suggestions of how we can help a child’s mental health.