a world of dreams
Just published my new children’s book on Amazon and Amazon Kindle this weekend. It was hard work but I loved writing and illustrating it – the main character, Carrie, is autistic – in this story, she makes new friends, has fun, adventures and helps to solve a mystery while on holiday in Cornwall. The book is free on Kindle Unlimited and I hope that many children, autistic or otherwise, will enjoy this new story about Carrie.
It’s definitely Spring time in the garden now – our garden reminds me of Dolly Mixtures with all the bright colours – it’s lovely! My favourite flowers at the moment are the wonderful Hellebores – we have several and the bees absolutely love them! They are a godsend to bees when it is cold and not many flowers are about to feed from – they look spectacular too, which is a bonus!
I am still working hard on my second children’s book about Carrie, who has ASD – I have been working hard on the front cover, and trying something different this time, using acrylics – I have been “winging” it as they say, as I’m not a trained graphic artist, so everything I do is completely trial and error! Hopefully it will look okay when it is finished, and be enjoyable to read too – fingers crossed!
I wish you all a happy Spring, whatever you are up to, and hope you have fun outdoors in the garden or in the local parks or on country walks – nature is a wonderful thing, so hope you can enjoy it!
Still editing my new book about Carrie – it certainly takes time, but is worth it. I’m enjoying making the illustrations to accompany the text too; they are larger drawings and more dense with deep inky shadows – I hope they will turn out well when I publish on Amazon.
I made a decision to publish on Amazon again – children can borrow my books for free on Amazon Kindle Unlimited, which is what I want most of all. My books are for children with Asperger’s (autism) and those with an interest in the condition – I hope it will interest and entertain them. Anyway, I will do my best.
Spring is slow to arrive this year, but each day it is lighter and new shoots and buds are appearing everywhere, so I am happy. I hope you are too – and wish you a flower-filled Spring.
It was beautifully sunny but cold a week ago – now The Beast from the East has been with us for a few days, and those sunny days seem far away again. But Spring WILL be here before too long, thankfully.
In the meantime, I have been hard at work on my new children’s book, the main character, once again, is Carrie, who has ASD (Asperger’s). In this new story, she is on holiday and has adventures with new friends. I have been busy editing and am in the middle of drawing some illustrations too.
The snow has kept me inside, but enabled me to work hard on my new book, and for that I am glad – but still, I will be VERY happy when Spring is really here..
The days are getting lighter day by day – sleet, hail, rain or snow is with us most of the time this month, so bright sunny days are precious. Primulas are peeping in the garden and daffodils have buds appearing – Spring is not far away – the best time of the year now, I think, when everything is renewed and revealed once more.
I find the early mornings when it’s dark and silent are a great time to write – my new book about Carrie is going well – I think I will be finishing soon, then will start the long job of editing – then the fun part – the illustrations!
The long dark winter days are not so bad for writers – there is less distraction from sunny windows and birds calling us out to play!
Tomorrow is Valentines Day – wishing everyone a happy day and love.
It’s National Robin Day today, and also the shortest day of the year, the Winter Solstice – two cheerful events on a cold, dark, grey day.
The robin has been our country’s national bird for 60 years now – one of my favourite birds, so pretty and uplifting to see one on a cold, grey day, especially when they open up their beaks and sing their tiny hearts out – wonderful!
And now it is the shortest day, so that the days from now on will just get longer and brighter, and we know that Spring is on the way at last – fantastic!
At this time of year, people find themselves so busy, making, doing, buying, visiting – sometimes it helps to slow down, take a breath, and think – I don’t HAVE to do this, I’m doing this because I CHOOSE to – from that moment, we can feel less like a hamster scurrying endlessly in its wheel, and more in control of the situation.
Take time to slow down, consider, prioritise and take time for yourself – because then you will feel happier and notice the little things again, the things that give you joy – someone taking your hand and holding it, feeling that warmth and closeness – notice details about your loved ones, try hard to understand what they are feeling too – you only have this life for a short time, your time with loved ones is moment by moment and these moments can slip away, unappreciated if we let them.
I say this because I know, as people do, when they have lost loved ones. In the hurry and bustle of shopping, cooking, preparation – SLOW DOWN – take a breather – do it as a favour to yourself, and your family. Christmas comes but once a year – but your loved ones are more than Christmas preparations – they give meaning, love and hope to our lives. And YOU, yourself, are more than the tasks you perform daily – you are important in yourself, and deserve to have a peaceful happy Christmas, and to share that with all those you love.
