WRITER'S DREAM; Christmas Writing

Is there anything nicer at this time of year than curling up with a laptop, ready for some festive writing?  I don't think so!  Christmas has to be the coziest time to be a writer and right now I'm sitting by the pretty Christmas tree with fairy-lights twinkling, dancing flames in the fireplace and the scent of Frankincense and Myrrh filling the room from my fairy oil-burner.  I have gingerbread hot chocolate in my gingerbread-man Christmas mug and a tub of Cadbury's Roses chocolates next to me - it's all so festive!

Writing over the festive period brings me great joy - it's probably one of my favourite times of year to write and I am always more productive during the dark season.  I find that summer drains me, but by the time the nights start drawing in, I begin to thrive once more.  I just love winter and being a writer during the winter season is a way for me to connect with all those writers who have gone before. 

It's impossible for me to write, while sitting beside the Christmas tree and not think of Charles Dickens dashing off A Christmas Carol in order to stave off bankruptcy.  Yes, our most loved Christmas novel was written when the author was in financial trouble and you could say that it wasn't just Scrooge who was saved by the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Yet to Come!   Dickens needed them too and they helped to save his career, as portrayed in the fantastic film The Man Who Invented Christmas, which I highly recommend if you've never seen it. 

It's also impossible for me to sit up in my study, writing at my escritoire desk without thinking of Louisa May Alcott's  Little Women and Jo March scribbling way at her dreams in the cold, candlelit garret with a pet rat for company.  I haven't seen the new film yet, but I'm looking forward to it. For me personally though, Josephine March will always be Winona Ryder.  She played the part to perfection and I'm not convinced that she can be topped. 

Likewise, it is impossible for me to enjoy a glass of eggnog without thinking of Jane Austen writing her wonderful Christmas ball scene in Emma and Mr Elton's infamously misplaced festive proposal! 

"A party is a party - but a party on a  Chriiistmas Eeeve...!" and then, "Who can think of Miss Smith, when Miss Woodhouse is near?!"  

Another Christmas novel I love is Angel by Elizabeth Taylor (not that Elizabeth Taylor! This one is a contemporary of Daphne du Maurier), in which the heroin Angel fakes illness so that she doesn't have to go back to school after the Christmas holidays, because she wants to stay at home and write a novel instead! I can totally relate to that and I may or may not have been guilty of the exact same thing in my own childhood!  

So you see, Christmas isn't just about my writing, or your writing, it's about all writing - past, present and yet to come. Just like Scrooge's Ghosts.   It's a time when people generally have more freedom to sit and create something, be that a story, a poem, a song or an essay.   It's a time of magic and wonder so of course it lends itself to the art of writing, which is a wonderful way to express yourself and feel the magic of inspiration.  It's a time to think about prepping your diary for next year, writing in your goals and ambitions - maybe even your writing goals and ambitions.

So while we won't all write something as memorable as A Christmas Carol or Little Women, we can all tap into the creativity of the festive season and the inspiration of the writers who helped to illustrate this magical time of year, through their novels.  

And for those of us who write professionally, there are still deadlines to meet even in the midst of the festive season, so I'd better crack on as my deadlines are January 4th,13th and 25th!  

Happy Christmas Writing! 

BB Marie x

BOOK NOOK; The Hygge Holiday by Rosie Blake

"The rain was drumming against the windows, the wind a distant whistle as Joe snuggled under a rug, a hot-water bottle clutched to his chest, chocolate buttons melting in his mouth, the beer flowing freely.  There was something to be said for Clara's hygge theory; staying in really was the new going out.  He felt his body relax into the sofa, the whole world outside the flat dissolve away so that it was just him in his snug space with a DVD for company."

Rosie Blake's The Hygge Holiday has been sitting prettily on the bookcase in my study since the springtime but I didn't want to read it until it was more seasonally appropriate.   When I woke up today, the wind howling and the rain lashing against the window-panes, I knew that the time had come.

It was one of those days where I woke up feeling like I needed a cosy day of restfulness to recharge my batteries.  I grabbed my umbrella and walked to the shops to pick up a few treats and when I got home, I got straight back into my pj's and grabbed this book, settling under the duvet for a day-long stint of reading.   

As the day never brightened, I dotted the room with burning candles, set my festive fireside ambient dvd playing on a loop, switched on all the Christmas fairy-lights and mulled some toffee-cider.  It's been lovely and cosy - perfect for reading this novel which is all about the benefits and charm of hygge, or the Scandinavian art of being cosy.

I first came across the concept of hygge back in 2010 at an A-HA concert, where I got chatting to a group of Norwegian girls.  They had brought the snow with them that year and we were laughing at how a slight flurry of snowflakes sets the UK off in a panic, while in Norway people just accept that everything will take a bit longer when the snow comes.  They are not expected to crack on with the daily grind as normal, but instead they slow down and take their time getting to work and back, or they have snow days.  They told me about hygge and I realized I'd been doing it for years, I just hadn't realized that there was a name for being as cosy as possible! I've been reading books about hygge ever since. 

The Hygge Holiday begins in the autumn when Danish tourist Clara arrives in the tiny village of Yulethorpe.  Here the last local shop is about to close down and Clara offers to help run the place until a buyer can be found in the hopes that she can turn the toy-shop around in time for the Christmas rush.  All is going well until the proprietor's son, Joe, comes up from London, determined to push the sale through. 

Joe works in The City and is always stressed, tired and worn out. When he meets Clara, a woman who likes slow-cooked meals, long walks at sunset and scented candles in all rooms, he thinks she's a tad crazy, but slowly the hygge life begins to appeal to him.   

While there are no great surprises in the story-line of this novel and it is fairly predictable, it is a lovely romance, full of seasonal cheer and it will leave you feeling very festive.   Yes, it's bog-standard chick-lit, but at this time of year I do love a good Christmas romance and the chick-lit genre has many to choose from, with a happy ending guaranteed.  This one gets bonus points for the dreamy pink and gold cover art!

The Hygge Holiday is like a manifesto for the benefits of slow-living, which I am naturally draw to on account of my thyroid illness.  The fact that slowing down and reading a book all day, while nibbling on festive treats and sipping hot chocolate or mulled cider has fast become a bit of a trend is great news for me.  I hate the busy,busy,busy lifestyle we are frequently pushed into, the expectation that we are constantly on call, forever reachable via mobile phones and email, that time at home is viewed as being less important than time at work - it's a recipe for high stress and little joy.  I prefer to live a life of much joy and little stress.  Slow-living and duvet days give me just that and keep me being productive. 

So if, like poor Joe, you've been running the 9-5 rat-race all week and you want to relax in a way that will make you feel all festive and ready for the Yuletide season, The Hygge Holiday is the perfect novel to curl up with this winter.   Don't forget the mulled cider and a faux fur throw. 

ONCE UPON A DREAM; Oh Holy Night

It's a cold December night and I am curled up on the chaise-lounge with my laptop, sipping a gingerbread hot chocolate and writing this blog-post by the twinkling light of my pretty Yuletide tree.   The Christmas candles are burning, filling the house with the scent of ginger and spiced clementine.  It's the end of a very festive week and so today I decided to put up all the decorations and make my home as cosy and festive as possible.

On Wednesday my mother and I went to see The Angels Are Coming event at Sheffield Cathedral and it was wonderful.  The entire building was the canvas for a festive sound and light show, with magical scenes of winter being projected onto the stonework, both inside and out.  First of all Father Christmas flew across in his sleigh, pulled by all his reindeer and dropping presents as he flew by.  

Next, to the strains of the Holly and the Ivy, those same plants grew up from the ground and twisted into festive wreaths and garlands, before making way for golden bells and trumpets playing, announcing the arrival of the Angels.   As the music changed again to the sound of choirs of angels singing, feathers began to fall - first just one or two, then the whole cathedral was covered in them.  Beautiful white feathers - a sure sign that angels are near!

Finally, the Angels themselves descended from on high, flying down from the church spire and across the building in all directions, their majestic wings beating as they went.  It was just so beautiful to watch.  Everyone had beaming smiles on their faces and it really did feel like we were in the presence of angels.  

Inside the cathedral was all lit up too.  The angel music continued and there were two huge Christmas trees on either side of the altar space, with a large steel-cast statue of the Nativity scene in the center.  Another angel was projected just above, his wings of light gently beating as he hovered over the Nativity. The cathedral walls and Gothic arches were covered in a light show of dark blue sky and silver stars, which reminded me of the great hall at Hogwarts!  We were indoors and out of the chill but still underneath a sparkling winter's night sky. 

 The magic of Yuletide was all around us. The Cathedral was welcoming all people of all faiths to this event and there was a very diverse mix, of all ages.  People were lighting candles and making wishes or remembering loved ones.  Some were writing their needs and troubles in the prayer book, or on labels to hang on the special Christmas tree that had been set up as a prayer tree.  These would be read out at the Christian prayer service the next day. 

I loved the idea of a Yuletide prayer tree!  It's the same concept witches use when we add someone's name to our Blessing Cup so that universal blessings will find them and guide them through a difficult time.  But to have an entire 6ft Christmas tree dedicated to this purpose is just so amazing - and a little bit Extra!  I loved it.

Sheffield Cathedral now holds such a special place in my heart.  Not only did I graduate there last month, but it helped to kick off December in a spectacular way. I had a Bailies hot chocolate and we enjoyed our first mince pies of the season in the Chancery cafe, before wandering around the cathedral and taking in the light show to our heart's content.  It was a fabulous evening out, though you can see from these pictures how cold it was - I have a nose Rudolph would be proud of!  It was a beautiful way to begin December as I have always loved angels and felt an affinity with them - that's why I wrote my book, Angel Craft and Healing.  

Then on Friday I took part in a charity event called Elf Day.  This is where you dress as an elf for the day in order to look like a prat and raise money for Alzheimer's Society.  It helps to raise awareness of the knock on effect such a diagnosis has on families and as I spent time in my 20's working in nursing homes and caring for people with Alzheimer's, I wanted to do a little bit to help raise funds for this much needed charity, especially as the social care service is such a shambles these days - more people have to rely on organisations like Alzheimer's Society for support.   Yuletide is after all, a time of giving and giving back so helping out with a charity event ticks both those boxes, plus it's a lot of fun. 

So what with angels and elves, it's fair to say that I woke up in the festive spirit this morning and spent a few hours happily decking out my house!  I do think that you have to play an active role in getting into the festive spirit - it doesn't just descend on you on December 1st. You have to participate in the season, doing seasonal things and enjoying festive outings, in order to nurture the joy of Yule within you.  If you don't, there's a chance you could experience the winter blues instead and who needs that?

I like to do festive things in December to kick start the season.  I like to create a lovely atmosphere in my house, getting as cosy as possible with faux fur throws, Christmas scented candles, hot chocolate and mince pies, while watching Christmas films or reading my books on Yuletide, Christmas, hygge and winter.  

I love winter. It's my favourite season of all.  I enjoy bundling up to go out in the cold, wandering round Christmas markets and doing my Christmas shopping.  It's a great time of year to really count your blessings and be grateful for what you already have. 

I hope this little post has inspired you to make the most of this magical time of year by visiting a winter show, or taking part in a charity event.  As for me, I'm going to put on my Winter Snowfall ambient DVD, get cosy by the fire and start writing out my Christmas cards, while playing a classical carols CD from Coventry Cathedral Choir. 
Whatever you are doing this month, I hope that you will enjoy keeping winter as much as I do.
Bright Blessings
Marie x

ONCE UPON A DREAM; Reflections on November

November is always a special time for me, this year especially so, as I geared up for my Graduation as well as my birthday.  For me the graduation ceremony was like an early birthday present and a great signpost of just how far I've come in the past few years.  It was certainly a milestone moment and I enjoyed every minute of it.

Then I celebrated my birthday a week later, with a lovely trip to a Christmas market where I had warm spiced toffee cider, which was delicious.  That's the best thing about being born in November - all the pre-Christmas events are happening and the world is sparkling bright with joy, so there is always lots to do on your birthday week.

The market was lovely and we had roasted chestnuts as we walked around, looking at all the pretty Christmas lights.

The next day I went to see Last Christmas at the cinema.  It's a fantastic film and it really made me cry.  It's very moving and heart warming, starting out as a standard festive romance and then becoming something much deeper and more meaningful.  I loved it and it was a great start to my birthday.  

I was lucky enough to receive lots of pretty gifts and cards. Most of my gifts were pink, which is my favourite colour.  I got new pink boots, pink faux fur winter warmers to snuggle into on cold trips to university, Kylie's limited edition jade-green vinyl Step Back in Time album,  a Harry Potter mug, a Disney Little Mermaid hairbrush to brush out my tresses like a merrow-maid,  lovely bath products to pamper with and an Ariana Grande nightshirt.   I also got some home-wear gifts too, including a Yankee candle Advent Calendar and a beautiful set of kitchen goodies - a new kettle, toaster and microwave all in pale pink sparkly glitter!! I've never seen anything quite like them and they are so gorgeous.  They're very me and they make my kitchen glimmer.  So I've been very spoilt.

I had some birthday money to spend too, so I treated myself to some DVDs, the new Robert the Bruce which I really enjoyed and also series four of Outlander.  I haven't started watching this yet, but I'm really looking forward to being in the company of Jamie Fraser once more!

The problem is I don't have as much time for Outlander as I used to because I am deep into the work for my Masters degree.  So far I am really enjoying it.  I can hardly believe that my first semester is almost over!  Just a couple of lectures and a Christmas social to go to and then we are on the Christmas break.  

Not that we won't be working over Christmas because we will.  This semester we have three assignments to complete.  I've already done one, I'm doing the reading for the second and I am in the process of planning out the essay for the third, which I shall write up next month. I'm hoping to get as much done as possible before the end of term, because I am still working a few hours a week in practice and I'm also a columnist.  Lots of balls to juggle, but I am enjoying it. 

I'm loving writing my Psychotherapy column and I've been writing it now for eighteen months, so it has developed it's own tone and shape.  I enjoy putting my own unique slant onto the topic and making it my own, because this is what keeps my work being published.  I write in such a way that others may try to copy it, but my work is always original in style, so it sets its own trends.  I don't follow trends - I set them.  I guess this is the key to being successful and productive in publishing.  

University life is fun. I am enjoying all the psychological and philosophical aspects of the course. The discursive practice work is interesting and it raises important questions regarding social identity - are we who we decide to be, or who we are told to be by society? How do we recognize when society is telling us to behave in a certain way, so that we can make an informed choice, rather than being subject to indoctrination?  How does the Influencer trend of social media fit into all this?   This kind of lecture and discussion work is invaluable for my practice, both as a counsellor and as a psychotherapy columnist.   

My next set essay is centered around the topic of PTSD so I think I will enjoy writing it over the Christmas period.  I like to write 'straight from the horses mouth' so to speak and this is a subject close to my heart that I have written about in the past, so it will be interesting to take this topic up to the next level.   It's certainly a multi-layered topic to study from an academic point of view, and again, such studying will inform my practice as a psychotherapy columnist.  That was after all the point of going back to university to do a Masters degree - so that I can bring that knowledge back to my practice.

One of the things I most love about university is the seminars and Societies that are available to students, regardless of what subject they are doing for their course.  I have attended some fabulous seminars,  as well as taking part in the Poetry Society events each week.  This means that I can indulge in my love of poetry, journalism and English literature to my heart's content, even though that isn't the main core of my own course curriculum.  It is where my heart lies and it does help with the written aspects of any course, because voracious readers make better essayists.  There is a lot of required reading to do for a Masters degree, so it's a good thing I'm a natural bookworm!

The seminars and Poetry Society events offer a bit of welcome relief from studying core texts.  They are great social events, giving the opportunity to meet people with similar interests. It's lovely to be able to discuss poetry in all its forms, not just sticking to the well-worn tropes of  the Great Poets, but looking at the genre as a form of political debate, social conscience and global change.  So I am enjoying attending the poetry and seminar evenings.

The tutors are all much nicer too, which is a relief.  After the psychopath that was teaching us on my last course, I knew I couldn't put up with someone like that again for another two years, as he made the course one long brow-beating session, holding us all under his duress for two years.  He was a nightmare to be around.  Fortunately, the tutors that I have met so far on this course have all been lovely, supportive and encouraging. 

All in all, it has been a rather wonderful autumn this year, with my time in Loch Lomond, then starting a university Masters course, the Little Mix concert,  then Graduating from my old counselling course, followed by a lovely birthday!  So much to be grateful for.  Gratitude keeps the magic flowing and the warm glow of Yuletide is just around the corner.  Life is good to those who are grateful for it, so keep saying thank you for all that you have! 

BB Marie x  

ONCE UPON A DREAM;MY GRADUATION CEREMONY!

 Today, I finally attended my Graduation Ceremony for the psychotherapy course I qualified in last year - and it has been a long time coming!  From the start of Level 1 back in September 2013 to official graduation today, it's been a long 6 years of hard work, clinical practice and stress.  Today, all that effort was recognized with the pomp and ceremony of graduation.

I really enjoyed it.  I didn't think that I would and when I woke up at 6am this morning, I didn't want to go at all.  I get terrible stage fright and the idea of having to get up in front of all those people, mostly strangers, and accept my graduation scroll, was enough to trigger a significant amount of anxiety.  

Add to that the fact that parts of my home city have been severely flooded for over a week, which meant that there was a chance the event would have to be cancelled, and my stress levels were high before I'd even got out of bed!  I found myself wondering if that is how brides and grooms feel on the morning of their wedding day - like it's all just too much trouble and they really wish they didn't have to be arsed with it! 

But the weather forecast wasn't terrible, the event was going ahead as planned and my ceremonial cap, gown and photography were already paid for and waiting for me at the venue. So I gave myself a shake and got ready in the new pink and black dress I'd already bought for the occasion.  

I knew my mother was looking forward to the ceremony and I didn't want to disappoint her, so off we went.  And in truth, it was so much more fun than I had expected it to be!  I actually had a great time.  It was lovely to see my old class mates again and to acknowledge each other's victory in graduating.  As it turned out, from the 18 of us that began the course, only 4 of us were left in at the finish to graduate today.  That's it. Just us four.  So it felt even more significant that we'd made it thus far and we wanted to support each other, as it wasn't just me with stage fright and nerves.

The en-robing ceremony was quite fun.  It felt a bit like Downton Abbey and being dressed by a ladies maid.  I wasn't altogether averse to it.  Plus, once in my robes, I felt like I was going to Hogwarts, which is always a good thing!  From the Robes room we were shepherded into the photography studio, where there was a stunning library for a backdrop.  It was very nerve-wracking having official photographs taken while a long line of other graduands were all waiting for their turn and watching on, but I just tried to smile through the trauma of it and block them out of my thoughts.  After all, it would be their turn soon enough and then they would be the ones being stared at, so we were all in the same boat.  

From the official photography studio, we were allowed to go outside in our robes for unofficial photos, which are the ones I've shared here on my blog and on Twitter etc.  Again, I was nervous and shy about going out looking like Hermione Granger, but I needn't have worried because one of the nicest parts of the day was the well-wishes and congratulations of complete strangers.  People who were just going about their day, doing their Christmas shopping, were stopping to congratulate me on my achievement and graduation - even a homeless man who has his own troubles to preoccupy him, took the time to say congratulations and to wish me well for the future.  I was touched by all the kindness.  It helped to put me at ease and to feel like less of a prat swanning around town in black cap and gown on a random Friday morning. It was lovely. 

But the main event was still to come in the afternoon - the ceremony itself.  As we took our seats, our family members sitting separately from graduands, we began to savor the significance of the day.  Students were graduating from all kinds of course subjects, from engineering and construction management, to health & social care, and my own therapeutic counselling course.  It was more interesting that I expected it to be.  

I'm not going to lie, when it was time for us to get up and prepare to walk across and accept our scrolls, my stress levels were through the roof and I was on the wrong side of the pleasure/pain principle!  But they called out my full name, which gave me a moment to breath (I have two middle names, which buys a bit of time - I highly recommend it!) and the walk of acceptance wasn't so bad.  In fact it was over in exactly 23 seconds - my Mum filmed it and timed it.  So yeah, six years and 23 seconds and that was that - time to party! 

Graduation Ceremony over, we were taken to the Ballroom for champagne and dainty cakes.  The relief swept over me in a huge wave.  The nerves subsided at last; I could finally relax and stop worrying that I'd trip over my own feet, rip the gown (or worse - going to the loo in one is No Easy Task! This is why brides have bridesmaids!), or throw up from stage fright.  It was over - all the hard part was done and now I could enjoy myself with my mother and friends.  I may have had more than one glass of champagne - I think I'd decided at that point to let my hair down and make the most of it.  Afterwards we went out for a meal and drank a little more giggle-juice and now I'm back home, reflecting on the day for you guys.

It was fun.  So much so that I am already looking forward to doing it all again in two years time for my Masters Degree!  I'm enjoying my classes so far and have attended some fantastic seminars because of my current university course.  Just this week I met the author of Throw Me to the Wolves, Patrick McGuinness, who is not only a lecturer at Oxford, but is now also our new Visiting Professor at university, so he'll be coming to teach us every now and then.  

I'm very excited about this as it's the closest I'll ever get to an Oxford University education - being tutored by an Oxford Fellow.  He's such an inspiring man and he even signed my book for me, which was just lovely of him.  I look forward to my Masters classes each week and the seminars too and now, fingers crossed, I am looking forward to graduating with a Masters Degree in the future as well.  Some small part at the back of my Bruce-press-ahead brain is even daring to whisper the letters PhD to me - but I'm telling it firmly to hush up!  One Degree at a time is quite enough, thank you!

If you too have graduated this autumn or achieved something you've wanted and worked towards for a long time, I just want to say congratulations to you.  It's not easy sticking with a long course that takes years to complete, so well done and I hope that you have enjoyed your own celebrations as much as I have enjoyed mine.
One thing no-one ever tells you is this - graduation is exhausting! - so I'm going to climb into bed and have an early night.  I've earned it and I need to recover in time for my birthday next week! 
Blessed Be.
Marie x

BOOK NOOK; Throw Me To The Wolves by Patrick McGuinness

 

"...I notice a bunch of flowers leaned up against the gatepost next door. It's held together at the bottom by wrinkled silver foil and looks assembled from two petrol station bouquets. I recognize the supermarket livery. It's Zalie's first bouquet...

...Tributes, they're called. Shrines. When did they start? Or did they always exist? I can't remember.  I don't think so."

I don't normally read much detective fiction because, just like Crimewatch, it tends to give me nightmares.  When I found this book on Amazon though I was intrigued by the blurb and decided to give it a try.  It's about a detective investigating the murder of a young woman, Zalie Dyer.  Her neighbour is the prime suspect and because he is regarded as being eccentric - a man who prefers the company of the Arts to the company of people - he is quickly judged by the Press to be guilty in a mad frenzy of trial by media - or 'media monstering' as the book calls it.

The story-line is strong throughout and I felt immediately engaged with the characters.  The detective duo is an unlikely pairing - Ander has been privately educated, while Gary was brought up on a council estate.  This effectively means that we get two completely different perspectives on the unfolding evidence, along with some witty repartee and joshing between the two men as they seek to find the evidence that will lead to the prosecution of  Zalie's murderer.

Ander however, is much closer to the investigation than his partner is aware of because the suspect is actually Ander's old teacher from the private school he attended as a boy; a school where bullying and abuse was rife. It was an unhappy time in his life, one that he has deeply suppressed.   As the investigation unfolds and they begin to close the net around Zalie's killer, Ander must first excavate his own past in order to come to terms with it.  He begins by interviewing his old teacher for the crime of murder.  

The theme of systematic abuse within the sphere of private education is far from new, but Throw Me To The Wolves is much more than a novel of gratuitous violence against young boys.  As a Fellow of St Anne's College, Oxford, the author Patrick McGuiness is no stranger to the world of highly privileged education and the often isolating bubble in which the students live.  His professional experience of working in the highest echelons of British education at Oxford gives the novel a rich tapestry of colour, as McGuiness imagines what it would be like to be trapped within an abusive school, where the tutors are omnipotent and from which there is no escape. 

It's a very dramatic novel. The story is strong, not least because it has echoes of a similar case the media were covering some years ago and as I read the book, I found myself picturing those same faces from the news reels of the past.  The parallels between a well documented historical case and the fictional case of Throw Me To The Wolves does make for uncomfortable reading at times, but it also keeps you on the edge of your seat as you wait for Ander and Gary to solve the case and bring the perpetrator to justice. 

Occasionally the voice of the narrator seems to go off on a tangent, but this is consistent with his character.  He is a deep thinker. He ponders a lot and he observes his surroundings in quiet contemplation, weighing things up in his mind as a good detective should. Yet, even his tangents are interesting and read more like a social commentary.  He wonders when death forgot its place and wandered out onto the street in the form of 'floral tributes'; he empathizes with women who are being sexually harassed on a daily basis and who feel powerless to stop it;  he befriend's an old lady who can't makes ends meet due to the poverty austerity has plunged her into.  In the course of his investigation he questions the purpose of social media as he scrolls through the victim's Twitter and Face book accounts saying;

"Her Twitter account is still there, and hundred's of people have already DM'd her to tell her how sorry they are that she's dead.  On her Facebook page, the condolences are mounting up.  They're addressed to her, as if she were checking her social media on the other side.  Is that what they think she's doing?" 

Ander and Gary are in a race against the local journalists to get the murder solved as soon as possible, but their job is made more difficult by the media frenzy surrounding the case. The journalist Lynne Forester is a grown up, more poisonous version of Rita Skeeta from the Harry Potter books.  Everything Lynne writes is twisted and sensationalized.  She isn't interested in the truth, she's just looking for a story, which isn't the same thing at all and she doesn't care how many lives she ruins in the process of her skewed journalism.  

Throw Me To The Wolves is a beautifully written, thought-provoking novel.  It highlights the cliches used by the British media in order to influence their consumers to think a certain way.  It condemns the political policies that leave people struggling to pay for their weekly groceries.  It holds up a mirror and makes the reader question their own motives for buying newspapers and watching news bulletins.  After all, if there was no audience there would be no such thing as a media monstering.  But it is also a highly entertaining novel and I am looking forward to reading more books by this author in the future. 

MUSICAL DOLL; Little Mix Concert

Tell me could you fall for a woman like me?

It's midnight and I've just got home from the Little Mix concert which was fabulous!  I've had the tickets since last December and I've been looking forward to it for all that time.  It's the first big arena tour I've attended since my college friend Kelly was killed at the Manchester bombing, so I've had her on my mind a lot tonight. But I know that, were she still here, she absolutely would have been at the show this evening!  I'm glad I've got over the hurdle of going to an arena show though, because I do love a good pop-princess concert.

Little Mix were great.  They opened with one of my favorite songs Salute and it was just one hit after another from then on.  Yes, they did sing live and yes they can sing, though Perrie and Jade's vocals were the best in my opinion. I especially liked Perrie's live performance - she can really hit and hold those big notes. Her voice is spectacular and she sounds just like she does on the albums. 

My favourite part was the ballad set.  The girls were high up on a floating stage that swung out over the crowd.  They were wearing the dreamiest gowns - long, diaphanous and glittering with diamante gems all over.  They sang Secret Love Song, which is another of my favorites and they held the audience spellbound.  It was such a beautiful set.  I liked that part of the show the best.

If Perrie and Jade were the classic songbird's, then Jesy was the sex goddess!  Although she says she struggles with how people perceive her and the cruel comments she receives calling her fat, her confidence on stage is second to none. Her cups runneth over and she's not afraid to flaunt them!  She owns her curves and dances like a demon to show them off, while Leigh-Anne has all the sass and attitude of a lass who knows she will always be a big achiever, no matter what she chooses to do in life.  Collectively their overall message was one of female empowerment and courage to be yourself, regardless of what anyone else says or thinks about you.  It's a good message for the younger girls who had flocked to see the group in glitter-faced droves!  

When it came to Shout Out To My Ex the whole arena went mad, so I guess everyone can relate to that track.  We all have the ex who broke our heart - and everyone in the venue was singing this anthem at the top of their lungs.  It was great energy and the place was buzzing with it.  They ended the concert with another of my favourite songs, Touch and again the crowd went a bit crazy.  It's such an iconic song of theirs and clearly a fan favourite.  

I got a few souvenirs from the show including a program, a Little Mix teddy bear that I just couldn't resist and a bag that has the lyric slogan "I was born without a zip on my mouth" - yep, that's me!  It was a really good night and well worth waiting for.  I had a great time and now that's another band ticked off my to-see list. There are still a couple of artists I'd really love to see, including Taylor and Ariana - and of course I will always go and see Kylie whenever she tours my home town.  But for now, I've had my pop diva fix and my ears are still ringing with it, so I'm going to snuggle into bed, sip a warm strawberry milk with squirty cream and marshmallows and read my Little Mix program until I feel sleepy.  

Until next time, I'll leave you with no more sad songs... 

...Cos tonight I'm gonna get my mind off it, don't care that someone's got his hands all over my body...

xoxo

BOOK NOOK; The Ghost by Monica McCarty

"How could anyone do that to a young girl?  His heart broke for the loss of innocence. Not her virginity - he didn't give a shite about that - but at what must have been a cruel awakening to the ugly side of men..."

I am back into my Scottish romances once more and having read The Rogue on holiday in Tarbet (and soon finding myself in a real life version of a Highland Guard novel with a gorgeous Viking of my own!) I have just finished reading The Ghost which is Monica McCarty's final book in the Highland Guard series and one of my favourites.  I have enjoyed them all, but there are five which really stand out for me and have captured my full attention - The Hawk,  The Viper,  The Recruit,  The Arrow and now The Ghost.

In this final installment we catch up with Dragon, Sir Alexander Seton who turned his back on the Guard and the Bruce because he didn't like their tactics.  He is a chivalrous knight and he only wants to fight a war that abides by his knightly code of honour.  He thinks he has a better chance at ending the war if he can persuade the English to negotiate, but once fighting on the English side he questions his own judgment.  He hates his betrayal of his friends and broods about it; even more so when he discovers that the English fight just as dirty as the Scots.  He loses his young idealistic notions of what war should be in the face of what it actually is -  a grey area, where there are no heroes, only soldiers doing what has to be done and doing their best to survive and return to their loved ones in the process.  It is a rude awakening for a young man, forced to grow up and let go of his boyish dreams of soldiering. 

To make matters worse he is drawn to Lady Joan, daughter of the infamous Bella McDuff, who has a reputation for being friendly with the English soldiers.  Little does he know that she is in fact a member of the Highland Guard - the very team he recently turned his back on - and one of their most successful spies.  When he is charged by the English to find the Scots spy in their midst, he begins to suspect that his lady love might not be telling him everything and he is right!  Lady Joan has her own dark secrets to keep - secrets she fears will get in the way of this new blossoming romance she never expected. 

As the story moves forward, both Joan and Alex have their own demons of the past to face and conquer - but will the fact that they are on opposing sides alter their love for one another?  And will Alex ever forgive himself for leaving the brotherhood of the Guard behind and betraying his friends?  A reckoning has to be paid and he knows he will meet his former friends again, probably on the battlefield - and which side will he choose then?

This novel explores what honour truly means.  It separates the idealistic view of the chivalric code and what it is to be a soldier in the heat of battle.  It highlights why there must be a moral code to warfare, but also how blurred that line becomes on the battlefield.  Mistakes can cost dearly and loss of control can lead to loss of lives.   

The Ghost brings us right into the heart of Bannockburn and beyond, where McCarty effortlessly weaves together history and legend, fact and fiction in her own inimitable style.  In this book we are witnessing the Bruce's greatest victory, but in McCarty's vivid fictional world where he is surrounded by his faithful members of the Highland Guard, right there on the famous battle-site. 

It's a wonderful conclusion to a fantastic series and the author has done true justice to Bannockburn's battle history, Bruce's legendary scrap with de Bohun and the diplomatic aftermath of the Declaration of Arbroath.  It doesn't mention the Bruce's dying wish to send his heart on Crusade, which was carried out and is why his heart and body are buried at separate locations in Scotland, but it's still amazing and a very satisfying conclusion, not just to the novel, but to the series as a whole.  

If you love Scottish history and Celtic romance as I do, then you will probably enjoy all the Highland Guard books.  I have been tucked up in bed early every night this week, with The Ghost and a box of Loch Lomond shortbread that I bought in Luss, bringing a very sweet, enjoyable end to a busy day!  Enjoy. 

ONCE UPON A DREAM; Loch Lomond Bliss!

I'm just back from my break in Tarbet, Loch Lomond and it was wonderful!  Although it rained buckets everyday, the weather did nothing to dampen my spirits and I would rather be in Scotland in the rain than in my home town in any weather.  Tarbet is a very remote place, which I loved - just the hotel on the Lochside and mountains all around, so no mobile signal at all and nothing else there - no shops or cafes or anything like that - just loch and mountains and the hotel.  I saw the magnificent Ben Lomond, which I prefer to Ben Nevis to be honest, because Ben Lomond seemed to have more of a pointy top, which is how I always imagine mountains to be - pointy at the summit. Ben Nevis is more of a dome. 

The Scotch mist was incredible this year - swirling around constantly, hiding the mountain summits one minute and then revealing them the next.  It was like watching a dance of the weather gods and it was very tranquil and relaxing.

I went to some pretty places; Inverary and Luss again, then Helensburgh which I'd never been to before and it was a lovely little coastal town. I liked it a lot.  I also spent a day in Glasgow.  It was nice enough, but not my favorite place in Scotland.  They have far too many pedestrian crossings and it takes so long to get anywhere because you're constantly having to wait on the little green man or get killed by all the traffic!  I got annoyed with it after a bit.  But I did like Glasgow Green and the terracotta fountain and the museum on the River Clyde that had lots of old carriages and buses from the days of horse-drawn transport.   

The Clyde is very pretty, though it has a haunted feel - you can still see the bones of old industry and the ship yards where the ships used to be tied up and it reminded me of home and how the loss of the steel industry has changed the city and forced it to become a new version of itself.  Something similar seems to have taken place in Glasgow too. I did like the Squinty Bridge - such a cool name for it.  Glasgow feels like a capital city, even though it's not. But I prefer something more rural.

The highlights of the trip took place right in Tarbet itself.  I went on a fabulous boat ride, cruising along on Loch Lomond on a boat called Lomond Princess.  We went past the ruins of an old croft house that legend states is where Rob Roy and his wife Mary lived - I like to believe that's true.  It's a wonderful place to live and suits the legend of Rob Roy perfectly.  Again the weather wasn't great, so I couldn't sit on the top deck like I usually do on boats - I like to feel the wind on my face.  Instead I sat in the boat out of the rain, with a yummy hot chocolate the captain made for me.  It was a lovely trip and another thing that I can cross off my bucket list - sailing on Loch Lomond. 

The second highlight was all the lovely people I met there, especially the barman in the hotel - he was great fun.  He looked just like a Viking - 6ft4 tall with long blonde hair and green eyes.  He's the cocktail bar tender and he can do all the Tom Cruise stuff - I was very impressed by him, as I could never manage to do any of that - any juggling I did behind the bar was always unintentional and ended up in broken glass!  He was very handsome and charming and I had such fun being with him, chatting in the lounge after his shift was over and bonding over the shared experience of being bar staff.   For the first time ever, I sat waiting for bar staff to finish shift so our date could begin!  It always used to be my ex-finance waiting for me. This time I was the one waiting for the Viking to cash up etc.  

I'd been very stressed out when I got to Loch Lomond and he helped me to relax, enjoy the moment and worry less.  He just made me feel more comfortable in my own skin and unapologetic for my place in life. I'd been feeling invisible but he saw me and made a beeline straight for me, determined to get my attention!  I had been quite sad before, but he made me happy again.  We made each other happy and had a good laugh, drinking gin and trying to speak different languages which was hilarious as languages are not my strong point. I butchered French, Italian, Gallic and Hungarian all in one night. I don't expect his fabulous gin cocktails and the red wine helped my language skills at all.  

He's a great guy and I feel lucky to have met him and to have got to know him a bit.   It's always nice when you meet a perfect stranger and just click with them.  It feels like Fate has thrown you together for a reason - in this case so that we could drink gin and compare bar-tender stories into the wee small hours.  We didn't get much sleep - bar staff work unsociable hours, which means that their own social lives don't start until midnight at the earliest, so it was pretty late on when I got to bed, but worth every moment of sleep deprivation for the fun we had. Good thing I'm a night owl. He was quite a souvenir. 

I'd like to go back to Tarbet again hopefully but next year I'm off to Dornoch and the Orkneys. Maybe I'll try to squeeze Tarbet in again before then.  All in all, I just had the best time. After all, who wouldn't enjoy a bit of Viking romance (and language lessons) amid the beauty of Loch Lomond?

There are those people who find their bliss jetting around the world and taking off to the other side of the globe lock, stock and barrel - well good for them. As for me, I'm always going to find my bliss in the Highlands and I'll take the romance of Scotland over the jet-setter thing, any day of the week.  There's no competition, you just can't beat it. 

The best things always happen to me in Scotland - he's one of them
and now every time I drink gin - I'm going to smile and think of him! Bottoms up - or I should say - Slainte! 

xxx

ONCE UPON A DREAM; Matriculation

You can find me in the library

And so begins a whole new chapter...

September brings about the new academic year and the beginning of the autumn term is now under way.  Last week I attended my main matriculation event and I am now enrolled to start studying once more.  I met all of the other students on my course and they seem enthusiastic enough.  There are about a dozen of us in all, so it is a small group which means that we should get to know one another quite quickly.  I much prefer smaller groups anyway. 

We have had the induction day, where all the boring stuff is gone through such as health and safety, student and faculty obligations etc.  Next week the real work begins with the start of our formal lectures.  Although we will do lots of work with faculty tutors, each week we have a Masterclass with professional seminars from people who work in the industry affiliated with our course. 

I am really looking forward to these Masterclasses because they take place in the evenings, right after our last lecture of the day and although most will be held in the beautiful lecture theater on campus, some are taking place at key events held in the city, so they are more social.  It's going to be a lot of fun and already there are some very interesting people engaged to speak and present Masterclasses to us, so it's a great opportunity to learn more about what they do and the profession in general. 

I am finding my way around campus quite well.  The rows of lifts remind me of the Ministry of Magic in the Harry Potter books and our campus colours are burgundy and white, which is almost Gryffindor!  The campus shop opens next week I think, so that we can purchase our scarves, clothes, stationery and teddy bears, all in campus colours and bearing the logo.  I do like shopping, so it will be fun to see what they have on offer. 

Our course has a common room too, where we can meet up before class or sit in comfy chairs to get some reading done between lectures, if we want to.  There is a lovely sense of community and they seem to try and nurture an immediate sense of belonging and home from home, which is vital for overseas students to settle in - not that there are any foreign students on my course.  

I just love having a common room to go to though as it reminds me of the old Malory Towers and St Clair's books I loved reading as a child.  It gives me a feeling of nostalgia and wish-fulfillment  because I always wished that my school had a common room, but it didn't and neither did college - so I finally get a common room to curl up in with a cup of tea on rainy days.   That is one of my university goals achieved already!

I haven't had a chance to visit the library yet, but I did learn that there are six floors of books(!) and learning materials, plus access to vintage newspapers and periodicals etc.  So if I wanted to research beauty tips from women's magazines in the Victorian era, I can. I'm almost afraid to go in for fear that I will never come out again.  It sounds like heaven.  And not only is the library open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, including Christmas - but you can take out 25 books and keep them for a whole year.  How marvelous is that? 

I am excited to get started with the course work.  The last counselling course I did was Level 4.  The Masters course I am on now is Level 7 - so I have skipped two full levels, which makes me a little nervous, but I wouldn't have applied if I didn't think I was up to it and I do like to stretch myself because that's how you accomplish things and achievement breeds confidence in general, so its good for you.   Mostly I'm looking forward to getting to know the other students and exploring different viewpoints etc.  I'm sure I won't agree with everyone all the time, but healthy, respectful debate keeps life interesting and its a great way to learn. 

As with most academic courses there are lots of campus groups and societies that you can join and take part in.  I've never really been much of a 'joiner' but when I saw that there is a Poetry Society I just had to register my interest.  I love poems and poets so a Poetry Society is right up my street.  It makes me think of the Bloomsbury Group or Tolkien's Inklings, so it is something that I want to be a part of.  It suits my bookish personality to a tee and I'm sure my own poetry will be enhanced by regular Poetry Society meetings, so it will be good for my writing. 

In the meantime there is already a ton of reading to do and I have a stack of books in my study from the course reading list, so I'm going to make myself a nice gingerbread latte and dive into the first book on the list.  All in all, it looks like it is going to be an interesting couple of years and I am glad that I decided to push myself and apply for another course of study.  I plan to enjoy myself and make the most of it! Until next time...

Blessed Be

Marie x

MUSICAL DOLL; Beautiful

After all this time...

One tears falls, tension cracks the walls and relief comes -

Kiss me once and you will watch me fall...

xxx

MUSICAL DOLL; Who Wants To Live Forever?

This is a beautiful gothic rendition - very vampiric.

The dark season is calling seductively once more...

 Bite me...

xxx

ONCE UPON A DREAM; Cosy Seasonal Shopping

It's the 1st of September and to me that means it's the start of autumn!  While today is still bright and sunny, the weather is set to change and become much colder in the next few days and that makes me so happy.   

I love the dark season and I have a few little traditions of my own. I always book my holiday for the following year in autumn and this year is no exception.  I've already booked a trip to the Orkney Isles for next year and I am so much looking forward to that.  John O'Groats is the furthest north I've ever been so it will be wonderful to visit the Northern Isles.  I can't wait and I get excited whenever I think about it.

I also like to go shopping each September for a few treats to cosy up my home ready for the colder months - candles, oils and bath products are a must.  I like warm scents such as cinnamon, gingerbread and vanilla.  I also like to buy something for the house that looks autumnal or wintry, but which can be used all year round.

Over the years I have collected a lovely set of oak leaf man ornaments - mirrors, candle and tealight holders, dishes and trinket boxes etc.  They bring the spirit of the autumn woods to my home all the year.  I like to have things around me that remind me of the dark season, even at the height of summer.  There might be a heatwave going on, but once indoors I am surrounded by autumn and winter, my favourite seasons. 

A couple of years ago I bought a few owl shaped plates, mugs and teapot and I always find myself reaching for them come August, when I am sick of the sun and ready for teatime on rainy days.  

I am a pluviophile which means that I take great comfort and joy in rainy days and 'dismal' weather.  I love the cosyness of it; of walking in the rain with a bright umbrella and then coming home to a cosy, warm house, a cup of tea and a good book.  

This year I have added to my woodland crockery collection, buying a gorgeous fox shaped chopping board that looks fantastic in my kitchen.  He is a joy to see each day and always makes me smile. I wish I'd got the set of tea-towels to match, but I might go back and pick them up another day. 

I also got something that has been on my wish-list for a while.  A few years ago as I was watching Once Upon A Time, I noticed a pumpkin shaped cookie jar in Snow's kitchen.  I looked everywhere but couldn't find one and I had given up on it as just one of those American things that never made it to the UK.   But now I have one!  A burnt orange ceramic pumpkin oven dish and lid that will make a fab sweetie jar to keep treats in.  Its from the same range as the fox (pictured above) and was quite inexpensive.    I love it when that happens; when you've wanted something for years and it suddenly lands in your lap right when you've given up on it.  It's manifestation as its best.   

So now my kitchen at least is ready for the dark season and looking very pretty, cute and autumnal.   Shopping is always a fun way to mark the turn in the seasons and companies these days are tapped into the lure of Instagram, producing lovely items that seem to be made for those of us who like to buy pretty as well as practical.  Even the cheaper supermarkets are getting in on the act, so a few seasonal treats and trifles needn't break the bank. 

But for the moment I'm going to make a cup of chai tea in my owl mug, fill the pumpkin with yummy treats and settle down to write a seasonal column for Samhain.  My October column is already in, but we decided I'd write a bit extra for the witchy month of the year, so that's what I'm off to do now. My writing life calls and there's no rest for the Wiccan. Enjoy squirreling away a few autumn treats for yourself this season.  

Blessed Be

Marie x

BOOK NOOK; Luxury Books & Curating a Library

I

Love

Limited

Editions

I always think of books as luxury items - we don't need them to survive, but they certainly do help to make everyday life more interesting and fulfilling.  Buying books is an affordable luxury and with public libraries closing down all the time, it makes sense to build up a library of your very own.  This is something I have been doing since I was a young girl, when I would spend my pocket money on new books.  I loved the sense of ownership, because I didn't have to take them back to the library when I had finished reading them - they were mine to read again and again.

Curating a personal library is the hobby of a lifetime.  It will never be finished as there are always new books to discover.  Your library will grow and evolve over time and the books you read as a teenager are unlikely to still fill your shelves in your dotage, apart from the odd sentimental favourite.   As a youngster spending my pocket money, I didn't care what edition I purchased, so long as I had the story and so my early library was made up of inexpensive paperbacks, apart from the red leather-bound set of classics my parents bought for me when I was fifteen. 

As an adult with more disposable income, I have developed a love of limited and collector's editions.  These editions are designed to be durable and to last for years, so they are the backbone of any library.  More than that, they have beautiful details that make them a joy to own, such as the stunning gothic cover art of the Bronte Deluxe Duo pictured above.

I was thrilled when I found these collector's editions of two of my favourite classics.  I've had editions of Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights since I was a  young teenager, but they are slightly abridged and they are not a matching set.  So when I saw this gorgeous matching duo I bought it immediately and I love them!

Not only is the cover art evocative and eerie, just like the Bronte's stories themselves, but the artwork continues on the back covers and also on both the inner French flaps.  Plus they have deckle edged pages to add to that vintage, old library feel.  I love the windswept look of Cathy's hair and the glinting gold metallic of Jane's lantern.  They really are beautiful books; they make me feel lucky to have them each time I read them as they are such gorgeous editions.

I have quite a few classics from this deluxe collection, but the Bronte ones are my favourites.   I also have collector's editions of fairytale anthologies, which have gold or silver leaf page edges and ribbon bookmarks.  They are the kind of books that are wasted on children!  Much too nice for grubby little hands to ruin.  Some of these anthologies come in matching slip cases to help protect them. I have a few, but my favourite is The Blue Fairy Book...

You can probably see why!  The gilding on this book gleams like magic!  It's a Folio Society edition and sadly it's not available anymore.  But that is one of the risks of collecting limited editions  - you have to get them when you see them, because once the print run is sold, they will go out of print and are unlikely to be reissued in the same way again.  

Over time you will have a library that is uniquely yours and with the exception of Folio Society, collector's editions are not always expensive. On first release they tend to cost just a few pounds more than the standard edition, so you might as well buy the special edition and have something wonderful!  Curling up with a cup of hot chocolate and a stunning book is one of the simple joys of life.

I've said it before and I'll say it again - it takes no extra effort and only a few extra pounds to buy pretty, so why settle for something plain and mundane?  When your bookcase is full of gorgeous books like this Bronte Duo, you can peruse the shelves knowing that whichever book you choose to read, it will look absolutely gorgeous on your bedside table.  You don't get that from a Kindle!

Happy Reading Bookworms!