Last Saturday night hubby (a huge Most Haunted and Ghost Adventures fan) and myself had the most fun we’ve had for ages. Starting at nine o’clock at night until three in the morning, we made our way with forty plus other people around Bolling Hall, Bradford in the dark with torches. Guided by mediums and psychic detectives we stood in the dark for vigils, did glass on the table stuff and waited for the ghosts to appear. Hubby heard a baby cry in the Green Room and although this was the only experience we had, others were feeling presences around them and their hair being touched.

Being townies, we never (unless there’s a power cut) truly live in the dark and when the lights went out in the house. It was total darkness. You couldn’t see your hand in front of your face!

We were allowed for a short time to wander around by ourselves, which we did and started to take photos. Until the flash went off you didn’t know what you were taking a picture of and I’m afraid we got a bit carried away….

If you fancy a night out that’s different why not give it a try or maybe you already have? I will definitely do it again.

As I am becoming a photographic junkie, here are some pictures that I took on the way.

View from the coach

We were moving!

Reblogged from Jo Robinson:

I’m very anti killing any sort of creature. Sometimes though, if they pose a mortal threat to humans around here or any of my feathered and furred horde, I do assist them off this mortal coil. Like the one and a half metre mamba in my office that I nearly stood on last year. Can’t have snakes that can have you dead in a couple of hours in or around the house.

Read more… 571 more words

The Next Big Thing? It’s  Blop Hop for authors to share their latest work. Each writer answers the same ten questions about their latest piece of work.

I would like to thank Kate Thompson for inviting me to join the Hop. It’s a really good way to find out about other writers, their work and what they’re up to. Here are links to previous hoppers for you to enjoy.

Kate Thompson

http://www.5nwauthors.com/1/post/2013/03/the-next-big-thing-a-work-in-progress.html  

Patrick Jones

http://www.thelindenchronicles.com/

So, here we go folks:

A work in progress.

1.     What is the working title of your next book?

My current title is called ‘The Singing Fish’

2.     Where did the idea come from for the book?

I tend to have stories or ideas that float around in my head and this one has been there for quite a while. The two main characters: Isaiah and Daniel have known each other since childhood  but now as adults their situations are completely different. The appearance of the soulful Singing Fish in the night sky affects both their lives and brings them together again. Their experiences change not only their individual lives but that of the society that they live in.That’s the plan…it could change.

3.     What genre does your book fall under?

I would call it realist/science fiction/ fantasy. If such a genre exists.

4.     What actors would you choose to play the part of your characters in a movie rendition?

That’s a difficult question at the moment, as I can’t quite see it as a film. That may sound odd but it has to do with the ending.

5.     What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?

Life is not always as it appears to be.

6.     Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?

Self-Published.

7.     How long did it take you to write the first draft of the manuscript?

I don’t write first drafts as such. I know who my main characters are, have a rough outline of their story or journey in my mind and I know the ending. So when I write, in part it is a journey for me as well. Mostly I tend to edit as I go along because as the story develops I find that sometimes characters or situations need an explanation.

8.     What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?

As you can tell above, I’m not quite clear on my genre but, I would hope for Terry Pratchett.

9.     Who or what inspired you to write this book?

The title. In front of me in my office I have a poster of Joan Miro’s ‘ The Singing Fish’ I still love the picture and have spent many an hour just looking at it, during which time the idea brewed slowly in my head. I like to try and explore and understand the world that I live in through my writing.

10.  What else about the book might pique the reader’s interest?

There will be a twist at the end of the tale that you won’t see is coming. How is that for a challenge and a good reason to buy the book when it is published? and actually quite daring of me to say!

         I believe my answers may be short and quick but I hope that they are in some way interesting, so now dear reader, the pages are open and the words are waiting to be written.

Peace and love,

Next in line to share the fun and welcome to:

World Enough and Time.  Morgen Rich.

‘Whenever we need to make a very important decision, it is best to trust impulse and passion

because reason usually tries to remove us from our dream

saying the time is not yet right

Reason is afraid of defeat

but intuition enjoys life and it’s challenges’

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Life-Selected-Quotations-Paulo-Coelho/dp/0007259077  Page 70.

I must admit that Paulo Coelho is my favourite author at the moment, so as long as Mr. Coelho doesn’t mind you may find a few more quotes coming your way.

finally, a little self promotion, my novella:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Reflection-of-a-Rainbow-ebook/dp/B005Y0RQD0

will be available as a free Kindle download  on March 9th and 10th. So my darlings if you fancy a nice little book to read this weekend here it is!

On a personal note, I thought I handled turning 50 quite well until Mr. Parkinson’s smiling face came through my letterbox, telling me that I didn’t even need to have a medical to qualify for life insurance. Realising that those Sun Life adverts are now aimed at me brought me into a world of reality I wasn’t ready for!

Getting dressed up and having a good time with family was great fun. Drinks, great food and a good band playing live, what more can you ask for?

Oh, how about that older woman who’s had a few wines, is quite jolly and goes up to the band to gush tell them how wonderful she thinks they are? Mmm, yes unfortunately that was me. Oh my,  I never dreamt I would be that person…..where is that Michael Parkinson leaflet?

If you’d like to check the band out yourselves here’s a link.

http://audiogolduk.com/

Hubby dusted down our youngest daughter’s old computer and if you remember the old dial-up back in the day, then I don’t need to say anymore. Our next door neighbour kindly said that he had two computers that he didn’t use, so hubby could try them out. Unfortunately they were both in computer heaven as well and I have actually spent quite a few weeks easing my way past five computers sitting on the landing at the top of the stairs. I could have called it a modern installation I suppose!

Luckily though we are now both back in cyberspace and catching up. This may be a little late in the day but best wishes to those who have been affected by Sandy, I hope you are all okay.

It was very strange at first not being able to get online, it really felt as if there was something missing in my life. It was a gentle reminder of how much I took it for granted. But on the positive side I found I had time to read a couple of books and start writing again!

Every Friday is Allotment day (just in case you might be wondering what an Allotment is…here in the UK most towns and cities have a designated section of land which is divided into Allotments and these can be rented by people living in the local vicinity to grow their own vegetables/flowers. They date from the WW2 and are still very popular) and was a normal day, weeding etc. When I got home that evening however, my ear started tingling and my response as usual was ‘that someone must be talking about me’ but as time went on and the tingle turned into a burn, I thought ‘Good grief I’ve really cheesed someone off’ (or words to that effect). When I discovered that my ear had doubled in size then it was obvious that something had bitten me, so out came the antihistamines.

That was bad enough but then on Sunday, whilst at the allotment again, it was my turn for shop duties, one of the other allotment holders came and said

“The Bee Man’s here would you like to come and watch him open the hive?”

Well, it seemed a good idea at the time… until bees got stuck in my hair and of course I was stung! When I recounted the episode to my daughters, of how there was myself and two other people lifting up my hair to try and get them out and how I could hear them buzzing and getting angrier and angrier, when they had finished killing themselves laughing dutifully reminded me of how I had told them when they were young to keep away from bees.

So I finished the weekend with a sore head and a chunky ear. Such fun!

End Note: The bees eventually escaped and no harm came to them.

Part Eight on being a new writer is here. The book is written, ‘Kindled‘ and ‘Createspaced.’ I have started a sequel but now I think I have come to a good place. My ego has passed the ‘I may have written a Best Seller’ phase. Having been through the above self-publishing I can say that I admire anyone who follows/has followed this route.

What I have discovered I believe is more valuable to me as a being in the human race. Being a writer is lonely and isolated and I’ll be honest, part of me is quite glad of this, but this journey is more than that, more than just self-expression and actually putting yourself out there to a big, wide world open to praise or criticism. It’s about the world that comes to  you. From philosophical bloggers, photographers and artists, other writers’ and even ‘magic in the middle cookies’ (thank you ‘A Sweeter Thing’). Ordinary people who are sharing their lives and thoughts which are more entertaining, inspiring and true.

I would like to end with my favourite quote from Paul Coelho -Life p92

‘God reveals himself in everything, but the Word is one of his favourite ways of taking action because the Word is Thought transformed into vibration.

The word has greater power than many rituals.’

I have been grappling with a new web hosting site which has definitely taxed my brain but the good thing is that when you have finished, look at, think ‘actually that’s not too bad’ and the headbanging and headache has finally gone, it’s a good feeling. It’s a little like writing….keep going…you will get there.

I haven’t finished this blog yet …I’m off to watch Big Brother which I have unfortunately got hooked on this year….so I will continue later….

Au Revoir.

     Space Love and Wine