Entry into Dare Empire!

I don't usually say much about my books here but this is good news for me!

Wonderful!
I recently signed a contract with Dare Empire for them to publish my trilogy woldwide as eBooks. Also in print for the Australian market. Things have gone quicker than I imagined possible. The first book Awakening Love is now available in Kindle with other formats being prepared as I write. The whole trilogy should be available from all major on-line stores in January and print versions shortly following.
The whole trilogy is getting a new lift with intriguing covers by a team producing books in Amazon's top ratings.
Could 2011 be a true AWAKENING for my award-winning book?

Looking Out and Looking Back.

We are not planning on going anywhere this Christmas. Nothing unusual in that nowadays. Gone are the Christmases when we used to travel to visit our ageing relatives and meet with other family members there. WE are the oldies now but our nearest and dearest live within the area. We will be chatting to our remaining sisters and maybe other kin over the telephone.
Fortunately, we are warm inside the house and the Christmas tree cheers us in the corner. Cards around the room remind us of friends and loved ones. We have time to sit and reflect of what was and how blessed we are now.
Yes indeed. Years ago, when we rose in the morning and wanted to know what the weather was like we would first have to scrape the ice from the glass! No central heating in those days. When I was a child we only had a fire in the kitchen to heat both the room and the water. My husband's family had little different. When we married our house had no central heating or double glazing either. But that was 'normal' then.
We recall a blizzard on the way for our annual Christmas visit to Matlock. We had to turn back and were lucky to get home. Another Christmas my hubby became ill. As soon as we were home, the day after Boxing Day, he visited the doctor. The doc brought him home to pack his bag and take him to hospital. (That was a REAL family doctor!) Investigations presented a different diagnosis and after a small operation he was able to come home some days later. A worrying time though as we were about to move house in the coldest winter we had had for years. The house needed thawing out and the floors scrubbed. I was pregnant with our third child too. But my concern was for my poor hubby. But all turned out well. Hubby got the boiler system going, I scrubbed the floors. The frozen ground prevented the red mud from the building site coming indoors. The kids could play in the snow. We had double glazing, central heating, some new furniture to fill the extra space, and we had never been so comfortable. That is until the children came down with infections. The doctor told us to turn off the central heating and open all the windows!
Another Christmas we all had flu'. And so the Yuletide memories continue — births and deaths, joys and sorrows experienced at this 'season of goodwill'. Hard times and easy times — all of them memorable. The lights on the tree are cheering on dark mornings, the snow brings difficulties but also pleasures. Time to reflect on life and our many blessings. To remember loved ones no longer with us, and of the pleasures of life we shared with them. Right now, sun is giving colour to the snow-covered ground. Clouds drift against the blue of the sky, maybe later we will hear the shouts and laughter of children sledging.
Simple things in life bring us the most joy and peace.

Seeing things more clearly

Years ago all films and photographs were black and white (with many shades in-between). Colour was sometimes added to photographs by special ink — such as tinting essential features. My mother had a photograph of one of my sisters, which had been done on glass and tinted. Such tinting was nothing like the present-day colour photography. Looking at old photographs, I rather like the simple black and white snaps. But then, maybe that is because they are reminders of my youth — a time when things were much more simple in spite of many problems. (As my son says, 'Ah, nostalgia. It isn't what it used to be.') In actual fact, the 30's and 40's were indeed far more grey than today. Colour books, colour films, colour photographs, colour entertainment — slashing, crashing, flashing on TV screens, have completely changed our view of the world around us.
For many people, including children, the recent snow has been a pleasure. True, a problem as well. And for some, a nuisance and a hindrance to work and travel. I recall heavy falls in past years. On occasions, wondering if I have to walk the two bus journey's home. One morning, sitting on the top of a double-decker as went over a bridge and sliding right round into the main traffic lane. Walking through snow drifts with snow higher than my wellies. And being in cars during snow storms and on icy road. More recently, falling over and needing medical treatment. But the joyful times far outweigh the others.
Now, we can sit looking out of our window and wonder at the simple black and white beauty. The brightness of our potted plants stands out too. How rich is just a little colour with such a wonderful background. And what a blessing to have that view, and above all - eyes to see it!

The Light shines on in the darkness

I opened the door one evening earlier this week and the light shone out on the falling snow. We have had a relatively light fall but it has been heavy in other parts of the country, and with temperatures well below freezing. Most unusual for this time of year. In fact as the last light fall fell yesterday, autumn leaves from our big oak drifted down with the snow. These can be seen on the photo I took just now (Sunday morning) There are still a few leaves on the branches.
The country, like many others, may have financial problems as well as the disruption caused by the unusual weather, but 'good will among men' has abounded as the strong (and not so strong) have come to the aid of the less fortunate. (This in spite of the ugliness of theft by a few organised bands and sick individuals.)
To me this is an indication that the country will survive all the present problems and come up stronger for it.