Okay, so, Mitsie is no longer our “new” cat. We’ve actually had her for three years this month, yet it’s taken me this long to finally get around to writing about her… I think this is a good thing, because I’ve learnt a lot about Mitsie (and life) in those three years. Here are some […]
Obviously, I never wanted my first blog post of the year to be about a pandemic. But here we are, in the middle of the coronavirus outbreak, and here we could be for quite some time. I keep returning to the question, When will things return to normal? Since the start of winter last year,
When will things return to normal? (Some reflections from a person prone to OCD.) Read More »
Sometimes I wonder what the SFF book world must look like to those outside it. To those not enamoured with dragons, fairies, spaceships or extraterrestrials, it probably looks rather strange. Geeky? Most likely. And given the number of altercations in recent years with regards to voting for awards, award renamings and the like, I can’t
FantasyCon, kindness, and some writing revelations Read More »
Recently on social media, people were spreading a little positivity by sharing some of the things they’ve done in their 40s of which they’re proud. I didn’t take part at the time although I wanted to because a) I’m too slow on the uptake and b) the contrarian in me doesn’t like to rush along
“Love doesn’t just sit there, like a stone, it has to be made, like bread; remade all the time, made new.” ― Ursula K. Le Guin, The Lathe of Heaven When I first read the above I didn’t give much thought to it. Maybe because, at first glance, it appears to be a
Reflection is always valuable, but the end of the year provides the perfect excuse to pause and reflect on one’s achievements and mess-ups with a view to planning for the year ahead. My husband calls it ‘scheming and dreaming’ and it’s one of my favourite things to do. First, though, a look back on 2018.
Reflecting on 2018 and a Giveaway! Read More »
A year or two ago I went to an event at the excellent Five Leaves Bookshop and got chatting to one of my fellow attendees who set something alight in my head. I don’t remember the context – just that this person mentioned ‘Renaissance Man’ or ‘Renaissance Woman’ and I thought Aha! This is of
The Rise and Rise of Renaissance Woman Read More »
Although much has been written about the ills of social media, I have a sense that HSPs feel the lows (and highs) of online life more acutely. I can only speak for myself, of course, but I do believe that high sensitivity, accompanied as it usually is with empathy and a deep sense
High sensitivity and social media – some guidelines that help me Read More »
Like ice-cream, every summer holiday has its own particular “flavour”. Now that both my children have returned to school and I’m back from doing the morning school run I’m reflecting on the flavour of the six weeks that have just now passed. There’s been a lot of sweetness and fun, particularly when on the odd
Goodbye Summer, Hello Autumn Read More »
Four years ago today I published a post about the bittersweet experience of watching our children go through certain milestones. You see, I’d seen a mother, sitting in her car outside of school, crying secret tears, because of an important milestone – the end of her child’s time at primary school. At the time, I