Books, Childrenswear/Child & Family Related Posts, Interview, Life Issues/ Motivational Posts

Hope And Fortune Book Tour

I’m so pleased to be part of the Hope And Fortune Book Tour with children’s author, Marissa Bañez.

BOOK SUMMARY

Hope and Fortune is a modern-day fairytale, featuring multicultural, multiracial (e.g., Filipina, African-American, Latina, Asian, Muslim, etc.), multigenerational, and multigender (including a boy) fairies of different shapes and sizes who help a sad little child who has lost her way to find her path.  Each fairy represents an ideal – Hope, Innocence and Wonder, Truth and Virtue, Generosity and Kindness, Strength and Courage, Respect and Dignity, Confidence, Imagination, Happiness, Beauty, Wisdom and Intelligence, and Love and Friendship. Although the protagonist is a little girl, the life advice given by the fairies is non-gender-specific and could resonate with anyone facing a difficult situation at any point in her/his/their life.

Publisher: Black Rose Writing

ISBN-10: 1685131174

ISBN-12: 978-1685131174

Print copy pages: 46 pages

Purchase a copy of Hope and Fortune on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Bookshop.org. You can also add this to your GoodReads reading list.

MY INTERVIEW WITH MARISSA BAÑEZ

Hi! My name is Marissa Bañez (pronounced Mar-ee-sa Ban-yez). I came from the Philippines in 1969.  I graduated from Princeton University and am a litigator with one of the largest law firms in the world, licensed to practice in New York, California, and New Jersey.  At almost 65 and after 40 years of being a lawyer, I’m embarking on a new life venture in my “Third Act” as a children’s illustrated book author with my first book, Hope and Fortune published on February 2, 2023.  My second book, entitled “Hues and Harmony (How the Rainbow Butterfly Got Her Colors)”, is scheduled to be published on July 20, 2023.

“Hope and Fortune”  is your first published book for children.  Who or what inspired you to start writing children’s stories?

My husband was 49 and I was 40 when we got married.  As we were both no-longer-young, I did not expect to have a child.  Yet, one night during our honeymoon, I had a wonderful, extremely vivid dream.  I still remember every detail to this day.  In the dream, I found myself in a beautiful, very colorful floral garden, feeling peaceful and happy.  Suddenly, singing, laughing, and dancing angels and cherubim surrounded and enveloped me into their midst.  Then, a dark-haired cherub kissed me on the lips.  I immediately woke up and, still very much feeling the cherub’s kiss on my lips, told my husband that we were going to have a baby.  Nine months later, my daughter Angelica was born.  

I wrote a book about that.  Whenever I read the story to my friends, everyone always got a bit teary-eyed in a good way . . . which led me to think that I might actually be able to write stories that positively affects people.

So, as my daughter grew up to be a little girl, I decided to write other original children’s stories for her and her friends and created puppet shows out of the stories.  I made stage scenery and puppet characters using foam board, painted bedsheets, paper bags, popsicle sticks, and just about any available useable household item.  The kids, their parents, and I always had great fun and, at the end of the day, what else should matter when you’re a kid? 

Did you base the fairy tale characters on yourself and people you’ve met in your life?  Which fairy did you enjoy writing about the most?  Which fairy was the hardest to portray?

​Basis for the characters:

• The protagonist, Esperanza, is based on my daughter (who is the muse for all my stories).  In fact, my daughter’s middle name is Esperanza.

• The Fortune Fairy of Hope is my late Filipina mother.  The illustration is based on her actual picture from when she was young.  The fairy also represents the Philippines.  Apart from her physical coloring of slightly darker skin and black hair, the top of her outfit was drawn to evoke the terno, with the distinctive bell sleeves of the Philippine national dress.  Her skirt is meant to look like the typical red-and-black Igorot/Ifugao cloths worn by the indigenous peoples in and near Baguio City, where we lived in the Philippines.  Like Ifugao women, the Fortune Fairy of Hope wears multiple brass bangles, called giniling.

• The Fortune Fairy of Wisdom and Intelligence is a tongue-in-cheek reference to me as a Princeton graduate.  

Favorite fairy:

I love all the Fortune Fairies equally.  There isn’t one that I liked writing about more than the others because each one is different, special, and unique.  That applies equally to the illustrations. There isn’t a particular fairy illustration that I liked illustrating more than any other.  Because children’s illustrated books are usually limited to 1000-1500 words, I expressly curated my illustrations to supplement the text of Hope and Fortune and create a multi-layered story with deeper significance.  In writing and illustrating Hope and Fortune, I learned that numbers, colors, and animals represent or symbolize certain ideals and principles that dovetail nicely with what I wanted to say in the book.  I then incorporated a lot of that symbolism into each illustration to make the story as multifaceted as possible.  Of course, a reader doesn’t have to know (or even care about) all about the symbolism to enjoy the story or the illustrations; they’re there for others who may want a more meaningful experience with the book.

Hardest fairy to portray:

The fairy that was hardest to portray was the Fortune Fairy of Beauty.  I struggled for some time with how to represent the ideal of beauty with physical characteristics because beauty means different things to different people, cultures, genders, and races.  The concept of beauty defies a universal representation.  Then, I remembered a wonderful episode of Star Trek, about a race of aliens that were evolving from their corporeal states into beings of pure energy.  That made me think of energy as our spiritual essence or life-force.  To me, a beautiful spirit will always win over a gorgeous face with an ugly personality.  Thus, the Fortune Fairy of Beauty as a heart radiating positive and bright energy was born.  As she says: “Beauty is not what you see with your eyes but with your heart.”

 Where did your story idea spring from – your legal background or family background or somewhere else?

​For my daughter’s 7th birthday, I wanted to put on a show for her and her friends at her party.  She wanted a story about cowgirls, fairies, and her little stuffed horse.  She and I brainstormed a bit, and I came up with a story entitled, The Lost Foal.  This was the party invitation:

In The Lost Foal, the stuffed horse was the one that got lost in the forest and encountered “cowgirl fairies” played by my daughter and her guests, each of whom wore fairy wings and pink cowboy hats and gave the horse life advice to get it back on the right track.

​Fast forward 16 years later to the pandemic and lockdown in 2020.  I felt bad for my daughter, her peers and those younger, all of whom faced unprecedented uncertainties in life.  I then took The Lost Foal, modernized it with a diverse cast of characters, and created a message that I hope will resonate not only with the very young but also with those less so who may feel rudderless and lost (in however way you want to define and contextualize those terms) at some point in their lives.

Who wove their love of stories spell on you?

​My formative years (until age 11) were spent in the Philippines.  We were poor.  I didn’t have the experience of having someone read stories to me at night.  My parents’ primary concern was the feeding and clothing of my nine siblings and me and ensuring that we received formal education.  The reading or telling of stories before bed was an unaffordable luxury. Plus, other than the books we used for study at the local public elementary school, we had no storybooks at home.  To the extent that we were fortunate enough to get anything to read for pleasure, they were in the form of comic books passed down and well-thumb through by my aunts and 8 older siblings.  Even after we came to the U.S., I don’t remember that I had any books just for pleasure reading at home that I would call mine.  If I was exposed to such books, they were from the school or maybe the library, although I don’t recall that we went to the library very much at all. 

Are you a bookworm?  What is your favorite genre and/or authors?  Kindle or actual books?

​A very good friend from way back to the 3rd grade likes to tell the story when we once had an assignment in elementary school to create a “bookworm”, consisting of round pieces of paper onto each of which we had to write the title of book we’d read and then stapled them onto each other to create a worm. At the end of assignment period, I had a much longer worm than anyone else in the class.  (Again, I don’t specifically recall where I was able to get those books from except from the school or the library.)  So, yes, even back in my youth I was a bookwormand I continue to be one to this day. My current favorite genre is historical fiction, preferably with hitherto unsung female protagonists, such as those written by Paula McClain, Marie Benedict, and the duo, Audrey Blake.  However, I read all kinds of books – from frivolous “beach reads” to legal thrillers to non-fiction tomes – and don’t like to be pigeonholed.  I like to think that barring anything that requires a deep knowledge of things like super-technical scientific or mathematical equations, I could be persuaded to read any type of novel or story. As between Kindle and actual books, it bears noting that space is a consideration when living in New York City.  So, although I’m not adverse to physical books, necessity requires that I read only electronic versions these days.

 Is Hope and Fortune available to purchase worldwide?

​My publisher, Black Rose Writing, can ship Hope and Fortune pretty much anywhere in the world if ordered through its website:https://www.blackrosewriting.com/childrensmg/hopeandfortune?rq=Hope%20and%20Fortune

​It is also available through the following online sites:

• Amazon

• Barnes & Noble 

• Barong Warehouse

• Thriftbooks

• Books a million

• Alibris

• Sandman Books

Growing up had you always wanted to be an author, or did you have other career aspirations?

​If you define “career aspiration” as a fervent hope to be in a particular field for a particular reason, the honest answer is that I held no such ambition when I was young.  To be even more honest, good things came my way and I simply took advantage of them, which fortunately led me to a pretty good path in life.  I’ve been very lucky indeed.

​Growing up in the rural part of the mountain provide of the Philippines and then in the poor section of downtown Los Angeles prior to college, the main goal was survival by being able to put one foot in front of the other from one day to the next.  Sure, the idea that one should grow up to do something to make money to eat was a given but dreaming about or visualizing something as lofty as a “career” or “profession” seemed far-fetched. To be an author was not even on my radar at any time.  That was just something so beyond what I perceived to be within the realm of possibilities – too fantastical and too idealistic – as to be nonexistent.

​As for my legal career, I remember one of my sisters and I were watching a Miss Universe pageant sometime in the early 1970s and the contestant from Japan (if I remember correctly) said that she was or wanted to be a lawyer.  An Asian woman at that time said she was going to be a lawyer?  Mind blown! I recall my sister saying then that she too was going to be a lawyer.  Lo and behold, not only did she become a lawyer, she went on to become an administrative judge for the State of California.  I simply followed in her footsteps and went into law as well, mostly because I hadn’t considered anything else.  Perhaps more accurately, I didn’t know any better to consider anything else.  Medicine (either as a doctor or a nurse) was out of the question as I’m very bad at math and science.  But, it had worked out better than okay for the last 40 years as I moved from one good position to a better one along the way so I’m not complaining.

​Only after being a lawyer for 40 years did I consider being a published illustrated children’s book author.  That opportunity came to me out of left field as well.  By happenstance, I learned a former colleague with whom I worked in the 1980s had published a novel.  Through the power of the internet, I contacted him to say congratulations.  During our message exchanges, I expressed my glimmer of a dream to published one of the children’s stories I wrote for my daughter several years ago.  Without knowing anything about my stories, he introduced me to his publisher.  I took a fateful leap by re-working and modernizing The Lost Foal and then took advantage of the introduction by immediately submitting it for consideration.

When not writing/telling stories, what hobbies/passions do you indulge in?

​I’m a bit of a dilettante.  Among my hobbies/passions are traveling, reading, watching Korean dramas and Star Trek shows (not to the exclusion of other shows but those two types are my favorites), designing/sewing clothes, playing a little guitar (especially with my musically talented siblings – the Von Trapp family had nothing on us!), going out with friends to the theater, museums, restaurants, and the like, and just vegetating on the couch or in front of the computer.  In short, anything but housework. 

What outfits and shoes would you normally be found wearing?

​Ah – fashion!  Now, you’re talking my true language so buckle up!!!

​To me, fashion is a form of storytelling.  It is putting on different personas to fit the occasion, place, or other circumstance.  Depending on the circumstances, clothing can make you feel confident, powerful, beautiful, sexy, fun, slovenly, depressed, comfortable, etc.  Clothing is a very powerful tool in telling the world about yourself or how you want the world to perceive you.  So, for me, there is no such thing as what I’d “normally be found wearing.”  When I go to court or a business meeting, I carefully consider how I present myself.  As a small Asian woman representing big corporations, I need to be taken seriously and heard in a predominantly male and/or White environment where people actively compete to be heard the loudest and the longest.  So, I tend to wear clothing that telegraphs competence, confidence, and a certain sense of gravitas like a suit (either a skirt-and-jacket or pantsuit) or a prim but nice dress … and likely with some “kick-ass” shoes (no hose).  If it’s a more informal business setting, I’ll still dress appropriately but more casually, like slacks or skirts with tops or dresses in less somber colors or maybe even prints … and likely with some “kick-ass” shoes (no hose). I break out the fancy/shiny/glittery stuff when I go to a gala, ballet, philharmonic, opera, or a fancy theater for a live performance.  I have them so why not?  If I’m going to an event that others went to a lot of trouble putting together, I’d like to honor and respect that by dressing up.  And the atmosphere at any event becomes so much more festive when people take the time to look a little spiffier. For going out with friends?  I have some great casual outfits that need to be worn instead of just hanging forlornly in my closet.  I tend to have a more enjoyable time when I dress up in something fun and stylish.  It also tells my friends that they and our time together are special. 


I put my idea that clothes tell a story into practice as it relates directly to Hope and Fortune during a book reading last December.  I wanted to wear something evocative of the fanciful fairies in the book, preferably the Fortune Fairy of Hope to pay homage to my mom and to my country of origin.  As luck would have it, I found though online shopping a green bolero with the traditional Filipino bell-shaped sleeves with white floral embroidery – not unlike the top of the Fortune Fairy of Hope’s outfit!  (My initial thought was to wear a light green dress with it but it was a very cold day, so I switched to black pants, top and booties instead, highlighting the bolero.)  Many moms and kids complimented the outfit.  When some asked about it, I was able to launch into what the bolero represents and how it relates to the Fortune Fairy of Hope –which, of course, is exactly the type of curiosity that I want the book to generate.

​I also think carefully about what outfits to bring on vacation, dictated by where I’m going, what I’ll be doing there, who I’m likely to see and, of course, luggage space.  When I travel, I don’t like to just go to a beach.  I like to do, see, and experience many different things from the adventurous to the cultural (but always fun), so I try to make sure to have the right clothes for everything.

​At home with just my family? I tend to be a slob dresser and even jeans feel dressed up.  Depending on the weather, I’m in sweats or shorts and a T-shirt that I likely got for free at some fundraiser or giveaway because I like being comfortable at home and . . . well, who cares?

Do you have any favorite shops or online sites?

​I do not shop according to the offerings of a certain shop or online site. I’m also not label- or designer-conscious because I have seen many designer outfits that wouldn’t look good on me.

​Instead, I tend to visualize the design and color of an outfit or footwear I want.  I then try to find it in a physical shop or online, without any particular loyalty to any vendor, designer or label.  Sometimes, I get lucky. If not, c’est la vie, but maybe in my search, I see something else that I didn’t know beforehand I desperately needed. . .

What’s next on your clothes/shoe wish list?

​Right now, I have no desire for anything (and I certainly have no need for more clothes). If you’d asked me this about a month ago, I would’ve said I wanted something brocade or embroidered with intricate gold designs.  Why?  Because lately I’ve been watching Korean historical dramas in which the characters – females and males – wear beautiful and elaborate costumes inlaid with gold or silver designs.  Of course, I wouldn’t want to walk around wearing those hanboks (actually, I kind of do), if only because it would be impractical.  ​So, I searched around for something more modern but still reminiscent of those fabulous costumes.  I came upon a ¾-sleeve brocade topper (i.e., a long jacket that hits a couple of inches above the knee) with an upturned collar in a black background and different shades of gold paisley/curlicue design. Bonus – it has pockets!  Quite by accident, I also saw a pair of deep black pants with a gold embroidered paisley-type design on the outside part of the lower leg of the pants.  I’m shortening them to about an inch above my ankle bone to balance out the long jacket in a chic way.  Paired with some killer stilettos or fun mules and it’s a fabulous “dinner party-ready” look.

​When time permits or inspiration hits, I also like making my own clothes from scratch or re-purposing old or barely worn clothes to fit my current “clothes wishes.”  For example, a few weekends ago, I was looking through my closet and came upon a forgotten pair of cropped jeans that I’ve had for years but hardly ever worn.  I then rummaged through my sewing box and found some fancy ribbon trim and iridescent oblong Czech glass buttons.  Spent a couple of hours with a needle and thread . . . voilá – a new and cute pair of jeans!  They even go well with my new black-and-gold topper, giving a more casual spin to my wish for a modern take on the beautiful costumes on the Korean historical dramas I’ve been watching .Tip:  I like to remove and save beautiful buttons, lace, patches, ribbons and other decorative trims from old or outgrown clothes to sew on to other clothing for a personalized style.   

For Pinning Later

Boots or shoes?

​I have several pairs of both shoes and boots of different styles and colors, so my choice is dictated not so much by an inherent preference of one over the other (which I don’t have) but rather by what goes better with whatever outfit I decide to wear for the day.  That said, I’m a little obsessed with mules with kitten or cute/interesting heels right now.

 Links you’d like to share – e.g., website/facebook, etc.

Personal website:  https://www.marissabanez.com/

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/marissa.banez.7

LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/marissa-banez/

BOOK TOUR DATES

Thanks to Marissa for inviting me onto her book tour. All photographs have been published with kind permission of Marissa Bañez.

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Arts & Crafts, Reviews

Review: Original People

DISCLAIMER ALERT

My mug has been supplied by Original People for the purpose of this review, however all the opinions expressed are 100% mine.

WHO ARE ORIGINAL PEOPLE?

Original People is an online shop where people can design their own unique and personalised gifts. Founded by Fredrick and Mia Svensson , who spotted an array of family stickers adorning trailers, cars , boats etc whilst on a road trip in USA and decided to bring the concept to Europe. Their 3 key goals are personalisation, sustainability, and to make people happy.

THE WEBSITE

The website is comprehensive without being cluttered. I chose to review a mug that I wanted to personalise with a collage of 3 of my photos (my happy places – the village where I live, Calheta in Madeira, and Tuscany, Italy). On the website you can upload a photo or a drawing or you can do your own cartoon design using the online design tool. There is a 3D tool to check the result before you place an order. The design tool is fairly easy to use, especially if you are used to online design tools in general – if you are technically challenged it might take a bit longer to figure out. I used the 3D tool to check my order but having since received the mug, I think I could’ve lined up my photos a lot better so they look totally seamless – rookie error! Although Original People is based in Sitges, Spain, the website is in English with prices corresponding to your relevant country.

When it comes to stickers, the website features step by step instructions on how to apply the stickers and other such guides.

THE PRODUCTS

Every product is custom made and unique. All graphical elements are sublimated to keep the design intact. Original People has an impressive variety of products available and at very attractive affordable prices too: personalised mugs (my option); coffee mug; coffee tumbler with lid; wine tumbler with lid; stainless steel water bottle; kids bottles; straw cups; custom car stickers; and camper vinyl stickers.

SUSTAINABILITY

The brand claims that all their products are sustainable – their products are BPA – free, they use eco friendly packaging, recycle all material and reuse everything they can in the production process. They support projects that fight the climate crisis and those who give children in developing countries an education. They regularly collaborate with NGO collaborators (SeaSaveOrg; Greenpeace; The Orang Utan Project).

DELIVERY

It takes 1 – 2 work days to make your custom product. During this process I received emails tracking the development of my mug and I had up to 12 hours to edit,if necessary,my order. Delivery takes 5 – 9 working days via DHL global mail; Express Delivery is 24-48 hours. Despatch is from the factory/HQ of Original People in Sitges, Spain. My mug took roughly 8/9 days to be delivered to my home in England.

CONCLUSION

I am really impressed – it was fun deciding which product I wanted to review and I liked the idea of having a mug. I was undecided on what photo to use and in the end I decided a collage of my 3 happy places would be lovely. The process of using the online tool was fairly easy although I think I should have paid more attention to lining up the photos properly – however, I am pleased with the outcome! The colours in the photos on the mugs seem to be a little saturated – that might be due to the sublimation process to keep the design intact. Again though, it is a minor issue. I’m chuffed. It’s a great idea for gifts and the prices are really reasonable. I didn’t get to review the stickers but I am sure they are of a high standard too. 9/10

THE LINKS

  1. https://originalpeople.com/en
  2. www.facebook.com/op.originalpeople
  3. www.instagram.com/op_originalpeople
  4. https://twitter.com/OP_English
For Pinning Later

All photographs have been published with kind permission of Original People – the Personalised Mug Photographs are by Linda Hobden

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Books, Interview, Reviews

Whispering Through Water Book Tour

I’m so pleased to be part of the “Whispering Through Water” Book Tour for author Rebecca Wenrich Wheeler. Rebecca is a children and young adult author and “Whispering Through Water” is a lovely coming -of-age , young adult story: although this isn’t a genre I normally read, I really enjoyed the story and I think the novel would appeal to young adults and those who like a uncomplicated romantic novel with family dynamics and 1990s nostalgia involved 😊

BOOK SUMMARY

The coming-of-age story follows Gwyn Madison, the summer after her high school graduation, as she grapples with her fast-approaching future. She’ll have to face more than she bargained for with her Aunt Delia, the family matriarch, who holds the purse strings and the final word.  In the meantime, Gwyn stumbles upon a tightly held family secret. Could a mysterious letter provide Gwyn the leverage she desires? Will it only bring more family division? Or, maybe, the past was never meant to stay buried after all. Whispering Through Water navigates family dynamics, young love, and female autonomy with a little 1990s nostalgia.

Publisher: Monarch Educational Services, L.L.C

ISBN-10: 1957656052

ISBN-13: 978-1957656052

ASIN: ‎B0BCCW8T54

Print length: 265 pages

Purchase a copy of Whispering Through Water on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Bookshop.org. You can also add this to your GoodReads reading list.

MY INTERVIEW

I caught up with author Rebecca to find out more about her, her book and her wardrobe! Hi Rebecca!

Hello! I am Rebecca. I was raised in West Point, Virginia, a small town in the Tidewater region of Virginia. My town is a peninsula of 6.6 square miles! Currently, I live in Durham, NC. I have worked 20+ years in education in various roles, including teaching high school English and psychology. Along the way I earned a degree in Professional Counseling, and now I work in school-based mental health. My husband is a physics instructor. We have two kids and two very spoiled Siamese cats. I am also a registered yoga teacher, and I have taught yoga for 11 years. In addition to writing, I also love baking and gardening.

“Whispering Through Water” is your young adult/teen coming-of-age story featuring family dynamics, young love, a mystery, and a touch of 1990s nostalgia. Who or what inspired you to start your writing career? 

I’ve wanted to be a writer since I was in elementary school. I remember writing my “life plan” as an assignment in 8th grade health class. I wrote that I would get a college degree and write a book before age 30 (only one of those happened according to my 8th grade timeline. haha). Books have always been an important part of my life; they are a source of connection and knowledge. I want to be able to share that connection with my readers. 

I loved the love story between Gwyn and Isaac.…. in fact I found all the characters believable, including Sal from the pizza joint; Trisha and her sister, Aunt Delia were like chalk and cheese (although I did get frustrated with the way Aunt Delia acted towards her niece and frustrated with Trisha and Uncle Beckett for not being a bit more supportive); the exuberant but likeable Brenda Quigley ; and Gwyn’s best friends Denise & Danny. Did you base a lot of your characters on you and people you’ve met in life? Which character did you enjoy writing about the most?  Which character was the hardest?

I love that you felt all of those feelings toward the characters! Yes, we have people in our lives that we wish were more supportive, but just aren’t. In families we do fall into roles, like we are on automatic pilot, and it helps to have some new additions in our lives to shake up the dynamic. Because of Isaac and his family, Gwyn sees a new way to relate and is able to take initiative to relate differently in her own family. You cannot control someone else’s behavior, but you can control how you react toward the behavior. If you take the initiative to change yourself, you change the world.

Gwyn was the easiest to write, probably because she is most like me. Gwyn was probably a bit bolder than I was in high school. I do love Sal Jr. He was a character of my own invention, and just makes me smile!

Aunt Delia was probably the most challenging to write. I completed the second draft in 2013, and shelved it for a while. When I re-read my draft in 2021, Delia did not read as the sympathetic character I intended her to be. I wanted readers to feel sympathy for Delia at the end. I rewrote the relationships in her backstory, so she could become who I envisioned in my mind.  I have encountered people similar to Delia. I am curious as to what lies beneath the tough exterior. Bitterness grows over time. 

There is no singular person that influenced a character. They are more a hodgepodge of people I’ve met over the years. Mrs. Jenkins and Brenda are an amalgamation of some of my favorite teachers. There’s a little of my college roommate in Denise, and a little of my cousin in Danny (though neither have actually met each other in real life!)

What attracted you to writing a young adult/teenage novel? What is it about this genre that appeals to you? 

Adolescence is a pivotal time in a person’s life. Our experiences in adolescence certainly impacts our relationships and behavior patterns as adults. My husband likes to say, “The irony of life is that the 40-year-old must live with the decisions the 18-year-old made.” (Of course the 18 and 40 year-olds refer to the same person!) I know so many adults who love to read YA, and I believe one reason is that it helps them process what they might have experienced as a young person.

I do love the flexibility of the genre. In YA, characters can experience the coming-of-age anywhere, from realistic fiction, to a dystopian universe, to lands with fairies. And the characters can have fun!

As a teenager, books were very important to me. I grew up in a small town, and I never felt like I quite fit in. As C.S. Lewis’ character in the Shadowlands said, “We read to know we’re not alone”. Through my writing, I hope readers can find connection. 

Illustration by Terri Moore @mooreillustrating

If you could visit any country/place in the world, to base a future novel in, where would you go and why? 

Such a good question. Partially because I’m curious about my Scandinavian ancestry, I would love to learn more about Sweden and Norway. If someone wants to fund a trip, give me a call! 🙂

Growing up, did you always want to be a writer or did you have other career aspirations?

Since childhood, the one true thing I always knew about myself was that I wanted to be a writer. As a kid my other career aspirations weren’t as realistic (one of the humans on Sesame Street, a spy, etc). I think many creatives find themselves doing lots of other careers in hopes one day they will be able to support their creative pursuits. 

Are you a bookworm? What is your favourite genre and/or authors? Kindle or actual book? 

I am a pro-actual book. I will read a Kindle on a plane, and when carrying a bulk of books isn’t practical. Being on a screen too long gives me a feeling of being trapped. I like the freedom of being able to carry an actual book. Let’s face it, kindles are no fun reading in the sun.

Is Whispering Through Water available to purchase worldwide?

Yes, Whispering Through Water may be purchased from a variety of booksellers like Barnes & Noble, Amazon, and I like to plug independent bookstores. Find your local indie bookstore on indibound.com.

Personal now – what outfits and shoes would you normally be found wearing?

I love jeans, and I’m so glad that high-waisted jeans have come back in style. (I will still wear them when inevitably the low-waisted returns). I am a tall girl, and low-waisted just doesn’t work on me! I also love a fun boho shirt and jewelry.

I live in North Carolina, and unfortunately, at least five months out of the year it’s too hot to wear jeans. I’ve never liked shorts, so in the summer, I’m usually in a cotton dress.

My favorite shoes I own are a pair of beige and red Dr. Martens I bought in a consignment store, probably 15 years ago. 

Do you have any favourite shops or online sites?

I love ThreadUp (I blame my former co-worker, Jessica, for this addiction!). I have always loved consignment stores. They encourage me to try brands I wouldn’t always try, and make pricier brands more accessible. Being more eco-friendly is a big perk too!

I love ThreadUp in particular because of the ease of searchability. You can add so many filters to find just what you want. 

I also am a gardener, and I buy the majority of my seeds and bulbs from Eden Brothers. They are a North Carolina company and will ship anywhere! www.edenbrothers.com

What’s next on your clothes/shoe wish list?

I have Rothy’s flats, and I would love The Chelsea high top boot.

Boots or Shoes?

Both! Depends on the hemline.

Links you would like to share e.g. website/facebook etc

Instagram: @rebeccawwheeler_author

Twitter: @RWW_author

Website: www.rebeccawwheeler.com

BOOK TOUR DATES

All photographs have been published with kind permission of Rebecca Wenrich Wheeler; illustration by Terri Moore @mooreillustrating . Thanks also to Rebecca for a review copy of “Whispering Through Water”

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Arts & Crafts, Home Furnishings, Interview

An Interview With Paper Starlights

Creating magic since 1996, my guest this week is Andy from Paper Starlights – think cool camping lanterns, wedding lights, lampshades, parties, Christmas and Diwali decorations- these starlights are hand screen printed using artisan techniques. I caught up with Andy to find out more about his magical brand… Hi Andy and welcome!

Hello 😊 My name is Andy Jupp. I spend my time mainly in the UK and India, have a small brown dog called Darcy, like to drink rum and coke, and am rarely able to watch a movie all the way through.

What inspired the creation of “Paper Starlights”?

Finding a means through which I could do something in life that might make people feel good. I think inspiration is inherent, you just need the spark sometimes. For me it was seeing for the first time the impact traditional bamboo star lanterns had on a social environment.

I understand that “Paper Starlights” is a collaboration of 2 family businesses from India & UK with a story that spans 2 generations & 3 decades of friendship. How did that collaboration come about?

The friendship came about through sheer determination – identifying that we had a mutual interest, then working hard over many years to develop it. For all of us, the maintenance of our relationships, and a focus on quality of relations comes first.  The first time we met we ate together, and this is something we make sure we do as often as possible.

You have a lovely wide range of starlights  – I particularly like your Bohemian range, especially the Fantasia Tropic. What starlights and designs are proving popular amongst your customers so far?

One of our USPs as a company is to produce across styles and applications – for domestic use, for location décor, for events and hospitality. So it could be a scandi style shop window display, a colourful kids bedroom, or a venue like Kings Cross Station with large 2 metre stars – the popularity seems to derive from the vibe and atmosphere the stars create  – We’ve been producing stars since 1996, and have a portfolio of over 180 styles. So there’s a high possibility we have something for most people.

Do you have a particular favourite design?

The next one . Always.

As you are based in Derbyshire, are your products available to purchase overseas?

We have stockists around the world, and retail and wholesale through digital channels too.

How are the starlights made? What makes Paper Starlights special?

They are made with love, care, experience, and attention to detail. The focus is on effect : how to best achieve a certain effect upon a person / location. Because our stars are lanterns, luminosity is key. So materials, design, and process are massively important.  Every part of the process is performed by hand, including, crucially, the printing and punching.  

Paper Starlights are not just for parties/Christmas/Diwali – they make good lampshades too. What’s the best way to take care of them?

One of the unique things about our stars is that they fold flat, and can be used, re-used, and used again. Sustainability is built into the fabric of the design, aswell as the materials. Many of our customers have been using their stars for 10 years or more, either continuously or as seasonal decorations. The best way to care for them –  just leave them be.

How big are the starlights?  Do you cater for large scale decorations for events etc?

Our stars range from 42 cm diameter up to 2 metres, although for domestic use the norm is 60cm – 87 cm. We provide packages for events, weddings, hospitality etc. We also design and build installations for large public buildings.

Have you always wanted to be an artistic career or did your career aspirations lay elsewhere?

I can’t really distinguish between the artistic and non-artistic, career, or otherwise. I think I understand it all just as life. I have another company called Charity Shop DJ which could be said to be 100% artistic – and its focus is on highlighting how we are all creative people, no matter what we “do”. Most important thing for me is that whatever we do, whoever we are, we can effect things, and have effects on others. We have the authority, all of us, to choose whether to be a good person or not.

Personal now – what outfits and shoes would you normally be found wearing?

I have a tailor in India who every year makes me a new safari suit. My favourite is a black pin striped safari suit with a pair of white trainers. Although I may look like I’ve just stumbled out of the bookies in 1970.

What’s next on your clothes/shoe wish list?

I’d like to wear a love-child of Skechers and Dr Martens, with a touch of Crocs thrown in. A kind of urban slipper for men of a certain age with gout.  

Boots or Shoes?

Boots. Every time. I love the feel of lacing them right up, knowing that they are gonna be staying on for at least the next 48 hours whilst we go out partying.

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Links you would like to share e.g. website/facebook/twitter etc so that readers can find out more about Paper Starlights 

www.paperstarlights.com

Insta, facebook, pinterest, youtube, twitter, linked in, tiktok     @paperstarlights

Thank you for shedding the light on your company Andy and for agreeing to be in the spotlight! Such lovely, magical products 😊

Linda x

All photographs have been published with kind permission of Andy Jupp. (Paper Starlights).

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Food/Drink, Interview, Reviews

An Interview With Nirvana Brewery

It may be “dry” January but there is no need to forgo that pint of beer, lager or stout because the brewers at Nirvana Brewery believe that outstanding beer doesn’t need alcohol, that award winning flavour isn’t tied to ABV and that drinking with friends doesn’t have to mean a slow start the next day as you try to clear your thumping headache and feeling of nausea. Nirvana Brewery is Britain’s only dedicated low/no alcohol brewery – their beers are also low calorie, vegan , and have women at the helm! As I sup my chilled glass of the flagship lager, Bavarian Helles Lager, let me welcome onto the blog Becky Kean who runs this gem of a brewery … Hi Becky!

Hi! I’m Becky, the founder of Nirvana Brewery. We’re the UK’s only dedicated no-alcohol brewery, based in East London.

What inspired the launch of Nirvana Brewery in 2016?

We set out to brew really great alcohol-free beer when my dad gave up drinking. But I suppose the true inspiration began with our love of beer. As a family we loved sharing a beer together and enjoyed sampling beers from different craft breweries. When one of the family was no longer drinking it didn’t seem fair that they should be left out

I am really impressed that your brewery is Britain’s only dedicated low/no alcohol brewery.  And that the beers are low calorie and vegan ! I definitely like your flagship lager, Bavarian Helles Lager.  Which of your current drinks is your favourite?

Thanks! Our lager is our most popular beer and absolutely one of my all time favourites, but to be honest my beer of choice changes all the time. At the moment I’m really enjoying drinking the stout; the chocolatey, roasted flavours go down really well in the winter months.

Which drinks would you say are best sellers amongst your customers?

Well as I said our lager is definitely the best selling beer in the range. Lager is generally the most popular style of beer in general, but from a brewing perspective its one of the hardest beers to get right, especially when brewing alcohol-free. The fact that we’ve managed to brew a 0.3% lager that tastes just like a full strength beer, whilst also having the same clean taste and complex flavours of a craft lager I think is why people really love it. That being said our Classic IPA and Hoppy Pale Ale are a close second! They are really refreshing, modern hoppy ales that have all those delicious fruity and tropical hop flavours that most beer lovers look for in a craft beer.

Is it difficult to put together suitable “recipes” for your craft beers that live up to your ethos?  Where do you get your flavour inspirations from?

It is super difficult to brew beers under 0.5% alcohol, let alone keeping them within our remit of healthy, natural and vegan. But we’ve spent quite a few years tweaking and developing our methods and recipes and now I’d say we have that bit down pretty well. So creating new recipes is fairly straight forward and a lot of fun! Our last project was brewed with the help of our social media followers who put forward their suggestions of their ‘Heaven’ flavour and their ‘Hell’ flavour. Our brewer picked her favourites from the responses and we’ve now got a Heavenly Orange and Thyme Sour, vs our Hell-ish Jalapeño lager!

Traditionally beer contains quite a bit of alcohol and calories; so how have you managed to brew craft beer without the deadly calories and alcohol … do you follow a different process than other breweries?

Good question! For the most part our process looks exactly the same as you would see in any other craft brewery. The difference in our brewing is all in the fermentation; we have to control the fermentability of the beer by using different temperatures, yeast strains and less fermentable sugars. We do use less malt which is the base of the alcohol-forming sugars, hence why there are fewer calories in our beers. Ultimately there is less sugar for the yeast to ferment, which results in fewer calories.

As you are based in the UK, are your beers available to purchase worldwide?

Yes we have a growing export business which we are very excited about. Our beers are sold throughout Asia and the Middle East as well as in Canada, and as far as Australia!

What do you enjoy most about running a brewery? 

I love working in the drinks industry, its a really fun industry to work in. You get to be out there in the city, meeting with pubs and restaurant owners and see the interesting things happening in hospitality. But I also enjoy the physical nature of producing something tangible from fresh ingredients, and something that I can physically open and enjoy at the end (or middle!) of the day. Most of all though I love working with our amazing Nirvana team. We are close-knit team and I think we have a really nice culture here.

Personal now – what outfits and shoes would you normally be found wearing?

Well, as a brewery owner I would look totally out of place in anything too formal! So mostly I’m found in jeans and trainers, and sporting my branded Nirvana T-shirt and hoody. In my spare time it’s not too different, perhaps with a nice shirt instead of a hoody!

Do you have any favourite shops or online sites?

I suppose my favourite place to shop would have to be farm shops or foodie markets. I take so much delight in discovering interesting and different food and drink producers, I’m always looking for something new to try! When it comes to clothes shopping preference, I would have to say sites like Vinted as I’m trying to declutter and stop filling my wardrobe with ‘new’ stuff!

What’s next on your clothes/shoe wish list?

My weakness is probably trainers. I can never have enough! I wear them all the time so each new pair seems to be worn out within 6 months. I also seem to need a different pair of trainers for work, running, gym etc. so I can never have enough. At the moment the next item on the wish list would probably be a new pair of running trainers for when the sunny weather starts again (I already have my winter running shoes sorted).  😉

Boots or Shoes?

Shoes because they are more flexible and versatile!

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Links you would like to share e.g. website/facebook/twitter/ instagram etc so that readers can find out more about Nirvana Brewery.

Yes, you can check us out on any of the channels below:

nirvanabrewery.com

facebook.com/nirvanabeerco

instagram.com/nirvanabeerco

twitter.com/nirvanabeerco

Also find us on Ocado or Amazon!

Thank you for chatting to us today Becky. I love the Bavarian Lager – very refreshing and it tastes of lager!!! 😊 I haven’t yet sampled the Pale Ale or Stout but I will do so.

Linda x

All photographs have been published with kind permission of Nirvana Brewery ( apart from Pinterest photo – by Linda Hobden)

DISCLAIMER ALERT:

My thanks goes to Nirvana Brewery for the mixed case of beer for me to review for the purpose of this post however all opinions expressed are 100% mine

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Books, Interview, Life Issues/ Motivational Posts

Spotlight On The Lumberjills

I recently received a copy of a new wartime saga called “The Lumberjills: Stronger Together” by Joanna Foat to review. It is a well written, enjoyable novel about a group of girls from different backgrounds who joined the Women’s Timber Corps. What impressed me more is that this book is Joanna’s first work of fiction – and what a fabulous non stop page turning debut – but Joanna has written a non fiction book about The Lumberjills, has spoken to more than 60 former Lumberjills and has spent 10 years researching her subject. That’s amazing! So, I’m really pleased to welcome Joanna onto the blog….Hi Joanna!

Hi, my name is Joanna Foat. I am an author, speaker, environmental communications consultant and love adventures in the great outdoors.

“The Lumberjills: Stronger Together” is your debut novel – a historical novel based on the Women’s Timber Corps, a mostly forgotten division of the Women’s Land Army during the Second World War. What inspired you to write a novel? 

I remember the day I first heard about the Lumberjills when I was working for the Forestry Commission. I was sitting at my desk in a wooden hut at Alice Holt Forest looking out the window at the birds and passing deer, while researching stories about women in forestry. When the woman at the other end of the phone said there were thousands of women working in the forests felling trees with an axe and saw during wartime and they were called Lumberjills, a shiver ran through me. 

I thought, how come I’d never heard of them? I have to find out more about these women. I knew that only a few, if any, could still be alive. At that moment, I realisedI had to meet these women. Once I had tracked them down and heard their extraordinary stories, I just knew I wanted to write a book about them. I felt it was such an important story to tell about strong women. And if I didn’t, it would be forgotten forever. 

Were there any aspects of writing your novel that surprised you, either by being harder or easier to write about than you expected (considering you have written a non-fiction book about the Lumberjills also)? 

First, I absolutely loved doing all the research, travelling the country to meet those inspiring Lumberjills, visiting museums and trawling through archives. Discovering these wonderful pieces of history was just like a hugely rewarding treasure hunt. 

There was a big difference between writing the non-fiction and a novel. Non-fiction is like a collage of newspaper cuttings, old photos, letters and words from interviews. You find the best stories and curate them to create a big picture. 

Whereas fiction is like a broiling witches cauldron swirling with emotion, people and places. You have to make the fire first and then start adding all the ingredients, keep stirring, tasting, smelling and simmering for a long time and hope the magic spell works. It feels like a much more dynamic process and so I found writing a novel much harder.

I was terrified of writing dialogue to begin with. But that was because I hadn’t done enough character development. After spending a lot of time of getting to know my characters, I could tune into them quickly and now I can hear their voices speaking to me as I write.

I love the different characters in the story – feisty bohemian Keeva, the cockney East Ender Rosie and wealthy Beatrice were my personal favourites… do you have a favourite character? Which characters or storyline were the hardest to portray?

I had a lot of fun writing Beatrice, putting words into her mouth that made me wince or squeal with laughter. You can have a lot of fun making your characters misbehave. I want to have more mischief in my next novel.

I found Keeva the hardest to portray because she was such a moody teenager and I couldn’t get a lot back from her. She frustrated me. I even asked her once what she might do in a particular situation and she gave me a withering look and shouted at me, stop trying to put me in a box. She is so fiercely independent. I suppose I had my answer in one way. But I still felt none the wiser. I understand her more now.

Hypothetically speaking, if “The Lumberjills: Stronger Together” was made into a film, who would you love to see portraying the characters, especially Keeva, Rosie and Beatrice? 

If ever there was a great comparable to what The Lumberjills film would be like. It is A League of Their Own. I love the great mix of female characters, backgrounds, shapes and sizes. Real women. Grubby, muddy and misbehaved. There’s plenty of unknown actresses out there who need a break – this could be for them. The Lumberjills acted out by rising stars. I love that idea.

Have you always wanted to have a career in writing or did you have other aspirations? 

No. I didn’t really have aspirations as a child because I was so shy. Maybe I would have been a dancer. But I certainly wouldn’t have said that I wanted to sit still and write. Although I did write my first book age 10, which was 33 pages long and about a hard done by pigeon. I thought if I could get people to care about a pigeon, that would be really cool. I loved writing it but my older sister said it was rubbish.

Movement and sport are forms of self-expression and give me a sense of freedom and confidence. I discovered I wanted to write about that. I want to write how the Lumberjills muscles ached, what it felt like to cycle 20 miles before work and how strong they had to be felling trees all day long in the forest. My Dad bought me an axe for Christmas one year. So, I am sure, if I’d been alive in the 1940s, I would have jumped at the chance of joining the Women’s Timber Corps.

Are you a bookworm? What is your favourite genre and/or authors? Kindle or actual book? 

I wouldn’t call myself a bookworm, more of bookbird. I fly from book to book and sometimes don’t finish them. I love physical books with beautiful covers. A kindle doesn’t do it for me. I love the beauty of the myths and legends in Madeleine Miller and how nature thrums through every word in Delia Owens’ Where the Crawdad Sings.

Is “The Lumberjills: Stronger Together” available to purchase worldwide?

Yes, The Lumberjills is available worldwide and selling well in UK, US, Canada, Australia, and France.

Personal now – what outfits and shoes would you normally be found wearing?

I used to find myself on a muddy walk or doing the gardening in a heeled pair of boots and dress. So now I prefer wearing jeans, a green top and Converse. In fact,most of my clothes are Lumberjill green.

Do you have any favourite shops or online sites?

I have been brought up on charity shops and loved hand me downs from my friends and family. I have a fascination with Anthropologie. But I’m more likely to buy from Depop.

What’s next on your clothes/shoe wish list?

A pair of beautiful leather hiking boots and some running leggings. I am tempted to buy myself some dungarees too, Lumberjills style. Oh, and can I add in a vintage axe accessory here too? ;0)

Boots or Shoes? 

Boots. Shoes seem too small and flimsy and most of mine are high heels. As a teenager I wore Doc Martins and some German Army boots I bought from an old Army Supplies store. I still have the latter over 30 years later. 

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Links you would like to share e.g. website/facebook etc

www.thelumberjills.uk

fb. @thelumberjills.uk

insta and twitter @jofoat

It was brilliant to chat to you Joanna! I love trees too and I spent a happy childhood climbing up trees and making dens in the patch of Epping Forest close to my home in East London. I live in a rural village now surrounded by woods. I loved your novel – it was just pure escapism . Thank you Ben for the review copy of Joanna’s novel.

All photographs have been published with kind permission of Joanna Foat. (Pinterest photo by Linda Hobden).

Linda x

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Books, Childrenswear/Child & Family Related Posts, Interview

The Witching Moon Book Tour

I’m so pleased to be part of The Witching Moon Book Tour (The Witching Moon by K E Bonner). The genre of this book is Young Adult Fantasy – and normally not a genre I’d go for, seeing as I am a “not so young” adult – but I really enjoyed this fast paced story.

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THE BOOK SUMMARY

Every once in an eon, when the Earth eclipses the moon on a winter solstice, an immortal is born under a witching moon. Anne has always had the strangest feelings—memories she couldn’t place; strangers she inexplicably yearned for. After she rescues the enigmatic Phillip from a shipwreck, her comfortable life on the island of Cusabo is shattered, and the mystery of her destiny starts to fall into place. Anne leaves behind the life she’s always known and sets out with Phillip on an arduous journey to Amaranth, where her ancient family awaits her. But the path is dark and daunting, and Anne’s powers have only just begun to manifest.

Publisher: Belle Isle Books
ASIN: B096ST3G4Z
ISBN-10: 1947860925
ISBN-13: 978-1947860926
Print Length: 298 pages

You can purchase a copy of Witching Moon on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Bookshop.org. You can also add Witching Moon to your Goodreads reading list.

MY INTERVIEW

Salutations! I’m K.E. Bonner, author, reader, wife, mother, anesthetist, wanderer, gardener, and home chef. Fifteen years ago I found out I was dyslexic, which explained why I was labeled as a ‘slow reader’ in first grade. Note to teachers: never label anyone as slow, it hurts. Having dyslexia has taught me to never, never, ever give up. 

“Witching Moon” is your debut novel. Who or what inspired you to start your writing career? 

Have you ever heard of the book Twilight by Stephanie Myers? In 2005 all of my friends were obsessed with it, so I read it, loved it, and became determined to see why it was so hard to put down. I re-read it and then outlined the whole book to discover what secrets it held. A year later I met my friend, Leslie Muir, who shared with me that she had just signed with a literary agent. Suddenly being a writer seemed possible. I rushed home and began writing.

“Witching Moon” is a Young Adult  historical fiction/fantasy series – although I absolutely was enthralled with the story and it was fast paced enough to keep me engrossed to the last page.  I found your descriptions of places, the food, the characters and the even the “smells” very vivid. I loved the main characters, Anne and Philip – and I was mesmerised by their growing relationship!  Which character did you enjoy writing about the most?  Which character was the hardest?

Anne was the easiest character to write because I could hear her voice clearly and I spent so much time with her. Elodie was the most difficult character to write because she was a person of color and a runaway slave, and I am neither. It was important for me to honor Elodie, where she came from and her experience, so I read Fredrick Douglas’s autobiography, Beloved by Toni Morrison, The Color Purple by Alice Waters, and Caste by Isabel Wilkerson. I wanted to get inside of Elodie’s head as much as I could. It was important for Elodie to be a strong character with her own power because I didn’t want Anne to be a white savior. Anne saves Elodie but then Elodie saves Anne and Phillip by securing them a spot on the Underground Railroad. Kindness repays kindness.

The novel is set in 1865 during the American civil war in South Carolina. Living in Georgia yourself,  your depiction of the States is believable but I am intrigued by the island of Amaranth, off the coast of France. My mind conjured up a vision of Mont St Michel and the Ile de Ré …. but is Amaranth, the island, a figment of your imagination or based on a real place? 

Amaranth is based on Mont Saint Michel, a place I’ve never visited. I’ve been fascinated with Mont St Michel since I saw it in Mickey, Donald, and Goofy: The Three Musketeers. Cusabo is based on the sea islands of SC. There is no actual island named Cusabo, but the Cusabo people were the original inhabitants of the South Carolina low country.

As this is your debut novel, were there any aspects of writing the novel that surprised you, pleasantly or otherwise?

Writing is both an escape and therapy for me. When I go through a period when I’m not writing I don’t feel whole. There is no doubt in my mind that I was born to share stories. Witching Moon taught me how to write, my following books will share with readers what I’ve learned about how to cope, live, and forgive.

Iceland ….by ETHAN HOBDEN

Hypothetically speaking, if you could visit any country/place in the world, to base a future novel in, where would you go and why?

Iceland. The Icelandic people believe in elves, faries, and trolls, they call them huldufolk or hidden people. In my mind’s eye the huldufolk are leading Anne across a steaming field of moss covered, gnarled volcanic rock. Iceland is a country brimming with magical realism and the huldufolk are calling to me.

If “Witching Moon” was made into a film, what actors/actresses would you like to see cast as the main characters, eg Anne, Philip, Mama Jane etc? 

Undiscovered actors should play Anne, Phillip, Elodie, and Rory. I love the idea of giving a talented and hardworking young person a chance. An indigenous actress like Morningstar Angeline would play Mama Jane. I like Mads Mikkelsen for Bello, Idris Elba for Rex, and Kate Winslet for Rowan. My brother, Brendan Murphy, would be my choice of director. He is an award winning video game writer and he wrote and directed the movie Speakeasy. 

Are you a bookworm? What is your favourite genre and/or authors? Kindle or actual book?

I’m a real book kind of gal. I love the weight of a hardback in my hands, the texture of the pages, and the smell of ink. Few odors are as heady as the aroma of a secondhand bookstore; the dusty, woodsy, aged glue smell gets my heart racing. I adore southern gothic books, and books that introduce me to new places and cultures. Memoir, non fiction that broadens my mind, fat and colorful coffee table books, travel logs, little known histories, romance, true crime, spy-thrillers, short stories, and whatever strikes my fancy. Toni Morrison, Pat Conroy, Rick Bragg, Jane Austen, Mary Karr, and Maurice Sendack are some of my favorite authors. 

Is “Witching Moon” available to purchase worldwide?

Yes, On Amazon, Bookshop.org, and Barnesandnoble.com

Growing up had you always wanted to be an author or did you have other career aspirations?

I grew up watching my parents sit at the kitchen table struggling to pay the bills. My goal was to be able to pay my bills and travel. I went into medicine because I knew I’d always have a job. I’m lucky because I get paid to take care of people, but working in healthcare is stressful and hard on one’s body. My dream is to be able to support myself with my writing.

Personal now – what outfits and shoes would you normally be found wearing?

Comfort is very important to me. Brooks Adrenaline GTS is my shoe of choice, paired with jeans and a sweater or hoodie. I try to hit the gym everyday to either swim, lift weights, or do a spin class so I’m often in athletic clothes.

Do you have any favourite shops or online sites ?

I like quality well made clothes that I can wear for more than two seasons. Tori Burch for handbags, Nordstrom for  clothes, Athleta, Theory, J Crew, and American Giant. I like clothes that canbe worn with jeans or dressed up and that travel well.

What’s next on your clothes/shoe wish list?

My dream shoes are the Gucci lug sole loafers with gold bees embroidered on the heel, but they are crazy expensive. Even though I know I’ll be able to wear them for a long time, I can’t pull the trigger on them.

Boots or Shoes?

I love sneakers. I have two pairs of Taos Plim Soul sneakers that I wear with jeans, pants, and skirts that are perfect to travel with. I have a pair of black Born riding boots and a pair of Frye chelsea boots that I feel great in. I like classic pieces. I don’t mind paying a little more for quality clothes or shoes that I know I will wear for ten years.

Links you would like to share e.g. website/facebook etc

www.kebonner.com

Instagram: @kebonnerwrites

Facebook: karenbonner

BOOK TOUR DATES

ALL PHOTOGRAPHS HAVE BEEN PUBLISHED WITH KIND PERMISSION OF K E BONNER , APART FROM THE HEADER PHOTO AND PHOTO OF ICELAND( BY ETHAN HOBDEN). THANKS ALSO GOES TO K E BONNER FOR A COPY OF THE WITCHING MOON FOR REVIEWING PURPOSES.

Linda x

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Beauty/Hair, Flowers/Plants/Trees, Interview

An Interview With Dalia Botanique

It will soon be Spring gardening weather and now is a perfect time to introduce a skincare range especially formulated for gardeners and those who love being outside. Using the power of botanicals, my guest Dalia has formulated a powerful skincare range to help repair the appearance of sun damaged skin and to moisturise dry , chapped skin . I caught up with Dalia recently to find out more about her skincare range and her love of botanicals. Hi Dalia!

Hi ! I am Dalia, the founder of a natural skincare brand – Dalia Botanique. I live in Yorkshire with my partner, our cat and chickens.

What was the inspiration behind the setting up of your skincare brand, Dalia Botanique?

I decided to redo my partner’s garden and became really interested in wildflowers and all sorts of stunning botanicals. It was the first year of Covid and I had lost my massage business so I had plenty of time! I decided to undertake some skincare courses as it had been a dream of mine to create products for myself and others. I used to make balms for my family and friends! Whilst doing the courses, I learnt that many of the botanicals I was growing actually had wonderful skincare properties! As someone who spends a lot of time outdoors running, cycling & gardening, I wanted to create a range of products for people like me and use all the botanicals I was growing. A french twist on botanical is ‘botanique’  (I have a French mum)! and dahlias are my favourite flowers so it seemed fitting to put the two together! I love combining botanical art in my product branding too.

Your brand motto is “From Garden To Bottles” – what botanicals do you use in your products and what are their benefits?  

I will pick a few of my favourites as there are so many! I discovered Lunaria Annua (Honesty plant) through gardening and studies. It has a really unique chain of fatty acids, sinks in well, feels luxurious and helps improve the appearance of sun damaged skin. Due to it being grown in the UK and cold processed, it has a low environmental impact. It’s also a great pollinator and bees love it! I source my oil from a farm around 100 miles away but I have also started to grow a lot in my own garden. White Poppy is really rich in Omega 6 and other fatty acids. It is also grown in the UK. Borage is another botanical I grow a lot of and I love seeing the blue star flowers bloom. It’s really good for dry skin and full of antioxidants. I must also give a nod to what I call “Old school country cottage favourites!” : Flowers and Evening Primrose, Lavender, Rosemary and Calendula. I remember making a hair rinse with Lavender, Rosemary and Calendula as a child! They have these wonderful healing properties that have been used for  centuries!

I do love a good body butter- so what are your most popular products? Do you have a favourite product?

My Lavender and Ylang Ylang body butter sells well in winter! I have favourites for different things. My own cleanser is the first facial cleanser that doesn’t strip my skin. I love the scent of my Rose Geranium body oil. It feels like I am wearing a luxury perfume! I like my Cocoa and Monoi balm as it’s really good for dry patches and I carry it everywhere with me!  When I have a cold I pop a bit around my nose where my skin has become dry and irritated. I love my facial oil as it’s so minimal, uses the UK botanicals I mentioned earlier and makes my skin bright and plump. It also has CoQ10, a powerful antioxidant which really helps repair the appearance of my weather damaged skin after long periods outdoors! I can’t imagine using anything else now! I use my own Rosemary and Green Clay shampoo bar and the smell of Rosemary reminds me of making the hair rinses mentioned above as a child. Rosemary is so wonderful for hair too.

Are your products suitable for vegans?

Yes! We use a plant based Keratin in our shampoo bars. We love animals and there is no reason to use them in skincare when there are so many plant alternatives. 

What other products are in the pipeline can we look forward to? 

I am working behind the scenes on a hand cream incorporating some interesting upcycled ingredients!  I also want to work with mushrooms in skincare too as there is some interesting research now coming out about their properties for our skin health.

I love the fact that with every order placed, a tree is planted in association with Ecologi. How important is it to your brand that your ingredients are ethically sourced, where possible? 

Very! I like to know how my ingredients are sourced and produced and I have a good relationship with suppliers. My UK botanical supplier is bee friendly and grows pollinators. I also re plant lots of bee friendly flowers myself. I am always looking for ways to reduce how much I take from the environment by cross using oils across my products. There is a future happening now where we can source nature identical ingredients that are produced in a lab. Meaning nature and plants can be left in their natural environment. 

Are your products available to purchase & ship worldwide? 

My products are available for UK and US customers only at present. After Brexit I was unable to sell in the EU and had to remove my products due to changes in legislation. One day I hope I can sell there again. 

Growing up, have you always wanted a career in the skincare business or did you have sights on a different career path?

When I was younger I wanted to go into a more therapeutic and holistic area but I felt like it was more socially acceptable to go into more of an academic role. Throughout life I have had so many different jobs and also wanted to be everything from a Marine Biologist to a physio! 

What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?

I spend a lot of my time running, cycling and gardening. I also love a good coffee shop and great coffee with friends! My partner is a wonderful photographer so I often go out with him to do photography. I love curing stunning botanical displays for photographing too. 

Personal now – what outfits and shoes would you normally be found wearing?

I’m so boring! Working from home in my other job, I’m usually in leggings and fleece top. Other times I will be in cycling, running or gardening gear-trainers, cycling shoes and wellies! It is nice when I do dress up though. I have a beautiful smart coat I LOVE to wear with some smart shoes. I love interesting and unusual clothes. 

Do you have any favourite shops or online sites ?

My friend has a fantastic clothing brand called Home of the Soul and 80% of wardrobe is from her! I love how well fitting every piece is. I also love any gardening sites!

What’s next on your clothes/shoe wish list?

I really want some nice trainers, ones I can wear in the summer that are colourful and comfy. All my trainers are for running and I’ve been thinking for far too long now about having some casual but still smart trainers. 

Boots or Shoes?

 Wellies for the garden! Shoes for adventuring in!

For Pinning Later

Links you would like to share e.g. website/facebook etc so that readers can find out more about Dalia Botanique

Thank you for letting me share! Website: www.daliabotanique.co.uk  and Instagram https://www.instagram.com/daliabotanique/. Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/daliabotanique

Thanks for the chat, Dalia – I am really impressed with what you have achieved so far. I am also intrigued with the idea of mushroom based skincare – one to watch in the future!

All photographs have been published with kind permission of Dalia Botanique.

Linda x

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Books, Interview

Author Interview: Christopher Bowden

I have just read and reviewed a book called “Mr Magenta” by Christopher Bowden. It is a contemporary mystery story with lots of subtle twists and turns as the reader goes from a house in a London square to a Brooklyn bookshop to the romantic theatre setting in Marseilles and up to the wilds of the East Coast of England. The story begins with Stephen Marling who inherits a house in a leafy South London square that belonged to his Aunt Flora, and he decides to take up residence, leaving behind his life in Brooklyn and his actress love, Nancy. Looking through some old papers of his aunt’s past, he uncovers a side of his Aunt Flora that he never realised existed, he reevaluates his own life and he tries to unravel who exactly was “Mr Magenta” . I found this novel a lovely read – just the book to curl up with on a winter’s night 😊 Author Christopher Bowden has written seven books so far, all with a colour in the title … a mystery I hope to solve and I am pleased to welcome Christopher onto the blog to find out… Hi Christopher!

Hello! I’m Christopher. I’ve lived in South London for 40 years and my interests include gardens and gardening, reading, films, theatre, galleries, travel.  All of which feed into the writing in one way or another.  My younger son, David, is the bass player of the Fergus McCreadie trio, nominated for the Mercury Prize this year.  I like jazz and that finds its way into the books too.

Mr Magenta is your seventh novel – all are standalone stories despite having colour in the titles – The Blue Book, The Yellow Room, The Red House, The Green Door, The Purple Shadow, The Amber Maze and Mr Magenta.   What inspired you to write novels with colour themed titles?  What comes first – the novel itself or the title? 

I have synaesthesia (in my case, seeing words, such as days of the week, as colours).  Colour brings the world to life and has intriguing possibilities in book titles.  The colour in each one is reflected in the plot or themes of the individual novels.  With the new book, it was partly the word magenta itself, with its slightly exotic connotations, and the alliteration in the title: Mr Magenta.  And partly the qualities of the colour: bright and vibrant but also ambiguous: not blue, not red, but somewhere in between.  Also the fact that it is an artificial colour, an invention (in the nineteenth century).  That too offered plot possibilities and resonates with what we come to know about Mr Magenta himself.  Oh, and the title always comes first and shapes what follows.

Photo by Linda Hobden ©

Mr Magenta is a mysterious figure – when Stephen Marling inherited a big rambling house in London from his Aunt Flora, he discovers through old notes and letters references to a Mr Magenta …. he wonders who he is… and then there’s the Brooklyn bookshop and Nancy Steiner that he left behind in New York whilst he is in London; add in a theatre in Marseilles and a windswept corner of the east coast of England where all is revealed.  A great mystery entwining past and present.  Who were the hardest characters to portray? Did you base any characters, however loosely, on people you know?

The hardest was probably Stephen himself; his character reveals itself gradually as the story unfolds and he is more complex and thoughtful than first appears.  His search for Mr Magenta becomes a journey of self-discovery and learning the lessons of Flora’s own life. All the characters are creations and do not correspond to real individuals.  That said, creating characters (appearance, voice, foibles, etc) inevitably draws on the stock of experience of people I’ve known or observed or simply overheard.

Were there any aspects of writing Mr Magenta that surprised you, either by being harder or easier to write about than you expected (considering you have written six other books)? 

The whole thing was a surprise in that I did not know how it would end when I began it.  As with the other books, I need a few ideas to kick start the process; after that, plot and themes develop in the writing.  Finding out what will happen is part of the pleasure of writing and, I hope, of reading the books too.

Have you always wanted to have a career in writing or did you have other aspirations? 

Having had jobs involving a lot of drafting for others, I wanted to write creatively on my own account. Eventually, it became like an itch that I had to scratch and I took a career break to give me the time and space to produce a draft of my first novel, The Blue Book.   After that, I got the bit between my teeth…

Are you a bookworm? What is your favourite genre and/or authors? Kindle or actual book? 

I live in a house full of books, many of which I have actually read.  Mr Magenta itself is full of references to books and bookshops.  My reading is fairly varied but tends to be at the literary fiction end of things. For example, Paul Auster and William Boyd for plot, character and evocation of time and place, Barbara Comyns and Barbara Pym for a certain kind of English quirkiness (or quirky Englishness), and the ‘strange fiction’ of writers as different as Shirley Jackson and Reggie Oliver. And always physical books.

Is Mr Magenta available to purchase worldwide?

Yes, on the likes of Amazon, Smashwords, and Barnes & Noble.  And also through any bookshop in the UK.

Personal now – what outfits and shoes would you normally be found wearing?

At the moment, anything warm and waterproof.  Clothes colour co-ordinated, of course.

What’s next on your clothes/shoe wish list?

More trousers!

Boots or Shoes?  

Shoes (suede if it’s not raining).  Boots (wellingtons) confined to the garden.

For Pinning Later.

Links you would like to share e.g. website/Facebook etc

www.christopherbowden.com

https://www.hive.co.uk/Search/Search?Author=Christopher%20Bowden

Thank you for the chat, Christopher! My thanks goes to Christopher Bowden (and Ben Cameron) for the advance copy of Mr Magenta for reviewing. All views expressed are 100% my own. All photographs have been published with kind permission of Christopher Bowden apart from the photo for pinning and where marked.

Linda x

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Books, Interview, Life Issues/ Motivational Posts, Reviews

Rebirth Book Tour

I’m so pleased to be part of the Rebirth book tour! Rebirth, by author Kate Brenton, is an interesting book full of inspiring stories from people who dared to follow their dreams and born from the original Rebirth podcast.

BOOK SUMMARY

When life is calling, often we need only the space and the support to remember our way. Sometimes we lean into our expansion, and sometimes we bolt from our greatness. The biggest shock is that big change happens in small choices. In Rebirth you will find real-life stories of people who made courageous leaps, inspiring you to make your own. It’s time to step out of line and back into the spiral of life—that’s where the alchemy is. This book fits right into the side pocket of your bag + your life to inspire you as you read others’ stories of how they listened and learned to make embodied changes in their own lives.

Publisher: Inspirebytes Omni Media

ISBN-10: 1953445261

ISBN-13: 978-1953445261

ASIN: B0B3V3JQT7

Print length: 278 pages

MY INTERVIEW

Hello Kate and welcome onto the blog….

Hello, I’m Kate. I am (now) an author, a teacher, a mama and holistic mentor.

What inspired the launch of the “Rebirth” – the  podcast and book?

The podcast started as a postpartum creativity project. I quickly fell in love with talking to amazing women about how they leaned in to their intuition at a difficult time and succeeded on their own terms. The podcast was tagged, “women saving lives by living their own.” During this time, not-so-coincidentally a colleague reached out to tell me she was starting a publishing company and wanted to sign me as a writer. I signed a contract and six months into deep writers block (which I mentioned to no one), I had my publisher on the podcast. She called the next day suggesting the podcast be the basis for the book and everything fell into place. 


Your book follows the inspirational journeys of people who were not afraid to follow a dream. Is there any famous person, alive or dead, you would love to interview for your podcast/book, if you had had the chance?  

Cesar Milan, the dog whisperer. I know it might not be what you expected, but I am not much into celebrities, but I am enamored with dogs. I remember ten years ago watching him dog train on TV and seeing that he was really reading energy and teaching people how to manage their energy through changing their behavior for their dog. I was so inspired by him, perhaps because of a cross-point of interests—consciousness and dogs. I later came across an interview with him, where he said a quote that has served me. I hadn’t followed him personally, so I didn’t know he had fallen on hard times (divorce and his show collapsed a bit, which led him to consider some difficult solutions). Anyway he said: It’s easy when you are succeeding, you really learn through your failures. I think talking with him would be fascinating.

What or who inspired you to become a writer and holistic mentor? 

I was born in love with books. I always had a book with me,  and I was scribbling since my first Peanuts journal, with Lucy on the front cover, with a lock. So writing has been an innate gift I have held and developed personally and professionally.  I also taught English for over 15 years in public and private sectors. 

My holistic mentorship came to be when I was living in Hawaii and apprenticed with an Hawaiian elder, Kumu Alva James Andrews. Through him, I learned holistic healing work,  and that the essence of all change is seeded in one’s mindset. So I work with clients and groups sharing the legacy of his wisdom to empower and uplift. 

“Rebirth” also has infused in it your personal experiences – did you find recollecting your experiences harder or easier to write down than to express them “on air” on a podcast?

So much harder. In fact, it wasn’t until the first draft of the manuscript was written that my publisher and beta readers all said I was missing from the book. It was much easier for me to put the spotlight on the strength of others. It wasn’t until I was structurally pushed to insert myself into the book, that I sat and a good deal of unraveling of story and perspective arose. I was surprised personally, and yet, that is what writing does. It asks us to broaden and alchemize our perspective. Thanks for asking; this was definitely my growth edge of the book.

Making courageous changes to one’s life path is not easy to do – what do you feel prevents a lot of people from being brave and making that leap?  

Believing in themselves. It sounds cliche, but if we are taught to identify and trust our inner voice it would not be so hard. But in this world we easily fall out of ourselves and into others—because we need community, or I really don’t have that all worked out, why do we all fall out of alignment—but what I DO know is that when we come back into alignment with ourselves (and our soul or Spirit will call us back, again and again, from whispers to yells) it gets easier to hear what is calling us forward. Now, that doesn’t make it easy to do all the time, but I think having a purpose grants us courage and clarity. Often we don’t know or believe we are worthy of what is calling, so it is hard to listen and leap. 

Can you tell us a bit more about your holistic work and the changes you made to follow your new path?

This is a much longer story which I will tell one day, but I’ll give you the highlights. I was (happily) an English teacher in Pennsylvania when I went to Hawaii the first time on a friend’s retreat half as an attendee, and half to help. So I saw a lot.  I was astounded. I had never seen life lived the way I did in Maui. Four months later, I arranged to be in Kauai for the whole summer. I taught and summered that way for two more years, until the pull to move got really strong. I quit my job and moved to Kauai. I thought I had work lined up (accepted an offer), a whole calamity of things dissolved, and after 9 months of living there, I surrendered and thought to move and get my teaching job back. I had given it my best, and nothing worked. I gave myself 3 months to do whatever I wanted to close this chapter. Within a month of that decision I was called into a training for Hawaiian lomilomi massage and began my apprenticeship with my Kumu (teacher) Alva Andrews, and I was offered a part time position at the community college. My whole life changed. I lived there for seven years, teaching and being taught. I left Hawaii when my teacher passed, to travel and teach for one year, intending to go back…but life had other plans. I have stayed connected and supportive of my Hawaiian o’hana (family) and those that I still work with. I continue sharing my holistic mentorship and healing work, while also working with mission-led authors to get their work out in the world in a cohort called Sit & Write. It is all the same really. I work with people’s stories.

For Pinning Later

Growing up, what were your initial career aspirations?  

Books, being outside and dogs. That was the younger years. Then I almost caved to being a business major in college, but my mother, bless her, told me only go study what I loved, and   I picked English  as my major, then later my masters in education. At my core, my whole life, throughout numerous industries, I am a teacher. I didn’t have a career aspiration, but I have always had the intention of being curious, and wanting to unpack what the world is doing.

Is your book, Rebirth, available to purchase worldwide?

Yes! It is! Let me know how you enjoy it. 

Are you a bookworm?  If so, do you prefer “actual” books or kindle?  What genre(s) do you enjoy reading?

Absolute bookworm. Obsessed with actual books and bookstores. I normally have 1 – 3 going at a time. In my stack right now is: The Alphabet versus the Goddess, by Leonard Shlain;  Prayers of Honoring, by Pixie LIghthorse, and Remarkably Bright Creatures, by Shelby Van Pelt. I like to have a well written fiction and a philosophical text going at the same time.

Personal now – what outfits and shoes would you normally be found wearing?

Winter me is jeans and wool cowl necks with brown leather boots.

Do you have any favourite shops or online sites?

Madwell.com for clothes, thriftbooks.com for books and I love everything ever made here: https://www.aromabliss.com

Boots or Shoes?

I love this question. My first choice is alway Chaco flip flops. If I could wear flip flops all year long I would, I love to be as close to the Earth as possible.  But oddly enough, I go from flip flops to boots. I love good boots and have all kinds of styles.

Links you would like to share e.g. website/facebook/twitter etc 

www.katebrenton.com

https://katebrenton.substack.com/p/making-versus-having

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rebirth-real-life-stories-of-letting-go-and-letting/id1451833998?i=1000589257607

https://www.instagram.com/katembrenton/?hl=en

Twitter: @katebrenton

BOOK TOUR DATES

Lovely to chat with you Kate and I enjoyed reading the variety of stories featured in your book -all are definitely inspiring. I’m glad I share your love of bookstores!!! Thank you so much for the copy of Rebirth for reviewing purposes too.

Linda x

All photographs are published with kind permission of Kate Brenton

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