Ah sleep, perchance to read…or listen…

So lately, sleep and I (or me – never sure which) have been enjoying/enduring a bit of a disconnect. I want it, but it doesn’t want me. In fact, our relationship feels like a very one-sided love affair. To be honest, I’ve been at a loss to know how to mend our once incredibly healthy relationship. Those long lost and much lamented days when my head would touch the pillow and away I’d go off to dreamland and sleep right through for the full eight hours.

But now?

Actually dropping off into the land of nod is not the real problem, especially when I’m comfy in the chair and watching the first of an enjoyable new Netflix series. Before I even get a hint of sleepy-time coming over me, I’m waking up at two in the morning to find episode four or even five of that new series playing. It’s once I head off to bed that sleep eludes me.

Having tried breathing exercises, head-to-toe relaxation (both of which have always worked in the past) I’ve looked for other ways to beat the insomnia curse. And it seems I found one.

Audio books!

Reading paperbacks or books on my trusty kindle only seemed to keep me awake, but audio books are proving to be a different kettle of fish. Having set the timer to read for thirty minutes, I’m invariably asleep before the end of the allotted time. Yay! Problem solved. Until I met a certain Lucy Score. Not literally, but through the headphones. Her books have not only kept me awake past the allotted thirty minutes, but often have me pressing the extend session button for another half an hour, or more.

The latest culprit is her Knockemout series. It’s brilliant! Oh my lordy, that woman is fast becoming one of my very favourite authors. I lay (lie? not figured that one out, either) there in the dark either crying or laughing out loud. And while neither is conducive to a good night’s sleep, I’m almost finding it’s worth it? Great stories, fabulously real characters, and truly brilliant dialogue.

Check out Lucy’s website here. Her newsletter is also very entertaining.

How about you? Are you a fan of audio books? Any other sleep-worthy tips for this insomniac? I’d love to hear.

www.fayeavalon.com

Lessons In Chemistry (Book Review)

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   I know there a lot of sites that post book reviews in addition to retail outlets so I try to only post exceptional (in my opinion) books on Over The Back Yard Fence and this one is right up there … Continue reading →

Boys In A Boat

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We saw the movie, Boys In A Boat. And I can’t say enough about it. It is one of the best movies – – ever. I had read the book and I’d still recommend to read it, as the book … Continue reading →

Moving Forward

I find it difficult to think we are in the third week of 2024, and even harder to believe that this day last week, was the day my family said our final farewell to my 97-year-old mother who sadly passed away a few days before Christmas. It was a simple, non-religious ceremony with only immediate family, lots of tears but also lots of laughter, just as Mum had wanted; she hated fuss. I think she would have approved both of what we did and the music we chose.

The last six weeks have gone by in a blur of emotional and physical stress I can only express as a surreal, out-of-body experience, however, I am finally back down to earth and moving forward. Through all that has happened, the support of close family and friends has helped us all come out the other side, for that I am extremely grateful.

Our Christmas was cancelled and in the suspension of time between losing Mum and the funeral, I kept myself busy by blitzing the house, as being away at Mum’s hospital bedside for most of December, trust me when I say nothing was done in the way of housework although Dave did his best in my absence. When bored with cleaning or stopped by him from doing more, the only way I could cope was by turning to my paints, although at times it was a struggle to stay focused and I nearly scrapped this one, but glad I persevered and finished it.

So, a new year, a new beginning in many ways. I am not one for making New Year Resolutions but I am determined this year to finish all those tasks I’ve started but yet to finish, particularly where my writing is concerned. I know I am ready to move on because I am itching to get back to my books. Moon Stones needs to leave the house to seek a publisher, and the next installments are tamping away inside my head, impatient to be let loose. Spring is in the air here despite the frost and cold we’re enduring this week. There are snowdrops and crocus in flower on our the lawn, daffodils in bud and many of the shrubs already showing new shoots, my garden boots and gloves calling, but they will have to wait a while before they are allowed out of the cupboard.

Meanwhile, a few more trips to Reading are necessary as there are legal matters to sort, signatures required on several documents, the bungalow to clear and put up for sale whilst we wait for probate. Then my sisters and I are going to take ourselves off for a much-needed holiday. We need it.

Kit Domino’s websites and blogs

October Warm Feelings

Chatting yesterday with my mother, she asked what I’d been doing these past few weeks. “Nothing exciting,” I told her. “All quiet and much the same as usual here.” After I put the phone down, I realised this wasn’t true. Looking back at what has been happening, this past month has been anything but.

First, I’d managed to finally get my latest novel to the stage it was ready to be sent out to my beta readers for comment etc, and breathing a sigh of relief, I began work on the next book.

Second, came a lovely day out with a long lunch and tea meeting up with writing friends at a garden centre. Always a pleasure and always so enjoyable and inspiring. That alone would be a highlight of the month but more was to follow.

Writing aside, I’d also managed to finish a large painting to order which is now hanging on our lounge wall. Dave is well pleased with it. So he should be, it was his idea! It took a while for us to agree on the colour scheme, needless to say he won, but it has given me inspiration and ideas to do more statement art pieces in the future.

On top of that, I was elected as Vice Chair of my art group. The current Chair is retiring at the end of the year due to ill health, and it was deemed by all 59 members I would be a good candidate to take over. Time will tell whether they are right. My first task was to present gifts to the current committee at our AGM. My next will be introducing our guest demonstrator artist in November, a professional portrait painter I’ve never heard of, so I need to do some reading up on him.

Still on the theme of painting, I had been approached back in the summer by a beautiful UK magazine called Landscape (“Life at Nature’s Pace” as they style themselves) requesting to include one of my paintings in their November edition. Of course I said yes! That edition was published recently. It’s not a large feature, but that doesn’t make it any less special, at least not for me.

And it didn’t end there. As a direct result of that feature, someone I know who ran a magazine on writing contacted me asking if I would like to provide some of my artwork to use as covers on two new magazines being launched at the end of the year. Wow! All Your Stories and All Your Poems will be published in print and online bi-monthly, one featuring short stories and articles on any topic, the other poetry. There is no payment for this, but I will have a full-page advert in each edition my work appears on. I have this morning sent off a raft of what I hope are suitable images of some of my paintings. Whether any or some are used remains to be seen, but it has certainly given me a boost. Thus, as much as I hate this time of year, especially as this weekend we have experienced our first frosts of the autumn, I have a warm cosy glow inside, one that isn’t because the central heating has been turned on.

So sorry, Mum. I’ve been exceptionally busy this past month, and I wouldn’t want it any other way.

Kit Domino’s websites and blogs

I Can Do This

Could someone please pinch me and tell me I better not be dreaming we are in the middle of September already. Our week-long summer has gone, the nights are drawing in and yet I feel I have achieved nothing this year, and certainly am nowhere near completing tasks I had planned to finish. Yesterday, doing our weekly supermarket shop, the first items seen stacked by the entrance door were mince pies, lebkucken, stollen, and boxes of Christmas cards. Either the world has gone topsy-turvy or I have. Okay, I know this happens every year, the moment the children return to school after the summer break, the shops gear up for Christmas, but I’m simply not ready for it yet. 

It’s because it’s autumn here, a time of year I do not enjoy. Being an artist, I know I should for the glorious colours that nature provides and the bountiful fruits of the countryside, but it’s the season that always makes me feel down. The thought of long cold winter nights and foggy grey days makes me want to pack my bags for warmer climes. If only I could hibernate for four months. Yeah, like either of those is ever to ever happen.  So I just have to make the best of things. With no sun and cold weather, I can’t spend all afternoon in the garden. With rain and snowy days outside, inside I can paint those colourful landscapes and flowers I crave. I can curl up by the fire with a book. Better still, I have no excuse not to sit at my desk and write my own stories. Positive thinking is the only way I can cope with the months ahead and come out smiling at the end. 

That week of summer seems so far away now. The garden is still looking glorious and the new large painting I’m doing is coming along nicely – nearly finished. My latest novel is on the cusp of going to beta readers and critiquers (bless you all and thank you for helping to keep me going). There’s nothing now to stop me, only my own … what? Fear of failure – yes, that is what I’ve come to realize holds me back. As it does with many of us creative creatures, be it writers, artists, dancers, wannabe chiefs, ballerinas etc and so on. We always doubt ourselves and our abilities. Why do we torment ourselves like this, or is it only me? I don’t think it is.  

I’m trying hard to look on the bright side, I have much to be thankful for even though it has been a difficult year family wise not only for me, but for many others too. I’ve lost friends along the way this year, sad anniversaries coming up, but it’s no excuse to mope about. Life’s for living, life’s for making the most of every day, every hour, every moment. And that is what I intend to do. Starting right here, right now.

I only have to look out of the window or over the backyard fence to give me inspiration.

On The Island (Book Review)

I had another topic for this months blog but I’m shelfing it until next month to share this book with you. I read it in one day. I just couldn’t put it down. 

On The Island is different than anything I can remember reading. According to the author it has been promoted mostly by word of mouth.  I can attest to the promotion working as I read it after high praise by a friend.   

After numerous rejection Tracey Graves self-published it.  Now — according to Amazon it’s a runaway New Your Times bestseller. 

This debut novels success is impressive after a rough start. To the authors among us its encouraging and again reminds us that rejection doesn’t need to be the end.  Tenacity makes a difference. 

The story starts out with action. The pilot of a float plane with passengers T.J. Callahan, a sixteen-year-old student and his summer tutor thirty-year-old Anna Emerson crashing after the pilot has a heart attack.  Thankfully both T.J. and Anna put on life vests at the pilots direction.  The current finally washes them on to an uninhabited island. 

The story continues with action where they fight to survive. During their four years on the island they confront injuries, a shark and the elements especially dehydration and malnutrition.   About half way through the story, with them knowing their bodies can’t take much more the story shifts when in a dramatic twist (I don’t want to give away to much here), they are rescured. 

The rest of the story is a fast read and one you just have to keep turning pages. Sometimes stories slow down, especially in the middle. This one doesn’t. 

Be sure to read the Authors comments at the end of the story as it is inspiring. 

I’m looking forward to reading more of Tracey Garvis Graves.

Mid Summer

Sometimes you need a little push …

So I’m off camping in July … not, not roughing it in tents or anything, but I’ve signed up for Camp NaNoWriMo. You remember NaNoWriMo? You sign up to write a 50,000 rough draft of a novel during the month of November. The same people who run this, also run two camps each year, during April and July. These camps don’t restrict you to write 50,000 words during the month, but allow you to set your own goals.

You can set a goal for starting a brand new project, or set a goal to work on a project you’ve already started. I’m doing the latter, and my aim is to get the first book in a new wolf shifter series finished by 31 July. This book/series has been at various stages of, I want to say completion but that’s pushing it a bit, so I’ll just say at various stages for the best part of three years now. Three years! I mean, come on!

I admit to feeling quite optimistic about Camp Nano (or more accurately Camp NaNoFinMo = National Novel Finishing Month) and completing my goal, and it got me wondering about motivation and the role of accountability. Generally, I’m pretty self-motivated, I think most writers are. But sometimes we need a push. One day not writing can so easily become two, and before we know it we haven’t written for days/weeks, and if we have then it’s only to be tweaking what’s already on the page/screen (holding my hands up here).

So having decided it’s time to get my act together and get this baby finished, off I go to camp, full of hope and excitement and an end goal in sight. Wish me luck 🙂

How about you? Are you self-motivated, or do you often need an outside push of accountability? Have you got any projects you’ve been working on for aeons and can’t get the motivation to finish? I’d love to know I’m not alone here 🙂

Hugs, Faye

Website: www.fayeavalon.com

How Long Is Too Long

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Tomorrow is the date to post my next blog and I didn’t have a clue what to write. So here it is late afternoon of the 20th and I’m thinking OKAYYYY, what’s going on in my life.  Frankly not a whole … Continue reading →