Early Days

I mentioned before that the book was here but without the gory details. Now I’ve recovered I can speak properly!

Birth date equals publication date if we are keeping with the birthing theme. And, what’s in a date? Babies, books and buses all come when they are ready.

O books/John Hunt Publishing is run with an open database system, meaning all authors can check (obsess) (moi?) stages of their creation, gestation and delivery progress.

My labour pains started when I saw that my book had been delivered to the warehouse. In reality those oh so familiar twinges, that you only recall when they begin again, had kicked off long before that but I have forgotten already.

How long would I need to breathe slowly and deeply until I received my copies and saw them in the flesh? Not long at all.

A gentle tap at the door coupled with a flip of the tummy heralded the moment of truth and there they were. In my hands. My beautiful books. I know I’m probably a little biased but they really are! There is no fear of anyone taking a sharp intake of breath when they first clap eyes on one. No worry of embarrassment as they try not to make eye contact while thinking ‘wtf’.

Whether or not the reader will enjoy the contents is another matter. It’s like having the best-behaved child at home who turns into a monster when out of sight. We never really know. So far nice things have been said. Jane Alexander, she of many books, features, columns and blogs tweeted that she was, ‘INHALING it’ while ‘nodding lots’ and then added, ‘You are so brilliantly sane about stuff.’

Never ever been called sane before. That’s definitely going on my cv.

The next phase is one of stalking. Finding people to say and write nice things. In my excitement yesterday I thought I’d email the Grazia Book Club. Sorted out the address clicked save but it turned out to be send. So, before anything else a blank email from me whizzed to them followed by an apologetic squirmy one and if I wasn’t rendered into spam they probably think I’m a clueless numptie.

Well, I’m not. I’ve got it in writing… sane I tell you!

One of the plans to celebrate the release is a retreat in September/October. I’ll share more in a few days.

In the meantime if you buy the book you may have a free meditation. Details here The Psychic Way

I also emailed O, the Oprah Magazine. What’s the worst that can happen?

Sticky and Spooky

Only 5 months since last update - I'm doing well. All is good in Ford Towers. Charlie, ancient tomorrow as she hits 32, is busy incubating her 3rd baby due in May. The little boys are very excited as are the rest of us. Charlie has started a new business called Pretty Delights, link on the left if you're interested. It is an online shop selling many things and they all come beautifully wrapped.

Talking of births... my new book, The Psychic Way will be out in August and I am now writing my next one, Past Life Regression Made Easy.
And, in other birth news: the stick insects are now numbering 15. They don't do a lot except hang about being stick-like and eating everything in sight as long as it's privet. Privet used to be everywhere but not now it seems and our one bush is itself looking very stick-like too.

Right, so I said I'd share the ghost story. I stayed in a gite all alone while I was in France and in the night woke up because I thought the bedroom door had opened. When I looked though it was still shut. The following night it happened again and I 'felt' someone looking at me from the other side of the bed. Now, I'm not afraid of spooks or things that go bump in the night but I don't like it if something makes me jump.

So I said out loud, 'if anyone is there please don't make me leap out of my skin.' I said it in english as I don't know the french for such a dilema but I couldn't see anyone even though I continued to feel someone looking at me intently. It actually made me feel cozy and comfortable, and I dozed back off with that lovely feeling of being safe and nurtured.
When I mentioned it to Jackie, the owner, she smiled sweetly and said, 'oh yes that's what she does.'
Apparently an old lady visits and likes to just look. She is particularly fond of children and some of the owners' relatives asked them to ask her to not stand at the end of the bed as they found it a little disturbing! Jackie also mentioned the bum imprint that is sometimes left on the sofa in the living room. This time however she restricted her visit to my bedroom.

Lastly, for now, my imprint within John Hunt Publishing is up and running. It is called 6th Books and the link to the details are under the O.



Details through here

If you are a potential author please get in touch.

Thanks for reading x

Ding Dong

After several months hiatus I have decided to resume the blog. It has stopped, started, moved and chased its own tail but now I feel the stirrings of actual blogging.
Recapping from the last (ages ago) post I got the laptop back from Penzance station after several phone calls and a car dash. The car dash wasn’t really necessary in sleepy honest Cornwall but it did accentuate the drama. It had been handed in by the wonderful Eileen who left a note. I haven't been able to get in contact with her but am very grateful.

As the country recovers from a mini-heat-wave and wonders whether that is summer done and dusted I am writing my book to be published by my new publisher, O Books. The book didn’t have a title for a long time and then in a flash of lucidity it told me it was called, I Am Psychic. I emailed the name to John Hunt and got back, ‘I like”. Squeal! He didn’t squeal, I did. It is exactly what it says on the tin and I’m enjoying it very much.

Martyn is also writing a book. It is a compilation of true-life extraordinary stories for Summersdale Publishing and the generosity of people who have shared their tales and bared their souls is amazing.

Over the last few months I have had an offer of representation from a TV talent agent, who I will sign with when my book is finished and I have been invited to Kuwait to host a Beyond Bliss retreat – oh yes life is grand.

Tomorrow Mick and I are popping to London as I am going to Random House for a focus group discussion on ebooks. I think the digital book market is going to be huge and I have ‘seen’ in my future wanderings ebook dispensing machines at airports whereby books are downloaded or blue-toothed to your reader instantly. Martyn and I discussed this in detail and he suggested I patent the idea. It seems however that Nokia have already done it - a long time ago.

I'm wondering whether to have my book, Past Life Tourism as an ebook or update it and offer it to a new publisher. I had considered having my own digital publishing house but when I looked into it further it hurt my brain.

Thank you for reading x