Baby it's Cold Outside

        My blog hasn't been updated over the last week, as I've been recovering from a bout of flu. My little  grey cells have been in a permanent state of slush, however I'm now feeling miles better and I'll see you Friday if not before.

A Patriotic Day

Fishing Creels on the harbour

    Even when I'm not in Scotland on St Andrews Day, November 30th, I celebrate the fact that I'm Scottish and I know there are many all over the world who do exactly the same.

Archway built in medieval times 

 
    Today, I've included photographs of the place in Scotland that bears our patron's name, the medieval town of St Andrews.

St Andrews Cathedral

    Of course I can't mention the town without mentioning it's university, the place Prince William and Kate first met.

University of St Andrews

Postcard From My BackYard

    The blog post today is a postcard from my backyard. These are the views I see when I go out of the back door of my apartment in the Canaries.

    It's something I wanted to share with you, because it's worth sharing.

Ready to get Reading for 'Book Week'

 

    It's 'Book Week' in Scotland this week, 24th - 30th November and to celebrate over the last few days I've been adding new titles to my eReader, as well dropping by a local bookstore to purchase a couple of paperbacks.

    

    I've chosen a mixed bunch of titles in both non-fiction an fiction and going along with the Scottish theme I've included a few Scottish authors, such as Val Mcdermid and Ian Rankin to my list of buys.

    The eReader is with me most of the time and if I have a few minutes to spare I'll read a couple of pages, in bed, on the train, plane, or in the park . However the paperbacks I like to keep for those long cold nights, when I'm cuddled up in a comfy chair in front of the fire. Heaven!

    So my glasses have been cleaned and my Kindle is charged, because this is one Scot that's on her mark, ready to get reading for, 'Book Week.'

Ignorance is Bliss?

    Earlier this week I was discussing school work with my teenage niece and she was telling me that she had chosen to write an essay on, racism, for English class.  She had done some research and had compiled a list of books and movies she hoped would provide her with a better understanding of this discrimination, before she finally puts pen to paper.

    Following our talk, I started to think about how subjects such as this would just be brushed under the carpet, if authors did not have the freedom to express themselves.

    However, there are countries where creativity is being stifled because of censorship and fear of recrimination; lack of core factors are inaccessible not only to children, but  to the adult population. One sided views continue to breed contempt, hatred and bigotry. Just as it did back in the 16th century for the likes of ill-fated George Wishart. Who said, ignorance is bliss?

 

 

Unleash the Book Within

    Looking through some old photographs I retrieved from the attic the other day, the words, "we've all got a book in us," popped into my head. I don't know how often I've heard, or read these words and I'm not even sure if they were used as words of encouragement.

    However, I'm going to use them as encouragement to all budding writers, because we all have ideas floating around in our heads and I want to tell you that putting pen to paper isn't the hard part. It's about having the confidence to start, form the plot, the characters, choosing location and era. It's important to develop the skills to create something we can be proud of and is an ongoing process.

    This for me is where the old photographs come in handy. Each of the pictures have a story to tell, even if I wasn't there, or wasn't the photographer. The people, the places, the buildings I use as prompts to write 50 word,  fictional pieces. Exercise my mind.

    Yes, I know we don't all have old photo albums, but there will be an aunt, grandmother, or neighbour who isn't into the digital age and is eager to share what's hidden away in a drawer. Not knowing the stories behind the people or, places adds to potential creativity.

    Go on see if you can unleash that book you have inside you. (I would also like to add that I wasn't around when these photographs were taken.)

   
 
 

Clearing the Clutter

 

    A number of years ago I discovered meditation and I use it as a tool to help me focus when writing. In particular when my creativity has decided to take a holiday without me.

 
    I don't do the sitting cross-legged on the floor reciting a mantra and if you do I'm certainly not knocking that. It's just not my thing and we have to do what works for us as individuals.

    For me, sitting in a comfy chair is much better than the floor, of course that maybe because once I get down on the floor I find it near impossible to get up. Back to me sitting on the comfy chair; I then close my eyes and envisage places that I've visited in the past that have brought me pleasure.

    I find that really does the trick and if you haven't tried meditation I highly recommend it for clearing writers block. I've included a few places that I like to revisit in my minds-eye when I want to clear out the clutter in my mind.