Saturday Morning. I slept too much. Finally woke up feeling rubbish after being stuck in a  very confusing dream which I couldn't escape. 
I was obviously in the place #RubySixpence would describe as:

Woohoo! It's arrived:
Divas, Dogs and Dreamers
A heartwarming and uplifting tale of backstage love and drama

When Sophie Wilde is knocked off her bicycle by Producer Alex Brooke, she becomes entangled in his world of Royal Gala's, Divas and dogs. She doesn't mean to fall in love with him; her life is complicated enough with her alcoholic, boomerang ex, her chaotic family and busy life in the wardrobe departments of London’s West End Theatre.

But Sophie is a serial daydreamer and makes lists to put off doing what needs to be done. When the singing Diva from hell, Callandra Jewell, throws a mega tantrum on tour, all the lists in the world cannot control the powerful mesh of emotions generated in the confusion.which follows.

​Available now on Amazon
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Divas-Dogs-Dreamers-tender-backstage-ebook/dp/B08DRT6K1V​

If Bridget Jones had a Fairy Godmother, she would want her to be Ruby Sixpence. 
A long, long time ago, Ruby’s father bet a silver sixpence that his child would be born on a leap day; a spare day in which magic happens. Born in that enchanted crack in time where opportunities, and people like her, slip through. 
Over the centuries Ruby Sixpence has nurtured the uncommon art of bringing lovers together, a gift which comes in the same package as aging one year in four. 
But these gifts come with a price and make her duty bound to play cupid in the lives of reluctant lovers. 
Take the unusual case of Katie Hope and Joe Lawrence who are so far from a perfect match that only drastic action from Ruby will bring them together. Her unorthodox methods are surprising, however, and she doesn’t always get it right.
With the stage set, Ruby Sixpence Whistles up a Storm and stands back to stir the pot.

​https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ruby-Sixpence-Whistles-Storm-Magical/dp/B0851MJLS3/

15 sessions packed with images, tips and exercises to inspire you, or someone you know, to:

• Create fluency in your writing
• Overhaul your writing practice to put creativity at the centre
• Easily access your innate creativity and let it flow
• Use your own life experiences as a source for ideas
• Generate a constant stream of ideas, so that you no longer fear that blank page or getting stuck
• Deepen your ideas

https://writersupportschool.teachable.com

Whether you are writing your life story, fiction or poetry, for pleasure, or publication, then this book will focus your innate creativity so that you can become the writer you want to be.  We will look at how you can apply three simple tools which we all use every day in many aspects of our lives to:

Create fluency in your writing 
Overhaul your writing practice to put creativity at the centre
Easily access your innate creativity and let it flow
Use your own life experiences as a source for ideas
Generate a constant stream of ideas, so that you no longer fear that blank page or getting stuck
Deepen your ideas 
 
That’s it. It is that simple. And quite a lot of fun.

As well as the busy programme of schools and community work, I have to remind myself that I am a writer!

​I have completed the final edits on Ruby Sixpence Whistles up a Storm - she was shortlisted for the First Chapter Award at Retreat West earlier this year and should be available by Christmas.

And I have begun the first draft of my new RomCom - Divas, Dogs and Dreamers  - which I hope to have out early next year.

The rest of my time has been spent devising online courses, based on the Kick-Start programme and writing a book to accompany it.

I have spent a couple of days updating my other book covers. As you know, Once Upon a Blue Moon was shortlisted for the Selfies Award earlier this year, so I have added the sticker!

And I have designed a lovely new cover for The Art Forger's Daughter, which fits better with The Traveller and The Rose, as my two 20th Century Historicals.

Both new covers will be live on Amazon in the next couple of days.

Hurrah! Final gig of the season. We are at Wrabfest with The Big Write.
Wrabfest is a local village festival. It is a huge affair, offering foodstalls, a beer tent, and two stages with acoustic and electric bands throughout the afternoon and evening. There’s something for everyone!
Including an extensive children's area which is where we are, in a rather big tent! 
We have brought with us all of our favourite story building games which I have developed and honed over the last few years to encourage the simple art of sharing stories. 
Children love stories. And they love games.
Their enthusiasm and imagination is a delight and refreshes the jaded parts of a tired writer! 

I am delighted to be invited to Dig4 Jaywick at the  the Jaywick Community Garden. 

​Situated in the Brooklands area of Jaywick Sands (listed in the Indices of Multiple Deprivation as the 1st most deprived area in England,) the overall aim of the project is to promote the benefits of community gardening by working with the community  to provide facilities for recreation and education. The garden also helps to educate the public in horticulture, garden crafts and the protection and improvement of the natural environmental by encouraging reduction, re-use and recycling. It also provides training for local people, especially those with learning difficulties, and mental health issues, providing skills and raising their self-esteem. The garden also provides a resource for local schools and colleges where students can learn about gardening, conservation and the natural environment.

I have brought The Big Write - prompts and conversation -  to encourage people to express their thoughts about this wonderful place and to create a collective poem, line by line, from the visitors, volunteers and supporters.

And the sun is shining!

Time to hit the ground running after the half term break.
Junior Ambassadors is now in its third year and growing!
7 schools, 250 children, 32 workshops and a final presentation to come this term.

This fantastic project, managed by Tendring District Council, focusses on Cultural Awareness.

The children have a visit from the Chinese Cultural Society, Colchester Action for Refugees, an African drummer and storyteller and a Bollywood dancer.

‘If a nation loses its storytellers, it loses its childhood.’ Peter Handke

​My job is to follow up these artists and ambassadors and create stories poems and letters based on these themes. When I work with children, my intention is to spark their imagination and to develop the innate creativity, which we are all born with.  I like to share my love of stories with children and use the creative techniques, which I practice as an Author. The workshops are designed to give the children skills and techniques to kick-start a love of creative writing, of reading and of telling stories. 

I love this very busy project. The children invariably surprise us all!

In addition, I am back in Wix and Wrabness Primary School with the wonderful Grand Theatre of Lemmings and artist Nicola Burrell, who works with cardboard.
The theme this term is HOMES. And George the Bookworm is back, this time in a caravan! He will challenge the children to write stories and poems in the cardboard books, to add to the cardboard city which Nicola will create with the children. And on Father's Day, they will all build cardboard dens! 
​
I enjoy working with the children and staff at this amazingly creative school.

Reading short stories this month ready for judging the short story competition.
Some amazing stories with a range of subjects issues and styles. So hard to choose even the shortlist. Fortunately I will be working with other judges to help choose the winner.

Pen to Print is based at Barking and Dagenham Library. They do a ton of work to build a network of expertise and support for aspiring writers in Barking and Dagenham and sharing this with a wider national and international community.
​
The short story competition is one of the many things they do.

Find them here: Pen to Print