Hello ... for now

Hello everyone,

Thanks for dropping by over the past years, months, hours, minutes, seconds. 

I feel the need to explain that my work:- Resources to assist Early Intervention: Student Support, Young and Adult Carers, the Elderly, people with Dementia, their family, friends and carers, has taken over my life. This is one of the reasons I've not finished 'that novel', why I'm not entering poetry competitions or writing messages and observations for this blog.

Ahh, you've forgiven me. Have you? It's not the end, honestly. I have a few children's books to publish, including 'Ramper Pot ~ Adventures'2012© and especially 'Stick People Have Feelings Too' 2012©.

I'll continue to seek out an agent or manager.

But most of all, I need to market Happy Days resources and materials for children, young people and adult carers, care homes, people with dementia, self care for support workers ...

I will be popping back now and again with anything interesting, fun or random posts that I come across.

Meanwhile, pop over to my Happy Days Publishing blog, go to my Happy Days Facebook Page where we can easily get to meet each other - or tweet me [Happy Days @ Happy days pages]

Otherwise, try www.daughtersindistress.blogspot.com

See you soon, 

Gillian

Networking ...

When your face is at the windscreen and your head is nearly through the roof, it doesn't mean you'll arrive at your destination any sooner!

That was the ditty I was chanting in my head when, this morning, I was once again on the last minute, zig-zagging my way through short cuts, trying to get to a Creative Perspective Patent and Trademark seminar slash network meet. Arriving at the correct street without the aid of a satellite navigation system and with ten minutes to spare calmed my psyche for a nano-second.  The street had been re-defined and was now barely a component of the newly styled one-way system. At the car park [two sets of traffic lights and a pelican crossing later], I had to alight from the car, make an olympic dash to a visitor desk, provide identification, sign a form, collect a badge and car park pass - to be placed on the dash in the car which was now resting comfortably in an iced puddle at the other end of the car park. Skating to the car, I slipped, [knew it was coming] pasted the badge on inside screen, then teetered to the opposite end of the university campus to gain access to the reception.

And no, the story doesn't end there. The three day industry convention was clearly the university's best kept secret. Even the receptionist didn't know about the lecture theatre's onslaught [I was hoping the inclement weather had made everyone else late too]. The secret, proven by the fact that I had been despatched to a specific circular lecture theatre and arrived mid song in the darkened venue with 30 tuned drama students raising their arms to the midnight. In true Miranda style, I looked back at the swing doors - as if it had been their fault but for the sake of the students, avoided an aside. A large woman with a badge and a friendly face [don't let the facts get in the way of a good story - she was only a size 12] ushered me from the building and pointed to another. Any. But not hers. Great, another icy fandango across the quadrant to what looked like my pre-war infant school of days gone by. Inside, a light aircraft on display. A light aircraft on display? Yes. And another man with a badge. Perhaps he could help? No. He was ingratiated with some sort of archive. A light at the end of a tunnel shone onto an A4 poster belittled by it's size 10 font:

Creative Perspective Convention  

Hoo - ray! I had arrived. Ten minutes late. I snook into the silenced room where a quiet man with a grey voice was telling his story. It was a good story. The man had created a truly successful hi-tech business. He proffered plenty of advice, motivating tips and suggestions. And then ... in a flash ... it ended. Everyone may have lived happily ever after, but I would never know. The audience scrambled out as if a school bell had rung for a fire alarm or the summer recess. I was left on my own at the back of the room. The quiet man whispered to another man with a badge then left.

So the moral of the story is ... Don't be late if you want to network.

And:

• Find out about transport, location and parking before the event
• Know exactly where you're going [phone up or email first for details]
• Estimate how long your journey will take - including parking time
• Always allow yourself extra time for delays

* Don't let the stress of traffic delays affect your driving or speed.

Happy networking,

Gillian

Carers Centres & Schools

Good Afternoon everyone,
Yesterday, I had the opportunity to display Happy Days Interactive Activity Pages and associated products to members of the caring services who support young carers. Chief Officer, Michelle Smith of The Blackpool Carers Centre, presented the 'Children Who Care' one day conference at the Hilton Hotel, Blackpool.

After two hours sleep, I loaded the car up with Happy Days books, samples and pro to-type products and found myself at 7.30am prompt for what turned out to be an interesting, exciting and fruitful day.

Professor Saul Becker; University of Nottingham, presented his MACA findings and explained the 'how to' and 'how not to' to an absorbed audience which included myself.

I'd like to thank Michelle Smith for the opportunity to share my early intervention resources and to the many people who took the time to view, enquire and consider my resources which help to identify the broader needs of children, young people and adults.

It was truly wonderful to meet everyone and discuss the benefits of the Happy Days Pages, how the simple-to use interactive pages can complement assessment frameworks; how the Happy Days Pages can help to identify broader needs, how the easy-to-follow system can be designed to suit your Care Centre, school or community requirements:

All About Me
My Caring Day
Identify Needs
Identify Feelings
Change and Reconstruction
Motivation and Goals
Achievement
Self Care

* Also available: Bullying / Cyber-bullying / Exam tips / Social issues plus more.
* Pages can be made to suit your request, sensitive issue or social topic.
* Activity Pages and Life Story Jotter for Care Homes.

Please contact me by phone or email if you wish to discuss anything in detail, specific requirements, place an order or book a visit,
Gillian
Gillian Hesketh MA
Happy Days Publishing
www.happydayspublishing.co.uk for contact details.

Is it Fate ?

Well, is it? Fate?

I'd decided that it was time to concentrate fully on my new 'day job' - which is actually 18/7 - and I'm pretty serious too! And as Hilary Devey on Dragons Den said, 'It's what we do dear' to one of the young female entrepreneurs who seemed to thing starting up your own business would be 9 - 5.

I'm used to long hours so that doesn't phase me - but over the past few months, so many 'things' have been falling into place that I'm beginning to wonder why? how-come?

Some years ago, I fell into a 'return to study' situation that I'd not expected. I'd been trying to sign up for a popular computer course which was full. I bumped into an acquaintance who was signing up for Law GSE 'O' Level. 'Come with me' she said. So I did. I wasn't giving up at the first hurdle - and didn't stop until I'd received my English Literature, Linguistics, Creative Writing and Masters Degree in Lancaster a few years ago ... and I'm not quite sure I'm stopping there !

It's true, I've spent years studying and researching Power and Language - Speech and Thought - Memory - Educational Studies, joining writing groups, practising my craft - and now - everything seems to be coming together at last.

So, I could say it's FATE ...
Was it FATE that the computer course was full? - or I could say that ...

Since my degrees, I'd written a number of projects which I was interested in pursuing. But which?
So, taking a deep breath, I decided to flaunt my ideas - and see which project made the most noise.

Right - so - er - what now - er - Unless I started networking, facing people with my ideas, no-one would know about the various writing projects juggling for pole position Disney-esque style on the book-shelves in my study.

Actively networking changed everything - or was it FATE that I bumped into certain people at a particular time in my life - who unknowingly changed the direction of my writing?

Even though I'm quite out-going, inside, I'm shy - but I had to make sure people knew I was out there and available for business - writing projects, charity work ...

At one meeting, I found myself sitting next to a newspaper editor. At another, a Care Home Owner. At family celebration, a Senior School Headmaster. On the train, I met a Psychologist, another time, a  Business Mentor ... the list goes on. I must admit, the timing of everything / everybody in relation to the stage of my writing project was occasionally 'weirding me out.'

From the networking came a request to edit some work for a children's cancer charity. Sad work you might think, but I was honoured to be able to help in some way - and especially lucky to be doing it in a way which I enjoyed.  However, volunteering my work created a profound opportunity ...

At the very first editing meeting, someone - someone who happened to be the CEO of a reputable company [more later],  noticed my images and text from Creative Writing Workshops that I'd run ~ Interactive Pages to help people express feelings. Less than five minutes after the end of the meeting, I'd been commissioned to write for the CEO's company. So was that FATE - that this person just happened to be at the meeting?

Or was it because this person was at the first networking meeting I'd attended and she'd heard me flaunting my ideas?

For the first time, I began to work on one writing project only - and it felt good. I took all the other half-finished projects off the shelf [Disney orchestra is now backing a tune played by the smallest violin in the world], stored them carefully in the bottom drawer of the filing cabinet - and moved on.

Whilst writing my commission, ideas were continually flooding into my head at a terrific speed and I realised two things - 1] how my work, edited into different styles and topics could be beneficial to all Care Service or School Support Workers when identifying needs of young people and adults experiencing difficulties in life - I recognised that even more research was required -   2] how I needed to totally immerse myself in art, music, language ...

Timing was perfect - It was September - college enrolment time - [Was that FATE?] so I signed up for two Art Classes - which did wonders for my creative confidence. Thanks to Gareth Malone, choirs were popping up all over the country - including the town where I live. Another example of brilliant timing - I became a choir member [I didn't just join to network ! I do enjoy singing by the way - and would personally recommend it for its possibilities as a stress-buster, relaxation or uplifting experience] It turns out that many of the wonderful choir members are involved in Care Service or Teaching professions. [Dare I say it ... FATE?]  Joining a national and professional society - Children's Book Writers and Illustrators [SCBWI] provided inspiring events, networking opportunities and a marvellous member/writer support system.

Keeping my eyes and ears on local writerly events, I became involved with Blackpool's Literature Festival 'Wordpool' [Oct 31st - Nov 16th]. Meeting up with like-minded people saw the beginning of Mastermind; a group which discusses - and continues to discuss routes to publishing [doesn't every writer?]. And so, it was here that I learned that I wasn't a novelist ! Screams and shouts were thankfully using their indoor voices inside my head whilst I understood this new information. But then it all made sense - Using art with text was a much more suitable style for me, especially when I could draw on my studies and research. If I hadn't met these people, I would still be banging my head against a wall, trying to complete 'that novel.'  So, was it FATE that I met those people who modified my writing plans?

Successful meetings with the Headmaster from the family celebration; another acquaintance who leads a Senior School Student Support Centre and the Business Mentor I'd met on the train, contributed to successful outcomes which lead to new and improved plans. I signed up to Linkedin, attended SEO seminars, tax seminars and start-up business talks from banks who wanted to sign everyone up to their business advice programme - basically so they could £ charge you to write a business proposal in order to be able to ask them to lend you money ... argh! Watch out for that everyone ! Fortunately, I didn't need the loan but might require a business bank account - who knows, one day I might be employing staff, paying printers, wages, tax bills ...

New ideas for Pages - social and emotional issues, activities, metaphors, colour schemes, were keeping me awake at night, every night. Once my writing commission was complete, I expanded my work into School Student Support. By chance, a best friend [Lead primary teacher in a US university school] visited me for some time - the timing of her visit was perfect. I was more than pleased at her interest in my work. Her feedback gave me an assurance to continue. [Could the timing of her visit FATE?].

Internet research showed the government's response to the riots in October 2011 - Louise Casey was to write a report based on and around the riots - and later became the head of The Troubled Family Unit. More ideas to help, more issues, more colourful pages ...

Meanwhile, people I've met during my life seem to keep filling gaps in the development of my Happy Days writing project, filling it with promise.

I'm considering a PhD - researching, evaluating and planning creative ideas to assist Early Intervention - identifying young and adult people's needs earlier will hopefully be beneficial to society. Last night, an event which prompted this blog; I sang with the choir at a choir member's birthday bash. I hadn't known before, but this person happens to be a Professor ... there's another connection here but I'll leave that for you to work out ...

So was it FATE that got me to Happy Days Publishing - or was it because I'd made a decision - I'd opened my mind to possibilities? ... I got out there, networked, focussed, took advice, followed my plan and continue to work 18/7 ?

Either way - If I hadn't made the decision to follow my dream - it probably wouldn't be happening right  now. But if I hadn't bumped into those people ... at that time ... who knows?

Next update from Hogwarts,

Gillian

To Focus or not to Focus ...

FOCUS

FOCUS

FOCUS

If there's one thing I've learned from my 'mature' children, it's to FOCUS. 

Every writing project I begin, I drift ... I want to expand - usually before a key thought is fully considered or a core product is fully designed and completed. Possibly because of my need to 'grow' something but more probably because of my lack of concentration and my craving for change and search for something new. Of course, expanding too soon could be detrimental to the quality of an initial story, series, concept, product, goal etc. 

So now, the minute I feel myself drifting, I just remind myself to FOCUS - I bring myself back to the main point of what I'm actually writing/doing/creating/developing/, where I'm up to, what's supposed to happen next in the development process, keep the end result in mind - Basically, I remind myself to take one key idea to fruition rather than going off at a tangent with other thoughts, designs or products.

I've banned myself from entering writing competitions. I'm not allowing myself to search the internet for writerly workshops but have attended a couple of start-up business seminars. I don't drift into random poetry scribblings or short stories ... I am ... dare I say it ... more focussed ! Finally, I'm getting further with my writing process.

Of course, you might argue that focussing intently on one thing might limit creativity ... limit all those random ideas flitting about in my head, limit the chances of bringing something else new to the ... market ... hmmm ... 

Back to the drawing board ...

Gillian

Is this right ?

For once, I haven't been procrastinating !! ... I've finally learned to FOCUS ! If I'd known how easy it was, I would have tried it years ago.

To be honest, at first, it felt a little bit like going on a diet ... forcing myself to procrastinate much less than usual and sulking when I couldn't while away some time achieving nothing much at all.

However, focusing soon became much more beneficial as my writing commission took over ~ if only I'd realised this before !

Face-book became my plain choccy digestives [banned - or one small one a day]

Twitter became my bread intake - try to leave it alone completely

Linked in reminded me of rice - you can sort-of live without it [apologies to Linkedin-ers] ... I just don't get around to it as much as I'd like]

Random searching of the web is like having a mid-morning brew ... if you meet up with someone ... it takes longer than you expected.

Blogs - reduced to weekly indulgent Sunday Dinner status [okay I realise it's Friday - but just like a diet ... I'm looking for my next treat]

So that's my procrastination for this week ... and feeling rather smug too, with around 110 pages under my belt ... in the bag ... on the road ... and actually ... on the page ... oh and I lost a stone along the way !

Happy Writing everyone ... Stay focused ... It's amazing how much you can do if you don't answer the phone !

Gillian

Life ... running up that hill ... again

And now for something completely different:



Enjoy, I do, Jill

Quote of the week ...

'No Garden is without weeds'

Thomas Fuller

Suppose you could consider this on a few different levels ?!?

Check out www.forismatic.com for inspirational quotations of the day.

Sit back and relax - I know I'm trying to.

Jill

Ebook ... ing ...

So, I've been researching ebook reading. Or rather, ebook publishing. 'It's reasonably simple', a quote from one ebook publisher's story. Try Lulu, Blurb, Smashwords ... another endless list. Where to start? With a pin and a map? Clearly not possible unless I wanted to ruin my laptop screen and maybe electrocute myself - although three days later, I might have considered it.

I decided not to try to finish 'that' novel in record time and instead, considered trying out the ebook-publishing process on a short story. 'Summer Indlugence' it was to be, and it was, in more ways than one. I had a list of operations to perform/translate/format files, notes to self, more lists and lists of lists of lists; mobi, epubl, eula, kindlegen. 'Summer Indulgence' comandeered most of the past week and was about to indulge the last of the summer if I hadn't given in and allowed two lucky ladies in the US of A to format my offering and design a front cover.

This process was much simpler. I emailed the formatters with my attachment[s] and they returned the files ready to upload onto Smashwords. I paid around 20 dollars via paypal and was ready to go.

That was three days ago. All I have to do now is upload the files. And hey presto ... my short story for the world to read on more-or-less any make of ereader. So the question I am asking myself ... is why am I indulging in blogging when 'Summer Indulgence' is waiting to be released, given a new life in ebook-world?

Am I scared of what people will say? Probably. I am worred no-one will buy the story? Yep. Am I concerned thousands will buy the story and want more? Hmm... What do you think ??

Better get off and upload 'Summer Indulgence', or we'll never know the end of this saga.

Gillian 


 

Organisation is priority ... is it?

Social Stereotypes ... Just for fun ...

Not sure where this came from ... was just messing about, having a bit of a talk to myself; finish this, edit that - and five hundred words later ...

Social Stereotypes: The Mature Student

Pleased with her recent assignment and bibliography intact, Joanne relinquished it almost a week early, accepting the slip of flimsy pink paper which would confirm its whereabouts for the following six weeks. Postcolonial readings of Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness managed to uncover more than a sufficient understanding of European nineteenth Century colonialism that Joanne had never, ever considered thinking about. A mature student, Joanne’s many commitments bargaining for her time, the hours and hours required for reading around subjects took the place of her friendships, an occasional night in the pub, even the ironing. Evaluating her efforts constantly, expecting to achieve only decent results, she promised she wouldn’t be dissatisfied with them.

Wanting to be as inconspicuous as visually possible, she adjusted her attire, choosing denims, flat pumps and chose from an assortment of plain tops from the high street. Her outerwear would have to be tamed too, nothing too ostentatious. Joanne blended with her colleagues, although she drew the line at riding a bike to the Uni campus. No, the people carrier would have to do. Besides, driving her three children to school before lectures was just part of her day.

Joanne was looking forward to her next module; Myth & Legend. An introduction to relentless debates on male oppression, dating back to … the beginning, she supposed. She began to over-indulge in the subject matter. She wondered, fingers poised at the keys, what exactly was myth? Images of an unwanted truths reverberated through time? Yes, that would be a start. Greek myth; poor Philomele, having been raped by her brother-in-law, the mighty King Tereus, physically silenced by having her tongue cut out. Joanne took some time to get her head around this one. Was she about to become a feminist? But the woman survived. Told the tale through dance. How innovative. Joanne hit the keys and as usual, didn’t stop till after midnight.

And what did she hope to achieve from all of this? Joanne had to admit, she was sick and tired of family, friends, acquaintances and people she’d just met in the pub on a Friday night, asking her the same question. She considered telling them she was going to be a teacher, just so everyone would leave her alone. But she didn’t. And the questions continued. What made you want to do a degree? At your age? What did you say you were studying? ‘English Literature’, she would say, watching their eyes roll to the back of their heads. ‘Linguistics’, she would add with rising intonation, hoping to gain a little interest. ‘Oh I see, French? German?’ This was the point where Joanne would wonder whether she was in the wrong pub with the wrong people. Then, maybe she was the one who was in the wrong place. ‘It’s the study of the nature, structure and variation of language’, she would reply, to a place where the lights were on but no-one was in.

Joanne seems to have found herself at last. She not only achieved a more than adequate honours degree in literature (not forgetting the linguistics) but an improved capacity to understand other human beings. She is looking forward to empowering other women. Opening one of her many charity luncheons, ‘Women need to become more certain of their identities and begin to take charge of their own destinies’, she began. ‘As the famous French philosopher, Helene Cixous states, Woman must write about women and bring women to writing from which they have been driven away … woman must put herself into the text – as into the world and into history.’

Right, now back to my real job!

Gillian

Relaxing Tiddlers ...

Check out the Relaxing Tiddlers at the foot of the blog [below favourite books] ... another half hour of procrastination used up.

Gillian

Too Many Projects, Too Little Time ...

Too many projects, too little time. What with extreme ironing and continually re-stocking food supplies fast becoming projects themselves as my teenage boys turn into real men, I'm finding I still don't have enough time to get down to what I want to do ~ Write.

So, for now, I've put all businessy projects on hold. I have decided to commit ALL my spare time to writing! That concept, three weeks ago, I felt elated about and I got to the hobby / task straight away [one of the reasons I haven't been here for a while ~ apologies]. But there I went again ... not keeping the eye on the ball, the finger on the button, my mind on one project. Typical! Arggh! My problem once again - too many projects. My mind was all over the place, trying to choose one project to focus on: Adult novel/contemporary saga of power and control in relationships, Touchstone, waiting to be finished. Short stories waiting for an edit. Children's picuture book stories waiting for ... whatever. Children's novel, a cliff hanger waiting to be attended to. Interactive activity pages for children suffering trauma mostly developed but lie neatly on the bookshelf waiting for finishing touches, a printer and possibly a touch of confidence.

Clearly, the activity pages seem most important due to the very idea of them. The overall design is child-type hand-drawn pictures, shapes and patterns. Yep, I should be able to do that. Why not? Yep Start here - it's the obvious place to begin.

So what did I do first? As usual I entertained the P word. Procrastination. I sat quietly and did some thinking. [After all, isn't writing 80% thinking 20% writing?] If I focused on the starting place of my writing and moved forwards from there, I could work my way chronologically through all my writing projects, dotting all the 'I's and crossing all the 'T's. Yeah, yep, yah, that seemed like a good enough reason to do what I do best - procrastinate! I got out ALL of my poems and made a themed collection ~ two. I decided to publish a poetry pamphlet [which involved two evenings on internet searches]. I designed some covers ideas, short-listed the content, enlisted the help of my artist friend and approached a printer. Great. Now What? During that process, I found some narrative poetry written for children and waiting for illustration. Hmm ... What could I do with this? [no doubt you're forming an image of the problem I have] One of the poems got me thinking [again]. I dug out some Roald Dahl, Anthony Horovitch, Anne Fine children's stories and did a quick re-cap [Love the Magic Finger story - the one where the neighbours, who are constantly shooting at birds, get changed into birds and find themselves living in a nest whilst the birds take over their house]. That night, I couldn't sleep. Around two-thirty in the morning, I had the makings of  four children's stories and worried I wouldn't be able to remember them in the morning, [have you ever worried about forgetting your night-time ideas?] scribbled the thoughts down on a scrap of paper [actually the back page of Jonathan Franzen's brilliantly observed, The Corrections] and tried to go back to sleep. Not a chance. By four, I'd written hundreds of words for each story. 

So you sense my dilemma. Focus you say. Focus I say, every time I sit down to write. And here I am, procrastinating on my blog ... Maybe I should just re-name it: PROCRASTION?

Anyway, must be off now ... must finish my current short story for children, 'Scrambled-Egg-Pet' or maybe a spot of Ironing? The choices are endless. Hopefully I can do both without drifting off to another project like shortening my mother's new curtains, cleaning out the chicken house / loft / garage, [incidently, take a look at the feng shui garage on http://www.daughtersindistress.blogspot.com/ and prepare to be jealous. Other distractions I'm trying not to think about; digging a vegetable patch or worse, taking accumulated stuff to a car boot sale / charity shop / tip, go for a hire-bike ride along Blackpool's Wonderful New Promenade ... now that might be worthwhile ... get the creative juices flowing ...

Gillian

[oops - maybe should make a new label, 'Procrastion' ?]