Month: May 2014
Guest post-Kate Houghtaling-halflight
This is the writing I have spoken about, clearly demonstrating the confusion, panic and frustration of a young person growing into an adult. She has a way with words.
Content for “The Way Things Start”
Background Info on “The Way Things Start”
This piece is incredibly close to my heart because I originally wrote it out for myself and then decided to share it with others. I tend to do the kind of writing where I address myself as the reader and basically yell at myself for the choices I make and the things I do. This one might be hard to read between the lines on, but it details the progression of my state of mind from a starting point, to where I am now. Because a girl can’t give away all of her secrets, I’ll describe it like so: this is the aftermath of going from not knowing someone who was on the fringe of my life, to sharing a secret with said person who’s not really a friend, but actually a co-worker, all in one warm, foreign night. Regardless of my experience, I’d like to think that it’s the kind of writing that other people can find meaning in. There’s fear and doubt, curiosity and happiness, and, like always, I add a good dose of misfortune and well needed self-advice.
Talk back, give me your thoughts on the works of this young lady. I’m listening and hope this gives you insight into the heart of this young lady, hopefully, it will make you understand your growing teenager. As the years go by, we adults sometimes forget the turmoil of becoming your own person and an adult. This should help you understand why so many teenagers take their own lives because they are not strong enough to emerge from the confusion without help.
Imagination, blocked, channeled or roam free.
Most people block their imaginations when they become adults. Others, channel their imaginations into new ideas and products. Writers of fiction allow their imaginations to run free making for the more interesting stories filled with unique books that captivate the readers. What do you do?
My older brother, when someone asked “where do I come up with my stories?” he replied. “He has always had an active imagination while we were children.” Which is true, but when I became an adult to support myself and my family, I always put it on hold (blocking it) to focus on making a living and climbing the corporate ladder in management. Once in a while I would release it, coming up with unique solutions to a problem I encountered. I found my imagination disliked being channeled or blocked, so I started writing. That made my imagination happy and I stayed in a good mood.
My sister in law asked, “Where do you come up with your stories and characters?” I laughed it off but later thought, “Some characters are my alternate ego wanting to take part in my stories. Others are based on people I know or have met during my long working career, and now.” The settings of my stories all took place in my head, all I have to do is transplant them from my mind to the computer (or paper). I find the less I try to control my imagination, the better the story becomes. In “A Stranger comes Crawling” I had the original plot then turned my imagination loose. The story became better and better. The book, “A Need for Lightning” that I was writing at the time triggered my release of my imagination, allowing my stories to have unique concepts and events. I stopped writing “A need for Lightning” to write “T.T. Gristman” and “A Stranger comes Crawling“. To me, when my imagination starts forming a book, I write it down even though I might not write the whole story. I place it on a back burner until such time my mind is ready to go back to it once again. How do you come up with your stories?
Talk back, I’m listening.
Inner Visionary Verses – Personal Intuitive Insights #3
The truth be known.
Wednesday 7th May 2014
Personal Intuitive Insights #3
There is a well of wisdom in all of us and it waters the garden of our spirit. Each garden is planted with seeds of many varieties but each seed is a mere grain of truth. Truth comes from knowledge that feeds the well from many sources; therefore it is not always a black and white matter. We all learn our lessons from a different perspective – no two views can ever be the same because we are all consumed with our own motivations, drives, passions and rationale. In this way… truth may have its own agenda for each of us but grows with wisdom through both experience AND innocence. These are the words I feel compelled to share today.
When you blog, is anyone reading them?
When you blog, is anyone reading them?
Most blogs have illuisions of half the world reading what they write. Some are read by a lot of people, but very few comments appear. If one does, be sure to reply so the reader will know you heard what they had to say about your blog or blog subject. I know when I first started, I saw the comments but was slow or not at all to respond. Anyone that takes the time to comment should be appreciated with a response. Now, if they just like your post, then no response is required. If your blog is re-blogged, that is great. Your blog is now in front of a whole new group of readers. The only problem with that is you don’t normally see the comments made on re-blogs, or what the re-blogger had to say. Sometimes, you get lucky and if you are using WordPress blog, you do see their responses. On blogger (Google+) they usually allow you to see what was said on re-blogs. I try to respond to them as well as the re-blogger. I still have not found a way to link my two blogs except through Networked blogs.
Have a great day, talk back, I’m listening!
Inner Visionary Verses – Personal Intuitive Insights
When the creative juices start flowing, this is what can happen.
Sunday 4th May 2014
Personal Intuitive Insights
Awakenings can take on many forms but all awakenings require awareness, which is Light, literally as if a light bulb is switched on – illumination of the situation. And what is the situation? Today I feel as if the universe is speaking to me. I can feel it deep in my body, a vibration, like a pulsing of a frequency that switches on and off. It’s always been there but today I feel like it has meaning, purpose – a message that speaks of beginnings, transitions and the start of an expanding bubble of energy, and that energy is will, intention, choice, action…let the will of heaven flow through action. These are the words the universe brings to me today.
GUEST POST BY COLIN ALBIN
The Silver Clock
The Silver Clock is the first chapter of Tom’s Tales. A young boy called Len goes searching for conkers and ends up in a clearing in the woods, called Greenbank Meadow. That was where he first met Old Tom, an encounter that was to change his life.
“I nearly turned back the first time I saw him sitting on the tree trunk. I was only twelve and I didn’t expect to meet anyone in that place. I got a shock to be honest, and I was afraid of him at first. He looked a bit strange, really thin and gaunt, with short cropped hair, balding on top. He was a tall man with bright, shiny eyes, hollow cheeks and a funny-looking nose, which appeared to be somehow split in the middle. And he wore dark green trousers with striped braces and a black waistcoat. As I came through the trees into the opening, Old Tom was puffing on his pipe. He soon spotted me, though.
‘Hey there, little fella. Come and sit down here. Nice and comfy this old tree.’ I hesitated and didn’t know whether to run or do what he said. But I didn’t want to be rude to an old man, so I walked towards him, slowly. I was looking at him all the time as I walked. Something drew me to him, odd though he was. I couldn’t really say why.”
This was the day that Tom told Len the story behind Molly’s mysterious silver clock, a story that sent a shiver down Len’s spine.
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Colin Albin – Brief Bio
Colin Albin was born in the great city of Liverpool and lives with his wife Doreen in Cheshire, their two grown-up children having now flown the nest. Colin has worked his way through several career incarnations – mainly in HR, recruitment and careers guidance, but also in pastoral work and inter-faith dialogue. His interests include reading, writing, jazz, classical music, hill-walking, swimming, Pilates and football (Liverpool).
His interest in football probably saved his life when he had a cardiac arrest on March 10th 2013. On a normal Sunday he would have been out in the countryside with his walking group. Instead of this he went to Anfield to see the Liverpool Vs. Spurs match with his son, who rallied help within 3-4 minutes and therefore prevented both brain damage and death (the permanent form!). Two wonderful people provided CPR and mouth-to-mouth resuscitation and the paramedics gave him 5 shocks with a defibrillator in order to restart his heart. Despite being technically dead and in a coma for 2 days, he is now still alive and kicking with the aid of an ICD implant and various medication. Following a period of recuperation and reflection, Colin decided to sell his business and focus on his writing.
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Tom’s Tales – Synopsis
Tom’s Tales is a short novel comprising a collection of tales of the unexpected, mysteries which have no easy or rational explanation. The story unfolds in the context of a relationship between a somewhat strange character called Old Tom and a young boy called Len, who goes to Greenbank Meadow looking for conkers. Len is so fascinated by the unusual tale the old man tells him during that first encounter that he returns, week after week, hoping to hear a new story. As the weeks pass by, Tom and Len get to know more about each other and develop a surprising and mutually beneficial friendship. It becomes apparent that they have far more in common than might have been expected. They both look forward to their short meetings with an increasing sense of anticipation and consider these times to be the highlight of their week. Len develops a love of stories and books from the old man, and over time this transforms his life. Each of Tom’s tales has a surprising ending. But there are also some twists and turns in store for the reader as the book comes to its conclusion. Life is certainly full of surprises.
His book can be found at this link
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Toms-Tales-Colin-Albin/dp/1784070432/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1398933639&sr=1-1&keywords=colin+albin
Talk back as always, we’re listening. Another fine blog by my guest. I hope you enjoyed it and will take a look at his book.