About TL Clark - author bio - who am I?

 

It just occurred to me that I've not written a proper blog post about myself. There's a bio 'page', but it's in Blogger format and looks a bit poopey, to be honest. 

So, here we go. 

If you look on social media, you will find my 'author bio' which reads something like...

TL Clark is a British author who stumbles through life as if it were a gauntlet of catastrophes.
Rather than playing the victim, she uses these unfortunate events to fuel her passion for writing, for reaching out to help others.

She writes about different kinds of love in the hope that she'll uncover its mysteries.

Her loving husband (and very spoiled cat) have proven to her that true love really does exist.
Writing has shown her that coffee may well be the source of life.

 The short version: 

Best-selling, award-winning, British author writing heart-racing, tear-inducing tales of love.

To date, I have ten novels and one short story out. Most are stand alones, each looking at a different kind of love. I hop around the romance sub-genres like a loved up froggy. More details about all my books can be found here.

Honestly, there's contemporary romance, paranormal, inspirational, suspense and historical. 

Fair enough, that may be all readers need/want to know. But it's not the whole me. I'm so much more than that. 

In trying to give a fuller picture of myself, the phrase "it's complicated" springs to mind. There are many facets to me. Who am I? LOL - I still want to say 24601 - thanks Les Misérables 🤣

Work wise, I used to be a full-time administrator (for more years than I care to think - let's just say over twenty) - this is also the why of the "Clark" (clerk) bit in my pseudonym btw. 

But I'm also a trained counsellor, holistic therapist and Reiki master. Oh, and a hedge witch i.e. I like using herbs to heal. 

From my holistic side, comes things such as my self-talk talk (inspired by my book Self Love) - this can be found on my IGTV and YouTube.

And my meditations - FREE on the Insight Timer app. These meditations are available to all. There's currently titles of: "Shut Off And Sleep", "Gently Wake Up And Shine", "Reconnecting With Your Creative Flow" and "Chakra Clearing & Balancing".

I'm married to the very lovely, supportive Hubby. At the time of writing, we've been married for ten years, together fourteen. Where does the time go? We live in the south of England. 

And, until the other day, Pusskin owned us (see previous post for details on the grief of my familiar). She was with us for around eleven years, but was sixteen years old (we rescued her, or she rescued me).

Hubby has two children, whom you will see me refer to as The Steps (one writes under a pseudonym, plus they'd be incredibly embarrassed to be named). 

The Steps are all grown up now. Boy is at uni and Girl is hopefully heading off to one in October (The Virus permitting). They're amazing - good, honest, loving. But that's all the info you really get - I respect their privacy. 

I love animals. Growing up, we had an Alsatian dog (GSD is the correct term these days) and a cat. My best friend had a horse, and in my teens I was a keen horse-rider. I even won a couple of rosettes in show jumping. With Hubby, we've had a rabbit, two guinea pigs and a cat. 

If you ask me what religion I follow, I would say I'm "spiritual". This is by no means a cop-out. I just sort of borrow bits and pieces to create my own thing. A lot is based on Buddhism, but there's a lot of witchery too (not Wiccan). My love for Earth is perhaps my main focus - how to live in harmony with Gaia and all beings who live on this little planet.

The witch part of all that is of the hedge variety - I mainly use herbs (grown in my own garden) for healing. 

Food is also important to me. Hubby and I lost lots of weight a few years ago, and we have lots of fun exploring cuisines. We try to be healthy still, but y'know stress eating is a thing! Coffee is my writing fuel, and nobody wants to see me before I've had my first cup of the day (it's not pleasant!). But I'm British, so English Breakfast Tea also gets drunk - I'm inclusive like that 😉

My favourite quote is from HH Dalai Lama ~ 

Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible. 

Each morning, I try to post a positive post on my Instagram account. This is followed by something bookish and maybe something more personal. But the positivity thing is important. As cliché as it sounds, I like to help people. That's why you'll find writing tips and book reviews on this blog. And I have a Facebook group to unite readers, writers and bloggers.

Self-love is so important that I even wrote a novel about it. It's one of my most important life lessons.

Overarching all of this, I am a writer. It's just who I am and what I do now. 

Always in love and light,

TL

PONDERINGS - Grief

 

Mine is not an extraordinary grief. Every single day people lose loved ones. And Pusskin, my beloved familiar, was definitely a loved one. 

15th February 2021 - we had to make the unthinkable Decision to the unaskable Question. Her seizures were occurring daily. Her hips were worsening. Her eyesight and hearing had been drastically reduced. When she gave us The Look, we knew we had to do the right thing by her. 

But knowing you've stopped a pet suffering, that you did the best thing for them doesn't ease the pain, does it? 

As a trained counsellor, I KNOW the grief cycle:

• Shock
• Denial
• Anger
• Bargaining
• Depression
• Acceptance

Nope, knowing what you're going through doesn't ease the pain either. 

And oddly, they miss off 'guilt'. Every single death I have known or seen others go through involves some form of feelings of guilt - it's an odd one but it's there. Those "what ifs" can really hold you back - don't listen to them. Things happened the way they did - no changing it. And just maybe they had to be that way (as much as we perhaps wish otherwise). 

Hubby rarely takes time off work but in Divine Timing, it so happens he was here with me.

As soon as Hubby and I returned from the vet, I rounded the corner ready to announce my arrival home to Pusskin with a cuddle - doh! 

I immediately took her things away from my eyeline . Nope, that didn't help either. 

I still checked her litter tray on my way to the loo as well. 

And I keep watching where I tread in case she's under my feet. And when I was making my dinner (which I had no interest in), she wasn't weaving around then either. 

It's the stupid things as much as the meaningful. I even miss her annoying ways, like demanding to go outside only to come straight back in. 

Mostly, I miss her excitement as I come downstairs first thing for hugs. 

I miss my writing buddy. She's not even supervising through her closed eyelids, snoring as I type this. 

Pusskin was constantly by my side. And now she's never there. 

There's a hole. A gaping, blood-seeping, oozing, cat-shaped hole in my life. 

Everything hurts right now - my eyes, my head, my heart, my soul. 

That dinner I made - it was barely touched. Food turns to ash in my mouth. 

I don't know what to do, where to put myself. My eyes keep leaking. 

I KNOW this too shall pass. But right now, it hurts like *** (insert expletive). 

There's nothing I can do but cry my way through. 

I've lost so many loved ones in my life. I know my stages well. Nope, still not any easier. 

Every loss is its own turmoil, bringing unutterable pain and anguish. Every...damn...time. 

There may well be people out there thinking, "It's only a cat!" - screw them! They clearly don't know. Pets become family. No, they're not 'people'. But that does not make them 'less'. 

Pusskin had the added benefit of being my familiar. There was a stronger bond with her than I've ever maybe had with any animal. We felt each other's feelings and even illness. She was my guardian and I was hers.

When I had a bad back and was bedridden a few years ago, she sat on my duvet, quietly playing nurse kitty. We even watched films together on my laptop.

We'd make space for each other on the sofa we shared. 

We cared for one another. 

I loved her so much that I could not let her suffer. 

I will always love Pusskin. She has carried a piece of my heart over the rainbow bridge with her. And one day, I too shall cross and we will have muchly cuddles again. 

Until then, I am left behind, learning to cope with this pain. To adapt to life without my furry friend.

No no no, this is not a woe is me post. We know that's not my style. 

I say all this because, as always, and as I said at the start, mine is not an extraordinary grief. It is very very ordinary. Grief is not a competition. It is a crapbag, sure, but not a competition.

I share because I care. Because someone somewhere needs to see this and know they are understood and they're not alone. 

There is not an experience on Earth that another has not endured. 

We all grieve. We all love. We all feel pain. We all feel joy. 

YOU ARE NOT ALONE. 

And neither am I. 

Just in case I was ever in any doubt, my own fb and Instagram have proven how loved and supported I am. Because others around me know how painful loss is - whether it be human or with paws. And I thank every single person who took the time to like, comment or message me. You really are helping me through, even if you don't know it. 💓

Just to add some comforting experiences since I typed this initial post...

I went into the garden to connect with nature whilst I grounded myself. I needed to bring my turmoil into some sort of semblance of balance. As I did so, I felt all the love I had given Pusskin return - not to my own energy but in a sort of pink, fluffy cloud surrounding me. It was ever so comforting.💟

Also, a feather drifted down outside the door in the exact place she'd be at that time, the morning after she passed. I had asked (and this is my belief, feel free to hold your own) Archangel Uriel to take Pusskin into his care, to ensure she crossed the rainbow bridge quickly and easily. 

Fine, there may have been a few cross words about what would happen if that did not transpire. No, one should not speak to angels this way but I'm not one - I was hurt and I'm sure they understand my grumpy ways. 

Anyway, this feather was my confirmation that Pusskin is in angelic care.

As if that wasn't enough, Hubby and I were driving out. At the moment I mentioned her name, another white feather floated down near the car - even Hubby pointed it out! 

But before I get 'all about me', if you too are going through loss, do look out for signs if they bring you comfort. Butterflies, bees and certain birds are often also common ones. Or random pennies. Even meaningful songs on the radio. It's all about what you believe and find comfort in. 

OK, that's probably enough. I'll go back to my discombobulation. 

Just know I send you love 💓 because...

Always in love and light,

TL

REVIEW - Buried Magic - unleashes its power

Date read: 8th February 2021

My rating: 4.5*
Genre I reckon: Witchy Suspense

Buy link: Amazon 

Follow the author: TJ Green

As Imbolc drew near, I really fancied a witchy read and this has been on my TBR pile for a while. I was not disappointed! 

It's the first of a 6 book series - just warning in advance. 

The witchy bits are very well researched - hoorah! It does not seek to paint all witches as evil harridans - hoorah again! And includes male witches - and it's three cheers from me! 

Set in a British (Cornish) seaside village, a group of peace-loving witches live in an idyll. Well, until a lady hands over a whole load of information in her will, awakening...something. The hunt for their family grimoires begins. Black magick rears its ugly head as something or someone seeks them too. 

There's a big question mark over who is truly trustworthy.

Witch trials happened in the UK before they occurred in Salem, and this is covered in the family history here, casting shadows over the present.

A fab mix of characters in a story which doesn't shy away from very real danger. 

There is a lot of scene setting for the rest of the series here, but I felt it was necessary. One must build foundation upon which the rest of the tale may stand. 

I want to say it's written in a YA style but the characters are a bit older than that. 

There's the hint of romance (behind closed doors), allowing the main focus to be on the witchy mystery. 

A fun, compelling read. I've already downloaded book 2! 

Fun spooky fact: I was reading in bed at night, and the first time dark magick sweeps in, my essential oil diffuser switched off, plunging me into darkness! 😱 My heart raced a bit, I tell ta. 

Always in love and light,

TL

REVIEW - The Dragon Sleeps - kept me awake

 

Date read: 31st January 2021

My rating: 4*
Genre I reckon: Mystery in a flapper dress

Buy link: Amazon 

Follow the author: Ellen Read

Ooh, this book was hard to put on - I read late into the night! 

It took a little while to get going but the lead-up was interesting. 

Alexandra is a girl in changing times - 1927, Victoria, Australia to be precise. She isn't fond of the society scene and has her sights on going into her father's antique business (gasp). And has a mind of her own (gasps again).

One weekend starts a chain of events in motion and wakes the sleeping dragon! A Chinese mystery begins to unfold. Plotting, avarice and death ensue. 

Alexandra holds her own, but Benedict is a charming hero. Whilst her best friend, Edith, is understandably frightened. 

Flowers scent the scenes beautifully, and I felt like I was there. Wonderful description and characters. 

Who can one trust? 

And who is Yazi? 

An elegantly conducted murder mystery with evocative story-telling. Well worth a read.

Always in love and light,

TL