Charity

So, having raised over £50 for HAVOCA with my book launch, I signed up for my local radio station's children's charity campaign.

I have to raise £100 which will go to Cash for Kids.
They help disabled and disadvantaged children in the UK,
Their website with lots more info is here... Cash for Kids

So what can you do to help?
Buy my book Broken & Damaged Love for just 99p.
All my royalties go to this charity.
You can buy it from any Amazon site globally and I will still donate the royalties.

The great thing is you'll be helping more than Cash for Kids.
You see, my book is about child sex abuse.
*shock* *gasp* Yes, I said child sex abuse.
It's the very fact people reel in shock at those words that I have written the book.

It is a taboo subject. But closing your eyes and/or ears does not stop this awful thing from happening.
So I'm trying to open up the subject for discussion.

My book is a complete work of fiction, but it is sadly all to realistic.
So, I have written Broken & Damaged Love to help raise awareness of CSA.

With awareness hopefully comes observation. And if we have more people spotting the signs of abused children there will be more people able to report and bring a stop to it.

The charities set up to help these children are heaving with demand. They cannot cope. That's how much abuse is going on. Right now!
Please help me help them.

Broken & Damaged Love also offers hope to survivors. 
It is still a romance novel and offers a shining beacon of light; the knowledge that no matter how turbulent your past, you can still have a happy future.

So, do something amazing today.
Buy a book for just 99p and open up a whole world of hope and help to many.
Thank you.

Always with love and light,
TL

Catchup (not ketchup)

Oops! I’m sitting here, only just realising I’ve not posted in a long time. 

Now, I did warn you at the start of the year this would happen. 

But I apologise nonetheless, as I didn’t mean to leave it quite so long.

So, what has this year brought so far?

Broken & Damaged Love was my most successful book launch yet. 

The Oct-Dec royalties mounted up to just over £50, all of which was donated to HAVOCA (who help adult survivors of child sex abuse find help). 

The day I paid the money over was a very proud day for me.

This same book is now raising funds for Wave 105's 1,000 Faces campaign.
The money will go to Cash for Kids, another very worthy charity.
The book is still (and always will be) 99p. So please go and download it from your country's Amazon site.
Amazon UK

I’ve started to write my vampire romance, which is great fun to do. I think you’ll like it. 

All I’ll say for now is they’re not your normal vampires, no they don’t sparkle in the light and no they’re not vegetarians.

Other than that, I seem to have lost myself in a swamp of day job duties and book promotion.

This weekend is mercifully a lovely long bank holiday, so I have time to recuperate and re-energise.

I promised myself to stay focussed on my goals this year, which I have. But it’s now time to switch modes, I think.

So, I’m sat here rambling away to you all, like you care about this dull minutiae of my life.

Oh, one other thing I have been doing is reading Clarissa Harlowe. Wow, that’s a long book!

I really didn’t know when I began that it’s claim to fame is that it’s the longest novel ever written in the English language! Letter after letter between friends. So much detail.

Yes, the word minutiae above made me think of it.

I’ve actually taken a break so I can get back to reading some other indie authors. But I will finish it.

I’m actually quite excited at the moment. There’s a possibility I may actually travel to India later this year. Get me! Culture vulture! ;-p

As I look out of my window I can see a cold, grey, damp typical English Easter bank holiday weekend.

But I also acknowledge that the rain is cleansing, and without it the flowers won’t grow.

This and the tragic events around the world (not just in Brussels) remind me to hold onto the light.

Yes, these things can make my heart heavy, and I even get angry about it.

But darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that.

I know it’s hard, but please shine your light brighter, and hold love in your hearts.

I speak to myself as much as you when I say this. We all need reminding sometimes.

Right, that’s probably enough of a jumbled catch-up mind vomit for you all.

Have a Happy Easter/Ostara/Chocolate eating, fertility festival of your choice.

© Ryan Pike | Dreamstime Stock Photos

Always in love and light,

TL

Reflections

Hello everyone! I’m so sorry that it’s been a while since I posted on my blog. 

My apologies, but there was a family bereavement the tail end of last year and everything got a bit more manic than usual.

Looking back, 2015 was a bit a bit of a ‘year of death’.

I knew it was always going to be a ‘year of change’ but I really wasn’t prepared to say goodbye to so many loved ones. I think I went to more funerals last year than I had my entire life previously. 

But I keep reminding myself it’s all for the greater good. There’s always a reason for these things. And they’re at peace now. Om mani padme hum.

It’s the start of a brand new year now; hurrah!

So, I’ve let go of any negativity which had accumulated and am charging onwards with positivity and excitement.

In October of 2015 I launched book 5, ‘Broken & DamagedLove’. 

This is the book which covers child sex abuse, and the main character’s journey through surviving to thriving. I’m due to give a small donation to HAVOCA later this month when the book royalties come in. That feels good (although I wish I was giving more). 

And the launch itself went well. 

But most importantly, I’ve received some wonderful feedback from readers, particularly survivors. It seems this precious book is already making the positive impact I so hoped it would.

So, what’s in store this year? 

Hopefully my books will start to grow in popularity now. 

And I’m hoping to make time to start my vampire novel, which I’m very excited about.

But I may not be online so much this year. At Christmas I actually pressed the pause button for the first time in all of 2015. I hadn’t realised just quite how exhausted I was until I stopped!

I appreciate I’m not alone in this. Fellow authors reading this will relate well, I’m sure. I have a full time day job (might have mentioned that before, but one can never stress it enough). And so I fit my writing in around that. But I’m also a part time step mum, and holistic therapist. Trying to promote my existing work became all-encompassing last year. It takes a great deal of time and effort as an indie author, trying to tell lots of people of your existence as well as creating my next 'masterpiece'. I think coffee was my saviour!

I ended up going on social media every night after work (and more at weekends), trying to interact and advertise. Writing this blog itself gets included in that; my brain vomit doesn’t write itself!

Often, I’d look up just in time to notice it was time for bed, and I’d barely said hello to my long suffering, ever so supportive, loving husband. This isn’t fair on him, and I’m taking advantage of his good nature. So something has to give!

So please forgive me if you don’t see weekly blogs, or I’m not on Facebook/Twitter every day. I still love you all, but I’m only one person. And I need to prioritise what’s important. Having nearly lost him in a car accident, I know more than ever that my husband is that most important ‘thing’ in my life.

And who knows; this may only be temporary.

My ‘spidey sense’ tells me there will be a big change in my life soon and I’ll be able to chat to you more again soon. And hopefully I’ll have a lot more time to do the writing thing; that is after all what my objective is. 

In  my heart I’m an author. Authors write books! Well OK, I’m also striving to help people with my farmhouse retreat too, but you know what I mean. I’m an author and lovely person. There, is that better? I want to do both.

2016 is being declared as ‘the year of fulfilment’, so let’s all hope for good things.

Please send me good wishes (and £1millon if you have it to spare) ;-P

Love and light to you all,

TL

Guest Author - Justin McCormack

This is my first blog post on sharing a fellow author's work so please bear with me (and let me know what you think of it, please).

So, the wonderful Justin McCormack has written lots of dark fantasy and horror books. In this post he wanted to share with you Return to 'Return to Oz'

Winner of the Blackfeather Award for Best New Horror 2014! 
"A powerful myriad of horror styles... deeply chilling!" 
"Terrifying and personal!" 


"I want to tell you a story, but it's not a pleasant one. It isn't a story that takes place in candy-coloured fields somewhere over the rainbow. It's the story of a curse that has lasted my entire life. It's the story that starts with me as a child, sitting shivering in fear as I watch the movie "Return to Oz", and continues to haunt me to this very day. It's a story that scares me more than any wicked witch. It's a fear that lives with me even today, and no wizard can send me safely home again." 

In his breakthrough short story "Return to 'Return to Oz'", Justin MacCormack creates a shocking and disturbing tale of raw psychological horror, which has been hailed as 'shocking and personal'! 

This anthology collects tales of Genre-Bending Dark Fantasy and Horror, including the popular "Return to 'Return to Oz'" and many more! 

Included here is the nightmarishly chilling survival horror "Undercurrent" - Three urban explorers stumble into a chaotic network of tunnels beneath the city which will test not only their urge for survival, but their very sanity... 

Also included is the disturbing nightmare tale "Old Hag" which was too terrifying for conventional magazine publication - a young woman documents her life as it is torn apart by sleep paralysis and the terrifying image of an old hag who preys on not just her life, but her very soul... 

And more tales of dark fantasy and horror! 

Like him on Facebook at facebook.com/pages/Justins-Tales-of-Horror/723106317755555

About the author: Justin was born in Glasgow but now lives in Portsmouth, on the south coast of England with his pet rats.

CSA - why we should talk

It is still seen as a taboo subject, but I’m pleased to say more and more people are starting to openly discuss it: child abuse.

It is a horrific ordeal, and nobody should ever have to go through it. The recovery is a long, slow process. The psychological scars run deeply and painfully. I can tell you there is a lot more support out there than there used to be though.

It’s ironic that the internet, which has helped paedophiles distribute their vile images is now helping survivors get help. Note that I say survivors not victims. I hate the word victim; it sounds and feels helpless. And these children are far from that, even if they don’t know it yet. The very fact they have survived such atrocities is testament to their inner strength. 

The media demonises the perpetrators of these crimes to the extent we start to believe they must look like monsters. But the cold hard truth is they look ‘normal’ (another word I hate, but I’m allowing it here). They can even appear to be charming to the outside world. But what happens behind closed doors can be oh so different.

Survivors of abuse usually feel alone and frightened. The threats made to them by their tormentors are all too real. That is why they are often that kid in the playground who is away from everyone else and withdrawn. This is such an important indication for teachers to be aware of. It’s obviously not always the case; some children are naturally quiet and not all survivors display this characteristic. But it is an important indicator to be aware of nonetheless.

I truly believe we should discuss this topic more openly. It is still with hushed voices we offer opinions. But through awareness we can all do our bit to help bring an end to this torment.

It is why I have written Broken & Damaged Love. I honestly wanted to show survivors they are sadly not alone; that this happens a lot, and there are people who understand, are trained and will help if sought out. The survivor just need to reach out.

I also wanted to raise general awareness. It’s important that we all are alert and are willing to help survivors get the help they need.

Broken & Damaged Love is Tina’s story of survival. It shows how everyone can find love and peace in their lives; that the past does not have to hinder our future.

There is a really sweet love story here; you just have to get through the dark to reach the light.

Broken & Damaged Love is available on Amazon.com

A small selection of the help out there:

HAVOCA - http://www.havoca.org   Help for Adult Victims Of Child Abuse

                          HAVOCA is an international resource run by survivors for adult survivors of child abuse. They provide support, friendship and advice for any adult who’s life has been affected by childhood abuse.  

The ethos at HAVOCA is ‘Every Survivor has the right to become a Thriver.’ 

Mind –        www.mind.org.uk   

                      There can be a side effect/impact on our mental health when we go through trauma.

Mind are there to help you with this aspect. They help people with many kinds of mental health issues, such as depression, self harm, eating problems, anxiety and panic attacks.

Tel. 020 8519 2122

 RAINN –     online.rainn.org   Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network

                   Based in the USA, and has been voted one of “America’s 100 Best Charities”

They created and operate the National Sexual Assault Hotline (800.656.HOPE and online.rainn.org) in partnership with more than 1,100 local sexual assault service providers across the country and operates the DoD Safe Helpline for the Department of Defense.

In 2015, the Online Hotline expanded to offer services in Spanish at rainn.org/es. RAINN also carries out programs to prevent sexual violence, help victims and ensure that rapists are brought to justice.

SOSAA -      http://www.sosaa.org.uk/  Survivors of Sexual Abuse Anon

They run 12 step meetings, using a modified version of Alcholics Anonymous. It is free, ongoing, non-faith, but spiritual group for both males and females age 18+.

You've been living your life wrong

Yes, this blog post follows all those fad infomercials which tells us brand new ways of doing things.

First, you need to acknowledge the bricks and mortar you live in are in fact a prison. They are the chains which bind you.

You should free yourself of these shackles and go live outdoors. The woods is a good place; it provides shelter. This also has the added benefit of relieving you of the obligation of going to work for a company.

But it does get a bit chilly so you may want to grow an extra layer of fat, and preferably some sort of fur.

Now, food may be an issue. Mother Earth is generous in her bounty. There are many plants and berries to eat. And being upright huts your back, so what you want to do is grow longer front legs and a nice long neck. And maybe a snout so you can hoover up all the yummy food which is just lying about.

Security could become an issue. You will want to grow yourself a nice big pair of ears to listen out for others who may be after your food. And grow your eyes on the side of your head too.

Whilst you’re at it, a dual purpose horn (great for defense and magick), and a nice swishy tail to get rid of pesky flies.

Yes, you should live your life as a unicorn!! How cool would that be?

*Please note that this lifestyle requires remodelling of your internal organs and endocrine system*

Hahaha; a magickal silly moment from this author who needed to smile today!

Always in love and light,
TL

Childhood

I am currently working on a romance novel featuring a sexually abused girl, who learns to come to terms with her past, and gains a hope for her future. Keep your eyes peeled; it’ll be released soon.

But it got me thinking about childhood.

There are so many ways adults harm children, from physical to mental abuse, or indeed just by sheer neglect.

As an adult, I hear so many cries of, “it’s because (x,y,z) happened when I was a child!”

Really? 20 years later you’re still harping on?? When are you going to take ownership of your life?

I’m not being unnecessarily cruel with this. In fact, I am trying to empower people.

I could rattle off several horror stories from my own childhood. And I could sit here moaning about it. But what good would it achieve?

I’ve grown so much as a person over the years. I am now able to stand back from a distance and say, “Yeah, bad shit happened. I wouldn’t wish it on anybody. But you know what? I’m not going to regret it anymore. I can’t change what happened, but I can change how it affects my future. I refuse to let that person hurt me any further. Bad stuff happened to me, but it doesn’t make me a bad person. It wasn’t my fault. And it’s made me the person I am today; strong, independent and determined.”

One of the points I touch on in Broken & Damaged love is a simple word; victim.

My own breakthrough happened because I changed the word from victim to survivor.

No longer was I a disempowered, frightened young girl! I was now someone brave and tough, who had come out the other side of an ordeal.

I hate the word victim; it saps all your energy and makes you feel weak. It also tries to simperingly plead for sympathy.

But survivor shows a super hero with a flowing cape; someone who overcame all the odds and triumphed over adversity.

I learned to be grateful for my experiences. Yes I said grateful. Yes, I am aware that sounds weird. But t those experiences gave me insight, and have helped me to help many others along my life’s path. And I truly hope my latest release goes on to help many more still.

We are all products of our childhood. But as adults we can choose how we move forwards with our lives. Take ownership and control. Take those negatives and use it for good. Instead of pitying ourselves we can help others who are going through what we once did.

Everyone has a story!

As we go through life we should be aware we are not alone, we are never the first to suffer from something. So how’s about showing kindness and respect to everyone else we meet? They may well have been hurt too.

As the Dalai Lama says, “Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible.”

Always in love and light,

TL