Exciting news and something for you!

The exciting news is the first of my tote bag giveaways is happening right now!

If you go over to Sky's Book Corner there is a chance to win a tote bag, featuring the wonderful cover art work, designed by Teresa Palomar Lois

They look like this:

Good luck if you enter!

Dealing with the January blues, the lovely Paddy and some Chloe news!

It's January, traditionally a cold month and the month in which so many feel blue. Summer feels a long way off.
So how do you cope with the blues?
Here, we wrap up warm and take Paddy for long walks. Plus, we make sure we have a treat to look forward to.
Of course, there are days when Paddy would prefer to stay under the duvet..

but by mid morning he is ready to be out and about, even if he doesn't look deliriously happy about it. He certainly benefits from it - and so do we.

Keep moving is a way to fight the blues. So is laughing - and one of my Christmas presents is coming in handy there, the box set of 'Open All Hours'. The shenanigans of Arkwright never fail to make me laugh.

Plus, we're planning our first trip of the year in the folding camper

Sandringham is looking like the favourite... well, if it's good enough for the Queen... :-)

I am also writing some more to the third in the Leaves series... The house in the Leaves. Chapter Two is almost finished.
If you haven't read the first two books yet, give them a go. You can find a list of suppliers HERE

oh and there's something else to look forward to... The Chloe Tote Bag... these will be coming to a giveaway near you, very soon.... I will keep you informed!

Reviewing the writing journey, balancing the accounts and enjoying the walk.

Yesterday I had another part of my book writing journey.
This time it was balancing the books. Contrary to what lots of my friends thought, writing a book does not make you an instant millionaire.
I had chosen to price my book at £2.99 and from some suppliers, I receive as much as £1.65 for my work. It would need an awfully large readership to convert that into millions.

Here's the real benefit to writing a book - it gives you a huge sense of achievement.
In a world where so much is weighed by pounds, shillings and pence, the real joy is having written the book and seen it through to completion. There's no balance sheet for that, except in your heart. In achievement, I am rich.

There's another benefit, which is just as great - sometimes readers write to you. They tell you what an impact your book had on them. They tell you they have recommended your book to their friends. You get, in effect, fan mail. As someone in her 50s, this causes a sense of wonder and makes me smile. Somehow, I have connected on an emotional level with another human being. That is always cause for joy and it enriches my life.

Some readers leave reviews. There's something quite wonderful seeing the first five star reviews pop up on Amazon and Kobo! From the joy all my author friends display over their reviews, I know that enriches their lives too.

Can you see, there is more to writing than monetary wealth? There is an enrichment of your life too.
I know that when you do touch a wide market, you will most likely get some not so favourable reviews. In their own way, they are also good news. You are touching a wide market! Plus, not every book suits every person. Take the good, shrug off the bad - at least they bought your book!

Enjoy the walk. As with walking my dog, there are good parts and bad parts.
We focus and photograph the good. We try our hardest not to let the charging, barking, ill-mannered dog spoil our day. Same with writing. Enjoy the walk.

For all who have bought, enjoyed, recommended or reviewed Leaves for Chloe, thank you. You have enriched my life - and that's priceless!

for suppliers, click HERE