The Writer's Lounge

The Art of Seduction-completion!

2011-03-29T16:51:00.004+01:00

The Art of Seduction was a project I mentioned many moons ago about men achieving self-worth. independence, self-esteem and other amazing and life changing goals as a way to gain the confidence to go after their dream girl!

The project took me in total a couple of months to complete and was a project I took absolute pleasure in editing and perfecting. The author of this book is, as we speak, adding the final touches to his website and the launching of this fabulous E-Book! and I can't wait until it hits the market and starts changing the lives of many!

With the permission of the author I will soon be able to post a snippet up of the E-Book, reveal its actual title, and also put up the link for the website where you can read all about the inspiration behind this fantastic E-Book and hopefully purchase your very own copy!

Now! its on to the next project, A novel I'm editing for a very talented and up-coming author, stay tuned for more info about his exciting new fictional novel, that attacks our social, political and religious understanding of the world we live in.

Up Up and Up!

2011-02-28T11:42:00.003Z

I received an e-mail late last night, it was a special e-mail containing details for a new and exciting project!

A young gentleman has decided to challenge the world with his Matrix inspired novel! I could barely contain my excitement when I read through the synopsis, and as I'm a fan of all three of the matrix films, the first one being the best, this is definitely a project that I can relate to.

Unfortunately I can't reveal too much about this wonderful story, but what I hope to do is to take you on my editorial journey!

My current project 'The Art of Seduction', the original title cannot be mentioned due to copyright, is due to be completed in March. I have found this project to be a great challenge. Editing takes patience and compromise, a hell of a lot of focus, and not to mention discipline!

The website for this project is in the making, and with permission of the author of 'The Art of Seduction' E.Book, I can post these details up for you to check it out!

This book is not just about teaching men how to find the women of their dreams, but also to work on the inner you!

So gear up because it's going to be an amazing ride into the world of seduction!

The Wonderer Returns

2011-02-26T14:59:00.003Z

So! needless to say, i've been off the radar for well... months! The reason for this is the sudden increase in editorial projects that seemed to have come literally out of nowhere. I posted up, a while back, a small article about a self-help E.Book that a friend of mine was writing and I had been appointed editor!

In additon to that, I'm also the Head Editor for a retail magazine! the name I am unable to publish, but i assure you it is a project I'm embrassing lovingly.

I also discovered my talent for art, yes! art, in particular portraits, many of which I will be posting up for you guys to have a look at.

I am aware of how much I have missed and so, I have allocated this weekend to make it my duty to find out what's been happening in the world of my faithful followers, so you will no doubt me hearing from me alot more, and I look forward to catching up on what i've missed!

With love

Aretha

The Art Of Seduction...

2010-07-03T20:21:00.006+01:00

So, you see a pretty girl on the arm of a (in your opinion) not so handsome man, and you think to yourself, how did he get her? What does she see in him? She's only with him for the money, She must be desperate? You may even be one of those guys that look at themselves in the mirror and think, I couldn't possibly get a girl like that. Well... Daniel Colbert has the answer to all your dating dilemmas, he has the remedy for that low self-esteem and the right ingredients for getting that special lady.

Daniel came to me with his brilliant idea for a book that was aimed to help single men. He asked me if I could be the editor and of course I was delighted! I asked Daniel to tell you loungers more about his tremendous book, here's what he said;

'Have you ever felt that people were getting ahead of you in life? That you were somehow falling back in your career, looks and even meeting women and having successful relationships. Then maybe it's time for a change. Through personal firsthand experience and research, I have successfully mapped out the way to having an attractive lifestyle. Following a step by step plan, I can show and explain to you how you can have people jealous of your lifestyle. No longer will you be the guy falling behind, you lead the way.'

I don't know about you guys, but I am very excited to see this project develop and end up in the hands of you eager singletons, ready to get that 'attractive lifestyle' and getting the woman across the bar, the sexy girl you would have previously thought was way out of you league.

Updates on this project will be posted up and as usual all your comments are more than welcome.

P.S, let me take the time to thank my new lounger, welcome and thank you for joining the writer's lounge!

It's Metamorphic!

2010-07-01T13:00:00.005+01:00

The Writer's Lounge has gone through a metamorphosis. Still keeping in with its original theme of poems, stories and interesting articles, it has now been upgraded with an editing service. This service is available to all writers, play writes, businessmen and women, and there's even a space for our young and keen entrepreneurs with innovative ideas for business.

So! Whether is be an article, business proposal, a Short story or novel Metamorphic Editing is here to help. If you are a businessman or woman, an ambitious and self-motivated writer, a journalist or a columnist, why not let your ideas transform from a seed into a tantalising garden of wonder, awe and surprise.

My name is Aretha Forrest and I am qualified Business Editor with a passion for language and businesses. I have been editing for just over two years and I can offer my experience and my eye for detail. I am a writer of a fictional novel 'Below the Water-sky' and many Short stories. My skills range from copy-editing to proofreading and I am also able to tailor my services to fit the needs of each client.

If you have any questions, or have any material you would like me to take a look at, please feel free to drop me an e-mail, aretha1@live.co.uk and I will get back to you as soon as possible.

More posts and current projects to follow.

Sex Change, Is It Right?

2009-11-23T09:36:00.004Z

The youngest ever sex change was recorded at 16 years old. Many say it is a direct insult to God (the almighty creator Jehovah.) Some say it is filthy and that such an act shouldn't be tolerated or encouraged by parents.

In their defence, the young adults or indeed adults who decide that they want to have a sex change say that they do not feel comfortable in their skin. We are living at a time when people are reaching out for freedom of expression, but it there a line.

What about when a young adult performs a sex change to only change their minds in their later life. Does is cause more harm than good? Is it ethically, morally and socially unacceptable.

What are your thoughts Loungers?

grab and seat 'n' let's catch up

2009-11-11T18:45:00.003Z

So, in the last few weeks a lot has happened, let's just say i've been going through my own metamorphosis.

1. I had my surface bar done. (looks pretty good)

2. planning to do a dramatic caree change- in the near future

3. Missing the days when I used to get more time to blog

4. Will have to say a personal hello to all you guys and see what I have missed on your blogs.

5. Welcome to my new lounger! (thanks for following)

That's enought from me, what have you guys been up to- anything interesting!

NikeTown Shop floor debates!

2009-10-08T23:39:00.006+01:00

Can men and women be best friends?

Will feelings develop?

with physical attraction ruin the friendship?

Colleague 1 Said;

No, once there is a physical attraction you can't look at that person in the same light. Men and women are naturally attracted to one another so it's bound to happen sooner or later in the friendship.

Colleague 2 Said;

I tried it and things got physical, after that we were never the same.

Colleague 3 said;

Sometimes you've crossed that bridge and things don't work out but the friendship remains in tact. It depends on how strong the friendship is and how much respect they have for one another.

Colleague 4 Said;

Maybe, but 9 times out of 10 someone starts catching feelings.

So, what do you think loungers. Can men and women have a stricly plotonic friendship? or is it inevitable that somewhere down the line the secrets that you share and the time that you spend deveop into a meaniful relationship, or a misake you'll end up regretting...

NewsFlash! Free Editing!

2009-09-24T23:14:00.007+01:00

Free editing!

If you or anyone you know needs their work edited, completely free of charge please send me an e-mail; aretha1@live.co.uk for more info!!

This could be anything from:

Scripts
Essays
Fiction manuscripts
Non-fiction manuscripts
Letters
Magazines

Just send me an e-mail and we will take it from there. You can also send me a message on Facebook, screen name: Jean Grey.

P.S the answer to the poll was; True, our lungs can in fact hold enough air to fill an air balloon.

Look But Don't Touch

2009-09-22T18:35:00.005+01:00

Some say it's a habit, while others say that they are simply showing their appreciation for creation. I see it everyday, guys craning their heads around to see a girl's ass, or to check out her assets. I guess this is 'normal' but is it ok to look when one is already in a relationship?I asked some girls and guys whether it was ok to look as long as you don't touch.

Sarah: It's annoying, especialy when you have guys staring at your ass, or down your top.

peronally if he's in a relationship then he would keep his eyes off other girls, it shows that he has respect.

Jane: I find it immature, sometimes guys do it to make you jealous

Malekah: I don't mind.Men will always be men, its unrealistic and unnatral if he didn;t look. when he's around me i would say it was inappropriate, but it's a guy thing. if he doesn't take it any further then i don't see the issue.

Then I asked the guys;

Calvin: I wouldn't do it around my girl becasue she'd get upset, but I'm just looking it's harmless.

Leon: It's a guy thing. To be honest if a girl is sexy it's inhuman not to take notice. I love women especially beatiful women. In general women like to feel sexy, appreciated and noticed. I was checking out a girl once and my girlfriend caught me, let's just say I wouldn't dream of doing it again.

Marion: Why not? Girls do it, and they'd be lieing if they said they didn't. It depeneds on how far you take it, I think it shows insecurity if your woman gets jealous when her man looked at other girls. Women are beautiful, so I don't see the big deal.

What do you think Loungers!

CALLING ALL MUSIC HEADS!; Headphones Of The Century

2009-09-15T23:46:00.003+01:00

They're called Monster Beats Headphones by Dr. Dre and are the best headphones on the PLANET!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

When I heard these headpones I threw away my previous headphones as it just didn't feel right anymore.

For all you music lovers, if you want the best quality sound out there, get yourself these headphones ASAP,

Its the doctor's orders

Less Is More

2009-09-14T23:58:00.004+01:00

A colleague recently stressed to me that he wasn’t keen on women who exposed too much flesh. What this means is that he didn’t like when women wore revealing clothes. Some men would say ‘if she’s got it then flaunt it’, while others would assume that she had no self respect and wasn’t wife material.

Here’s what I think, like India Arie’s song ‘I am not my hair’ it can be argued that that women are not what they wear. I know it’s difficult to abstain from forming any opinions from first impressions however women who wear revealing clothes are not necessarily ‘whores’ or ‘easy’ it’s a matter of choice, preference and generally what one likes to wear.

Some women are more confident than others, some love to always be wearing the latest fashion but this doesn’t mean that she doesn’t have ambition or that she isn’t intelligent.

Another colleague raised an interesting point; not only did he go on to say that such women only evoke a man’s sexual senses, but also that he wouldn’t take her home to his parents, so in effect it doesn’t matter what we believe or what we prefer as women, modesty is always best.

So in essence whether or not we want to accept it, society will always decide who we are by what we wear.

As for men who walk around wearing bare chests and right tops and bottoms, by exposing their mature area it can also be said that these men are egocentric.

What’s your take loungers, is less really more?

I am So Sorry

2009-09-10T19:14:00.004+01:00

I am soooooo sorry guys but I've been soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo busy with my projects that I haven't had time to talk to you or check out your blogs.

I promise you that as of monday I will continue to post things for you everyday as I have sooooooooooooooooooooooo much to tell you and soooooooooooooooooooooooooooo much catching up to do!

I am not sure if you guys have read my recent post about Supernova but if you do want you FREE copy please e-mail me your E-mail address!!!!

Thanks

I'll be back on Monday with some juicy stories!!!!

Luv ya!

Supernova

2009-08-20T16:54:00.007+01:00

I was nothing at first
Just a collection of waste matter.

I was more insignificant than nothing itself

Then something happened,

Some sort of chemical reaction performed a great wonder.

This wonder took place in a universe hidden from all eyes

and soon an embryo was formed.

-

I had caused a great shift in a small part of the world
And I existed amongst bright stars

Then the universe experienced a traumatic storm
And an explosion occurred
This explosion lasted for 17 years
-

And then....

copyrighted @ The Blue Winged Lady Bug

Supernova is a collection of Metamorphic Short Stories, which are based on real life events. To receive your FREE copy, please send your E-mail address to aretha1@live.co.uk

The Hero

2009-08-03T22:09:00.012+01:00

RAHEAM ANDERSON

Raheam is the son of a rich man and of a dangerous mother. He is the centre piece of a dysfunctional family and the man who sets Nubian free. I wanted to create a hero who was the kind of man every man wanted to be, well not all men but some. Raheam Anderson isn't your typical hero, in fact he has more secrets than the readers may anticipate and is a no nonsense kind of guy.

Unlike Nubian, I had to search for Raheam in guys that I had already met. It was difficult because obviously I didn't want to create an already done hero. I wanted Raheam to be the kind of character that aroused a different type of intrigue. Throughout the novel I want readers to be constantly second guessing him, or trying to figure out his next move.

From the outset it is clear that Raheam is frequently talked about, he is mysterious and causes a lot of commotion without doing much. Through this Raheam becomes of interest right through to the end of the novel because his many secrets are never ending.

His relationship with Nubian is powerful despite the fact that it takes a long while until they are actually an item. During this build up he is able to free Nubian's inner elements. Raheam like Nubian is going through intense emotional struggle. There is a secret that he shares with his mother, and there are other more frustrating issues that arise when he gets a shocking visit from his past. What makes things worse however are his ever growing feeling for Nubian, and a mother who keeps getting in the way.

There are aspects of Raheam that some readers may find compelling. His love for his younger sister and his love for water and the sea are just a couple of things that bring out the serenity within him.

As a young man Raheam is up front, ambitious, and incredibly attractive. When thinking about aspects of his personality I wanted to incorporate some characteristics that I find appealing in a young man. E.g a level of shyness, intelligence, humour and a little territorial, meaning a great need to protect and defend what he loves.

The Heroin

2009-08-03T12:02:00.010+01:00

NUBIAN SMITH

It's always difficult to create a protagonist. As a writer I try to avoid stereotypes and your typical cliche characters. So I had to search for Nubian within myself, I had to search beneath the rocks in my heart and it was very difficult creating her because she was effectively made up of tiny broken pieces of myself.

We all go through times in our lives when we feel like we don't fit in, or sometime we do but for all the wrong reasons. Nubian represents both sides of that spectrum. She has an unusual complexion which signifies the many tones of our personality and as much as we try to deny it, we are all psychologically impaired in some way shape or form. Her flesh is extremely powerful, it is what she is govern by because it's initially the most potent sign of who she is and where she comes from.

In terms of sexuality, Nubian's skin tone is also symbolic. She has inherited a deep sense of passion and love both of which are good and poisonous. She is a child who quickly blooms into a young woman and her sexuality is one she finds hard to control, and is also another avenue through which she explores herself and her true identity. Nubian is stubborn and irresponsible, she is dramatic and at times provocative and frustrating.

Initially she a confused young woman who just wants to rebel, and with all the dangers that surround her she finds it difficult to sustain a healthy mind. Nubian becomes infused into the world and all its glitz and glamour and she is desperate to forget and deny what she really is. During the first stages of the novel it is clear that young Nubian is torn between two sides, she yearns to be free and at the same time craves power.

The reason why I created Nubian in such a complex way is so that readers become equally as frustrated and confused. Nubian endures a lot of heart ache and rejection and her life is very isolated. I want readers to experience her metamorphosis, because it's not only mentally and emotionally challenging, but it's also physically painful and traumatic.

Despite being young and self conscious, Nubian is a fighter, she is determined, she is brave and courageous. She is full of joy and laughter yet she is also sinister and during the novel there is a real inner fight.

Readers may to react to Nubian negatively or positively. It could be In a negative way because of the choices that she makes, and the impact she causes on the lives of those she comes into contact with. Some may react in a positive way perhaps because of what she represents as a character, which is freedom. She is a woman that lives her life in various forms of bondage and she struggles intensely and desires is to be free. Some may respect her choices on that basis and others may not.

Project Update

2009-08-03T11:47:00.005+01:00

Hey Loungers!!!!

I have decided to go ahead with releasing Below the Water-sky, I know I've been up and down with this project and its been an emotional roller coaster with it, but a lot of blood sweat and tears have gone into this book, so I'd like for you to enjoy it.
-

So seeing as it's close to publication, meaning it will soon be available on line I thought I would get it ready for its big launch. So, starting from today I am going to give you a break down of all the characters and their role in the plot and that way you can have an idea of the flavour of the book.

Also, all those of you who are interested in receiving a free copy of my book of short stories please send me your address via e-mail and i can put you on my mailing list. once you're on that you can receive other small promotional projects and exclusive updates on upcoming projects.

Once again your support is priceless and appreciated!

I Got The Job- NikeTown

2009-07-30T17:50:00.007+01:00

I am telling you guys I was so nervous but I did it.

The interview was demanding, but it was fun and interesting. There were about 11 of us all trying to show off our skills. Then it was crunch time, when the director came in asking us to tell him individually why we should get the job. My heart was beating fast as everyone said their piece. Then I thought hey I am a writer, I've soooo got this. I am now employed again and can fund my writing, phewwww!!!

P.S. A very warm welcome to all you new Loungers, its a pleasure having you on board.

Time To Get Querylistic

2009-07-29T08:57:00.003+01:00

I wasn't going to do it, I am talking about writing a query letter. I was going to self publish instead. Then I got talking to a very nice lady and she brought be back down to reality. Truth be told I have no experience, no clue about the industry, no links, NOTHING!!!! and for a new writer I need all the help I can get.

So, I am not going to call it a query letter I am going to call it a pitch, perhaps that will change the way I view things. I hope it goes well, I have already prepared myself for rejection so I shall let you guys know how it goes.

The Blue Wing Lady Bug

2009-07-27T02:59:00.007+01:00

This image of a woman with wings represents a process of either inner or exterior change. Of course change is one of the most consistent things that happen in our lives and in this world.
-
I built this idea from the emotional transformation I went through after a dramatic change in my personal relationships. You could say I went through a metamorphosis. My novels will indeed reflect a significant process of change from one thing to another they will also reflect consistency and maturity.
-
This image is also symbolic, and it stands for
-
Strength and Courage. I believe that to go through a storm and survive shows courage, and to endure it is strength.The blue wings mean life, and despite the darkness that surrounds us, we must always continue to shine!

The Synopsis

2009-07-24T20:08:00.008+01:00

I had my first e-mail via my website and I was extremely excited. I felt privileged to be asked for advice on how to write a good synopsis, quoting from the e-mail I said;

Now, the thing about a synopsis is that it must really entice the reader. You want to tease them with aspects of the story or novel that are its main selling point, however without saying too much... e.g,

They were dead, and were all found arranged in order of age. Marcus a regular businessman and May a social worker soon become faced with a murder case that connects them in more ways than one.

That's just a snippet but the idea is you want to jump in with a punch line that asks many questions, and end it with a cliff hanger which only poses more questions. The most important thing about a synopsis is how much information is give, NEVER GIVE too much away, and avoid cheesy and dated ways of wording your sentences. Be adventurous, write with style, and imagine you're trying to make someone want to read this piece of material.

I you are a writer and find writing a synopsis a challenge, the best thing I have ever been told is that it will come in time and with experience.

Psssst!

2009-07-23T19:27:00.005+01:00

Today I felt awful, I even looked awful. I cycled to central London to find out where my interview would be taking place just so I could be that little bit more organised. Anyway, on the way there it rained which meant my hair, face and clothes got drenched, thanks to good old traditional British weather.

Not only that, but I kept on getting flirtatious looks from guys, who seemed to like the wet and trampish look. However I didn't appreciate it. Don't get me wrong when guys compliment a girl it's sweet but it depends on how its done.

I am not a fan of winks, pssssts' whistling, tooting of the horns, shouting out derogatory terms, I always considered women to be worthy members of society, not dogs to be whistled at or called over like a piece of meat.

Now tell me, do I sound ridiculous, picky, am I over reacting? Or is it wrong to expect respect from the opposite sex, I can't whistle at a guy so why is it ok for him to whistle at me.

Ladies what's your reasoning on this one

and Gents, please explain!

Talent Shows or Freak Shows?

2009-07-22T13:23:00.008+01:00

Hey Loungers

I am Back

just a little update;

lost my job, the lounge show is still proving quite a challenge, I passed my theory test for driving and I am now looking forward to an interview for a sports shop I have always wanted to work for, believe me when I say I had dreams about working there.

Anyway.. that's enough about me,

My kitchen is getting redecorated and so there are work men banging away at my walls. I had an interesting conversation with one of the work men about talent shows such as American Idol and the X Factor in his words;

'I think it's a load of rubbish, kind of like a freak show for desperate people to be made a mockery of.' Now I thought that was quite a strong opinion, his later comment was

'It's not as if any of them can sing, they are all talentless.'

To be perfectly honest I understand his view about talent shows. What makes me say this are the judges who are perhaps paid a little extra to be rude and insensitive. Especially with X Factor it seems many people are just laughed at and in the end only a few get through. But is it really a freak show? Is it only there so that money can be made out of people's desperation. Or is it a healthy approach to stardom?

www.arethaforrest.co.uk

2009-07-14T08:04:00.003+01:00

News Flash!!!

The Website is now up and running please check it out. There you can read a snippet of Below the Water-sky and find out about other upcoming projects.

P.S An Elephant is pregnant for 2years. Well done all those who got it right and if you didn't you've learnt something new about Elephants!

Welcome in New Loungers, I'lll be back with more soon, thank you all for following!

I'll Be Back In Mid July To Host The Lounge Show

2009-06-26T09:57:00.014+01:00

Hey guys!

As you know I will be hosting The Lounge Show. The time is drawing closer and unfortunately I will be away for a short while working on the show.

While I am do this I will take the opportunity to get more acquainted with your blogs something I have been meaning to do, but time as usual always escapes me. There will be no posts on my blog until the BIG LAUNCH but rest assured I have plenty of new and interesting things in the pipe line.

Make yourself at home!

2009-06-25T15:08:00.002+01:00

I'd like to thank all you new loungers!

Please feel free to check out and comment on my posts.

I hope you all are looking forward to The Lounge Show! There will be some really exciting things for you, so you are more than welcome to participate by posting in your thoughts, opinions, likes and dislikes and even ideas if you have any.

I look forward to getting better acquainted with you all,

in the mean time, please make yourselves at home in the lounge.

Domestic Violence Takes A U-Turn

2009-06-24T11:28:00.001+01:00

Usually we associate domestic violence with women, meaning women are the ones being physically or emotionally abused. However I was listening to the radio just last month and it seemed that domestic violence has taken a U-turn and now men are the ones being abused.

The radio show aired some interviews with these abused men, one said;

‘She’d often out her cigarettes on me’

‘It was general verbal abuse and I felt really intimidated’

‘She’d get angry and I’d have to leave. I was so terrified.’

The presenters couldn’t help but laugh which takes away the respect for human emotions, the same thing can be said when they hold such abusive women in high regard and when a father tires to fight for his child, because he’s a man he’s got no chance.

Personally it opened my eyes, I’ve seen in the last few months or so men protesting for their rights as parents, which I believe in some cases are seriously over looked. I’ve met women who are selfish and are incapable to devoting their time to their children yet you find men who are more than willing to do that.

I guess domestic violence isn’t as black and white as I had previously thought, a woman can abuse a man in ways that are beyond the physical, but does society really recognize that?

What do you think?

Project Update: Unlikely Brothers

2009-06-17T13:09:00.016+01:00

News Flash!!!

I have now started writing my new project Unlikely Brothers and it's turning out really well, my book of Short Stories is also coming along nicely so watch out for those in August. Unfortunately I have had to make a very big decision with regards to project Below the Water-sky. I have decided not to put the novel in print as it's a project stemming from a considerable amount of years and reflects aspects of my career that are done with. Hopefully I can sell the project on, or perhaps transform it. I will let you know what will become of that project. If you've been trying to get on to my website, my apologies, the web company are experiencing technical issues and I have been told it will be published this Friday.

Unlikely Brothers

Synopsis:

Amaar K’aan and Lee Bradshaw are two young men from opposite sides of the world who struggle through their working class lives. The two men meet in what can only be described as an unusual circumstance and end up becoming life support for one another. Amaar is obsessed with the act of preserving and keeping things and Lee battles with his inability to cope with life itself. When a mysterious woman comes into their lives, both men face a completely new challenge and are forced to sacrifice everything. Set in 21st century London, this novel tells the story of an unlikely brotherhood, ignited between two very extraordinary men.

Mind Games

2009-06-16T11:22:00.003+01:00

You meet a guy, you get on. He obviously likes you because he makes the effort to come over and talk to you. This has been going on for a while but he doesn’t ask your name, even after you’ve asked for his.

Ok, so you’ve worked out that she likes you but she never calls

He’s nice one minute not the next

I can tell she’s playing it cool, but sometimes cool can turn into cold.

These are just some of the frustrating things about the opposite sex when you are trying to start either a relationship or a simple friendship. It’s the game playing, it’s the mixed signals the playing it cool. Like I said I’ve never had such problems but I’ve heard enough to know that it’s not as simple as it could be. So you meet someone, what’s with all these games? I’ve heard of the one they call the three day rule, which is if he doesn’t call in three days the girl doesn’t pursue him. Here’s another shocker, ‘treat them mean to keep them keen’ honestly what’s going on. I’ve seen situations where either a guy or a girl will try and get each other jealous just to figure out what he or she really feels. What ever happened to asking, where’s honesty gone?

I need your help loungers;

Help me to understand the world of boy meets girl,

What’s up with the three days rule, why don’t you guys ask a girl her name when she’s asked you yours, ladies why all these games, guys what’s this mixed personality about?

Educate me!

Sibling Rivalry

2009-06-15T13:49:00.004+01:00

My sister and I didn't grow up together, in fact we only met when she was 18 and I was 14 or something like that, and we started off on a great foot. She and I would go jogging together, get up to all sorts of mischief together but most importantly we were best friends. But then things changed, we changed and somehow our roots lost grip and we no longer got on. I kept hearing that she had been spreading lies about me and then things just spiralled out of control. Now, we don't even talk its like we've gone our separate ways but before we split we had a big argument. Then I decided enough was enough, she had lied too many times and I just couldn't trust her. Of course I am not blameless but neither myself or others or even my sister herself can tell me what I was supposed to have done wrong to cause her to harbour such negativity toward me. I still love my sister and I always will, but I guess sometimes being blood related doesn't always mean a lasting friendship or bond. Some siblings can't live without each other and some can. I am not saying I don't miss her, I do, but being around her causes more pain than not being with her.

What about you guys, have you experienced any sibling rivalry, if so how have you worked it out?

Book of the Month

2009-06-12T13:06:00.004+01:00

I had to choose a book to read within two weeks so that I could write a review on it. I was entering into a writing competition and a friend of mine had recommended this book. As a lover of fiction I was a eager to flex my wings and read authors I hadn't previously heard about.

I read the book in just under two weeks and I was pleasantly surprised. The story was one of strength and tenderness, and I felt a real emotional connection to the characters, and I felt as though I could feel what they were going through. If you like stories with intrigue, meaning and depth this is definitely a must read.

Welcome New Loungers

2009-06-12T09:02:00.001+01:00

Hi!

Welcome new loungers!

You are now in the lounge so
Slouch back, put your feet up and relax,

Thank you very much for taking an interest in my blog I hope you enjoy your time here and I look forward to getting acquainted with you all.

Make yourselves at home!

Commitment Phobia

2009-06-12T08:55:00.004+01:00

Does the thought of just being with one person frighten you?

Are you afraid of loosing apart of yourself?

Does it worry you that you will no longer have exclusive independence?

Is it the fact that you’ll have to share yourself?

Are you worried your husband/wife may change?

Are you worried that you may change?

What about the idea of thinking as a duo rather than an individual

What is if falls apart because of you, or because of him/her

These are just some of the things that put people off the idea of getting married. I was talking with a friend just last night and I told him of my fears of getting married, marriage is extremely important to me and it is also an important aspect of my faith. I told my friend that I was terrified of commitment, the idea that its an act of finality, a bond that is to last forever, but his response was interesting, he stated ‘you are not afraid of commitment but that you will marry the wrong person, you are scared that he will change’.

Then I looked into it and thought ‘I’d love to get married but after the honeymoon period what will come, snow storms thunder storms etc. I admit I am not a fan of arguments and upset which are common in any relationship, but then I realised that perhaps I like the idea of a marriage but not quite prepared for some of its realities. Then I concluded that we can only ever make such decisions when the time arrives, and eventually we have to face our fears.

What about you guys, are you currently married and are wondering what was the worry all about?

Or

Are you scared to tie the knot?

Blog Update: The Lounge Show

2009-06-10T11:29:00.005+01:00

News Flash!!!!

The Writer's Lounge PRESENTS!!

its very own show

'The lounge show' is a Podcast hosted by me Aretha Forrest and will feature various guests. The show will be posted up every Monday and will provide you lovely loungers with poetry, music, quizzes, writing tips, advice, Big questions and general discussions, all for your exclusive enjoyment.

You will also have the opportunity to post your comments and suggestions into the show, and if there are any questions you'd like me to answer or any advice you need please post them into me in the comments box, or e-mail aretha1@live.co.uk if you wish to do so privately.

More info and a launch date will be posted up soon!
In the mean time let us know what you guys think.

Can Good Looks Get You What You Want?

2009-06-10T09:47:00.000+01:00

‘Girl just flutter your eyelids and he’ll fall to your feet.’

‘Personally I just have to put on my cute face and he gives me what I want.’

‘I am a Pretty girl, so I spend most of my life living for free.’

So, is it true that looks can take you anywhere and can get you what you want? Personally I’d like to think that a good personality, manners and people skills can open all doors, but does having a beautiful face have its perks or is beauty highly overrated.

I asked Samantha a very pretty girl who works in a men’s clothes shop.

Take a look!

Samantha you’re a pretty girl, do you find getting things you want easy?

Uhm, I guess. Whenever I go out with my friends guys always comment on my looks and usually that gets me a free drink. But I wouldn’t take it further because it can lead to more than what you expect.

So being beautiful can also be dangerous or shall I say have its disadvantages?

Yeah like a lot of things. But I’d hate to think that my looks is the only thing that gives me privileges.

What do you think about girls who use their looks to get anything they want?

Each to their own, personally I wouldn’t. Eventually if you use your beauty recklessly then ultimately people will treat you that way because that’s how you teat yourself.

What about men, do you think they do the same?

With men it’s different, they know how a lady likes to be made to feel and they play on that, if he’s gorgeous its easier to get that lady to give him what he wants.

So in all do you think looks can take you anywhere or given you anything?

Yes and no, if a good looking person had an ugly attitude he or she won’t go very far, if you are good looking with a good personality, good up bringing and can communicate well with others then that can open many doors.

Thanks for your time Samantha

So, there you have it good looks need to be maintained by a good personality and a healthy relationship with the outside world. I remember when I was at university I used to go to a shop owned by Somali people to buy international phone cards to call home (Jamaica), and because I had learnt their language they were flattered and I would get huge discounts off the cards. Therefore taking an interest in others and being warm and friendly beats looks by far. However another question popped up, what constitutes as beautiful or pretty?

What do you think?

Social Sickness

2009-06-09T10:35:00.000+01:00

He hibernates,
Every now and then.
He gets into a cocoon to resurface again.

She flirts a little,

Shows a lot,
So that he may think she is something she's not.

He sticks needles into his arm
It helps keep him calm,
When he wines and dines the ladies with his superhuman charm.

She's weak and now refuses to eat.
It’s a silent defeat,
A morbid retreat.

She vomits up her insecurities,

She can't digest her worth.
She collapses and falls to the earth.

He has fever.
His fear of them makes him shiver.
It’s complicated.
He's hot so strips naked.

Together they bind themselves,

Internal wall bury them in.

They hibernate.
Every now and then,
They get into a cocoon to resurface again.

By Aretha Forrest

Copyrighted @

Public Rant

2009-06-08T13:25:00.000+01:00

Situation: Dad’s New Girlfriend

Issue: Aabsolutely no manners

Rant Begins:

She comes in and doesn't say hello. It gets so bad that my dad has to introduce us, she draws a fake smile. At this point I am thinking she’s either deaf or dumb. It’s absolutely freezing outside and it’s raining and the woman wears a pair of shorts that could pass for a G string. So I ask her if she’s cold (this is my chance to take a dig), she says no, which is a blatant lie. Then I offer her a drink, she says no she’s fine, I over hear my dad offer her a drink she says yes. (Freak!!!) Anyway I get ready to go ice skating so I say goodbye, she points at my kitten like a diva that is repulsed and asks if I could remove it. I swallow any mean words that could accidentally fall out of my mouth and take my kitten and put her outside.

Loungers! What Miss Thing doesn’t know is that my father is the most unfaithful man in the entire universe and I am not proud to admit that, but I could burst her bubble quite quickly, you get my drift….

Rant over

Is This A Date?

2009-06-08T08:51:00.000+01:00

Let me back track, I said I hadn’t been on a date but after reading Q.Tino’s revisit to the lovely world of first dates on my post Your First Date. His story urged me to re-evaluate if my statement was accurate, so you tell me, is this a date?

Here’s how it all went down;

I was just thirteen and in high school when I was walking home with a friend. We had bumped into one of her friends Mr X who I had had a crush on for some time. I had told her about my childish feelings and begged her to keep it quiet. When I left the two talking to make my way home, some moments later I realised he was chasing after me on his bike and then I realised that my crush was no longer a secret.

I tried to walk as fast as I could but wobbly and nervous feet were no match for confident legs on two wheels. He stopped at some distance in front of me and I paused. He called me over using his index finger and at that point I was a heated mess, no offence but if I were white I would have looked like a strawberry!

We talked for a while and it turned out he lived just across the road from me. A few weeks or more past and I saw him again on my bus home. He and I hung out later that day and I had my first kiss on the stairs of a block of apartments.

Welcome New Loungers

2009-06-07T16:20:00.000+01:00

As usual I always like to take the time to welcome the new Loungers, and to extend my appreciation for your support on my blog, I am sure we will enjoy blogging with each other.

Does Normal Really Exist?

2009-06-07T14:49:00.000+01:00

K.Michel's comment on my post To Conform or not to Conform, That Is The Question, raised a very interesting question, Does Normal Really Exist? Here is the best definition of 'normal' I could find;

Normal is; According with, constituting, or not deviating from a norm, rule, or principle.Conforming to a type, standard, or regular pattern. Occurring naturally. Relating to, or characterized by average intelligence or development. Free from mental disorder.

'Normal' appears to be a general rule, or an average of an agreed standard, but for this to become a rule or an average standard those who agree must share the same ideas or principles. But what of those who do not agree with the rule or standard do they then become abnormal?

Take for an example cross dressing, personally that isn't normal for me,but it may be for others who share the same interest, is it then 'normal' or 'abnormal'? See there's the problem 'normal' cannot be truly defined, it thus becomes a difference in code of conduct.

It appears that normal can be a matter of opinion agreed by either a small or large group of people who share the same ideas, or it can even be a figure of speech. But even the group of people who share the same rules and standards can be looked upon as abnormal, so here the issue arises again, normal is destabilised. Now kick back relax and think about how complex and diverse this world is, we are different both culturally, socially, economically, politically, sexually, medically, scientifically I could go on. But what I am trying to say is that 'normal' is an illusion. It is an illusion because people only appear to think the same or act the same, but what creates this illusion?

OK, I might be skating on thin ice here but hear me out.

How many of you or to put it in general terms how many people go out to a posh or classy restaurant and act a certain way, speak a certain way, or in the case of debates and discussions how many people agree with something so as to not cause upset. If we are guilty of this then doesn't it show that the reason for the formation of such general standards and rules is because of this facade. The point I am trying to make is that when people return to their homes or simply change the environment they are in they behave differently why? because they no longer have to put on the act that they are 'normal'. Yes there are codes of conduct but they are defined as codes or rules becasue people don't generally behave that way and if we generally did then there would be no need for rules or regulations. However some may act outside of these codes and restrictions, but this may be for different religious or personally reasons. If someone at that posh or classy restaurant starts chatting loudly on their mobile phone, it is automatically seen as 'abnormal' behaviour, but is it? People talking on their phone loudly in a classy restaurant is not 'abnormal' but rude. I say this because people talking loudly on their phone isn't unusual but in that situation it's insensitive behaviour. 'Normal' thus becomes a box that is very hard to put people in.

I may have just confused you all completely but I hope I haven't! Feel free to agree or disagree.

To Conform Or Not To Conform, That Is The Question

2009-06-05T12:04:00.000+01:00

Loungers!

I have wondered the streets of London, Canada, Jamaica, Wales and I have assessed the human race, I have seen insane things crazy things, things that if witnessed by a police officer it would prompt them to make an immediate arrest. I see things loungers things no human should ever have to see.

1. I walked in on my colleague picking his nose and I don’t mean discreetly I mean going for it I thought for a moment that he had lost something up there.

2. I’ve seen women, yes women squatting down in fitting rooms to do a massive poo, and I am talking log size, and loungers it moved!

3. I’ve seen women walk into clothes stores and come out as men. Men walk into clothes stores and leave as women.

4. I have seen people eating themselves, yes you read it correctly.

I couldn’t possibly tell you anymore. But what I saw got me thinking loungers, I summoned my brain to intimate thought, I secluded myself on my roof top, (relax! it’s a fire escape roof and you can actually have barbecues up there) anyway, I sat down in the cool breeze and examined the human race this complex, diverse and interesting set of living species and I was puzzled. Yes we all have eyes, ears, nose, mouth etc but what makes us do the things we do? Is there some chemical in the brain that causes insanity.

No wait! That’s not fair I can’t judge someone for pooing in the ladies fitting room, and what if my colleague stores things in his nose, who am I to criticise him for his way of life. I have therefore come to the conclusion that normal doesn’t exist I was actually a fool to have thought otherwise. We are not normal and being normal is a human impossibility would you agree? Why would someone eat themselves is that normal? Why would someone cross dress is that normal? At which point does abnormality become an offence or can it be an offence? At which point does it become wrong? We live our lives trying desperately to find our own identity, and for many not conforming is a big part of their lives, is that the case for those who I have mentioned above. Is it wrong to be overtly different should different have its limits? These are questions that keep going over in my head.

But here’s the trick; in order to be a nonconformist one must conform to some conformation, this being that you conform to the idea that you must not conform!

Am I right or am I wrong?

The Hypochondriac And The Shopaholic

2009-06-04T15:48:00.000+01:00

The state of believing that one is sick even when doctors have shown no signs of sickness. See, I think there is more to this, in my view it's like shopping, ok the comparison seems a little far fetched but hear me out. Some weeks back I posted a post call Just A Thought based on the movie Confessions of a Shopaholic and it dealt with the psychological issue that people have with over spending. It's a comfort thing right?

So how can we compare a hypochondriac to a shopaholic. Well... both parties need something to comfort them, silks, new things, the smell of new shoes, how that Chanel bag makes them feel, the hypochondriac needs sickness he/she needs treatment care, attention love, kindness and all such things given freely to those who are ill. But could it be more in short this world is a huge place with huge personalities, but is it possible to seek refuge in one self, to see our bodies as a home within which we can retreat. I could go on, but I have always be intrigued by hypochondriacs, shopaholics.

You see, some may need a continuous buzz of life to validate their existence without it it may seem as if we do not exist, that the world is simply spinning without us. A shopaholic may need those shoes because its freshness renews their fading zest for life, and the hypochondriac may always feel sick because feeling sick and being sick is he or she's only source of life or in effect there is the fear of being removed from it. I am no psycho analytical person in fact I am far from it, my interpretation may even be completely wrong, but tell me, isn't it worth thinking about?

Short Story 'Goat's Milk'

2009-06-02T14:38:00.000+01:00

Hey Loungers! seeing as you've never read any of my material I thought I'd post a short story I wrote recently. This story is called Goat's Milk and will be featured in my book of short stories which will be in print round about the same time as Below the Water-sky. I hope you enjoy it and remember all comments good and bad are welcome!

Goat's Milk

We lived in a board house built on the top of a hill. The house was amongst other neighbouring houses and our tiny window gave the view of the vast landscape of greenery and trees with cables connected to them.

We shared a bed all three of us, me my mother and my sister. My mother was very fair in complexion with bright eyes the colour of treasure. They were unusual and I am still yet to see eyes so amazing. They were green with hints of grey and hazel they were beautiful, like a gift. We were a family just the three of us no one else mattered. My sister and I would play out in the yard or run out into the bushes and play in the river. Those were the days of complete innocence and of utter oblivion to the rest of the world, the real world.

My mother worked in town and whilst she was at work I would go off to school about a mile away from our board house. I wore a check dress which was red and white and carried a bag with all my books and colouring pencils. My mother always used to make sure my hair was done, it was usually in two, three or even four bunches. My sister would stay at home she was only a couple of years younger than I was I can’t remember but I think she was about two years old. She would play outside with the other neighbouring kids, and my grandmother would keep an eye on her.

I didn’t get on very well in school in fact I had no friends. I remember during class a girl was awfully rude to me, and I waited until play time to knock her two front teeth out. I got into a lot of trouble and the teacher hit me in the palm of my hand with a thin wooden stick. Like I said it was just the three of us, me my sister and my mother that was my family. We didn’t need anyone else. When my mother cooked dinner we all ate it together and when night fell we would share a bed with no blankets.

My sister, I can’t remember her name, was always playing in the dirt and she would sometimes put things into her mouth. I used to get angry and slap her but she wouldn’t stop. She was dark, darker than my mother and I. I remember clearly though one day my mother milked the goat we had been keeping fenced up in the yard. She gave my sister and I the milk in separate bottles. My sister drank her bottle thirstily without a pause. I didn’t like the smell of it so I refused to drink it. My mother was upset but she didn’t force me.

The next day I had to go to school, I didn’t want to go seeing as I had hurt a girl really badly and I couldn’t face the other kids who would have no doubt formed an alliance against me. My mother said I need to go to school so that I could learn and be a better person, so I went. When I got home later that day I found out my sister was really ill, she was shaking and the neighbours were helping to calm her down. They squirted lemon juice on her and I could see all the bits of lemon on her dark skin, and her skin was glazed by its sour juice. An old lady told me to go away, she didn’t want me to witness what was happening, I did what I was told and went away.

When I came back I found my mother sitting by the door staring into the atmosphere as if watching a program no one else could see. I sat beside her and took her trembling hand and from that moment I knew that my sister was gone, and she was never coming back. We never talked about it not even to this day, I am yet to remember her name and I still refuse to drink goat’s milk. It reminds me of the day she died, the day that milky white substance stole my sister away and I can’t even remember her name; I can’t even keep her close because her name is lost somewhere in my brain. Goat’s milk wiped away a future I believe I deserved, and it drowned my mother’s happiness and it will never breath again, she will never breath again. Never will I drink goat’s milk.

Some few years after I was taken away from my mother, my father said I should live with him in England, the land of opportunity. I cried, you see my mother was my family, when goat’s milk took my sister away it was just the two of us and that’s how we survived. When I first came to England the first thing I remember seeing was the flooring in the airport, it was clean and sparkly and it was as if I had walked into paradise. I lived an isolated life and it was years before I settled down to live with my father. It was as if my past was chasing me, I still hadn’t any friends and all the kids I met abused me.

When my father and I finally moved into a small apartment in London I was glad for it. However the isolation was more profound. I spent many days and many months alone in a house filled with the voices of silence, I cried all the time, I didn’t care for the blankets on the bed, or the use of a proper toilet one that wasn’t a hole in the ground. I wanted that bare bed, I wanted to be kept warm by my sister and my mother, I wanted to run down the river and play with my sister in the bushes. I wanted to get angry at her for eating things from the ground, I wanted to run home from school just to be with my family and I missed my mother greatly.

It was the comfort of the bare necessities that I called home, it was snuggling up to my mother when I was scared of the darkness. It was the greenery that I saw when day light shone through the window, it was my innocence that I had missed, it was my skin that had always been sun kissed. It was the soft texture of my sister’s face almost like silk, but she was stolen from me by goat’s milk.

By Aretha Forrest

Copyrighted @

Lounge Discussion 'Twenty First Century Man'

2009-06-02T08:17:00.000+01:00

Really interesting comments guys! It would have been a good idea to collect answers from different cultural backgrounds because it can hardly be denied that tradition and upbringing plays an extremely important role in the question of men and women in society.

It's interesting actually because I find it hard to find men who are emotionally available even as friends, there is always a detached aspect to them, I mean take my father for the perfect example. He was brought up in Jamaica at a time where affection was rare and to some degree still is, and the idea of a man showing emotion was almost like a taboo. I guess finding that balance is difficult, personally I don't like when a guy is stone cold yet I don't appreciate one who is overly soppy and cries all the time. Again it's all about personally preference,

But here's what I want to know; Guys tell me the qualities that you look for in a lady, and ladies, what do you consider the most important qualities in a man. Me! I like humour and grace.

Perhaps this current situation between men and women won't change until the world experiences a dramatic change, but its definitely food for thought.

My new project Unlikely Brothers is very much centred around the role of men and women, so whilst constructing my characters I will certainly bare all your helpful comments in mind.

Twenty First Century Man

2009-06-01T10:18:00.000+01:00

Brittany Ashley made a really interesting comment on my post ‘Twenty First Century Woman’ and it prompted me to think about our Twenty First Century Men. I did some research asking men what they think about their current role in society. And here’s what I got.

Marcus said: I think a lot of guys these days are trying to be hard, but in some ways it’s necessary because us nice guys always get the short straw and our kindness is abused or taken as a sign of weakness, especially from you women.

Ike said: To be honest I think in this present day and age women are in control especially in relationships and they demand more from their men. I don’t think that’s always a negative thing but women say they want independence and that they don’t need a man to give their lives worth. So now its like men have to take a back seat. Personally I like being in charge of things being the dominant person I am so there tends to be a lot of conflict with me and women.

Kevin said: Women are confused, they just like the illusion of power and not the actual power, at the end of the day a family needs a head and that is the man. I get that some men don’t stick around and women have to fill that role sometimes, but it’s not possible for a woman to be a man no matter how much she tries. My role in society as a man is to take control of the family, which means bringing in the money and making sure I have a good relationship with my wife and my kids.

Michael Said: I don’t think men are allowed to maintain their original role because women feel that they can do it better, we try to be the nice guy and treat women like queens but it’s like they always go for the guys that treat them nasty. I think men these days have adopted this role of waiting around on girls, and lack self worth.

Isaiah Said: Our role today is to bring in the money, be a good dad, and be a good husband, I mean that's what women want.

Ryan said: These days no matter what we do we still get slandered, I think at the moment we’re just there for women to brag about and we have to be their butlers and all of that. Consequently due to the general player traits that have been associated with the male species we have lost the respect we should get from women.

Simion said: A lot of girls think that men are just after one thing and with that in mind they demand a lot for us to prove we are worth their time, but a lot of women forget that sometimes they need to prove that they are worth our time. But Right now in the 21st century, I definitely think we are still the chasers and the bread winners.

Personally I think different women expect different things from men and in turn different men expect different things from women. But is what Ryan said right? Have women lost respect for men, or is it that nowadays women feel that they don’t need men!

What do you think loungers?

Dear Loungers

2009-06-01T08:09:00.000+01:00

I have to admit my eyes welled up a little when I read all your comments on my 'Project Update, News Flash' and I am extremely delighted to see that I have your genuine support! Thank you.

I would also like to extend a warm welcome to my new loungers, I hope you enjoy blogging with me as much as I will with you.

I am glad to see that some of you enjoyed my latest poem 'Tainted Pictures' and it is always a great pleasure to read all your comments!

Project Update: Below The Water-sky

2009-05-29T08:31:00.000+01:00

News Flash!!

My Novel Below The Water-sky will be in print on the 1st of August! 2009. It is currently undergoing renovations such as editing and proof reading to make is perfect for your reading pleasure.

The website will be available next week!!!!! and there you will be able to read a small extract from the book as well as find out about my upcoming project Unlikely Brothers.

Tainted Pictures

2009-05-28T14:20:00.000+01:00

Tainted pictures leave me confused

Bruised.
Your words of pride pushed through me

Can't you see?

Sour love will never last long enough

Your eyes tell a bluff

You leave my soul in chains

My tears in cuffs.

I walked away to free you
You don't believe me but its true

You see, tainted pictures leave me confused

Shattered and bruised

I cannot love you knowing I'll loose

Tell me what you choose

Broken hearts can never pretend

A scare that penetrates will never mend.

Go please let's not tear each other apart

Love is pain they say that's the art.

My plea you dismissed

You threw me out into the abyss,

Now our frame is broken

From the words unspoken

Our history is frozen.

Tainted pictures leave me confused

Ugly and bruised.

Created By Aretha Forrest

The Spaces Between Us

2009-05-28T12:51:00.000+01:00

I was thinking like I always do, but this particular thought was sparked from an observation of mine. Lately I've been taking time to watch the world go by and I've noticed something. Everyone seems to be locked away from each other, we've got personal stereos, people that use their bag to cover the seat beside them and it's rear to see strangers conversing anymore, there is a certain tension in the air and people are becoming increasingly inconsiderate, take for an example, a gentleman if I can call him that, coughed in my face and didn't cover his mouth, he didn't even opologise. I've even witness people pushing by others in the street or being rude and impatient for no seen reason.

WHAT'S GOING ON?

WHY ARE WE SO ISOLATED?

I may be thinking too much but it seems as if we are all trying to get as far away from each other as possible, soon there will be nothing to hold on to our words will loose their soft texture, our hearts will grow sharp edges not permitting anyone to enter, our skins will become so think it won't allow love, harmony or affection to penetrate its walls. Has the world become too dangerous? Are people too afraid of each other? Are we too insecure? Too proud to communicate naturally with the world around us? Will we keep ignoring each other.

Personally, I love the art of conversation, don't you?

So tell me, what has gone wrong, what is separating us and more importantly, what is keeping us apart?

all comments are welcome.

Welcome In

2009-05-28T12:35:00.001+01:00

I'd like to give a WARM WELCOME to all my followers,

Thank you Lille Diane for your gorgeous comment on 'What Do You Think', your a girl after my own heart thank you for your support be sure to get a copy of my book as soon as it is available in print.

Welcome My-Make-up Mania, thank you for following, I am very delighted to have you on board, everyone check out My-make-up Mania, she is brilliant!!!

Eleven, thanks for your support, I enjoyed reading your blog welcome aboard.

Jenn, thank you I cannot thank you for your support enough

p.s Brittany Ashley I loved your comment on 'The Twenty First Century Woman'

again another warm welcome to you all :-) xx

Your First Date

2009-05-27T09:04:00.000+01:00

I would like to take the opportunity to thank all of you who are following my blog, and when my book is released I will post free copies to you all. Your comments are a pleasure to read and are very helpful.

This question on the dating game is essential as it is an idea that I will be incorporating in my new project Unlikely Brothers, so feel free to express yourselves.

Personally I've never been on a date, pretty sad I know but that's enough about me, what about you? My question for you is, was your first date a disaster or was it a success! Believe me I've heard some pretty cringe worthy stories. One girl told me "He had bad breath", (YUK) another said she, I repeat "She had bad body odour", and the worst of all was "He was on his phone for most of the date."

So, tell me about your first date!

Once again thank you for all your support!

Writer's Review

2009-05-22T11:21:00.000+01:00

A visual awe!

I sat in my Royal Circle seat at the Lyceam Theatre London and saw the magnificent spectacle The Lion King. It exceeded my expectations and produced so much more than what I had anticipated, and it was truly a flawless and igniting performance. I haven't watched a lot of The Lion King cartoons/ animation however I felt apart of all that I was watching and was thoroughly engaged from start to finish. For those who have already seen it, I think you'll agree that the animals and the costumes were out of this world, the lighting was spot on, and the music was adorable. If you haven't yet seen it, I would recommend you do, I went to see it with a good friend of mine and he and I thought it was utterly marvelous and worth every fraction of every penny!

A Trip Down Memory Lane

2009-05-22T10:05:00.000+01:00

My biggest achievement was completing my studies at University in 2008 achieving a BA(Hons)English Literature. I remember packing my suitcases to leave my dorm room and my house mates, and saying goodbye to all the friends I made, it was emotional and bitter sweet. I couldn't believe that I have done it; living away from home and gaining a new sense of independence. It was a challenging three years and I met some really weird and unusual characters, but it was certainly an experience to say the least.

This was my proudest moment, What was yours?

It would be really interesting to know!

Who Do You Trust?

2009-05-21T11:50:00.000+01:00

Would we survive without trusting someone?, It is necessary that we put our trust in anyone else but ourselves? Is it too dangerous or risky to trust others? Is it unwise to assume that you can trust doctors, GPs school teachers etc, can we really trust anyone?. I did some research and here's what I got

check it out!!

Who do you trust?

Person A: My family, they'll never let me down

Person B: My best friend, he's always been there

Person C: No one, everyone lies at some point

Person D: My wife

Person E: Just me

Person F: My Son

Person G: My husband

Person H: Anything but mankind

So who do you trust?

The Twenty First Century Woman

2009-05-20T13:13:00.000+01:00

I was talking to my boss just the other day, and the subject came up about today's women. In his opinion, today's women have lost all concept of what it means to be a woman and are too busy chasing around trying to be like men. I asked him to explain this claim in more detail, and he elaborated and said; "Well I could be what they call old fashioned, I like a woman to be feminine, smells nice, dresses nice and proper, soft in speech, intelligent, motherly, ambitious" so bascially the more subtle version of a man. He said that his experience of women lately are that they are too harsh with their words, they use improper language, dress indecently and even act and behave like men. They strive to be equal to men at home, socially and even in the work force, which he deemed as impossible.

It's one of those arguments that the world seems to have such difficulty with, the world says that women should be treated equal to men, and others say that the head of a woman is the man.

Personally, I enjoy being a woman and I respect that masculine and authoratative role of a man enhances the position of a woman which is a compliment to a man. I am very girly, I like my clothes and I like to look nice. I am soft spoken as stated by many, and I do not desire to be like a man or equal to him, why would I, I am designed as a woman. I believe that a man has his role and so does a woman, therefore for the two to be equal wouldn't make sense, however respect for each other's role establishes harmony!

Consider this example, A manager and his Assistant. The assistant may sometimes be more forthcoming, and have a much better take on things, now, the manager will no doubt take his/her's suggestions into consideration yet his position must never be compromised. This doesn't say that the assistant is not intelligent or that his/her's point isn't of importance in fact it's quite the contrary, however the assistant is a compliment to his/her manager, as their abilities and capabilities work in unison.

Some of you may not agree... feel free to share your views.

DID YOU KNOW

2009-05-20T08:51:00.000+01:00

The book is one of man's greatest inventions.

Early books were written on different materials such as clay tablets or papyrus scrolls.

Books contain information on practically everything you've ever wanted to know.

The development of the printing press, adapted from a machine...

The Holy Bible is the biggest selling book of all time. Making it the most unique book ever written!

What Do You Think

2009-05-19T11:24:00.000+01:00

My upcoming project Below the Water-sky is a novel that talks exclusively about love, among other important themes and issues.

Nowadays, love is a terms that is used loosely, and many don’t believe in love. They think it’s silly, that it makes people behave ridiculously and that it's generally something quite childish.

I beg to differ.

Below the Water-sky deals with love on a purer level a love that will exist in the perfect world, and how it really affects us.

So what about you, Do you think that love exists? Do you believe in real love? Have you ever been in love? Is love the most important thing to sustain in this world?!

Poem Of The Week

2009-05-19T10:13:00.000+01:00

Golden Oldie

I made it home early, only to get

stalled in the driveway-swaying

at the wheel like a blind pianist caught in a tune

meant for more than two hands playing.

The words were easy, crooned

by a young girl dying to feel alive, to discover

a pain majestic enough

to live by. I turned the air conditioning off,

leaned back to float on a film of sweat,

and listened to her sentiment:

Baby, where did our love go?-a lament

I greedily took in

without a clue who my lover

might be, or where to start looking.

By Rita Dove

How Good Is Your Maths

2009-05-19T09:44:00.000+01:00

Karen's age can be worked out by the following;

The square route of 64 times the cubed route of 125, add the prime number that would follow 11, add 25% of £600 divided by 5, minus 4.

Calculators not allowed!

The Big Question?

2009-05-18T08:38:00.000+01:00

Does Freedom Really Exist?

A True Story

2009-05-15T09:32:00.000+01:00

I Will Remember

Andrew Engel was completely confused. Just days into his freshman year at Rutgers University, he was sitting in Sociology 101, listening to other students chime into a discussion. He had no idea what they were talking about. He had done his homework, paid attention to lectures and taken notes, but nothing was familiar. Everyone is so much smarter than I am, he thought. It was a foreign feeling, as he'd always been a good student and had graduated high school with a 3.9 GPA. The rest of his day progressed like an episode of The Twilight Zone. He got lost, again, on his way to the cafeteria, even though he'd been there a few hours earlier. Back at his dorm, he greeted his roommate with a "Hi, how's it going?" all the while thinking, what the heck is his name again?
Memories are imprinted on the brain like data on a hard drive. All the information Andrew had downloaded before the tumor (autobiographical details, motor skills and what he learned in school) was intact. But the tumor had damaged the software used to save new information, which is why the amnesia became glaringly obvious only when he was at college, in an unfamiliar environment. Doctors removed part of the tumor and zapped the rest with radiation, leaving Andrew so sick that he dropped 30 pounds. The cancer was gone, but his relief was short-lived, as he was told he'd probably never return to school. He had an above-average verbal IQ of 120, but his memory recall score was 68, comparable with that of a person who is developmentally challenged. His only career option would likely be a highly supervised manual-labor job.
“Even as they told me this, I knew I wanted to try to go back to school," Andrew says. "I didn't know if I could do it, but I was really motivated. I wanted to give it all I could to get my memory back."

When he took the class for credit the next semester, he got an A. "I was happy," he says, "but unsure how I'd do in my other classes." He enrolled at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, taking just one or two courses a semester toward a bachelor's of science in health policy and administration. While he'd found a way to compensate in the classroom, everyday life was still a challenge. He carried maps and lists when he went to the store, but one night, after leaving a Baltimore bar, he roamed the streets for hours. It was 3 a.m. when he finally found the lot where he'd parked. He now has a GPS on his cell and carries digital devices for recording reminders.

Andrew stuck with his program, and in May 2007, at age 29, more than a decade after he began, he got a standing ovation as he graduated with a 4.0. Six months later, Andrew is at his desk in the offices of Erickson Retirement Communities in Catonsville, Baltimore, where he works as an operations associate. He'd told his future boss, Russ Caccamisi, about his memory problem during the interview. "It didn't concern me," Caccamisi says. "Those ten years in school showed Andrew's perseverance." He still uses the strategies from college, along with computer calendar reminders and the tools we all rely on to organize our frenzied lives. "What works best is repetition and using more than one way to remember something," Andrew says. "I'll write it, say it, record it and listen to it." Of course, an imperfect memory is still frustrating. He likes movies but loses track of plots. He vaguely remembers a family trip to Hawaii and is trying to convince his parents that they should return. Then there are his beloved Redskins. Though he can't remember scores, he could tell you if they won. And when they lose? Sometimes, he says, it's good to forget.

By Cynthia Dermody

Read full article at: http://www.rd.com/unbelievable-amazing-true-stories

Poem Of The Week

2009-05-14T14:07:00.000+01:00

Valentine

Not a red rose or a satin heart.

I give you an onion.

It is a moon wrapped in brown paper.

It promises light

like the careful undressing of love.

Here.

It will blind you with tears

like a lover.

It will make your reflection

a wobbling photo of grief.

I am trying to be truthful.

Not a cute card or kissogram.

I give you an onion.

Its fierce kiss will stay on your lips,

possessive and faithfulas we are,

for as long as we are.

Take it.

Its platinum loops shrink to a wedding ring,

if you like.Lethal.

Its scent will cling to your fingers,

cling to your knife.

By Carol Ann Duffy

8:35am

2009-05-14T13:25:00.000+01:00

I’ve been trying for a long while to pick out an interesting event or experience in my life, I mean I am not saying my life has been boring in fact quite the contrary, but I wanted to post something of significance, and perhaps something you can relate to, finally it’s come to me.

Ok, so it was back in Primary School and in my class there was at least 20 children give or take. However one student stood out the most to me, not because he was the class clown, or that he looked peculiar, it was quite the opposite; it was because he refused to speak.

His name was Tomin, and if my memory serves me well he was from China. Now, I did some research and it turned out he spoke good English he was fluent actually; I know this because I spoke personally with his sister, (being the innate private detective I am)

Anyway, a few years went by and Tomin still refused to speak, and when the teacher called his name out in the register the silence was ironically an indication of his presence. I tried talking to him, we all did. We were always nice and he joined in at play time. I mean he was a regular kid just without the voice.

Then it was time to leave the nest of Primary School, and embark on the wonderful world of Secondary School, a.k.a High School. However it wasn’t until I was in year nine/9th grade, that I saw Tomin again. He was going to the school a few miles away from mine and he occasionally got on my bus.

A few weeks went by and I wondered if he still refused to speak, so I approached him. It was clear he didn’t recognise me but I wasn’t offended. I tapped him from behind and I said;
‘Excuse me, what’s the time?’
‘8:35am’ he said

I guess Tomin stood out because despite the fact that he never spoke during his time at Primary School, he had a colourful personality, and we knew him. It was amazing, we knew him so well and he had never spoken a word. He never used sign language, or a note pad, nothing!

His voice was beautiful I can still hear it now ‘8:35am’

DID YOU KNOW

2009-05-13T17:38:00.001+01:00

A group of Ravens is called murder

There are approx. 550 hairs in the eyebrow

One cannot catch cold at the North Pole in winter. Neither can one contract the flu, nor most of the ailments transmitted viruses and germs. The winter temperature is so low in this part of the world that none of the standard disease causing Micro-organisms can survive.

There is a city called Rome in every continent.

A man named Charles Osborne had the hiccups for 69 years.

Just A Thought

2009-05-13T16:55:00.000+01:00

This movie got me thinking about those things we are desperate to keep, the things we convince ourselves that we need to buy. Some of us may find freedom in escapism, the illusion that Louie Vuitton will bless us with happiness, or that Chanel perfume will override the morbid scents of our reality.

Amar K'haan, the protagonist in my up-coming project Unlikely Brothers is a clutter-holic. He refuses to throw absolutely anything away and seeks to preserve his past and his life. Although this is slightly different from someone who simply cannot resist the touch of cashmere, or won't sleep well of he\she doesn't by a certain Fendi bag. But, Amar is holding on to things in the world that he believes will protect him, or define him as a worthy member of society.

We all do it, it may not be with clothes, but with other things, take me for an example, I always see myself as a blemished portrait and to smooth out the crack of this portrait, in my mind I assume to be someone else in a perfect world... its complicated.

In her Novel Trumpet Jackie Kay talks about a woman who dressed disguised as a man and only revealed it later to her wife. Her son grew up resentful feeling humiliated and hurt. She played the Trumpet which has phallic connotations, representing her need to be a man yet remain a woman...complicated huh!

Well, it's symbolic, if our exterior is not always our real exterior, then what is it that really defines us?

Just a thought.

Writer's Review

2009-05-11T13:28:00.000+01:00

X-Men Origins Wolverine

I was more than just excited about going to see Wolverine, as he is one of my favourite characters in the comic series X-Men. So, I bought my ticket, a blueberry and strawberry slush and sweetened popcorn, and found myself the perfect seat in the cinema.

Goosebumps grew from my skin and the hairs on the back of my neck stood up, when the first clip came on, young Wolverine sick and poorly in bed. To be completely honest I absolutely adored the beginning and felt confident that great things were going to come.

The special effects were spot on, I thoroughly enjoyed watching the transformation of the handsome beast, and the effects on the mutant style fight scenes also went down a treat. I saw Wolverine in a completely different light, as intended, but as for his mutant girlfriend…not so sure.

Some parts of the movie were more or less predictable, I mean it was pretty obvious that his strange girlfriend wasn’t actually dead, and that he was being set up, but I suppose we all need those cheesy scenes.

Unfortunately the ending took a rather disjointed route, and so I only have one word for it, disappointing. Wolverine fights an elaborate fight with the ultimate mutant with the aid of his confused and inherently angry brother, his weird girlfriend crawls back to him wounded, and gambit randomly comes out of nowhere to stop a wall from collapsing on him. Then wolverine is shot in his head by the equivalent of a mad scientist, looses his memory and thankfully he forgets his creepy girlfriend and runs off into the world.

I would like to have seen much more of a satisfying ending, one that reflects imagination and depth, instead it all seemed at bit, ‘we’ve ran out of money and time’

All in all, it was a good effort, Wolverine played by (Hue Jackman) was excellent, and I look forward to the next instalment.

Ice Queen

2009-05-11T09:02:00.000+01:00

So I went ice-skating, and like all things it takes practice. I sometimes think back to my first novel 'Mechanical Garden' a book I gave up on years ago, yet now I've realised that it was a matter of growth, change, practice and discipline.

Some of you may remember the first time you step foot on that slippery ice, I surely remember mine. I was frustrated because I couldn't get it, I couldn't balance and I was not in control of my body not to mention my wobbly feet. Recently I've been getting irritable over my work being the unhealthy perfectionist I am but I guess its normal, right? However time has taught me that it's a matter of finding my feet...

As I skated in the fast lane with all the other professionals I sighed, and It made me think about what it means to persistent, and determined and confident.

Book Of The Month

2009-05-10T13:31:00.000+01:00

A truly brilliant novel of love and sacrifice.

Eric has done it again...

Not only was I HOOKED from start to finish, but I actually connected with the characters and fell in love with a unique and capturing plot, this novel is utterly beautiful.

A Poetic Touch

2009-05-08T17:50:00.000+01:00

Bravery through adversity

Loyal lovers of love

Artists of written dreams

Catchers of the impossible

Keepers of things unseen

Interview with Maya Angelou

2009-05-08T12:02:00.001+01:00

Poet and HistorianJanuary 22, 1997High Point, North Carolina

Dr. Angelou, you worked with Martin Luther King, Jr. at the height of the Civil Rights Movement. What was Dr. King really like, personally?

Maya Angelou: Dr. King was a human being. He had a sense of humor which was wonderful. It is very dangerous to make a person larger than life because, then, young men and women are tempted to believe, well, if he was that great, he's inaccessible, and I can never try to be that or emulate that or achieve that. The truth is, Martin Luther King was a human being with a brilliant mind, a powerful heart, and insight, and courage and also with a sense of humor. So he was accessible. I mentioned courage, and I would like to say something else about that, finding courage in the leaders and in you who will become leaders. Courage is the most important of all the virtues, because without courage you can't practice any other virtues consistently. You see? You can't be consistently kind or fair or humane or generous, not without courage, because if you don't have it, sooner or later you will stop and say, "Eh, the threat is too much. The difficulty is too high. The challenge is too great." So I would like to say that Dr. King, while we know from all the publicity that he was brilliant, and he was powerful, and he was passionate and right, he was also a funny man, and that's nice to know.

How old were you when you met Dr. King?

Maya Angelou: I was about 27, I think. I was much younger in my mind than I was in my body. I had a big Afro. It was so large that if the wind caught me wrong, it could have lifted me off the ground. I was pleased to have the chance to work for him.

He was also very young at that time. He was only 34 at the time he gave the "I Have a Dream" speech in 1963, and he was already well into the movement.

Maya Angelou: Oh, yes. He was very young and very personable, so that he was really humble.

I don't think modesty is a very good virtue, if it is a virtue at all. A modest person will drop the modesty in a minute. You see, it's a learned affectation. But humility comes from inside out. Humility says there was someone before me, someone found the path, someone made the road before me, and I have the responsibility of making the road for someone who is yet to come. Dr. King was really humble so that he was accessible to everybody. The smallest child could come up to him, the most powerful person could come up to him, he never changed. If somebody very rich and very powerful said, "Dr. King, I want to speak to you," he was the same person to that person as he would be to one of you who is 16, 17, if you would say, "Dr. King..." He was still accessible, gentle, powerful, humble.

Interview continues at:

http://www.achievement.org/autodoc/page/ang0int-1

Who's Quote?

2009-05-08T11:42:00.000+01:00

"A WORD IS DEAD WHEN IT IS SAID"

What does this mean to you?

Proverbia

2009-05-08T11:25:00.000+01:00

If you believe in what you are doing, then let nothing hold you up in your work. Much of the best work of the world has been done against seeming impossibilities. The thing is to get the work done.

Dale Carnegie (1888-1955) American writer.
Do what you feel in your heart to be right. You'll be criticized anyway.

Eleanor Roosevelt (1884-1962) American columnist, lecturer and humanitarian.
Before you criticize a man, walk a mile in his shoes. That way, when you do criticize him, you'll be a mile away and have his shoes.

Benjamin Disraeli (1804-1881) British politician and author.
Those who can -- do. Those who can't -- criticize.

Laurence Sterne (1713-1768) British writer.
Abuse if you slight it, will gradually die away; but if you show yourself irritated, you will be thought to have deserved it.

Publius Cornelius Tacitus (55-117) Roman historian.
Criticism is often not a science; it is a craft, requiring more good health than wit, more hard work than talent, more habit than native genius. In the hands of a man who has read widely but lacks judgment, applied to certain subjects it can corrupt both its readers and the writer himself.

Jean de la Bruyère (1645-1696) French satiric moralist.
There is one way to handle the ignorant and malicious critic. Ignore him.

D.I.Y

2009-05-08T10:50:00.001+01:00

Initially I was in a state about getting published, I was worried that no publisher would even be remotely interested in my work. After all, I am young with little life experience and getting editors to take you seriously can be quite difficult. I got stressed out about rejection letters and foul comments that would weaken my confidence. To put it plainly, I was terrified.

Then a close friend of mine suggested that I do it myself. At first I didn't know where I'd start but soon I started to build up an audience through friends and associates. For me this was more of a personal approach rather than your work being read and criticised by people who know nothing about you, and couldn't possible understand where you’re coming from.

So, I bought a load of books on self publishing, and read endless pages of D.I.Y and self promoting advice and I realised that although it would be a tough and long road, it would be enlightening and fun!

I’d like to think that some day I could get a deal and be read by a wider audience, but at the moment it’s not something on the top of my list, I still have a lot to learn and my style is still developing. As advised by the numerous books I’ve read ‘it’s best to gain a loyal audience one with which you have made some connection to, then let your talent speak for itself.’ No matter where you go your readers will follow.

If you are a young and aspiring novelist considering going it alone, here are a few books that I would definitely recommend, all of which are available on line at Amazon or other online retailers.

Plug Your Book , Online book marketing for authors

by Steve Webber

The Frugal Book Promoter

by Carolyn Howard-Johnson

The Complete Guide to Self Publishing

by Tom and Marilyn Ross

Hamar Girl

2009-05-07T13:58:00.001+01:00

I remember when I saw the documentary 'Suri' on BBC1, hosted by a man who travelled to Ethiopia to visit a group of indigenous people called Suri/Hamar. I remember watching this documentary and becoming fascinated with their way of life. My upcoming novel Unlikely Brothers was inspired by this program as I got the urge to merge this society with the rest of the world. I noted that Hamars have a strong sense of identity something a lot of people today find hard to secure. They live on the bare essentials yet are brave, courageous and contented people and shows that happiness does not come in the form of possessions.

Amar the first protagonist in the novel is originally from Asia I haven't decided where yet, and Lee is from Japan (Tokyo). I thought it might be interesting to throw in a few extreme cultures to see how the narrative would work and what type of characters I could create. So far I have decided that Amar is a clutter-holic to say the least, and Lee his unlikely brother has what they call, split personalities.

I have realised even before I have started researching for this project that I'm in for some serious hard work, as not only am I dealing with complex characters, but I am also mixing cultures with a diverse and complex history.

So...watch this space...

The Bitter Escape

2009-05-07T09:19:00.000+01:00

I have started writing a poem not sure what to do with it, and I can’t seem to get past the first stanza.

Here’s a snippet!

He sleeps with her t-shirt and smells her sweat,
It reminds him of his sweet regret.
Her voice cause his ears to tingle and quiver,
If only he could take back the moment he touched her…

Created by Aretha Forrest

Copyright@

GHGHRRGH!

2009-05-06T13:24:00.000+01:00

Writer's block

Perhaps you're writing a story or scene that takes place off the West Coast of Florida. But you live in Arkansas and you've never even been to Florida. You're having a hard time describing it because you don't know how. You can't pull something from your brain that was never there to begin with. So you need to research. Find out everything you possibly can about the place or thing you're writing about.

Let's try another scenario. Maybe change ideas in your story. You don't have to keep it that way but if something clicks, it may be better than your original idea.

Now here's a big one: Lack of focus. This one will really drag you down. To keep focused, you need to have some idea where you're going to begin with. Then if you get off track a little, or change details, it's okay. But you have to have a general idea of what you're writing. Next, think about your purpose for writing that particular piece. What are you trying to show your reader? A false goal will kill your story. Have a good goal and be sure every part of your story is moving toward that goal.

Contextualizing Below the Water-sky

2009-05-06T12:20:00.000+01:00

Below the Water-sky is a novel primarily about the power of love and the human desire for freedom or indeed our natural desire for both.

Through the plot this novel deals exclusively with love on much more than just an emotional level in arguing that love has both psychological and supernatural capabilities. The protagonist Nubian Smith inherits these supernatural elements of love which is what takes hold of Shackeil McKenzie and puts him into a jealous and obsessed frenzy. The psychological effects are thus his emotions, the supernatural however are much deeper.

In one sense Shackeil’s catastrophic reaction could be seen as a social norm with the fact that his love is aggressive and possessive which we can see today yet the novel poses that his love becomes corrupted by a foreign element, which in effect causes Shackeil to believe that his dreams are real and that he actually sees Nubian floating before him.

In essence love becomes a drug which causes unnatural things to happen, example his hallucinations, and so in the context of this novel love is a supernatural agent.

Take It From The Experts

2009-05-06T10:56:00.000+01:00

In a video clip, the writer Jeffrey Archer gives aspiring writers some pretty realistic advice. He says that it is essential to ‘write everyday for at least two hours’, in short he suggests establishing discipline and mapping out a doable routine.

Other writers say, to read, read and read. It’s the only way to see what’s already out there and to create your own voice and supreme authenticity.

Iain Banks one of my favourite author’s says that he was ‘convinced of his own genius’ and so didn’t worry that his ideas had been done, and if you read his novels his genius is impossible to deny.

My current novel Below the Water-sky is on its 14th draft, and after hearing that Jeffrey Archer recommends a staggering 15 drafts, I realised that perhaps I am not the only perfectionist around!

DID YOU KNOW?

2009-05-06T10:07:00.000+01:00

During Persia's 10th century, the ruling grand Vizier had amassed a private library collection of a considerable size - 117,000 books..The almost unbelievable part about this however, is that he took his entire library with him whenever he went travelling. How did he manage this?He had the books loaded up onto the backs of camels who had been specifically trained to walk in alphabetical order!
The origin of the Latin word for book, liber, comes from the Romans who used the thin layer found between the bark and the wood (the liber) before the times of parchment. The English word comes from the Danish word for book, bog, meaning birch tree, as the early people of Denmark wrote on birch bark.

A rare first edition of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll raised $1.5m at auction in New York, making this the most valuable children's book ever sold. The book was Carroll's own working copy that he used to prepare the text for a simplified version for younger children. Only 22 copies of the 1865 first edition are known to exist today, 17 of which are in libraries and just five, including the copy just sold, are in private hands.

The Seed

2009-05-06T09:27:00.000+01:00

I planted a seed in my garden beneath the sea,
And from it grew a beautiful butterfly tree.

The tree grew way beyond the clouds and touched the stars,
And when I climbed it I got a glimpse of Pluto and sat on Mars.

I planted a seed on the ring of Jupiter,
And from it came a sceptre.

I was pronounced Queen of this endless space,
And the moon sprinkled jewels upon my face.

I took some...

Created by Aretha Forrest

Copyright@

It Started With An Obsession

2009-05-05T10:29:00.000+01:00

Below the Water-sky was originally titled Mania. The novel was based on a girl named Carmen James. Carmen was completely obsessed with men, so much so that she would kill them and would keep their bodies soaked in oil to preserve them. She would hypnotise them and send them into a frenzy where they became completely in love with her in order for her to control them.

...After many more drafts and re-drafts I refined this idea and it moved from the fiction genre into fantasy. I decided to keep the concept of hypnotism in terms of Nubian (the protagonist) being able to make men fall in love with her by using the essences of love that she inherited. However I changed the idea of her killing these men as i felt the novel was going in the wrong direction.

The novel came into the fantasy genre because i started experimenting with the idea of their being supernatura type of love, and i started toying with the possible effects of this kind of love on the human mind. i then started looking into creating a new world with angel like beings who embodied these supernatural elements of love.

Creative Batteries

2009-05-05T09:34:00.000+01:00

I have found that the creative side of my brain works best in the morning right through to early hours of the afternoon. It will run from around 6am to 1pm, after that it takes real motivation and effort to relax and focus on my project. Often I find that I get inspiration from a random comment, or I people watch. However, when I am really stressed out or anxious it is almost impossible to write anything, but I am working on channelling my anxieties into that creative side of my brain.

My first project, Below the Water-sky took me four years to write, but... this was primarily because I was writing it whilst at university, which wasn't a bad thing. I found that with the experience of living in a different city where the accent was interesting to say the least was a real creative boost!

DID YOU KNOW?

2009-04-29T14:30:00.000+01:00

1. Charles Dickens had to be facing north before he could write a word.

2. In 1939 an author named Ernest Vincent wrote a 50,000 word novel called Gadsby. The only thing unusual about the novel is that there is not a single letter ‘e’ in the whole thing.

3. Interestingly, William Shakespeare invented the word "hurry."

4. There have been over 20,000 books written about the game of Chess.