IWSG post

It's the first Wednesday of the month and that means it's time for another Insecure Writers Support Group.

Due to health I wasn't posting much during 2014 and so it has been a while since I did an IWSG post.

Trying as I currently am, to get into the whole a post a day thing, means I am hoping that I will now be able to do these post every month and have a lot more to talk about.

I understand that today we are meant to be introducing ourselves a bit, so what can I tell you about me.

Well I am a writer, mother and wife. I have one book published called Insane Reno and am currently working on my second Novel. Rehabilitation girls among other things.

I live in a small village in Cornwall, UK, with my wonderful hubby, eight year old son Kye, two dogs, two cats and three bunny rabbits.

I'm disabled, so suffer a lot of pain on a daily basis and have very limited mobility due to a pretty serious back injury, but I am pretty good at managing my pain most of the time now/

I also have an anxiety disorder, which has gotten much worse since my disability, but I am working to build my confidence.

So. as I already mentioned my current work in progress, is Rehabilitation girls and I am really nervous about this one, mainly because the sample chapters that were put up on certain sites were so well received that I am now petrified that I will fail at doing the rest of the book justice.

I almost wish now, as silly as it may seem, that I had never posted up the sampled chapters, because every email I get begging me for more chapters makes my nerves jump that little bit higher.

I am by nature a very anxious person. My doctor recently stuck me on medication because of this and where others thrive under pressure, I freak out and want to run and hide lol.

This was always the problem with me and writing. Insane Reno my first published novel went out before I was ready for it too, but pressure from friends and family made me bite the bullet and do it and even though I got a publisher I still lack faith in myself and the result is that every time I look at Insane Reno, I want to rewrite it.

So my biggest fear I guess is that people will either force me to put RG out before I am ready or worse that I will never get to that point where I feel it is good enough.

Which quite frankly, sucks!

What makes it even worse this time is I have no editor and am relying on Grammerly to get me through that part and although my grammar has improved somewhat, even if I am a little sloppy in my blog posts, I am still petrified of messing up my novel simply because I lack the skills when it comes to grammar.

Which leads to other questions. Should I pay for a professional editor? How will I know I am being charged a fair price? Who's good?

And that's before we even start looking at publishers because my hubby thinks I need to get a better publisher this time, as he is not a fan of my current one.

No one tells you when you start out as a writer just how scary it will be, it all starts off so simple. A happy escape from reality that's for your eye's only.

Well that's all from me for now, I've got this post done in advance so I can spend Wednesday hoping around your posts and seeing your IWSG's. Here's hoping your feeling less insecure than me this month.

If you would like to take past in the IWSG post's then please check out The Insecure Writers Support Group  you can also explore others post from there too.

Love and hugs
Joss xx

Express yourself

It's time for another express yourself. 
Express yourself  is Hosted by Jackie@ bouquet of books and Dani @ Entertaining Interests  this is a weekly meme that allows bloggers to get to know each other better by using prompts to write a post. 

This weeks prompt is....

Do you have a new year's resolution? 

Well yes I do, although how well I will do keeping them remains to be seen lol. 

My new years resolutions are as follows: 

1) lose weight
2) get more organised 
3) finish the first book in the Rehabilitation Girls series ready for publishing. 
4) continue to work on my anxiety disorder and getting out more 
5) Try not to get distracted so much
6) Try and get involved with some more blog hops. 

Do you have any new years resolutions? Let me know. 

love and hugs 
Joss xx 

Are we getting our priorities straight?

As the clock counted down to the new year, people all over the UK gathered around television screens or headed for London and other cities around the UK to watch impressive firework displays.

They estimate that 100,000 people showed up and paid £10 to watch the massive display that cost a whopping 1.8 million.

If you combine all the displays held in the UK that night alone, imagine the overall expense.

And that's fine, who doesn't love a good celebration right!

The problem is, not everyone can afford to celebrate. In fact an estimated 13 Million UK residence now live below the poverty line.

Which means many families are having to turn to foodbanks for help. In 2013-14 foodbanks in the UK fed 913,138 people nationwide and statistics provided by The Trussell Trust say that 330,250 of those helped were children.

Given those statistics can we really justify a 1.8 million pound bill for a firework display that lasted just over 10 minuets.

 That's far from the only money wasting that been going on either. The Royal family cost us an extortionate 33.3 Million between 2012-2013 and there cost apparently rise on a yearly basis. On top of that, the belief that they create revenue by attracted tourist is untrue. In fact the only time that the revenue created from tourism that can be directly attributed to the Royal family has come anywhere close to covering the costs of having them, has been when there have been special events such as wedding and births and the buildings an history alone could continue to draw tourist, even once the Royals were cast out. So why do we insist in supporting a family and providing them with untold luxury at our expense, when so many others in the UK are struggling to feed their children.

And then there was the 2012 Olympics, which cost an eye watering £8.77 bn. The reality is all of these things have something in common. They are designed to impress. To say look at us, how big and expensive everything we do is, which begs the question posed as the title of this post.

Are we getting our priorities straight?

I'd love to hear your thoughts and feelings on this matter in the comments.

love and hugs
Joss xxx

My ageing De Man and the St Columb Charity Steam Up

Christmas in the Solheim household is always special for two reasons. Firstly, it's Christmas and who doesn't love Chrimbo. I'm mean even the Grinch and Scrooge came round to it in the end.

The second reason, is that our old boy Harley de was born Christmas Day 2000. Meaning this year he saw his fourteenth birthday and with his greying face and shaking legs it's getting harder and harder to watch the years ticking by. 

How do you deal with the knowledge that the baby you've watched be born, grow and mature into one of the most important little critters in your life, will inadvertently no longer be there any more at some point in the probably not to distant future?

Truth is, I can't. The mere though of it makes tears rise in my eyes. 

This scruffy little urchin has been apart of my life for fourteen years now and I can't even begin to image my life with him not in it. 

Yes he's a grouch, who lives for telling the rest of us off when he deems we are misbehaving, yes he jumps in my seat the instant I exit it and yes he looks at you like you're the cruelest person in the world if you force him outside to go to the loo, but he's my grumpy little couch potatoe and I wouldn't change him for the world. 

Yet with every year that passes, with every new grey hair on his little face, my fear of how I will possibly cope when he is gone grows. 

How do I deal with the inevitable? Why has no one yet found a way to extend the life of our furry friends so that they may live as long as we do? Is there time for me to come up with a longevity or youth serum?

The reality is, even if there was time, I'm pretty sire I don't have the brains to concoct it.   

So my best hope, is that De Man is as stubborn as his father was and that he clings to life for years to come.

So how about you? Can you relate? Is there a special pet in your life who's getting on in life and coursing you to have the same concerns as I do? Or did you already lose that special friend and are learning to cope day by day? I'd love to hear all about your experiences, concerning this matter. 

A bit of a topic change now, but Saturday 3rd of January saw my family and I heading for St Columb for the St Columb Charity Steam up. Think Steam engines and the like :)

This is a yearly event to raise money for charity and his organised by Emma and David Goodwin at their yard in "Greenacre", St Columb Major.

Last year they were able to raise £1000 for The Special Care Baby Unit at Derriford hospital and were hoping to raise a similar amount this year for The Moorgate ward, Neurosurgical Unit at Derriford Hospital.

On arriving at the event we found that it was pretty busy and as a result the only available parking was a little bit to far away from the event for me to manage with my disability, so Kye and I decided to remain in car while Dan went and had a quick look around. 

It was a little disappointing but these things happen sometimes when you are disabled and you just have to go with the flow as they say. I still wanted to give it a mention; however, as it is for a good course and I hope they were able to raise lots of money for their charity of choice. 

Dan did get some pictures though and so I can still share some of them with you here. Enjoy!!

Love and hugs 

Joss xx

Organised chaos

My approach to being organised has always been a bit half hearted. There just always seemed to be better thing that I could be doing than plotting out a daily/weekly todo and filling my calendar with future plans for birthdays to come and appointments to make.

We had a very Cornish approach to life my husband and I. We lived by the "dreckly" mantra. Which essentially means "Some point in the future." Word of warning, if my lovely hubby ever tells you "I'll get to it dreckly," you may be in for a very long wait, like a year,two, ten or...

At any rate it was decided that I needed to get more organised and although I can kinda see why lol, I have begun the process some what grudgingly. 

I am now the not so proud owner of a planner! In which I have two calendars. One for writing and blogging and one for everyday life stuff. Yikes! 

The only good thing about this, is that it's pink!!!!!!

So here is how I intend to attempt to get organised:

1) plan all blog posts in advance by at least a week. 

2) write all blog posts for a week, on the Monday leaving the rest of the week free for commenting on blogs and working on my current WIP. 

3) writing at least a 1000 words but hopefully far more each day. I'm keeping it simple so it doesn't seem such a big task. 

4) planning everything out in advance, so that I am able to adapt my schedule when required due to other commitments or appointments. 

5)planning everyone's gifts for birthdays and such in advance and purchasing them throughout the year to avoid huge expense in the busy birthday months and at Christmas. 

6)keeping all my notes, lists, todo's, appointments ect in one place. 

7) remebeing to breath and trying not to panic when all this organisation seems to scary or to hard lol. 

Do you keep planners? Prefer the organised approached or the more haphazard? Whatever the case let me know and if you have any tips, they'll be happily received. 

Love and hugs 

Joss xx

Hubby's new hide away.

This is my view as I write this blog post. The hubby and his current WIP, his workshop. 

This is also where he has spent the majority of his Christmas holidays.

 At the beginning of the holidays it was just a hole he'd knocked into the back of his garage, with garden and sky where he now stands and so he has been a very busy bee. With a little help from friends and family. 

So why am I out here working? Well if I wanna see my husband at all right now, then this is my only hope, but bless him, he brought out a comfy chair, footrest and even created a little desk for me too. Now that's love! 

Ok so it's a little bit dusty and a little on the chilly side right now, but with a warm coat it's not so bad. I've worked in far worse spots. 

I've got a feeling I may need to get used to it too, as the anniversary gift of a steam engine I got Dan last year will be living out here along side the lathe I got him for Christmas and as a result, Dan will,

 I suspect, be practically living out here too. 

Dan's been able to enjoy a pretty expensive Christmas this year, with the cost of materials for his workshop and all his new toys too, but I can honestly say he deserves it. What he does for this family is amazing.

Working hard everyday, allowing me to stay home and chase my dreams. He's also supported me emotional through a whole lot these last 11 odd years and I don't think I will ever be able to thank him enough. 

He is my everything and I am so pleased that I can finally give him some of the things he's always longed for. 

So here's to the best man I've ever known. My Rock! Dan Solheim :) 

Who deserves to be spoiled in your life and why? Have you ever done something big or surprising for someone you loved? If you could, money no object, what would you treat the ones you love to? Feel free to share in the comments.

Love and hugs 

Joss xx

New Year, New goals!

It’s that time of the year again where we set out goals and pray that we’ll succeed in keeping them.

I’m fairly unconfident this year, as one of my goals is to shed a whole heap of weight and even as I type this chocolate beckons and excuses for why I should put it off are churning in my mind.

•      The terrible final takeaway last night failed to provide the joy it should and thus must be repeated but with something from a better takeaway.

•      The massive collection of Christmas goodies still yet to be devoured

•        The fact that technically the Christmas holidays aren’t over until hubby and son are back at work/school.

I could go on, but I’ll spare you.

Last year’s goals consisted of weight loss, getting organised, blogging/writing more, cutting back on the smoking and dealing with my anxiety issues and hopefully as a result getting out more.

I failed miserably at the weight loss so much so I have avoided the scales like crazy most of the year. I just wasn’t in the right place for dieting, largely due to having a lot of pain this year with my back and IBS but also due to succeeding in the one area I never thought I would, smoking.

My plan for last year was merely to cut back on how much I smoked as I was getting through a massive 2 x 50gram pouches a week and sometimes a little more when my pain was bad.  Well cutting back turned into quitting all together for both my husband and I.  A massive achievement which was far easier than either of us ever imagined, we are now completely smoke free. I say that because I know a lot of people have switched to E cigs, we used nicotine free versions of those to help us quit but now we are off them as well, in fact Dan was off them after just a couple of weeks and I was off after about a month.

The amount of money we have saved from quitting is amazing, and has meant that we have been able to have a pretty good Christmas this year, which is great.

That was about the only goal I did well with. I failed miserably as being more productive, except when it came to the A to Z challenge which I felt I did pretty well with even earning a place as one of the blogs thatrocked the challenge, with my doggie theme, which was great.

I had a lot of ups and downs in 2014 and pain, so I wasn’t too overly disappointed in myself.

Another thing I did just manage to do in time, was deal with my anxieties. I visited the doctor about it at the beginning of December and he put me on some anxiety medicine. It’s early days yet, but I am hopeful.

So onto this year’s goals:

•        Lose weight, although I am going to wait until I am able to get back on my stronger pain meds, before starting my diet. Being on the new anxiety meds, my doctor wanted to reduce my pain meds just while my body got used to the new meds I was taking not only for my anxiety but my IBS, so I am hopeful that when I go back to see him on the 8^th of this month, he’ll give me back my stronger pain killers and I can start looking to lose weight. This also gives me time to continue enjoying the remaining Christmas fair and to get a decent take away in before my diet starts, that eradicating some of my excuses. J  

•      Get more organised. I have already gotten started with this by buying a Filofax type planner, with a calendar section for my writing/blogging as well as one for everything else in life. I’m hoping to post a blog post every day and all going well, I plan to write all my post on the Monday so the rest of the week can be focused on my current WIP and commenting on all you lovely peoples blogs.

•      Finishing the first Rehabilitation girls books ready for publication. This will be a big challenge for me as it will be the first time I edit my own book using Grammarly, fingers crossed it’s as good as they claim. J

  

  we were playing around with the colours and mood for the cover on this and like this sort of look although preferably with a much better model than myself in the finished product lol  

•      Continue to try and work through my anxieties and get out more. I’ll be starting on that Sunday I believe, when I go with hubby to one of his steam engine shows. I would like to say I am excited but to be honest I am not really feeling it at the moment as my IBS is playing up after too much fizzy wine last night and  my back isn’t fairing much better, but oh well

•      Work on being more focused and less distracted. It does seem a shame to abandon my whole, "oh look a bunny!" thing when I have got so good at it though. :) 

• I'd really like to get involved with some more blog hops this year also, so if you know of any good ones, please let me know in the comments. Thank you.

So that’s my New Year goals along with my 2014 fails and successes. How did you do with your goals in 2014 and have you set any new ones for 2015? Let me know in the comments.

Love and hugs

Joss xx