I Wrote it My Way - Emma Calin

Today I am delighted to welcome Emma Calin who describes herself as a woman eternally pedaling between Peckham and Pigalle, in search of passion and enduring romance!

Born in London in 1962, she now lives part of the year in the UK and spends the rest in France. She has been writing since childhood and has won numerous local, national and international prizes for poetry and short stories.
 

Emma enjoys writing love stories firmly rooted in social realism (as do I!). She blogs about the contrasts in life on both sides of the English Channel, which she likes to explore on her tandem whenever weather and fitness coincide. Like me, she is a Lifestyle Contributor on Loveahappyending Lifestyle.
 

She explains:

'I have never been able to write about anything completely imaginary. I admire writers who can create worlds, magic or supernatural beings. I think I would have been very much at home with the books of the 1950s/60's such as “Room At The Top” by John Braine and “Saturday Night And Sunday Morning” by Alan Sillitoe.  These were “angry young men” writers. Both pop legend Morrissey and  group the  “Arctic Monkeys” acknowledge the influence of Sillitoe. Another influence was “Last Exit To Brooklyn” by Hubert Selby jnr. All of these books are social realist accounts of life either at the margins of society or among the proud working class. Social and class structures have changed since then. In the UK, there is no longer a stable blue collar class. Globalisation has swept away the certainties of that period. However, this was my childhood.

In writing the five units of  my newly launched Love in A Hopeless Place Collection  I have tried to catch the spirit of people who work manually in low paid jobs. I have followed a completely haphazard career path among such situations in order to write about them. The colour and resilience of these characters has always overawed me. My stories are a very humble tribute to some genuine true life heroes. The title does indeed come from the Rihanna track because it plays on a car radio in one of the novelettes in the collection. It also reflects the sentiment of the series. I have commented before that the only hopeless place for love is in a cold heart. There are few of those in this collection.

 

 Each of the five titles in the collection is available as a stand-alone e-book for Kindle, iPad, Android, Mac, PC etc.  on Amazon Worldwide:

 

 
Or you can save money and buy the complete 'boxed set' Love in a Hopeless Place Collection 

 

I would like to thank Miriam for having me on her blog as part of my 'Blowing My Own Trombone Book Launch Blog Tour'. If you would like to find out more about the books in my collection, see some excerpts and even hear me play the trombone.... (yes really!)'

 

Emma, it is very exciting to have you visit and always fascinating to know more about what inspires writers who are so different from each other. If you take a stroll through Miriam's Ramblings you will see what I mean. What leads authors to their chosen genre and style?

Thanks Emma!

 

Emma tells me that during July and August, ANGELA, the short story from the collection is FREE – so you can even try one before you buy! Emma will also be having a Summer Sale –  ALL books in her portfolio for 99c/76p/89€ until the 1^st August. Such a bargain!

If you'd like to know more about Emma and her books, she will be guesting at the following blogs during July:

17 July Anneli Purchase

18 July Love a Happy Ending Lifestyle Magazine

and Real Life According to Emma

20 July Sheryl Browne

21 July Nicky Wells

22 July Melanie Robertson-King

25 July Bonnie Trachtenberg

26 July Patricia Sands

27 July Stephanie Keys

28 July Linn Halton

31 July Venture Galleries Authors Collection

 

Emma Calin Links:

For more books by Emma Calin:  

EmmaCalin Blog: 

Emma Calin Website: 

Facebook: 

FacebookPage for book: 

Twitter: @Emma Calin

Pinterest: 

Goodreads

Sunny Surrey Summer Wedding!

Yes, sunny and warm!  Our daughter was married on Saturday, possibly the sunniest weekend of the year so far!! Wedding days are known for being special, and I am biased because it was a family event, but this was truly magical and dreamlike, a Midsummer Night’s Dream. 

 

My guess is that most guests were feeling sun-deprived, so for that rarely seen ball of yellow light in the sky to shine, was the top layer on an already generously-iced cake. We British can be forgiven for mentioning the weather a few times and it was so surreal I felt I must share it with you.

The venue, a Queen-Anne style country house in the Surrey Hills called Barnett Hill, provided the perfect setting for what we wanted. It was winter when we (when I say ‘we’ this means our daughter, her now-husband, my husband and me) first visited the hotel, the gardens looking bare.

Tension slowly built up to the tune of violins and cello as we waited for the bridal party to enter; broken by the appearance of the chief bridesmaid (daughter) with 19 month-old flower girl (granddaughter) who stole everyone’s hearts; and eventually the arrival of the beautiful bride on the arm of her father who was in tears; the vows, the oohs, the aahs, the sighs and small chuckles …

The string quartet then continued outside on the terrace as we enjoyed canapés and bubbly and the photographer unobtrusively took hundreds of pics. Now, out in the open air, the relief and release was palpable. In the loveliest summery surroundings you could wish for, we could breathe again and relax – it was happening, this was real, this was wonderful. The sun was bright and everyone was exceedingly happy, glasses clinking, eyes twinkling.

The speeches were funny and tender; there were good jokes and some so bad they were great, and many heartfelt expressions of love, thanks and gifts.

We overran but in a good way – we were all having such a good time, so the evening people happily mixed and mingled without us until we all came together.

With the flower-girl long since safely tucked up in her cot, and the cake ‘cut’, the bride and groom had their first dance and some serious partying began – dancing to a six piece band. But the layout of the hotel was such that various other rooms were available, to say nothing of the garden, for chatting, ambling and, making it all very personal, leafing through some amazing photo albums of the bride and groom.

Sunday allowed us an al fresco breakfast we had not even thought would be possible. By half-past nine we wondered if we could take the heat!

 

How lucky were we?  Had I read this in a romantic novel I would have decried it as totally unrealistic!

 

I Wrote it My Way - Bonnie Trachtenberg

It's time for another lovely author to visit Miriam's Ramblings! In fact this is long overdue, but with holidays and life in general, blogging has been swept aside in recent weeks.
 
Welcome Bonnie, from across the pond - I am really delighted to have you here in Appley Green land!
 

Bonnie Trachtenberg is the multi-award-winning, bestselling author of Wedlocked: A Novel and Neurotically Yours: A Novel. She writes a monthly relationship and advice column for LoveaHappyEnding.com. Bonnie was senior writer and copy chief at Book-of-the-Month Club and has written seven children’s book adaptations. She has also written for three newspapers and penned countless magazine articles. She lives in New York with her husband, four cats, and a dog.

 

Bonnie explains her journey to writing her award-winning novels.
 

'I’ve always been a sucker for a good romantic comedy, whether through the books of Jennifer Weiner, Janet Evanovich, Marian Keyes and others, or at the movies watching “When Harry Met Sally,” “Something’s Got to Give,” or “Pretty Woman”. Let’s face it, real life can be sad, frustrating, and maddening at times, so I never seek out depressing or gut-wrenching stories no matter how good they are. I’m sure I’ve missed out on some great books and movies, but somehow I know I’m better off. Smiling is a priority for me. If I want misery I’ll turn on the news!

When I decided to pen my first novel, I realized I’d be spending many long days and nights holed up in the “alternate universe” I was creating. I also knew that if I was going to find my stay there a pleasurable experience, it had better be a romantic comedy! Luckily, since I was writing a story based on my first brief, disastrous marriage (Wedlocked), I had the perfect material. I never even gave the genre selection a second thought. Romantic comedy wasn’t just the right decision; in actuality, it really wasn’t a decision at all. It was completely organic. And as I developed my characters and wrote witty dialogue, I found myself giggling, swooning, and truly enjoying myself. Nothing is more entertaining to me than a good romance with lots of laughs, so for me, romantic comedy was a natural fit!'

We certainly do all need cheering up after following the news these days; although I don't write 'rom-coms' myself, I agree with Bonnie. Even in a reality novel, humour is vital to give the reader a lift and maybe provide an escape to a better place.

 

Thanks again!

Learn much more about Bonnie at her website: http://www.BonnieTrachtenberg.com

Read her advice column at: http://www.loveahappyending.com/category/in-search-of-a-happy-ending/
Find her on Facebook: http://www.Facebook.com/BonnieTrachtenberg
Follow her on Twitter: @Writebrainedny

Buy Wedlocked

Amazon: http://is.gd/2XLInB
Amazon UK: http://is.gd/hIKHRa
Barnes & Noble: http://is.gd/t8Izux

Buy Neurotically Yours

Amazon: http://amzn.to/HY4PyF
Amazon UK: http://is.gd/e14qU0
Barnes and Noble: http://bit.ly/KumteQ

Amazing statistics!!

This is just a short, but astounding, follow-up to my post on Parkinson's Awareness Week.

Parkinson's UK thanked me for helping to spread awareness, which was really nice of them. Their marketing department also shared some astonishing statistics with me.

 

During the week, this is what happened on their website and so on. They had:

·       48,276 visits to their website

·       21,000 people engaged with them on Facebook

·       2,000 new likes on Facebook

·       More than 100 people shared pictures of their shoes on social media

·       Over 5,000 video views on Youtube

·       226 events nationwide

 

        Well done and many congratulations on this massive success!

 

       My book, Shades of Appley Green is not just about Parkinson's, by the way, but I do hope it helps people to see what it can be like to be elderly with Parkinson's. As someone pointed out in the comments left on my post some younger people sadly contend with the condition, too; then called 'young onset' Parkinson's, but my character, Jackson Jeffrys, celebrates his 90th birthday in the story. He lives an apparently affluent and comfortable lifestyle, but various health and personal circumstances have conspired against him. Loneliness is his greatest problem - and, hey! something can be done about that!

 

       Awareness and understanding go a long way towards encouraging those with Parkinson's to perhaps go for a walk, have a pub lunch, enjoy shopping or even join a choir. Being deprived of such simple pleasures can lead to depression and, with some people, can be worse than the physical symptoms.

 

       Next time you see someone who may have Parkinson's, please, please, remember this. I know you will. Of course you will.

 

World Book Night Comes to Appley Green!!

 

OK, so Appley Green is not real. I should know this!

 

World Book Night is real, however, and coming very close to Appley Green! Just to remind you, this is an initiative that involves authors, publishers, agents, booksellers, librarians and above all readers!  It is on Tuesday 23 April - wow! four days away, as I write this.

On their website they say, ‘World Book Night is a celebration of reading and books which sees tens of thousands of passionate volunteers gift specially chosen and printed WBN books in their communities to share their love of reading.’  I am one such volunteer, full of passion, needless to say; so on Tuesday I shall be giving away 20 brand new special editions of my first choice from the list of books offered by World Book Night. It was difficult to choose from a wonderful selection, but I was delighted to be allocated my top choice, a novel called The Road Home by Rose Tremain.

Of course, this book is just ‘up my street’ and please forgive the pun if you can find it in your heart; about an Eastern European immigrant’s struggle to make his way (yes it’s a ‘journey’) in London. It offers a new perspective of ourselves and I love this book. I really hope I transmit my enthusiasm to others and do it justice.

A snippet from the WBN website, declaring that reading can go beyond pleasure:

 ‘Reading changes lives, improves employability, social interaction, enfranchisement and can have an effect on mental health and happiness.’ 

I could not put it better myself, nor agree more!

Next week I will tell you about where I am going – or rather where I went!  With pictures! I wonder who I will meet? Aren't you excited? Of course you are!

Book givers are charged with the mission to approach people who perhaps do not read books regularly. I say ‘perhaps’ for how can you possibly tell before speaking to someone! (unless you catch them at it - reading, that is.) What does a non-reading person look like? What would be their identifying features? Tell me!

It's 'horses for courses' as they say and some could not live without Grand Prix races or playing Bridge; but I genuinely cannot imagine living without books. They are, and always have been, such an important part of my life; now in retirement, even more so. I do what used to be called ‘Books on Wheels’ rebranded as ‘Library Direct Home Service’ that I consistently fail to remember; the words just keep re-arranging themselves in a different order, but I guess I need to stare at the title a little longer to fix it. I belong to a book club. I have kept a list of books read over the past ten years or so, with a brief comment about each one. I recommend this to booklovers! As the years roll by it is quite enlightening to look back and see what you have read and whether you enjoyed it and, if so, why. Now, I sometimes pop a little review up on Goodreads, go to Book Festivals, and, of course,  try to find time to write books too, the greatest joy of all.

World Book Night, The Company

‘Each year we recruit 20,000 volunteers to hand out 20 copies of their favourite book from our list to members of their community who don’t regularly read. By enlisting thousands of passionate book lovers around the country World Book Night reaches out to the millions of people in the UK who have yet to fall in love with reading in the hope that we can start them on their reading journey. In addition World Book Night distributes half a million books directly to the hardest to reach potential readers in prisons, care homes, hospitals, sheltered, supported and social housing, the homeless and through partner charities working throughout the UK. World Book Night is about giving books and encouraging reading in those who don’t regularly do so. But it is also about more than that: it’s about people, communities and connections, about reaching out to others and touching lives in the simplest of ways, through the sharing of stories.’   http://www.worldbooknight.org/

Let me know of any good World Book Night (WBN) events down your way!

Added after the event - here in Deepcut Village Hall
See how they clutch their books!!

 

 

‘Put yourself in my shoes’ - Parkinson’s Awareness Week

This week, beginning 15 April, is Parkinson's Awareness Week focusing on changing attitudes, using the strapline 'Put yourself in my shoes'. The idea behind the campaign came from a person with Parkinson's who told them how much he wished that people could put themselves in his shoes so they could understand what life is like.

If you have read Shades of Appley Green you may know, or have guessed, that I have some connection with Parkinson’s. I worked in and around Basingstoke and Farnborough as Community Support Worker for the excellent organisation, Parkinson’s UK (then Parkinson’s Disease Society) for a couple of years before retiring in 2008. The title has now changed to Information Support Worker and along with specialist nurses, they do wonderful work nationwide.

Says the society's marketing officer Clare Allen, ‘Working with people affected, we'll be using Parkinson's Awareness Week to expose some of the realities of living with Parkinson's and help the public to better understand the condition.’ She stressed how important it is to get the word out, especially people who have had first-hand experience of the condition.

A little while ago I wrote about ‘Who or What Inspired my Characters’, remembering the days when I travelled around visiting people in their homes or in residential care. 

Extract from Loveahappyending book relaunch :

‘I met some extraordinary people endowed with both spirit and stoicism, rising above the initial shock of diagnosis of a progressive illness, to live life as best they could. Most touching of all was the mutual support between married couples; a man and a woman each battling with a different set of problems but somehow able to get along together and make a good fist of old age. One creative lady, unable to do very much herself or get out of the house, had the unerring love of a husband who would spend many hours furnishing and fitting out miniature houses – like sophisticated dolls’ houses – in a given period, whether Regency, Victorian or 1950s. Days, weeks, years were spent together working with bits of wood, fabric and glue and an assortment of tiny household accessories to create absolute masterpieces. They were wonderful.

Another lady lived alone, in what I would describe as a shrine to all things Art Nouveau, including some exciting, theatrical memories. Scarcely able to walk at all, she relied on a rota of carers and a loving son who came when he could.’

But, sadly, I also saw situations that were less comfortable, where the wider public did not evidently understand the symptoms they saw. Someone who shakes, is slow to move or respond, and perhaps shuffles when they walk may be assumed to be drunk, or have dementia, but of course this is almost always not the case.

In Shades of Appley Green there is an elderly, intellectual gentleman trapped inside a body that would not do as it was told, a victim of both Parkinson’s and arthritis. He becomes isolated. His children have long since flown the nest; his friends have mostly died and he ‘rattles around’ in a big house. He was once famous, lived a rich and interesting life, but who is to know now? Fortunately, he finds a true friend in Steph, a single mother with problems of her own, who has the wit to see that, whilst Parkinson’s is not going to go away (albeit controlled by medication), something can be done to remedy loneliness.

Extract from Shades of Appley Green:

 

      ‘With a tea-trolley heading towards them, Jackson was suddenly asked to step back. It was an abrupt interruption and she saw how fast anxiety flooded his face, sweeping away the smile he tried so hard to keep pinned-on from within the static Parkinson’s face. He had been politely listening to Lilian, with immense concentration, hearing-aid probably full-on, thinking heaven knows what, then out of the blue he was asked to “please move”.

      “Come along now,” said the lady in charge of the trolley, cheerfully, seeing no sign of any attempt to get out of her way. “There’s a love. Just a wee bit more room …”

      Steph put up her hand, as if controlling traffic. “Sorry! Just give us a minute, if you would, please,” she said. “People with Parkinson’s need time. OK?” Turning to Jackson, she whispered in his ear, “One, two, left, right, go!” and he neatly stepped back two short paces. Any onlooker might reasonably question why he had been so deliberately stubborn and slow to shift himself.

       Lilian returned to them, by which time the trolley had moved on and Jackson appeared to be calmly awaiting the next leg of the tour.’

 

Says Steve Ford, Chief Executive, Parkinson’s UK: ‘Can you imagine your body not doing what you told it to? To deal with people staring or tutting when you struggle to get out the right change at a supermarket till? Or how life would be if you were scared to leave the house for fear of freezing to the spot or losing balance and tripping over?’

 

 

If you have Parkinson’s or know someone who is affected by the condition, then it would be wonderful to hear from you. Leave your story below in a brief Comment or contact Parkinsons UK to help spread awareness of how the general public could perhaps be more empathetic and imagine themselves in the shoes of a person with Parkinson’s, or indeed, with another neurological condition.

I would really love to hear from you; it may help others. Spread the word please. Retweet and support.

You can find out more here from Parkinsons UK 

Review of Shades of Appley Green in Parkinson's UK magazine The Parkinson

Shades of Appley Green on Amazon paperback and Kindle

I Wrote it My Way - Linn B Halton

I am delighted to give a huge, loud, warm welcome to the amazing Linn B Halton, who not only writes 'contemporary women's love stories that reflect life ... often with a psychic twist', but also spearheads the fantastic Love a Happy Ending project that has brought together writers from both the UK and abroad. This has now evolved into the Loveahappyending Lifestyle magazine of which she is Editor in Chief. This is one very versatile and talented lady!

So - fanfare over, we ask ourselves what set Linn off on her particular genre and style? Just reading Linn's first paragraph here leaves me in awe!

'There was no forethought involved when it came to sitting down and writing my first five manuscripts. I had waited a long time to have the luxury of giving up work and being able to sit down and write. So I opened a blank word doc and didn’t stop typing until I had completed five manuscripts. 

However, it wasn’t until after that point that I began Googling what to do next and realised the writing was the easy bit! I also hadn’t realised how specific the genre headings were, or in some cases how ‘wide’. One of my books was a true story – easy, memoirs/biography. Two were psychic romances – but I wouldn’t say they were ‘paranormal’, which to me is much heavier. My light touch is because the incidents I write about come from my own experiences. I like to keep it real. One was a collection of stories about love at all ages, although there is a cameo appearance from a spirit named Sarah. And then I decided to write a chick lit, where the subject is in her early forties! Forty is the new twenty… what can I say? 

I suppose because I knew nothing about the writing business, I wrote from the heart. I was also trying to stretch myself with each manuscript I penned and experimenting to test myself.  

It’s rather nice to be at the stage where all five of my books are now ‘out there’ and I will learn from reader feedback as my writing journey continues! 

Thank you for featuring me on your lovely blog Miriam, you are a fascinating lady and I love the gypsy theme running through your books!'

Thank you so much Linn for giving us a teasing little insight into how you write from personal experience, yet somehow blend this reality with the surreal.

Doesn't it make you want to know more? I do! Intriguing ...

A loveahappyending.com author
Signed by: Sapphire Star Publishing
Twitter: @LinnBHalton
Facebook: Linn B Halton

Linn's Books on Amazon.co.uk
and on Amazon.com