I had several challenges this week and I have to say that I realise I have matured in my approach. I think few family members may disagree, as I was rather snappy during the week. But perhaps some context is necessary. This week my computer died. Just died, for no apparent reason. I had one child vomit all over the bookstore floor and after getting through his stomach bug, my middle child followed suit yesterday morning at 01H11. Amidst it all, I had to get over 40 authors processed for the upcoming book fair this weekend and considering that only half of them applied to be part of the event through the official channel; I had to play detective to find all their details. My nine-year-old decided this was the week to wage war on us and I got the ceremonial “I hate you, I wish you never existed,” routine. Making sure that I also do some of my own marketing has been quite a challenge. But here I am writing this newsletter and my children are still alive and a very nice lady at Matrix in K...

 On the weekend, I started reading a book gifted to me by one of my clients. It is a book that plots out what new top levels in a new role should focus on in their first 100 days of their new position. One thing that struck me was the author’s advice that these executives should acknowledge their feeling of overwhelm. I often thought that executives of multinational companies had their act together and that it was only a few emotionally challenged few like myself, who struggled with this feeling of overwhelm.  I know I have often felt like throwing the towel in, especially when having to juggle homeschooling my books, helping other authors with their journey and reminding myself that my husband also needs some romance. Overwhelm is a massive challenge. And then there are people who will happily criticize your every move. Wondering what everyone is thinking can drive you mad. It can also be a very lonely place where you worry about where to turn. It is almost as if by admitting...

  This month I am working more aggressively on my over-all goals. I love writing. In fact, since May last year, I have completed 45 newsletters. All with bits of what I am up to, what new books there are out there, and snippets of my novels. But now it is time to up my game. I want to be a full-time writer. In fact, there is a scholarship that I want to apply for, but that requires up to 75 reviews on Amazon, just for me to apply. Being a full-time writer means I must consistently sell enough books to support a family of seven. I have included my elderly parents in the mix. It is an enormous responsibility, and I need new skills to make that happen and hence the application for the scholarship. If you have read my books and qualify as an Amazon reviewer, please head over to Amazon to give me a review. I need 75 of which 10 must be a 5 star review. I average at about 4.3 across all the platforms and one on seven reviews will give me a 5 star review. Which if you are percentage type...

  Have you ever met someone who has told you to “just get over it?”  Sometimes this is easier said than done. We all face our own challenges. No one set of people has the same circumstances, but sometimes journeying with others who are facing challenges and who overcome them can encourage us.  I know that when I was a teenager; I found my courage through books. I did not find courage through people overcoming small trials, rather I found courage when reading about people who overcame massive trials.  My mother used to tell me that if we all threw our problems in a hat, we would probably want to take our own troubles back out again when we compared our problems to others. While I do not believe that it is true in all circumstances, I know that no one can fully understand my personal trials. However, I can learn of people who have overcome similar trials or can bring a fresh perspective to me. This week I released my Novella. This Prequel Novella deals with the nastier...

It feels like we have had at least three quarters of the years dedicated to lock down. While we have had more freedom in my part of the world in the last few months, there have been some changes that have been long lasting. Many people have become more fearful, and that is difficult to remedy. This Christmas I wanted to invite someone I know who was alone for Christmas, but then I realised we have to restrict ourselves to just family. It is one of the many sad realities of living in a decade where there is a virus of this magnitude. My husband is 63 and in a higher risk category (because of age), which meant that I had to ask myself what would happen to my children if something were to happen to their father. That kind of distancing fear annoys me, because too many people were alone for Christmas. In my new Novella, A Mother’s warning, readers get to learn about Lady’s Christine’s mother Queen Isabella. King Radolf trapped Queen Isabella, manipulated her and silenced her until she had ...

  It is only a few hours until Christmas, depending on where you stay. I am busy finishing the first draft for the prequel for the Chronicles of Nadine. “A Mother’s Warning”. In the reviews of the series, some of my reviewers have mentioned King Radolf, and there are several readers who have commented on Lady Christine’s fear of King Radolf.  I think we all have fear to some extent and each person’s fear shapes the decisions they make. This year amplified many people’s fears, so I wanted to create a character that represents the genuine fears that we have as humans. Those of you who read book 1, The Last of the Silver Wings, know that Christine is living away from King Radolf. But instead of stepping into freedom, she finds a way of living without him knowing where she is. Even though she is no longer trapped by him, she lives in fear’s shadow and it stops her from stepping into her destiny.  For many readers, 2020 is a lot like Christine’s relationship with King Radolf. ...

Choosing your tribe is critical. You may be tempted to believe that your friends have to fulfil all your emotional needs.  But that is not true. They may be an excellent friend in one area, but not able to support you in another.   Choosing the wrong people for your tribe can kill your dream. So treat it like a fragile baby. When I had children, I stopped spending time with certain people. Not because they were awful friends, but because I was going through a season where worrying about my baby touching their glass table with their sticky fingers would fill me with anxiety.     Once I had a babysitter then, I could reintroduce that friendship into my life. When you are reaching for a goal, you may need to take a break from some people, or only speak to certain people about your dream. Choose your tribe carefully when building your dream. You want a group who had got your back, the ones you can trust.  The Chronicles of Nadine is in the medieval period where powe...

Feudalism flourished in Medieval Europe between the 9th and 15th centuries. It was a way of structuring society around relationships derived from the holding of land in exchange for service or labour. Although the Chronicles of Nadine takes place around 800 AD, we used a range of medieval concepts that spanned across many centuries to create a world for the series.Under the feudal system, there were different groups with varying degrees of power and status. A king or queen owned all the land, which they broke up and gave out in exchange for military service. The Lord or knight who received the land was called a vassal and was legally obligated to provide services in exchange for that land.  In the Chronicles of Nadine, Nadine’s father, Nicolaus received Land from Lord Logan and had to resume his Knightly services.Knight service was military duties performed in exchange for the lands.  A King or Lord might require the military service for wars or expeditions or for riding and e...

What does the word destiny mean to you? People say that it a predetermined course of events that leads us to some kind of purpose in our lives. There are a lot of debates about whether life is a matter of choice or a matter of destiny. The argument is that destiny predetermines everything. If that is true, then why should we bother with any decision making. It almost takes the fun out of life. We want to believe that we have control over our lives. In the series The Chronicles of Nadine, this is a theme that Nadine struggles through. Does she bend to what those around her say is her calling, or does she make her own choices? For a stubborn and fiercely independently thinking young lady, that seems an impossible choice. In the beginning, Nadine made some decisions based on what she thought would be the fate of her parents when they were captured by the dragon… Come to think of it, what is the difference between fate and destiny? Are they the same thing? . Fate  is the preordained co...

What does the word destiny mean to you?  People say that it a predetermined course of events that leads us to some kind of purpose in our lives. There are a lot of debates about whether life is a matter of choice or a matter of destiny. The argument is that destiny predetermines everything. If that is true, then why should we bother with any decision making. It almost takes the fun out of life. We want to believe that we have control over our lives. In the series The Chronicles of Nadine, this is a theme that Nadine struggles through. Does she bend to what those around her say is her calling, or does she make her own choices? For a stubborn and fiercely independently thinking young lady, that seems an impossible choice. In the beginning, Nadine made some decisions based on what she thought would be the fate of her parents when they were captured by the dragon… Come to think of it, what is the difference between fate and destiny? Are they the same thing? Fate  is the preordaine...

My eldest daughter loves the charming, if somewhat eccentric Inspector Hercule Poirot from the Agatha Christie series. His famous words when working through a problem were “The little grey cells are working well today.” Well, my little grey cells certainly were active this week. I had to invent a coding system to reveal the location of something of extreme importance to three district groups in the third instalment of the Chronicles of Nadine. The code protected something precious, when the dragons faced possible extermination. The location of the hidden items could only be worked out by someone who had an intimate knowledge of the workings of their inner society. Coming up with the system was one thing. But creating the clues was an entirely unfamiliar process that challenged me far beyond what I expected. It rather reminded me of the Disney movie starring Nicolas Cage called National Treasure. The character Benjamin Gates thinks through a series of clues that lead to various l...

Muquin was the first dragon to appear in Book One of the Chronicles of Nadine.  She is a Silver Wing Dragon. These dragons are the spiritual leaders of all the dragons and with the help of their whisperers, they form the bridge between human and dragons.   What makes her my favourite? Muquin represents the multi-faceted dimensions of women.  She is a passionate and playful partner to her mate.  But like all strong women, Muquin tries to mother her mate.  She sees danger and wants him to stay away from it. But leaders can not hide in the shadows.  They must step out to lead.  And Megadeus is no different. Muquin decides that if she can not dissuade him, she must fight alongside him.  But this brings tragic consequences and Muquin has to survive a life of solitude, cut off from all other dragons. I think we have all faced trauma or guilt that stops us from embracing all that we are meant to be. In these times the ...