Cabin fever is a claustrophobic reaction to being stuck indoors for prolonged periods of time.  It results in some mood problems. Some of them include irritability and lack of patience.  Patience? Yes patience.  Now I get it… I just self diagnosed my lack of patience without a psychology degree. But in all seriousness we have just come through a spell of rain and flooding in our area, so that can make you feel isolated and a little guilty for the kids being indoors so much.   Today the rain has started again.  If your feel the need to get out and experience some sunshine, so do your kids.  But what if there is no sunshine? For some people, depression, frequent napping and food cravings raise their heads as symptoms of cabin fever.  Reading can assist.  In fact, using your brain, is a known remedy for easing some symptoms of cabin fever.  That is the reason that we love books that create imagery and build ...

Are you a slave to debt? The old cliche that money can't buy happiness is a dreadful over simplification of facts. There is no joy to be found in not paying bills.  A study of 33,720 U.S. households published in the January 2016 edition of Psychology Science found that those with higher levels of unemployment were more likely to purchase over-the-counter painkillers. Debt has very real effects on the body. In medieval times, life was very cruel when it came to debts.  In medieval times, there was debt bondage.  This is what people did when they borrowed money and then offered their labour as security for the loan.They could pass this onto their children.   Debt slavery was when a creditor made you a slave in lieu of payment towards your debt. In some countries like Greece, there was a time limit for how long a person could be in debt slavery. There were beatings and Floggings that sometimes came with debt. But you could be put into the stocks ...

I was 15 when I felt afraid.  I knew beyond a doubt that someone had spiked the drink that I had just had.  I had a neighbour who I had popped in to say hello to. He was not there, but a group of friends were. I knew most of them. They were chatting and laughing, and I accepted the refreshment they offered. I did not know about spiked drinks then. But to go from a sober, nervous girl to someone so drunk that I was throwing up made me know something was wrong. It was when I felt fear.  I did not want my parents to know that I was drunk. I went to one bathroom and washed off the mess from my blouse. I thought if I could just let it dry on the balcony, I could go home and not have to answer questions about where I had been and with whom.  That is when he came,  To check if I was all right. He used words to tell me I would have to accept what was coming after all; I was the one without a blouse on.  Many of you will scream, “Foolish girl....

There is some protection in writing during the early hours of the morning.  That is for the protection to others and not to me.  Why do I say this?  Because that is the time that I do the least damage.  You see when I am in writing mode; I become the silent monster. It is the time that I am most likely to snap or say something inappropriate that will flood my body with guilt. My logical calm approach to steering people into a direction that will allow them to consider other people’s opinions evaporates with the steam that my fingers produce on the keyboard. Just this morning we had to get the cats ready for their sterilization appointment. So I did not complete my word count and knew that I would have to expand into normal working hours to meet my target. One of my tribe of fellow authors who has never met the silent monster posted a very endearing image and my critical gene stepped into the arena. Why?  because I was writing a scene in my book that had...

This week I came across a special lady who lost a friend to suicide. Her friendship   was a gift of light that she gave, but it was not enough to save the person.   It is painful to watch her struggle with feelings of guilt. I have a family member who attempted suicide 5 times. Suicide is a battle that those left behind continue to fight long after the person has left. The “what if” questions are a relentless torture that robs you of your joy.  Find help. Reach out to a support group. Process your feelings before they become a trap to you.  This photo by Engin Akyurt really reminded me of how we can get trapped by the bondage of other people’s emotions.  Do not be afraid to reach out to others after a suicide.  Your story may help someone to find healing as you journey together.  In my second book of The Chronicles of Nadine, I write about the journey of despair and hopelessness that can tra...

Do you have a historical or fictitious character that you think you are most like?   I had to think hard about this question myself. I started off by researching real medieval characters in history. At first Joan of Arc came to mind for me.   I could well imagine dressing up as a man to take a journey to confront the King of France and standing up against the enemy of my King.   But I have always had a fear of being burned.  The reports that she endured being burned at the stake without crying out makes me think otherwise.  I would have cried out.  If I was living in a medieval fantasy, one of my dragons would have rescued me.  Perhaps it would have been a Silver Wing Dragon.  Because in the Series The Chronicles of Nadine, the Silver Wing Dragons are the custodians of Spiritual Wisdom.  So it would be fitting that a Silver Wing Dragon would rescue Joan of Arc. That would make me a hybri...

This week something happened that sent fear coursing through my veins.  I felt the physical effects and for a while; I felt unable to function.  It is the kind of  fear that my character King Radolf in the series The Chronicles of Nadine uses to rule his kingdom. While researching the world’s greatest villains, I learned that many of them had something traumatic happen  to them in the past.  One that they processed in a way that made them want to extinguish their own fear and weakness by dominating others.  They feel entitled to the pain they inflict on others.   But true strength lies in learning from our pain.    The question is… will you shrink back or will you learn and grow?   Please share what you have learned from past fears and how you have overcome them? #Christianauthor #medievalfantasy #overcomingfear #medievallife #Christianfantasyauthor #Warriorwomen #girlswithswords #booksonamazon #bo...