Teacher, blogger, YouTuber and author

22

Sep

Do you have a writers’ group?

As you may or may not be aware, I’m part of a writers’ group and it’s made all the difference to my work! It’s improved my confidence, given me ideas and made me think about things from a different perspective. Another thing it’s afforded me is the opportunity to flex my mental and creative muscles…. continue reading »

19

Sep

The flannel flowers

    The flannel flowers congregate, In bowing bonnets and impish skirts. Diminutive in stately woods, So shy I must, my gaze avert. Their velvet petals soothe the soul, So subtle against the cinnamon soil. This camouflage, their coyness serves, The thunderous boots of ramblers foiled. On puddled path of tangerine clay, I squelch and… continue reading »

17

Sep

You’ve got to be in it to win it

    Have you heard this recently? Or what about another commonly used phrase: You only get out what you put in. The problem is, for people who are a little more introspective than most, promoting themselves is quite scary. They have no issue with putting in the ‘hard-yards’, but entering competitions, attempting to be published and… continue reading »

02

Jun

The snowflake

She floats down through the heavens, Ethereal and light. Her never-ending pirouettes Tossed gently left and right. Like diamonds do the chinks of light Shine through her pearly face. She comes to rest so gently on The beings in this place. The mystery of her jewelled form, Her crystalline physique. Why are her sisters, none… continue reading »

31

May

The Sun

Daisies strain to catch her light, Instinctive reverence. Saffron bauble in our skies, Life-giving elegance. Primary source of energy For all upon the Earth. Ethereal wisteria, Which heralds spring’s rebirth. Bathed within the filmy veil Of blowing solar wind. Protective bubble in the void, The planets held within. Yet solar winds, they wax and wane,… continue reading »

25

May

Ode to Earth

We inhabit a spinning planet which shudders with the march of elephants, sparkles with glaciers and shrieks with the cries of territorial birds. It is fragile, it is complex and it is irreplaceable. As such, I offer you a love song to Earth which I hope will also double as a call to action.  … continue reading »

29

Jul

Seize the day

The other night, I was curled up in bed, scrolling through Facebook when I noticed some people trying to round up a group to watch the Blood Moon early the next day. Since I hate early mornings, I wished them well and hoped for their sake that the predicted cloud bank wouldn’t hide her face. Switching… continue reading »

15

Mar

Training wheels

              When I was a little kid, my sister and I would ride our bikes around, teetering from side to side, which our training wheels corrected. At five, my sister, who was ten minutes younger than me, removed hers, and started to explore our very picturesque, yet hilly, neighbourhood…. continue reading »

15

Nov

How to host a book launch

Hi there, today’s article is all about how to host your own book launch. I’ve had two and, while that doesn’t make me an expert, I’ve certainly got some experience to draw on which should be helpful. Here are my tips and tricks on how to host a successful (and enjoyable) book launch: Practical Tips:… continue reading »

22

Oct

How to write poetry: line stress and syllables

Hi there, I hope you enjoyed the exercises in previous blog posts. If you haven’t checked them out, go back and start from the beginning. In this session, we’ll talk about how to look at patterns in rhyming poetry. I’ll give you two stanzas of a poem I wrote called ‘The Platypus’ from my book… continue reading »