Art, Craft, and Graft

Whew! The book is launched and I am wrecked.... Partly from standing all evening in much higher heels than I'm used to, in the effort to look nice, and partly through major cooking and preparation for the event. I overestimated the numbers, so I've lots of crisps over(not a problem, I've a birthday coming up) and a good deal of the wine. Most of the other food, some brought by my daughter Rachel and my friend Jane, was gobbled up by a wonderful crowd of friends and acquaintances.
The book was launched by Victoria Mary Clarke and John Joyce, both introduced by my husband (no problem to him, a life in amateur drama and toastmasters helped out!) The talks were about as different as two talks could be - Victoria, who has written about contacting her own angels, 'channelled' them for us and we were given warm messages of encouragement; then John gave a very clear run-down of what is required to get a book out there - art,craft and graft. Goodness, is he right!
Then I gave a short speech of thanks to everyone who ever helped, read a piece from my book and then a description of the meaning of the plaster angels in the Unitarian Church, and then we played the 'book trailer' video. That was when the roving microphone's batteries died, so as I hadn't thought to bring speakers, we were holding the laptop as near to the fixed mic as we could! There were a few laughs, so someone must have been able to hear!
Sales were brisk, my great son Andrew (watch this space for his forthcoming zombie novel...) was salesman, and each book was given to its new owner in a bag printed "authl.it/h8", so friends can easily find it online; and most exciting, one guest works in Sweny's Chemist, of James Joyce fame, and he will be stocking the book. So Dubliners: hurry down to Lincoln Place to secure your signed copy!
Pictures were taken by my 'official photographer' best friend Jane.

 With fellow authors Grace Wynne-Jones and John Joyce

 My son Andrew Gordon acting as book salesman

 John Joyce and Victoria Mary Clarke, who both spoke to launch the book

 Me, reading from Despite the Angels, and below, with fellow members of the Dalkey Writers' Workshop

Change of Date!!!

Sorry, I was told a few days ago that Saturday is double-booked in the Unitarian Church, so I have had to re-arrange my book launch party to FRIDAY 27th SEPTEMBER.
It will start from 7pm, in the Unitarian Church, 112 St Stephen's Green, Dublin 2, and will go on till all the wine is drunk and the finger foods are eaten....

Nothing is easy about self-publishing, as about life itself. Fate seems to walk backwards in front of me, scattering drawing-pins on the path. But here I am, with sprained ankles from trying to avoid them, and soles with more metal in them than a football boot....
Grilling sausages and pouring wine will be easy in comparison!! (shhh....the Fates are still listening...)
See you there?

U is for....

1) Unconscious mind. This is also known as the sub-conscious, and is the part of the mind that is really in charge. Children of seven and under have only an ‘unconscious’ mind, which is why they will believe anything they are told - they have not developed the ‘conscious’ questioning part. As adults, we think we are running our lives with our conscious minds, and to a great extent we are - it is with this that you book tickets, or look left and right crossing the road. But it is your unconscious that is most deeply in control, it decides you are afraid of heights, or don’t like spinach, and it holds those beliefs really tightly. Until a hypnotherapist comes along, and helps you to access your unconscious, and tell it that spinach is delicious, that heights are not inherently dangerous, or more commonly, that cigarettes taste foul! It is also in your unconscious that all your memories are stored, and it is there that we go to pull out the deepest truths about you. It is there that your ‘past life’ memories are sitting, whether you believe these to be genuine memories, or only your mind or spirit’s way of making up a story to explain you to yourself.

2) Unitarian: I signed up to become a Unitarian about two and a half years ago, 18 months after I started attending the beautiful Unitarian church on Stephen’s Green in Dublin. I have found a lovely supportive community there, which as someone from a tiny family, I truly treasure. If you would like to learn more about this liberal non-creedal religion, look at “Are you a Unitarian and don’t know it?” which is where I did my initial research about four years ago.

3) Urtica. This remedy is made from the nettle, and is good for any skin conditions that resemble nettle-rash.