Happy New Year and Book Signing Event Plans

I might be a little ahead of myself since we are still technically in December, but let’s face it, 2016 has been a bit of a challenging year. It seems that every day we lose yet another famous face in the celebrity world. My personal life has been one of upheaval and drama throughout the year, and before that to be honest. So I for one am very much looking forward to 2017. I believe it is the start of a new cycle, a new beginning, and lots of new and exciting experiences.

One of those experiences is something I am especially excited about. On Saturday 4^th February, I will attend the West Midlands Valentines Book Signing and 1940s Ball. Hooray!  Unfortunately, I cannot attend the evening ball due to a prior commitment, but I will be at the event all day long to showcase my Redcliffe novels series and my contemporary English Gothic stories. Come and say hello, and why not try a few books while you are there?

Happy New Year, my friends. Thank you for joining me on this journey!

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New Books for Boxing Day

Alright, who got a shiny new Kindle for Christmas? Or a stack of books? Do share news of your hauls, I love to indulge. Perhaps I can interest you in some discounted books to download on your new device…

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Merry Christmas and Solstice Blessings!

The Winter Solstice is passing, and now we are preparing for the celebration of Christmas weekend. I have crammed in a week of blog writing, wrapped the last of my Christmas gifts, written my final Christmas cards, and prepared to visit family and friends on Christmas Eve. Enjoy the festival, my friends. Merry Christmas!

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What Does the Pagan Housewife want for Christmas?

You will probably not be surprised to hear that my Christmas wishlist consists mostly of books. Before I was a writer, I was a voracious reader, and books have always been the most favourite item in my Christmas gift pile (except the year when I received a junior typewriter from Father Christmas – now that was special!)

I took a glance at my Amazon wishlist and picked out two of the items that I would most love to receive for Christmas. The first is a book called What Dwells Within – A Study of Spirit Attachment. I am fortunate to be acquainted with one of the authors of this book, and I know that I like his work, so this is a must have for my collection. It would also be a great research tool for my ghost hunting 
pastime.

The second preferred Christmas gift is something a little bit fun and novelty. It is the Housewives Tarot – A Domestic Divination Kit. Well, it comes with the territory, don’t you think? And it would be a fabulous tool for my #365DaysofTarot challenge in 2017…

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My Christmas Wish List for Writing Inspiration

I was pondering my Christmas list earlier this week, and realised that it has altered a little bit in recent years. It has gone from a request for books about publishing, to books about writing, to other specific texts. Now I am seeking books about subjects that include Tarot reading and reiki. The Tarot reading is an interesting one, because inevitably, it includes Tarot card decks as well.

There are lots of beautiful Tarot cards available, and my current favourite is my Gilded Tarot because the artwork is colourful and passionate, which reflects my mood. Back in October and early November I favoured my Vampire Tarot cards because they were Gothic and dark, reflecting the shadows and gloom of my mood at that time. This week I am drawn to use my Universal Waite Tarot card deck for the #365DaysofTarot challenge. I like its simplicity and bright, bold design. What Tarot decks might I request for Christmas? Ooh, so many beautiful cards…

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Winding Down for Christmas

I have decided to take a break from writing for Christmas, since my time is largely taken up with preparations and parental responsibilities. Who knew I could become so busy once my children were in school? Well, technically my youngest daughter is still only at preschool, so we are together for most of the week.

Read my Festive Short Story Here

When I finish the obligatory checking of emails, updating blog posts, and general home admin, I have no time for writing. I am solely responsible for procuring and wrapping Christmas presents, since my husband is a bit of a Scrooge and would do it all on Christmas Eve if I left him in charge! My fifth Redcliffe novel is still ticking over in my mind, however, so I may have to sneak onto the computer at some point during the festivities just to clear my head… Do you write through Christmas?

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Vlad: The Real Dracula #amreading

I am currently reading a very powerful novel by C.C. Humphreys. Vlad – The Epic Novel of the Real Dracula, is a completely enthralling, violent and disturbing story. I had the paperback sitting in my “to be read” pile for a very long time, and I have now been reading it for over a month. Usually I would devour a novel like this within a couple of weeks, but family life, and writing, have intervened to disrupt old habits.

Anyway, I am still reading, and today I have been thinking about events in the novel while I went about my daily business. Such is the nature of the story, and the quality of writing, that it really has me gripped and desperate to continue reading. It has evoked some very powerful emotional responses, since it is incredibly violent and passionate. I felt compelled to share my reading journey at this point, and to say that when I do finish reading Vlad, probably later this week, I will need to read something light hearted and cheerful. I recommend the novel, but be warned, it is extremely dark and dangerous!

Part of the reason for my distraction from reading is my participation in #Blogmas over on my SpookyMrsGreen the Pagan Housewife blog. Go and check it out if you are interested!

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My #Blogmas Challenge for Christmas

It feels like weeks since I completed #NaNoWriMo, and yet it has only been around seven days. Yes, last week was a long one, and very busy as always. There is no sign of things slowing down, either. Oh no. I am still persevering with my #365DaysofTarot challenge, where I perform a Tarot card reading every day and write it in my designated notebook. I plan to turn it into a book at some point in the future, but that will not come to fruition until at least 2018.

Merry Blogmas from SpookyMrsGreen!

This month my challenge is #Blogmas. Over on my SpookyMrsGreen: the Pagan Housewife blog, I am writing and posting every day in the run-up to Christmas. My posts are a variety of anecdotes about preparing for Christmas with young children, shopping and gift ideas, and my pagan lifestyle activites that run alongside. Go and check it out if you are interested!

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#NaNoWinner16 and Merry Christmas!

Oops! It seems I forgot to do my Thursday blog this week, bad girl *slaps wrists* In my defense, I have been very busy and quite overwhelmed with a mixture of domestic and professional nuances. But not to worry. We are now officially in the countdown to Christmas, and so I will embrace the festive spirit and make some fabulous memories with my children. Oh, and yes, I did win #NaNoWriMo in the end, just as I planned. How did you get on?

#CyberMonday Book Deals for Christmas

The end is nigh for #NaNoWriMo2016 and I must say I will be glad to see the back of November. It has been a long and arduous month, and not because of the crazed writing challenge. Personal circumstances have intervened to cause exhaustion, but I hope that it will improve during the next few weeks.

Anyway, today is #CyberMonday, a day when all the big brands offer more discounts and sales to Christmas shoppers. I would like you to consider my novels for your Christmas shopping list. Perhaps you enjoy reading Gothic stories set in Cornwall? How about sexy vampires and werewolves from Dublin? Then check out Love Hurts (A Redcliffe Novel), which is currently only 99p (or 99c) to download on Kindle.

In the meantime, I will finish off my #NaNoWriMo project for this year, which will conclude most of the first draft for book 5 in my Redcliffe novels series. You can find the first 3 novels for sale online, and I plan to release books 4, 5 and 6 to complete the series. I look forward to seeing your reviews!

Buy or Download my novels now on Amazon!

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I’m at 40K and Feeling Epic! #NaNoWriMo

Ha ha, did you recognise my TV commercial reference? Well, the month of #NaNoWriMo is flying by, and today we celebrate my husband’s birthday. I say we. I mean me. He is being very miserable and grumpy, even though he is only 35. That is not old!

Anyway, never mind him, I will celebrate with some fizzy wine and a bit of chocolate, because my #NaNoWriMo challenge is almost complete and I can taste the sweet smell of success. How is your #NaNoWriMo coming along?

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#BlackFriday is Approaching – Support Small Business! #ASMSG

How do you feel about the #BlackFriday and #CyberMonday phenomenon? Let’s face it, we can barely avoid the hype in this day and age. It is how we have evolved in society. I have mixed feelings. On the one hand, I believe in not over-commercialising holidays such as Christmas. However, I sell books for a living. If I don’t sell the books I write, I won’t make any money, and that could negatively affect my children and  husband.

I propose a compromise: think about the small business owners, including indie authors, craft businesses, local produce etc. They rely on income from the sales of the stock that they lovingly create by hand. We should support those businesses.  When I hear about #BlackFriday, my thoughts turn to Amazon. Well, they are made up of small business owners, like myself, who rely on royalties paid via Amazon for the sales of our books.

Why not search for alternative Christmas gifts for your friends and family? Find them a book written and produced independently by a new author. Try a CD by a young musician. Or even search for some handcrafted bespoke trinkets, jewellery, furniture or bric-a-brac. The small business owners will be far more grateful for your custom, and will make more effort to give you the personal customer service that makes you feel good about parting with your hard-earned cash. Thank you. 

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Halfway Towards 50K #NaNoWriMo

I am half way there and feeling quietly confident about #NaNoWriMo 2016. My novel is progressing slowly and steadily. I find that I can write it in short chapters, and while I generally have no idea of what I am about to write when I sit before the computer, somehow the words spill out and the prose dislodges from its hiding place in the depths of my mind. How is your #NaNoWriMo coming along?

Did you enjoy this article? Join my tribe today, and I will send you a fabulous FREE book to get you started… (be warned, my vampires do not sparkle, and my wolves will bite!) 

Author Interviews from #SASE 2016

I had the pleasure of being interviewed by Stewart Green (no relation!) from Sandbach Sound Bites at our recent Sandbach Author Signing Event in Cheshire. Hear the full interview featuring myself, Elizabeth Morgan, and several other visiting authors at the event.

Sandbach Soundbites Author Event Interviews

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A Slow and Steady Start to #NaNoWriMo2016

Just a brief update today since I am well on the way to completing #NaNoWriMo2016 and I am powering through! Well, ok, I am plodding through at the moment, but I am happy with my progress and that’s the main thing. I have broken the 15k barrier and plan to hit 25k words halfway through November, keeping me on track to succeed. How is your #NaNoWriMo progressing?

Thinking back to 2015, and by this time I was in a very different place with my writing. I was reeling from the death of my beloved Nanna, and keeping my focus on the writing in her memory. She was so very proud of my author achievements! I still miss her, and even now I feel tearful when I remember her loss. But I have over 30 years of happy memories to treasure with my grandparents, and so I count my blessings. Happy writing, my friends!

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A Very Successful Event Launch #SASE

What a fabulous weekend it has been! We enjoyed our very first Sandbach Author Signing Event (#SASE) in Cheshire and it was a huge success. Lots of wonderful indie authors gathered together to talk about their favourite genres, their style of writing, and to offer advice and guidance for visitors. We shared our books with new people, made some new friends, and enjoyed the opportunity to meet up in person, rather than speaking so often on social networks.

I am already looking forward to attending #SASE in 2017, and in the meantime, I am on the lookout for similar events in the UK that I might be able to attend. I am now officially finished for 2016 in terms of public events, apart from one or two intimate gatherings. I am now working hard to complete #NaNoWriMo2016, and I am also contemplating the challenge to join in with #Blogmas – a blog post every day in the run up to Christmas, starting on 1^st December.  

Phew! What are your current writing goals/achievements? Please do share, and let’s keep each other motivated during the month of writing dangerously…

 Did you enjoy this article? Join my tribe today, and I will send you a fabulous FREE book to get you started… (be warned, my vampires do not sparkle, and my wolves will bite!) 

#NaNoWriMo and a new #Tarot project

The month of madness has begun, and I am off to a reasonable start. On 1^st November I wrote 1667 words, which is the exact daily target if I want to win #NaNoWriMo! My next day was not quite so fruitful, and my current estimated finish is 5^th December, but I know that will fluctuate massively during my writing month. How is your #NaNoWriMo shaping up?

In other news, I am all ready for the Sandbach Author Signing Event that happens this Saturday, on the 5^th November. Seems like only yesterday the idea was hatched after a local library event, and now it is upon us. Wow! I look forward to meeting lots of new people, taking time away from being “Mummy,” and enjoying the company of writers and entrepreneurs. It nourishes my soul, getting away from domestic routine occasionally.

And, finally, I have started another new project, because you know, I don’t have enough stuff to fill my days! I decided to start a #365daysoftarot challenge. Every day I will do a tarot reading. Some days it may only be one or two cards, other days a few more, and occasionally I will do a big spread. Those sorts of readings tend to come at sabbats and seasonal transitions, so my next big tarot reading will probably be Yule. Eventually I plan to turn it into a non-fiction book as my career expands. Who here is interested in that kind of thing? You can see my Samhain Tarot reading for free over on my Pagan Housewife blog.

Now I must be off. There is work to do… Speak to you later!

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Romance Novel Giveaways: The Redcliffe Series by Catherine Green ❤️ Freebie...

Hey folks, check out this awesome guest blog feature over on Romance Novel Giveaways! And if you haven't already signed up for your FREE vampire Tarot reading, do it now!!!

Romance Novel Giveaways: The Redcliffe Series by Catherine Green ❤️ Freebie...: This blog post contains affiliate links.  Click Here for details. Sally Frost is a mild-mannered NHS hospital nurse by day...

Happy Halloween! #LovetoRead

Boo! Made you jump! Ha ha, I love the Halloween season, as you might have guessed from my genre of choice for writing and reading… Have you tried the Redcliffe Novels yet? Or The Darkness of Love? Or The Vampire of Blackpool? Get them now!

I spotted these fabulous spooky decorations in my local library recently, all prepared, and in some cases handmade, by a member of staff. How is your library celebrating Halloween? Share with me some spooky stories and recommendations…

                        

Did you enjoy this article? Join my tribe today, and I will send you a fabulous FREE book to get you started… (be warned, my vampires do not sparkle, and my wolves will bite!) 

Join Us for the Sandbach Author Signing Event

We are almost into the month of November, and it will be crazy time for me as I immerse myself once more in the Redcliffe novels and continue writing book 5 in the series for NaNoWriMo. I will need a break from the computer, however, and so you can come and see me, and keep me sane (I hope) at the Sandbach Author Signing Event at Sandbach Town Hall on Saturday 5^th November.

#SASE

I will be there all day, along with 20+ authors from around the UK, exhibiting our new books, talking about our experiences in writing and publishing, and generally meeting new people. We can be very reclusive, when we bury ourselves in our writing projects, and so this is our way to be social and make friends. You can also bring your children along to join in with the Cartoon Academy workshops, the Fairy Sanctuary, and more. We even have a visiting cover model, former soldier Martin Nelson, in residence for you to have a photo with!

 Did you enjoy this article? Join my tribe today, and I will send you a fabulous FREE book to get you started… (be warned, my vampires do not sparkle, and my wolves will bite!) 

An Interview with SpookyMrsGreen: the Pagan Housewife

Today I would like to share something that I have effectively been hiding all year. I did a video interview with Sue Ellam from Soulfully Connecting back in January, and the video was posted on the company YouTube channel, but I didn’t tell anybody. I was afraid. I was…embarrassed. This is a very ridiculous notion, when you think about it. I mean, here I am parading about online as the pagan housewife, talking about ghosts and witchcraft and the messy side of parenting, and yet I agreed to do a video that I knew would be available in the public domain.

I am not nervous about speaking to people. I do a lot of public speaking as part of my job. But for some reason, this YouTube video has been a big thing. I feel amateur and a bit silly, to be honest. And I have no reason to be. Yes, the sound quality is pretty bad. That’s because I didn’t wear a headset and didn’t test it first. Lesson learned. But apart from that, I think the interview was fairly insightful. I didn’t sound like a complete idiot, I think. So, I am passing it over to you guys. Please watch the video, let me know what you think, and please do be gentle. I may come across as confident and proud, but behind the smile is a little girl who just wants to hide in her bedroom and read books! 

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The Time has Come for #NaNoWriMo 2016!

Wow, is it that time of year again? Cor blimey, it has been another busy one. Well, this time I am incredibly excited to return to #NaNoWriMo for this, my 6^th challenge. I am using the time this year to complete a first draft of my manuscript for Redcliffe book 5 in my Redcliffe Novels series.

 I have no idea what is going to happen or where the story is heading, although I feel this one might have more of a vampire flavour, because I think the werewolves have taken over a little bit too much lately… then again, it could all change. The Mason brothers are a force to be reckoned with, and Jessica Stone is fast losing control of her animal familiar. Anything could happen!

So, look me up in NaNoland, find me on Twitter and Facebook, and let’s support each other through another gruelling, exciting, amazing #NaNoWriMo challenge.

 Did you enjoy this article? Join my tribe today, and I will send you a fabulous FREE book to get you started… (be warned, my vampires do not sparkle, and my wolves will bite!) 

#PoweredByIndie – My Story, by Catherine Green (SpookyMrsGreen)

This month we are celebrating great writing self-published with Amazon via Kindle Direct Publishing, Createspace, and Audiobook Creation Exchange. I ventured into the world of self-publishing earlier this year, when I tentatively released a solo short story, It’s Complicated (A RedcliffeShort Story), to be included as a freebie for my newsletter followers. The process was very simple, although time-consuming, but I did come away feeling very satisfied and enthused to try it again.

#PoweredByIndie on Amazon

A month or so later, I released a short story anthology on Kindle, My Vampire Boyfriend (A Redcliffe Short Story Anthology). This compliments my Redcliffe novels series that has been published by Mirador, and will tie-in nicely with the next 3 books in the series that I am currently working on. I haven’t yet decided whether they should be self-published or not. I am still trying to design cover art for them.

Eventually, I took the plunge and published a whole novel, The Vampire of Blackpool. This one had been doing the rounds with agents and small publishers and every time I received a polite “thanks but the book doesn’t fit our requirements” response. So I decided to self-publish it. I wanted a paperback and an eBook, so I used Createspace and Kindle Publishing. I realise that there are still improvements to be made with the formatting of my paperback, but I am satisfied for now that I have a good, solid, readable book to share with my fans.

Have you read my books? Are you published with Amazon? Come and share your experiences… 

Did you enjoy this article? Join my tribe today, and I will send you a fabulous FREE book to get you started… (be warned, my vampires do not sparkle, and my wolves will bite!) 

From Mummy to Author and Back Again #ASMSG

This week has been a busy one, as always. I seem to spend my days switching from Mummy to author and back again, in a constant battle to fit everything in. Every weekday morning is the same routine as I struggle to get both my girls dressed, fed and off to school and preschool. Two days per week I have my youngest daughter at home with me. And this week, on one of those days, I took time out to do an author talk and promote my books to some new people.

On that afternoon I left my daughter with friends, drove thirty+ miles to the town where my talk had been arranged, did the deed and got back home just in time to collect my elder daughter from school. It was certainly an adventure as I traversed the rush hour motorway traffic and drove through a busy town centre.  But I thoroughly enjoyed myself, because it was something different. It felt like I was doing some proper author-related stuff after neglecting my books in favour of blogging.

You see, I have another passion that is currently taking priority - SpookyMrsGreen: The Pagan Housewife. This is my pagan lifestyle blog website and it is growing into something far more business-like and exciting. Now I am receiving products to review, and I have a growing schedule of official blog posts to write and share. And I really enjoy that, too! Sometimes I want to write, but my stories just don’t seem forthcoming. On those occasions I can write something casual for my blog, and that satisfies the urge but without the added pressure of needing to fulfill a word count target, or make the story fit, or perfect a scene that is refusing to play nicely.

Actually, if you are interested, I am running a special Halloween offer over on my SpookyMrsGreen blog. You can get a free Vampire Tarot Reading if you head over there now and sign up… and if you haven’t already read it, I am throwing in a free copy of It’s Complicated (A Redcliffe Short Story). That way you get vampires and werewolves, and everyone is happy! 

#NationalPoetryDay – Living with the Black Dog

The sun is shining brightly

And the air is crisp and clear,

You barely slept again last night

I was there, so far, so near.

What thoughts distract your tired mind?

What torment must you feel?

You worry, stress, so much to do

You’re on the hamster wheel.

Come home, I say,

we need you here.

Oh no, you say,

There’s much to fear.

My work won’t wait

I’m all alone,

And there we wait

Just by the phone.

I love you, husband

I know you care.

We wait here for you

As the demons keep you there.

Life is too hectic

We never stop to think,

Why is it so important?

To push ourselves to the brink?

Of mental health disorder

Of chaos, anger and tears,

Our life falls into madness

While you succumb to your fears.

THE END 

Did this poem resonate with you? Then you might like to read some articles on my other blog: SpookyMrsGreen: the Pagan Housewife - A pagan lifestyle blog that incorporates mindful parenting, magic and mysticism, environmental awareness and related subjects.

Book Review: The Wrong Kind of Clouds

I was very fortunate to win a copy of The Wrong Kind of Clouds by Amanda Fleet in an online competition recently. The book is a contemporary crime thriller, and I liked the fact that it was set in Scotland. So many books that I have read recently are American or European, so it is nice to find something a bit closer to home, and in a place that I am more familiar with. Scotland is a spiritual home for me, anyway!

Crime novels are not my preferred genre. I like to read paranormal and horror, but since I had entered the competition and subsequently won, I decided that there was a reason I had to read this book. I was very impressed! The central character turns out to be not so central, since he disappears for the majority of the story. We still don’t know if he survives at the end, which I thought was quite clever of the author. I like to think that he survives, but maybe we find out in another book… I especially liked the unexpected romance between a work-hardened police detective and the female lead, who is a professional photographer and free spirit. I liked her, far more my kind of person!

All in all, I rate this book as very good, and I recommend it to all crime thriller fans, especially those that like Scotland. There is some great atmospheric description, just enough action to keep you hooked, and the chapters are easy to read in short bursts. A great companion for a long journey or a holiday (or in my case, bedtime reading!).

Did you enjoy this article? Join my tribe today, and I will send you a fabulous FREE book to get you started… (be warned, my vampires do not sparkle, and my wolves will bite!)