2020: the Pandemic, the Lockdown, the Chaos

You couldn’t write this stuff! Twelve months ago, I wrote about how I was glad to see the end of 2019 as it had proved to be a painful and grief-stricken year. For many people 2020 has been the worst year ever, and while I didn’t experience bereavement due to the pandemic, I had a pretty traumatic time.

 

It began with the training of our rescue dog, Marley. We soon discovered that he was an escape artist, and after several awkward confrontations with our neighbours when he tried to claim their garden, we spent over £1000 installing enough fences and barriers to keep him at home. Seriously, our back garden looked like a prison yard by the time we finished! Then began his behavioural training program. By that time, we were heading into Lockdown and our local dog training centre was closed. They did offer a course online, however, so my daughters and I spent some time making videos of our progress, receiving feedback from the trainer, and generally trying to keep Marley occupied so that he didn’t escape again.

 

My grandad died in March following a long illness, which left my family and I worried for his widow. Nan decided to remain at home on her own with their two elderly dogs. Both dogs died in quick succession during lockdown, and now my Nan is completely alone for the first time in her 90-year life. We have a big family, and she could stay with relatives, but she is determined to stay in her own home and wait out the pandemic. Her neighbours are looking out for her, and close relatives visit every day to bring supplies and check in.

 

During Lockdown I had this crazy idea that I could finally finish writing book 6 in the Redcliffe Novels series. That didn’t happen. I think my Muse went into self-isolation, because she disappeared and I’m still waiting for her to return. Not to be deterred, I threw myself into the business of my pagan family lifestyle blog, SpookyMrsGreen, and that has come along in leaps and bounds. Then I decided to launch a reiki therapy business, because you know that is a great idea during a pandemic!

 

Oh, and then there was my home renovation project, when I single-handedly stripped all the wallpaper in our living/dining room, hall, stairs and landing, and the bathroom (don’t ask!), and then repainted all of those rooms by myself. Well, my children helped a little… and the dog! I was happy with the result, and hopefully in 2021 I can entice my Muse to return so we can finish what we started ten years ago… Please?!

 

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Return of the Vampire Hunter by Catherine Green

Return of the Vampire Hunter is pure urban fantasy with a hint of seduction thrown in for good measure. Set in Manchester, Northern England, it is a contemporary story with all the darkness of classic Gothic monsters.

Just your average Cheshire housewife – who used to hunt vampires!

Hannah Oakley used to be a vampire hunter. She retired from active service when she fell in love with the female vampire she was hunting, but old wounds refuse to heal. She and the vampire fought almost to the death, and now it seems that the vampire has tracked her down. Hannah must return to work, grudgingly accepting help from a new hunting partner, and she is determined that this time she will finish the job. But can she ignore the old lust for her vampire lover? Is the mother able to be a vampire hunter one more time? And will her marriage survive the ordeal?

Return of the Vampire Hunter is available from Amazon US; Amazon UK and in your favourite eBook store – Click here.

Excerpt:

We were on the motorway and I was in the passenger seat. I had been passing food to the children in the back seat, and as I twisted back round to face forward, I glanced at James. My heart skipped a beat and then pounded heavily as the world spun around me.

            “What is that on your neck?” I asked sharply.

            James glanced at me and then checked his mirrors as he moved into the middle lane.

            “What?” he asked absently.

            “That,” I said, “On your neck.”

            I reached across and gently touched the mark on his skin. It looked like two small, neat puncture wounds. A vampire bite. Shit.

            James touched the bruise, winced, and then shook his head.

            “I don’t know,” he said, “I must have cut myself shaving.”

            “That is not a shaving wound,” I said.          

            He glanced at me again and frowned.

            “Why are you so upset about it?” he asked curiously, “It’s nothing.”

            I stared at the tiny wound as my whole world flipped upside down. Was it Elaine? Had she finally found me? Or was it another stray vampire? One thing was certain; I had to return to work. This one had to be destroyed before it came for my whole family. Gathering my senses, I shook my head and smiled.

            “Oh, forget it,” I said lightly, “It looked more serious at first, that’s all. But if it doesn’t hurt then it doesn’t matter. Can you see the sea yet, girls?”

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The Truth about being a Freelance Writer

I have reached a point where I am about ready to give up my dreams of making a living from my books and my writing. For the past five years or so, I have tried all sorts of strategies to try and break into the “professional” arena. But just last week I learned a valuable lesson: there is no right or wrong way to do it. When it comes to earning money from your writing, you simply need to have contact with the right people in the right places, at the right time. For example, I could submit a manuscript to a literary agent, but depending on if and when they find time to look at it, I probably won’t make an impression.

The key lesson, I realised, is that we should never give up. I only submit manuscripts once or twice a year to agents and publishers, unless I am paying a publisher for their services. I have probably submitted even less pitches for freelance writing work if I take an average. Mostly it is because the publications I want to write for rarely share their contact details in public places. And the smaller publications that I approach usually tell me they can’t (or won’t) pay for my work, but they are happy to publish an article for free. Well, I am done with that. I publish free articles on my SpookyMrsGreen blog three times a week, and I have submitted more work than I care to remember to professional organisations. It is time for some payback in the form of cold, hard cash. I am still searching for that lucrative contract, but I need to give myself a kick up the backside, stop being complacent, and get on with it. Let’s see how we get on…

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I Called, and You Came – Thank You!

Last week I went through a mini crisis of confidence. My freelance work had dried up and my blog seemed to have fallen into a void, with little or no response to recent blog posts. Perhaps my fragile ego needed some attention. Maybe I just felt like having a tantrum. Whatever it was, I decided to write out my frustrations, and posted on SpookyMrsGreen.com with the desperate title Is Anyone There?

The answer was swift and was a resounding yes! Not only did I receive some very heartfelt comments on the blog post, but some of my close personal friends spoke directly to me and said that they do read my blog posts, and they enjoy reading them. That is all I needed. I love writing. I want other people to love what I write. Yes, alright, my blog posts are personal and will sometimes be completely irrelevant to other people. Other times I will post sponsored content or reviews. But all of it comes from the heart, my heart, and that is the point of being a writer. Thank you, my friends. I truly appreciate your love and support.

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#AmWriting Ghost Hunter Diaries

It is funny how random encounters can trigger memories and encourage us to act. Last week I received a phone call from a journalist, and following that conversation, I remembered that I never did write up my Ghost Hunter Diaries for publication. These are a series of memoirs from my years of ghost hunting with North West Spirit Seekers, around ten years ago. I learned a lot about mediumship and paranormal investigation, and I experienced a lot of activity in various locations, mainly around the North West of England, but I also managed a few hunts in other parts of the country, in Wales and in Scotland.

Interested? You can read a few of my original Ghost Hunter Diaries over on my SpookyMrsGreen blog. For now, I am writing up the non-fiction book into some sort of coherent form, and I will begin seeking a publisher. Do you have any suggestions or know of any open submissions?

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I’m in a Colouring Book! Dark & Dirty Book Quotes

I am very excited to announce that you can now find me inside a colouring book! How cool is that?!! The Dark and Dirty Book Quotes colouring book, produced by Obsessed by Books Designs, is now available to download for your colouring pleasure. Be warned, the quotes are explicit and for adult eyes only. This book is for use after the children have gone to bed! It features designs and quotes from a wide variety of indie authors, myself included, with beautiful, intricate images that you can colour in. I can’t wait to receive my copy, and I look forward to seeing what you do with yours… 

30 pages of adult colouring.

Hours of entertainment, colour in the pages of various book quotes from some of the most fantastic books.

Intricate patterns to test your ability to colour inside the lines.

Created by Maria Lazarou @Obsessed by Books Designs

**Contains Explicit Material**

Authors Included:

C.A.Bell, Yolanda Olson, Scarlet Le Clair , Elizabeth Cash , L Chapman, Ker Dukey, Amara Lebel, Zak Jane Keir, C.L. Monaghan, Catherine Green, T.L Wainwright , K.L. Humphreys, Samantha Fontien, Tracie Podger , Audrina Lane , ML Preston, JF Holland, Laura Morgan , Liv Honeywell, Scarlet Le Clair , K. Spencer, L.M. Mountford, Lily Luchesi, Gemma James, Lavinia Urban, Sienna Grant, Jennah Thornhill, M.L. Kacy

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Life Adventures give Inspiration

I am in hospital. Alder Hey Children’s Hospital to be exact. My eldest daughter was admitted at the weekend in a flurry of chaos following a short illness. You can read the full story over on my pagan housewife blog, but for now I will share a little about my experience.

We have become familiar with visiting hospitals during the past four years when my father-in-law had a serious cycling accident. Now I am experiencing the life of a patient, a child patient to be exact. My daughter is 7 and wants me with her throughout the whole unpleasant experience, so I am camping beside her hospital bed. All of the activity, the various departments we have visited, the two hospitals and the associated flurry of chaos, has been like fuel for my writer brain. It will go into my novels at some point in the future. I will give my characters elements of the people I have met, I will use the locations as settings, and all sorts of other little features that help to build a story. Even in the darkest times, we can create magic.

Don’t forget to find me on social media:

Facebook; Twitter; The Pagan Housewife Blog; Instagram  

My novels are adult paranormal with equal amounts of dark romance and contemporary English Gothic. Sign up now for special offers and book release news.

Vampire of Blackpool by Catherine Green

British paranormal romance author Catherine Green has taken a break from her Redcliffe novels series set in Cornwall, and has launched her brand-new novel, Vampire of Blackpool. A contemporary English Gothic story, it tells the tale of vampire Meredith Hanson, her love interest Samantha Morris, and her rival, the vampire hunter Ryan James. The novel is strictly for an adult audience, and Catherine’s vampires do not sparkle!

Excerpt:

“What are you doing here, Meredith?” Samantha asked.

            I smiled but said nothing. Samantha looked at Ryan James. She frowned.

            “Did you do this to him?” she asked, moving forward but keeping the bed as a barrier between me and her.

            She leaned forward, appraising her patient with a professional eye. She took in the sling on his arm, the cuts and bruises all over his skin, and the large bandage on his left shoulder. She reached over and carefully lifted a corner of it, and her eyes widened. She knew the truth.

            “Why did you do this?” she asked, “And why are you here now?”

Don’t forget to find me on social media:

Facebook; Twitter; The Pagan Housewife Blog; Instagram  

My novels are adult paranormal with equal amounts of dark romance and contemporary English Gothic. Sign up now for special offers and book release news.

Writing in the Background

It occurred to me recently that I haven’t done any proper writing so far this year. By that I mean I haven’t worked on any of my novels. The only writing I currently do is the freelance blog writing on my SpookyMrsGreen blog. My time has been stolen away by domestic dramas and related activity. The main issue is my house. We are currently trying to sell so that we can upsize and get me a proper office space, but our house has been on the market for almost a year and so far, nobody wants it.

I need an office, not my dining room table!

Apparently, the first-time buyers that we seek don’t want to put the work in to make our house pretty again. It is old, built in 1896, but it is a good sized 2-bed terrace, and it is solid, cosy and warm. For now, I veer between desperately wanting to redecorate and try to make it appealing, to constantly moving toys around to try and give us more floor space, to doing the constant round of cleaning and tidying that comes of having a family and preparing for house viewings (we have one later today). My writing will resume eventually.

Don’t forget to find me on social media:

Facebook; Twitter; The Pagan Housewife Blog; Instagram  

My novels are adult paranormal with equal amounts of dark romance and contemporary English Gothic. Sign up now for special offers and book release news.

I Write for Manchester #ASMSG

I am in shock. Not my Manchester. Not my city. No, not those poor, innocent, decent families. Yes, it happened. The terrorist finally got in. All it took was one lost soul intent on wreaking devastation. We cannot comprehend a person that commits these atrocities. All we can do is pick up the pieces and move on. Manchester is strong. Manchester is resilient. Manchester never gives up.

Manchester is my Muse. I lived and worked in the city for several years. My husband studied at university. We frequented student pubs and nightclubs, the city centre shops, museums, and even the hospitals. Indeed, I am still a regular outpatient at the Manchester Royal Eye Hospital, which provided lots of writing inspiration during its transition from Gothic, old buildings to a smart new medical hub.

This week I grieve for those who died. I didn’t know them personally, but it doesn’t matter. I know the MEN arena (that is the name I know it by). I have been to concerts there in the past. I may consider taking my own children to concerts in the future, although right now it is the last thing I would do. Earlier that day, on Monday, I sent out a manuscript to a publisher for consideration. The novel is called Hunting the Hunted. It is about a vampire in Manchester city centre, and what happens when the hunters come for him. There are more Manchester vampire hunter stories in progress. My Muse has spoken. Manchester has spoken. My Manchester.

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!) 

Spiritual Writing

I am currently experiencing a lot of reiki healing as I study for my 2^nd Degree Okuden accreditation. Part of my work involves recording the results of my healing sessions both on myself, and on other people. I find it very therapeutic to write down my feelings, and have kept diaries and journals throughout my life. These will be a useful resource when I decide that the time is right to collect my scribblings and publish a series of non-fiction books covering my spiritual journey, my experiences with reiki energy healing, and my life as the pagan housewife. It is interesting to see how far I have come, when I was only ever going to write just 1 novel all those years ago…. Where will it end? Nobody knows!

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!) 

#MHAW17 Writing as Therapy

This week is Mental Health Awareness Week, and today I share a brief message about how I use writing as therapy. All my life I felt odd, alone, always on the outside looking in. Now, I come from a close-knit family, I was loved and supported as a child, and that continued into adulthood. I always had friends. I was never the popular girl at school. I was the geek. I was bullied. But I always knew that I was different, and that I just had to find my place, whatever that may be.

Writing has been my constant source of therapy and support. Throughout my teenage years, I kept diaries of my daily activities. Some of those entries might only have been a couple of sentences scribbled down before I went to bed. But I did them, because I knew that they helped. I still have those diaries, and perhaps one day I will incorporate them into a memoir.

My spiritual journey has progressed hugely during the past ten years or so. I am now completing my training in Reiki 2^nd Degree, Okuden. This Japanese energy healing system has brought about great transformation in me as a person, both emotionally and spiritually. Now I plan to share that with my family and friends, and maybe out into the wider world. I will continue to document my experiences, and I would be honoured if you will join me on the journey. Feel free to share your mental health stories. We all have a story. Be proud.

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!) 

Inspired to Write

My spiritual journey is picking up the pace again this year, and along with it is my determination to write more. Since I began my reiki training, I have taken time to work on self-care, meditation, energy clearing, and a lot more that I will elaborate on in due time.

You see, I now feel that the time is right for me to explore the avenue of non-fiction publishing. Up to now I have only published fictional novels and short stories, and all my non-fiction work has been online in blogs and on information websites. Well, I am currently collecting material for my #365DaysofTarot challenge. That will be the first non-fiction book I write. But after that, who knows? Perhaps a memoir of the pagan housewife… everyday reiki in a Western household… meditation and mindfulness for busy parents… the possibilities are growing all the time. Speak to you later. I have some writing to do!

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!) 

I Dream of a Writing Retreat

We are halfway through the school Easter holiday, and I have not been near my manuscripts for weeks. I just can’t find the time lately. What with my domestic challenges, the need to develop my pagan housewife bog into a viable income generator, building my readership of the Redcliffe novels, and all the other minutiae of modern life, where do I fit it in?

I know that patience is a virtue, and I know that it won’t always be like this. My younger daughter starts primary school in September, and I will have five days per week in which to work during school time. Surely, I can do it then? But I want to do it all now! My stories are niggling, my characters are shouting, and they all need to be dealt with. I can barely think straight. A writing retreat sounds fabulous, but again, I cannot fit it in with everything else that is active in my life. One day… one day…

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!) 

“My Mummy’s a Vampire Writer”

I make no secret of the fact that I write adult novels. My children are only young, aged 6 and 3, and my eldest daughter is now of an age where she can read full sentences. I realised that I must now take care of what I am writing when she is in the room! I had a similar experience with our next-door neighbour a few years ago, so have been fairly secretive since then. I usually write my novels at night, when the children are in bed.

Anyway, I took my daughters to our local Scribe Festival recently. As a volunteer organiser, I took an active role in preparation of the event, and on the day, I wanted my children to get involved with the family activities. They loved it! I also wanted an author presence at the event, so I took my display banner and a collection of books to showcase. My banner has a vampire image on it, taken from the cover of my short story, Christmas with the Vampires. I thought nothing of it until my daughter studied the image for a while, asked a few questions about what that red stuff in the glass was, why was the lady lying down, and was the man a vampire? She began to look a little frightened as I explained that it was from one of my stories. Whoops!

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Author Brand Design

The world of publishing is certainly diverse these days. And there is so much more to being an author than simply writing your masterpiece and sending it out to the world. For starters, we need to decide whether to throw ourselves at the mercy of the publishing gatekeepers, only to be rejected time and time again, or whether to go it alone.

We know that being an independent (Indie) author can prove quite lucrative if it is done properly. I have learned during the past couple of years that all of those “overnight success stories” we hear about in the media are not necessarily accurate. The authors behind those successes have often spent years, anything up to a decade or longer, writing, publishing, networking and marketing before making their breakthrough.

I am at the point now where the idea of being an actual “proper” author is sinking in. I think we need to feel the lifestyle in order to project it. Up to now it has pretty much been a hobby that kept me entertained during my long days stuck at home nursing babies and preschoolers. Now my children are getting older, I am finding a bit more time to myself, and I must treat it like a job. Now I am developing my author brand. Exciting!

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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…

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!) 

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…

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!) 

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!

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!)