#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.

Inspired by the Seaside #amwriting

Ah, the seaside! Such a lovely place. We are fortunate to live within driving distance of many beautiful, sandy beaches along the British coast. Our favourite family destination is Talacre Beach in North Wales. It is dog friendly all year round, there is a quirky old lighthouse that always fires my imagination, and the beach is surrounded by sand dunes to explore. Every time we visit I come home feeling refreshed and invigorated. Wading into the shallow waves along the shore, feeling the cold sea water wash over my feet, I drink in the natural healing powers of the ocean. And then I walk across the soft sand, allowing it to warm my feet and tickle my toes. Bliss!

It is no surprise that most of my novels are set in seaside locations. TheRedcliffe novels, for example, are set in a fictitious holiday town in Cornwall. The location was inspired many years ago when we used to holiday down there at a friends’ hotel. I spent many hours wandering along the beach, exploring the working harbour, and climbing higher up to look out over the bay, all the while picturing my werewolves and vampires hunting around the area.

More recently I turned my attentions to a classic Victorian seaside holiday destination. Blackpool is a town with a chequered past, to say the least. It was established by the Victorians as a place to visit the sea, take in the fresh air, and revive the senses after long, hard days spent working in the industrial factories of the North of England. Nowadays, Blackpool draws in crowds of families, and it is a popular destination for hen parties and stag parties (I had my hen weekend there, years ago!). Read The Vampire of Blackpool for my take on contemporary English Gothic, and see what you think.

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!) 

Festival Fun and the School Summer Holidays

Hello my friends, and Merry Summer Solstice!

I am recovering from a wonderfully entertaining weekend at the Middlewich FAB Festival, where I had the honour of exhibiting my books in the boatyard at Middlewich Narrowboats. I had a prime spot right opposite the stage, and I watched a fantastic variety of singers and musicians perform their sets. It was good to see so many people visiting our little town, and to hear so much praise for the festival. Credit to the organisers, that's for sure!

Now we are on the slippery slope to school summer holidays. My eldest daughter has almost finished her first year at primary school, and my youngest her first year at preschool. There will be emotional moments as I watch them growing up, but for now I am a little nervous at the prospect of being at home with them for almost seven weeks solid. Luckily, I have booked my mum in for backup and we will invade her house for a week, and then we have a family holiday planned in August. What are your plans for summer?

In the meantime, I am preparing for our next big event, the Northwich Memorial Court mind, body and spirit festival on 30th and 31st July. See you there! 

"The Vampire of Blackpool" Limited Edition Paperback Novel

The Vampire of Blackpool is available to order now as a limited edition paperback novel! Get your copy here. Enjoy!

The vampire, the witch, and the hunter battle it out in a contemporary Gothic adventure in Northern England.

Meredith Hanson lives in Blackpool, the former Victorian holiday hotspot of Northern England. She masquerades as a reclusive author, feeding on the blood of unsuspecting tourists without remorse. Her life takes on new meaning when she meets a young witch in a local pub one evening. Despite Meredith’s cold demeanour, she finds herself oddly fascinated with Samantha Morris, and falls into an accidental relationship with the girl. It is at this time that a vampire hunter arrives in Blackpool. He is tough, he is determined, and his next target is an ancient vampire that has been spotted in the tourist town. He intends to bring her down and destroy her to save the lives of innocent humans. 

Will he succeed? Or will the experienced vampire seductress be the cause of his undoing? 

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!) 

The Wolf and the Fairy: A Contemporary Adult Fairytale

I just released a new short story! The Wolf and the Fairy is a contemporary adult fairytale that I submitted to a competition but was unsuccessful with. I did, however, really enjoy the finished product, and so here it is for the world to see. Please do leave a review and tell me what you think. Thanks!

She is a werewolf hunter, descended from ancient fairies, destined to fulfill her role in the family business. He is a lone wolf, his family brutally torn away, revenge his motivation for existence. The fairy and the wolf come together in a violent union as this modern, adult fairy tale gives us an alternative account of life in ancient Britain, and how it has evolved in the present day.

Available to download now in most digital formats.

The Darkness of Love by Catherine Green #histfic #paranormal

Available to buy in paperback and all eBook formats now, see Chances Press for details and buy links.

Show It Off Saturday with Coffee Time Romance #amreading

I am kicking off my Easter Celebrations with a showcase on Coffee Time Romance next weekend. Come and join me on Saturday 19th March for some fun with the Redcliffe Pack, free books, bargain books, and lots of romance and witch activity. See you there!

Love Redeems (A Redcliffe Novel) #amreading #vampire

Love Redeems (A Redcliffe Novel) is widely available in bookshops, libraries and online. 

Meet the Authors at Sandbach Library, #Cheshire

On Wednesday 16th March at 7.00pm we are delighted to be hosting authors Amanda Brooke, Catherine Green, Charles Heathcote, Gill Hoffs and Sarah Ward for a stimulating evening of discussions about books and writing. Tickets £3.00, including refreshments.

For more details, see the Cheshire East Libraries website.

Love Kills (A Redcliffe Novel) #amreading #vampire

LoveKills (A Redcliffe Novel) is widely available in bookshops, libraries, and online

Love Hurts (A Redcliffe Novel) #amreading #vampire

Special offer on Kindle just 99p! 

Happy #WorldBookDay Everyone!

Every day is #WorldBookDay in our house. It's a fact. We have books strewn all over the place, and my daughters have adopted my habit of falling asleep with books in their beds... what can I say, they take after their mother! I find it incredibly hard to accept that there is such a problem with literacy in the world, but apparently that is a fact. I have grown up surrounded by books.

Most of my childhood photos show me holding a book, reading a book, or with a book somewhere nearby. Books are simply a way of life; a habit. My daughters know that the best way to get my attention is to put a book in front of me, and I will stop what I am doing and read to them. We love story-time. We love books!

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!) 

Excuse Me While I Renovate My Kitchen

You may have noticed that I have been rather quiet over here on the blog this month. I have been slightly distracted by a project that turned into something quite large, and very exciting. After living in our home for almost ten years, my  husband and I finally got round to renovating our kitchen. Yes, you heard me, we are renovating our kitchen!

The units were quite dated, very impractical, and offered the worst kind of storage solution for a growing family of four in a small, 2-bed Victorian terraced house.  We couldn’t quite afford to extend, and there isn’t very much land to work with anyway, so for now we are focusing on cosmetic improvements. This begins with a brand new kitchen, and I am incredibly excited as I watch it being installed! See My Kitchen Renovation Project over on my SpookyMrsGreen website.

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!) 

Meet Me in Nantwich for some #Spiritual Healing

I have exciting news, friends! This year you will see me at all of the weekend events run by Rosemary Douglas. I said I wanted to get back out there on the MBS circuit, and Spirit was listening. Now, I am officially back at work.

               

See me at Nantwich Civic Hall on Saturday 5th and Sunday 6th March. This is a Yoga event, also featuring folk of the faery and shaman tradition, so you are sure to find something of interest and delight. I will be doing a talk on stage on both days, sharing some insight about how I became the pagan housewife, SpookyMrsGreen, and my journey as an indie author. See you there!

My Vampire Boyfriend (A Redcliffe Short Story Anthology) #ASMSG #amreading

Available exclusively on Amazon Kindle

A Spiritual Home for the Redcliffe Novels

Last weekend I finally got myself back out on the MBS scene, after an absence of about 2 years (maternity leave). For those of you not in the know, MBS is short for Mind, Body and Spirit. These events are incredibly popular, and a wonderful way for spiritual people to come together and share their messages with others. For a long time, I talked myself out of exhibiting my novels, because I didn’t think they were suitable for the events. Rosemary Douglas, the owner, had other ideas. She can be very persuasive, and I am so glad she talked me into doing this event!

Sometimes we have to step outside our own minds in order to make sense of a situation, or find a new way to do something. While I was at the event, I sold some books, told some new people about my novels and my work, and gave out a few flyers and business cards. I also felt incredibly well rested and relaxed by the end of the day, because I was in my spiritual home. Surrounded by like-minded friends, I soaked in the warm, loving energy of Rosemary’s event, and I cannot wait to return for another one very soon. Why don’t you come and see me next time?

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!) 

#ValentinesDay New Release! My Vampire Boyfriend (A Redcliffe Story Anthology) #ASMSG

I have a brand new book out on a #ValentinesDay weekend release! This one contains some rather raunchy stories from our favourite vampires, witches and werewolves in Redcliffe, Cornwall. You have been warned... 

The pretty seaside town of Redcliffe in Cornwall is a popular location for holidaymakers during the summer season. It has good waves for surfing, good pubs for socialising, and a vibrant tourist industry. It is also home to a hidden werewolf pack, and several vampires and witches, who all live within human society, pretending to be just like the rest of us.

Bookshop owner Jessica Stone used to be one of those humans. Then she met Detective Jack Mason and his twin brother, Danny. They took her on a wild adventure that shows no sign of slowing down. Now she is deeply embedded with the vampires and werewolves, and learning the power of their lust, and a magnetic attraction that is just too hard to ignore. She is also learning about her own true heritage, and how to feed her desires and satisfy her powerful animal familiar that resides within.

This anthology contains adult themes, and scenes of a sexual nature. Order it now from Amazon Kindle.

Join us for Made in Middlewich this #ValentinesDay Weekend

Are you searching for a special, personal, handcrafted gift for your loved one this Valentine’s Day? Come along to Made in Middlewich on Saturday 13th February, and I am sure you will find what you are looking for.

We are bringing together the Middlewich Creative, a group of very talented local artists, makers, crafters and authors. Yes, that includes yours truly!

See you on Saturday! *kisses*

Love Redeems (A Redcliffe Novel) #paranormalromance #ASMSG #Supernatural

Books, Crystals and Holistic Healing for #ValentinesDay

I am pleased to announce that I will be at the annual Valentines Weekend Mind, Body and Spirit event in Stockport, brought to you by Rosemary Douglas. This is a very popular event, where you can indulge in some personal love and romance, serenaded by the gentle sounds of singing bowls, shaman drums, and the healing power of the didgeridoo.

There will be psychic healers, mediums, crystal therapists, holistic therapists, fairy and angel folk, and many more beautiful people to meet and make friends with. And, of course, you can see me and my books (and maybe even a brand new book, if I’m feeling generous!)

See you on #ValentinesDay for our secret date!