

My learning journey
Returning to education in my late forties has been a rewarding and enjoyable experience as I learnt more about myself than I had at school. I enjoyed primary and middle school – as learning in smaller classes was fun and informal – but transiting to larger classes at high school was difficult and stressful as I was often bullied for being quiet and shy. I … Continue reading My learning journey
Shibden Hall, Halifax: Gentleman Jack and diaries of one woman’s remarkable life
Originally posted on Welcome to the Beautiful North:
I recently went to Halifax to see an art exhibition (post to follow in due course) and took the opportunity to visit Shibden Hall, the ancestral home of the Lister family. The Hall is less than two miles from Halifax town centre, so I jumped into a taxi. ? Shibden Hall was built in the early 15th… Continue reading Shibden Hall, Halifax: Gentleman Jack and diaries of one woman’s remarkable life
Book review: Chocolat (1999) by Joanne Harris
Chocolat is a timeless novel about love, life and prejudice; intertwined with a little magic, sadness – and chocolate. This centres on a young single mother, Vianne Rocher, who breezes into the old-fashioned French village of Lansquenet with her six-year-old daughter Anouk and causes a stir by opening a chocolaterie at the beginning of Lent, which is opposite the church. Father Reynaud, the parish priest, … Continue reading Book review: Chocolat (1999) by Joanne Harris
5 Simple Steps To Drastically Improve Your Writing
Originally posted on irevuo:
If you’ve always wanted to share your thoughts and ideas and stories with the world, then surely you’ve asked yourself this simple questions: How do I become a better writer? Well, even though it takes years and years of practice, following these five simple steps will drastically improve your writing. 1. Steal (like an artist) Whoa! Wait a minute, Cristian. What… Continue reading 5 Simple Steps To Drastically Improve Your Writing
How Not to be Boring (as a Blogger)
Originally posted on The Art of Blogging:
There’s something you need to know, and I’m afraid you’re not going to like it. Your blog is putting me to sleep. I gave it about three seconds of my attention… Nothing grabbed my eye. No headline inspired me to read. No images drew me in. And here’s the thing: it was easy for me to rid myself of… Continue reading How Not to be Boring (as a Blogger)
The Subtle Art of Blogging
Originally posted on The Art of Blogging:
When I decided to start this blog, I knew that there was more to blogging that the usual technical stuff related to using the WordPress platform, that there was an art to blogging. And art is difficult to define, let alone write a recipe for. It’s like trying to create life out of nothing — and perhaps art,… Continue reading The Subtle Art of Blogging

5 great reasons why you should share other blogs
Originally posted on dansbookblog:
Daniel Leone ? Do you follow other blogs? If so, why? What is it about other blogs that makes you hit that ‘follow’ button? Is it their sense of humour? The topic they cover? Or just that you like the photos they use? ? Sharing is cari- ooh, donuts! For me, it’s about more than that, I look at it on… Continue reading 5 great reasons why you should share other blogs
A Black Crayon
Originally posted on Jaimee's Journal:
? The smell of crayons always takes me back to my first childhood memories of creativity. Crayons were almost always available and easy enough to use though I was never “that kind” of an artist. To this day, I love the way the wax slides across the paper and catches every bump or imperfection both in the paper and… Continue reading A Black Crayon

Writing: a journey of self-discovery
I love the idea beginning Evie Gaughan’s post – you don’t become a writer, you discover you are one. This suggests writing is innate and not learned, just lying underneath waiting to be discovered, perhaps for a lifetime. As a child, I enjoyed reading and writing letters to family – who writes letters these days! – and became fascinated with fantasy worlds and words on … Continue reading Writing: a journey of self-discovery
My Writing Life
Originally posted on Evie Gaughan:
I read somewhere that you don’t become a writer; you discover you are one, and I suppose that’s what happened to me. People always talk about their love of books as a child, but I also had a love of stories and storytelling. So much so, that I often made up my own and told them – seanchaí style –… Continue reading My Writing Life