School Summer Holidays

School is out for summer, hooray! We have been very busy during the past academic year, and both me and my girls are exhausted. Being a parent in general is exhausting, but when you have to do the school run every day, remember packed lunches, money for clubs, equipment and kits, and respond to the many letters that we receive throughout the year, you realise why we need a summer holiday. I never appreciated it before I had children. Now I do! But there is no rest for us.

Tomorrow morning we must be awake early to pack the car and travel up the M6 motorway to Blackpool, where I am attending Books on the Beach. Will I see you there?

Text reads, "Don't miss out on Catherine Green's latest book!" Image of two women in an intimate pose, one woman is a vampire with blood on her face and the other woman is a vampire hunter holding a knife to the vampire’s chest, drawing blood. 3D book cover image for “Return of the Vampire Hunter” LGBT fantasy book by vampire writer Catherine Green including phone and iPad download images for tablet, iPhone, and android book readers.
LGBT fantasy novel set in Manchester, England. “Return of the Vampire Hunter” by Catherine Green.

School Summer Holidays

Here is a taste of one of the books I am exhibiting, Return of the Vampire Hunter, which was inspired by my work as a mother and wife during the past few years:

Excerpt from “Return of the Vampire Hunter” by Catherine Green

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?”

Get the book here.

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LGBT werewolf fantasy story “It’s Complicated (The Redcliffe Novels)” by Catherine Green

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When a Witch Falls in Love

Have you ever met a vampire? I was never quite sure whether they existed, despite what my family said.

My parents warned me never to get close to a vampire. They told me that it is dangerous for witches. Vampires would seek to seduce us and feed from our power as well as our blood, and we could not compromise our coven by allowing such an attack.

But I always felt like my family didn’t quite understand vampires. They feared them, even though they told me we could defeat them.

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When a Witch Falls in Love – from the LGBT fantasy novel “Vampire of Blackpool” by Catherine Green

When a Witch Falls in Love

The more they tried to persuade me not to seek out vampires, the more I wanted to find one, to see for myself exactly how cold and calculating they could be. And then I met Meredith Hanson, in Blackpool of all places! I moved to a new hospital for work, and it was only a few months into my job that I met her. She was in my local pub one night, The Raven. I had made some friends there, and the pub landlord had decided he must watch over me on behalf of my coven. He was a powerful witch, and I knew immediately when the vampire entered his pub, because I felt his energy and I saw his reaction to her presence.

Meredith quite literally took my breath away. I had never been in love before, and I had no idea what these strange feelings were. My heart flipped, my pulse raced, I felt both hot and cold, and I had to speak to her. She tried to ignore me, and then she tried to frighten me away, but I was smitten. I felt like a giggling schoolgirl in her presence, especially when I sensed how old she was. Paul, the pub landlord, tried very hard to send her away, but she refused, because she was in the mood to play. Eventually she decided to go hunting, and I stupidly followed her outside. That first night she nearly drank my blood, but I was strong enough to stop her with my magic. And then she decided that I was interesting, when she recognised my strength as a witch. And our game began. I knew she was only playing, but I also knew I had to see her again. We began dating, but not in the traditional sense. We just seemed to bump into each other, and eventually she accepted that we needed to be together.

Not an easy start to a relationship

It wasn’t an easy start to a relationship, but then it never is when you deal with supernatural creatures. Our moods are far more extreme than humans, and of course we have magical abilities and additional strength to contend with. Meredith and I battled quite a lot in those early days, but that just made me want her more, and it made her even more hungry for me. Then she met the vampire hunter that had been sent to kill her, she put him in the hospital, and he ended up on my ward. I had to help her before he completed his job, but I didn’t want her to kill him either. I’m not a violent person, that’s why I trained as a nurse. But when a witch falls in love with a vampire, you must expect violence eventually. I helped Meredith to deal with the hunter, and we tried to continue our relationship. It was tough, and my coven certainly did not approve. They still hate her now, and they have pretty much excommunicated me. But I don’t care. As long as I am with her, I am happy. She is my lover, my other half, my best friend. And I am hers.

Image of a female vampire facing a vampire hunter man who has his back to the viewer and is holding a knife behind his back. You can see Blackpool Tower and Blackpool Illuminations in the foreground. 3D book cover image for “Vampire of Blackpool” fantasy novel by LGBT fantasy book writer Catherine Green including phone and iPad download images for tablet, iPhone, and android book readers.
LGBT fantasy novel set in Northern England. “Vampire of Blackpool” by Catherine Green.

Did you enjoy this article? Download your FREE copy of LGBT fantasy short story It’s Complicated (The Redcliffe Novels) and meet the werewolves of Cornwall, England.  Click here. 

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Femdom Dating and the BDSM Community

Summer is upon us, and we are bombarded by media images coaxing us to try different methods of dating, to find our true love, or simply to have a summer fling. I’m talking Love Island, First Dates and all those other TV shows that are popular right now. There has even been a series of programmes exploring alternative sex lives, pornography and LGBTQ+ lifestyle.  

Have you explored dating within the BDSM community? This is an area I am enjoying now, and more specifically, femdom dating.

Femdom Dating and the BDSM Community sponsored article by Catherine Green for SpookyMrsGreen.com mindful parenting and modern pagan lifestyle blog.
Femdom Dating and the BDSM Community

Femdom Dating and the BDSM Community

Traditionally, dominant sex partners were men, and submissive partners were women. But the balance of power is changing, and women are taking back control of the men in their lives. Now you will find dominant women seeking men or women to be submissive, over whom they can exert any number of mind games, sexual tension, sensual control and other activities. Femdom dating is a fast-growing industry, and indeed a very exhilarating lifestyle for the right people. Some men feel they are expected to be dominant and commanding in their professional lives, when really, they just want to bow before the feet of their Mistress or Master and do as they are told. Here is where femdom dating can be the answer to your prayers.

Some men and women can live in quite submissive personal situations, and they want the opportunity to throw off the shackles and restraints. When you have grown up in a society that teaches you to obey authority and follow orders, sometimes you want to break free from that institution, issue your own orders, and have someone kneeling before you to be your plaything and your sounding board. When your daily life becomes a boring routine, it can be fun to shake it up a little and meet some new people with new ideas. Subs and Doms will naturally come together and find their dynamic, either as a duo or something more. Subs will often need punishment and training from both a Mistress and a Master, to provide different experiences and create different results. Doms will have a set routine for training and punishment of their subs, and occasionally they grow bored of the sub they are working with. Then it is time to find a new sub, or perhaps more than one, so that they can create a collection of willing slaves to do their bidding.

The world of domination and submission is so very expansive that it cannot be explained in words. It must be lived, experienced, felt by the individual. What feels good for one sub may not have the desired effect on another person. One Dom may use very different toys and methods of punishment, or they learn what their sub will respond to, and adjust their play sessions accordingly. Ultimately, when you explore the BDSM world, you will be awestruck, unable to break free, and totally in love with the lifestyle. Happy playtime!

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Warning Adult Content

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What I Learned from Killer Queen

I am a VERY PROUD MUMMY! Last week my eldest daughter took to the stage in her school summer play, a production of We Will Rock You adapted from the Ben Elton musical.

My daughter landed the role of Killer Queen, and she rocked it! She has never been very confident to perform in front of people before now, but she auditioned for the part at school, and she was very excited to be the leading villain character in the play.

What I Learned from Killer Queen article about my daughter's KS2 primary school play and her acting skills. Written by Catherine Green for #MummyMonday at SpookyMrsGreen.com mindful parenting and modern pagan lifestyle blog.
#MummyMonday What I Learned from Killer Queen KS2 Primary School Play

What I Learned from Killer Queen

We Will Rock You was performed by our Year 3 (my daughter and her friends) and Year 4 children, each taking half of the performance. I am still buzzing from watching them perform and seeing how confident and talented the children are. And I am in awe of the teachers for producing such a fabulous play in just four weeks. They have worked damned hard, and they certainly deserve their summer holiday.

Towards the end of last week I spent some time musing on the character of Killer Queen. My mum, and some of the school mums told me that my daughter looked exactly like me when she took on the stern, dominating persona of Killer Queen. Apparently, she has the same stern look that I give when the children misbehave. Otherwise she generally resembles her father, poor child (I’m joking!).

I want to be Killer Queen

I decided that I quite like being equated to Killer Queen. OK, I’m not planning world domination or brainwashing people, but I would like to command a room when I enter it, and I would like a bit of presence in a crowd. I was always a shy, meek child that never answered back and never questioned authority, but I am encouraging my children to always assess the bigger picture before they fall in line. Admittedly that strategy does backfire when they question my instructions, but mostly I am happy to see my girls growing up confident, self-assured and demanding respect for themselves. And I decided that I am going to take some lessons from Killer Queen and be more assertive.

It’s about time I started speaking up for myself and get what I want for a change. “Alchemy, Khashoggi. Pure alchemy!” – Killer Queen from “We Will Rock You.”

Image of a woman standing between two men who are partly in shadow. All are wearing black clothes and look mysterious. 3D book cover image for "Love Kills (A Redcliffe Novel)" from the vampire and werewolf fantasy book series by LGBT fantasy book writer Catherine Green including phone and iPad download images for tablet, iPhone, and android book readers.
LGBT fantasy book series set in Cornwall. “Love Kills (The Redcliffe Novels) ” #2 by Catherine Green.

Did you enjoy this article? Download your FREE copy of LGBT fantasy short story It’s Complicated (The Redcliffe Novels) and meet the werewolves of Cornwall, England.  Click here

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Join Us for Books on the Beach in Blackpool

The first Books on the Beach event will take place at The Village Hotel in Blackpool on Saturday 20th July 2019, just one week to go, eek!

We will be joined by over 80 authors from across the globe. We are excited to bring so many names together under one roof and we would love it if you could join us!

Check out our Facebook group for more details and to meet the authors who will attend.

#BookTalk Books on the Beach Indie Author Event in Blackpool featuring LGBT Fantasy Book Writer Catherine Green at SpookyMrsGreen.com mindful parenting and modern pagan lifestyle blog.
Books on the Beach Indie Author Event in Blackpool

I will be at the event showcasing my contemporary English Gothic novel Vampire of Blackpool, along with the Redcliffe novels series and whatever else I can find in my stash. There will even be book themed handmade greetings cards and bookmarks that I will offer to visitors. Order your ticket today and we will see you in Blackpool!

#BookTalk Key to My Heart Books on the Beach Anthology featuring LGBT Fantasy Book Writer Catherine Green at SpookyMrsGreen.com mindful parenting and modern pagan lifestyle blog.
Key to My Heart Books on the Beach Anthology

Download your FREE copy of LGBT fantasy short story It’s Complicated (The Redcliffe Novels) and meet the werewolves of Cornwall, England.  Click here. 

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How to Improve Your Mood

How is your mood today? Mine isn’t very good, and I know that I need to take better care of myself.

Let’s explore how to improve your mood in my blog post.

Image of a crying panda emoji on a grey cloudy background. Text reads, "How to improve your mood @SpookyMrsGreen." SpookyMrsGreen.com mindful parenting and modern pagan lifestyle blog.
How to Improve Your Mood

How to Improve Your Mood

I have been rather grumpy during the past few weeks. At first, I thought it was due to my busy domestic demands, and the fact that I was struggling to find “me time.” Then I wondered if the weather might be a factor: could I be experiencing Seasonal Affective Disorder in summer? I suppose it is possible
 but that wasn’t the cause either. I was feeling frustrated about my husband’s job prospects (now thankfully resolved), and I was feeling incredibly frustrated about my own lack of self-discipline.

You see, I hadn’t written anything properly in weeks. I simply couldn’t find the time or the motivation. And I realised that I was actively blocking out my time with pointless busy tasks, or what I call “faffing around.” Lack of time isn’t my problem. It is lack of discipline to use my time wisely. And a grumpy attitude.

Once I established what my problem was, I set about giving myself the proverbial kick up the backside. I am still faffing around, but I am also consciously trying to get back in my writing routine, do something productive, and improve my mood by doing what makes me happy. How do you improve your mood when you feel grumpy?

Text reads, "Don't miss out on Catherine Green's latest book!" Image of two women in an intimate pose, one woman is a vampire with blood on her face and the other woman is a vampire hunter holding a knife to the vampire’s chest, drawing blood. 3D book cover image for “Return of the Vampire Hunter” LGBT fantasy book by vampire writer Catherine Green including phone and iPad download images for tablet, iPhone, and android book readers.
LGBT fantasy novel set in Manchester, England. “Return of the Vampire Hunter” by Catherine Green.

Download your FREE copy of LGBT fantasy short story It’s Complicated (The Redcliffe Novels) and meet the werewolves of Cornwall, England.  Click here

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Working from Home

Do you work from home? I do. Read my blog post about working from home, the challenges I face, and why it is the best job for me as an LGBT fantasy book writer and mindful parenting blogger.

Image of LGBT fantasy book writer Catherine Green holding her novel "Vampire of Blackpool." Text reads, "Working from home @SpookyMrsGreen." SpookyMrsGreen.com mindful parenting and modern pagan lifestyle blog.
Working from Home as an LGBT fantasy book writer and mindful parenting blogger.

Working from Home

I have been a professional freelancer for about five or six years. It came about slowly while I had babies and needed to be at home with them. When I got my novels published, and had some short stories accepted for anthologies, it gave me the confidence to pursue a freelance writing career. My challenge has been finding the right people and the right companies to pitch work to.

I found my way into blog writing and managed to get by with sponsored blog posts and product reviews for a while. My work has generally been quite sporadic. I will have weeks of very little income while I try and find writing jobs. Then I will have weeks where I feel overwhelmed with the responsibility. And around all of this I am juggling childcare and family life.

Work from home jobs for mums

Work from home jobs for mums are not as glamorous or as lucrative as we are led to believe. For example, even though I earn money as a freelancer, I am still way below the threshold where I am considered important enough to register with the government so I can pay tax. Now, that might seem like a good thing, but it means I might not get a very good state pension when I am older, if such a thing still exists by then. I do not earn enough money to support my family: that task falls to my husband.

And then I fall into the classic trap where I feel a bit blasĂ© about working. I find myself easily distracted by household tasks, the need to run errands and be sociable. I find it difficult to assert when I need to be on the laptop actually working. And it is my own fault. I need to knuckle down, get tough on myself, and take my career in freelancing seriously. Nobody else is going to do it for me. Let’s see how that works out when I have the children home for summer holidays and my husband working away from home
 wish me luck!

Vampire writer Catherine Green working on her laptop at SpookyMrsGreen.com mindful parenting and modern pagan lifestyle blog.
Vampire writer Catherine Green working on her laptop

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Be More Mindful this Summer

I am in a strange mood this week. I feel exhausted, even though my sleep pattern hasn’t changed. I know that we are close to ending our academic year, and both me and my children need our school summer holiday so that we can rest and recuperate.

There is no reason for me to be so tired. I am not sick. I am not pregnant. And I am not depressed. But I just don’t feel right. I have no interest in work, and despite the very long list of jobs I must do around the house, I feel no desire or urgency to do any of them. This is a strange feeling.

Be More Mindful this Summer. Spiritual guidance from SpookyMrsGreen.com mindful parenting and modern pagan lifestyle blog.
Be More Mindful this Summer.

Be More Mindful this Summer

Does it sound familiar to you? Is it a mild form of depression, or is it related to the season I wonder? We are officially in British Summertime now, and I should be full of life and excited to be outside in the fresh air. Today it feels cool and there is a lot of cloud, with the occasional burst of sunshine. Maybe I just need to rest. Perhaps I should practice what I preach and be more mindful this summer. I am fortunate that my work is freelance so I can do as much or as little as I choose. My husband will provide our financial support through his job, and he doesn’t like taking holidays, so that works out well for me. I shall simply await the end of school term, and I shall enjoy some quiet time at home with my children, resting and recuperating.

Text reads, "Free e-book download. LGBT werewolf fantasy story. Download Now." Image of a sexy man showing a tattoo on his chest staring at the viewer with a sultry gaze. Vampire and werewolf fantasy books for adults. 3D book cover image for "It's Complicated (The Redcliffe Novels)" from the vampire and werewolf fantasy book series by LGBT fantasy book writer Catherine Green.
LGBT werewolf fantasy story “It’s Complicated (The Redcliffe Novels)” by Catherine Green

Did you enjoy this article? Download your FREE copy of LGBT fantasy short story It’s Complicated (The Redcliffe Novels) and meet the werewolves of Cornwall, England.  Click here. 

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Coping with Emotional Stress

Life is continuing at a very fast pace, and this is the time of year when I begin to feel symptoms of emotional exhaustion. The simplest tasks seem to take a lot of effort, I just want to lie on the sofa and do nothing, and I can barely comprehend the regular routine of being a mother and freelancer.

Death has visited again recently, and while I am not directly affected, I feel the weight of grief and emotional stress from my friends as they work through the events that have occurred.

Take a moment for spiritual self-care with LGBT fantasy book writer Catherine Green at SpookyMrsGreen mindful parenting and modern pagan lifestyle blog. đŸ‘»
Coping with Emotional Stress

Coping with Emotional Stress

I would like to retreat from social life and take time to sit alone in meditation, but that is not practically possible right now. I can take five minutes here and there before someone comes looking for me, but true peace will evade me until such time as I am properly alone. My reiki practice has developed sufficiently that I have learned methods to use during the day. Simple cleansing exercises like dry bathing, deep breathing and drinking water rather than coffee can make a huge difference to my emotional state. I don’t always adhere to these principles, much as I know they can help, but I at least have the knowledge to help myself when life becomes too difficult. I want to be present for my friends and family. But first I must be present for myself, prepare to engage with a world full of demands, and learn to step back before I crumble under the pressure. We will get through this.

Text reads, "Free e-book download. LGBT werewolf fantasy story. Download Now." Image of a sexy man showing a tattoo on his chest staring at the viewer with a sultry gaze. Vampire and werewolf fantasy books for adults. 3D book cover image for "It's Complicated (The Redcliffe Novels)" from the vampire and werewolf fantasy book series by LGBT fantasy book writer Catherine Green.
LGBT werewolf fantasy story “It’s Complicated (The Redcliffe Novels)” by Catherine Green

Did you enjoy this article? Download your FREE copy of LGBT fantasy short story It’s Complicated (The Redcliffe Novels) and meet the werewolves of Cornwall, England.  Click here. 

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Summer Solstice 2019

It is almost time for Summer Solstice, the longest day of the year, when we are supposed to be enjoying sunshine and warmth.

In complete contrast to the heatwave of 2018, this June has seen record levels of rainfall here in the UK. It just hasn’t stopped!

Summer Solstice with SpookyMrsGreen.com mindful parenting and modern pagan lifestyle blog.
Summer Solstice at SpookyMrsGreen.com

Summer Solstice

We might have a few hours of dry weather, but you can guarantee the rain will start when we stand outside school waiting for the children. Our FAB festival was a mud bath all last weekend, but that didn’t stop the crowds turning out. We are used to the rain, and we simply carry on with our activities, smiling and soggy. Instead of complaining about the rain, I have been studying nature while out on my walks. The plants and trees are flourishing, the bottom of my garden is grown wild, and we have a bumper crop of strawberries this year. Everything is vibrant and colourful. The rain is doing us a favour, even if we find it inconvenient when we just want to sit in the pub beer garden and be sociable.

There are a few small rivers running through Middlewich, and the river Weaver, which flows near the Shropshire Union Canal, regularly bursts its banks during heavy rain. It is surrounded by farmers’ fields and hasn’t yet breached the road that runs alongside it, but there are lots of big puddles to contend with. I often walk alongside the river once I leave the canal path, and I managed to capture some lovely photos of the flooded river, which you can see here. It has almost reached the footpath, which is the worst flooding I have seen on this site in a good few years, but it is for now a very pleasant place to walk past. I know there are places in the UK that have been flooded out, and people have had to evacuate their homes. The worst we experienced here was a flooded driveway and wet feet when we got in and out of the car, but that has all subsided now and it never reached the house. My garden is a bog, but like I said, the plants, trees and grass love it, and the whole place feels alive with vitality and fresh energy. Merry Solstice, my friends!

Text reads, "Free e-book download. LGBT werewolf fantasy story. Download Now." Image of a sexy man showing a tattoo on his chest staring at the viewer with a sultry gaze. Vampire and werewolf fantasy books for adults. 3D book cover image for "It's Complicated (The Redcliffe Novels)" from the vampire and werewolf fantasy book series by LGBT fantasy book writer Catherine Green.
LGBT werewolf fantasy story “It’s Complicated (The Redcliffe Novels)” by Catherine Green

Download your FREE copy of LGBT fantasy short story It’s Complicated (The Redcliffe Novels) and meet the werewolves of Cornwall, England.  Click here

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