I am officially on holiday! Right now, I will most likely be enjoying the harbour views and a gentle stroll around the pretty village of Wells-Next-The-Sea in Norfolk.
Holiday Cottages UK
Holiday Time!
We found a delightful old cottage to stay in, which makes a change from the caravan homes of previous years. My daughters are excited to sleep in bunk beds for the first time. Our dog will indulge in his love for sea swimming and paddling on the shore. Bliss! See you in a week…
LGBT werewolf fantasy story “It’s Complicated (The Redcliffe Novels)” by Catherine Green
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The wheel of the year has turned again, and we are now in the season of the 1st harvest. Known as Lammas to some and Lughnasadh to others, for me it is a time for celebration.
My youngest daughter was born on the 1st of August! This week sees our family enjoying fun and parties, and then we are away for our summer holiday. But real life still goes on. We are still in a state of change and revolution.
Universal Waite-Smith Tarot card deck
Lammas Blessings and Hail Lugh! #365DaysofTarot
I drew out the Eight of Swords in a Tarot reading last week. The message was clear: “Free yourself! This prison or restriction is of your own making. Cut the ties that bind and allow yourself the freedom of expression. Be yourself.” The rest of the reading was about feeling invigorated and energised to finish a creative project. That sounds like Lammas energy to me! There was also a warning that I might be hiding in my work to avoid addressing personal challenges. Well, perhaps that message wasn’t for me. I can think of somebody else that it applies perfectly to at this time.
LGBT werewolf fantasy story “It’s Complicated (The Redcliffe Novels)” by Catherine Green
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Tomorrow is a very exciting day. My little girl will celebrate her fourth birthday! I am both excited and anxious about this event, if I am honest.
Having fun on holiday
You see, a couple of years ago, I wrote a blog post entitled Never Mind the Terrible Twos; Beware the Fearsome Fours. Yes, my elder daughter was a little angel up until she turned four. Then she rebelled, and it was a very challenging year.
My one consolation is that the younger child was not the same as her sister. She was noisy, confident, independent and assertive pretty much from the day she was born. And she is already a little diva when she wants to be. In fact, I have seen her pushing her big sister around, quite literally. And I am amazed at the control she has over our dog. He will obey her without question when she instructs him to do something. He ignores me most of the time. She is an old soul, that’s for sure.
Happy Birthday, Georgina. Mummy, Daddy, Elliot and Baxter love you very much.
LGBT werewolf fantasy story “It’s Complicated (The Redcliffe Novels)” by Catherine Green
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Having recently relaunched my Redcliffe novels series with new cover designs, I am in the process of working through my back catalogue and carefully planning any design work for new books that I have in progress.
It is understood that humans are visual beings, for the most part. We take in the physical appearance of things, people and pictures when we make our initial judgement about whether to approach, touch or interact.
NEJ Photography based in Hereford and the local area.
The Art of Book Cover Design
This is very important for book cover design, and I knew this right from the start, but budget restrictions were a factor. Anyway, as time wore on and the book industry changed again, so have our attitudes and understanding of common practice. A very good friend of mine is a big fan of the Redcliffe novels series, and she happens to be an accomplished professional photographer. She offered to design the cover for my new novel Eye of the Tiger (A Redcliffe Novel), because apparently, she had something very specific in mind. Since I was mostly clueless about the visual aspect of my new book, I gladly accepted her offer. And I love the result!
Today I would like to take the opportunity to showcase the work of NEJ Photography. Based in Herefordshire, Natalie specialises in portrait and boudoir photography, local events and business portfolios, and she is now dabbling in book cover and digital art design. I have already commissioned her to create a new cover for my self-published novel The Vampire of Blackpool, and I cannot wait to see what she comes up with… no doubt it will be a Gothic masterpiece!
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.
Up until recently, I hadn’t taken much notice of the New Moon during the monthly cycles. I was always far more comfortable with Dark Moon energy. But this weekend I learned something new.
The Dark Moon is the point at which the moon seems to fade away, disappearing from view, leaving the sky dark and empty. This is traditionally a good time to banish all that no longer serves in your life, to clear out old habits, old attitudes, outdated beliefs, and even to clear out old belongings.
Universal Waite-Smith Tarot card deck
Embrace the New Moon Energy
My life is in a state of change at the moment. I have done a lot of energy work to clear out old things, using the Dark Moon for support. Now I need to move forward, and embrace all that is about to come. The New Moon is about new beginnings. A fresh start. A new project. There are various aspects that I refer to, some which are too personal and intimate to share at this time. But my Dark Moon and New Moon Tarot readings during the past couple of days totally backed up the energy that I am feeling.
#365DaysofTarot
The Strength Tarot card came out in a reading on the New Moon. She backed up my feelings of anxiety and uncertainty about events in my life. Her message was simple: “Embrace the challenge that has been presented to you. Yes, it is scary. It is way beyond your comfort zone. But you have prepared for this event, and you can embrace the change.”
LGBT werewolf fantasy story “It’s Complicated (The Redcliffe Novels)” by Catherine Green
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I used to think that Reiki was a magical, mysterious energy that healed anything and everything. But I didn’t think about it properly.
Yes, reiki does heal you. It is a very powerful, magical and mysterious energy. But you cannot expect it to simply cure all physical ailments, just like that. No, we must do the healing for ourselves, using reiki energy as a tool. It won’t work if we don’t attempt to help it along. And it is an ongoing process, often taking years to implement and more years still to continue.
This Mum needs a Rest
Why Reiki Won’t Cure a Cold
Take the common cold for an example. I am just recovering from a summer cold that I caught from my children. Darn those school germs! My husband had the cold and sore throat as well, so it was inevitable that it would reach me in the end. Of course, I called on reiki to help me shift it. But the illness lasted for almost a week. And that is because I was exhausted. I was burned out.
We are limping to the end of the school term (only a few more days now), I am all cried out with emotion as I deal with the transition from preschool to primary school for my youngest daughter, and I am stressed about the lack of sales interest on our house. Won’t somebody please buy our house soon so that we can move to a bigger one? We need space! And all of this together contributed to me catching a cold. I had neglected to eat healthily, I wasn’t exercising properly, and I haven’t had enough sleep. I need a break. I need a holiday. And that will happen very soon.
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.
Crafting has always been a big part of my life, so it is no surprise that my daughters have inherited my love for creativity.
My mum is a seamstress and fabric crafter, and while I have tried knitting and sewing in the past, my preference is with card making. I also dabble in bead jewellery making, but this has fallen into the background for now.
#MummyMonday Kids Craft Project
A Day Out to the Hobbycrafts Show @thecraftshows
My mum and I make time to visit the ICHF Sewing and Hobbycraft exhibitions in Manchester and Birmingham. It has become a good opportunity for us to spend time alone together away from home, and reconnect with our passion for craft. Last week we took my eldest daughter with us. She first attended a Hobbycraft show with us when she was a baby, around ten months old, and this time she was far more involved with the activities. She discovered the joy of glitter and acetate stamping, PixelArt, and Decopatch.
It was wonderful to sit with my daughter as she tried out these new crafts and learned new techniques. We came home with Pixel Hobby kits, a new decopatch project, acetate designs to use with the glitter and glue that we already have at home, new paints, stamps, and all sorts of other goodies. I am already looking forward to our next Hobbycrafts event later this year, where we will prepare for the Christmas season.
LGBT werewolf fantasy story “It’s Complicated (The Redcliffe Novels)” by Catherine Green
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Life is a little bit chaotic at present. We are at the end of the school summer term, preparing for big changes when my youngest daughter joins the school system. I just released a brand-new novel, and am the process of networking, doing the sales thing, and writing the other books in the series.
Our house is still for sale, and despite a few people coming to view it, so far nobody wants to buy. So, we are stuck in a place that is getting smaller as my children grow bigger.
Inspiration for the Redcliffe Novels LGBT fantasy book series for adults by vampire writer Catherine Green.
My Spiritual Journey: Fond Memories and Magical Moments
Amidst the chaos of domestic life, where I simultaneously try to nurture a family, support my husband through career challenges, build my own career, and find time for myself, I have reiki. While I don’t find time to sit and meditate at length every day, I at least try to find five or ten minutes here and there to focus my breathing, calm my thoughts, and bring in the healing energy. Sometimes I indulge in a good cry. Sometimes I laugh uncontrollably. The emotion must be released, and acknowledged. I always feel better afterwards.
Yesterday I received a reiki empowerment from my reiki master. I sat in a sacred space, surrounded by fellow students of the craft, and we all experienced the energy differently, and privately. Some needed to cry. Some smiled and welcomed the gentle healing effects. For me it was all about the spirit world. Yes, my ghosts came back to haunt me. Well, they never really went away. Only this time I spoke to a recent ghost, one that I knew years ago. He was content, at peace, and when he left, I felt a sudden sense of realisation.
Back to a simpler time
It all took me back to a beach in Looe, Cornwall, about twelve years ago. I can’t remember the exact date. I was young and in love. I took some photos of my fiancé and our friends as they dug holes on the beach and played in the sand (we were all in our early twenties). My attention was drawn to the scenery, in particular a hill at the far end of the beach, covered with forest that sloped down to the sea. Back then I was never going to be an author. Those aspirations were far beyond me. But something stuck in my mind. That was the moment when Redcliffe was born. Above is the photo that inspired a British paranormal romance series. Pretty cool, huh?
LGBT fantasy book series set in Cornwall. “Love Hurts (The Redcliffe Novels)” #1 by Catherine Green.
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We have reached the longest day of the year, and what a challenging time it has been. Life is like that, of course.
We thrive on drama and activity, and we grow bored when there is nothing to do. Humans must keep busy. If we become idle, we start to look for ways to create mischief. It is in our nature. And so, we see it happening all around the world.
Summer Solstice
Summer Solstice Blessings
Today I will take time to celebrate our world. It is our home, our sanctuary. Mother Earth continues to grow and replenish as we continue to take and destroy. Many of us try to put back what we take, or are mindful about our activity. Yet more of us simply live our lives in a state of blissful ignorance. Perhaps now we should remember the impact every time we throw something in the bin, even the smallest sweet wrapper. Just a thought…
Well, I am off to light a summer solstice fire, give thanks for the fruits of my labour, and banish anything that is holding me back. Oh, and I might find some time to be with my husband and celebrate our love in the good old-fashioned sense… see you later, and Solstice Blessings, my friends!
LGBT werewolf fantasy story “It’s Complicated (The Redcliffe Novels)” by Catherine Green
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Our town is preparing for the biggest event of the year… Middlewich Folk and Boat Festival!
It is always a very special weekend, and I love how the town literally comes alive for the big party. We have been watching the boats arrive in Middlewich, mooring up and settling in ready for the floating market and all the entertainment that is promised.
There is a growing buzz of excitement, a certain low-level hum that is getting louder as the Middlewich Folk and Boat Festival weekend draws closer.
Walking around the Middlewich Folk and Boat festival town
In these days before the festival, my friends and I like to walk along the canal and speak to the visiting boaters and their dogs (very important!). We enjoy the calm before the storm, the quiet canal paths and empty streets, because we know that come Saturday, we will barely be able to step out of our front door without being bombarded by colour, sound and excitement. And we love it!
Put up the marquee for Middlewich Folk and Boat Festival
Later this week we will watch tents and marquees going up, flags and bunting appearing in the streets, and the funfair will roll into town. We have our festival outfits all ready, nice and colourful. Our tickets are waiting, our babysitters booked so we can enjoy watching the Lightning Seeds. All the local pubs and venues will prepare their outside spaces to welcome musicians and gig goers. Oh, and the beer will flow. Cheers!
The Beer Boat will soon be heaving! #BEFAB
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SpookyMrsGreen 