Out Of Control?

The My Wonderful Life blog is having its first online Clinic on Friday. It's on The Stress of Feeling Out of Control. If you've ever felt stressed in this way, check in on Friday - or leave a Comment before Friday to ask a question, outline your problems or experiences, or offer some tips.

Guest post will be from Michael Lee, from Turn Stress Into Bliss, and Annabel Shaw (social psychologist and co-creator of My Wonderful Life) and I will also be posting and around to answer questions and give advice.

Thanks to Brigitte Morton and all the lovely people who filled (almost over-filled) Reepham Library last week when I came to talk about Kindred Spirits. Several people had already read library copies and were very complimentary about it; some even bought their own copy to hang onto, or to give to friends and relatives. That was my last talk about KS for the moment - I've been to about 10 libraries, a couple of WI meetings and had a book launch - and it's been an absolute delight to meet so many interesting people and get their feedback. Thanks to everyone who's helped organise the talks!

More Kindred Spirits at Wymondham Library

We have a splendid new library at Wymondham - my local library. Modern, airy, light and spacious, it sits very happily amongst the more ancient and traditional aspects of the town, and I was delighted to be talking about Kindred Spirits there last week.

There was a terrific turnout - including other writers, musicians and members of the local creative community. It was good to be able to incorporate excerpts from the book about past and present day Wymondham, such as my main character Mo's first impression of the historic market town (not unlike my own), and the Land Girl, Dottie's description of the "Invasion of Wymondham", a real wartime event where the Home Guard, Police, Fire and other services had to act out their plans for protecting the town, with the invading German Army played by local troops.

Librarian, Rachel Harriss, had brilliantly organised the evening, forgetting nothing from refreshments to evaluation surveys - which she offered to let me look at before I left. Not wanting to spoil the buzz of the evening, the interesting questions I'd been asked and the conversations I'd had while signing and selling books, I tried to refuse. But she insisted I look through them and then emailed me the uniformly positive comments from the audience so I could put them up here.

So, thank you very much, Wymondham library audience, for saying such positive things as: ‘Very enjoyable hearing the writer’s point of view. It really brought the book to life as well’; ‘Very enjoyable. Just the right length and structure’; ‘ Interesting talk by an excellent speaker explaining the process of writing and the very well read parts of her books’; ‘Lucy is a very good talker'; ‘I enjoyed hearing a writer’s perspective and how the ideas came about. Readings made the book more alive’; ‘Fascinating’; ‘Very interesting hearing briefly how the author’s life lead towards writing and hearing about Kindred Spirits’; 'Very interesting to hear how an author goes about planning her books’.

So glad you enjoyed it! I did too.

It was also a great pleasure to do an interview for Wymondham and Attleborough Talking Newspaper, a voluntary service which I know has immense value to people who find the written word a challenge for whatever reason. My father was blind for the last twelve years of his life and was helped immeasurably by services like this and RNIB Talking Books.

My next talk on Kindred Spirits is at Reepham Library at 2pm on Tuesday 30th June.