The Indie Author Issue 00

News | People | Features | Know-how | Lifestyle

The

Indie Author

Where will your story be read today?

Issue 00 May/Jun '20

Chapter One

The magazine for indie authors and readers

While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the contents, the

publisher cannot accept any responsibility for errors or omissions, or for any matter

in any way arising from the publication of this material. Every effort has been made

to contact any copyright holders. No part of this publication may be reproduced

without the express written permission of the publishers.

2

Inside this issue

Interview

Canadian author

and airplane

enthusiast Paul

Smyth discusses

his debut novel

Deliveries

Self Love Ideas

Creative ways to

accept who you

are and to find

inner happiness

Books, books,

books!

From fantasy to

romantic fiction,

take a browse

through some of

the books listed

at The Indie Book

Store!

How-to

Take a crash

course in writing

short stories and

the basics of

writing your first

novel

Digital Nomad

Meet Sam Brown,

who packed in

her 9-5 day job,

bought a mobile

home, and set off

to travel the world

Issue 01 deadline:

15th June 2021

Published July 2021

w: www.theindiebook.store

e: hello@theindiebook.store

Welcome

Hello and welcome to the pilot

issue of The Indie Author, the

e-magazine designed to help

promote indie authors and their

books.

If you've never met me before,

my name's Patric and I've been

self-publishing for many years.

I also run The Indie Book Store,

which was created to promote

books and their creators.

This issue of The Indie Author

will give you a flavour of the sort

of things we (the royal 'we' - it

is just me at the moment!) will

be bringing you in future issues.

We'll be speaking to authors

who have listed their books on

the site, and also bringing you

informative features to help you

publish your own books.

For this issue, we were

honoured to speak to Paul

Smyth, a Canadian author who

has recently published his first

novel Deliveries. It took him

seven years to finish it, but Paul

describes how he managed to

get it completed and published.

We also hear from Welsh

fireman and former professional

football player, Rhys Griffiths,

who penned a children's book in

honour of his grandfather.

Another link to the fire service,

and a purely co-incidental

one, comes in the form of Eric

Heyman, who is a self-taught

illustrator. A former fireman, Eric

now illustrates children's books,

as well as greetings cards.

Former journalist Laura Kemp

also talks to us about how

she decided to pen novels

after the birth of her child. Her

books have been lauded from

many high-profile writers and

she shows how she brings her

characters to life.

Another woman who has

stepped out on her own is digital

nomad Sam Brown. Sam packed

in her day job to travel the world

in a mobile home. She works

from her laptop and every day

bring a new adventure.

Going freelance can be

daunting but we've got a few

ideas that you can develop if

your income has been affected

by the pandemic.

The pandemic has taken its

toll on all of us so we've also

included some self-care tips to

make sure that you are looking

after yourself. Positive thinking

helps so we've put together an

additional self-help page linked

to positive thinking.

All of this helps you as an

author but we've also got some

practical tips that you can take

away when it comes to writing

both short stories and novels.

We'll be looking to include many

more how-to features in future

issues, in case there's something

that you need help with.

Of course, we'll also be

showcasing some of the

wonderful books that feature

at The Indie Book Store. With

different genres in each issue,

we'll hand-pick books and link

you through to where you can

get your hands on them.

Finally, we've included a short

story from yours truly and we'll

be featuring short stories from

listed authors in the coming

months.

Future issues will include some

advertising, which we are going

to open up in July. This will

allow authors and publishers to

reach readers, and allow us to

continue connecting you with

indie authors.

In this e-magazine, you'll

noticed that there are some

orange boxes here and there.

They are live links so feel free to

click on them.

We hope that you enjoy this

issue and if you've got any

feedback, either good or bad,

feel free to contact us via the

email address over there on the

left.

Speak soon!

@PatricProAuthor

Patric

Editor

The Indie Book Store launches to

help market indie books and authors

news

Changes to KDP

sees end of

MOBI files

Amazon will no longer be

accepting MOBI files as of June

28th 2021, due to problems

with reflowable text during the

conversion process . Instead,

authors can still upload their Word

documents in both .doc and .docx

formats, or an epub of their file.

A website that helps promote indie

authors and their books has been

launched by a professional author in

the UK.

The Indie Book Store was officially

opened in October 2020, but

already boasts hundreds of listed

books and tens of thousands of

social media followers.

Author Patric Morgan, who created

the site, told The Indie Author.

"When I first started out, I was

often writing and sending my work

out into the great void. As a result,

my work was undiscovered for

years and years.

"Over the last few years, I've

taught myself a lot about building

an audience and how social media

works. I published the book How

My Blog Got 1 Million Visits in 7

Months back in 2015 and it went on

Large rise in low

content books

over last few years

Low to no-content books are

making their mark on the Amazon

charts, earning some of their

creators a small fortune in the

process.

Puzzle books, colouring books

and year planners can easily be

published on Amazon KDP and

careful marketing through Amazon

adverts and/or promotion to

audiences, are pushing sales up

and earning their creators a neat

profit in the process.

to become the #1 blogging book in

the Kindle store for three years.

"I've taken the lessons I've learnt

from that success, and that of other

blogs that I've been running, and

created a store that can help indie

authors sell their books."

The Indie Book Store allows

authors to list their books on the

site, but also includes powerful

social media promotion all year

round.

"There's a great writing community

on Twitter but we also promote

author's books to Pinterest,

Instagram and Facebook. We've

also launched a free Book Club,

where can let readers know about

new listings, and send them free

ebooks too."

The book store hopes to have 50k+

followers by the end of 2021.

In an emailed announcement

from Amazon’s team at KDP, they

said:

“We listened to your feedback and

are making it simpler to publish

eBooks on Kindle. Starting June

28, 2021, we will no longer support

files in MOBI, PRC or AZK formats

when publishing new reflowable

eBooks or updating the content

for previously published eBooks.

Instead, we ask publishers to use

EPUB, KPF (Kindle Create files), or

DOC/DOCX (Microsoft Word files)

files for reflowable eBooks. Please

note MOBI files are still accepted

for fixed-layout eBooks.”

The Indie Book Store's Patric

Morgan said:

"For many, this shouldn't make

too much of a difference. As long

as you're sticking to the KDP

guidelines, you probably don't

need to worry. For those of us who

started self-publishing 'back in the

day', it's always welcome to see an

easier way to publish, especially for

new writers who are wanting to get

their names out there."

3

Flying high

Paul Smyth has worked as a commercial news videographer but his

book Deliveries was created from real life experiences

For Canadian author Paul Smyth,

writing his first book has been a

labour of love. Taking seven years

to complete, Deliveries tells the tale

of bush-pilot Paul Jackson, whose

routine flight quickly erodes into an

airborne nightmare of deception,

self-loathing, and hopefully before

it’s too late—redemption.

"The overall plot in Deliveries is

fictional," says Paul, "but many of

the events inside the book are bred

from snippets of my life, including

family and friends that have played

key roles throughout my 59 years

on this earth. Completing a life-long

dream of authoring a novel has

profoundly affected my daily life;

that is to say that if I don’t sit down

and write something each day, I feel

as though I’m wasting valuable time

that the good Lord has bestowed

upon me."

The flight-based novel was

developed over a number of years.

"Taking seven years to write,

Deliveries has both energised me

and wiped me out! I wrote the book

with no pre-conceived idea as to

the storyline. As the plot slowly

developed, there were times when

I could not stop the flow of ideas

from my brain to my fingers on

the keyboard! Other times, my

exhaustion levels from trying to

4

figure things out far exceeded

my ability to craft any sort of

meaningful narrative. Writing and

editing a novel invokes a see-saw of

emotions, but I’ve discovered that

the end result far outweighs any

discomforts along the way.

Working on a debut novel is not for

the faint-hearted but Paul was more

than determined to see his name on

the front cover of a book.

"Speaking as a first time author, the

most challenging aspect of writing

for me was in trying to figure out

how to write my characters out of

all the mayhem I wrote them into!

But, that’s what made the writing

process so much fun. For me,

writing Deliveries was similar to

watching a movie for the first time

and having no idea how it would

end!

"This may be a cardinal sin within

the global writing community, but

I’m not a writer who comes up with

a clear story outline ahead of time;

i.e. with a beginning, middle and

end. Speaking for myself, it’s far

more engaging and fun to write

full-on ‘impromptu’ style with no set

plan.

"Deliveries began when a good

friend challenged me several years

ago to write us both into a flying

adventure. Not having previously

written anything longer than a

one-page devotional, I sat down

and hammered out my first chapter.

When I nervously asked my wife

to read it, she eagerly responded

with, 'Where’s the next one?'

Encouraged, I typed out another

few chapters, and with even greater

urgency, she gently ‘ordered’ me to,

'Hurry up and keep writing!'

"Encouraged by her responses,

and clearly progressing in the right

direction, I wrote whenever and

wherever I could. The entire plot

for Deliveries happens inside of 24

hours, so that means a book lover

experiences a fast-paced, nerve

rattling, stomach-churning read!

(Just saying!) Seven years later, at

age 59, I’ve crafted 43 chapters, 588

pages of edge-of-your-seat, aerial

pandemonium, thereby fulfilling my

dream of becoming a published

author!"

Paul developed a routine that

helped him get words down on the

page.

"I tend to be more creative first

thing in the morning with a hot cup

of jet-black Hawaiian coffee beside

me and a clear mind. I typically start

off well with getting a few pages

down, but as my coffee disappears

and other distractions take hold,

I don’t seem to write as much

throughout the balance of the day

as I would like."

Paul is already reaping the rewards

of publishing his own book.

"Success for me as a new author is

when someone who reads my book

is already asking me for the next!

My hope and prayer throughout the

process of writing Deliveries, was

that anyone who reads the book,

is left with a cheek-to-cheek smile

on their face, and a memorable

adventure imprinted on their

hearts! (I will, here and now, openly

apologize for any nail-biting and

lack of sleep that may have resulted

in the reading of this tale!"

Paul is also aware that once

published, that's not the end of the

matter when it comes to marketing

his book.

"Prior to the release of Deliveries,

I launched an authors website

and began an extensive prepromotional

run on social media.

Because of the Covid pandemic,

entering a brick and mortar book

store to market my book, or to

participate in a book signing, is not

people

possible. I’ve since discovered there

are great places to turn to, such as

The Indie Book Store who are ready,

willing and graciously able to offer

book marketing at very affordable

prices! I also continue to spread

the word verbally, market on social

media and Goodreads; all the while

attempting to lure people to my

author website! paulsmythauthor.

com (Shameless plug!)

You can get your hands on Paul's

book here

Paul took seven years to

write Deliveries

5

how-to

HOW TO WRITE

THE PERFECT

SHORT STORY

If you've been left with time on your hands during lockdown,

writing a short story is a great way to channel your inner creative.

Here's how you can create your own perfect short story

6

Why write a short

story?

Short stories are a great way to

exercise your brain and provide

you with a creative outlet. They

are also the perfect place to

start your writing career. They

allow you to practise the art of

planning, structuring and then

layering your work. They allow

you to develop characters, to

master plot twists and to create

your own worlds and share them

with others.

The love of writing can also be

rewarded with that warm feeling

when someone tells you that

they were moved by something

you wrote, or that they love your

work.

Whether you’re writing for

pleasure or for money, there is

joy to be had in mastering the

art of the short story, and by

creating something that can be

kept forever.

Where to start

Before you even start your short

story, you're going to want to think

about themes and ideas.

It's often hard to come up with

ideas off the top of your head so it's

always useful to carry a notepad

around to jot ideas down as they

come to you (you can always use

your phone for this too).

Look out for possible story ideas

during your every day routine,

whether it's an advert on a Post

Office noticeboard or a second-hand

wedding dress in a charity shop.

Some themes may be of interest

to you and you can blend these

in with any story lines that you are

developing.

There are two main types of writer

- the Planner or the Panster. The

Planner gets the entire outline of the

story down before committing to

fleshing the story out. A Panster may

have a general idea of where their

story is going but takes a more seewhere-this

goes approach.

Neither approach is right or wrong

but there are significant benefits

to thoroughly planning your short

story, insomuch that you can angle

your story lines perfectly with your

ending.

A short story should ideally come

in between 1,000 and 5,000 words

but you can go shorter if you wish.

Flash fiction often sits anywhere

between 500 and 1,000 words while

micro-fiction ranges between 5-350

words.

Endings

Logistically, and from a planning

point of view, it makes things

a lot easier to start at the end

because from the very start

of your story, you can channel

each and every storyline to the

ending.

In every story, there is usually

some kind of conflict or problem

that needs to be resolved and

if you already know what the

resolution is, you can retro-plot

your characters, objects and

actions to set the ending up

perfectly. Of course, you keep

your reader in the dark about

the resolution until the very end

and you do this by gradually

revealing ever-increasing

problems that your main

character has to overcome.

Openings

With a short story, you don't have time

to create a long, rambling back story.

Instead, you need to drop your character

straight into the action. Suggest a back

story via dialogue if you like but the sooner

your character hits their 'conflict', the

better chance you have of keeping your

reader glued to the page.

Drop something into the opening that will

reappear at the end, whether it's an action,

an object or a piece of dialogue.

Development

Now that you've got your ending and your openings sorted, you need to

get your character and your story from the start to the end via the middle

section. This is where you develop your plot, your characters and your

theme.

Traditionally, the character in a story will face larger and worsening

problems but you won't have time to do that in a short story. Instead,

you'll have to compress the time frame into something smaller - every

word counts.

In addition to the structure

and plot, unless your story is

purely a descriptive piece,

be economical with your

descriptions. Long ruminations

can often cost a short story its

flow.

Keep your pre-planned

ending in mind at all times as

your middle section will be

leading directly up to it.

Editing

Editing is where you hone, prune and

polish your work. A sculptor doesn't

work on their finishing touches until the

very end and this is what editing is all

about.

Once you've finished your first draft

(which won't be perfect), leave it 'stew'

for a few days before returning to it.

You'll be looking at it with fresh eyes.

In a short story, every word counts so

be ruthless with unnecessary words

that will bloat your story and drag it

down. If your story is intended to be an

exciting one, you'll be aiming to use

short sentences in any case to up the

tempo. Once you've done a first edit, leave it for a few days and repeat the

same process over and over until you're happy with it.

Get the full course

The full course is available as a

download from

www.theindiebook.store/

courses/and includes an indepth

guide, showing you how to

create your own short story, and

how you can make money from

them.

Publish your work

Now that you've written your short

story, you can always look to get it

published.

There's always the option of

approaching magazines or blogs,

or you can go direct to a publishing

house.

Self-publishing is also now one of

the quickest ways to get your work

into print and make money.

7

THE

fantasy

COLLECTION

King of the Wicked

Mel King is an Angel, banished to Earth long ago for falling in love

with a human. Now, based in the city of Rome, he hunts and kills

evil mortals on God’s behalf. He knows he can never love again.

That time is long over. But then Nora appears, and everything

changes.

Nora Rossi is just trying to start her singing career when she

witnesses Mel King commit a terrible act. Now she can’t seem to

get away from him…or his ridiculous Angel story. How far will they

go before he finally tells her the truth?

Available here

Griffin's Perch

In this epic fantasy saga, a wizard and an

apprentice, with the assistance of a world

of legendary creatures, battle to take down

Daniel, a wizard gone rogue, power-hungry and

determined to wreak havoc on the world.

When the most powerful wizards in the

land are turned into dragons by an evil

wizard transgressor, a quest ensues to end

a treacherous war. An army of griffins and

their riders are scrambled to take down the

masterful dragons and save the land from

death and destruction. Five vicious dragons

are unleashed on the world, destined to cause

devastation for a thousand years.

Available here

8

Clockwork Heart:

Tales Of Center

Action! Adventure! Humor!

Steampunk?

If you were given the chance

to live forever, would you take

it? What if the offer came from

an unlicensed Wizard? Within

the walls of the sprawling

metropolis, Center, anything is

possible. Need a dragon to do

your dirty work? There’s one for

hire. Want to find your true love?

If they’re not in Center, one can

be created for you.

When a man is given the offer

to have his wish come true, and

it only comes at the price of a

few year’s service, he realizes he

can’t pass it up.

But not everything in Center

can be taken at face value…

Magic and machines, fairies and

demons, humans and beings

of infinite power, all call Center

their home.

Anything you want can be

found, but sometimes what you

want isn’t what you need.

Available here

Mother’s Little

Angels

This tongue-in-cheek short

story mixes erotica, religion,

battles and adventure, to

tell the story of a Matriarchal

society’s struggle to survive

A thousand winters after the

apocalypse

Women rule the world.

Another useless man has

failed to put a child in Chief

Jaboo’s belly. In a rage she

sends her best Hunter and

Weaver to the slave markets,

under orders to swap him for a

more fertile seeder. Sulon the

Hunter decides to try the faulty

merchandise along the way.

But the fun is short lived. Dark

clouds of war are gathering.

Can the village survive an attack

by the radical sisterhood? Or

does their salvation lie in the

hands of yet another useless

man?

Available here

Emerald Wren

And The Coven

Of Seven

A coven of crime-fighting

witches face a murderous

man on a mission to find a

mysterious prophecy girl

As a child, Emerald’s

grandfather gives her a magic

lamp with the promise that

she will change the world. As

an adult, Emerald is working

hard as a waitress by day, and

leading a crime-fighting coven

of witches by night.

When Emerald and her friends

get word of a dangerous

man working his way across

the country, hunting for a

mysterious girl and leaving the

bodies of burned women in his

wake, they must take on their

biggest challenge yet.

Emerald and her friends must

risk everything in their quest.

Who will find the girl first?

Available here

9

feature

Make money from home

The recent lockdown has made people think twice about how they

can earn a living. Here are some ways that you can create a new

and sustainable income stream from your home

Creating an income

from home

The UK economy, much like the

rest of the world, has become

hugely unpredictable following

the Coronavirus outbreak.

Jobs and financial security have

become a real worry for many

people, even those who thought

that they were safe in long term

employment.

Setting up a side business

at home could be one way to

create an extra income stream

and a possible safety net should

the worst happen with your

employment.

Set aside a small amount of

time each day to work on your

side business and over the

weeks and months, it could

grow into something larger and

profitable.

While there's a whole world

of opportunity to make money

from home, it's worth doing

some research beforehand

to find out what skills and

experience you can offer.

10

Online coaching

The Coronavirus lockdown

changed the way that we interact

with each other forever. Working

remotely became much more

the norm - but so too did online

learning.

It's highly likely that you have

certain skills, talent or experience

that people will pay to hear about.

Think back over your employment

history. Is there a specific area that

you could say that you have good

experience in? There are people

out in the world who don't have

that experience - and need to hear

from someone that does!

You don't need large audiences

either to make money from

teaching online either. In fact, the

more specific the niche, the more

you'll find it easier to find your

audience and to sell to them.

You can either create video

courses to sell via platforms like

Thinkific or Teachable, or you can

offer training over video calls,

either to individuals, or to groups of

people at a time.

Start a blog

A blog is a bit like a website, except

it often has a more informal style

and is usually written by individuals

or small groups.

A blog can range from any topic

such as beauty or makeup, through

to sport of film. Whatever your

subject matter, there are ways

of monetising a blog, whether

it's through online advertising,

selling digital downloads such as

e-magazines, or even charging

subscription fees.

There are some very good

examples of people starting out

with a very simple blog idea, and

seeing it develop into a moneymaking

brand.

Virtual home assistant

Life is very hectic for many of us

and organisation can often be

overlooked as we struggle to

keep up with the pace.

If you have good organisational

skills, why not put them to good

use to help others? A virtual

assistant could be the answer

- someone to do the online

shopping, organise diaries and

events, taking care of household

budgets - the list of services

you could offer to do from the

comfort of your own home is

pretty exhaustive!

Whether you want to charge

per service, or a simple monthly

retainer fee, positioning yourself

as a virtual home assistant could

see you building a new career

from scratch and for the most

part, you don't even have to

leave home.

how-to

Dog walking

Dogs always need walking and helping

out your local canines and their owners

is another way to make some money.

Do your research first though - if you

can get yourself certified as a dog

trainer, it will be of benefit to the dogs,

their owners, and the ability to sell

your services. Perhaps start by walking

your family or friends' dogs to get

experience under your belt.

Online shop

There is plenty of money to be made from online shops - and the best

part about it is that it won't cost you much to get going.

There are several ways of running an online shop. First, there is the

traditional way of selling physical goods, whatever they may be. You'll

need to hold stock, manage inventories and take into account shipping

costs.

You can also make money by selling goods that you don't need to

physically store. Websites such as RedBubble and CottonCart allow

you to sell your designs on

T-shirts, mugs, and all kinds of

merchandise. They also take care

of delivery and you get a small

commission for each item sold.

You can also look to open your

own shop on websites such as

Etsy or even eBay, which is a good

place to sell bits and bobs that are

hanging around the house and are

no longer needed.

Book keeping

Many small businesses often overlook the important task of keeping their

accounts up to date. It's always advisable to have some kind of qualification

in this field (you can get this online

too) and if you are just starting out, it's

worth helping people you know so that

you can get to know the processes

involved.

Book keeping is becoming

increasingly digitalised, which means

that you can often work remotely using

specialised software. Working within

a specific niche also means that you'll

find clients easier.

Stock photography

If you're the sort of person that

loves taking photos, you can

always look to make money

from them by selling them on

stock photography websites.

Every time your photo is

licensed, you get a royalty

paid. Check out websites like

Unsplash, iStockPhoto and

Shutterstock to see what sort of

quality they are looking for, and

also to see what kind of photos

are doing well. A great way to

build a passive income.

Become a translator

Your second (or third or fourth!)

language could be translated

into money in your pocket by

becoming a translator.

There are always people

and businesses looking to get

their work translated. It's worth

checking to see what kind of

qualifications you think you might

need but you can complete

these alongside small pieces of

work to get you going.

It's always a good idea to focus

on one industry-specific area

of translation so that you can

become a go-to expert in your

field.

11

A Novel

opportunity

Laura Kemp went freelance when she had her first child. Since

then, she's written six novels and is writing her seventh

We all dream of that perfect job.

And for one Wales-based writer,

turning from journalism to author

has led to a deal with a major

publisher and her books appearing

on supermarket shelves.

Born in Redhill, Surrey, Laura

Kemp was brought up in Cheshire

before the family moved to East

Sussex when she was ten.

"I went to university in Reading

and then my first proper job - after

my teenage years were spent

waitressing and behind the till at

supermarkets and shops - was as

a trainee reporter at the Kent and

Sussex Courier newspaper. It was

terrifying starting the week with

blank pages but it was up to me

to find stories; I quickly learned

to get out and about and make

contacts - and to never be afraid of

asking questions. I left there to go

to Eastbourne where I was Head

of News on a bi-weekly and then

came to Cardiff in 1999 to be a

reporter on the South Wales Echo. I

loved Wales so much I never left!"

12

For extra cash, Laura also worked

on the Sports Desk at Wales On

Sunday.

"I loved the Sunday newspaper feel

so I was lucky to get a job at Wales

on Sunday as Head of Content soon

after. My memories have me in

stitches - we had a ball coming up

with ideas for stories and the social

life was fantastic. We were all very

tight together and we did our best

to produce entertaining papers."

Creating content on demand and

sticking to tight deadlines laid down

good foundations when Laura

found herself with a little one and

decided to go freelance.

"It was a risk but I had a baby to

bring up so I wanted to spend the

days with him and then work at

night. It was a huge thrill to get my

features published in the nationals

and the money was good. It’s not for

the faint-hearted though - it’s very

competitive and you have to be

prepared to give it your all."

A columnist and contributor,

she regularly writes for national

newspapers and magazines, such

as The Mirror, The Daily Mail and The

Sun. It was thanks to her freelance

work that her first novel came into

being.

"I'd written a feature for The Daily

Mail about being a ‘tummy mummy’

rather than a ‘yummy mummy’

and it was such a hit, I used it as

a springboard to write my first

novel, Mums Like Us, which was

an antidote to the yummy mummy

movement. I wanted to reflect the

ridiculous reality of parenthood,

of sick on your top and mashed

banana in your handbag, rather than

the glossy image of happy mums

and happy babies," she says.

Mums Like Us was met with rave

reviews, both from lovers of fiction

- and by mums who identified with

the daily trials and tribulations of

its main character, Stella Smith.

Emboldened by her first novel,

Laura penned a second. And a third.

And she didn't stop there.

"I’m on my seventh novel at the

moment and I still can’t explain

where it comes from! Ideas tend

to collide in terms of characters,

setting, storyline and themes - it’s

pure imagination and that stems

from childhood, I think."

Looking back, her youth was a

place for her imagination to flourish.

"I wasn’t one to write much outside

of school as a child but what I did

lots of was imagination games -

playing schools and Star Wars and

making rose petal perfume and all

of that and I think that’s where my

writing comes from. It’s all about

imagination, problem-solving and

entertaining yourself and others. I

always liked to make people laugh

too, being the baby of the house. As

I got older, I loved reading and that

laid the foundation for my career

which is basically all about a love of

words.

"My parents set the example of

working hard and keeping going

no matter what. My dad, born in the

East End, left school with one 'O'

Level and worked his way up to run

his own successful company and

my mum did everything she could

to encourage me to learn, as well

as run the house and work. Both of

them had huge drive and I hope I

have inherited that from them.

"My most recent books are set in

Wales, which is a well of inspiration.

Wherever I go, whomever I meet,

whatever I see, I pick things up.

I arrived in 1999, completely

unaware of the depth of culture and

character of Wales and it was like

I’d walked into a technicolour world!

My latest novel, Bring Me Sunshine,

and the previous one, The Year of

Surprising Acts of Kindness, were

inspired by the unique community

feel of this country. You’ll find it in

the smallest of villages but also on

the streets of Cardiff."

The 45-year-old’s work has been

lauded by such luminaries as

Milly Johnson, Lucy Diamond and

Miranda Dickinson. Like any writer,

getting the hours in is a full-time

job.

"If I waited for inspiration, I’d sit

around and do nothing! So my

routine is strict set hours when my

son’s in school. I write whether I feel

like it or not - it’s a job and some

words are better than no words.

The process is all about word count

at the first draft stage; it’s really

important to get the story out. I

do edit as I go along but that job

mainly falls to my editors who will

tidy things up, suggest changes and

help me focus on the plot."

Her inspiration comes from her

everyday life situations.

"I love every stage of it - from

the ideas floating in my head and

writing it down to seeing the cover

for the first time and walking into

the supermarket to see one of

my books on the shelves. Like

every job, there are negatives - it

is intense, tiring, demanding and

lonely. You’re putting yourself

out there and not everyone will

like what you do. But it’s not hard

compared to other jobs out there.

I’m not saving lives! So I feel very

lucky that I have the opportunity

to write books - and when readers

contact me to say they’ve enjoyed

one, it's an incredible feeling. It’s a

privilege to be picked up and read

and taken on holidays and turned

to when you need cheering up. I

wouldn’t want to do anything else."

And her message is clear.

"I write feel-good fiction based

on the idea that there’s no such

thing as an ordinary woman. Every

woman I know, every woman out

there, is extraordinary for what she

goes through and my books reflect

the issues we face but with a load

of humour thrown in. There’s always

friendship, love and joy too - the

things that keep us all going."

Laura's success has meant that

she's finally found her groove. Her

audience has been lapping up her

novels and they're hungry for more.

"Short-term, I'm getting my next

round of edits done for book seven,

which will be out next year. I’m

really excited about it because it

was fabulous to write, being set on

a camp site in the heart of Wales.

I’m also working on the outline

of the next one after that - book

eight, which will be out in 2021.

My ambition is to keep producing

a book a year and to be on the

supermarket shelves to reach as

many readers as possible."

people

Bring Me Sunshine

'A delight from the first page to

the last.' Milly Johnson

'Laugh-out-loud funny, as warm

as it is witty...If you love Milly

Johnson you will love Laura

Kemp.' Debbie Johnson

'It will make you giggle, cheer

and feel good - basically it's

a hug in book form. Hugely

recommended.' Fabulous

Magazine

Charlotte Bold is nothing like her

name - she is shy and timid and

just wants a quiet life. When her

job doing the traffic news on the

radio in London is relocated to

Sunshine FM in Mumbles, she

jumps at the chance for a new

start in Wales.

But when she arrives, she

discovers that she's not there to

do the travel news - she's there

to front the graveyard evening

show. And she's not sure she can

do it.

Thrust into the limelight, she

must find her voice and a way

to cope. And soon she realises

that she's not the only person

who finds life hard - out there her

listeners are lonely too. And her

show is the one keeping them

going.

Can Charlotte seize the day and

make the most of her new home?

And will she be able to breathe

new life into the tiny radio station

too?

Bring Me Sunshine is out now,

published by Orion Books

www.orionbooks.co.uk and from

Amazon

Summer's End

"We need to get you home now.

Your mother will be waiting for you."

Paul took Eve's small hand and led

her out of the forest and into the

late summer sunshine.

"Why do I have to go Daddy? I

don't want this day to end." Eve

looked up at her father. Paul could

see the sadness in his daughter's

eyes. He saw it every time he had to

take Eve home.

"Mummy wants you back so you

can have your tea."

In truth, Paul didn't want to take

Eve back either but since the split

from Beth, both parents had to

play by the rules. Both father and

daughter had enjoyed a wonderful

day together. It had started with an

early breakfast at the local café.

At the age of 8, trying out her first

cooked breakfast was something of

a treat for Eve but she still couldn't

get her head around eating savoury

food first thing in the morning.

"These aren't exactly Coco-Pops,"

she'd mumbled as she tucked into

her baked beans.

After breakfast, they jumped into

the car and headed out to the

beach a few miles away. Paul had

packed some food into a cool bag

and they spent the day digging

holes and burying Eve's Barbie dolls

up to their necks. They spent most

of the day on the sands but Paul

knew that he had to have Eve back

home early for teatime - she was

back to school the next day.

As one last treat, he parked the car

up at a woodland park near home,

and they had gone exploring in the

nearby forest.

They pretended that they were

detectives looking for spies. Eve

had found some clues - a scruffy

14

old football, a pencil that had been

split in two and some acorns.

“Look at this one!” Eve called. She

held up a bright shiny acorn.

“It’s huge!” replied Paul.

“I’m keeping that one,” said Eve,

popping it into the pocket of her

summer dress.

"These clues will lead me all the

way to the spies!" she exclaimed,

walking off.

Paul looked at this young girl,

stepping over logs and walking

through muddy puddles with her

sandals on. He was going to miss

her so much. Since the split from

Beth, he'd begun plans to start a

new life on his own on the other

side of the world. He knew he

wouldn't get days like this again.

"Oh, look at that dog!" remarked

Eve. Up ahead, charging through

the forest, a small brown and cream

dog came bounding over towards

them. In its mouth was a green

tennis ball. Walking briskly behind

the dog came a woman dressed in

a strappy top, a pair of jeans and a

big pair of Wellington boots.

She was about the same age as

Paul and she certainly caught his

eye. He'd seen her before in the

village several times.

The dog reached Eve and ran

around her feet playfully. It dropped

the tennis ball at their feet, in the

hope that they would throw it. Eve

clung to Paul, excited, but not quite

sure if the dog would nip her.

The woman finally reached Paul

and Eve, a little out of breath.

“Sorry about her. She just wants to

make new friends,” she said.

Paul looked at the woman. All of

a sudden, he felt very shy. She was

pretty. Very pretty. There was a

slight flush in her cheeks and Paul

couldn't take his eyes off her as she

wiped the hair from her face.

Eve bent down and finally gave the

dog a stroke on her head.

"She's gorgeous isn't she?" said

Eve.

Paul was still captivated by the

woman.

"Yes. She is," he replied. The

woman caught him looking at her

and for a second, they got lost in

their own world as they passed

each other on the small forest

pathway.

Paul turned to watch her walk

away, hoping she'd turn back.

"Bye bye doggie," said Eve as the

dog went scampering away. As the

dog caught up with her, the woman

turned and smiled at Paul before

disappearing into the forest.

"She was nice wasn't she?" said

Eve. Paul was still smiling inside.

He turned to head out of the forest

when Eve suddenly noticed the

dog's tennis ball still lying at her

feet.

"Oh no. The dog's left her ball!" she

cried, bending down to pick up the

damp and scraggly ball. "I'm going

to give it back to her," she said.

"Ok," replied Paul rather hesitantly.

Eve dashed off up the forest path

where the woman and dog had

gone and within seconds, she had

disappeared totally.

Immediately, Paul regretted

leaving her go. As the minutes

went by, his anxiety slowly gripped

him. He thought he should go look

for her but just then, his phoned

buzzed. He took it out of his pocket

to read the message that had just

arrived.

"Don't be late. Bx" read the

message. Paul didn't bother

replying. He was more worried

about his missing daughter. He

quickly put his phone back in his

pocket and as he looked up, much

to his relief, Eve came leaping back

through the forest with a big smile

on her face.

"I shouldn't have let you go like

that," Paul said.

"I was ok. I'm a big girl now and

I followed the path. The dog was

happy to have her ball back."

"We need to get you home now.

Your mother will be waiting for you."

And just like that, their day was

over. Their summer was over.

As the couple made their way

across the field to the car, Paul

cast his mind back over the last six

weeks. Together they recounted all

the things they had done together -

the visit to the castle on that boiling

hot day; the sleepover where they’d

stayed up late watching cartoons;

the time they flew a kite and it hit a

man on the head; that time they'd

taken shelter from a summer storm

in a shop doorway. This would be

Paul's final summer in Wales for a

long time.

Eve reached up and placed her

hand in his as they strode across

the field together. In the sky,

towards the west, a large grey cloud

lumbered overhead.

"Looks like rain. Autumn's on its

way," said Paul.

Eve ignored him. “Do you have to

go away?” she said.

Paul took a big breath. Every time

she asked, it wrenched his heart.

“I haven’t decided yet. I’ve got

nothing here. Apart from you of

course.”

“Am I not enough?”

Paul stopped in his tracks. He

realised the enormity of what he

had just said. He felt like he’d just

crushed her. He crouched down,

took both of Eve’s hands in his

and looked into her eyes. In that

moment, he envisioned saying

goodbye at the airport. And it was

too much to bear.

“I’m so sorry. Yes of course you are

enough.”

“Then you'll stay?”

Paul smiled and paused. “Yes. Yes

I will stay.”

Eve threw her arms around him.

It was one of those hugs that only

daughters can give. Paul stood

up, lifting her up and carried her

towards the car, her arms still

around his neck.

The journey back to Eve’s house

was a quiet one. Paul wasn't sure

that Eve believed him when he told

her he'd stay. He'd promised many

things in the past but never fulfilled

them. He considered turning the

radio on but decided that he’d

only be doing that because he was

uncomfortable with the silence.

He glanced at Eve in the rear view

mirror. She was looking out of the

window. And she was still clutching

the battered old football; still

clinging on to the day.

By the time they arrived at Beth’s,

the night was closing in. Paul put

his arm around Eve as they headed

down the side of the house to the

side door that led straight into

the kitchen. From the look at the

steamed up windows, it looked like

tea was on the hob.

A shape appeared in the glass at

the door, before it opened and Beth

stood there, apron wrapped around

her.

“Oh hi,” she said. “Come on in.” Eve

stepped inside with her mother and

then turned to Paul.

“Can you wait just two minutes?”

asked Eve. “I just need to get

something for you.”

“Yes, of course.”

Paul was tempted to pull the door

closed but thought that it would

appear rude. So he stood there

awkwardly and waited as the rain

finally started to fall from the sky.

He felt the warmth of the kitchen

seeping out, wrapping itself around

him. A gust of wind blew a few dead

leaves around his feet. In the dark,

he could only feel them as they

rattled around his shoes.

He peered into the kitchen. A waft

of warm casserole drifted out and

although Paul no longer ate meat, it

still smelt homely.

Beth's new man busied himself

around the kitchen, folding a tea

towel and bending down to open

the oven. A great plume of steam

escaped and whooshed up to the

ceiling. He placed the casserole pot

down and laid the tea towel next to

it.

Paul’s eyes lingered on the tea

towel. He cast his mind back to

the day both he and Beth bought

it. They’d made a casserole that

day too. In fact, it was the first meal

they’d cooked together in their new

home. That was when they had a

lifetime of dreams ahead of them.

Things didn't turn out quite as

they'd hoped.

Beth appeared back at the door.

“You ok?” she asked, drying a plate

with a piece

of kitchen towel.

“Yes thanks,”

replied Paul.

"Good,"

said Beth,

disappearing back into the kitchen.

Eve reappeared.

"This is for you," she said, handing

Paul a small envelope. He looked at

it and smiled. Then he put it in his

pocket.

"Thank you." He crouched down

and the pair embraced one last

time.

"Thank you for a lovely day," said

Eve. "You're the best."

He didn't feel it but even at 8 years

of age, Eve always knew how to

make Paul feel better about things.

As he made his way to the car, he

pulled his collar up to the wind and

the rain. He opened his car door,

flopped in and put his hands on the

wheel.

As the rain gently pit-pattered on

his windscreen, he thought about

the summer. He thought about Eve,

his wonderful daughter. And he

wondered whether he really could

leave her to start a new life in New

Zealand on his own. He thought he

could escape the past but in reality,

he would be escaping his present.

He reached into his pocket for his

car key but instead found the small

envelope that Eve had given him.

He took it out.

It was a small white envelope with

a big lump in the middle, stuck

down with twisted bits of Sellotape.

Paul carefully opened it and

peered inside.

He took out the first item - an

acorn. It was the big shiny one that

Eve had found in the forest.

Then he reached in and carefully

pulled out the other item - a small

scrap of paper. It had been carefully

folded over so Paul unfolded it.

In Eve's own handwriting, it read:

“Her name is Mary and this is her

number.” Underneath was a mobile

telephone number.

“She says she’s free tomorrow

night and she'll leave her doggie

at home with his ball if you fancy a

drink together.”

Paul smiled for a moment. He read

it a second time.

"Thank you Eve," he said. “Thank

you.”

Then he started his car and drove

off into the night.

By Patric Morgan

short story

15

people

Rhys griffiths:

the fireman

who became

an author

He's a firefighter and a former professional football

player. But now Rhys Griffiths is a published children's

author with his new book Billy's Granddad

and the Search for Horris. This is his story

If you ever hear a fire engine racing

through Cardiff, there's a good

chance that firefighter Rhys Griffiths

will be on board.

Rhys is a former professional

footballer who has played for the

likes of Plymouth Argyle, and has

been the Welsh Premier League's

top scorer on seven occasions. A

three-time winner of the league's

Player of the Year award, Rhys has

also been capped six times by

Wales at semi-professional level.

These days, as well as managing

a Welsh Football League Division

One team in Bridgend, you'll find

him working out of Whitchurch Fire

Station.

"I've been nuts about football since

I was a kid. All I ever wanted to be

was either a footballer or a fireman

and I'm lucky enough to have done

both."

Rhys's professional football career

started in 2001 when he joined

Cwmbran Town. After stints at

Haverfordwest, Carmarthen and

Port Talbot, he joined Plymouth

Argyle for the 2012/13 season

before signing for Newport County.

"I helped Newport get to the playoffs

at Wembley that year which

was nice. Sadly, I was injured by

the time we got to Wembley but

we defeated Wrexham 2–0 and

returned to the Football League

16

after a 25-year absence with

promotion to League Two."

Throughout most of his football

career, Rhys has also been working

as a fireman, first in Penarth and

now based here in Whitchurch.

"I’ve been working as a firefighter

since 2005. It’s something I’ve

always wanted to do as I like to

help people. There’s a lot of variety

to the job – you never know what’s

going to come next. One minute

you could be sat having a meal or

writing up a report, the next you’re

flying out of the door to deal with a

fire.

"I tried getting into the service

initially in 2003. There were a lot

of strikes on at that time and the

application process took about 18

months, a lot longer than it usually

does. Worse still, I failed to get in

after that long wait and I was left

devastated as it was something I

was so passionate about."

Rhys took the rejection hard but

inspiration came from two close

members of his family.

"It was my grandparents who

eventually phoned me a few years

later to let me know that the fire

service was recruiting again. After

the hurt of the previous application,

I was very unsure. I didn't know if I

could put myself through that again

and be given the same outcome.

It was my

grandmother

who talked me

back into it. ‘Give

it a go,’ she said.

So I did.

And four

months

later, I was

a firefighter.

I had my

grandfather

and

grandmother to thank

for encouraging me

because if it wasn't

for them, I wouldn't

be doing what I am

doing now for a job."

Grandfather William

died a few years ago

and his death hit all

the grandchildren hard

as the family all shared a

close relationship over the

years, especially as Rhys was

growing up.

"My grandparents played a

massive role in my upbringing.

I always think that there are two

types of grandfather – the old

grumpy types who are always

moaning; then there’s the lovely,

kind ones who’d do anything for

you. My grandfather was one of the

latter. I have so many wonderful

memories of him and my nan.

"I remember him taking me down

to his cellar many times and there

he’d show me his ‘pet’ spider called

Horris. Horris lived for about 25

years and in that time, he changed

shape, colour and size. It wasn’t

until I grew up and was told that

spiders can live for about 2 years

that I realised that Horris wasn’t

in fact one spider, but a series of

spiders over the years.

"My granddad died aged 82 but

had been fit and healthy all of his

life. He served in the Army and did

a lot with his life, something I've

always tried to emulate."

Rhys has made sure that the

memory of William lives on. In a

series of events over the last year,

Rhys has managed to become a

published children's author - and

his book has been dedicated to

William's memory.

"I’ve got a photo of my

grandparents up in my house and

my two young boys kept asking

about it. I felt that I needed to give

my kids some context to the people

in the photo.

"One night, I was putting the kids

to bed and instead of reading them

a usual story, I recalled the time that

my grandfather took me down

the cellar and showed me his

pet spider Horris. A few nights

later, my son asked me to tell

him the story again so this time

I had to write it down. I retold

the story several times a week

so I started creating drawings

on my iPad to go with it. Within

a few weeks, I'd

created my first book.

"It was obviously

a rough version but

my kids loved it and I

thought about getting

it published. Eventually,

I got in touch with a

publishing house who

said that they’d put

it in their catalogue.

The book needed

a complete revamp

though so I worked

with the publishing house to get the

book ready.

"The entire process took about

6 months. There was an editor

working on the text and I also

worked with an illustrator, which

was my favourite bit. I'd draw a

rough version and send it off and I'd

then get a professional version sent

back. Every time the pictures

came back to me to look over,

I got more and more excited. It

was great seeing the images

that I had in my head coming

I want

the book

to be a

lasting

tribute

to life."

Rhys had the most

ardent of fans and

critics in his two

young boys:

"Kids really are

the best critics. I’d

created drawings

of my granddad

for the book. There

was one illustration

in particular of my

granddad winking

to the reader at the

end. My four year

old looked at it and

asked me why he

had one eye closed.

It hadn’t occurred

to me that a four

year old might not

understand the

concept of winking. It made me

rethink about the audience I was

writing for and I had to put myself

in their shoes for the rest of the

process."

The book was finally submitted for

publication and Rhys published the

book in 2018.

"I’ve had a few copies sent to me

and my first job was to give a copy

to my nan. Even if I do nothing else

with the books, all the time and

effort that I put into it was worth it

just to see my nan’s face when she

saw the book.

"If someone had told me when I

was a kid that I'd end up publishing

a children's book, I wouldn't have

believed them. In school, we always

had comprehension drilled into us.

The problem for me

was that it all focused

on things that I had no

interest in whatsoever.

English lessons always

centred around stories

that had no relevance

to me. Now if they'd

given me a match

report for a football

game and questioned

me on that, I'd have

been able to answer all

the questions, and get

them all right.

"I always had a great imagination

as a kid so I think that's helped

because I was able to use that

when it came to creating my book. I

was always a daydreamer in school

but of course, the teachers always

wanted you to do what they said.

You can't get qualifications in

daydreaming though can you?"

Rhys's pride in his publication

is apparent but is also tempered

perhaps with a little bit of shyness.

"I'm no English literature student

but I've managed to publish my

own book, which is something that I

thought I'd never do.

"I’ve left the possibility of

subsequent books open, just in

case I do want to produce more.

I’ll also continue being a fireman

because it’s a job that I have found

rewarding."

Meanwhile, Rhys also continues

his other passion of football as

manager of Pen-y-Bont FC in

Bridgend.

"Being a football manager takes a

lot of dedication and devotion. But

football is such a big part of me that

I can't imagine my life without it. My

book is a totally different part of my

professional life but it's one that I

felt I wanted to do.

"Now that I’ve written it, the next

step is to market it. There are a few

channels I’ll be using but as long

as I break even, I’ll be a happy man.

I've wanted this book to be a lasting

tribute to my grandfather and even

if nothing comes of it, at least I will

have had a go.

"That's all my granddad would

have asked of me."

You can buy Rhys's book at

https://amzn.to/2Ih6x7z

17

How to write

a novel

They say that everyone has a story to tell. Writing your own novel can be a

challenging but rewarding experience. And who knows? You could be next

summer's best-selling author

1. Getting started

Writing a novel is something that

a lot of people want to achieve,

but never actually get around to

starting, never mind completing.

Sitting in front of a blank screen

can make ideas evaporate so if

you're wanting to get started, get

yourself a notebook or journal and

start getting some ideas down.

They don't have to be organised to

begin with - what you're looking to

do is get down some basic themes,

18

storylines and characters.

Committing to your novel is the

best way of making it a reality.

Theoretically, it is possible to write

a novel 'on the fly', but you're more

likely to progress more effectively

if you can establish some kind of

routine. Writing every day, even if

it's for 15 or 30 minutes, will help

move your principal ideas along.

Creating a dedicated writing space

can help in that it will get you in the

flow when you sit down to write.

Consider what kind of novel

your story will be - does it fit

into a specific genre or does it

cross over into a few?

Getting a basic storyline down

before you start writing your

actual book will help you chart

out plot lines, twists and other

things that you can drop in

along the way. Some writers

decide not to do this but having

a sense of where the story is going

can help as a motivator too. Aim to

finish your first draft inside a year.

Before you get stuck into writing,

think about what style you are

going to write in too. Is it first person

or third person? Decide on the

editorial styles you are going to

use and stick to them eg. will you

be using double speech marks or

single? Deciding on these things

now can save a lot of time when

you go back to edit and find that

you're using a mixture of different

styles.

Writing a blurb, similar to the ones

you'd find on the back of a book

can help keep you focused and

enthusiastic when times get tough.

Remember that there will be times

when you won't feel like writing so

don't be too hard on yourself.

In some cases, writers plot their

stories from back to front so that

they can easily construct scenes.

Setting up a blog can also help,

both as a journal, and as a way of

building an audience while your

novel takes shape.

2. Getting it down

The Setting

Don't spend too long describing the

place where your story is set. Most

readers these days want to get

stuck straight into the story. In fact,

you may want to consider jumping

straight into the action before even

writing a word about the bigger

scenario. A thrilling first chapter will

get the reader hooked from the

start.

The Instigating Incident

Nearly all novels include a key

scene on which the rest of the

story hangs eg. in a crime novel, it

could be the moment that a body is

discovered. Don't get too obsessed

with the fine detail of it when you

start but do bear in mind that its

impact will resonate throughout the

rest of the book.

You may also have some ideas for

key moments that you'd like in your

novel. Make sure though that they

propel the story forward, and aren't

just there because you like them.

If you've planned your novel from

back to front, these key moments

can all fit together as part of the

bigger jigsaw. These will form the

stepping stones upon which your

novel will progress.

Characterisation

If this is your first novel, don't

overload it with too many

characters. It may end up

complicating both you and the

reader. Keeping it simple is the

best way to forge ahead on your

first attempt. You will need a few

key characters that develop as the

novel progresses. Consider their

principles - are these challenged

when faced with conflict?

The Conflict

Conflict is what drives many novels

forward and it usually involves the

main character, often against a

protagonist or a situation. If your

novel involves settings that you're

not familiar with, make sure you do

your research first. Some writers

write about what they know about

best because this gives them an

intimate background of the world

they're writing about.

The aim of your novel is for your

main character to overcome this

conflict in one way or another.

Dialogue

The things that your characters

say to each other should be there

to develop your character or

story. Don't have your characters

talking for long periods of time

about nothing in particular. Your

reader will get bored. Dialogue

can also move your story forward.

For example, one character has

information that they accidentally

pass onto another character.

How to keep the reader

reading

A good storyline often includes

intrigue and mystery. The reader will

want to find answers to questions

and if your story is good enough,

the reader will want to read on to

find those answers.

There is also a technique that

you can employ at the end of each

chapter that will entice your reader

to move onto the next chapter. The

way to do it is to have a cliff-hanger

moment at the end of each chapter.

Set up a situation that's full of

suspense that will get your reader

thinking 'What happens next?'

The Ending

how-to

The ending to your book should

resolve the main conflict of your

story. There's no need to have a

'Hollywood' ending but you should

have tied up all your loose ends

unless you are wanting to produce

a sequel.

You can leave the reader with a

cliff-hanger but this runs the risk

of not providing the satisfactory

outcome that your reader was

probably hoping for.

3. Getting it polished

Once you have written your first

draft, you'll need to edit it. Your

novel could go through many

redrafts, as you tidy and reshape

many of your chapters.

Once you've done what you

consider a 'final version', put it

away and don't look at it for a few

weeks, possibly even months. Then

re-read it as if you were someone

reading it for the first time. Does

the storyline make sense? Are the

characters fleshed out enough? Do

they develop throughout the book?

If you find that you are skipping

chunks of your work, it's a good rule

of thumb that your readers will be

doing the same.

If you are editing the book yourself,

don't be shy about cutting anything

that seems surplus to the plot. Once

you are happy with your revisions,

it's a good idea to start showing a

few people your story.

Feedback is important, both good

and bad - and don't take criticism

too personally. Keep a note of all

the remarks and be sure to ask for a

second opinion if you're not entirely

convinced of its merit.

If you are then looking to publish

your novel, you can either look to

find a publisher who will take on

your novel, or you can publish it

yourself. If this is your first novel, it's

always best to have a completed

manuscript to offer publishers

before approaching them.

If you'd rather go down the selfpublishing

route, you can do so in

print or ebook form with several

platforms. Amazon has its own selfpublishing

service (where you can

also sell your books and ebooks)

but there are other options such as

Lulu and Blurb, who can produce a

print run for you.

There are also companies

who can take your

book and selfpublish

it for you,

although they can

take a cut of your

royalties.

Drawing a Fine Line

Eric Heyman is a self-taught illustrator and artist. The former

firefighter talks to The Indie Book Store about his life and work

Down in South Wales, while

the village sleeps, there’s a

light on. In a workshop at the

bottom of his garden, Eric Heyman

is putting the final touches to

another of his artistic creations.

“I was brought up in Cardiff and

went to my local primary school

where I had two wonderful teachers

– Mrs Jones and Mr Thomas. They

were very inspirational, not just with

my art but in life too. I then went

to high school, where I had an art

teacher called Mr Reynolds. I spent

more time in that art room than

anywhere else.”

Eric’s teenage years were to prove

a time of bloom for ideas and

influence:

“At that point in my life, I wanted

20

to be a political cartoonist, but

the older I got, the more I was

interested in the likes of Disney

animator Ken Anderson and people

like Quentin Blake.

“I remember watching Quentin

hosting Jackanory once and he was

drawing the characters on the wall

as he was telling the story. That

fascinated me and always stuck

with me. I began drawing cartoons

and illustrations and got my first

commission from a local lady called

Pat Campbell in my village. She

wanted me to do some illustrations

for the local tennis club and that’s

how I earned my first 10 shillings.”

Eric completed his education at

high school, but as far as his art

training was concerned, that was as

far as it went.

“I’m totally self-taught. I never went

to art college and I’ve never had

any formal training. My local library

was a great source of information

for me and I’d head there to take

out books on anatomy. I was

interested in drawing cartoons

but I was also wanting to develop

my own style.”

For Eric, illustrating was a love

that he had to nurture in his

spare time, the duties of life

beckoning him to other forms of

employment.

“I was a Police Cadet for a while

when I was younger and almost

went into the Royal Marines. In

the end, I joined the Fire Service,

starting out at Adamsdown Fire

Station in Cardiff and ending up

based nearby.”

But his affection for art was

never far away:

“I did some illustrations for a

few of their information guides

and started getting into the

illustration industry via a friend

of mine called Mike Collins.

He was one of the artists who

drew the Wolverine character

for the Marvel comics. He told

me to put a portfolio together,

so I did and I sent it off to lots of

publishers. I had lots of rejections.

The Welsh Books Council did get

in touch however, and wanted

me to work on a few projects for

children’s books, including work for

the Oxford University Press, Sony

Pixar and Disney Animation. I was

still employed as a firefighter at

this point, but a few years before I

was due to retire, Emma Ball Ltd

contacted me wanting me to work

on their greetings card products. I

spent about 4 or 5 years creating

cards but the main goal I’d set

myself was to get a good agent and

a big publicity deal.”

Eric is keen to pass on his skills to

others, particularly those who are

setting out on their own journeys of

discovery.

“I’ve run a few workshops at the

National Museum Cardiff and I

recently worked with the Welsh

Books Council at a local school

which was great.”

The pull of creation is something

that’s driven Eric for most of his life:

“I’ve always had an interest in

illustration because each one

creates a new story. I love being

creative and when it comes to

sitting down with a blank piece of

paper, I try and imagine the story

behind what I’m looking to achieve.

It might take me a morning to finish

a piece or it might take me a few

days. There’ll always be a lot of

waste paper hanging around my

workshop and sometimes, I like to

leave a piece that I’ve worked on

and come back to it a few days

later.

“I’ve developed my own style

over the years but I take a lot of

inspiration from Ronald Searle who

was an artist and satirical cartoonist.

He was responsible for the creation

of St Trinians School. My style is

more ‘scratchy’, which

is achieved through

several different

techniques that I’ve

learned. I use a dip

pen, which is almost

like one of those old

quills that people

used to use. I also

use a knife to literally

scratch away at some

of the paint I’ve laid

down. I apply this to

drawings of trees to

help it create that

look of depth. I create

collages which are

interesting because

it’s another medium

by which I can create

scenes.”

Looking ahead, Eric

has every reason to be

excited:

“I’m in the process of

developing a few of

my own characters.

The main one I’m

working on is one

called Blue Bear, who

I’m hoping to feature

in a picture book. Blue

Bear is concerned

about the

people

environment and draws other

animals in the books. He’s not quite

there yet. More than anything I’d

like to get a big book deal under my

belt. Then I’ll be really happy.”

More about Eric and his work here

Power of

Positive

Up to 1 in 4 people will be affected by mental health problems

at some point in their life. Here are a few ways to help boost your

mental health in a positive and uplifting way

Your mental

wellbeing

Your mental wellbeing describes

how you are feeling and how you

are coping on a day-to-day basis.

Having good wellbeing allows

you to feel confident about

yourself and your self-esteem.

It will also enable you to feel

engaged with the world around

you and to cope more effectively

with the stresses of everyday life.

The benefits of this mindset

will encourage you to have a

more productive and rewarding

life, even with unexpected

changes and times of potential

worry. This can all be backed up

with positive relationships and

friendships.

It’s important to remember

that your mental wellbeing isn’t

a permanent feature. It can

change from year to year, month

to month, day to day - even

moment to moment. However,

if you experience low mental

wellbeing over a prolonged

period of time, you are more

likely to develop a mental health

problem. That's why looking after

yourself is so important.

22

Connections

Scientific evidence highlights

the importance of good and

positive connections. These can

be forged through family, friends

and our wider communities.

Good connections help us feel

more stable and secure, and can

also lead to a greater sense of

purpose in life. They can help

us feel good about ourselves,

allowing us to function better.

They do this by building our

self-worth and our sense of

belonging. We can also benefit

from making others feel better

about themselves in their times

of need - which will make us feel

better about ourselves.

Good connections allow us

to share positive experiences.

Call on family and friends and

reconnect if necessary.

Keep active

There is strong evidence to show

that keeping active is good for

your wellbeing. And the good

news is that you don’t have to

spend hours at the gym to do

this.

Physical activity alters the

chemical make up in the brain,

which can led to better moods.

Exercise releases endorphins,

the body’s feel-good hormones.

Adults aged 19 and over should

aim to do at least 150 minutes

of moderate-intensity aerobic

activity, such as fast walking or

cycling, a week.

A great way to increase your

activity is to find something that

you enjoy doing so that it doesn’t

feel like a chore. Make it a part of

your life.

Challenge yourself

It can be hard motivating yourself

to set goals in your life, so one of

the key ways to beat this is to find

something that you love doing

and do more of it. If you have a

hobby that you enjoy, make time

for it.

Then set yourself small goals

and aim to meet them. Even

reaching small goals will help

boost your confidence and the

way that you view yourself. It

could be something as simple as

trying out a new recipe a week, or

learning a few words in a foreign

language. Focus on the small win,

not big achievements.

If you struggle with thinking up

goals, join a class or become a

volunteer. You'll get to meet new

people, make new friends and

also be provided with small tasks

to challenge yourself. And you can

share those little wins!

Asking for help

There is no shame in asking for

help and there are plenty of

people who are willing to listen.

If you don't feel comfortable

talking to friends or family, you

can always speak to your GP or

pick up the phone and speak to

the Samaritans. Even the act of

getting things off your chest will

help you feel better.

Try not to pressurise yourself

to carry on as normal if you are

struggling. Many people need

help and support carrying out

basic day-to-day tasks - cleaning,

childcare and shopping.

If you are finding things

especially difficult, remember that

there are trained professionals

who are ready to listen and help.

You can seek out counsellors

who will help you through your

struggle, offering reflection,

support and a range of possible

treatments or solutions.

Professionals can also help you

formulate a crisis plan - the aim of

which is to help you think about

the things you might need during

a crisis. This will help you feel

more in control of your life.

Diet

Because your physical wellbeing

is so closely linked to your mental

wellbeing, taking care of yourself

physically can make you feel a

whole lot better. And it's not just

exercise that helps - you may want

to explore how your diet affects

you. Improving your diet can give

you more energy, lift your mood

and help you think more clearly.

Keep hydrated by drinking plenty

of water and keeping caffeine and

alcohol to a minimum. Your gut is

intrinsically linked to your moods.

Stress and anxiety can affect its

performance. Nourish your body

with the vitamins and minerals it

needs and it will reward you with

better moods.

Sleep

Good sleep is vital to both physical

and mental health. Lack of sleep

can occur due to external factors

like noisy neighbours or young

children but in many cases, it

comes down to anxiety and worry.

Establishing a routine can help for

some, while taking a break from

laptops and phones works better

for others. Go to bed when you

feel tired enough and try to do

something relaxing beforehand.

Your brain will be better prepared

for sleep that way.

wellbeing

Take time for yourself

Taking time for yourself is an essential

part of maintaining your wellbeing.

Far too often, we spend our time

running around for others, often with

disregard for our own needs.

Dedicating time to meditate, even

if it's 10 or 15 minutes a day, will give

you that little 'sanctuary' that you

know you can look forward to every

day. Take the time to listen to some

music, colour in a colouring book or

do something as simple as taking a

bath.

There's also no need to feel guilty

about taking time for yourself.

Get to know yourself

'To know thyself is the beginning of

wisdom.' This famous quote is often

attributed to Socrates but what

exactly do you know when you 'know

yourself?'

When you know yourself, you

understand what motivates you to

resist bad habits and develop good

ones. You'll have the insight to know

which values and goals activate your

willpower.

When you evaluate yourself, pay

attention to the things that make you

feel uncomfortable. These emotional

signals can tell you if you are trying

to avoid a subject. Are you insecure

about that characteristic? If so, what

can you do to overcome it?

We tend to underestimate the

importance of knowing ourselves.

Many of us go through each day

reacting to events and just getting by

rather than making conscious choices

based on who we are and what we

want.

23

“It’s my Coronavirus Protection

Bubble on wheels,” she says,

excitedly.

Meet Samantha Brown, who has

been travelling the world in her

camper van as a digital nomad. Her

work tool is her laptop. Location:

various.

“I feel safe in my van,” she says.

"I’ve got everything I need here.

Somewhere to eat, work, wash and

sleep. I’m off to France next week.”

Sam hasn’t always been a traveller.

In fact, for the last few months,

much like the rest of us, she’s been

trapped in her home. But her sense

of adventure has returned.

"I was always seeking adventure

as a child. Building dens and

experiencing the outdoors was how

I liked to spend my days.

"I always had the desire to

communicate too. As a kid, I used to

record pretend radio programmes

on my tape recorder with my sister.

These days, I have my own podcast.

As a youngster, I was into telling

stories and I'd dream of creating a

cosy little home for myself. I think

that's where this lifestyle comes

from."

Sam attended high school in

Cardiff and it was here that she

embraced her education.

“The most abiding memories I

24

have of school was that we laughed

a lot. Needless to say, we learnt a

lot too and we were given a solid

education there. I’m thankful that I

went to one of the best schools in

Wales although I have to admit that

I found assemblies boring. I’d skip

these by hiding in the loos. There’d

be a few of us doing that!

“As I moved into Sixth Form, I

began my love affair with music,

especially Cardiff’s indie scene. I felt

that to my friends, I was a bit of an

arty outsider - but they didn’t love

me any less.

Nomad

Samantha Brown gave up her 9 to 5 job and packed a bag to start

a new lifestyle, travelling the world and working from a laptop

"By the mid '90s, I was working as

a nanny in Paris where I found out

that I was pregnant. After having my

daughter, I completed my degree

in English Literature as a young

single parent at Bristol University

before launching headlong into the

corporate world."

Sam spent 12 years as the Head

of Marketing and Communications

for large corporates and national

charities. She bought her home in

Bristol and felt settled in her life.

But that all changed in 2017, when

Sam's father was diagnosed with

cancer.

"Dad worked hard his entire life

and was due to retire when he

found out that he was ill. He’d

wanted to spend his retirement

seeing the world but sadly, he never

got to do it.

"It made me question my life. I

realised that I didn’t want to spend

the next 20 years stuck in an office. I

wanted to see the world, so I took a

sabbatical in 2019, not long after my

Dad had died."

Sam went travelling across 12

countries in South and Central

America, picking up work as a

freelance marketing consultant

along the way.

"I eventually came back to my day

job and was toying with the idea

of handing my notice in, when we

were told that the organisation had

failed to retain its contract and I was

handed a redundancy."

Freed from the shackles of the

corporate world, Sam took to the

skies and headed east.

“I spent two months in Bali and

two months in Thailand. I also set

up my blog and podcast to provide

inspiration to others. Christmas and

New Year was shared with a group

of digital nomads on a remote

island. It was wonderful."

Sam then moved on to India. Still

working from her laptop, Sam was

able to combine the experience of

living within another culture while

paying her way through her online

work. That was until Coronavirus's

tentacles began reaching around

the world.

"I’ll always remember 17th March

2020. I’d just had dinner when I

found out that the EU had closed its

border. At 11pm that night, I booked

a flight home that was due to leave

at 7am the next morning.

"I was in the middle of the Goan

countryside with no taxi available,

so I started knocking on neighbours'

doors to see if anyone would give

me a lift to the airport. Unfortunately

no one would.

"In the end, the only viable option I

had was to use the scooter I'd been

hiring to get me there. I packed my

backpack and headed off into the

night, bound for the airport.

"Out on the highway in the dead

of night, it was only after I spotted

traffic coming towards me that I

realised I was driving down the

carriageway in the wrong direction.

The traffic slowed and I had to try

and manoeuvre my scooter onto

the right carriageway. Then my

backpack fell off and its contents

spilled out. I’d been relying on my

Main photo: Carles Navarro

iPhone for directions - it fell onto

the road and two cars passed over

it. Thankfully, they hadn’t damaged

it.

"I arrived at the airport at 5am,

abandoned the scooter and took a

photo of it so that I could let the hire

company know where it was. And

all the while, I could hear my dad’s

voice telling me to get home.

"It was pure instinct. I knew I was

doing the right thing, even though it

seemed totally crazy at the time.

I was so wired on the initial

domestic flight that I couldn’t sleep,

despite being up all night. When

I finally got on the BA flight to

Heathrow, the crew confirmed that

it was one of the last to leave India

– so my instincts were right.”

Exhausted, Sam eventually made

it back to her Bristol home which

she normally rents out to lodgers

and her daughter whilst travelling.

"The only room left in the house

was the small one I'd been keeping

all my belongings in. I had no

choice but to use it as both my

office and my lodgings. Because

I’d just come back from abroad, I

was forced to quarantine for seven

days. Lockdown then started on the

sixth day. I was desperate to see my

mum and siblings but I had to abide

by the rules.”

And so it was, that Sam was

marooned in her room for 10 weeks,

not sure of when she could restart

her travels or even see her close

family.

"Although I realised I was fortunate

to get home and still be able to

work through my consultancy, I

found lockdown difficult. I lost all

my energy and drive and it wasn’t

until I hit upon the idea of getting

a motorhome that my excitement

returned.

people

Sam has the world at her

fingertips via her laptop

"I bought the van with the rest of

my redundancy money and named

her Juno – after the Ancient Greek

goddess. She’s the protector of

women.

"Juno is completely self-contained.

I have everything I need – including

a toilet, shower, kitchen and WIFI

for me to work remotely. I’m off

to France next week. I’ve always

wanted to see Europe and as we’ll

be leaving it at the end of the year,

it’ll be harder to do that any time

later. I figured that this was the

safest and cheapest way to get to

see it.

"I plan to keep Juno for a few years

whilst this pandemic continues –

after that, who knows where the

road will lead me."

Be inspired by Sam's journey by

following GenerationXit on YouTube

or visit www.generationxit.com

Juno allows Sam to work

remotely and at her own pace

25

Romantic

Fiction

Whether you're on a

beach or still stuck

at home, there's

always time for a bit

of romantic fiction

Find Another Hero

Find Another Hero is the third and

last in “The Crew” series from author

Annie Mick.

While able to be read as

a standalone, it is highly

recommended it be read after Run

To Me and Wicked Lemonade in

order to relate to and experience

all the ups and downs these ladies

have to offer.

Available here

Love Reaffirmed

William loses his wife Kristy in a car

accident. Plagued with sorrow and

pain, for a few months he believes

she’s still alive. Trapped between

reality and fantasy, he’s the only one

who doesn’t realize it.

Kristy, unable to watch her love

suffer alone, comes back to him.

When he acts like she never left,

she doesn’t bother to tell him she’s a

ghost. Once William is forced to face

that Kristy is truly dead, he breaks

down and goes on a destructive

path.

Available here

Hidden Magic: The

Eldritch Of Hallows

A young woman on the run makes

an erotic bargain with a sexy sheriff

when danger follows her to a

mysterious hidden village full of

magical beings.

If you love fantasy and paranormal

thrown into the mix with a great

romance, then look no further than

this book from Elana McDougall.

Available here

26

Irish Bones

Lovina learns of her Irish ancestors

and the events that surrounded

them, but there is one thing she has

to do.

Historical romantic fiction from

author Rebecca Conaty Bruce.

Available here

books

Dawn From Midnight

Two Worlds, Three Hearts, One Love.

Against all odds, Deven, an immortal

from another planet and Lyssa, a

human girl, fall into a love that spans

the ages.

A powerful and epic, emotional

vampire-human love story with a

surprising, sci-fi, dystopian twist.

Available here

Jenny Of Lebanon

All’s quiet at 318 White Ash Lane—

which is good. Billy could use some

quiet. He’s got enough trouble

paying off his bills, keeping his cat

fed and healing the ribs he bruised

in a wreck with a Honda.

Available here

Fling With The Flying

Doctor: 1 (Outback

Doctors)

A cynical doctor. A nurse with a

secret. How far would you go for the

person you loved?

Australian contemporary romance

from author Kathleen Ryder.

Available here

Promise Me

Daniel is a widower and has given

up on love. When he meets Bianca,

his whole life changes. Yet, she

harbours more than one secret.

Set between 1980 and 1990,

“Promise Me” is “a most unusual

love story, and one you won’t soon

forget.”

Available here

Photographs

Two brothers have been at odds for

most of their life and a ten-year age

difference has not helped. The one

thing they both have in common

is they both have been unlucky in

love…until they both meet Trisha.

Available here

27

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EXAMPLE

self

care

The mental health repercussions from the COVID pandemic and

its economic fallout are yet to be realised. Here are some tried and

tested coping strategies to help you through these tough times

Looking after

yourself and

others

Not many of us could have

previously claimed to have lived

through a pandemic and like all

infectious disease outbreaks,

the current Coronavirus can be a

scary experience.

It can also take its toll on our

mental health and while it is

important to keep abreast of

ongoing developments, we can't

overlook our own well-being and

the well-being of others. While

the risk to our physical health

remains, so too does the risk to

our emotional health.

Many of us will already be

feeling these effects and as our

country starts to emerge from

the lockdown, there will be more

challenges ahead.

But like most things, there are

ways to cope and manage the

anxiety and stress. Making sure

that your wider health needs are

met will result in new routines

but it is an opportunity to reflect,

reset and respond to our current

situation for the better.

30

Diet

Together with exercise, diet forms

the foundations for long-term

health and well-being.

Eating well can help us avoid

chronic diseases but it can also

help lift our moods and levels of

happiness and contentment. A

balanced diet gives your body the

nutrients it needs to function as it

should.

No single food contains all the

essential nutrients that the body

needs to stay healthy and work

properly. For this reason, our diets

should contain a variety of different

foods, to help us get the wide

range of nutrients that our bodies

need.

Planning your meals will help

avoid the temptation to snack on

the go, which often leads to obesity

and upset our energy balance.

Exercise

Exercise delivers oxygen and

nutrients to your tissues and

helps your cardiovascular system

work more efficiently. When your

cardiovascular system works

better, everything seems easier

and you have more energy for

the fun stuff in life.

Aerobic exercise and strength

training can help strengthen

your body and help clear your

mind. Strengthening the heart

and other muscles isn't the

only important goal of exercise.

Exercise can also help the body

stay flexible, meaning that your

muscles and joints stretch and

bend easily.

You can start off by taking

daily walks but 60 minutes of

moderate to vigorous daily

exercise is recommended.

Avoid sensationalist

headlines

One of the main triggers of

anxiety and stress over the

last few months has been the

sensationalist headlines in the

press. Social media often doesn't

help as many publishing outlets

want you to read their stories so

that they can build revenues.

Get any news you want to know

about from a reputable source

and try to stay away from news

that doesn't directly impact on

you.

Talk to your children

Involving your young family

members in discussions can be

tricky. Children may well feel

confused themselves and you

may want to keep them informed.

Be truthful in your conversations

as any exposed untruths will

cause a sense of distrust between

you. Making them feel safe and

protected should be a priority.

Pace yourself

Remind yourself that you can't do

everything at once. Whatever you

are trying to achieve, it has to be

done over time and with patience.

We will all be moving at our own

pace as we come out of lockdown

- be aware of that with others and

make others aware of that too.

Prepare for the future but focus

on the present and any positives

that it brings.

Sleep

Where possible, try and create

a routine and environment that's

conducive to a good night's sleep.

Sleep is crucial to both your

emotional and physical state

and its effectiveness in helping

you reset and heal cannot be

underestimated.

It should therefore be considered

a priority of your day.

Stay connected

Lockdown has kept us physically

apart, and for some, this has

caused huge distress.

Loneliness and feelings of

isolation have rocketed over the

last few months so it's important

to keep connected as much as

possible.

Many of us have kept in touch

with family and friends using

our phones and internet but as

lockdown eases, it's easy to lose

the connections you built up over

the last few months.

Look out for loved ones too who

have gone quiet. Many people are

struggling in silence and a quick

catch up will make both you and

them feel less isolated. Even a

socially-distanced walk can help

you feel connected to those you

care about.

Control what can be

controlled

Worrying about things that are

outside of your control can take up

a lot of your time and energy.

You may need to be told that there

are many things that happen in your

life, over which you have no control.

That is a simple fact.

You can be a lot more effective if

you focus only on the things that

you have control over. You can't

stop a storm coming but you can

prepare for it so take some time to

figure out the things that you can

control and discard those aspects

of your life that you can't control -

including the behaviour of others.

wellbeing

Three steps to dealing

with stress

Stress is the feeling of feeling

under excessive pressure and it can

cause many emotional and physical

problems. It can also creep up on

you slowly as stressors build on top

of each other before it suddenly hits

you.

Step One - Become Aware

Becoming aware that you are

stressed and understanding what

is causing your problems is the first

step.

Physical warnings are usually the

first indicators - headaches, overtiredness

and tensed up muscles

are all associated with stress.

Work out the connection between

your physical ailments and their

underlying causes.

Step Two - Identify the causes

Identifying the underlying causes of

your stress is your next step. These

can be classified in three possible

ways:

1) those that you can sort with a

practical solution

2) those that will get better over time

3) those causes that you can’t do

anything about

If possible, try and let go of the

worry of the second and third

elements to free up mind space.

Step Three - Review your

lifestyle

Are you trying to do too much? Are

you able to delegate anything?

Prioritise the things you are trying to

achieve and re-organise your life

Remind yourself that there is a time

for everything but only if you do one

thing at a time.

31

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