The end of an era … and the beginning of the next.

Time has passed all too quickly and I have now reached the point when I am able to make a ‘big cheque’ presentation to Macmillan Cancer Support. Last year, when I launched ‘Twisted Tales’, I committed all royalties earned by the book during 2016, to the charity. I am pleased to report that £500 has been raised. The presentation will take place at 7.00 pm at the Alma Inn, Linton, on Thursday 26th January, so if anyone is in the area, please come along. My heartfelt thanks go to everyone who has supported my fundraising activities. To say they have been varied is an understatement, but the enthusiasm with which I was always welcomed made each one worthwhile. I was often unprepared for the kindness of strangers and the emotional engagement and empathy that many felt through a shared consciousness of the effects of Cancer, on themselves or on others. It was often the events at which I sold the fewest books that were the most rewarding, because I would have time to talk to visitors to my stand. Sometimes, we would share tears, sometimes laughter, but always hope. My ‘twisted tale’ is that life has taken a new direction, because of the success of my children’s books and I must confess to enjoying this new reason to stir my bones and allow me to escape the clutches of daytime television. I’m still going strong, with a talk at Ross Court on Friday and another children’s book due out in February. My next challenge is to keep on task. Today, I have sent off five press releases, answered numerous emails and replied to enquiries through my contacts page, which means that my word count, so far is zero! I must try to adopt the principles contained in Winston Churchill’s quote, “You will never reach your destination if you stop and throw stones at every dog that barks”, therefore, you will forgive me if I now excuse myself!