me and white supremacy – Combat Racism, Change the World, and Become a Good Ancestor by Laylae Saad
This is a powerful and informative book. I not only read it, I completed the workbook section also. In the past I would have read the title of this book, and looked away thinking that this book is not meant for me. On May 25, 2020 that changed. My heart cracked open, allowing me to know and understand that I MUST educate myself on this topic.
In years past, I had been apathetic, stayed silent, ignorant of the enormity of this situation, and thinking that none of this applied to me because I am a good person. The days following May 25th, I chose to educate myself and my eyes and mind have been opened to the horrors that my brothers and sisters have been living. I think many of us feel this book is not meant for us. Let your heart guide the way. It doesn’t have to be this book. Choose any of the books, talks, or movies out there and educate yourself on the definition of white supremacy and white privilege. It’s not what you may think.
Quote from the book, “There is no clean, comfortable, or convenient way to dismantle a violent system of oppression. You must roll up your sleeves and get down into the ugly, fertile dirt.”
To support this website and the author’s interviewed, visit Support MTA for suggestions. Thank you! – Camilla
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Today we travel to South London to chat with Sheila Rawlings about how graphic designing, being an avid reader, crime investigation, an overactive imagination, writing in the dining room, destroyed plans, James Bond, going for walks, Formula One, a choppy boat trip, Stieg Larsson, and breaking into a celebrity’s house come together as part of Sheila’s past and current life.
Tell us a bit about yourself.
My name is Sheila Rawlings, and I am a trained graphic designer and self-published author. Having spent 33 years working for a weekly magazine publisher, I now spend my well-earned retirement writing novels in South London, where I live with my husband Martin – to whom I have been married for nearly 46 years. Apparently, my long service medal is in the post.
Having been an avid reader since childhood, I must have read hundreds of books over the years, all of which not only contributed to my love of writing stories but also greatly helped to improve my writing style. Unfortunately, as I’m reluctant to part with my growing book collection, it means I’m now running out of space to house them. Fortunately, since the arrival of Kindle, I now mostly download e-books, as they’re easier to carry around – much to the relief of my husband, who was beginning to think he was living in a library.
In which genre do you write?
My preferred genre is psychological thrillers. As I watch a lot of TV dramas and have always enjoyed a good thriller, it’s a genre I feel most comfortable with. However, having attended a ‘crime investigation procedure for authors’ course just before the pandemic, I decided to introduce a crime element to both my latest thriller, and the one I’m currently writing.
How many published books do you have?
I’m still relatively new to writing, so I’ve only published two novels so far. However, I’ve just finished the first draft of my next novel, so hopefully it won’t be long before those two are joined by a third.
When did you first realise you wanted to be a writer and what ignited your author flame?
I suppose the seeds of becoming a writer started to take root when I was a child, as, due to an overactive imagination that needed an outlet, I was an avid book reader. With no electronic devices or computer games to distract me, I could always be found curled up somewhere with my nose in a book; partly as a way of escaping my annoying little brother’s tantrums – of which there were many – and partly to drown out the arguments that often occurred between my father and my maternal grandmother, who lived with us. Unfortunately, having been a prisoner of war during World War 2, my father had acquired a quick temper and little patience – which my grandmother regularly managed to put to the test. Therefore, immersing myself in a good book was the only way to escape the chaos of my everyday surroundings.
However, as my parents regarded writing stories as just a hobby, when I eventually left school, I was encouraged to train for a ‘proper’ job … as they termed it. So, I became a graphic designer instead.
I did start to write a novel several years prior to my retirement. However, as anyone in publishing knows, there is no such thing as regular hours. So, I only got as far as the first two chapters before constant work commitments rendered it impossible to finish. Added to this, my husband had unfortunately developed clinical depression, which meant I suddenly found myself trying to cope with a difficult home life, while at the same time doing a demanding and full-time job. Therefore, it wasn’t until 2013 that I eventually managed to finish the story and publish my first novel.
What does your ideal writing space look like?
In my mind, my ideal writing space would be a large, dedicated study where I could shut myself away with all my many books; a room that would also have enough wall space to hang up a large white board where I could plot out my novels. However, back in the real world, as I live in a small, two-bedroom terrace house with very little storage space – let alone a spare room to convert into a study – the reality of the situation is I’m restricted to using the dining room instead. Unfortunately, with no lock on the door, it’s difficult to avoid interruptions – or constant offers of a cup of tea. As it’s also the only room we have for entertaining, it means packing all my things into a large plastic box every time we have guests staying. Fortunately – and I never thought I’d hear myself saying this – thanks to Covid, visitors have been a rare occurance.
What are you currently reading?
As I write regular monthly book reviews on my website, it means I usually manage to read at least one book a month. Currently, I’m in between books, having just read the excellent novel ‘One Step Behind’ by Lauren North. It’s a gripping and tense psychological thriller, about a woman whose life is systematically being ruined by a stalker. If you’re looking for a good read, I can highly recommend it.
Where did the idea for your most recent book come from?
During my husband’s long struggle with depression, one unavoidable fact became abundantly clear. Nothing in life is guaranteed. No matter how well we plan our future – or how much control we think we have over it – at the end of the day we’re all at the mercy of fate. As I knew only too well how devastating it was to suddenly have all your carefully made plans destroyed in the blink of an eye, I decided to use that experience as the underlying theme for my latest novel.
I started by asking myself a question. What traumatic event would be guaranteed to not only tear a person’s life apart but also be impossible to recover from? My answer was simple: to suddenly lose someone you loved in tragic circumstances, with no warning or time to prepare for it. Realising the premise would make for an explosive start to my novel, I then placed my main protagonist in exactly that position, creating a scenario where her husband is fatally shot during an unexpected bank robbery, leaving her not only traumatised but also a prime witness to his murder.
They say novelists are either ‘plotters’ or ‘pantsers’. Well, I’m definitely a ‘plotter’. I had my beginning, and, because of my love of Cornwall, I was pretty sure the rugged Cornish coastline – with its secluded and atmospheric coves – would be the ideal setting for a dramatic end to the story. Together with a rough idea of how all the characters would come together to facilitate that ending, all that remained was to piece together the story like a jigsaw puzzle. As writing a novel is an organic process, it took several drafts before the story was finally completed to my satisfaction, by which time – with the help of an excellent editor – it had changed dramatically from its original conception.
What movie can you watch over and over without ever getting tired of it?
https://youtu.be/v5fgnVxBJ9A
As I’m a great film lover and passionate cinema goer, there are several films I would gladly watch repeatedly … and quite often do. For sheer escapism, a James Bond film will always hit the spot – especially the ones with Daniel Craig, who brings a refreshingly gritty edge to the character. As I mentioned before, I’m also partial to a good thriller and can easily watch Stieg Larsson’s ‘The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo’ trilogy multiple times. Having read the books, I consider him a brilliant thriller writer, whose novels have made excellent movies – although I far prefer the Swedish versions to the American ones. Nobody does crime thrillers quite like the Scandinavians.
What do you do when not writing or marketing your books?
I sometimes wish there were more hours in a day, as writing a novel can be an all-consuming activity. You get so involved that time seems to evaporate into the ether. However, although it’s hard to tear myself away from the computer, I do have other interests in my life. For instance, as well as reading books, I love going to the cinema or the theatre. I’m also a great fan of motor racing – especially Formula One. As a lover of good coffee, I often start the day in one of our excellent, local independent cafés. We have several nearby, so I’m spoilt for choice. Since the pandemic struck, it’s been tough for small businesses, especially in the hospitality sector, so I’ve tried to support as many local ones as possible. Truth is, I would miss the coffee shops if they disappeared. Lockdown was bad enough.
I know it’s trendy to spend time in a gym these days but, as far as I’m concerned, pumping iron is best left to the young. However, I do enjoy walking. I find spending time in the fresh air – and I use the term loosely, as I live in London – clears my head and gives me time to think through any ideas I might have for my current projects. Fortunately, we have several parks and gardens within walking distance, so at least I can pretend to be in the country. Walking also helps keep my poor aging joints moving, so I endeavour to walk every day – although on cold days it can be hard to leave the warmth of the house.
What is the most enjoyable aspect you’ve found through writing?
That’s an easy question to answer. For me, there’s no better way to escape all the difficulties of life than to immerse myself in a fictional world of my own imagination. There’s something really satisfying about creating characters, giving them different personalities, then placing them in a challenging situation to see how they each deal with it. It’s amazing how they can surprise you. It’s also a good way of releasing the hidden adventurer that lies within, as you can use your characters to act out scenarios you would never have the courage to do yourself in real life.
What’s the strangest thing you’ve done or experienced to help create a scene.
In my second novel, my main protagonist is taken on a boat trip off the Cornish coast. I had little experience of motorboats when I planned the scene, nor had I ever been out on a rough sea. Therefore, while I was on a location trip to Cornwall, my husband and I decided to join one of the local boat trips to Seal Island, which lay just off the coast of St Ives. It was mid-September, so the holiday season was virtually over. As the weather had also started to deteriorate, when we arrived at the quay, we discovered we were the only passengers for that day. However, instead of cancelling the trip – which we fully expected him to do – to our surprise the owner said he was quite happy to take just the two of us. As a result, not only was the sea as choppy as I had envisaged for my character, but I also got to enact the scene for future reference. The finished description in the book is therefore exactly how I experienced it.
Share a funny story from your childhood.
My father was a milkman, and as a child I used to help him deliver the milk at weekends and during the school holidays. Although she wasn’t one of his customers, Bernard Braden’s daughter lived in one of the streets on my dad’s milk round. At the time, Bernard Braden was a well-known TV presenter and chat show host, and we often saw him and his wife, Barbara Kelly – an actress and TV panellist – visiting her.
One Saturday, having accidentally locked herself out of her house, his daughter stopped my dad and asked if I could climb in through her kitchen window and open the front door for her. Not expecting to be locked out, she had fortunately left the window slightly open. However, it was too small for an adult to climb through. As I was only 12 years old at the time and slim, I was therefore the obvious candidate. It was a bit precarious, as the window was above the kitchen counter. So, I not only had to negotiate my way over the counter, but I also had to avoid breaking any of the crockery she had left on it. Finally succeeding and dropping to the floor, I then made my way down the hallway to open the front door. When I returned to school the following Monday, I took great pride in telling all my friends that I had spent the weekend breaking into a celebrity’s house.
Tell us about your most recent book.
My most recent book is ‘Beneath the Fear’. It’s a psychological crime thriller which centres around Samantha Copeland, a young woman who, having planned her life down to the finest detail, suddenly has it cruelly torn apart when she witnesses her husband’s murder during an unexpected bank robbery.
Although the police believe she has vital information to help them catch her husband’s killer, Sam is so traumatised by the experience that her mind refuses to recall the details of that day, having buried them deep within her subconscious. Desperate to get justice for her husband, she eventually decides to retreat to an isolated village on the Cornish coast, where she hopes the peace and quiet will heal her fragile state of mind and help her to finally face her fears.
Unfortunately, fate isn’t finished with her yet, and she soon discovers that the police are not the only ones keen to find out what she knows. However, unlike the police, they are determined to stop her sharing it.
It was wonderful to have you on MTA, Sheila. I very much enjoyed learning more about you and your books. Wishing you all the best, with much success! – Camilla
Where can we purchase the book?
‘Beneath the Fear’ can be purchased in paperback and e-book formats through Amazon or ordered as a paperback through any local bookshop. It can also be ordered online through Waterstones. The ISBN number is: 978-1-9196103-0-6 and the link is: https://www.waterstones.com/book/beneath-the-fear/sheila-rawlings/9781919610306
Book Blurb for ‘Beneath the Fear’:
Spoilt and indulged since childhood, Samantha Copeland believes bad things only happen to other people. However, after witnessing her husband’s murder during a bank robbery in Oxford, that illusion is cruelly shattered.
Traumatised by the experience, Sam eventually retreats to the Cornish coast, where she hopes to heal her fragile state of mind. Unfortunately, instead of the peace she so desperately craves, she soon finds her vulnerability tested to breaking point by a series of unnerving and unexplained incidents. However, after meeting her enigmatic neighbour, Tony Walker, and local handyman, Nathan Scott, Sam soon discovers these are the least of her problems. The worst is yet to come.
Today we travel to the west coast of Canada to chat with Trevor Atkins about how writing on the floor, electric swing, Treasure Island, sea shanties, Captain Charles Johnson, cannonballs, The Matrix, living on Mars, and a giraffe wearing a bowler hat come together as part of Trevor’s writing life.
Tell us a bit about yourself.
Of course! I live on the west coast of Canada with my family and I’ve been working with words for much of my life, but have only recently pursued historical fiction. Even writing with the aim to publish has only come about recently. I was first motivated to show my daughter that nowadays there are easily available platforms through which you can share your creative ideas with the world. That’s how we ended up writing our three-act play, “The King and Queen’s Banquet”.
My latest book, “The Day the Pirates Went Mad”, is a historical fiction adventure set at the turn of the 18th century, and is the first in a series for middle-grade readers.
What is an interesting writing quirk you have, something we wouldn’t know from reading your biography?
Does this count as a quirk? I actually do most of my writing and revision on the floor, with papers spread out all around me. I’m typically only at my desk when I’m typing up new additions or updates. Or when I’m researching. If I wrote at my desk too, I’d never be out of my chair!
Do you listen to music while you write, or do you like it quiet?
Yes – I very often have music playing. Usually something lo-fi or ambient when writing, or electric swing for the energy when revising. While writing “The Day the Pirates Went Mad” a lot of sea shanties were also playing on repeat, especially “The Derelict” by Abney Park – it’s a great musical rendition of Y.E Allison’s poem. “Yo ho! And a bottle of rum!”
How did you get the idea to write “The Day the Pirates Went Mad”?
The spark was an idea for a short story I decided I would write for my daughter. One about a girl overcoming a cursed pirate treasure, inspired by the greedy in-fighting and backstabbing represented in R.L. Stevenson’s “Treasure Island” and Y.E. Allison’s poem “Derelict” – all that for a bit of gold and silver. This tale would take us on our own adventure during the Golden Age of Piracy, and simultaneously let us talk about what life was really like back then versus how it’s been popularized in pirate fiction.
Then the short story developed into a novel! But knowing we had done it before kept the fire burning to do it again on this larger scale. And, after almost five years, “The Day the Pirates Went Mad” was published last spring. I was (and still am!) very happy to share it. I hope it helps make learning fun for some young readers.
On that note: For those that might want to take it a bit further than just reading – perhaps in a classroom or in a homeschooling family – we’ve written a Teacher’s Guide and made it available through the website at https://EmmaSharpesAdventures.com, along with our behind-the-scenes and research-related blog posts.
If you could have a fantasy tea or coffee date with an author, who would it be and what would you ask them?
Off the top of my head, I’d pick Captain Charles Johnson, the author of “A General History of the Pyrates”. Really, it would be interesting to talk to anyone from the past to understand better what their life was like. Especially those more normal things that don’t make it into the history books you read at school. Details of much of our everyday past aren’t always easily found. With Charles Johnson, this is doubly true as Charles Johnson is a pen name and it isn’t clear who he really was. It would be fun to find out the truth of that, why the pen name, and also to talk about how factual his recountings of those now famous pirates actually are.
What’s a great piece of advice you’ve received?
There’s a bit of dialogue from a opening scene in “The Matrix” where Trinity has fallen and is telling herself, willing herself, to get up and get moving again. “Get up, Trinity. Just get up… Get Up!” I recall this when I need to mentally kick myself in the pants to get on with whatever next step I’m supposed to be taking in my writing. Mind over inertia.
What writing advice would you give to your younger self?
Write more stories, sooner. Shorter ones too, so more would be complete – more I could look back on as finished work. Since we can only move forward, I can only tell this to my current self. We’ll see if I listen!
But to anyone, including myself, I would say: don’t delay. Work towards your creative goals now. As much as you can at a time. Writing, drawing, composing, whatever it may be. Practice and get better – from now. How could you regret that?
If you could be one of your characters for a day, who would you choose and what would you do?
Any one of the crew from the New Adventure would be interesting. Even being a passenger would be good too! I’d be glad to see and experience first hand all the scenes I’ve been visualizing. However, I’d like to avoid yellow fever, cannonballs, or any other things of that sort.
If Mars or another planet was livable, would you accept a one way ticket there?
This could be a real option for many people in the next few decades – very exciting stuff! I’d be tempted by the idea of the adventure. But it would be very hard for me to trade in all Earth’s natural beauty and our modern comforts for a permanent pioneering life on a harsh new world. Still, I would be an avid reader of the news following any such colony, and all the R&D related to making it possible.
A giraffe knocks on your door and is wearing a bowler hat. What do they say and why are they there?
Not a question I was expecting at all! What immediately popped into my mind was “The Giraffe and the Pelly and Me”, a fun read by Roald Dahl. So I guess I would expect the giraffe to ask me about washing our windows, and I would say yes – they need it!
What are you currently working on?
I’m very excited to be outlining book two of Emma Sharpe’s Adventures. The base concept is feeling good, and my next step is to explore the specific story beats. At the same time, we’ll be expanding the Teacher’s Guide with some relevant STEM activities, and will also be continuing to add to our behind-the-scenes & research-related posts. I’ll be sharing updates as things progress via our mailing list and on my Facebook page. So please, feel free to follow along!
It was wonderful to have you be a part of MTA, and to learn more about you, your writing practice, and what’s next! Wishing you all the best, Trevor. – Camilla
Where can we buy “The Day the Pirates Went Mad”?
An excellent question! “The Day the Pirates Went Mad” is available internationally via Amazon:
In 1701, seeking adventure and fortune, Emma Sharpe runs away from the orphanage she was sent to after her parents landed in debtors’ prison. She stows away aboard the New Adventure and finds a home and a new family in the comradery of the crew, but she wonders what her special skill is; why did the captain allow her to stay?
Now she is on her way to the West Indies, the setting of so many of the stories she has heard about exploration and pirates. After being blown off course to a deserted island, the crew recovers a cursed pirate treasure. As tempers fray and arguments become more frequent, Emma starts to believe there might really be a curse on the gold they took. With the help of cabin boy Jack Randall, Emma dares to confront the growing threat of violence amongst the close-knit crew. Will they save everyone in time? Can they save themselves?
===
“THE DAY THE PIRATES WENT MAD” is an entertaining ‘cozy’ historical fiction set at the turn of the 18th century and the Golden Age of Piracy is just around the corner. Follow the adventures of eleven-year-old Emma Sharpe as she learns to sail the sea, bonds with her shipmates, and then must save them all from a cursed pirate treasure before it’s too late!
While exploring a theme of greed/wealth vs. family/friends, “The Day the Pirates Went Mad” also conveys a ‘boatload’ of learning about the life and times of those sailing the seas 300 years ago – but without dwelling on the grittier realities (that’s the ‘cozy’ part). Entertainingly educational!
Although intended for ages 10-12, older readers can also enjoy this story and it’s suitable for sharing with younger readers when supported by an adult. (You know your kids’ reading-levels best!)
About the Author
Trevor Atkins lives with his family on the west coast of Canada and has been working with words for much of his life, but has only recently pursued historical fiction for younger readers. A storyteller and role player of detailed characters, Trevor loves to weave together many intertwining threads when writing. His bane is the perfecting effort of revision – there is always more that can be tweaked and improved. But then comes the day when enough is enough and the story must be set free for others to see!
This is a short story that I’m sure resonates with many people. Written as fiction, based on the true life experiences of Pryke. Definitely may be triggering for anyone who has been in a controlling, gaslighting, or abusive relationship. Yet, perhaps enlightening to those who’ve not experienced this in their own lives. It’s a pretty quick read, and Pryke’s writing style is lovely. Give it a go, and share with those in your life who may need to “hear” the story’s message.
I’ve been thinking a lot, recently, about how to convey the art of giving life to an image through words.
I am a storyteller and my medium is free-verse poetry. In recent times, I have been doing a lot of writing that is in partnership with an image. My intention is to have the image – the voice of the image – driving the poem. I should probably provide an example of what I’m on about. I recently took a photo of two birds on the wing. It was a bad day in the world – rotten things happening, a storm was imminent, and two birds were flying. Here they are:
I try to make it my business to write every day and this image – on that day – spoke to me. Here is the poem:
go (my love) let’s go
my love
let’s fly away
across the face
of the creeping
storm
you and I
alone
against
the sky
hail
and rain
lightning
wind
I hear the thunder
rolling
rolling
over everything . . .
everyone
before it
but we –
you and I –
we
can fly
faster
than any storm
can roll
my love . . .
my love
let’s go
~
Nothing special, but picking up on:
· The mood of the day.
· General despondency arising from local and world news etc.
· Covid misery.
· An approaching storm.
· Two birds (Sacred Ibis) flying before the storm.
· One bird leading the other.
The poem attempts to capture all of those things in the voice of the leading bird. Or so I assume from my own reading of the poem.
I find that most pictures really do tell a story. I’ll show another. In this case I had encountered a native orchid (the common bird orchid) on a ramble up onto a local mountain. Native orchids are a treat to find at any time, but this one in particular had a highly suggestive peculiarity – apparently common to all flowers in the species. I bet you see it immediately.
Here is the image:
I wanted to use this image for my next poem, and it could have gone a couple of different ways. I’m thinking of frogs, oysters, and teenage rebellion in the range of choices. Why?
· Frog – that yawning gape looks like it might have a tongue ready to unfurl, legs set to leap.
· Oyster, because that may just be a pearl.
· Rebellious teenager because . . . just because really.
Here is the poem:
the pretty (llurp)
YAAAAAHH!
wot you lookin’
at
lllurp-llurp
llurp
jus coz
I’m
a flower . . .
llurp
don’t mean
I can’t have . . .
llurp
bit
o’attitude
llurp llurp
wot?
llurp
’m jus . . .
playin’
llurp
wif
m’ stud
leave me . . .
llurp
‘lone
why dontcha
~
Clearly, I find images suggestive and, in writing, it is my wish to convey something of what I’ve seen, or heard, to a reader. To make my perception available to a random someone else.
So what goes in to an image interpretation. I’ll choose a fresh picture that I haven’t yet written about and explore a few possible part-answers.
Here is the image:
First question -not what is it, but what does it look like.
· Insect eggs
· Pupae
· Bugs, flies, wasps.
My sense is of living creatures in a state of suspension of some sort.
· If the primary object could speak, what would it sound like?
· Does it speak? What might it want to say to you (observer, writer, reader)
What will the next thing to happen be (if we had a subsequent image)?
· Emergence from the cocoon/egg.
· One at a time
· Many
And then?
· Swarm
· Squadron
After that . . .
· I’m not sure, but
· Let the initial writing response set up the subsequent possibilities
That’s as far as I think I can go with brainstorming this particular image. What I am confident of, though, is that if the image suggests a beginning, and perhaps a middle, the act of writing (capturing) those ideas will suggest the ending.
What do you think? I haven’t written the poem/story to go with this picture. I’d love to hear your thoughts.
Do you want to know what the image is of? It is a variety of quaking grass gone to seed. That is another point perhaps worth making. Every picture tells a story. It isn’t necessary to go a long way from home to find inspiration of this kind.
I’ve put out a number of books, now, in what I have taken to referring to as picture poetry. The common feature of all of them is that I allow the images to speak to me. Feel free to peek inside.
Frank Prem has been a storytelling poet for more than forty years, and has spent his working life in various parts of the public psychiatry system in Victoria (Australia).
He has been published in magazines, e-zines and anthologies, in Australia and in a number of other countries, and has both performed and recorded his work as ‘spoken word’.
He and his wife live in the beautiful township of Beechworth in the North East of Victoria.
Frank has published several collections of free verse poetry –
Small Town Kid (2018)
Devil In The Wind (2019)
The New Asylum (2019)
Herja, Devastation (with Cage Dunn) (2019)
Walk Away Silver Heart (2020)
A Kiss for the Worthy (2020)
Rescue and Redemption (2020)
Pebbles to Poems (2020)
As well as Picture-Poetry books –
A Beechworth Bakery Bears e-Book (2020)
A Beechworth Bakery Bears e-Book (too) (2020)
Voices (In The Trash) (2021)
The Beechworth Bakery Bears (2021)
Sheep On The Somme (2021)
Waiting For Frank Bear (2021)
A Lake Sambell Walk (2021)
A gripping story that begins in 1714 France, traveling throughout the world, landing in 2014 New York, and ending in 2016 London. I absolutely loved this book, the characters, having a hard time putting the book down. In 1714 when Adeline Larue was faced with being forced to live a life she did not want to live, she made a grave mistake. She lives the effect of this mistake for three hundred years until one day in 2014 New York, everything changes. Absolutely enjoyable read!
To support this website and the author’s interviewed, visit Support MTA for suggestions. Thank you! – Camilla
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Today we travel to Colchester to chat with Hayley Mitchell about how a small desk, Rocky, a meerkat, The Notebook, a chameleon, Captain Planet, monkeys, Greek Mythology, and being a mom to three boys come together as part of Hayley’s past and current life.
Tell us a bit about yourself.
Wow! Fiction is much easier to write than biography. What to say about me? Can I cheat? Here’s my character description ..
It was a typically grey and drizzly winters day in Colchester. As Hayley looked out of the window she thought again that if you’re going to hail from the setting for a reality/non-reality TV show, there had to be better options than Essex. Besides, her life was far from the glamour of The Only Way is Essex, more like The Only Way is any way you can get though the day! Then that was the life with boys; three boys. Noisy, exhausting, often overwhelming and without doubt absolutely wonderful.
Life was manic but motherhood certainly gave scope for plenty of inspiration, after all, that’s how she started writing. Hayley smiled as she thought of the first children’s book she had written, shortly after her eldest was born. Feeling nostalgic, she picked up her IPad, thinking perhaps she’d write something new.
“Mum! I need a poo!”
Well, maybe she’d get time to write tonight, she thought. Duty calls.
In which genre do you write?
I started writing children’s books, publishing Charlie Bear Won’t go to Sleep, not long after my first child was born. He was a terrible sleeper so it was written at about 3am. Several more children’s books followed, enough to ensure all three of my boys had a dedicated book each and more.
Recently I branched into poetry, very much as a cathartic process to offload some pent up emotions. This then led to a psychological thriller in poetic verse. I tend to follow inspiration, which is largely dictated my my mood, so the genre changes according to how I feel at the time; I’m not sure what sort mood I was in when I wrote Breaking Birds!
What would you choose as your mascot, and why?
Probably a Meerkat. I’ve always been described as very scatty. I am extremely eager and enthusiastic, throwing myself out there with a passion, but then quite often duck down or retreat when things start to take off. Yes, I’ve got the nervous energy of a meerkat, with perhaps the adaptability of a chameleon. A Meermeleon?
What does your ideal writing space look like?
Small. That is if we’re describing my actual desk, which is a little cubby hole built into the corner of my bedroom. In honesty writing usually takes place on my iPad or phone, in fits and bursts around parenting and the rest of life. More often than not, inspiration strikes in the middle of the night, whereby I’ll be scrawling on a notepad or typing on my phone, half hidden under a duvet.
What movie can you watch over and over without ever getting tired of?
Rocky! I absolutely love the Rocky films and Eye of The Tiger is first on my running playlist. Such a great story of the underdog beating all odds, it never fails to motivate me. I also love the story behind it, of how Stallone wrote the screenplay and insisted he star in it, despite little interest from production companies. A real case of life imitating art.
Badly explain your hobby.
I bend myself into compromising positions whilst listening to whales moaning about the price of fish.
What’s the last movie you watched and why did you choose to watch it?
The Notebook. I don’t know how I’ve gone this long without watching it, but I was in the mood for a good cry and it didn’t disappoint.
What cartoons did you watch as a child?
Count Duckula. He Man. Mask. Captain Planet.
I still know the theme tunes as well, not to sound old or anything, but they don’t make them like they used to!
Which would you choose? Penguins or monkeys?
Monkeys-it’s a tough one as if you’d ask me to name my favourite animals these are always my top two, but monkeys are so fascinating. Other than their strange tendency to eat their own poop they really are amazing animals.
How handy are you when it comes to fixing things?
If it can be held with blutac then I’m your girl. I have zero DIY skills. My hubby is quite a craftsman (and a perfectionist) so he does the majority of the DIY although I do the painting. One of my New Years Resolutions is going to be to try and decorate the house though, so prepare for some serious TIkTok failures!
If you could ask your pet three questions, what would they be?
Why must you chase squirrels?
Did you really enjoy the contents of that nappy?
Where shall we go today?
Describe the perfect solo date you’d take yourself on … where, time of day, weather, place, etc.
After six months of saving I’ve just bought myself a campervan/MPV! I’m so excited to get out in it and have big plans… driving half hour down the road, pulling up by the coast and working on my writing. It will only be a few hours until nursery and school pick ups, but it is going to be the most chilled, perfect me time I’ve had in a while.
What are you currently working on?
I’m just about to publish a short, light hearted take on Greek Mythology. It’s the story of Theseus as retold via text messages. It’s a fun, easy read-very different from the dark vibes of Breaking Birds, but great fun to write.
Tell us about your most recent book.
Breaking Birds is a psychological thriller written entirely in poetic verse. I knew I wanted to write a novel in verse. I’d been enjoying writing poetry (often free verse) and the idea of writing a novel in poetry really appealed to me. The format suits me so well; with little time to dedicate to writing, I was able to write a poem here and there, in the odd five minutes of calm in my hectic house! Likewise I hope readers can pick it up when they have a spare minute, as in know we rarely get enough time to sit and read as we might like (though of course I hope, once you start that you can’t put it down!)
The story itself came from a desire to go against instinct. With a poetic novel I initially thought romance, so, being me, I decided to go against the grain and make it a dark, thriller instead. Once I started writing it was very organic, I didn’t force myself to write but just allowed each poem to come naturally-to use a cliche, the book practically wrote itself!
It was wonderful having you on MTA, and learning more about you, Hayley. Wishing you much success, and all the best! – Camilla
A Memoir of the Craft – On Writing by Stephen King
This had been on my “to read” list for years! It did not disappoint.
This quote from the book hooked me from the beginning, “This is a short book because most books about writing are filled with bullshit.” And, “Omit needless words.” Ouch! I’m a wordy writer. It was good for me to see these two sentence in close proximity!
Happy to have finally read this one.
To support this website and the author’s interviewed, visit Support MTA for suggestions. Thank you! – Camilla
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Today we travel to West Midlands in the UK to chat with Lee Benson about how shyness, being a gallery owner, painting in watercolours, Casablanca, playing the piano, Coventry City, a newly plastered ceiling, gardening, mentoring teens, and orang-utans come together as part of Lee’s current and past life.
Tell us a bit about yourself.
I live in Halesowen West Midlands UK. I have a weekly radio show on Black Country xtra Called listen with lee. It’s available in the Black Country radio app.
How many published books do you have?
I have published 30 books so far. My first children’s book came out in 2000 followed by a second in 2002 then a good while later some more and in 2016 I had my first novel published. Now there are 11 children books, three novels for adults and a ghostly novella, plus several discographies of famous bands in conjunction with Andrew Sparke. I am most proud of my seven poetic collections which really are my take on the world with help from my hero Spike Milligan.
What is an interesting writing quirk you have, that we wouldn’t know by reading your biography?
Interesting question, I’m known for being loud and able to speak in front of many crowds. But in reality, given my large over six foot frame, I am quite a shy person. In my novels you do not know the name of the gallery owner and in my latest book a musician says to me in a pub in Plymouth “I didn’t quite catch your name”, I replied “I didn’t give it”.
What does your ideal writing space look like?
I don’t have an ideal place, occasionally I will sit using my iPhone notes app, be it on the bus, sitting in a park or sitting on a couch, I concentrate on editing in front of a computer as I have to enlarge the words and meticulously go through it all as am somewhat dyslexic. My computer is in my music room, so if I get distracted, I will go to the piano and play away then return to write feeling refreshed. Not always. An odd drop of whiskey or a glass of wine helps.
Where did the idea for your most recent book come from?
‘Now you’re the artist deal with it’ actually is more or less true with a lot of imagination thrown in for good measure. I always wanted to be an artist since a young age, but being a first born, that somehow wasn’t the done thing, however having worked in the art world for over thirty years with the last fourteen owning my own gallery, I decided to take a leap and paint in watercolours. My rules of looking after staff was maintained throughout, but in the book I break the rules. Told you imagination is good fun.
What movie can you watch over and over without ever getting tired of?
This has to be Casablanca, I know every word and every scene, it never fails to make me want to see it again. In one of my children stories I added a scene where Humphrey Bogart in African Queen mode looks up at the sky and sees an egg flying by, just the way my mind works!!
Can you play a musical instrument?
I do play the piano, having been taught from age 7 but to be honest, I really didn’t enjoy all the scales and developed my own sort of blues style to amuse myself and then one day I showed my tutor who was astounded as he had no idea how to play like that.
Then at fifteen I had jazz syncopation lessons by a chap who used to have an affair with some woman next door whilst I was practicing, I must put that in a book one day. Then from the tender age of 18 I left home and played piano around Europe and the Middle East to pay for food etc. that was fun.
At the age of 24, I joined a group with moderate commercial success, however my real claim to fame was as a co writer for the song for Coventry City back in the eighties and played it live on Blue Peter gaining a real Blue Peter badge from the one and only Biddy Baxter herself (She was the producer of the show). Coventry went on to win the FA cup against Spurs and as far as I know they still play the song when they score a goal. Shame I don’t receive any royalties!! I came out of musical retirement in my sixties and started playing again. Terrifying!
What do you do when not writing or marketing your books?
Wow. How long have you got? I love my garden and spend lots of time in it, my wife sews the seeds in the potting shed, and I do the rest, I love getting my hands into the soil. It’s a real grounding, and as its a large garden, we have had several covid safe meet ups in it and everyone loves the garden, which is so satisfying.
A romantic touch, when we were viewing the property I said to my fiancé, we could get married in this garden, something the owners heard, and that was the reason we were able to purchase as six others wanted the house. Nice eh!
I also am the creative director of a children’s charity and help mentor teens in the big world of ours using artistic methods to enable them to feel better about themselves. We also worked with special needs adults and dementia sufferers and just completed project called Remember me.
Have you ever had any “Do It Yourself” disasters?
Many years ago, when I was renovating a lovely victorian house, I accidentally banged a nail right through a heating pipe. The flow was stemmed by me holding my finger on the hole for an hour. I managed to gain my younger daughters attention and told her to ring my plumber friend on the mobile. All instructions completed and he turned up an hour later to stop the flow. And then once I hit my head on the rafters and fell through the newly plastered ceiling. Not only that, but I then took my leg out the hole unbalanced and fell through another part, what an expensive re plastering. What a twit!
What is the most enjoyable aspect you’ve found through writing?
I feel like I vanish into a different world and write from within the story. It actually can be exhausting. For example, in one chapter, I drive to Scotland, set up an exhibition, plenty of partying hard, then work a four day show and eventually drive home after packing it all away. I was mentally and physically exhausted afterwards and all I did was sit and write the chapter.
With my poetry, I sometimes don’t realise I’ve written it down so when I read it out later I am quite astonished with the result, recently my poetry has been uploaded and performed on the authorpeida podcasts and the chap seems to love my style, I am truly humbled.
You are about to speak publicly to a group and read from your latest book. What do you do to prepare yourself?
Actually I go very quiet. This stems from way back when I was in a band, before a gig I would just sit in a corner and avoid everyone till walking on stage, The same goes to reading and performing, be it in a restaurant, an after dinner speech or just performing in a group performance. Don’t eat chocolate before talking and do not drink alcohol beforehand, it does not help. Those moments of calm before performing ground you, it clears the air, then hey presto off you go, and the next minute it’s all over.
Badly explain your hobby.
I sit down on my fold up chair. I look at the view for quite a while, then I squeeze tubes of colour and smear them with a wet brush over the paper. Voila.
Monkeys or penguins.
I love orang-utans. Not exactly monkeys and am writing a children’s tale about the human destruction of borneo with sunbeams and orang-utans suffering. As the saying goes, Save planet earth.
What are you currently working on?
A story about living beside a person with bi polar. My brother was severely bipolar and the book will be called ‘I didn’t shoot Bob Dylan? Did I ?’ There are tragic and incredibly funny incidents in something which a lot of us do not know enough about.
Tell us about your most recent book.
Now you’re the artist deal with it completes the trilogy from gallery owner to artist, with lots of wine crazy folk and everything you don’t expect to happen in the art world. The cover represents a model who on entering the loo in the study finds a rat. Actually a gerbil and screams from the top of the seat.
It was wonderful to have you on MTA and to learn more about you, Lee! Wishing you all the best, with much success! – Camilla
