During the Covid-19 Pandemic and throughout the three lockdowns in the UK, many have sought the consolation of escape – into books or films. Every so often I return to one of my top favourites – The Adventures of TinTin: the Secret of the Unicorn. To my mind this film exemplifies classic story structure; butContinue reading “Favourite Feel Good Action Heroes in Books and Cinema: TinTin and his Universal Appeal”
Tag Archives: in this life
The Joys of a Great Building, and its Healing Power to Relieve the Stresses of Our Lives: Beautiful Pershore Abbey
As the mother of a son with autism, I have throughout his life acted as an advocate, carer, companion, supporter. One of his difficulties is taking unfamiliar journeys alone. Now aged 18, he has just started a new course in Horticulture at Pershore College in Worcestershire. Yesterday we met what was, for both of us,Continue reading “The Joys of a Great Building, and its Healing Power to Relieve the Stresses of Our Lives: Beautiful Pershore Abbey”
Rummaging For Reality at the Hayes Conference Centre, Swanwick
Here I am, a psychological suspense writer, at a conference for psychotherapists, healers, counsellors and creative people – and together with them I am rummaging for reality. This is very brief post in a spare hour before I go off to a workshop this afternoon. But already I feel I am working my way towardsContinue reading “Rummaging For Reality at the Hayes Conference Centre, Swanwick”
Thoughts on Three Dimensional Characters in Films and Novels – Inspired by Hugh Grant
On the Graham Norton Show which was broadcast on BBC One on Friday 16th April 2016, actor Hugh Grant said he took on the role of St Clair Bayfield in the newly-released film Florence Foster Jenkins against his previous intentions, because a) the script was so good and b) because he was attracted by the three dimensionalContinue reading “Thoughts on Three Dimensional Characters in Films and Novels – Inspired by Hugh Grant”
A Passionate Spirit in Lancaster Alumni Magazine
A Passionate Spirit is featured in the latest edition of “STEPS” the Lancaster University alumni magazine online. The picture below was taken on Box Hill, in Surrey, on a recent visit. I have happy memories of Box Hill from my childhood, as I was born and brought up in Kent. This is a landscape whichContinue reading “A Passionate Spirit in Lancaster Alumni Magazine”
Holywell Retreat, A Place of Spiritual Inspiration on the Sussex Coast
I’ve written before in this blog about those sacred spaces which are known in Ancient Celtic terms as thin places. These are places where you are led to believe that the veil between the visible and the invisible worlds is thin. They don’t have to be obviously religious places. In fact once I read ofContinue reading “Holywell Retreat, A Place of Spiritual Inspiration on the Sussex Coast”
Loyalty, Hope and Keeping Faith, in the Greatest Film I’ve Ever Seen: The Shawshank Redemption
We love listing “The 50 Top … Films, Books, Magic Tricks, Comedians”, etc. etc. And a list of the top films will always change from year to year. But to my mind, The Shawshank Redemption makes the top of the list. And I saw it again very recently on TV. I watched it for the first timeContinue reading “Loyalty, Hope and Keeping Faith, in the Greatest Film I’ve Ever Seen: The Shawshank Redemption”
What Do We Do About Art? There’s Always a Little Shop At The End
What do we do about art when we wander around great art galleries and museums? We see wonderful things on the walls and maybe we’re overwhelmed. These great art works are distanced from us, somehow, by the awesome spaces and dimensions of the gallery. We could never have these original art works on the wallsContinue reading “What Do We Do About Art? There’s Always a Little Shop At The End”
The Dream of William Morris at Broadway Tower in the Cotswolds
My dream, wrote the designer William Morris, is a dream of what has never been… and therefore, since, the world is alive, and moving yet, my hope is the greater that it one day will be… dreams have before now come about of things so good… we scarcely think of them more than the daylight,Continue reading “The Dream of William Morris at Broadway Tower in the Cotswolds”
In Memory of Hattie, a Beloved Pet Cat – and the Gracefulness of Letting Go
This is Hattie, born 1996, who died on 21 September 2013, at home, in her basket, peacefully, in a deep sleep. When a much-loved family pet dies we need to decide what to do next. But we kept Hattie lying in her basket for a day and a night, nestled in her blanket, where sheContinue reading “In Memory of Hattie, a Beloved Pet Cat – and the Gracefulness of Letting Go”
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