Stephanie Butland

Hello everyone, and happy autumn!

The new-look blog is still in development (as is the house move) but I wanted to pop in today and tell you about a fantastic new book, Thrive: The Bah! Guide to Wellness After Cancer

This is Stephanie Butland’s second book about her dance with cancer and follows on from the excellent How I said Bah! to Cancer, which was published last year.

Like its predecessor, Thrive is packed full of humour, advice and practical exercises designed to help readers take ownership of their bodies and achieve wellness. As well as providing an invaluable resource for anyone who is dealing with cancer, or helping a loved one to deal with it, Stephanie offers a thoughtful guide to the ways in which anyone can ‘journey well’ through life. I asked her to tell me a little more.

Hi Stephanie! You write about the power of language and its ability to influence mood and outcomes, what do you try to say to yourself each day?

I usually start with the expectation that today will be a good day. Whenever anyone asks me how I am I try not to do ‘finethankyou’. Instead I say, ‘I’m very, very well,’ and as I say it I make the effort to feel the truth of it through my whole body and mind. And whenever I go in to a meeting/event/talk I think of three words that reflect how I want to be, and repeat them to myself, in my head, over and over on the way. So today I’m going to talk to an expert on fertility as part of the research for my first novel, and my words will be ‘Attentive. Curious. Focused.’ Tomorrow I’m giving a talk and I’ll use ‘Engaging. Interesting. Attuned.’

I love the idea that people can be stronger at the points where they have previously been broken. Do you feel that your dance with cancer has revealed your inherent strengths, or has it required you to develop new ones?

Ooh. Great question. By and large, I feel that my dance with cancer has made me ‘more myself’ – the real me got stronger, the stuff I was carrying around with me that I didn’t need has gone. But there are a couple of areas where I have had to learn to do things differently. The first is understanding that some things are out of my control: cancer treatment does what it does and healing takes the time that it takes and so – although of course I got to choose my attitude and look after myself – I just had to take a deep breath and let go of my desire to plan, and impose a timetable, and generally be in charge. And the second, linked to that one, is learning to be patient, something I’ve never been good at. Knitting has taught me a lot about that: little stitch by little stitch by little stitch, you’ll get something worth waiting for.

I really enjoyed the exercise which asks readers to map their journey to wellbeing. What landmarks would you like to add to your own map over the next few years?

I have several big landmarks in place already! Next year, Alan and I will celebrate our 10th wedding anniversary: we are so happy together, and I can’t believe a decade is going by so fast! In November 2013, I will reach remission date – 5 years after the operation to remove the cancer from my breast, I get as near to the all-clear as anyone who has had a cancer ever gets. In 2014, my first novel, ‘Surrounded By Water’, will be published by Transworld, to be followed in 2015 by ‘Breaking Bread’. My son Ned, who is 18, is planning to study in Canada,  so Toronto will have a prominent place on my map too!

Thanks to Stephanie for taking the time to talk to me today, and for supplying a wonderful photo of her hand-knitted mittens – both she and they are totally gorgeous.

Thrive is a brilliant read, packed full of questions that will be helpful to anyone who has gone through a major life-change or just wants to reassess the way in which they approach their health. If you would like to set new goals, feel stronger, audit your relationships, find a better way of dealing with anger, say thank you or learn to fill your own well then this is the book that can help you do it.

Autumn is a time for new starts after all!

When I return, in September, the blog will have a new look and a new name! In the meantime, have a wonderful, if slightly soggy, July and August. x

On my return I was very pleased to receive my copy of debut novel The Cornish House by Liz Fenwick, as I follow Liz on Twitter and my appetite has long been whetted by her posts about the book. Suffice to say I was not disappointed…

Part romance, part love letter to Cornwall, the novel includes a delicious touch of the Gothic as it tells the story of young widow Maddie, her troubled step-daughter Hannah and an old Cornish House that threatens to pull them even further apart as it slowly reveals its secrets.

Liz’s love of mystical Cornwall shines through from the beginning and she gives the reader a magnificent sense of place – with twisted trees, sparkling sea views and a house that literally cries out for attention. The characters are complex and nuanced and the reader is quickly pulled into their lives, vacillating between sympathy and exasperation in a way that had me totally hooked.

I willingly surrendered a couple of days to this story and it is a worthy addition to a great canon of Cornish story-telling that includes many of my favourite writers, with Daphne Du Maurier and Mary Stewart springing readily to mind. I can’t wait to see what Liz writes next!

Find yourself a window-seat (preferably one with a sea view), clear your diary and prepare to be transported. A highly recommended read.

I pondered long and hard about what to choose as my most beautiful thing. I love the ocean, warming cups of tea, log fires, cake for breakfast, warm blankets, naps, the smell of rain and my fiance very dearly (and obviously not in that order) but in the end I have chosen… trees.

There is nothing that I don’t love about trees. I love their sculptural appearance in winter when the intricacies of their bark are laid bare. I love their blossom and buds in spring, and the way bluebells flower in their shade. I love their sweet green leaves in summer and the sound the wind makes when it brushes through their canopies. I love the blaze of glorious autumn colour that they provide. And I love the shelter, warmth and oxygen that they bring to us and to so many gorgeous woodland creatures. Trees truly are one of nature’s wonders. Take the time to really look at one today, and then visit the blogsplash to see what others have chosen.

Described as a ‘circus sideshow made of words’, Freaks is a collection of tales about what happens when ordinary mortals suddenly obtain a range of bewildering superpowers – taking in My Little Pony Pants and photocopiers along the way…

With illustrations by comic book star Darren Craske, this is sure to put a smile on your face and might just encourage you to give your inner a freak a good hug.

As a taster, Nik and Caroline are allowing me to share one of their stories below (can you guess who wrote it?). But before you read on, hurry up and buy a copy of this engaging collection in print or for your kindle.

Invisible

[Super Power: The ability to make oneself unseen to the naked eye]

If I stay totally still,

if I stand right tall,

with me back against the school wall,

close to the science room’s window,

with me feet together,

pointing straight,

aiming forward,

if I make me hands into tight fists,

make me arms dead straight,

if I push me arms into me sides,

if I squeeze me thighs,

stop me wee,

if me belly doesn’t shake,

if me boobs don’t wobble,

if I close me eyes tight,

so tight that it makes me whole face scrunch,

if I push me lips into me mouth,

if I make me teeth bite me lips together,

if I hardly breathe,

if I don’t say a word.

Then,

I’ll magic meself invisible,

and them lasses will leave me alone.

My entry into Rachael Harrie’s second platform-building campaign challenge was judged eighth out of an amazing 110 entries and I won an e-book from the lovely Jessica Therrien and an invaluable critique from Louise Wise of Wise Words.

As you can imagine, I am hugely excited to have had my work placed in this contest and I am very grateful to Rachael and her panel of judges, as well as to the generous people who donated a prize.

There is something really encouraging about having other writers see promise in what you produce and that’s why (appropriate and professional) networking can be so rewarding for those of us just starting out.

I will leave you, for today,with a great big SQUEEE!

The kits contain all of the clay and findings that you need to create several pieces of jewellery and come with pictorial instructions that are relatively easy to follow.

As I was new to working with polymer clay I searched online and found several ‘get started’ tutorials on You Tube that gave me a greater degree of confidence and covered some of the basics, such as how to condition your clay to get the best results.

I would recommend acquiring a little bit of background knowledge before getting stuck in but the techniques are all fairly easy and the kits would work for children with a bit of adult supervision. Once you have formed and cut your clay shapes you need to bake them in a domestic oven and then let them cool before attaching them to the findings. If you intend to make a lot of polymer clay pieces then it’s also worth investing in a cheap pasta machine as that is by far the easiest way of conditioning and rolling the clay before use.

Being a contrary sort I eschewed the instructions that came with my kits (I received the retro swirl and beautiful blues kits) and went off-piste instead, ending up with enough pieces to make rings, earrings, pendants, buttons and bracelets. My favourites are shown below, what do you think?

That author was the very lovely and hugely talented Caroline Smailes, and the ebook in question – 99 Reasons Why – launched at the beginning of this week.

What makes this book so exciting is that the reader chooses the ending! Available for Kindle, iPad or iPhone, 99 Reasons Why is the story of Kate who lives a truly ‘wonky’ life, spying on a nursery and flashing at strangers. Readers can choose from one of nine endings (by answering questions or by spinning the wheel on their iPad / iPhone) and each one reveals a little more of the story.

An additional ending will be handwritten by Caroline and auctioned for charity and I have one further ending to share with you, right here, right now!

Buy your copy of this intiguing new book for Kindle or for iPad and then read on for the tenth ending.

99: the reason why I was only worth ninety-nine quid

It’s been six days since the little girl in the pink coat went missing and me Uncle Phil’s in me bedroom.

We’ve been watching the little girl in the pink coat’s mam on the news. She was appealing to the public for witnesses.

‘Didn’t realise she had a mam,’ I says, looking at me telly.

‘Everyone’s got a mam, pet,’ me Uncle Phil says to me.

‘She sold her story to ‘The Sun,’ I says, looking at me telly.

‘Got a few quid,’ me Uncle Phil says to me.

I nod.

‘She wanted nowt to do with that bairn before all this,’ me Uncle Phil says, looking at me telly.

‘Do you know where she is?’ I asks me Uncle Phil.

‘Belle?’ me Uncle Phil asks me.

I nod.

‘She’s safe,’ me Uncle Phil says to me. ‘Your mam’s keeping an eye on her.’

‘Can I be her mam?’ I asks me Uncle Phil.

‘No, pet, you’re a filthy whore,’ me Uncle Phil says to me.

I nod.

‘Can you make Andy Douglas come back, Uncle Phil?’ I asks me Uncle Phil.

Me Uncle Phil shakes his head.

‘I love him,’ I tell me Uncle Phil.

‘Andy Douglas is your brother, pet. You didn’t seriously think Princess Di was your mam, did you?’ me Uncle Phil asks me.

I nod.

‘You’re a cradle snatcher just like your mam,’ me Uncle Phil says to me.

I nod.

‘Your mam miscarried when she found out I’d been banging Betty Douglas. Betty was expecting you,’ me Uncle Phil says to me.

I don’t speak.

‘When you was born, your mam went mad and I ended up buying you from Betty Douglas for ninety-nine quid,’ me Uncle Phil says.

‘Ninety-nine quid?’ I asks me Uncle Phil.

‘I paid a hundred but got a quid change for some chips for your mam and dad’s tea,’ me Uncle Phil says to me.

‘You bought me?’ I asks me Uncle Phil.

I’m a little bit sick in me mouth.

‘It was the right thing to do,’ me Uncle Phil says to me. ‘I got Betty Douglas pregnant straight away with Andy.’

‘I’m pregnant,’ I says to me Uncle Phil. ‘I’m pregnant with me brother’s baby,’ I says, and then I throws up on me purple carpet.

‘You’re a filthy whore,’ me Uncle Phil says to me.

‘What am I going to do?’ I asks me Uncle Phil.

‘You’re going to have the baby,’ me Uncle Phil says to me.

‘Have me brother’s baby?’ I asks me Uncle Phil.

‘Then I’m giving it to Betty Douglas to bring up,’ me Uncle Phil says to me.

‘You what?’ I says to me Uncle Phil.

‘It’s the right thing to do,’ me Uncle Phil says to me.

‘I can’t—’ I says to me Uncle Phil.

‘It’s either that or I’ll make you disappear,’ me Uncle Phil says to me.

I don’t speak.

I’m thinking, they’re all a bunch of nutters.

I will be writing three pieces, based on the series of prompts on Rachael’s blog. Each piece is linked by one overarching theme.

First piece – A story in five sentences that connects all five prompts.

Rahul and Madina sheltered under the concrete bridge, hiding from the rain that fell in sheets, drenching their skin and hair. Rahul’s leg slowly seeped crimson blood from a gash made by the slice of rusty tin he had uncovered on their daily trip to scavenge from the dump. Cupping her hands, Madina caught droplets of rain, juicy like ripe pears, and poured them into the open wound. The pain flashed in front of Rahul’s eyes, dancing like fireworks. He looked beyond it, into his imagination, and there he saw a small boy, a little like him but smartly dressed in a new red coat and sturdy shoes, smiling as he chased a ball through wide open spaces.

Second piece – A poem about prompt three that doesn’t include the words ‘pear’, ‘spoon’ or ‘droplet’.

Water runs
Collides and colludes to make
a ghostly form

The bulbous shape hangs
Forbidden fruit
Suspended as offering

It spatters
Washing innocence
Away.

Third piece – flash fiction of less than 200 words based on prompt two.

His feet skittered across the surface, rubber soles kissing a checkerboard of light and shade. Focused, he followed the path of the ball as the sea breeze tossed it sideways. Where there were squares he saw sidelines, a penalty spot, the goal. His red coat was really a uniform, name and number blazing between his shoulders. Breathless he caught up, pulled back his leg and then, “look at ‘im go, a proper David Beckham, in ‘is head at least”, their laughter echoed through the years. (85 words)

If you like my efforts then do leave a comment or a critique. You can also like my entry here (I’m number 100).

Campaigners have been asked to write a short story of 200 words, beginning with “Shadows crept across the wall” and ending with “everything faded”. We should also include the word “orange”.

Here’s my entry.

Condemned

Shadows crept across the wall, tracing the path of the setting sun. At this time of year the cell sucked in half an hour of daylight and, if he stood on the edge of the bed, he could sniff autumnal decay in the leaf-laden air.

He glanced down at the orange regulation jumpsuit and wondered who chose that colour and why? Perhaps they’d been trying to cheer the place up a bit, or maybe they wanted to highlight the sallow skin that set in after a few months on the block?

As the last rays faded and the merciless fluorescents kicked in, a door clanked open and steel toe-capped footsteps shredded the silence. Sallow skinned or not he had been passed fit. The paperwork had been filed, the hearings had been held and the clock kept right on ticking.

He felt the cold metal hoops close around his wrists and ankles and shuffled his way down the hall towards the chamber. They strapped him down so only his head could move and, turning to the right he spoke his final words – a plea, a prayer, the story of life lost in a moment. One sharp stab then everything faded.