It's Blog’s 5th Birthday

This month my blog is 5 years old.

It seems like only yesterday my toddler was a squalling babe in arms. The exact moment of conception can be pinpointed to when I stepped into the upstairs room of a former chandelier shop on Tower Bridge Road. I believe the insemination date can be pinned down precisely to the first Saturday of April 2013. What pray tell was I doing in the upstairs room of a former chandelier shop? I was there to do an Emily Benet blogging course naturally.

You can stop looking so pleased
with yourself Emily, you devious
woman you.

My marvellous friend Sydney Blake was meant to be there you see. Unfortunately a family crisis prevented her from attending. So I went in her place, just to take notes and eventually feedback on the ins and outs of what it takes to put a blog together. But silver tongued Emily Benet made this blogging business all so very enticing. How could I possibly resist the allure of it? Before I knew where I was, a seed had been planted in what turned out to be very fertile mind muck and much was now germinating.

The blog’s first year and a bit was a ramble through the jungle of my erratic mind. Together, the blog and I cantered through my fantasy landscape of Faetaera where one of my favourite creations, Sprax, resides. We celebrated our first Christmas, interviewed writers and tried to understand Avoiditis Scriptoris (writer’s block to the average human being).

Sarah Pennock

As my blog-baby turned 2, I embarked on an incredible project with my artist friend Sarah Pennock and was so enthralled by how her drawings brought my words to life that the blog and I felt compelled to share them with the world in general. So we did.

By our second Christmas we had interviewed several people - including poets, shared tons of Sarah’s artwork with our readers, tried to make people understand the complex process of gift giving and had reminded our adoring public that we were not the Scrooges people made us out to be. Unlike the Queen, we were experiencing that almost extinct and rarely seen beast, Annus Fantasticus.

Shortly after toddler-blog’s 3^rd birthday she began to display the tantrums so common in this age group. There was a soap box rant and grumbles about things not favoured. On my part attempts at discipline were made. A naughty step procedure was implemented and thoughts of calling Super Nanny in for extra assistance but suddenly social media was waving a red flag in our direction. A diversionary tactic was successfully employed.

By the time toddler-blog turned 4 she was becoming vocal about local. She helped me tell the world why I love living in Herne Hill. Then she joined my cause in highlighting the shockingly short-sighted view Lambeth Council has towards Carnegie Library and libraries in Lambeth in general. It was shame on Lambeth all round and still is.

Our audience, which was initially based mainly in the UK with a few friends and family in Canada and Australia, has now moved into the US and beyond. We now average 1000 Pageviews a month. This is small potatoes in the world of blogging but I am nonetheless enormously proud of how far we’ve come since we started out at a modest 300 views a month.

To celebrate blog's 5th birthday I'm giving away FREE e-copies of Book 1 in my YA Science Fiction series. This offer is limited to 5 days from 10 - 14 April. So don't miss out.

GET YOUR FREE E-BOOK NOW!

My, toddler-blog has certainly grown. Together we’re looking forward to birthday number 6 and all the other birthdays after that. Together we’re maturing and finding out where we sit in the world.

Thank you Sydney, thank you Emily, thank you all my guest bloggers. And finally, thank you toddler-blog for letting me find my voice.

Faetaera: Through The Rabbit Hole

Larell’s heart was full to the brim. His audience with Aurelia had been unexpected and full of wonder. He was not surprised she was aware of his plans to send a force through to the other side. Aurelia always knew everything going on in her world. At times he thought he saw the weight of it bearing down upon her. Then he wished to take her in his arms and carry her as well as the burdens she bore. But of course he would never do this, merely imagine it. It made him love her all the more. She thought he did not know how she came by her information and he planned on keeping it that way. It was the only way he knew to express his love for her without feeling foolish. In the crystal lined chamber he felt her load more palpably than usual. He knew it was simply his foolish love-sickness for his Queen but he let the feeling soak through him regardless. Aurelia's lips twitched briefly as though she was amused. She was kind in her tolerance of his ridiculous obsess

Faetaera: A Triumvirate

A Triumvirate Brairton’s minions slipped through a barely noticeable fissure. The tear would close shortly. Despite the increase in their regularity the breaches rarely stayed open very long. To the three insidious spies, the stink of the new world was almost unbearable. But in time the triumvirate would each become so used to it they would scarcely notice it at all. That it poisoned them they did not know. Brairton was not in the habit of informing his operatives of fatal consequences. Their programming precluded any thought beyond the mission they must complete. In this Brairton had been exact and had performed the necessary rituals himself. Each had their mission branded into their being. They would travel together for some time but then slip off to their secret destinations one by one, never to see each other again. The threesome latched on to their individual targets and began their particular brand of individual mischief immediately. Minion one skulked off to en

Aphasia - Phase 1

It was one morning of May 2021. I woke up and I couldn’t speak. I didn’t know I had a stroke. I carried on as though I was okay. I even tried to negotiate with my guest when she was leaving. I tried to talk but only mumbles came out of my mouth. She left me with a big hug. I knew something was wrong. I tried to call my cousin, Michelle. With a few grunts, I convinced her to come round to my place. In the end she came round and she was very worried. She stayed with and we had lunch together. After she left, I called my friend in Sheffield, Bev. I tried to say what was wrong with me. I couldn’t speak. She rang my neighbour, Kathy. Kathy was out with Nelson, her fabulous dog. Bev rang her so she came round. When she came to my house I was sitting in the dark. Bev said she should call an ambulance. I took the phone from her and shook my head. Before long my neighbours Lizz and Leo came to see how I was. Kathy told Leo to ring the ambulance because I took her phone. She did not know w

Rae of Light

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