The writer in us all

"Loving myself as I am" can be transformational in not only how we view ourselves but also the wider cosmos. At the level of the ego self it means letting go of all falsity, the layers we cover ourselves with to present ourselves in the way we choose to our peers and loved ones. It is saying this is who I am in this moment, eccentricities, quirks, issues and all - I accept myself as I am. I no longer need to give my power to others by requiring them to give me attention. I am myself's own source of love and acceptance. The world can no longer pull me with puppet strings made of carrots and sticks. I call back my power. I am whole. Where I am on the path right now is where I am. I act from a space that is centered in this moment, a space filled with loving acceptance. That space fills me and surrounds me. It is my comfort and my safety. My home, my lover. Then the inner eye opens and "Loving myself as I am" becomes the whole world, indeed the cosmos and beyond. All that resides within it, ever existed, ever will exist or indeed may never choose to take form. It is all 'me'.  The fact is I wanted to try every conceivable way to exist. My insatiable curiosity imagined an Iceland and a Hawaii.  I imagined life roaming the desert of the Kalahari and the shop rows of New York. I imagined religious devotion and secular logic. Piety and hedonism. Mystics and playboys. Jewellers and miners. Eight legged beings, green skinned aliens, killer whales and territorial humans. I imagined romance, lives filled with thrill, who done its and flights of fantasy. I am a writer. I am the refraction and reflection of the light of the cosmos. You are too.

Ideally Imperfect - a heroine in need of love, acceptance and redemption

Ideally Imperfect

Alys, who renames herself Gratia early in this book, suffers from defensiveness. It's destroyed her marriage and lost her relationships with her father and friends. Not liking her life she determines to turn her it around, one piece at a time, to create a new reality.

This is the third in the series "The Martian Vampire Chronicles", and a continuation of the world created in "Lefthand Adventures." Favorite characters will appear, including faeries, delphines, the Shang, the Lemurians, The Malakim and immortals of Boswell and Mars and of course the baddies, the Din, led by Sakla. However I hope I've included enough backstory along the way that the book can be read on its own.

I wanted this story to be about reality creation and self acceptance. For Gratia that means coming to terms with the loss of her mother, early in life, finding a way to balance her hormones and her defensiveness, recognizing her potential, her true interests and her capacity to love beyond the bounds of what she was raised to consider as acceptable.

It is a story of an individual finding peace with who they are and making the most of it. About blossoming into a life unknown and unexpected.

Those who have read the first book of the series, "An open connection of the heart", will recognize the main character as someone who had life changing impact on Callan. When his wife refuses counselling he determines to do it himself, learning how to manage her as best he can, to defuse situations that might make her explode in anger. To avoid the triggers. But his counsellor, Leigha, warns him that it won't make the problem go away. And she was right. Having done all he could Callan ends his marriage and ends up living in a caravan, living on two minute noodle, until... well that was book of the series.

So why did I rework Alys into this story. Purely and simply a writer's compassion for one of her characters. I couldn't leave her as she was. There had to be a more positive future for her.

So if you read Book 1 I hope you will find it in your heart to forgive Alys and enjoy, as I have, her journey into becoming Gratia, short for gratitude.

You can find the book at all good online vendors, eg:

• Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/941906
• Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Ideally-Imperfect-Martian-Vampire-Chronicals-ebook/dp/B07SG8W95N
• Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Arwen_Jayne_Ideally_Imperfect?id=EtaaDwAAQBAJ&hl=en

Almond Strawberry Pikelets

Almond Strawberry Pikelets

• 3-4 frozen strawberries, defrosted and mashed
• three heaped tablespoons of lentil flour
• two heaped tablespoons of almond meal
• 1 heaped tablespoon of psyllium husk
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• a little water

Mix all together and add water to a firm batter. Put spoonfulls of batter in a flat non stick frypan and cook until golden. Enjoy.