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Mammy said there were fairies at the bottom of our garden and that if I was very still and very quiet I might see them peeking through the windows.

I sat and a I sat all day and the fairies didn’t come.

The next day I sat and I sat and still they didn’t come.

But today, while mammy put my boots on I spied the fairies watching me and mammy and I waved to them and their little hands waved back.

I wonder what they thought of me and mammy putting in our red wellingtons?

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Welcome to The Thursday Throng and this week I’d like to welcome Vanda North, the author of ‘Mind Chi – Rewire Your Brain in 8 Minutes a Day’. Vanda co-wrote the book with Richard Israel.

It’s called The Thursday Throng in honour of the throng that waits eagerly outside the book store when a new author is doing a book signing event or appearance. On this website it takes the form of a ‘Meet the Author‘ online event with some information about our author’s latest book and an interview. If you would like to take part in the Thursday Throng then why not email me to find out more.

If you would like to see past Authors featured on The Thursday Throng you can click here: womanontheedgeofreality.com/category/thursday-throng/

This week, I’d like to welcome Vanda North who is the co-author of Mind Chi – Rewire Your Brain in 8 Minutes a Day.

I love this book, in fact this book helped me to get to the place I’m in today because it forced me to reassess what was important, what wasn’t important and where I wanted to be in life. And it does just take 8 minutes a day to radically chance the way you think about everything.

It has a very simple approach and at the end of the book is a set of ‘menus’ you can use to help you deal with specific problems and issues you might be wanting to resolve.; they include things like ‘dealing with difficult people’ right through to ‘increasing creativity’. Altogether there are 50 plans for success contained within the book, ensuring that no one is going to be left out.

It’s worth remembering that Vanda is also the past president of the International Society for Accelerated Learning & Teaching and that she founded the Buzan Centres Worldwide for Tony Buzan.

Mind Chi is a powerful synthesis of thought and action based on the most recent research into how the brain works. By following the simple, daily exercises in this book, you will raise your mental performance to a level you never thought possible. Discover:

• Sharper powers of concentration and information management
• Improved control over your attention span, memory, thoughts and feelings
• Fast and easy ways to reduce your stress and increase your confidence
• New positive habits, thoughts and mental resilience
• Fantastic energy levels, during and after your work day

Hi Vanda and today I’d like to start by asking you my favourite question,  ’What is One thing that No-One Normally Knows About You?’

To celebrate my 60th birthday I did something that I had never done before and that was to raise money for our local hospital by climbing Mount Kilimanjaro. This was an amazing experience that taught me the limits we feel exist for us are nowhere near what we can actually achieve. It has influenced my attitude to everything I have done afterwards. It was also where, as a confirmed bachelor lady, I met a wonderful gentleman who has become my husband!

Are the names of your characters important to you?

Well I only have one character and yes, his name is very important. His name is Chi and I have become fonder of him as I discover more about him. Once you are aware of him you realise how crucial he is to your wellbeing, effective functioning and overall joy in life. I also discovered how much fun you can have playing with his name: Chi-er leader!

aCHIevement! Chi-easy! You get the idea!!

Do you have any hints or tips for aspiring writers?

1. Yes and I have encouraged several people to write using these suggestions:
2. Use maps to collect, sort and organise your ideas. There is free mapping software called x-mind that is good. A map allows you to see the whole picture – and then drill down to any level of detail you require – all at one visual gulp. You can also capture notes, quotes or whole tracts of text connected to the appropriate key word. Later if you decide to move parts about to balance the book better, the notes also move meaning you may try several organisational structures to see which works best.
3. You can also have a large white board or several sheets of flip pad paper to make a hand map. Here you can work out the main sections and chapters and use sticky notes to add your thoughts, quotes and text ideas.
4. The shoe box! As soon as a book idea enters your head, watch for articles, pictures, references and stories that can assist you. Gather them in your shoe box. As you progress, you may wish to add dividers so you may locate data easily.
5. Finally, use dictation software. Many people are more comfortable speaking than writing, so something like ‘Dragon naturally speaking’ is a great aid to allow the thoughts to come from the brain in a natural and conversational style.
6. Love the editing! This can seem very tedious, so the right attitude is very important here. Going through and through looking for the mistakes may seem negative, however NOT seeing them when you have the finished product in your hands is well worth while!

How do you stay sane while working?

I am not too sure that I am totally ‘sane’ anyway, working or not! And I feel that is a real advantage. It frees me to allow, catch and play with creative ideas as they come, whenever that may be. To enjoy and express zany ideas and that is energising. To encourage my thoughts to wander in all kinds of places and make connections where there were none before. And it consciously helps me to get through the ‘tougher’ bits with fun and relative ease!

What has been the best experience you have ever had in your life?

The best experience I have ever had and it never is lessened, no matter how many times I see it, is when I see the smile of ‘I can do this!’ spread over a face. A person moved from feeling unable to able, unsure to confident, not understanding to clarity – magic!

Where do you find your inspiration?

Anywhere humans are feeling they do not have joy. My life is discovering practical ways to assist people when they are faced with some difficulty. Easy ways to have life work for you rather than against you.

What is the strangest thing you have ever had to do to promote a book?

This is what I would LIKE to do, but haven’t arranged it yet! My Chi character looks like this, and I would love to have a Chi costume and assist stressed people, rather like the Super-Chi of stress and resilience. I would be able to present at conferences and meetings, diffuse difficult situations, be a help spot as needed, and remind people of their naturally joyous nature!

Where to buy the book

You can buy Mind Chi – Rewire your brain in 8 minutes a day  in all formats on Amazon.com here: http://www.amazon.com/dp/1906465584/

You can also buy it in all formats on Amazon.co.uk here: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1906465584/

You can catch up with Vanda online at:

If you would like to find out a little more about Vanda then why not catch up with her on her own website: http://www.mindchi.com. She’s also active on Twitter too at http://twitter.com/vandajoy and on Facebook at: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Mind-Chi/133180406722282/

If you’d like a little taste of the Mind Chi experience then the video below will introduce you to the concept of how you can literally re-wire your brain in just 8 minutes a day. Enjoy!

Your book is your baby, you’ve worked long and hard to get it to the stage it’s at and it is hard not to feel downhearted when the adoring fans you had hoped would surround you immediately it was published fail to materialise and the sales don’t do as well as you had hoped. However, it’s also important to remember that the majority of people who say they want to write a book never do and you have already achieved something quite remarkable, so give yourself a pat on the back and then move on to the next phase.

Unless you are the next JK Rowling or some other well established author you are going to have to accept that it is going to take time for your book to reach maturity in its market and this is where setting a realistic goal for your book becomes essential.

For a small number of books maturity can arrive in just a few short months but for the majority it can be several years in the making and the length of time it takes depends very much on the audience, the type of book and the message you are sharing. I know from my own experience that it took around three years before 101 Handy Hints for a Happy Hysterectomy began to reach markets that existed outside of the Hysterectomy Association, but now it’s reached them though it’s there to stay and keeps on going from strength to strength.

So just how do you set those goals?

Well the most important step is planning. I would start with setting a small set of goals for three months, six months, twelve months and two years, remembering that goals still in the future can be revised to take account of unexpected opportunities or changes along the way.

Three Month Goal

Your three-month goal might include a range of activities such as getting a particular number of reviews of your book on to Amazon and Goodreads. It might also include some Giveaways and a blog tour or two, perhaps even an author interview like the ones I do here on the Thursday Throng each week.

You should also be investigating the places that your audience congregates and seeking out some supporters and sponsors. For instance, my book LinkedIn Made Easy started to get noticed when it was mentioned as a ‘must read’ book in a couple of other books on networking by Andy Lopata the UK’s ‘Mr Network’.

Six Month Goal

Your six-month goal will probably include the activities you have already been doing plus some actions around your local area; this could include things like researching the local reading groups/writers groups to find out whether they might be interested in having you as a speaker.

Now that you know where your audience congregates you can start to share your experience and knowledge with them, perhaps through forums or by answering their questions. You should also be checking out the online resources that your audience inhabit; this might include specialist web sites catering for a particular fiction genre, it might be a particular social network or even forum that focuses on the subject at hand.

Twelve Month Goal

Your twelve-month goal should now be doing all the above activities as well as some retrospective activities that look back on where you’ve come from and where you are now. This would be a great time to revisit author interviews with the perspective of an author who has experience. Now that you have a whole years worth of experience as a ‘successful author’ – because you will have sold your book as a result of these activities – you might like to consider contacting local radio stations and newspapers to get yourself some publicity, particularly if you are planning on bringing out a second book as well.

Two Year Goal

By now your book should be well and truly embedded and you can build on those things that have gone before. Revisiting how far you’ve come with more author interviews. With the experience you now have of presenting and speaking you could think about contacting the organisers of literary festivals to find out whether they might be interested in getting you along to run a seminar or workshop based on your experiences.

It is tempting to want to do everything all at once, but experience has taught me that this is just not feasible for the majority of new authors. We almost all have a day job and our writerly ambitions need to fit in around this to make sure that the mortgage is paid and there is food on the table. Setting a small set of goals every few months and accepting that you are in this for the long-term is reasonable and will result in less stress, fewer headaches and a much happier author.

This post is part of the Marketing Plan posts – you can find the others from the first one here: And on the subject of a marketing plan for your book …

So, from yesterday I decided to try something new. From 9ish to 5ish I’ll be working for my clients and running my businesses. I shall not be sneaking a peak at Woman on the Edge of Reality, I shall not be spending a very unsubtle half hour on Goodreads and I shall definitely be turning off the various social accounts as soon as I’ve done my client work. Instead, I plan to be the model of business industriousness and actually get done what I need to get done, when I’m supposed to do it.

My daytime should (in theory) look something like:

• Email – 1 hour
• Social Accounts Maintenance and Comms – 30 Minutes
• WORK
• Lunch
• WORK
• Social Accounts Maintenance and Comms – 30 Minutes
• Email – 30 Minutes

Then, after I walk home from work (I work at home so I walk to ‘work’ in the morning and walk home from ‘work’ in the evening by wandering around the village I live in), I shall sort out supper and then it’s ‘me’ time and I can play on my blog, on Goodreads and the networks to my hearts content and I will also work on my books and my book marketing too. If I can schedule the majority of my blog posts by writing them on a Sunday then that gives me the time to do all the other activities I want to be doing during the week too

Now, this is not the first time I’ve tried to do something similar, but I’m hoping that because of that sense of frustration of having wasted a huge amount of the day on Friday, that I will be able to carry it all through and commit to avoiding anything that isn’t my business work. I shall let you all know how I get on and do wish me luck.

BTW – I’d also love to find out how you all manage to keep your lives, work and identities separate, perhaps I could steal a tip or two from you as well

By for now, Linda

This weeks word is OLIGARCH, it is a noun pronounced ’ol-e-gaaa-k’

Oligarch means a ruler in an oligarchy (where power rests in the hands of small group of people). It has also acquired a modern meaning as a wealthy business person with significant political influence, especially used to refer to such people in Russia. It is often used now to imply corruption.

Examples of the word OLIGARCH

1. Tutin was branded an Oligarch by Nebin
2. She was a member of the country’s Oligarchy

Origins of the word Oligarch

It originally derives from the Greek oligarchēs, from olig- + -archēs -arch and its first known use was around 1610.

Why the Weekly Word?

The idea of the Weekly Word comes from Toastmasters International which is a speaking club I belong to. Each meeting we have a Grammarian Role and the purpose of the role is to try new words that stretch our vocabulary as well as to monitor and report back on people’s use of language. If you’d like to find out more about Toastmasters groups in your area then you can visit their website at: http://www.toastmasters.org/

The books are Woman on the Edge of Reality which is a novel that is NOT based on this blog, it just happens to have the same name and the second is the newest addition to the stable of LPH which is Broadcasting Powerful Messages with Twitter.

Woman on the Edge of Reality: If you would like to grab yourself a free copy then it starts being free from about 7.00am on Monday and will remain free until 7.00pm on Tuesday in the UK. In the US the times are midnight on Sunday to midnight on Tuesday.

• You can get it in the UK from here: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Woman-The-Edge-Reality-ebook/dp/B006LMYFAC/
• You can get it in the US from here: http://www.amazon.com/Woman-The-Edge-Reality-ebook/dp/B006LMYFAC/

Broadcasting Powerful Messages with Twitter: If you would like to grab yourself a free copy then it starts being free from about 7.00am on Monday and will remain free until 7.00pm on Monday evening in the UK. In the US the times are midnight on Sunday to midnight on Monday.

• You can get in the UK from here: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Broadcasting-Powerful-Messages-Twitter-ebook/dp/B007TWU7GE/
• You can get it in the US from here: http://www.amazon.com/Broadcasting-Powerful-Messages-Twitter-ebook/dp/B007TWU7GE/

I have no idea what may happen when I try this out but I’ll let you all know what does happen – I’m just hoping that it won’t be all over with nothing more than a whimper, but if that’s the case I’ll tell you that too.

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My mother was the centre of my universe.

As a child I would sit on the back porch in a thunderstorm watching the rain pelting down, hitting the hardened ground with a whip and crack before scattering into a thousand tiny droplets; lightening crackled across a darkened sky, thunder rolling round the landscape, booming off the hillsides.

‘That’s just God playing the tom-toms’ she would reassure me.

And then, in the aftermath came the rainbow; brilliant in its colours and a stark contrast to the black and grey surrounding it.

‘That’s God kissing the ground son’ she would explain.

And I believed her, as I believe her even now.

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By the way, and as an aside I have an interview with Sadie Forsythe, the author of The Weeping Empress on the blog this week and she’s offering a free copy in a giveaway to one lucky commenter. If you’d like to be in with a chance to win it then you simply need to leave a comment here: the-thursday-throng-author-interview-and-book-give-away-with-sadie-forsythe-author-of-the-weeping-empress/

Welcome to The Thursday Throng and this week I’d like to welcome Sadie Forsythe, the author of ‘The Weeping Empress’. Sadie is also giving away a copy of her new novel to one lucky commenter - so get those comments in below and I’ll use random.org to choose the winner next Thursday

It’s called The Thursday Throng in honour of the throng that waits eagerly outside the book store when a new author is doing a book signing event or appearance. On this website it takes the form of a ‘Meet the Author‘ online event with some information about our author’s latest book and an interview. If you would like to take part in the Thursday Throng then why not email me to find out more.

If you would like to see past Authors featured on The Thursday Throng you can click here: womanontheedgeofreality.com/category/thursday-throng/

This week, I’d like to welcome Sadie S Forsythe who is the author of The Weeping Empress. She is also generously giving away a copy to one lucky person who comments on this author interview and to enter you simply need to leave a comment below and I’ll contact the winner next Thursday to get their contact details.

The Weeping Empress is a beautifully written and insightful piece of fiction that explores many themes including that of gender expectations in a society where the role of the woman was fixed and immovable. I thoroughly enjoyed it and am looking forward to hearing more from Sadie as I think she has a talent for creating a wholly realistic experience for the reader.

Chiyo Alglaeca was happy in her life. That is, until it was all taken away. Forced into notoriety, stalked by a mysterious cult, hunted by the emperor, and facing betrayal at every turn she clings to the only safety she can find: two enigmatic men and the sharp bringer of death, Salvation. The Weeping Empress explores the devastating effects of loss, the hunt for redemption, and the price of destiny. It questions the true meaning of evil and asks what monster is not also an innocent?

So Sadie, I’d like to kick off with my favourite question ‘What is One thing that No-One Normally Knows About You?’

When I read a book I really like to see the character struggle. That sounds a little sadistic, but I always feel that an easy victory isn’t as meaningful as one that was really worked for. So plot devices that solve characters’ dilemmas for them always leave me feeling cheated.

What did the best review you ever had said about you and your work?

I’ve been really pleased. The reviews for The Weeping Empress have been very positive. I realise that it is cheating a little, since the question asks about a favourite review (in the singular), but some of my favourite snippets are, “Sadie is an incredible writer. I got drawn into Chiyo’s world from page one and couldn’t put it down until I finished.” “The plot really makes you think.” “The more I think about this story, the more I like it.” I still get happy butterflies in my stomach when I read them. They make all the hard work worthwhile.

What did the worst review you ever had say about you and your work?

I suppose normally authors wouldn’t want to advertise bad reviews, but I wouldn’t feel right about answering the previous question if I wimped out of this one. The VERY FIRST review I ever received was from Kirkus Indie. The review came down to ‘eh, it’s alright.’ The concluding sentence was, “Adolescent in well-worn genre territory; exciting for the forgiving reader.” I was disappointed until I remembered that Kirkus advertises themselves as “the world’s toughest book critics.” I told myself that if the world’s toughest gave it even an it’s alright I should congratulate myself. Additionally, since it was pre-publication I was able to address one or two small things that they took issue with, resulting in an even stronger story.

Are the names of your characters important to you?

Absolutely, I put a lot of time and effort into naming them. I’ll use Chiyo as an example. Chiyo is a Japanese name meaning a thousand generations. Her last name is Alglaeca (Al-glay-ka), which comes from Arabic meaning “a miserable being, wretch, miscreant, monster, and fierce combatant. Both are appropriate for a woman who is loses her comfortable life, is displaced in time/place and takes up the life of a warrior.

How did you choose a title for your book?

In the first final draft of the book the last scene ‘showed’ Chiyo crying. I always thought it was a particularly evocative scene and named the book after it. But ending the book there left too much unexplained so it’s no longer the last scene.

Have you ever wished that you could be or do anything else instead of writing, and if so what?

I love words and the power of communication. I think if I even had my education to do again I’d go into linguistics. I can’t even imagine giving up writing, though. There isn’t anything I would want to do more. Maybe as a halfway mark between the two I should start striving to see my work translated into as many languages as possible.

Have you ever written naked?

I’ve woken up in the middle of the night with an idea (probably from a dream) and jotted down the backbone of a scene while naked. Does that count as writing? (Linda’s aside – I think it does Sadie

Who would you like to play you in a film of your life?

Tilda Swinton—as far as I know we have nothing in common, but I like that she seems well-educated and poised. I think is she absolutely beautiful in an unconventional sort of way and would like to think that she would represent me well.

Are you jealous of other writers?

I wouldn’t like to say jealous, but there are definite authors I read with a wistful sense of awe. Catherynne Valente is one of them. I remember reading In the Night Garden and wishing I could create something so splendid, especially when so young.

What was the most important thing you learned at school?

How to think logically—I know that sounds a little pat and cliché, but it’s true. Learning how to formulate a theory and then follow through with a method of investigation and basis for decision is an important skill. It’s also one that doesn’t necessarily come naturally. The modern world’s mantra seems to be `freedom of choice in all things,’ and this is great in one sense. But it really enjoins people to look within for the answer that is right for you, without providing any instruction on how to recognise it. There doesn’t appear to be many exemplars available, so learning how to establish your own evidentiary boundaries becomes vital. For me, I learned this in higher education.

Tea, Coffee, Water, Juice, Wine or Beer … which do you prefer when writing?

Tea and coffee—I’m not much of a drinker in general, so alcohol and writing wouldn’t go well together. However, give me a steaming hot, preferably milky drink and bliss is likely to ensue.

I just want to say thank you for the opportunity you be here today. I’ve really enjoyed it. (Linda’s Aside, And I’ve enjoyed talking to you as well Sadie  

Where to buy the book

You can buy The Weeping Empress by Sadie S Forsythe in all formats on Amazon.com here: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0072W1LJ8

You can also buy it in all formats on Amazon.co.uk here: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0072W1LJ8

You can catch up with Sadie online at:

If you would like to find out a little more about Sadie then why not catch up with her on GoodReads.com at: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5437013.Sadie_S_Forsythe or on her own website: http://sadieforsythe.com/. Oh and she’s also active on Twitter too at https://twitter.com/#!/SadieSForsythe

How to get a FREE copy of Sadie Forsythe’s book, The Weeping Empress

If you would like to get your hands on a free copy of Sadie’s book, The Weeping Empress, all you need to do is leave a comment here on her interview. Next Thursday I will use random.org to select one lucky person and will get in touch to find out your contact details to pass on to Sadie directly.  Good luck everyone

These machines of King Alta Vista’s were located in the basement of his castle and were a wonder to behold; they were bright and shiny and made of precious metals; they had cogs and wheels to help regulate the information the King Alta Vista was looking for. And it was made so that all visitors who wished to do business with residents of the Kingdom of T’internet were required to first call upon King Alta Vista who would welcome them grandly and then set about providing the information as to the whereabouts of the resident they were seeking.

But many from outside the kingdom were jealous of the lush fields and sparkling waters that all residents had access to and they were covetous of the power that King Alta Vista wielded and so they plotted and planned to take over his kingdom and make it his own.

By stealth they crept into the kingdom and built their own castle and in it’s basement they created even bigger and more wondrous machines with which to answer visitors questions. And lo, it came to pass that King Alta Vista was required to challenge the usurper, Prince Yahoo!, to a battle to the death to protect his kingdom and his people from the usurpers influences.

When the day came for the duel though King Alta Vista was tired and old and he was unable to deliver the final death blow in the battle, preferring to show clemency to the valiant Prince who had fought so well. They met and agreed that they would share power and that when the time came King Alta Vista would hand his kingdom over into the young Prince’s care.

For long years the pair ruled the kingdom of T’internet together wisely, each providing answers to the visitors that came looking for residents who could help them. But slowly, the machines that powered King Alta Vista’s castle grew old and rusty and were no longer able to function as well as they had once done so and the King took the decision to move his court into the Castle of Prince Yahoo! and name him his successor.

Long years passed and they were bountiful for all who lived within the Kingdom of T’internet. Visitors flocked to the Kingdom in their thousands to be given the answers to all the questions they had ever had by the residents that lived within and each visitor was granted an audience with the new King Yahoo! who would graciously accede to their request as quickly as he was able to and provide them with the necessary directions to whichever inhabitant they sought.

As word of the Kingdom grew, King Yahoo! was required to call upon long lost relatives to help him in the task he had set himself of greeting each and every visitor individually and the sons and daughters of neighbouring kingdoms were sent to provide succour and support.

It so happened that one of the sons that was sent to help King Yahoo! became jealous of the power that was now wielded by King Yahoo! and they were desirous of gathering all of the bounty of the Kingdom of T’internet into their own hands. They plotted and schemed and built their own secret castle far beyond the gaze of King Yahoo! And within it’s basement they built even bigger and brighter and faster machines that could help visitors far more quickly. And slowly they persuaded visitors to come and seek them out before their audience with King Yahoo!

When the old King found out about their treachery he was furious and deeply hurt that someone he had treasured, nurtured and supported for so long had caused pain behind his back that he lashed out and called for a duel; but as King Alta Vista had found before him, the young pretender had more strength and won the battle easily calling out his victory across all the Kingdom of T’internet.

And the young pretender was called Lord Google and he now required all the residents of the Kingdom to bow down before him and worship. Strict rules were created and all residents were required to adhere to them and to pay the taxes that now became due. No visitor was allowed to cross the border of the Kingdom of T’internet without Lord Google knowing who they were and where they had come from. The penalty to residents who failed to obey the rules was banishment from the Kingdom at best and death at worst. So, it came to pass that all bowed down and submitted to the rule of Lord Google.

To be continued ……

If possible, try to contact as many of these groups in person with a copy of your book, the promotional flyer and any reviews you have had.  Follow up with a letter to say that you would be willing to undertake signings and readings if they felt it were appropriate.

Your local Tourist Information, library or local authority may well have the details of any book groups that exist in the area or have a look at:  http://www.bookgroup.info for loads of resources when it comes to reading groups, literary festivals etc … Also, try out: http://readinggroups.org/

To find the details of local bookstores and libraries why not have a look in the yellow pages, or even online at: http://www.yell.com/

Book fairs/literary festivals

There are a number of large book fairs for the publishing industry, the most notable being the London Book Fair that takes place in April each year at Earls Court.  If possible, you should make every effort to attend with several copies of your book.  You can find more information here:  http://www.londonbookfair.co.uk/

However, there are numerous local book fairs and festivals that take place around the UK each year, and it would be well worthwhile considering contacting the organisers to see if you may be able to take part, perhaps with a signing or reading.  You can use the two following resources to locate information about some of the many fairs around the country:-

• http://www.inprint.co.uk/thebookguide/fairs/indexnextyear.php
• http://membership.pbfa.org/Webtools/calendar.asp?year=2009

Internationally, the following links may be the ones to check out first:

• http://www.greatbooks.org/programs-for-all-ages/gb/gbgroups/gbfindgroup/
• http://www.readerscircle.org/map.php/

A list of international book fairs is here: http://www.internationalpublishers.org/index.php/-book-fairs/calendar