Fi Phillips

I've  been so busy with my writing, life and arranging a new project (which I'll hopefully tell you about next month) that I haven't had time to write any new articles for this blog. So until I can sit down and give you the quality time you deserve, I thought I'd share a favourite piece of writing with you. It's by the writer James Kavanaugh . I found this written down in an old journal of mine so apologies if it is laid out wrongly. For those who are too gentle to live among wolves I am one of the searchers. There are I believe millions of us. We are not unhappy, but neither are we really content. We continue to explore life, hoping to uncover its ultimate secret. We continue to explore ourselves, hoping to understand. We like to walk along the beach, we are drawn by the ocean, taken by its power, its unceasing motions, its mystery and unspeakable beauty. We like forests and mountains, deserts and hidden rivers, and the lonely cities as well. Our sadness is as...

Today J K Rowling has announced ' Pottermore '. I could explain but I think the author herself can do that much better than me. Interested? It's good to see an author going beyond the usual reader-writer exchange and offering a more rounded experience. The site itself isn't fully functional until October although if you visit on 31st July, you may be able to get an early peak at what is to come. In the meantime, here are some images of what Pottermore will look like. The Gateway Hogwarts Express The Chessboard Chamber Christmas at Hogwarts

This is supposed to be the day when we throw off our winter layers, lash on the sun tan lotion and open our arms to the embrace of summer. What happened? I'm getting wet. My sun tan lotion is being washed away and  the puddle I've found myself standing in is seeping through my flip flops. Still, it isn't so bad, I suppose. I can still celebrate the sun. I'll just do it from the dry safety of my sofa. The summer solstice has always been about one thing for me - balance. It marks the balance between day and night (both the same length on this date before the nights begin to lengthen again). It reminds me to question my own life balance, be that work and home balance, me-time and them-time balance or even my nutritional balance. What about you? Is your life gracefully balanced or teetering on the edge? Happy Summer Solstice, however you spend it. May the sun always shine in your life and the fire remain bright in your hearth.

 One of the benefits of being part of the Twitter community, is that people not only read what you write (on occasion) but that they then pass it on. Today I found out that yesterday's blog post ' Father's Day ' has been included in the Wiccaman Daily . Have a look. Thank you @thewiccaman .

Back in April, I wrote about missing my mum on Mother's Day . Today is Father's Day. My husband is enjoying a well deserved lie in and my children are busy so I'm taking this time to be quiet and get some writing done. My dad died two days after my daughter was born. It was unexpected and more numbing than shocking. One came in and another went out - joy and sadness in equal measures. I miss my father, especially our conversations. We would happily talk the world to rights. We'd disagree sometimes, even argue, but my father never let the sun go down on a row. He would always make sure we were friends before we went to bed - even when we lived at different ends of the country. Not long after we'd moved to our new life in Wales, I was attempting to get my children into the car for school one morning. "No, don't do that to your brother. And you leave her alone as well. Please sit down. Seat belts people!"  I had my 'get on with it' goggles on,...

 

This weekend I'm taking part in another blog hop. I've donned my gown to join the She Writes Blogger Ball again. The first one I took part in was a great success for me personally, introducing me to many more fabulous bloggers. If you have the time, dance over to the 1st Books blog and join in. As a writer and blogger, life can be a near solitary path. Our creativity starts as a spark of sunlight in our minds, a personal glint that signifies our unique perception. We can spend so much time observing those around us for storylines and what if inspiration, polishing our imagined worlds and celebrating in the richness of our inner kingdoms, that we forget to reach out. Here's my challenge to you for the next week - reach out. Hop some fellow writers' blogs (and don't forget to leave a comment), visit a writing forum such as She Writes , or find a local writing class or group. I'm sure you can think of other ways to share your writing. Don't forget to le...

It was just another mundane week day. Get up. Get ready. Get children up. Get children ready. Shout at husband to get up. Ensure everyone is in the car. Deliver children to school. Deliver husband to work. Join the throng of mums and pensioners buying food at  the supermarket.  Flicking through the radio channels on the drive home (whilst collating a mental to do list for the rest of the day), I landed on this. It's an easy, singalong song that pulled me from my head-down attitude this morning. The grass seemed greener, the neighbours more friendly and my face even managed a smile. Sometimes it's the little things, the incidental things that fall into our life that make the difference. Here's another 'nice day', this time from Bon Jovi. Have a wonderful Wednesday. Hope it turns out nice.

When I began writing murder mystery plays, I had the massive advantage of writing for a cast of actors whom I had worked with for several years. I knew their voice patterns, what they looked like and just as importantly, what they were capable of portraying on stage. For me, that was an incredible luxury. When it came to my novel, I knew that I would find it easier to write if I had an idea of what my characters looked like, what they sounded like, how they moved and so on. I'm a visual person - that is my main way of perceiving the world - and as such I 'see' my stories, either as plays on a stage or as films on a big screen. I decided that alongside my storyline, character list and chapter plan, I would also put together a cast. Each character in my novel is based loosely around the thought of a particular actor playing the role of Hartley or Isabelle or some other person from my created world. Note I don't say the characters are based 'on' those actors. Th...