Blog: Mel's Muse

Youngest Child In The Family: Paragon? Or Pain?

Where, in birth order, do you come among your siblings? Are you the youngest child in the family? Do you see yourself as different to your brothers and sisters? Are you aware of a gulf between them and you?

Having previously written about eldest child syndrome and middle child complex, today I’m going to begin...

Posted at 18:59pm on 14th November 2008

2 Comments

The Right To Die; The Fight To Live

On the day that the news broke of the British teenager who has chosen to reject a heart transplant, an e-mail arrived in my in-box from a young woman who has no such choice. Both stories are incredibly moving.

THE RIGHT TO DIE WITH DIGNITY

Hannah Jones, the thirteen year old, has had leukaemia since...

Posted at 11:57am on 12th November 2008

A Painful Post Mortem - Humour, Pain, Characterisation, Existential Angst

I received this book as a birthday present after seeing it reviewed somewhere I can't now recall...sorry. Just wanted to say how much I enjoyed...yes, enjoyed it. It has everything...humour, pain, characterisation, existential angst...the way you write about Faith and God is just incredible and has really helped me at a difficult time....I am pregnant...

Posted at 19:29pm on 11th November 2008

Fiction - Main Characters And How To Choose Them

Revised and Updated: August, 2010

Last week, in Ten Tips Before You Begin, I wrote about the necessity for you, as an aspiring author, to identify your readers before you begin to write your book. That advice holds true whatever the genre in which you are writing. Today, we’re going to concentrate on writing a...

Posted at 15:51pm on 10th November 2008

Uv Readers' Group - Soul Survivor By Philip Yancey

Following a number of apologies, nine of us met in The Library, including three men this time! Celia (who was unable to be with us on this occasion) had, at my request, compiled a list of questions pertaining to the book – partly because I was tied up with work / being unwell /...

Posted at 13:39pm on 10th November 2008

Animal Rights Stuff

This surely has to be the stuff of comedy? I mean I know we, in Britain, are a nation of animal lovers, but do we need a whacking great document telling us how we should look after them, with a threat of a £20,000 fine if we stray from the guidelines? What are these people...

Posted at 15:40pm on 8th November 2008

Healing And Forgiveness

An article in The Times, last month, contrasted, without condemning, the reactions of two families who have recently been in the news. First was the story of the two young boys killed by footballer and drink driver Luke McCormick, whose family was unable to forgive him. And second was Carolyn Todd, the widow of Michael,...

Posted at 18:46pm on 6th November 2008

People Pleasers: Managing Conflicting Priorities

Trying to please everybody frequently results in pleasing nobody - least of all yourself. The old maxim: You can please all of the people some of the time; some of the people all of the time; but you can't please all of the people all of the time is one,...

Posted at 14:12pm on 5th November 2008

Writing And Publishing A Book: Ten Tips Before You Begin

Revised and updated August, 2010 BEFORE YOU BEGIN WRITING AND PUBLISHING A BOOK

I remember reading, many years ago, of someone famous – a well-known pop singer – who told a story of a woman who had written to him saying: God has told me I’m going to marry you. To which the singer replied:...

Posted at 16:33pm on 3rd November 2008

Making Funeral Arrangements

It’s a paradox, but there is a sense in which planning a funeral is a positive and constructive experience. Although not intentionally so, making funeral arrangements – whether for burial or cremation – is a welcome distraction from grief and loss. As long as those who are bereaved are actively contacting funeral planning services and...

Posted at 18:18pm on 1st November 2008

Page 45 of 54