Resolutions, intentions and promises: Writing in 2016!

I'm not a big fan of New Year Resolutions, but I do like the idea of New Year Intentions! For me that sounds and feels much more manageable - plus having the advantage of eliminating any possible feelings of disappointment and failure.

So, whether it's resolutions, intentions of anything else at the start of another brand new year, how do you decide what is going to be on a personal list of goals:


Be more tolerant?
Lose some weight?
Eat more healthily?
Go to the gym more?
...and for authors: Organise writing time better?

Being a writer I'd have a few options there: from getting my working/writing environment a bit more organised, getting on with that next book plan...but, actually I'm going to do those things anyway.

My writer brain tells me that what is needed is something a bit deeper! More profound. Hmm. Well then:

The most thought-provoking and definitely most helpful pieces of advice anyone ever gave me when it comes to writing is to always write from the heart. And I've discovered for myself the importance of this.

When you write from your heart you are being yourself, writing what you were meant to write (and sometimes that means not writing what you think will be super popular, best selling, fashionable).  It means using your own unique talent for writing and the experiences, values and feelings from within yourself and sharing these with others. It means you will use your own voice in your own way. You're being yourself - who you are and were meant to be. Some of the most inspiring, helpful and useful books I have read were, I'm sure, written from their authors' hearts. 

So, inspired by that and the quote below, what I've decided to do for this brand new year, instead of making resolutions or intentions or lists, is to make a promise to remind myself, each day, to always write from the heart.

Write from the heart. Live from the heart. Be authentic. Now that would be a great resolution.

                                    http://www.hilaryhawkes.co.uk/strawberryjambooks/storytherapy.shtml

Happy New Year.

Just being!

I love that so many people everywhere are discovering that stepping back from the pace of everyday life (or even a lack of pace!) and becoming quiet and still enables them to benefit from an inner peacefulness. And that in that inner peacefulness all sorts of profound but simple discoveries about the self and life are found.

Teguh Mujiono/Shutterstock.com

Teachers of meditation and spiritual things tell us that what we are discovering is our "true nature"- ie  we are, once we put our often inaccurate stories about ourselves, life and how things or people "ought" to be aside, in touch with a serenity and strength that is always within us. The busyness and stress of life causes us to lose touch with this. For so many people this, combined with very real stressful life events, can push them into distress or mental un-wellness.

It makes sense to me that children are more in tune with their innate nature and inner selves than us grown-ups. Children are naturally freer in spirit and enthusiasm for life. They are also more open to accepting new ideas. And because of this many advocates of teaching meditation are coming up with ideas of how to teach meditation and relaxation to all children in a safe and natural way. Why? Because acquiring the skills of self-compassion, calming, de-stressing early on can give them insights and understanding into themselves, their personal limits and needs that will stand them in good stead when they reach adolescence, early adulthood and beyond. It can also promote the idea that being in touch with feelings and talking about emotions and how you are is okay and good, and contributes to reducing the stigma, ignorance and fear in the adult world around mental health problems

So helping our children learn about human emotions, feelings and mental states - their own and other people's - can only be a good thing.

Copyright Corrine Bitler

Many parents, educators and teachers are using programmes and ideas with children and groups of children that do just that in a fun, simple and beneficial way.

Using stories, especially interactive stories, is one good way of introducing even quite young children to thinking about how they feel, relaxation and emotions that we all have. Stories that show characters finding their way through upsets or difficulties can help them absorb ideas and begin to think in more helpful ways - or even be willing to talk and share about anything difficult or upsetting going on in their own real lives. 

I'm an advocate of "Story Therapy". This is where stories become a gateway for exploring thoughts, feelings and emotions and finding different and new ways of seeing things that can be taken from the stories and used in real life. Some can also be used with children as a starting point for finding a quiet space for relaxing, pausing and enjoying the benefits of sometimes... just being.

                           Story Therapy - Click here!

http://www.hilaryhawkes.co.uk/strawberryjambooks/storytherapy.shtml

     (And The Friendship Adventure project for schools and       children's groups, promoting friendship, inclusion, understanding ourselves and others. Click here!)

Autumn inspiration

Autumn/Fall is an inspiring time of year. It reminds me that life evolves and changes. Everything changes in time and we are all part of this amazing cycle of life too.

There's something inspiring in all the seasons for writers and artists and, in fact for everyone. I've collected a mixture of lovely pictures, thoughts as well as ideas.

quotesgram.com

There are some great children's stories that can help children learn about the seasons and nature in a fun and inspiring way. Linking books to activities is a creative way to learn too.

From I Am Bunny by Nicholas Scary

Below: Leaf accordions!

From Pinkeystripesocks.com Activities for children

Next: Story bags that consist of a book, crafts to make, colouring etc

Make an autumn/fall story bag with a child's favourite book!
https://www.facebook.com/Strawberry-Jam-Books-490465954305331/timeline/

Adventures are inside every book!

https://www.facebook.com/490465954305331/photos/a.490468674305059.117247.490465954305331/1054789727872948/?type=3&theater

Autumn inspiration...

(c) HilaryHawkes

Books make a difference...

If you're an author or a book illustrator or a story-lover in general you'll already know that books make a difference and sometimes they can have such a profound impact on readers that they cause thought or life altering changes. Non-fiction books are often designed to do just that of course. I'm thinking of well-written sensible self-help books that can inform, encourage and prevent people from feeling so alone with a particular difficulty. Often if you have no one to talk too or place to find advice it's a book that can help you get started in the right direction. So books like that can be a healthy starting point to moving onward.

But fiction can often have this effect too. The dilemmas, set-backs, traumas and tragedies that characters in stories face, journey through and overcome often reflect what may be going on in real life for a reader. There is a lot of strength and encouragement that can be gained from finding a like-minded soul in a book who becomes your friend and inspiration as you read. 

This doesn't apply only to books for grown-ups. Heroes and heroines in children's books can be good role models and offer life lessons often in quite subtle ways.

In recent years there has been a fair bit of talk about ensuring that children with disabilities or children who live with family difficulties of varying kinds are represented in children's books. There are more books being produced now that ensure that this does happen and it's something I really do feel very passionate about. Why? Well, first of all for all the reasons about the good effects of books I've mentioned above. And secondly...imagine you are a child who is deaf or a wheelchair user or has a complicated autism spectrum disorder - or maybe you have a sibling who has profound difficulties or you are a 'young carer' spending hours every day taking care of a parent and doing chores that most kids are never asked or expected to do. You pick up a book and everyone in it seems to be living in an entirely different world than the one you live in. No one has your issues. Someone like you or someone with a family like yours simply doesn't exist. You don't feel included or represented.

Copyright R Hawkes

While stories are meant to be escapist and entertaining and fun (and no one wants characters who only do dull everyday things) there is something special for young readers about finding a story that makes them think "I'm like that. I know what that's like. He/she is just like me."

There is another reason why stories that include characters, especially main characters, who have different disabilities or difficulties is a good thing. They help all children absorb the values of inclusion, kindness, social cohesion in a quite natural and subtle way. No big lectures, no being talked at by teachers - just stories that show what life may be like for others. Stories that get you thinking and put you in touch with others whose lives may be a bit different to your own. There is no need, of course, for such stories to go overboard on issues! It's enough for a character to just happen to be in a wheelchair or just happen to have Down's Syndrome...and for no particular big deal to be made of this. In other words, as I often say, for a hero or heroine to just happen to have a disability in the same way that someone might happen to have size three feet or brown hair. And, of course, at the same time being realistic and positive.

Copyright Karl Newson

So for your children, grandchildren, the children you work with or know, search out some good books that reflect the lives of all children so that they learn about others and develop an empathy and understanding for all types of people. Let's support authors and publishers who are good at enabling children feel represented in stories so that all young readers will come across more books with characters that make them think "I'm like that. I know what that's like. He/she is just like me!" Because all children are unique and all children are special.

Hilary Hawkes

Strawberry Jam Books

Book Lovers Day!

This is a week that began with Book Lovers' Day and, if you love books as much as I do, you'll know that means the absolute best kind of day!

Whether you were raised in a family who passed on a love of reading to you, or whether you had to fight your way to your now blissful bookaholic state, you'll feel a little ripple of excitement waking up on the morning of a Book Lovers' Day. A bit like a birthday it's a sort of official recognition of something that is important and worth celebrating.

And a love for books is worth celebrating. Research shows that children who acquire the reading habit and begin to read for pleasure are more likely to do well academically. Books not only help children increase their factual knowledge and written skills but can enable them to develop understanding and empathy  for others through reading of the experiences of others.

My grandmother, who would have loved Book Lovers' Day and would probably have thrown a party, used to say "If you read you'll never be bored or lonely". She was right. My own journey into the world of reading for pleasure started very early in life at a time when, for various reasons, I often found myself alone. Stories were my escape and they were also my friends. I went on adventures when I read and eventually, of course, what I learnt from them enabled me to go on to real life 'adventures' and make many real life friends who loved books as much as I did. 

So to all those friends and to anyone else who has put down their current good book for a moment and looked in to read this: Happy Book Lovers' Day every day!

For the wonderful book lovers blog hop by authors see: 
http://kidliteraturetoday.blogspot.co.uk/

"Everything you need is now free!"

"Everything you need is now free!" said the subject line of the email sitting in my inbox.

I was tempted to look - I mean, could it really be true?

At first glance it did look as though this might be something good - all sorts of items and products that used to cost money now being given away absolutely free! Even the postage, if you ordered, would be free. There was just one problem. There wasn't anything there I actually wanted let alone needed. And I couldn't imagine that anyone else would feel any different!

But it did get me thinking.

What exactly do I really need? What do any of us really need?

Philosophies and religions have been telling us since the beginning of time (or at least since the first humans began to ponder such spiritual questions) that we all already have, deep inside us, what we really need.

Once we've got our shelter and food sorted, have experienced adequate connections or relationships (because we're relational beings) and found a way to keep ourselves safe from any roaming wild animals, then anything else needed is found within the depths of our own minds and souls.

A sense of peace, calm, comfort and purpose...the ability to forgive, understand, keep things in perspective, are all already there within us if we look and if we nurture them.

We can try looking in other places for those things. We can try persuading or expecting others that those are the kinds of things they ought to be providing us with. But sooner or later us adults will come unstuck if we take that attitude.

The truth is that those things, the things we really need, are already there right inside us...absolutely free and accessible whenever we choose to go inside of ourselves to look and experience them.

"Quietness" and Story Therapy for children

You can't help but notice that there's a lot of mention and promoting these days of the benefits of deliberately finding "space" in the day or taking time out of busy lives to meditate or "just be".

There has been a big rise in the discovery and enjoyment of learning meditation techniques and Mindfulness http://mindfulnet.org/page2.htm and how this is beneficial. Mindfulness, once learnt and practiced regularly can be part of relapse prevention for mild depression and anxiety for many people.

I love the fact that people everywhere are discovering that stepping back from the pace of life, or even the lack of pace of life, and becoming quiet and still enables them to find and benefit from an inner peacefulness. And that in that inner peacefulness all sorts of profound and interesting discoveries about the self and life are found.

Teachers of meditation and spiritual things tell us that what we are discovering is our "true nature" ie we are, once we put our often inaccurate stories about ourselves, life and how life ought to be aside, in touch with a serenity and strength that is always within us. The busyness and stress of life causes us to lose touch with this. For so many people this losing touch, combined with very real stressful or even tragic life events, pushes them into distress and mental illness.

It makes sense to me that children are more receptive and much closer to their "true natures" than us adults. Children are naturally freer in spirit and enthusiasm for life. They are also more open to accepting new ideas. They absorb and take on values and views about life easily. And because of this many advocates of meditation are coming up with ways of teaching children the benefits of stilling their minds - mindfulness for children. Why? Because acquiring the skills of self-compassion, de-stressing, relaxation and the ability to mediate in some way will stand them in good stead later in life. 

It can also introduce ways of talking with children about emotional and mental states - and perhaps the stigma that, sadly, still exists around emotional and mental illness in our adult world could be reduced further in the future.

Can we help our children learn more about human emotions and emotional states than we ever learned?  And develop natural techniques they can use to help themselves and understand others? I think so.

There are programes that can be taught in fun and relaxing ways to school age children either at home or in groups in school. http://mindfulnessinschools.org/  or 
/http://www.teachchildrenmeditation.com/connected-kids-tutors/

Even very young children can be shown how to become "Quiet". I used to play a game with my nursery group children which we called The Listening Game. Sitting in a circle together, usually just before story-time and when I already knew the environment around us was fairly quiet, I'd ask the children to sit as still and silently as possible and to LISTEN carefully for any sounds. What could they hear going on outside? What could they hear within the room or along the corridor? What could they hear within themselves - their breathing? The sense of stillness and observing silence this created seemed to be enjoyed by all the children. And that peacefulness seemed to stay with them at the end of our Listening Game. Afterwards the children often wanted to either remain quiet for longer or only speak softly or in whispers for a few minutes longer! They had discovered and enjoyed a stillness within.

Using stories and especially interactive stories is also a good way of introducing children to the idea of emotional and inner states which we all have. Stories that show characters finding ways through upsets or difficulties are important as children will absorb ideas and begin to think in more helpful ways about any difficulty of their own they might have. They might spontaneously share something they have been worrying or struggling with - or they might quietly absorb. And that quiet absorbing of a new idea can become the beginnings of a solution or better way of seeing something.

So I do think there is such a thing as "story therapy" - where stories become the gateway for exploring thoughts, feelings, emotions and finding different and new ways of seeing things that can be taken from the stories and used in real life. Some can also be used with children as a starting point for finding a quiet space for relaxing, pausing and enjoying the benefits of sometimes stopping and just being.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Forever-Tree-Hilary-Hawkes/dp/1910257176/ref=sr_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1432556417&sr=1-4&keywords=hilary+hawkes

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Stories-Feelings-children-Illustrated-Hilary/dp/1910257184/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1432296232&sr=1-1&keywords=hilary+hawkes

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Stories-Feelings-children-Hilary-Hawkes/dp/1910257095/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1432556417&sr=1-3&keywords=hilary+hawkes

Celebrating One Year of Kidliterature!

If you're a parent, teacher or involved in the world of children's books and you haven't discovered "Kidliterature" yet then you'll definitively want to know what it's all about. Kidliterature is an online place of news, tips and advice, reviews, support for children's authors and artists and generally all things children's books. Kidliterature are advocates for children's literacy and you can check out the website and links to facebook and twitter here:

https://www.facebook.com/KidLiterature?fref=ts

https://twitter.com/KidLiterature


Kidliterature was set up by talented author/artist Karen Emma Hall a year ago. Karen quickly gathered a team of like-minded authors/illustrators around her and together they form the Kidliterature admin team (which I joined at the end of last summer)- supporting each other and other authors and illustrators and promoting children's literature around the world.

Inspite of the fact that writing children's books is the best job in the world, it can be a lonely task at times and creative people need other creative people for the right kind of support and friendly advice probably only they can give each other! Kidliterature does that. And the website and facebook page is also a great place for parents, teachers and others to look in for inspiration and news about authors, children's books, ideas and resources too.

So this week Kidliterature are celebrating their first "birthday" with author signed books, giveaways, games, videos, a raffle and an exciting brand new webiste:

Kidliterature

And an eight minute long celebratory anniversary video:

https://www.youtube.com/embed/k8uPODt_2cA

So if you love children's books as much as I do and as much as everyone at Kidliterature does, then don't miss out on this whole week of fun!

Find out about and enter the rafflecopter giveaways here:

Giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

When "Books are the most constant of friends...and the wisest of counselors..."

"Books are the quietest and most constant of friends; they are the most accessible and wisest of counselors, and the most patient of teachers." So said Charles William Eliot in his The Happy Life, 1896.

That's one of my favourite quotes because I've always loved the idea of stories that are a kind of "therapy" and not just an entertainment or distraction or means of obtaining information.

Stories can take you out of yourself and transport you into the worlds and thoughts and emotions of others. Through stories the youngest of readers can absorb values and comforts and discover how to think and see truths for themselves. Step into the right story, the right book at the right time and when you step out again you'll have almost imperceptibly acquired a just-for-you 'gift' that will stay with you long after you've read the last sentence or put the book down.

The kind of 'gift' I'm talking about is a realisation, a resolution or a quiet comfort or certainty that makes life suddenly feel a tiny bit different or better or happier or hopeful. And for children as much a adults that is a gift that is especially needed at times of anxiety or change or loss or sadness. The right stories, as the "quietest and most constant of friends" can offer children that gift in a indirect, subtle and cheerful way that won't make them feel the adult world is trying to intrude and bombard them with answers that they can't take in.

The intention of The Forever Tree and Stories for Feelings is that they become books for children with those kinds of gifts. A shared reading of them between a parent (or other adult) and child that enables a gentle and non-frightening way of opening up to nurturing ideas - helping children explore emotions, feelings, thoughts and situations they may be going through. Or just a way to understand themselves or others. They can be revisited by the child alone or shared again - their messages still there whenever they are needed

.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Stories-Feelings-children-Illustrated-Hilary/dp/1910257184/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1427554285&sr=1-3&keywords=hilary+hawkes

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Forever-Tree-Hilary-Hawkes/dp/1910257176/ref=sr_1_9?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1427554285&sr=1-9&keywords=hilary+hawkes

Learning to dance in the rain

http://philosiblog.com/2013/07/31/life-isnt-about-waiting-for-the-storm-to-pass-its-about-learning-to-dance-in-the-rain     

Take a moment to let the goodness in life touch your spirit and calm your thoughts.

Then share it with others.

The goodness in life grows stronger and more magnificent every time it is given away.

(Based on quote by Ralph Marston)

New possibilities

Give birth to new possibilities with your ability to reach into the future and let go of the past.

From http://www.thoughtfortoday.org.uk/new-possibilities/