The Next Big Thing – celebrating my 100!

On 24/01/201322/02/2013 By auntyamoIn Humour, Writing, Blogging etc5 Comments

Welcome to my 100th wordpress blog post!
And I’m just 100 or so views from 10,000 so this is a momentous… erm… moment for me!
I was wondering what significant wisdom I could bring to you when I reached the century; and perfect timing – here is my The Next Big Thing post.

The Next Big Thing is an online blogging chain. It helps writers promote and introduce other writers and highlight whatever they are working on. There’s a list of questions to answer and then the writer of the moment picks others to pass the torch on to; or ‘tag them’ to use the technical term…

I’ve mainly seen authors do it and the blog posts have made great reading. I was not a little delighted to be ‘tagged’ by Trish Nugent! Trish is one of my many Twitter connections that I haven’t actually met. If you use Twitter then you’ll know that there are some folk you chat to more than others. And some you get on with more than others! Trish is one of my Twitter friends that I would love to meet and drink coffee (or wine) with. We’re hoping it won’t take too long for that to happen 🙂

Trish is a part-time actress and writer, and a full-time wife and mum. She lives in Dublin and you can read her blog here.

So let’s get this show on the road!

My Next Big Thing Well to be honest the next big thing I need to write is my Masters Dissertation. I’m doing a Masters in Applied Theology with the Irish Bible Institute. Before I start a great literary work, or even a terrible one, I need to finish my M.A.
Other than that I have two blogs on the go. I guest post for a couple of places regularly and I also write a regular piece for VOX Magazine. My first article appeared in the Jan 2013 of WHOA Women magazine in the US and I’m hoping to have a regular spot there too. Details of all that stuff can be found here

What is the title of your ~~book~~ dissertation? Well the title is not worked out yet as dissertation titles can be a bit wordy, but it’s something along the lines of “The connection between the attitude to suffering and ‘spiritual development/maturity’ using the Apostle Peter as an example”

HOWEVER, If I were to write a book it might be called something like, “The Chocolate Conspiracy”

Where did the idea come from for the dissertation/book? The idea came from my own experience really. If you’ve read my blog before, you know that I can’t have children. That is the issue that I wrestle with most in my Christian life. I have 27 nieces and nephews and no kids of my own.
I suppose it’s a search really to see if an increase in one’s spiritual maturity gives you a more ‘Jesus-like’ attitude to the sufferings of life. Mine, compared to others are very mild. But they are mine and I haven’t handled the sadness well over the years. I’m hoping that the research and writing of this paper will help me make my journey towards acceptance.

The idea for “The Chocolate Conspiracy” came from a biscuit tin. I was eating a biscuit, from said biscuit tin and I thought… I bet chocolate is actually good for us and that story is being repressed by a South American mafia with connections to Eastern European gangs… Voila! 🙂

What genre does your dissertation/book fall under?
Dissertation – Christian Spirituality
Book – Crime/thriller/nonsense

Which actors would you choose in a movie rendition of your book?
ok the dissertation is NOT going to be made into a film… but the book?

Well obviously I’ll be played by the guy who played Jabba the Hut.
My psychiatrist will be played by Colin Firth (love interest)
And all the baddies will be played by your woman who played the little dark curly-haired barmaid in Cheers. (There’s a ‘cloning’ subplot that I’m in danger of giving away here so I’ll stop.)

What is the one sentence synopsis for your dissertation/book?
Dissertation – “How did the Apostle Peter go from being the man who tried to stop Jesus from going to Jerusalem and denied him – to the man who wrote 1Peter, such as 4v14 ‘rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ.’?”

Book – The truth they didn’t want you to know… chocolate is good… lettuce isn’t!

How long did it take you to write a first draft?
I haven’t written a draft of either, but it’s all up here. *taps side of head
The dissertation (20,000 words) will hopefully be researched and written in 2013

What other books would you compare yours to within your genre?
War and Peace, Ulysses and The Tale of Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle

Who or what inspired you to write this dissertation/book?
Dissertation – as I mentioned above, my own experience
Book – as I mentioned above, the biscuit tin. It spoke to me, called out to me in the night, followed me on Twitter… I couldn’t escape!

What else about your dissertation/book might piqué you readers’ interest?
Dissertation – If you’re not into theology, probably not much! But I do hope to answer the question!
Book – Hidden within the text will be a DaVinci type code that when found will actually be a bar code giving you 20% off your next purchase of chocolate HobNobs.
(Terms and conditions apply, subject to availability, all rights reserved, please get an adult to help you when using a scissors etc etc )

When and how will it be published?
Dissertation – well there’ll only be three copies. One for marking, one for the college library and one for my ego shelf. After that it’ll be a pdf!
Book – on papyrus, or that sugary paper you can eat!

OK!!! Enough of my nonsense – let me introduce you to my Three Musketeers
Helen Hamill – IMHO this lady does not realise what a great writer she is! She has two blogs and her honesty and openness amazes me every time I read her stuff.
Helen was born and lives in Enniskillen. She is a trained teacher, musician and singer. She holds the position of Director of Music with St Michael’s Church Choir. Her choir performed last year for Her Majesty the Queen, and have recently performed solo on BBC Songs of Praise.
She’s mam to 4 brilliant children and has been married to Jimmy for 24 years.
She tweets (a bit too often she says) @helenhamill
4 words to describe her… direct, honest, hardworking and driven.
She has two blogs, one about a medical condition she is battling her way through http://atleastihaveabrain.wordpress.com/ and one she co-writes with her 12-year-old son who is as he puts it “autistic and proud”! http://autisticandproud.wordpress.com/

Reclaim the Voice – now I don’t always agree with this guy. But I do love what he writes. He has made me laugh, shout at my computer screen in frustration, sit silently trying not to cry and think about things I’ve never thought of.
Here’s what he says about his blog… “This Blog, is a place, where words, thoughts, and feelings will exist, who the writer is, is not necessary, let the words speak for themselves, take them as you find them. Sometimes they will be passionate, political, poetic, however, above all,
hopefully provoking.” Take a look for yourself… 🙂 https://reclaimthevoice.wordpress.com/

Carolann Copland – we met not long after I realised that I should be taking writing seriously. Although I haven’t read any of her writing, spending time at her Writing Centre and learning from her has been just fantastic.
Carolann is the founder of Carousel Creates; offering writing experiences to writers of all ages and lifestyles. She has a B.Ed in English and Drama and has been a teacher for thirteen years. Carolann has learned her writing craft under authors such as Siobhan Parkinson, Patricia O’ Reilly, Conor Kostick, Orna Ross, Niall Williams and Claire Hennessy.
She is a mother of three children aged nine to twenty-one. Through mentoring writers of all ages; from all walks of life; Carolann is happiest when she is sharing her passion for writing.
Website: http://www.carousel-creates.com Blog: http://www.carouselcreates.wordpress.com
Twitter: @carouselcreates

The Next Big Thing…

On 20/01/201307/08/2014 By auntyamoIn Writing, Blogging etc1 Comment

I was tagged in this lovely blog post 🙂 Thanks Trish!
My reply will come on Wednesday, for now… enjoy…

Trish Nugent Writer.

A couple of weeks ago, I was approached by the extremely talented writer, Jillian Godsil, requesting to tag me in an on-line blogging chain – The Next Big Thing.

The chain is a way for writers to promote their work-in-progress through a series of questions.

Jillian is a writer, blogger and freelance journalist, renowned for selling her house on utube.

I met Jillian for the first time last year at a book launch in Hughes and Hughes, where we were introduced by our good pal Susan Condon.

In December, we met again in, of all places the ladies toilets at The Westin Hotel, prior to recording The Twitter Xmas single. We had a lovely chat about sex novels 🙂
It was not however until our third meeting, at the launch of said Xmas single that I got to actually sit and chat with Jillian over a glass or five of cabernet…

View original post 1,016 more words

The National Emerging Writer Programme

On 12/01/201312/01/2013 By auntyamoIn Writing, Blogging etc1 Comment

If you look down on the right hand side you’ll see a lovely new badge that tells you I’m an ‘Emerging Writer’ member of Writing.ie This is one of a few steps I’ve taken towards my efforts to ‘take this writing thing seriously’ from now on. That and buying a notebook 🙂

And my timing could not have been better! Writing.ie, in association with Dublin UNESCO City of Literature has launched a resource just for me. Well not JUST for me, I’m sure others are allowed use it as well…

Vanessa O'Loughlin from Writing.ie — Vanessa O’Loughlin from Writing.ie

The National Emerging Writer Programme consists of 3 x 40 minute videos with some of Ireland’s leading writers sharing their insights and expertise. There is supporting material on writing,ie to go with the video teaching. And it is FREE – the video clips are available on both Writing.ie & UNESCO websites. The project has been funded by Department of Arts, Heritage & the Gaeltacht.

The DVD was launched in the Dublin City Library and Archive on Wednesday Jan 9th by the Minister of the DAHG, Jimmy Deenihan. In his speech he mentioned his own experience and enjoyment of writing. Minister Deenihan’s autobiography was published in 2011.

Paul Fitzsimons, Carlo Gébler & Declan Hughes

It was nice to see a couple of familiar faces and make some new writing connections. Two of the three main contributors to the DVD content, Carlo Gébler and Declan Hughes were there too. They were very nice guys who chatted with folk and stood for photos. All in all a great afternoon and afterwards I have to say I felt better equipped for the writing challenges of 2013.

It’s a real encouragement to someone like me that Ireland’s great writing heritage is still going strong, and that new writer’s are being encouraged to develop the craft. I’m hardly likely to be the next Maeve Binchy but with the help of resources like the NEWP I can certainly learn to be the best writer that I can be.

All I know is I want to be better than I am now and I want to push this thing as far as a I can. After that (and during it) I’m on God’s good grace as to whether writing becomes a career or just stays my favourite thing to do.

Either way, it’s official…. I’m emerging!

Starting 2013 with Guest Post

On 08/01/201324/05/2013 By auntyamoIn Book Review, Guest Posts1 Comment

HAPPY NEW YEAR everyone!

I hope you had a great time over the Christmas and New Year break. Most of the writing I did over the holidays was with pen and paper! So I’m hoping to be able to read it all now…

While I try to work out my hieroglyphics and put a post together I’d like to introduce you to Sam Hailes. Sam is a Journalist based in Southampton. This is his review of Don Carson’s book The Intolerance of Tolerance

So! over to Sam…

Most will know DA Carson as a popular reformed theologian who writes on subjects like the love of God, the cross and how to read the Bible. But just when we think we’ve got Carson nailed down as a theologian who writes on theology, he surprises us. Not only is his latest topic unexpected but the title – The Intolerance of Tolerance is at best shocking and at worst, well, intolerant!

This is where Carson’s thesis begins: To be labeled ‘intolerant’ is a very bad thing indeed! This charge of intolerance is often thrown at people like Carson.
“Christians say salvation is only found through Jesus Christ. They’re intolerant of other people’s beliefs!” the secular world screams.

Before reading this book I disagreed that such a view of salvation was intolerant, but I would have been unsure of how to convince a secular audience that my view was not intolerant. I suspect I’m not the only one and that Carson was writing his book for people like me.
The theologian’s entire thesis is more or less delivered in his 17 page introduction. This is both a strength (brevity) and a weakness (what’s the point of the other 159 pages?)

The author describes two types of tolerance: The old and the new. The old form is to recognize and respect another’s view while not agreeing with it. Therefore I can respect my Muslim friend’s view that Mohammed is God’s prophet and not agree with it. But the new form of tolerance is very different. It moves from accepting the existence of other views, to accepting other views. Carson says this shift is “subtle in form but massive in substance”.

He continues: “The new tolerance suggests that actually accepting another’s position means believing that position to be true, or at least as true as your own. We move from allowing the free expression of contrary opinions to the acceptance of all opinions”. So when someone says of X, “He is a very tolerant person”, do they mean he respects my belief that salvation is through Christ alone (old tolerance) or he believes everything is equal and only tolerates the view that salvation is found in many places (new tolerance)?

Caron’s second chapter provides excellent examples that flesh out the tolerance debate. But I found his lengthy third chapter on the history of tolerance dull. In fact it was so dull I nearly gave up on the book altogether. Thankfully the second half of the book picked up and left me again astounded at Carson’s ability to think through and write so clearly and eloquently on what is a very tricky subject.

Best thought of as an attack on the new tolerance, Carson’s book is a must-read for anyone who has ever been labeled intolerant (in the new sense). As the Western world becomes more multicultural and diverse, it goes without saying that the importance of tolerance increases.
But in aiming for this high principle, will culture rightly uphold the old view of tolerance or adopt the new form? If culture continues to opt for the new tolerance, the notion of absolute truth will be eroded.

Carson is right to point out, as he does throughout the book, that truth and tolerance are linked. In writing on both of these subjects in such a clear manner, Carson has not just done the Christian church a favour, he’s helped people of all faith and none to use think clearly about subjects which impact all of society.

Reivew by Sam Hailes. Sam is a Journalist based in Southampton. He’s 23 and later this year is getting married. He blogs at holymansam.wordpress.com and tweets @samhailes.

The Intolerance of Tolerance by D. A. Carson
Publisher: William B Eerdmans Publishing Co (2009)
ISBN: 9780802831705

Losing my resolve…

On 31/12/201228/02/2013 By auntyamoIn Random Ramblings4 Comments

Not long now... I better hurry up! — Not long now…
I better hurry up!

I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I am not ready for the New Year that is almost upon us! Usually I’m gung-ho for it!

Actually that is not true. USUALLY I feel the NEED to be gung-ho and at the very least feel guilty for not being so. But not this year.

I started this post about 6 times and chucked it half way through each time. I’d start something different but kept coming back to this one only to rip it into shreds (or whatever the e-quivelent of that is). I even tried a version of this post in poetry form…

I’ve eaten so much, I feel I could burst
But still I’m not ready for January 1st
I’ve given up all I want to, or can
I’ve nothing to purge on the first day of Jan

I’m quickly coming to the dismal conclusion that tomorrow really is just another day!
I’ve written before about how I love a new notebook and how neat my writing is for about a day; then it’s back to my own version of hieroglyphics. Well my life follows a similar pattern.

I think my question is… what does it matter when by page 2, Amo will be back to her usual illegible scribble and scrawl !?
Why bother to start again with the – (delete as applicable) diet/prayer journal/financial rec./housework organisation/study timetable (nothing to delele there? nah me either!) when I keep making a total pig’s breakfast of the whole thing?
And I don’t have an answer to that question! Which is probably why I’ve not been able to finish the post. Heaven forefend that I should write something without an answer; or even a punchline.

On this New Year’s Eve, for the first time I can remember, I’m not looking to next year with an excited… ‘this could be the year everything changes’ attitude. And maybe that’s actually healthy.
The Bible tells us that the mercies of God are new every morning. (Lamentations 3:22-24) So if I was to start tomorrow and fail on Thursday, then start again on Saturday and fail again by Monday… well that’s ok cos I can always start again on the Tuesday… and so on. Well it’s what I did last year – so it can’t hurt.

In music (now try to stay with me here) – resolve means ***
“to progress from a dissonance
[a simultaneous combination of tones conventionally accepted as being in a state of unrest and needing completion]
to a consonance
[a simultaneous combination of tones conventionally accepted as being in a state of repose].”

Today I find myself unresolved! I feel like I’m singing a scale and can’t find the last note. Try it…
Doh… Re… Mi… Fah… Soh… Lah… Ti… Ti… Ti… you know there is something that rounds off the scale but I can’t find that note.

Despite my harrumph-esque musings I do wish you all a really great New Year. I intend to celebrate the New Year’s arrival at a family shindig.
But I don’t promise to be any different tomorrow. Or the next day – or even the day after than.

I’ll let you know how Friday turns out 🙂

*** http://dictionary.reference.com/

One more sleep…

On 24/12/201228/02/2013 By auntyamoIn FamilyLeave a comment

I'm just a big baby :) — I’m just a big baby 🙂

I loooooooove Christmas.

I’m trapped in the middle lane of excitement though. I’m an adult. (No, honest I am!) So I have a certain responsibility to behave in a relatively mature manner. But because I’m the baby of the family (and have managed to retain the title, despited numerous nieces and nephews and a few in the next generation), I fully subscribe to all the tinsel, lights & pressies! I still have a childlike excitement at the thought of ripping Christmas paper off stuff tomorrow 🙂

It’s my family’s fault, they forgot to remind me to grow up!

But… I am a bit sad today. LIke all special days, everything is bigger – including the stuff that’s missing. Like time with my mam, or my own kids to pass on the Christmas nonsense too.
I’m so grateful that my family let me insert myself into their Christmases, but I see them making their own new traditions with children and grandchildren. It’s circle of life stuff I know but some times I feel like my circle got a bit bashed up and every so often I come across a little dent…

I know I know… I have so much more than many people this Christmas. Believe me, I do know how fortunate and blessed I am to have so much and so many to share it with.

And of course there’s the Reason for the Season…! The first Christmas had family, but not a straightforward one! There were visitors and gifts, but in the middle of the joy of a newborn there must have been disappointment. I’m sure Mary would have preferred to have her baby in familiar and ‘CLEAN’ surroundings. And both her and Joseph must have been filled with fear and apprehension at what the future would bring. But in the midst of all that mess and uncertainty the Angel declared that it was “news that will cause great joy for all the people.” Luke 2:10

There is joy at Christmas, regardless of our circumstances…. and as they say, it’s not just for Christmas…. 🙂

One of my favourite lines from A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens is “I will honour Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year. I will live in the Past, the Present, and the Future.”
I will enjoy my memories of the past, enjoy the season with my family and trust God for the future!

That’s my resolution… what’s yours 🙂

Happy Christmas everyone.
Thanks for reading/liking/following/commenting – much appreciated 🙂 xx

Silent Night, Holy Night

On 12/12/201212/12/2012 By auntyamoIn Getting to grips with God stuff1 Comment

I wrote and recorded this for UCB Ireland Radio last year. Just stumbled upon it today and thought I’d share it. 🙂

I remember it like it was yesterday! It was Christmas Eve,
I was about 8 yrs old, I was at Midnight Mass and I didn’t want to be there!

I wanted to be at home soaking in the Christmas atmosphere. Getting ready for bed and wondering how I would EVER get to sleep….! I thought Mass was over and was itching to leave when my mammy said no. “Mass IS over but now there’ll be the procession of the infant. They will place the baby in the manger and we will queue up to say a prayer in front of the crib – THEN we can go home.”

Our church crib was amazing. It was life size crib and I was sure they were real people in it…, but I didn’t care.

I was hopping from one foot to the other, when the music changed and I could just about see a procession of people walking toward the front of the church. The choir started to sing Silent Night, Holy Night. I knew it off by heart but this time it was different. Suddenly the excitement of the man who was to come that night & leave presents was replaced with the excitement of the baby who was to be placed in a manger

“Silent Night, Holy Night, all is calm all is bright”, sang the choir. I had to see what was happening so I stood on the pew. “Holy infant so tender and mild”, we all sang then as life size statue of baby Jesus was placed in the manger. We all joined the queue. As I got to the crib and I knelt down the choir sang, “Christ the Saviour is born, Christ the Saviour is born”. I was mesmerised. Right then and right there I knew it was true. I didn’t really know what a Saviour was but I knew Christ was real.

Ever since then, hearing Silent Night brings me back to that moment when Jesus introduced himself to me for the first time. And almost 15 years later I found out what a Saviour really is!

I reckon I have the best of both worlds. I still have a childlike excitement about Christmas. But now I know the true meaning. I love family and presents and celebration. And I think of the little family in Bethlehem that God used to bring the greatest gift of all to the world.

I wish you and yours a wonderful Christmas and New Year. My prayer for you is that, of all the gifts you give and receive this year, the gift of the love of Jesus will bring you great joy.

The Post of Christmas Past…

On 05/12/2012 By auntyamoIn MusicLeave a comment

This post may look short but it’s haunted with stuff from Christmases of yore…
Click those links at your peril 😉 xx

Here’s my Christmas Top Ten from 2 years ago!

And click here to hear me singing number 10!

Talking through my (Santa) hat?

On 03/12/201203/12/2012 By auntyamoIn Getting to grips with God stuff3 Comments

What is the story with the ‘Mystery of the Disappearing November’? (Was that an Enid Blyton book? If not, it should have been!) Every year, we have Halloween and then suddenly it’s the first of December. Oh look there it goes again…

I know my recent posts have been a bit negative or at the very least been dealing with subjects where there has been lots of negative talk. But Christianity (you may be surprised to know) is about much more than our differing views on the hot topics. I’m not sure how it happened but in pop culture, Christianity seems to have been boiled down to horrible priests and moral opinion that equals hating women.

It’s a far cry from “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all the people”! (Luke 2:10) – which is the heart of the message that was given with the arrival of Jesus Christ on the earth!

My dad - Christmas 2009 — This is my Dad and he wants YOU to enjoy Christmas 🙂

Advent has begun and I have a question for you.
Not “What are you doing FOR Christmas?”
My question is … what are you going to do WITH Christmas this year?

Don’t get me wrong now. I’m no religious Scrooge! I’m a mad woman for the presents and the food and the tree and the decs and the food and the cards and did I mention the food? 😉 I’m not adverse to the odd drinky, although I draw the line at eggnog; cos that’s just not right!

So this is not about throwing out the fun and replacing it with the glum. It’s about enjoying ALL the great things about Christmas, including the message of the angels We’re miles and years from the first Christmas, but family and gift giving fit very well with the original story! And if you’re someone who hasn’t really paid much attention to the spiritual side of Christmas, I would encourage you to spend a few minutes in the middle of the madness to give it some thought. If you look carefully you’ll find the original message is still there.

And for those who are alone or grieving or just sick of the whole thing already, there are tidings of comfort and joy. God is with us – Immanuel 🙂

"The Star of Bethelehem is still shining" a pastor from Bethlehem said this to me when I met him in Cyprus last year! — “The Star of Bethelehem is still shining” a pastor from Bethlehem said this to me when I met him in Cyprus last year!

Am I really just talking through my hat? What are you going to do with Christmas this year?

More sadness!

On 26/11/201226/11/2012 By auntyamoIn Getting to grips with God stuff, Random Ramblings3 Comments

I was going to write a blog post about how miserable I am at the moment. Lots of good reasons to be down in the dumps and a bit of an explanation as to why…
Then I heard that another teenager has taken her own life because of bullying and suddenly – well I’m just being a sap really!

I was bullied in school. Got all the ‘fatso’ jokes you can imagine. Got pushed around a bit. But I saw others get worse treatment and thankfully it never occurred to me NOT to say it to my mam and older sisters.

I wrote a post for Suicide Awareness Day this year. But just wanted to say that my thoughts and prayers are with that poor girl’s family. And with the many other young people in despair 😦
I’m also praying for bullies too – they need to realise what they are doing and STOP!
But I believe they are also victims.

If you’re reading this and you think there is no hope… there IS hope.
Get in touch with Pieta House, Samaritans, someone… anyone…

And thank you Lord for the reminder of my many blessings!
ADDITIONAL NOTE…
Somehow I totally forgot ot mention Console Ireland. They are another organisation helping those who are in suicidal crisis and those bereaved by suicide. They are this year’s beneficiary of funds raised by the Twitter Xmas Single.