Authors Supporting Authors – Update

Posted on March 13, 2013 by Author Richard F Holmes

I would like to refer you to my previous article “Authors Supporting Authors” (see link below) and at the same time issue an update.

https://richardfholmes.org/2013/02/28/authors-supporting-authors/

The criteria are mainly the same except that now authors of virtually any genre are welcome to participate. The only genres that will not be considered for promotion are: organised religion, porn and anything that glorifies violence. So if you write in the genres of Romance, Chick-Lit, Adventure, Historical Drama, Science Fiction, YA, Fantasy and basically anything that does not cross over into the three aforementioned taboo genres, you will be welcome to join this alliance of authors supporting authors.

Please refer to the original article for details of the required criteria and feel free to contact me via the contact form below.

I look forward to hearing from you!

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Thank you for your response. ✨

Synchronicities; don’t you just love ’em

Posted on March 6, 2013 by Author Richard F Holmes

Synchronicities never fail to amaze me and I’m going to share with you one such synchronicity that occurred in the last week. I had been visiting a friend in Swindon for a couple of days, and just prior to setting off on the journey home, my friend and I had a brief conversation about my nephew, Steve. However, before I carry on it will be necessary for me to give you some background information.

Stephen was my older brother’s second child, but the first by his then wife; and also his first and only boy. Steve and I had a magical relationship when he was young. But for reasons that are not relevant to this story his childhood was neither stable nor happy. We continued to be close and then in 1976 I joined the army. We saw each other sporadically whilst I was in the army, and it was apparent to me during my visits, that his living conditions were less than ideal. The army, however, was not for me and having bought myself out just before Christmas in 1979, I went off to work in Germany in March 1980. By the time I came back to England in 1986 Steve was a teenager and into drugs. I was quite disturbed by what I saw; mainly the changes in him, but I had no idea back then as to what would eventually transpire. I had also gone through a drug period but I’d never taken anything serious and I was quite saddened by how my nephew had evolved from a beautiful baby smiling up at me from his pram, into someone I didn’t even recognise.

Now it is also worth mentioning here that I was always considered to be a bit of an oddball in the family. The Holmes’ have never been that close anyway, and as time has gone by, it’s now reached the stage where I have no contact at all with any remaining family members. It was difficult enough before, but once I found my spiritual pathway I was considered to be even more of an oddball. Steve was always my closest ally, but in the mid 1990’s things changed drastically. He had a promising career as a footballer and was on a Youth Training Scheme at Blackburn Rovers, who at the time were in the second tier of English football. He even played twice for the first team, but having been caught with drugs outside a night club in Blackburn, they let him go. He then returned to London where he drifted from club to club in non-league football, playing for some famous old clubs along the way. Then in an effort to get away from the London drug scene he moved down to Swindon, which is where I was living at the time; my mother was also living there. It turned out to be a bit of a disaster, because all he did then was swap the London drug scene for the Swindon drug scene. During this period he was playing for Marlow Town, another famous old non-league club; he even appeared on BBC Match Of The Day once, after Marlow had been drawn against Plymouth Argyle in the FA Cup. At one point things seemed to be going well. I thought he was off the drugs; he was getting paid by Marlow and also had a full-time job. He met a girl and they ended up having a wonderful Christmas baby. However, things took a dive just prior to the baby being born.

Steve broke his leg playing football and was never the same again. He did recover but he was not able to play to the same standard. I had no idea that he was still heavily into drugs until 1996 when things came to a head. He had a serious mental breakdown and ended up in a place called Seymour Clinic, a well-known Swindon mental institution. It was an awful depressing place, which I am happy to say no longer exists; in recent years it has been replaced by a more modern facility. Over the next few years he would periodically find himself in Seymour Clinic and another similar establishment, not always on a voluntary basis.

During this period he fell into the clutches of a Swindon based Christian Fundamentalist group that had a reputation for preying on vulnerable people; with a mental illness Steve was an ideal candidate. As a few more years passed by Steve relapsed into his illness a number of times. Also, because of all the medication he was on, his weight ballooned and he became very disheveled; a shadow of the athletic young man he’d been just a few years prior. Unfortunately, when I found my spiritual pathway he decided that I was “in league with Satan” and we ceased to have regular contact. In 2003 I moved to Wales, but when my mother became ill in 2005 I moved back to Swindon. I saw Steve sporadically during this period but since my mother’s funeral in May 2009 I had bumped into him just once, one evening in a shop in Swindon, whilst on a visit to the same friend I mentioned at the beginning of this story.

Steve lives a very short walking distance from my friend, and she was telling me that she had seen him a couple of times recently from a distance, and had indeed seen him that morning whilst on a trip into town. We both agreed that for all his troubles and faults, he had done a fantastic job with his son. The relationship with the child’s mother had broken up back in the 1990’s but Steve was a doting father and he made every effort to support his son over the years. My friend and I agreed that he had learned wisely from his own childhood experiences and had done his son proud.

Soon after we finished our conversation I said my goodbyes and set off on my journey home. I had only driven a very short distance when I saw an unmistakable figure, yes it was Steve. My first reaction was just to carry on with my journey, as I had no way of knowing how he would react to me. But something told me to drive up to the end of the road, go around the roundabout and come back. This I did, and as I drove past him again I tooted the car horn and noted that he recognised me straight away. I took the first right and pulled over by a bus stop. Steve was really glad to see me, he jumped in the car and I drove around to where he lived. We only had a short chat in the car but during the course of our discussion he told me that he was now working full-time with???? Yes, you’ve guessed it, people with mental health problems. I was so pleased for him; it’s the first proper full-time job he has had in some years.

I could see the face of a man racked with guilt, pain and sadness because of the past. He is obviously still in a great deal of pain because of what he experienced when he was growing up, and I’m sure that was behind him going off the rails. It is also apparent that he feels a lot of guilt for the way he has conducted himself over the years and let his life go the way that it did. But it was great to chat with him and I felt the connection there once again, albeit briefly, and I was happy to be able to give him encouragement. He was also pleased for me with what I am doing and he took my telephone number. I am still waiting for a call, but it has only been just over a week. Synchronicities eh! Don’t you just love ’em?

Authors Supporting Authors

Posted on February 28, 2013 by Author Richard F Holmes

In association with Inspirational Storytellers I am trying to form an alliance of like-minded authors who are willing to support their fellow writers, and who in turn, will receive support as and when they need it. My thinking behind this project is that we live in changing times, with regard to publishing, and the term “indie author” is no longer a stigma to be sneered at. Thanks to the internet and social media there is a multitude of tools available that enable more and more would-be writers to realise their dreams of becoming published authors. However, it is also becoming more and more apparent that, as authors, we need to be taking responsibility for our own marketing. What hasn’t changed is the fact that the majority of published authors sell very few books, if any at all. It is also apparent that you cannot sell books simply by shoving them down people’s throats. The idea is to build a brand, so that people will buy into you as a person. Once a reader feels comfortable and confident with you as a person, there is a good chance that they will take the next step and buy a book. It is also a great endorsement for an author to be promoted by fellow authors.

I am trying to keep the project as simple as possible, and purely business. What I mean by “purely business” is that there is nothing personal here; as an author you are either in or out. All that is required, if you would like to participate, is for you to agree to adhere to the few very simple and achievable criteria listed below. It works on the principle that if you are not prepared to support your fellow authors in the project then you should not expect your fellow authors to support you. If, after perusing the list, you feel this is something you would like to be involved in, please contact me or Inspirational Storytellers by one of the methods shown. Thanks for taking the time to read this.

1. You will need to write in one of the following genres: Spiritual, Self-Help, Health & Well-Being, Philosophy or any Non-Fiction category that inspires (i.e. your book should tell a story that speaks of turning adversity into something positive). Please note Inspirational Storytellers does not promote institutionalised religion, cults or sects.
2. When an author has a book launch (or re-launch) you should be prepared to take to twitter during the course of the launch day and send a total of 12 tweets in support of the respective book.
3. You should give the author an @ MT in each tweet making it easy for the author to retweet your tweets.
4. You should use a hash tag common to the group and relevant to the launch so that all of us can search out your tweets and retweet them.
5. You should be prepared to post info/links relating to the launch on your facebook wall. (No one is expected to flood their wall, one share is enough).
6. You should be prepared to host the relevant author on your blog as part of a blog tour to coincide with the launch. The launching author is responsible for providing all links/pics/info etc. to the host. The day of the hosting should be mutually agreed and care should be taken so that the author is not appearing on multiple blogs on the same day and no blogs on other days.
7. With regard to promos, i.e. free giveaways on Amazon Kindle. The same criteria apply as per book launches. Except that the least amount of tweets expected is six and not 12, and blog hosting is at the discretion of the potential hosts.
8. It is acknowledged that people become ill and they take holidays etc. In these cases it is only fair to your fellow authors that, if you do miss a launch or a promo for some reason, that you catch up as soon as you are able.
As you will have seen, it is not rocket science; very achievable and minimally time consuming. Thanks again for reading and feel free to get in touch via one of the following methods.
To contact me personally: email devoted2sai@yahoo.co.uk or via the contact form on the “About” page on this blog.
Or Inspirational Storytellers via the website at http://inspirationalstorytellers.com

The Art Of Life

Posted on February 13, 2013 by Author Richard F Holmes

As an occasional painter, and someone who recently dusted the cobwebs of his oil paints and brushes after what seemed like an eternity, it occurred to me recently that not only is life itself a work of art, but the people in it are also living, breathing Picassos’. Literally everything on the universal canvas that we call life is an intricate work of art; created to perfection by the cosmic artist. It is with this thought in mind that I will share a story with you from my recent past.

In the last six years I have on occasion worked with adults and young people with learning disabilities on a part-time basis. Now, people in general have an annoying habit of looking at someone else and forming a judgement based on what they can see; and I believe that to an extent we are all guilty of this. Also, if you were to hang a painting on a wall and ask a cross-section of people what it represented to them it is highly likely that you would get many different interpretations of the same painting. What this shows is that we all view things from our own perspective, and this includes life in general.

It is quite uncanny in this day and age that some people still look on those with learning disabilities as “mad”. I, however, have a completely different view. I actually had two stints of employment in one establishment where I worked, and the little story I want to share concerns an incident that took place at the beginning of my final shift at the end of my first stint. I turned up at the required time in the unit where I was due to work, and on finding that the day staff had already gone home, I thought it best to nip downstairs to the office to see if there was any messages for me. I had a quick scan of the kitchen but did not see the keys. What happened next was quite amazing. The kitchen was entered via the lounge, and diagonally and to the right of that door, was another door leading out of the kitchen to a corridor where some of the residents had their rooms. The distance between the two doors was minimal; no more than a metre and a half.

In the split second that the thought “I wonder where the keys are” entered my head, one of the residents (I will call him Paul) entered the kitchen en route to his room. Now Paul was a very pleasant and boyish man in his 40’s. Indeed there was something very child-like about him. However, if he did not know you well he was not a good communicator, and given the fact that I was only employed part-time and on a “bank” basis, I had only ever had minimal contact with him. It would be true to say that Paul and I had never had a conversation and that he had never actually spoken to me properly before. So I was astounded when in the very moment that the thought entered my head, Paul walked through the kitchen, paused momentarily, pointed to the worktop and in a voice as crystal clear as a mountain stream said “Richard, keys” and just walked off in the direction of his room. I was left gobsmacked; it all happened in the blink of an eye and all that went through my head was “how did he know I was looking for the keys to the office”. But sure enough, as large as life, there were the office keys sitting on the worktop; my initial scan having somehow missed them.

To me people like Paul, indeed all human beings, are works of art, because you can never know their intricacy just by looking at the surface. I have felt for many years that people with learning disabilities are not simply living out their karma. But in many cases I believe them to be highly evolved souls who incarnate into this realm of opposites in an effort to try to educate us and remove our ignorance. Of course, I am not saying that everyone with learning disabilities is a highly evolved soul, but who am I to judge. Regardless, they are all wonderful teachers, because we cannot but have our lives changed in some way by interacting with them; and as we change we also evolve, and as we evolve so does our perspective of the great canvas of life.

Something Exciting Is Happening

Posted on February 5, 2013 by Author Richard F Holmes

Something very exciting is indeed happening and that something is Inspirational Storytellers (IS).

Launching on February 12 with our very own show on Blog Talk Radio, IS is the brainchild of New Zealand based entrepreneur and marketer, Lynne Marie. When fully functional we will be a complete writing, marketing and publishing experience all under one roof. At the moment we are very much in our infancy, and when we launch the publishing facility will not be in place. However, we will be offering a wide range of services, including writing retreats, tuition in meditation and editing services to name but a few. Click on the link below to view our full range. (You can even request absent healing for loved ones, friends and pets etc. via the contact form at no cost).

http://inspirationalstorytellers.com/services/

As well as myself, IS consists of the following members:

Lynne Marie – Tauranga, New Zealand

Web design, marketing, author-in-the making and lots of other clever stuff.

https://www.facebook.com/lynne.m.ralph

Moyra Irving – Stoke-On-Trent, UK

Writer, Artist, Healer and lots of other clever stuff you just would not believe.

https://www.facebook.com/moyra.irving?fref=ts

Nancy Wait – New York, USA

Writer, Artist, Actress and Talk Show Host, and yes, you’ve guessed it, lots of other clever stuff that can only be described as incredible. Nancy is head of our New York office.

https://www.facebook.com/nancy.wait?fref=ts

As well as our services and radio show, there are plans in the future for an IS TV channel, and we also have a bookshelf on the website where various spiritual and self-help books by a number of IS contributors can be purchased.

Come and celebrate with us when we launch on 12 February; we would love to have you with us!

Cover Reveal – The Amazing Journey

Posted on February 3, 2013 by Author Richard F Holmes

I am very pleased to reveal the cover for my February 2013 release The Amazing Journey. I would also like to thank my friend Stephanie Keyes at Sycamore Road Design for creating it for me.

Synopsis

Previously published as Astral Travelling, The Avatar And Me. This is the revamped version with an extra chapter.

In 2000 my life hit rock bottom. Emotionally I was totally spent and did not see any way out of the mire that I found myself in. This book tells the story of how (with a little help) I managed to turn my life around. Miraculously at the onset of the new millennium I started to embark on a series of truly amazing out-of-body adventures, and as the years have gone by, I have learned to pass through solid objects, propel myself in whatever direction I wish to travel, and unbelievably, “will” myself back into my body when I become bored with the journey. As if that wasn’t incredible enough, I have also been blessed by the Avatar of the age himself, Sri Sathya Sai Baba, who first entered my life in 2001. Since then I have had a series of truly wonderous experiences with Baba, the highlights of which were being held in his arms during an out-of-body experience in 2006 and seeing him in physical form at his ashram, Prasanthi Nilayam (abode of the highest peace) in Puttaparthi, Southern India in October 2009.

“If I were to say that it was a hairy experience the first time I left my body, it would be an understatement. However, as time went by it was something that I came to enjoy immensely”

The book officially launches in paperback and eBook on 18 February but the e-version is already available to buy on Amazon Kindle.

Buy The Amazing Journey on Amazon.com http://www.amazon.com/The-Amazing-Journey-ebook/dp/B00AQ9FKXW/ref=ntt_at_ep_edition_1_1

Buy The Amazing Journey on Amazon.co.uk http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Amazing-Journey-ebook/dp/B00AQ9FKXW/ref=ntt_at_ep_edition_2_3

Check out Sycamore Road Design http://sycamoreroaddesign.com/

Essential Information

Video

You can’t afford not to see this!

Showcasing My Latest Guest Writer – The Wonderful Janice G Ross

Posted on January 24, 2013 by Author Richard F Holmes

It gives me great pleasure to welcome US-based Contemporary Fiction Author, Janice G. Ross, to my blog today. Janice is going to tell us a little bit about herself and her book, Damaged Girls. So now it’s over to you Janice.

Janice was born in Guyana, South America; however, she has been
residing in the USA for many years. Her love of words has been built over
years of reading, personal writing and “life on life’s terms”. She believes that writing is about gathering up the jagged edges of life and connecting them with her audience. Janice is currently completing the second instalment of Damaged Girls, as well as working on several other novels.

Janice began writing at a very early age, but put her aspirations on hold for many years. During that time, she acquired several degrees – Industrial Engineering Technology, Marketing and Management. Within the past three years, she returned to her original love and obtained an English degree.

Damaged Girls Synopsis:

Be warned… Romance is not at the heart of Damaged Girls. This series
revolves around contemporary issues in families and relationships.

Steven Briggs is thirty-five, gorgeous and partially successful as an auto shop owner-wannabe. He loves women – young women to be exact. Moreover, he is not above manipulating any situation to have the women he wants. Independent twenty year old Jillian McConnell was once lucky to be a part of his world. Since Stevie was the only man to ever shatter her rough exterior, he knows that she would always keep coming back for more. But Jillian is only good enough some of the time. When the sensual Jessica Rodney comes of age, Stevie is enthralled. He shuns the older part-time model, for the time being. But is Jessica’s liveliness enough to sustain Stevie? Or will he keep turning back to the sensible relationship of his past, since he can always make Jillian believe that she should readily be a willing participant in this triangle. Damaged Girls is a complicated novel about the choices and outcomes, associated with the mistakes we make over time.

For more information on Janice G. Ross and her books please refer to the links below.

Buy Damaged Girls on Amazon UK http://www.amazon.co.uk/Damaged-Girls-I-ebook/dp/B00AMLEZ7Q/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1358966390&sr=1-1

Buy Damaged Girls on Amazon US http://www.amazon.com/Damaged-Girls-I-ebook/dp/B00AMLEZ7Q/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top

Check out Janice’s website http://www.culturalcocktails.com/CC/JGR/JGR.html

Connect with Janice on facebook https://www.facebook.com/janice.ross.7334

Follow Janice on twitter https://twitter.com/JGRWriter

Thought For The Day #182

Posted on January 21, 2013 by Author Richard F Holmes

Buddha was asked:

“What have you gained from meditation”?

He replied:

“Nothing! However, let me tell you what I have lost; anger, anxiety, depression, insecurity and fear of old age and death.

Introducing My Latest Guest – The Wonderful Lynne Marie

Posted on January 21, 2013 by Author Richard F Holmes

Today I am welcoming the wonderful Lynne Marie to my blog. Lynne has hopped all the way over from New Zealand just to do this interview. Hiya Lynne and thanks for joining me here today.

Thanks Richard, wouldn’t miss tea and twiglets for the world! Thank you for asking me to join you here today.

So, tell us a bit about your background Lynne; just who is Lynne Ralph?

Wow, where to begin Richard..?? I am a 4th/5th generation “Kiwi” (New Zealander) with one of my ancestors born in Auckland when the population was just 15! I was raised in a rural setting and until ten years ago had lived all my life on the land. My parent’s farmed dairy cows and my younger sister, brother and I were surrounded by animals and home-grown veggies, a super lifestyle many would envy for its simplicity and good clean living. Personally I LOVED horses and my sister and I owned our own ponies and rode for a number of years, attending the local Hack & Hunters Club. I also enjoyed art and drawing, often combining my love of horses and drawing by spending many hours mastering the dimensions, angles and shape of the horse. I also loved to read and being a very introspective child who valued quiet and space, I would often demolish a book during the weekend. I later went on to marry a horse trainer and dairy farmer and we had three wonderful children. During another later partnership child number four emerged. From a work and career perspective I have majored mostly in Management and Administration, as well as Teaching / Training and Website Development.
Who Am I? Interesting question Richard and perhaps more difficult to define and answer than a summary of my background. My inner world and spirituality defines more of me than my outer world has tended to show. From a very young age I was aware of there being more than what we can physically see and that there is much more to life than we are often consciously aware of. One story I have often shared with friends is a beautiful demonstration of contact with the “unseen” dimensions and how I kept the knowledge of how I came to know what I knew, to myself. During a Sunday lunch as a child a family member asked a question, that question simply being, “What is your favourite number?” As each of my family took turns answering this question I was keenly aware it would be my turn soon and I was deeply concerned I didn’t seem to have a favourite number, it simply wasn’t something that had occurred to me before! So when it was my turn I admitted to not having a favourite number, yet I was secretly upset I didn’t have one when everyone else seemed to. After lunch I retired to my bedroom, lay on my bed and closed my eyes. In my minds’ eye I saw a white light emerge from the darkness and this white light began drawing a line. I watched in awe as a 7 was created and then in my mind heard the words “Your number is the number 7”. I was then relayed some other information, about the 7 being a number I would come to learn more about as an adult and that I would work with the energy of the 7. I had no idea consciously what was meant and in my childish enthusiasm begged to know more now and questioned why I had to wait. Then something beautiful was shared with me, the 7 began to rotate until it became an L. I was lovingly told that in the meantime (until I was old enough to understand) the reminder was “in my name” (the 7 becoming the L of Lynne). I was so excited to know what my number was that I jumped up off my bed, scurried back to the dining room and with much joy announced my number was 7. I knew I could not share the fullness of my experience, nor even hint at it, and that was okay. Much of my life has been like this Richard…..information perhaps shared, but the origin of how I come to know what I know often not revealed. (Btw my life path number is 7. The first numerologist I consulted remarking at how my chart is riddled with 7’s!).
In short, many of the most profound turning points during my life journey have come about as a result of some amazing spiritual experiences. Those experiences, scattered throughout my life, have sometimes swung the pendulum (so to speak) so far into the spiritual that I have had a tendency to neglect or struggle with physical living. Yet I have learned and continue to learn. At this time I feel the most empowered and grounded I have felt in a long time, empowered to make choices to co-create an amazing life worth living. The world really is our oyster! We can have, do or be anything we deeply desire and it is our choice. I am in a phase of rebirth and renewal as if parts of me are arriving on Earth for the very first time and I am looking at the world with awe and wonder. Life is a treasure chest…what do I choose?

How did you get into web design and how long have you been doing it?

During the early 1990’s the internet was birthed into New Zealand homes. I was intrigued and curious about how these things called web pages were created and also very excited by the potential. So I decided to learn! My third child had just started school and I approached the headmaster about the possibility of creating a school website. We chatted about the potential for students to connect with other children around the world. Consequently I was employed to teach computers and technology to students and set about becoming involved with teachers globally creating projects our children could be involved with. Our collective won a number of awards and a highlight was attending a Cable & Wireless Award ceremony in Sydney Australia. From there I went back to academia and enrolled in Computer Programming which I thoroughly enjoyed and where I broadened my knowledge of coding. Creating websites requires a balance of both creativity and structural logic – a wonderful way to keep both hemispheres of my brain actively engaged.

What prompted you to found Inspirational Storytellers; where did all the ideas come from?

Hmmm, what prompted me? After what I shared earlier Richard you would be right to suspect from guidance and intuition for the most part. I can’t pinpoint a particular date or event, just a sequence of unfolding. Seeds of being involved in publishing emerged three years ago after I was offered a publishing company a mentor had established to self publish her own books. Around that time I joined Facebook and from nowhere had friend requests pouring in and oft-times from authors! This trend continued and I had a knowing within, a growing desire in fact, to assist my author friends to be seen “out there” on a world stage and I wanted to assist in promoting and supporting their life purpose and work. Couple this with my love of stories, my understanding of personal development, of how some of our stories can inhibit us (when left unexamined) or help us shine (when examined and understanding gleaned) and you can see how the stage was being set for Inspirational Storytellers. When it finally occurred to me to build the website platform I put out into the ethers a request for assistance in choosing the name. More than once “Inspirational Storytellers” floated in…and more than once I discounted the name as it seemed too long. Finally, one day the penny dropped as everywhere I turned I kept hearing the words “Inspirational Story” being bandied about. And so, domain name purchased, I set about approaching authors I was drawn to and Inspirational Storytellers began to be birthed.

How do you see Inspirational Storytellers developing?

I have no doubt guidance and intuition will continue to play a key role in where things go next. I see a community of authors supporting one another, I see a place to come and be inspired and to share, I see a one-stop-shop where authors can pick and choose from products and services exactly what they need at any given time. How can we help authors? What are their needs? Future development will be guided by the feedback and support from those authors we help promote and serve with our products and services.

What about your own aspirations as an author? Is there a book in the pipeline?

I believe likely so, although no book in motion at this time. There is a growing desire to write and share some of my stories Richard and I will likely begin as I am encouraging other budding authors to, by sharing some short stories and articles on Inspirational Storytellers.

What was the defining moment that set you off on your spiritual pathway?

My defining moment that set me off on my spiritual pathway was not one of those spiritual experiences that have guided me on my journey, but a traumatic event that occurred when I was five years old. The child I was before the trauma was markedly different to the child I became after trauma. And it set me on a path to regain myself, to regain that connection….I became the proverbial “seeker”. Yet to seek is a double-edged sword as in the seeking one is not being and therefore healing, enlightenment, connection, however you describe it, is always something you hope to attain somewhere in the future. Yet my path was my path for a very good reason and from it birthed strength and fortitude, a “never say die” attitude. I imagine someday I will share my life story and when I do it will be when I am sure no victimhood remains and I have gleaned all the understanding of the gifts bestowed through my experience. As we discussed I have had a number of profound spiritual experiences guiding my path and actions throughout my life and one in particular changed my life. I had a spontaneous full kundalini awakening at the age of 18, almost exactly as Eckhart Tolle describes in his “Power of Now” book. I didn’t however spend weeks on end sitting on a park bench as I had a fulltime job. Make no mistake though it was every bit as powerful as the description Eckhart Tolle and others who have shared such an awakening describe. I awoke one morning to a different world and I was different too. Others who knew me well couldn’t help but notice the change, it was that remarkable! To be in such a blissful space of love, joy, grace and gratitude and yet simultaneously to be the most grounded and real I had ever been in the world, was a miraculous gift. I lived this way for a period of six months until the light anchored in me began to contract and finally largely withdrew, but not before I’d had a very good opportunity to understand and live as an enlightened and connected individual and to see the various aspects of how it manifested in my world. Someday I shall probably share that story too 

OK, now to completely change theme of the interview, what was the first record you ever bought Lynne?

That’s an easy one to answer Richard! The Flowers Album by Icehouse 

I’m not sure if you are familiar with this great Australian band (Yes I have heard of them Lynne ED.). I wore that record thin! They were the first band I experienced in a live concert, locally in the Founders Theatre in Hamilton. I’ve never forgotten that concert or the way their music touched me for many years…and still does!

(A sample for your listening pleasure Richard….  )
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NtImBCUWJf4&list=PL501551630A0489B2

Who is your favourite band of all time?

You will likely not be surprised by my response…..Icehouse. (Wow! I’m so surprised!!!! ED.)

Batman or Superman?

The jury is out on that one Richard….whoever can bring Marmite back to New Zealand supermarket shelves will be my favourite superhero!(I hear the penalties are very stiff in NZ for anyone caught Marmite smuggling Lynne! Ed.)

All that remains now is for me to say thanks once again to the wonderful Lynne Marie for joining me today in Tetbury. Now Lynne, I don’t want you to miss your bus… but as a parting shot can you leave us with a message of inspiration please?

Richard it has been such a pleasure! Thank you! We all have inspirational stories and we are all on our own inspirational journey. Please share your stories, share who you are and where you’ve been and what you’ve learned. Speaking your truth and sharing your story inspires others to do so as well; we all need to be the hero in our own story and all need to know it is well worth the journey… don’t ever give up.

Great! Thanks Lynne, hope to chat to you again soon.