When I created my website, my aim was to provide a space where I could write about my books, and let people know what was going on with them. I made up my mind that I would concentrate on that and nothing else, as if people wanted commentary on life in general, they could easily find it somewhere else, delivered by people far more worldly than me.

Then last week, our family lost one of it’s youngest members, a beautiful teenager for whom life was just turning into an adventure, and who promised to become an inspired and inspiring young adult.

In amongst the pain and sorrow, for the parents, brothers and sister, grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins, and the many, many friends, one phrase has kept coming into my head, over and over.

In his wonderful tutorial on how to get your manuscript ready for publishing on Smashwords, when you get to step 7, Mark Coker’s advice is to “Go hug a loved one”, be they of the human or animal variety.

His reason is that you are about to lock yourself away to spend hours fiddling with your book trying to get it ready for publishing.

But actually, I think it should be expanded to be a mantra for daily life.

Go hug a loved one, because you can never tell when it will be your last chance!

Last week I came home and hugged my twelve year old son so long and hard I think I probably left bruises! Thankfully he understood why, and humoured me!

If you came here today looking for an update on the latest book, I’m sorry to disappoint, but I couldn’t bring myself to write about it.

Next week, I’ll be back and I’ll fill you in on all the details.

For now, I send you all my love and good wishes, and the hope that you all get to hug a loved one tonight, even if they don’t understand why you’re doing it.

Bye for now.

Beth
xx

RIP Nat xxx