Hi folks,

Time to touch base again. I've had a unlucky ten or so days. To explain, while practising my routine for our annual xmas iceskating show, I fell awkwardly, fracturing my right wrist. Bye bye xmas musicals-on-ice...can't tell you how gutted I am. Bad enough that our local trauma unit kept me starved for three days before they could opperate, but when my replacement asked if she could buy my skating costume...well that was the last straw! Isn't it amazing how much chocolate one can put away in one sitting?

Never mind, the good news is that my local library in Timperley has agreed to host my book launch for my second publication 'Children's Health- the Essential Guide' .(see recent blog post)

My book launch is to be held at Timperley Library, Altrincham on Saturday 8th December at 10.30 am.

I've decided to share my launch progress with you, so here goes:-

1- I've hand written the launch particulars on about 200 flyers. I've got a free book copy to give to my hairdressers so I'm hoping that they will give out some flyers to their customers. I'm going to ask two local chemists to see if they will put a flyer in each prescription dispensing bag too! My local surgery put two posters up in their waiting rooms so hopefully, I might be able to give them some flyers to hand out.

2- I have an A-Frame from my failed attempts at slimming world consultancy, so this will show my posters off nicely and I'll be placing my A-frame all over the local village and town.

Well, bye for now...need some painkillers and to elevate my arm.

Cathx

Hi Folks,

Hope you're enjoying the fireworks! Let's hope the bonfires don't affect the air quality too much!This can be a massive problem to asthma sufferers.

If you would like to own a very useful easy-to- read book all about asthma. Look no further. Below, you can find a link to my book 'Asthma-the Essential Guide' with Need2Know Books.

My book is written for those of you who are affected by this debilitating and sometimes serious condition. If you, your child or someone you know has recently been diagnosed with asthma, this book will provide you with practical information and advice to help gain speedy control of symptoms and in turn, improve quality of life.

This book explains the diagnosis and symptoms of asthma and looks at how it affects all age groups. You will also find a detailed section describing the differing treatment options. Another part focuses on how to use your inhalers effectvely. One chapter offers advice on how to recognise an asthma attack and how to deal with it. Understanding your asthma is the key to gaining control of your symptoms and enjoying life.

 http://need2knowbooks.co.uk/asthma-asthmatic-inhalers-essential-guide-information-info-cough-breathless-breathlessness?filter_name=asthma the essential guide


Available for order at any good book store. Also available at www.need2knowbooks.co.uk

ISBN: 978-1-86144-099-0 and retails at £9.99

This book is also available on Kindle retailing at  £ 3.99

Here is a work in progress. It's aimed at 6-10 year olds (I think) and I'm having difficulty figuring out where to submit it. I would love to have any comments posted. Feel free to be totally honest :-)

 The Girl in the Peacock Dress

 

By

Catherine Short

 

5.11.12

 

Sitting on the rough wooden bench, Lily wrestled with her new, brilliant white laces. Full of disgust and frustration, she tried to kick off her ice skates but her Mum said, “Be careful Lily. You might hit someone.” With a sigh, Lily’s mum knelt down at her daughter’s feet. “Here. Let me help you!”

     Lily sat rigid, trying to control her anger; her hands clenched by her sides; fists fit for punching. She didn’t want to be here. She didn’t see any point in having any lessons. Lily and her Mum both knew that she was useless at sports; that crowds made her anxious. Plus, the constant laughter and screaming from the other skaters, mixed with the thumping pop music was making Lily’s head hurt. However much Lily wanted to go home, her Mum was determined she should stay.

     Once Lily’s skates were fixed firmly in place, she reluctantly tip-toed over to the rink edge. She would have been happy just to watch the other skaters. There was still ten minutes to go before April, Lily’s coach, would arrive to take her through her first lesson.

    Lily gazed with terrified eyes as she watched the figure skaters spin and practise complicated foot steps; amazed that those who crashed to the hard surface of the ice just brushed themselves down before skating off again.

     “There’s April,” said Mum, as Lily’s coach raced across the ice and skidded to a graceful stop, sending a spray of white ice through the air.

    “Hello Lily! Ready for your first lesson,” asked April, as she beamed smiles of reassurance. Leading Lily onto the ice, April tried to take her by the hand.  Lily wrenched it away, preferring to grab the barrier at the side of the rink. Lily hated being touched.

     Next, April showed Lily how to form a “T” start position, then how to sit down on the ice and get back up again safely.  Fifteen minutes and many falls later, the lesson was over. Shaking with terror, Lily practically crawled off the ice.

    “How did that go,” asked Mum as Lily sat panting on the bench, rocking back and forth. April came over to talk to Mum. “Well, she’s not a natural but it’s a start,” and then, “Same time next week?”

     “Sure. We’ll be here,” replied Mum. Open mouthed, Lily looked at her in dismay.

    The next lesson was just as bad. Lily continued to pull away in a jerking manner every time April tried to catch her fall.  At the end of the lesson, Lily’s Mum decided that they should stay and watch for a while, so they sat in the spectators seats to get a better view.

    Feeling safer now, Lily quietly watching and marvelled at the other skaters. She caught a glimpse of a young girl in a blue and green skating dress. The skirt of the dress looked as if it was made of delicate feathers, which fanned out with every graceful movement that the girl made. Lily watched, mesmerised as the girl twirled, dipped and jumped around the rink, never faltering or falling. Lily thought the girl looked like a majestic peacock as she glided gracefully across the glistening ice.

    During the third lesson, April managed to coax Lily into the centre of the rink. As she slid about, trying to perfect a step called “forward lemons” Lily noticed the girl in the peacock dress. The girl smiled shyly at Lily and waved her hand. Lily smiled and waved back. April told Lily off for not concentrating and made Lily repeat the steps over a few more times before moving onto something new. Lily could sense that the girl was watching her.  Lily tried hard to concentrate and as she relaxed, she found herself skating more gracefully, so much so, that she began to enjoy the soft swaying motion and the sting of the cool breeze on her face .

     “Well done,” said April, obviously pleased with her coaching skills. The girl in the peacock dress twirled and jumped, clapping as she silently glided by. Lily flushed with pleasure.

    Feeling less afraid, instead of getting off the ice as quick as she could, Lily decided to stay and practice. She loved that it was so cold. She loved the cool air on her face and the hard, dry smell of the ice.

    The girl in the peacock dress came over and introduced herself.

     “Hi, I’m Sammy. Who are you?”

     “Lily. Are they real feathers?”

     “No!” giggled Sammy. “How old are you?”

     “Ten.”

     “I’m fourteen. Do you want to skate with me?” and before Lily had time to reply, Sammy spun around to face Lily and started skated backwards. She took hold of Lily’s hands and started pulling her along, quietly encouraging her and telling Lily where and how to position her feet. Lily felt like she was flying. She didn’t mind Sammy holding her hand either; her touch was cool, soft and as light as a feather. As their speed gathered, Lily could feel the icy breeze on her cheeks; it was exhilarating. A gleeful, calming sensation swept over her and for the first time in her life, Lily felt like everyone else. She had made a friend.

     When it was time to go, Lily turned around to ask Sammy if she wanted to meet her Mum, but Sammy had gone.

    “That was great, Lily. You looked like you were really enjoying yourself,” said Mum. “And how did you learn so fast? April must be worth the money after all.” Then Lily and her Mum left through the foyer, saying goodbye to Ian, the rink manager on their way out.  

    “You should have seen her, Dave!” Lily overheard as her parents discussed her recent success. “I couldn’t believe it; such a difference from last week. Maybe this is going to help Lily.”

   “That’s great but don’t go building your hopes up,” replied Dad. “It’s not going to solve all her problems. Don’t put any pressure on her, okay? Just let her enjoy it for as long as it lasts.”

   Lily hated it when her parents talked about her. It was as if they didn’t know she understood. She knew she wasn’t like other children and she hated being treated differently at school. She was afraid of her classmates. She couldn’t tell when they were teasing and she was bullied a lot. Lily knew that Sammy was different. She liked Sammy.

   The following week, April was very impressed with Lily’s progress and suggested that Lily try and come for more practice sessions. Whenever Lily went skating,  Sammy was always close by, almost touching Lily as she flew past, but Lily never felt afraid. On the contrary, Lily’s confidence grew all the more for knowing that Sammy was there for her.  Sammy would be waiting patiently, ready to show Lily yet more intricate steps and moves.  Lily hardly ever fell, she started to learn to do forward and backwards cross-overs. She could skate backwards very well. Her favourite position was the spiral and using her outside edge, just as Sammy had shown her, she could do it on a curve. It made her feel like a graceful aeroplane. She could get her leg really high and loved to see Sammy’s happy face as she smiled in encouragement. Sammy never lost her patience. She constantly coached and encouraged Lily to try even trickier moves.

     April was very pleased with Lily’s progress and happily took all the credit. Lily’s Mum beamed with pride every time she watched and would tell anyone who asked how Lily was doing, that her daughter was astounding. She was so proud that Lily was overcoming her difficulties. As Lily became more agile and co-ordinated, even her school games teacher had remarked on Lily’s transformation. The teacher had said it was as if someone had touched Lily with a magic wand, the progress was so incredible.

    Before long, Lily had managed to move up all the steps of the beginner’s classes. Now she was training for her level ten badge which required her to perform a simple step sequence.

    Lily trained continuously. Every scrap of spare time she had, she begged her Mum to take her to the rink and every time she went, Sammy was waiting for her with a smile and a wave and never ending encouragement. On the day of her test, Dad came with Mum to watch. They hugged her (which she hated) for good luck. Her parents watched at the rink side, their fingers crossed, holding their breath.

      At the end of the session, all the children raced across the ice to tell their parents if they had passed and Lily was no exception. She glided towards them, gracefully stopping; a huge smile on her face. She waved her certificate in the air. This was the first time that Lily’s parents had ever seen their daughter so elated. Tears flowed down Mum’s cheeks while Dad cleared his throat.

    A short while later, April came over to congratulate Lily and her parents on Lily’s achievement. “Well done, Lily. I have to say that I’ve never seen anyone learn to skate so quickly as you. It’s like magic.”

     “Thanks, April.”

     “No really,” and then she turned to Lily’s parents. “I’m not just saying it. I’ve never seen anything like it!”

     “Well, I’ve had lots of help from Sammy.” Lily added.

  April turned and looked at Lily with a puzzled expression. “Sammy? As far as I know there is no Sammy here.”

     “The girl in the peacock dress. She’s my friend and she’s called Sammy!”

    April’s mouth dropped open, as if to say something but the words got stuck. Her face turned as white as the ice. She looked first at Lily and then at her parents before rushing off.

    “Wonder what that was all about?” said Dad. His wife was equally puzzled.  “Come on. Let’s go home,” and Dad led the way to the main entrance. Ian, the rink manager, called for them to stop. He hurried over to offer his congratulations and to express his delight that Lily had done so well.

    “Thanks,” said Mum. “But she won’t take all the credit. She said her friend Sammy helped her mostly,” and she beamed at her daughter with pride.

     “Sammy?” said Ian.

     “Yes. The girl in the peacock dress,” replied Lily. She was getting sick of having to repeat herself.

     “I...I don’t think that can be right,” said Ian. “I only know of one girl called Sammy. She was April’s star pupil; a lovely girl who we all hoped would go to the Olympics one day. It can’t have been her. You see, she died eighteen months ago in a car accident!”

    Lily’s Mum knelt down and cupped Lily’s face in her hands, forcing Lily to make eye contact. “What are you talking about Lily?”

    Lily decided not to answer. Right at that moment, she wanted to be invisible too.  She wished now that she had kept Sammy a secret; to have Sammy all to herself. Anxiously, she looked over to her friend who was watching near the kiosk. Sammy smiled gently and then waved goodbye. Lily watched as her special friend slipped through the door, in search of her beloved ice.

 

Word count 1891  

A Short Storyof mine, published in The Weekly News

OH, MONICA

 

By

 

Catherine Short

 

9.8.09

 

 

Sister Fay Ridley opened the store-room cupboard, immediately unnerved by an unexpected blast of deadly, freezing air which hit her in the face.  She reasoned that the north side of the building was always cold, especially at this time of year. Staring in disbelief at the empty space, she groped along the dusty shelves for the box of electro-cardiograph paper. It had been right there the previous week. She’d seen it; she was sure, right on the middle shelf, to the left side of the cupboard. Self-doubt crept over her as she wondered whether she had been mistaken. Perhaps she had dreamt it.  Dr Cummings is going to have a fit now, She thought to herself, as she nervously flicked her soft, wavy brown, hair. What would happen if she needed to do an urgent electro-cardiograph?

      er

 Her worse fears were realised later that afternoon.

     “Fay!” It was Janice, the head receptionist on the phone. “I’ve got Mr French here complaining of chest pain. What do you want me to do?”

     “Is he breathless?”

     “I don’t think so.”

     “Is he alert?”

     “Well…yes.” Janice replied. “He’s a bit sweaty though!”

     “Right, I’m coming now. Make sure Dr Cummings knows he’s here.”

     Fully aware that breathlessness and profuse perspiration were signs of an imminent heart attack, Fay rushed to the reception area.  

      “It’s me chest…It’s dead tight!” gasped Mr French, as he clenched his fat fist to the centre of his torso; his pale, sausage-shaped fingers of his other hand, gripping onto the reception counter. His grey, clammy, face was twisted in agony. He looked to be on the point of collapse.  

      Linking her right arm through the crook of his left, Fay quickly ushered Mr French through to the treatment room, all the while assessing his condition. She worried that Dr Cummings might not be back from his afternoon visits, but felt a bit more reassured when she realised that the old man’s colour was beginning to return. It was probably heartburn, but you never could tell. Fay sat him down next to her desk in the treatment room, and allowed him to get his breath back.

     “Don’t talk just yet Mr French. Just you relax and I’ll take your blood pressure. Dr Cummings will be here soon.” She was thankful that his blood pressure was only slightly elevated. All was well. Fay reached for Mr French’s fat, wrinkled wrist, feeling for his pulse rate; relieved to see that his hands were neither cold nor clammy. When he got his breath back, the patient began to tell her all about his terrifying symptoms.

     “The terrible pain … it came on suddenly, like.” he explained.  “I was having a snack and it came on so severe, that I thought I was going to die right there and then in me vest and undies. It took me all me time to get in the car and drive to the surgery!”

     Fay knew she should do a heart trace, but it was hopeless without any paper. Mr French didn’t look as if his life was in danger, but she reasoned that you could never really be sure about these things. The fact that he weighed twenty-five stone, smoked forty cigarettes a day and was diabetic, didn’t really swing things in his favour.  Helping Mr French to remove his stained shirt and vest, Fay ushered him onto the examination couch.

    “You’ll need to just lie down here.” she explained as she readjusted the headrest. “The doctor will want to examine you.”

     Dr Paul Cummings, who had been summoned by the reception staff, sauntered into the treatment room. He looked over the top of his glasses and asked, “Have you done a tracing then Sister Ridley?”

    “Sorry Doctor Cummings.” replied Fay, eyes downcast, as she squirmed uncomfortably. “We’ve run out of paper.” Her boss glowered at her with angry, piercing grey eyes; his bushy black mono-brow held in a tight frown.

     “Well Sister, what are you going to do about that then? It’s not the first time is it?”

     “No Doctor Cummings.” Panic and humiliation rushed through Fays’ body, stinging her eyes, threatening to explode into a torrent of uncontrollable, angry tears. “I’ll order some more straight away!”

    Suddenly, the patient sat bolt upright, leaned forward, and let out a loud, echoing belch. “Ah… that’s better!” he exclaimed, rubbing his protruding paunch. “I’ll have to stop eating those bloody banana sandwiches!”

     Fay looked on in amazement. Dr. Cummings lean over Mr French and with the aid of his black stethoscope, he quickly listened to his patient’s heart and chest.

     “I’m quite sure that your symptoms are all down to a particularly bad case of indigestion.” offered Dr, Cummings. “Here, take this prescription once a day and you’ll soon be right as rain.”

    “Well, thanks. You’ve been a great help.” gushed Mr French, as he leaned across the desk. He shook hands with the doctor, and with a hearty wave, he left the treatment room.

     Dr. Cummings turned in his swivel chair and looked sternly at Fay.  “What is happening to the nursing team at the moment? Aren’t any of you communicating? It’s just one thing after the other isn’t it? First stock isn’t ordered, and then mistakes are made. I know that your two other nurses are on holiday, but it’s not good enough Fay! That man’s health could have been compromised by you not having the correct equipment ready!”

     “I’m sorry Dr Cummings. I can’t explain it. We had plenty paper last week. There’s no way it could have been all used up. I just wonder if someone has moved it.”

     “I don’t want to hear excuses!” he retorted as he made to leave the room. Stopping suddenly in the doorway, he added, “Just make sure it doesn’t happen again!”

    “No Doctor, it won’t.”

    With a shaking hand, she wiped away a stray tear and took a deep breath.  It was so unfair. She was normally so organised. Fay decided there could only be one explanation; it must be Monica again.

    The next thing to go missing was Dr Cummings’ mobile phone. Thank goodness it had been in his room all morning. There really was no obvious culprit, but he deliberated over which patient might have stolen it.

     “Ben Symons…you know, that drug addict…I left him on his own in my room when I went to get some blood bottles… I bet he took it!” fumed Dr Cummings as he told Phyllis, the practice manager, of his suspicions. “I’ve had enough. This is a matter for the police!”

    “You can’t go around accusing people of stealing.” reasoned Phyllis, as she calmly placed her hand on his arm. “Why don’t you wait and see if the missing phone turns up?”

     “All right then, but if it’s not found by tomorrow, you’re to phone the police. Do you understand?”

     “Yes, Dr Cummings.”

      Later that day, Fay, and Janice, the receptionist, received a computer message from Phyllis.

     URGENT STAFF MEETING TONIGHT AT 9 O’CLOCK

      Fay pressed “F3” on her keyboard and deleted the message.  This was the last thing she needed. The headache from Hell that she had been quietly nursing for hours was making the day difficult enough. She was so looking forward to a nice relaxing bath and an early night. Why hadn’t she asked to go home early, rather than staying to tough it out? Then she would have been excused from the meeting.  It would probable be a boring event as usual. The focus of the meeting would, no doubt, be nothing more important than Dr Cummings having another tantrum about something or other.

     With stoical concentration, Fay tried to ignore her ill health. She resigned herself to the job in hand, providing care to her patients, some with the most minor of ailments. She wondered where common sense came into it. Obviously some people had none. One idiot patient had come in to see her, demanding some antibiotics to treat a coated tongue! Fay couldn’t wait for the day to end. Feverish and generally aching all over, she worried that she wasn’t able to concentrate on the job; so afraid of making a mistake.    

     When the shift ended, she wasn’t sure whether to breathe a sigh of relief or to burst into tears. She resigned herself to the fact that she would have to attend the meeting.

     At eight forty-five that evening, Fay parked her blue, Peugeot 305 outside Mansfield Court, the block of private retirement flats that stood only five minutes walk away from the surgery. She hadn’t wanted to park directly outside the surgery.  She had never been able to parallel park; she would do anything to avoid it.

      Fay scurried along the deserted road, nervously pulling her coat collar up around her ears. She hated going out in the dark. Even though she lived in a quiet village, she could imagine all sorts of horrors hiding deep in the shadows. Shivering both with cold and nerves, Fay chided herself for forgetting her scarf and hat. Typical nurse!  She thought to herself! She glanced up at the cold, November, night’s sky; the blue-black colour of misery. The avenue of trees cast mysterious shadows on the dead leaves that crunched beneath her frozen feet; the fetid smell of their decay filling her with anxiety. She looked nervously about her as she heard a distant cat, screaming a shrill, infant-like cry. The deep chill in the night air froze both her breath and her courage, and she shivered. She felt as if she was being watched and reasoned that she was just being silly; it was just her feverish mind playing tricks.

     Fay hurried past the rows of fading, papery flowers that lay against the railings in remembrance of the local lollipop lady who had been mown down by a hit and run driver a few weeks before. Fay’s heart pounded, racing in her chest, feeling that it would explode out of her mouth.  At last, she was at the surgery gates.

     Glancing over her shoulder, she pushed them gently open and scurried up to the main entrance. Fay stood, huddled in the shadows, searching for both shelter and a hiding place. She reached into her brown leather handbag, feeling for her keys, when suddenly the surgery door flew open and Janice’s worried face popped into view.

     “Quick, come out of the cold.” demanded Janice, as she ushered Fay inside.

 Fay looked anxiously around and asked, “Has there been a power cut?”  Only the feeble, flickering beams from Janice’s torch offered illumination.

     “Shush…follow me!” commanded Janice in a hushed voice.

     The building which housed the surgery was really a converted mansion. It now belonged to the local health authority, although a few years before, it had been the property of one of the doctors who had lived upstairs with his family. The ground floor at that time had been converted into the surgery.  Fay had never before realised how creepy the old house was. She had the strangest feeling that the oak panelled walls were closing in on her. She wondered if she had made a terrible mistake in coming.

     “Come through to the waiting room…everyone is there.” ordered Janice. Fay obeyed, and followed her into the chilly, dimly lit room, where the others sat gathered in a circle. Looking around, Fay noticed that there was no sign of the doctors; so typical of them not to attend, yet the rest of the staff were expected to drop everything for this so-called “urgent” meeting.

      Fay glanced at Phyllis, the practice manager, who was sitting next to a strange looking woman whom Fay had never met before. The stranger appeared to be in her mid sixties. She wore her steel, grey hair fashioned into a French pleat that was pulled so far back from her forehead, that she seemed unable to blink. She wore black beads and earrings made from jet stones. She was dressed in a long, dark green, velvet dress with flat black boots and a knitted cardigan, slung lop-sided, over her sloping shoulders.

     Confusion gripped Fay around the chest. “What’s going on?”

    “This is Elsie Chambers.” offered Phyllis, as she introduced the strange woman.  “She is a medium who is going to try to help us sort out Monica!”

     “How do you do?” implored the old lady as she held out her hand.

     Confused, Fay resisted the gesture. Elsie smiled secretly to herself. She then looked impatiently at her wrist watch and turned to Phyllis and said, “Are we ready to get started yet?”

    “We’re just waiting for the caretaker and then we can begin…if that’s okay?”

     As if he had been summoned, Alf the caretaker popped his head around the door, apologised for being late, and sat down in the circle. Phyllis had asked him to come. She had wanted a man there, to protect the three women. Alf had found it all rather amusing. It tickled him to think that Phyllis held him in such high regard.

      “Well, you’ve probably figured out by now why we’re here.” explained Phyllis. “I’ve invited Elsie to come and try and find out once and for all, if we have a spirit haunting the surgery. I’ve told her about the missing equipment, the sudden freezing cold rooms, bin lids that swing by themselves…so let’s see what we can do about it.”

     “First, we must all join hands and form a circle.” commanded Elsie, as she cleared her throat. The group obediently did as she bade. “That’s right; close your eyes and your mind. You must free yourselves from negative thoughts. Open your soul to the spirit world.” She took a deep breath, exhaled and then waited. Fay glanced at Alf, who raised his eyebrows in response and then winked.

     “Have we some non-believers in the room?” chided Elsie. “The spirits will not respond to negative energy.” then in a low, quiet, voice she said, “You must not block the energy!”

     Fay didn’t like Elsie one bit, in fact, she decided that she’d rather keep Monica and get rid of the old woman instead.

     “Ah, I feel something now…an energy force, getting stronger…someone is there. I feel it… Yes, a mischief maker is among us. A trickster but wait…The spirit is angry…no one is taking it seriously. Who makes fun of the mischief maker?”

     Fay, Janice and Phyllis anxiously looked at one another. Fay felt a wave of panic; sweat trickling down her back. She felt sick. She had been the worse one for making fun of Monica.  What if the spirit got really angry? What could she do to them?

     “We’re sorry…didn’t mean to make fun,” Janice stuttered. “It was just us trying to make sense of things, wasn’t it girls?”

     “We just want it to stop. We don’t mean any harm…its just that we’re getting into terrible trouble over it all.” added Fay.

     Elsie began to sway from left to right, groaning softly to herself; eyelids twitching. Suddenly her face became distorted; her shoulders shuddered up and down, as if she was being electrocuted. An uncanny cackling sound emitted from her mouth, as she appeared to fight its escape. Fay squeezed Janice’s hand and cried,

     “What’s happening? Is she possessed?”

      Janice shrank back in her chair; too afraid to reply.  Fay screamed. With a crash, the roller blinds on the windows suddenly flew open.  The medium started to laugh uncontrollably and folding her arms on the table, she lay her head down and shook as if in a frenzy. Like some bizarre card trick, the neatly stacked magazines that lay the coffee table flew to the floor, finally resting, equidistant from each other, all in a long row ending at Fay’s feet.

     “Quick, switch the lights on.” commanded Alf, as he tried to shake the medium out of her trance.  “Don’t touch her!” screamed Phyllis, as black soot belched from the gaping mouth of the fireplace.

    Breaking the circle and coughing incessantly, they all looked at each other in horror. Elsie finally raised her head. Dirty, black tears rolled down her cheeks. Fighting against the choking soot, she tried to speak.

     “What happened” pleaded Fay. “What did the spirit say to you?”

     Once she had regained composure, Elsie looked slowly at her shocked audience, and said, “It is true. You do have a spirit here. I’ve never encountered a more vexed one at that!” She controlled her rising hysteria once more, and then continued. “Your spirit promises to leave you all in peace.” She gazed slowly around the room, as if looking for Monica, and then with a cold, non-blinking stare, she returned her gaze to the small gathering, looking directly at each one in turn. “BUT there is ONE condition!”

    “What does she want…Oh please tell us?” begged Fay. She rubbed her face in anguish, fearing that she was about to make a pact with the devil.

    “The request is this. The spirit will leave you alone if you promise one thing… You must stop calling it Monica, Its’ name is Eric!”

 

Word Count 2845

Launch of 'Children's Health-the Essential Guide

Hi folks.

I'm so excited today. Not only have I created my first blog, but I'm currently arranging a book launch for my second non-fiction book 'Children's Health- the Essential Guide' with Need2Know books. This easy-to-read self-help guide has been written for those of you who are looking after children, either as parents, grandparents, childminders or carers. My book provides practical information and advice to help you care with confidence. The chapters look at common childhood illnesses and infections, including conditions of  the ear, nose and throat, hair and skin, chest and breathing problems, eye problems and urinary and stomach conditions. One chapter focus's on childhood accidents and emergencies. Chapter seven explains the current childhood immunisation programme. Travel health is also featured. The final chapter looks at common medicines you can store at home in your very own medicine chest.

My first book 'Asthma-the Essential Guide' with Need2Know Books, was launched August 2011 and I'm really pleased with the sales so far. More importantly, I hope that the book really helps people to manage their asthma more effectively. Sadly, there are far too may asthmatics who die from this disease.

I'll post more details regarding the launch party when they have been finalised. Looks like it will be held at Altrincham Library, so full steam ahead!