Dystopian Utopia

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Dystopian Society

How did we slip into this dystopian society so quickly? The global catastrophe that is Covid 19 has literally taken a hold on the world. The beginning of 2020 looked very different.  Freedom reigned most of the worlds societies, or at least a perception of freedom.  We could all eat together, drink together and swim together was this Utopia? Did we spend so much time writing and imagining a dystopian society that we created it? George Orwell, Margaret Atwood, H.G Wells et al did such a great job but this is not fiction.

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Daily Beach Walks on the Mornington Peninsula

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A Week of Beaches

Since the beginning of Covid-19 the one thing we can all keep doing as part of a  healthy routine is a daily walk. Mentally this is my me time when I can let go of any frustrations and well I guess we all have a few of those right now!

Ray (my one year old kelpie) loves the beach, especially the seagulls, the sticks and all of the amazing smells. During our self isolation every bugger imaginable has decided to use the beach near me so I may as well share the love!

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By Women For Women – Free For Five Days!

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Fictional Memoir

Fictional memoir, what is that? I hear you say! Capote was the master of this writing as far as I am concerned Breakfast at Tiffany’s etc are perfectly written. However, reading the wonderful tales in By Women For Women he has some competition! These stories from life have been woven into laughter, love and pain, expressing the perseverance of pleasure seeking that all women endure.

The Authors of By Women For Women – Book One

By Women For Women

Christine Rogers is a sassy Kiwi whose love of film and creativity is effervescent in her presence.  Her piece ‘Late to the O Party’ is witty and reminiscent of many first dalliances into the big wide world of sex.  Zoe Hull has produced one of the bravest pieces of writing I have read for a very long time. Meeting at Sexpo what seems like a lifetime ago it’s been a pleasure watching the pride in herself and her writing grow.

Angela Stubbs is an incurable romantic and her writing always oozes so much love. It reminds me of Jane Austen meets 20th century Aussie Chick.  Her journals are soon to become a great Australian read.  Carol Middleton is an award winning author and journalist currently working on her memoir Electric Gypsy which sees her searching for a sense of home in a psychedelic lorry.

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Essex Tails – Urban Fiction

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Underbelly Urban Fiction

Are you a fan of underbelly urban fiction? Well Essex Tails is just that! I remember reading one such book as part of a book club. It was not something I would normally read but I could not put it down! The fact that it was set in my home county of Essex was obviously appealing however as the subject was female trafficking it was somewhat confronting. The problem being that as part of my baby group a friends husband worked in this field of the Metropolitan Police and so as much as ignorance is bliss I unfortunately knew this world I was reading about was anything but fiction!

Essex Tails, an urban fiction set in Southend on Sea

In conjunction with the amazing new author Leo Christian who has taken one of the characters from Sharks and Lovers to a whole new level we have created Essex Tails.  This story of Lenny and Sharon, a drug dealer and his prostitute girlfriend is based on urban legend.  We’ve all had friends of friends who have seen this or heard that and this is where Lenny and Sharon live in that urban legend.

“It all started when I bumped back into Wieger a few weeks ago.  We were great mates back in the ‘80’s when everyone loved everyone! Mainly because of the ‘love doves ‘ (ecstasy tablets) that we were all eating.  He’s this tall Dutch guy that used to travel with his father to Essex where he worked at the oil refinery.  He was an old mate I used to buy from, we would talk about the plans we had to rule the world.  I’d been wondering along the seafront on the way back from a delivery to a regular who’s in a wheelchair and there he was, I hadn’t seen him for bloody years!”

All of our Essex Tails will be 10-15 minute reads and for a limited time Book One is free to download on Amazon with Kindle Unlimited.  However if you would like a free e-book sent to you please just email or message me.  All I ask is that if it grabs your attention and you enjoy the read you log onto Amazon and spend the couple of pounds or dollars it will cost you to write us a review.

Download at Amazon uk here

Download at Amazon Australia here

Email Frankie here for free e-book 

Many Thanks

Frankie & Leo

Alan Pinkus Published!

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Published Client & Friend! Alan Pinkus

Mr Alan Pinkus shoe designer extraordinaire, poet and great friend has published!

Alan Pinkus is a fashion leader of special occasion ladies shoes in Australia.  The book highlights the ups and downs of Albert Le Stache, the novels  main character as he navigates life.

Congratulations!

To read more about my other clients and projects please click here and to read Alan’s novel Sole to Soul can be purchased here. 

Alan Pinkus and Frankie Banks

Dracula on Netflix

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Dracula on Netflix

The BBC adaption of Dracula on Netflix is a fantastic example of dry, witty humour. Sharp and intelligent the Nun makes a mockery of the now seemingly silly Dracula.

“I’m just another woman trapped in a loveless marriage trying to keep a roof over my head” said the Nun to Dracula upon her failing faith.

Monsters and vampires do not exist!  However quite possibly worse are the many people who can drain the life out of you. Dracula’s, manipulators, ar$eh@les whatever you want to call them definitely do exist. Wether they are conscious of their behaviour or not, it can sometimes be all too easy to get sucked into their drama.  Just like Dracula the drama is normally fictitious and will drag you down just quick enough for them to sink their teeth in!

Learning not to be reactive is a life long pursuit but recognising our reactions and emotions can be easier.  Learning not to dance with the devil or flirt with a blood sucker can be as simple as that.

Another great quote on this subject that I came by this week;

‘You can’t be diagnosed with depression if you are surrounded by ar$eh@les’

It took me by surprise as the professional in question was not addressing myself, I felt like I was eavesdropping. Sometimes we can let our mood be driven not by our own thoughts and emotions but by those pressed upon us by media or conversation, friends and relatives. 

I hope the ar$eh@les and Dracula’s are busy sleeping in their coffins as you go about your business today! If you find them swooping past hoping for a bite then quickly change your behaviour.  You are in control or your  thoughts, emotions and actions.

Read more about my experience with a bat in my kitchen by clicking here

 

Learning And Sharing

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“Behaviour is often taken as evidence of identity or capability, and this is how confidence and competence are destroyed in the classroom. Getting a sum wrong does not mean you are stupid or that you are poor at maths. To think this is to confuse logic, it is equivalent to thinking a ‘No Smoking’ sign in the cinema applies to the characters in the film” Joseph O Connor & John Seymour: Introducing NLP (Element 2002).

Everyone needs a platform for their writing and finding the right fit for your time, genre, cashflow, audience and I.T capabilities can be difficult.

Three weeks into teaching at my local U3A and there is a group of very interesting and interested writers some using Instagram for the first time, some creating blogs on WordPress and one group have published on Amazon, yes in just three weeks!

Instagram was a keen favorite with some individuals because it is what it says, instant! It is also very simple to use, set up and a great way to share excerpts and blogs.

When the course started there were some conversations about not being computer savvy but that was simply confidence that needed building.

Teaching is a pleasure when the recipient is responsive and that is obviously a result of teaching what is relevant and creating confidence.

 

Published! Glen

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I’m so excited that Glen is now published! It’s been an amazing ride for Glen, whilst writing his book he moved his business and family from Melbourne to Beverley Hills! His book is well worth a read if you want to swot up on your sales, networking and business skills, not to mention spotting the famous celebs! It was a pleasure to help him get this book off the ground. Buy his book here.

Read more about my other projects by clicking here

Congratulations Glen it’s been a pleasure to work with you!

Skate Night – Truth Night

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Well this is an old post and I honestly can’t remember if at the time I published something similar however I’m pleased to say my faith was rewarded. We must go skating more often!

Skate Night

Skate night often turns into truth night in our house as we rush to get there after school, the conversation in the back of the car is an unloading of the day’s events, achievements and disappointments.

‘I think I will try to have lower expectations of other people’ My son exclaimed as the sunshine and showers followed us along the highway.

‘Ha! You have no idea my boy’ this was all I could muster after a difficult week, dealing with divorce, lawyers and colliding morals and ethics.

‘No!’ My beautiful wide eyed daughter answered ‘you have to believe in people!’

‘You certainly need to have high expectations of yourself’ I chipped in.

My children’s conversation echoed my thoughts after nearly two years of trying to find a way for the three of us to stay in our family home.

‘You just simply can’t afford this house!’

‘If I divorce my wife certainly wouldn’t get the house all she’s done is look after the kids’ – this was a potential financial advisor that wanted my custom!!

‘Go and get a proper job’ – No I don’t want to be gone from my children for 10 hours a day!

Over this time it has been hard not to lose faith in a world that seems to have lost faith in me.

Truth Night

My determination to stay in our home is not a selfish whim but simply after five moves in five years I believe my children deserve to have a family home and I know that I have worked hard to try to achieve this. This is why I have Airbnb’d the place, why I sit most evenings on the sofa with my kids, my laptop next to me working hard to send my hourly invoices out.

Faith

Soon I will know my fate. I believe I will stay in this house with my children because I have faith in my own ability to do so, I will not change my faith and belief in humanity even when positive reinforcement seems a far cry from my immediate needs, I will also continue my writing and share success spiritually, psychologically and physically with my wonderful writing friends because that is why I’ve changed my life so that I can smile at the world even when they are frowning at me!