Battlefield of the Mind

On any given night in America 125,000 veterans are homeless and sleeping on the streets. Lack of family, social and medical support has driven them there, people often unwilling to understand what is going on within them. In London, England, the number of homeless veterans sleeping on the street is estimated to be about 1100. These are the forgotten, the ones pushed away because their usefulness has, in the eyes of the people around them, come to an end.

Battlefield Of The Mind is a new documentary which delves in to the life of veterans suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), a mental health problem which is linked to their experiences in the theatre of war. With many now doing several deployments, they find themselves unable to switch off and return to civilian life. They find that what they have experienced in battle, the deaths of friends and innocents, and the injustices of war, life changing. Battle scarred, they return home to find that the support they so desperately need is lacking, not just from family and friends, but also from health services and the government and military they entrusted their lives to. On the side of friends and family, it is often not a lack of compassion but a lack of understanding. Tragically, mental health issues are still the invisible illnesses which many believe should be brushed beneath the carpet and forgotten about.

The film makes for some unsettling and worrying viewing, showing mental health issues in a way which they have never been shown. Everything has been captured for the world to see; the pain, the agony, the frustration. It's a film I challenge anyone to watch. If you come away feeling angry, hurt, upset, and with a fire in your belly to right the wrongs of this world, then you're on the right track. Cliches are irrelevant when it comes to this film, but it truly does take you on a roller-coaster of emotions.

Thankfully, Battlefield does show us what is being done. Charities such as Veterans First and the Pathway Home are stepping in to fill the void, offering support and help to those who want it. Through their programs, the veterans go on to find homes, employment which matches the skills they used in the military, and a life outside of PTSD. We get to hear of several success stories, including that of Pirate Mike who, while filming was taking place, went and became a part of the Veterans First family.

PTSD in veterans is a global problem and Strine gives us a glimpse at the tip of the iceberg. This is a film which needs to be seen by everyone from politicians, to the military, to the media, to charities, to health care workers. It's a film which I believe will not only open eyes, but will become a tool in helping to combat the agony of PTSD.

The consideration which the crew show to the veterans they feature is second to none. This is not an exposé. This is a piece of work which refuses to rely on fear mongering and gossip. Instead, it takes our hand and leads us in to a world which needs to be seen.

Fran Strine's Battlefield Of The Mind is a powerful and compassionate look at a side of war many people refuse to think about.

Battlefield of the Mind is now available to download and stream at http://chill.com/fran_strine/battlefield-of-the-mind?autoplay=1
The DVD and soundtrack, featuring many of today's best rock and metal artists, are scheduled for release on April 24th.

For help, support, information, or to get involved, please visit Combat Stress (UK) or Veterans First (Orange County, USA). 

Inspirational Interview 3 - Susan Harris

One of the people I've had the pleasure of getting to know over the past 12 months is author Susan Harris. Based in Canada, her books are beautiful tomes of information and stories, ones which can be used in every day life. She kindly agreed to an interview so, without further ado, I'd like to introduce you to the wonderful Susan!

~~~

Hi Susan!

RG- Thank you for agreeing to talk to me. I really appreciate it!

SH - My pleasure,Rae.

RG-You live a really interesting life and now live in Canada. Tell us a little about yourself and your life.

SH- I was born in the idyllic island of Trinidad, and moved to Canada 15 years ago. I'm married and have one daughter, and with the cats, we live on the prairies of Saskatchewan. I was a teacher for 12 years and later worked in Human Resources and project management. Over the last few months I've become a full time writer and speaker- and it has been rewarding, hectic and fun.

RG- You have two books out at the moment, Golden Apples in Silver Settings and Little Copper Pennies. They're both beautifully written and really inspiring. What inspired you to write them? Where did the ideas come?

SH-I actually have three books:

First, Golden Apples in Silver Settings: Having been a Christian speaker for some time now, I wanted to celebrate a legacy of 20 years. I’ve also always wanted to write a book, so I merged the two together. I had kept some notes on the talks I did, so it was easy to compile them into a book. God’s word never changes, and I thought that words that blessed people years ago will bless them today. The title was inspired from Proverbs 25:11 “A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver (KJV). The silver settings are interpreted as the geographic locations where I spoke.

Second, Little Copper Pennies: Celebrating the life of the Canadian one-cent piece (1858-2013).

As a (former) teacher, I was in the habit of making up stories to bring across abstract concepts to students. As a mom, I entertained my daughter with tales and imagination. So when I heard the news that the penny was going to be eliminated, I immediately thought: “If this penny could speak, what would it say of the 155 years it has been in existence?” And the stories began. I interviewed people and got the once-upon-a-time worth of the purchasing power of the penny, used my own experiences, and added history and factual information for an educational component.

Third, Little Copper Pennies for Kids. When I shared my manuscript for Little Copper Pennies to a teacher -librarian friend she commented: "Let me put a bug in your ear. Have you considered a picture book for children?" I thought about it, ran with the idead, and that book was published on December 7 last year.

RG- I really love Little Copper Pennies and am saddened by the loss of the Canadian penny (even though I'm from the UK!). It feels as though a piece of history is being wiped out. What provoked you to write the book? Do you think it's right to phase out the penny? Do you feel a sense of loss at its demise?

SH- The main reason for eliminating the penny is that it is a liability on the balance sheet. It cost 1.06 cents to make a penny which is worth 1.00 cents. So the sheer economics of the penny, coupled with the fact that billions of pennies are hoarded by citizens are good reasons. Others include the environmental impact through recycling the coins and the time and cost by institutions to process pennies. I feel a sense of sadness at the removal of the penny. It was created in 1858 to introduce the decimal system, so it is truly historic. I am fond of it but I recognize that an ending to all fine things must be (and it gave me two books!)

RG- You held a retirement party for the penny. How did that go?! What did you all get up to?

SH- The penny retirement party was fun filled and nostalgic. Though the stormy weather and the flu bug deterred a few, we had a scrumptious buffet dinner, followed by a game of penny toss. It was neat to see adults have so much fun as each tried to get their five pennies to the dish. The prize was penny candy (now worth 25 cents each). There was a "guess the number of pennies" and the prize was a coin folder that holds small cents (the size of the penny was reduced in 1920. I showed a PowerPoint presentation with some highlights from my appearances to schools, and images of significant pennies from 1858-2012. There were two speeches including greetings from the member of Parliament for my locale. I finished by reading the Eulogy found in Chapter 16 of Little Copper Pennies. Many described the evening as historic.

RG- What inspired you to become a writer?

SH- I read avidly as a child and youth, and my English teacher at high school would often read my compositions to the class. I guess the seeds were germinated in those years. People enjoyed hearing me speak, and it boosted my confidence that they might likely enjoy my writing too.

RG- You work really hard on the promotional side, something many people struggle with. Where do you get your ideas from? What drives you in your work? What advice would you give to other authors?

SH- I am driven and self-motivated. I use my experience in project management to scale my timeline and work within deadlines. It is imperative to have deadlines, milestones and measurable objectives in any project, and I am cognizant of these in my work. I've outlined in practical terms how to do this in Chapter 2 of my book "Golden Apples in Silver Settings". The chapter is called "Turning dreams into Reality". I'd advise authors to create a detailed plan and have someone hold them accountable to it. Treat your writing seriously. Write first and edit later. Don't let the editorial aspect block your creativity. Keep a notebook and pencil handy to jot down thoughts when inspiration hits. Look for freshness in mundane topics around you. Join a group to get encouragement from other author. (I'm accepting friends on Facebook and followers on Twitter.)

RG- What advice would you give to new authors, particularly those who are looking for publishers or agents?

SH- E-readers offer a fresh, untapped world to authors who are rejected by publishing houses and agents. I'd say try your hand at an ebook and get known. Call your local television station and newspapers. These media likes to showcase local talent and you can get publicity there. Then try again with the agents.

RG- You really are a beacon of hope, light and inspiration, something which this world desperately needs right now. What message would you give to the world?

SH- My inspiration and hope comes from God, and the faith I have that He will open doors for me that no one can shut. I'd advise anyone to include God in their plans, knowing that those plans are for good and not for evil, to give a future and a hope. Keep the company of optimistic people, and always be an encourager to the not-so-happy ones.

RG- Finally, where can we find you online?

SH- Find me and my books at www.susanharris.ca, littlecopperpennies.com, Amazon

On Facebook at Goldensusanharris. On Twitter @Susanharris20

RG- Thank you for taking the time out to talk to me, Susan! Take care, and speak to you soon!

SH - Thanks Rae.

Rae's Guide To Author Promo

Or "What I've Learned After 10 Years Of Working In and Around Promotions".

Please don't take this as "Law". It's bits and pieces I've picked up over the years, and I'm always learning new things. That's half the fun! Anyway, I hope this helps you.


1. Get a website! You can't imagine how crucial this is. I've lost count of the number of authors I've come across who don't have a website. You have an average of 9 seconds to catch a person's attention and if they have to go scoring the internet for the information then you've lost them. Keeping it all in one place is easy. You can set up a website using simple services like Blogger and Wordpress. Buying domain names is simple and cheap. Mine cost £3 per year and come from Fasthosts. Nearly all domain companies will allow you to direct it to another address allowing you to hide the original address of the site.

2. Get a Facebook page.

3. Get a Twitter account.

4. Link your Twitter, Facebook and websites together so that they all update one another. This is easy to within Facebook and Twitter. I linked mine using Twitterfeed. Alternatively, you can use something like Tweetdeck to update your personal and professional Facebook and Twitter feeds at the same time. Tweetdeck also allows you to schedule posts for both Facebook and Twitter, which is great if you're going to be away.

5. Get a Rebelmouse account. Rebelmouse pulls the most popular posts from your website, Facebook and Twitter to give you your own, newspaper-like feed. It's still in beta testing but looks like it's going to be a great one stop shop for people who are looking for updates from you.

6. Make stuff. Seriously, make stuff! This is good if you don't have a physical product to sell (i.e. yours is an ebook only product). Take advantage of printers offers and have postcards, bookmarks and whatever else you fancy making up. I use Vistaprint and Print24. Get friends to create artwork for you. Make sure to send them a bit of money, or promise them a link on the back of any material you make with it. Alternatively, go and look on Flickr for Creative Commons licensed photos. Just remember to send the photographer a message asking to use their photo. If they don't reply, move on to the next photo you like. Please, please, please don't just steal it. Photographers are artists too!

7. Get involved in giveaways, especially if you have ebooks (no postage = GREAT!). Bookblogs have several groups dedicated to people offering books up for review. You'll also be able to find websites there as well.

8. If you have a physical product, give one away on Goodreads.

9. Get yourself a Goodreads account and get involved! Get reviewing books and chatting on groups.

10. Offer up your book for review. Take a look on Bookblogs for people who are offering to review books. Take a look at the lists of reviewers on Twitter and Goodreads and offer the book to anyone who reads your genre. Don't just send it to everyone and anyone. Pick carefully and stick to those who like your genre, or like a similar genre. Read their review policy carefully.

11. Social media's great. But don't sign up to a bunch of groups and pages just to plug your book. There are a number of groups and pages which are just for that, but don't sign up to people's personal pages just to leave your link there. The E-Reader House and The Independent Paperback Gift Shop are a couple of great guys who help indie authors.

12. If you want to promote your book on social media and not be seen as a spammer, get chatting to people. It's the best thing you can do, and you never know, you might make a few new friends along the way. It's one of the best things I've done and I've made some wonderful new friends through it. I know they're reading this, so hi, guys!

13. If you can, go to events, even if it's just one a year. If you can, rent a trade table. It's a great way to meet the people who'll read your books and to give away goodies. I did my first one last year and thoroughly enjoyed it. I just regret I can't currently do all the ones I'm invited to. One day hopefully!

14. Blog about everything you find interesting. Offer free fiction on your website or blog. It doesn't have to be a lot. It could be scenes from your book. Or it could be complete stand alone short stories. It gives people an idea of your writing style and whether they'll enjoy it or not. Write about the funny, the silly, and the serious. You can find pretty much everything like that right here!

15. Enter your work in to competitions. You might not win anything. Or you might just sweep the top prize! I didn't think I'd get anything yet managed to win two Rainbow Awards. Never sell yourself too short!

16. Contact the local media. Bigger news sites often feed stories from local news media, especially if the story is interesting.

17. HAVE FUN!!! Promoting a book doesn't have to be a drag. You can have a whole bunch of fun and meet some awesome people along the way!

If you have any other suggestions, feel free to use the comments box and we'll put together a post of fresh, new ideas. Thank you for reading and keep smiling!

Rae's Favourite Videos Part 1

My Christmas video post was pretty popular so I thought I'd do it again! Here's some of my favourite videos (and/or songs) of the moment. Enjoy!

 

 

 

(For those who missed it, the final one is from my Dad's birthday last year. And the Gangnam Police one; go and donate at www.superjosh.co.uk!)

It's Time To Stamp Out Hate Crime

A couple of weeks ago, I wrote about the hideous Julie Burchill article. Unfortunately, or fortunately, whichever way you look at it, it's found its way back online thanks to the Telegraph. You can read it here *** Possible Trigger Warning***.

Now, I'm not one to let things go easily. And I don't like it when people like Burchill go waltzing around, mocking others, and enjoying the attention. So I've written a long winded complaint to the editor. And I'll keep harassing him until I get a straight answer other than "sorry". If you want to get involved, feel free! The more the merrier! I'm going to publish the editor's name but, before anyone kicks me for that one, it's in the public domain.

Observer Newspaper Address:

John Mulholland,

The Observer, 

Kings Place, 90 York Way
London N1 9GU

Phone number: 020 3353 2000

And here's my complaint. Trust me, I'm really not going to let it lie. I don't care who you are. I don't care if you're someone on the street, a journalist, a musician, or an MP. If you say something like this, especially in public, then you should be subjected to the full extent of the law.

28^th January 2013

Dear Sir,

It has been two weeks since Julie Burchill's hate speech masquerading as journalism appeared in your newspaper. No doubt you're still reading through the digital mountain of complaints which has been sent your way.

I'm writing to ask what you're doing about Burchill. In case you've forgotten what all the fuss is about I'm including a copy of the article.

Like every large company out there, I'm assuming you have a policy relating to people, their sexuality/gender/colour/religion etc and how they have a right to be treated as an equal and allowed to go about their job, and life, in peace and without the fear of harassment, discrimination, or reprisal. Anyone known to break this policy is subjected to suspension and/or termination. Has this policy been enacted against Burchill? If not, why not? Your average person on the street wouldn't get away with a fraction of what she said without reprisal. Why should she just because she's a “journalist”, “columnist”, or whatever you choose to call her?

Secondly, what she wrote is hate speech, discrimination, and a call to violence, all of which are crimes under British law. Has she been questioned by the police? Again, if not, why not?

Finally, what is your justification for allowing her to remain with your newspaper? After that little tirade she can hardly be good for your image? Or do we need to assume that her viewpoint is held by the majority of your staff?

While this country prides itself on freedom of speech, we also have morals and ethics which need to be upheld and honoured. Morals and ethics which are written in to the Editor's Code of Practice. I appreciate that Burchill's brand of writing is possibly what draws in your readers, but where do you draw the line? Will you let her publish something along the same lines about Muslims? Or people with disabilities? Or Asians? Where's your line in the sand? Take the article and replace it with any of the three examples I've given you and then ask yourself if you'd publish it.

Can you imagine if yourself, or one of your family, were one of the people lambasted in Burchill's article? Perhaps you are, I don't know. Perhaps you thought it would be good for “a laugh”. I realise that you pulled the piece and left a response along the lines of “The piece was an attempt to explore contentious issues”. However, your response could not be further from the truth, and I believe you know this. How would you feel if someone called you derogatory names and basically called for you to be injured and killed? You've probably had the statistics for the murder, assault and suicide rates among transgender people thrown at you a million times in the past two weeks so I won't repeat them. But, if you've read them, I'm sure you can see just how dangerous Burchill's article is. And just because Burchill is a “journalist” or “columnist” does not mean that she is above the morals, standards, and laws of this country. In fact, as a possible role model for others, she should be held even more accountable. How would you feel if a transgender person was murdered and the accused cited Burchill's article, the one you chose to publish, as a reason for why they committed the murder? It's a hypothetical scenario but has happened, where the accused has cited music, books, or films as the reason for why they committed their crime.

This is not about one particular group becoming more offended than another. This is about protecting some of the most vulnerable people in our society. We no longer live in the Dark Ages. We live in a time where everyone, no matter what their creed, gender or sexuality is can live in peace and without fear. You have an opportunity here to prove that you will not be among those who allow such speech to pollute our society.

Yours,

Rae Gee

 *****

POST SCRIPT:

I'm laying down a challenge to the Observer. It'll be going with this letter. 

"By now you've probably noticed that your withdrawal of the offending article, and your subsequent apology, have not been accepted by the vast majority. You've also probably gathered that people don't want to read misinformed, unresearched and factless pieces. As a media outlet, you are responsible on what you put out there. You now have the chance to show the world that you actually mean what you said in your apology. Which is why I'm laying down a challenge for you and your newspaper. Find a positive story, one of hope, love, and dignity, and report on it. Don't put a negative spin on it. Don't be derogatory. Don't put down the person, or persons, the story is about. And heaven's above, don't give the piece to someone like Burchill. In fact, go through the list of people who no doubt write to you every week looking for work experience and give one of them a shot. Write a nice, positive piece, one which will make people happy to read your paper and run it as the front page story. Don't think about the circulation or the money. Don't think of anything like that because you're the editor and, as you've proved, can do whatever you want. So do this and start making a positive change in the world."

 

Goodbye, Bertie

Bertie's gone.

He was never our cat. He actually belonged to the neighbours and, since they moved in to the area several years ago, their black moggy decided to make our home his as well. They always knew where he was and never seemed too bothered that he spent a lot of his time with us. Obviously the grass was greener on the other side.

Then, in late 2012, they told us they were moving. Not far, but they were still going. And yesterday, the moving vans rolled up.

The grief I've felt can only be akin to really losing a pet. The heart wrenching cold ache which causes tears to roll well up and your chest to clench tight. The pain which seems as though it will never leave. And I doubt that it will, at least not for a while.

The tears were the worst, knowing that we'll probably never seem him again. You probably think I'm stupid, crying over someone else's cat. But, in a his own little way, that cat drew our little cul-de-sac together. He helped forge friendships, ones which hopefully will last.

At least we have the memories. Like the first time he appeared in our garden during a barbecue, crawling through the fence before dully being dispatched back over it. To this past Christmas, which he spent curled under the tree like an additional gift. He slept in odd places; on top of drum kits, in the washing basket, among the saucepans, before he finally settled on claiming every box which came in to the house as his own. He even has his own chair, a white wicker one which was destined for the tip before he took up residence on it. Recently he'd moved to the rub, preferring that to the chair.

He wasn't supposed to go in the lounge, the bedrooms, the bathrooms. In fact, anywhere which wasn't the kitchen or the sun room. But he still wangled his way there, finally seating himself on the couch to watch TV.

His "talking" won't be forgotten easily either. A bunch of squeaks, mewls and half meows, all accompanied by deep, stomach rumbling purrs. I don't think I ever heard him meow properly.

I don't want to say we'll never see him again. There's always hope. Which is probably why his water bowl is still tucked away beside the dishwasher.

So, thank you Bertie for 11+ years of love, fun and, occasionally, frustrations. We'll miss you loads but I don't think anyone's going to miss you waking them up at 2am by clawing the windows because it's cold and wet outside and you don't want to sleep in your cat bed NEXT DOOR!

And we'll always love you, little Bugg-A-Lugs. Just no jumping on the freshly made bed, okay? No! Down! Bad Cat!

Achievement

It takes a lot of work to achieve anything in life. From going to school, to forging a career, to building a marriage, it all takes time, effort, energy and, quite often, tears.

Unfortunately we don't see a lot of that any more. With reality TV shows promising fame overnight and publishers snatching fan fictions from the internet, we now think that what we want should come to us in the blink of an eye.

But if you take a look around yourself, you'll see this isn't true. People slave for years to build something. Some succeed, some don't; it's a sad fact of life. And one of the things which tires me is the assumption that, because someone has done something with their life (whatever that may be), that they're "lucky", that they're "successful".

If you want to do something amazing, it doesn't happen overnight. It never does. It may happen in a few weeks, or a few months but, contrary to what the media would like you to think, it doesn't happen in an instant.

Take, for example, the Redbull Stratos Jump which happened in October 2012. Even with the backing of a huge, multi-national, and extremely rich company, it was many, many years in the planning. There were so many things which had to be considered, pods, parachutes, and camera which had to be built. Felix Baumgartner, who made the jump, was training from the inception of the project.


You can do whatever you put your mind to. It'll take time, it'll take effort, it'll take blood, sweat and tears, but you can do it. Don't give up on your dreams. Just don't let the media rip them from under you.