Isn’t there a song which goes count your blessings name them one by one…
When I was offered a chance to blog about being thankful I immediately said yes. Then thought hang on, life sucks. What do I have to be thankful for? (Not to mention we don’t have Thanksgiving here on the wrong side of the pond.) Yeah, not a bad few weeks in the grand scheme of things. I mean, no one had died or gone missing or stuff like that, but I’d been ill and incredibly stressed over run of the mill stuff. (Don’t ask.)
But despite that, yes there are things I’m thankful for. (So here are a few things instead which influence my writing in one way or another which I am counting my blessings for. Kind of a photo blog.
First I’m blessed by having a great church to go to. Carey Baptist Church, in Reading. Actually the first hit you get on google.
Yes, this is the real Headley Cross Baptist Church. I’ve been going here since 1982. Was baptised here, married here, register weddings here… Based in the heart of the town, it’s a Bible based church. (But no, Pastor James is NOT Pastor Jack from the books. Honestly. I made Pastor Jack up. It’s pure coincidence they both have the same first initial.) But yes, my faith and my church.
And speaking of faith. This was taken in France in 1983. The hill with the three crosses on.
And there’s a hilarious story that goes with it. We passed this hill on the way to and from where we were staying in Le Corbier. Dad wanted to walk there. He said it didn’t look far. It was miles down the mountain and up another. We get to the top and he says “Look there’s a short cut.” Umm we ended up in a dried up river bed, then a field where a farmer was harvesting with a combine…
Finally we get to the road and Mum says “That’s it. You go and get the car.” Hour and a half later, Dad gets back with the car. Even now, 30 years later, when he mentions a short cut we just go “Hill with the three crosses on.”
And that brings me onto family. They are in squinty vision above, but now we’re all married with kids, well one of us has cats and a porche rather than kids (and a career as an ER consultant), but from the 6 of us then, there are now 17, spread across the world. From Reading, to Wales to the far reaches of Australia. On and I have rellies in Canada too. And a best friend in the US, who’s more like a sister than a friend.
Then there’s my editor, Lisa, and wonderful publishers. Pelican Book Group. Who took a chance on an unknown back in 2010 and have put me where I am now. And especially taking a chance on a series I proposed in April last year. A seven novel one based on a new version of an old nursery rhyme.And the rest as they say is history.
Purchase Link for Tuesday's Child
Clare lives in a small town in England with her husband of 17 years and her three children. Writing from a early childhood and encouraged by her teachers, she graduated from rewriting fairy stories through fanfiction to using her own original characters and enjoys writing an eclectic mix of romance, crime fiction and children's stories. When she's not writing, reading, sewing or keeping house or doing the many piles of laundry her children manage to make, she's working part time in the breakfast club at one of the local schools. She has been a Christian for more than half her life. She goes to Carey Baptist where she is one of three registrars. Visit Clare at www.revell124.plus.com/clarerevell
