Thoughts Opinions & Memories | But I Smile Anyway...

Chai And A Chat #12 #ChaiAndAChat

24 Dec 2018 37 Comments

by Ritu in Chai and a Chat, Thoughts Opinions & Memories Tags: #ChaiAndAChat, Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Chai and a Chat, Updates

Got your drink ready? Or at least got your kettle on? Settle down then!

If we were sipping chai together I’d firstly say, PHEW! We are finally on holiday! The last term has been really long, and coupled with the staffing issues and illness, it has not been an easy ride, but we have got there!
If we were sipping chai together I’d tell you that Christmas can really make a teacher feel appreciated! My pupils ad colleagues excelled themselves, I was loaded down with gift bags to take home, filled with choccies, bickies and all sorts of lovely goodies!

If we were sipping chai together I’d tell you about another drama involving Lil Man, his friends, an X-Box controller, security cameras, black magic, Autism and friendship… but it would be far too long, and we’d need IV drips for our drinks! Suffice to say, Tuesday was an eventful evening!
If we were sipping chai together I’d say the staff Christmas party was a fun evening, even though the younger members of staff didn’t quite appreciate the entertainment, asking what a UB40 was, rather than who… as we had a tribute band, UB42, providing the music for part of the evening! Still, I enjoyed it and by swaying along to the reggae, I smashed my step count and active minutes according to the FitBit app!
If we were sipping chai together I’d tell you that I have been secreting little presents away for the kids, and now I really need to get them wrapped!
If we were sipping chai together I’d tell you Saturday and Sunday were pretty calm, all Christmas-panic-related things, considered!

If we were sipping that chai together, and possibly reaching for cake or cookies I’d whisper that I still haven’t wrapped anything! Eeeek! Guess what I’ll be doing this evening!
If we were sipping that chai together, and possibly reaching for cake or cookies I’d rant that I have to take Lil Princess to a party today – on Christmas Eve – at the local Shopping centre! Seriously? Who chooses one of the busiest times of the year and one of the busiest venues, to have a party?! Still, I am hoping to have a couple of hours of either shopping, or sitting with a book and a Chai Latte at Costa, to while the party hours away!
If we were sipping that chai together, and possibly reaching for cake or cookies I’d wish you a very Merry Christmas, and say, I look forward to all the Christmas stories next week!

#Blogmas2018 Ritu’s Blog Tips #24

24 Dec 2018 22 Comments

by Ritu in Blogmas 2018, Thoughts Opinions & Memories Tags: BE You, Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Blogmas, Blogmas 2018

Day 24

Be honest. Be YOU!

Try to always stay true to yourself.

Write how you think, show your readers you are a human too!

I’ve said this before but your voice is what readers will identify with, so don’t try to be someone else. It is easy to try and do that behind the facade of a blog, but it’s hard to keep that pretence up.

Just be YOU!

10 Steps To Hero – How to Craft a Kickass Protagonist by Sacha Black #BookReview @sacha_black

22 Dec 2018 19 Comments

by Ritu in Reviews, Thoughts Opinions & Memories Tags: 10 Steps To Hero, Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Book Review, Sacha Black

I’m really not one for reading texts for how to improve your writing.

It’s not that I don’t think I need them, but I often feel that if someone is telling me how to write, then what I churn out is not really my voice, but that of another…

Having said that, I have read a few recently, by trusted authors, some who I feel I know, some whose name I have grown up with… Stephen King, Karen McQuestion, Bryan Cohen, Nicola Morgan, Sacha Black…

And they haven’t been telling me what to write, rather how to go about the process, sometimes how they started off, in order to reach the heights they have climbed.

Sacha Black is definitely one of those authors.

Hers was actually the first ever writing craft book I read actually.

When she released her guide to creating villains, I had to get it. Partly because I had been with her step by step, via the blog, as she wrote it, and partly because she always sounds like she knows what she’s talking about!

And I wasn’t disappointed! Read my review here.

And after that, she couldn’t leave it at one book, so on top of writing two parts to her YA series, she created a guide to create a fantastic hero character too!

So, the blurb…

From cardboard cut-out to superhero in 10 steps.

Are you fed up of one-dimensional heroes? Frustrated with creating clones? Does your protagonist fail to capture your reader’s heart?

In 10 Steps To Hero, you’ll discover:

+ How to develop a killer character arc

+ A step-by-step guide to creating your hero from initial concept to final page

+ Why the web of story connectivity is essential to crafting a hero that will hook readers

+ The four major pitfalls to avoid as well as the tropes your story needs

Finally, there is a comprehensive writing guide to help you create your perfect protagonist. Whether you’re writing your first story or you’re a professional writer, this book will help supercharge your hero and give them that extra edge.

These lessons will help you master your charming knights, navigate your way to the perfect balance of flaws and traits, as well as strengthen your hero to give your story the conflict and punch it needs.

First, there were villains, now there are heroes. If you like dark humor, learning through examples, and want to create the best hero you can, then you’ll love Sacha Black’s guide to crafting heroes.

Read 10 Steps To Hero today and start creating kick-ass heroes.

So…

Did it help me?

I gotta say YES!

https://www.instagram.com/p/Brqu14OlMHx/

For the first time, since reading these kinds of books, I was inspired to get a pen and paper, any paper, and jot down ideas to hopefully improve my characters, and their reasoning behind doing some of the things they do in my own book!

I’m weaving my own web of connectivity, creating character arcs, looking through my hero lens… (you’ll need to read it to get what all those are!) And all with the help of this rather cool guide that is rather funny too. Sacha is like me, she tends to create her own words, to describe things. She’s not afraid to say it like it is either.

And would I recommend it to other aspiring writers?

Absolutely!!!

My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Buy it by clicking books2read.com/10stepstohero

Reviewed on Goodreads and Amazon.

And not only does Sacha write these amazing badass craft guides, but she even manages to write accompanying workbooks too!

You know you wanna buy…

If you don’t know Sacha, why not?

She is blogging event organiser extraordinaire, being the birth mother of the Annual Bloggers Bash and Awards, and an author of four books, two fiction, and two non-fiction, with more due soon! And she is a loving wife and mother too, to top it off!

Sacha Black has five obsessions; words, expensive shoes, conspiracy theories, self-improvement, and breaking the rules. She also has the mind of a perpetual sixteen-year-old, only with slightly less drama and slightly more bills.

Sacha writes books about people with magical powers and other books about the art of writing. She lives in Hertfordshire, England, with her wife and genius, giant of a son.

When she’s not writing, she can be found laughing inappropriately loud, blogging, sniffing musty old books, fangirling film and TV soundtracks, or thinking up new ways to break the rules.

Find out more about Sacha and her books here.

I do love Sacha, she has been ace at giving me, ahem, gentle nudges when it came to getting that first draft finished too!

Chai & A Chat #11 #ChaiAndAChat

17 Dec 2018 68 Comments

by Ritu in Chai and a Chat, Thoughts Opinions & Memories Tags: #ChaiAndAChat, Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Catch Up, Chai and a Chat

Well here we are at meeting number eleven… heaven!

Yes, it’s been another eventful week (when is it not, where I am concerned!)

If we were sipping chai together I’d tell you that my dear colleague is still not well, and has been signed off for a while longer, meaning I shall be changing my priorities for the next couple of months. Reception will get my attention more, and Nursery loses me for a day. I am a little gutted as I love being in Nursery, but equally, I hold a strong belief that children of a young age really need to have continuity in their education. Different faces appearing to teach them, with different methods, confuse them. So, even though it is a change I’d rather not make, I suggested I take more time there so the class I am with at the moment manage to continue with the same staff they are familiar with, rather than lots of different faces. The other class will then also get two teachers they know until our colleague is back… But it’s so annoying… I had written my reports for our class, ready to go out on the Friday, but as the other teacher hadn’t done hers due to her illness, we will have to rewrite them in January now! Grrr!
If we were sipping chai together I’d let you know that we’ve been in full Christmas mode in school this week, with carol concerts for the older children, the Key Stage one Christmas performance and our Reception Nativity. You can’t beat a primary school play! The kids did so well too!
If we were sipping chai together I’d moan about these parents who send children in when they are still unwell, spread the viruses they have, then keep them off again. Yeah. Thanks. As a result, I have had the worst cold, Lil Princess has been coughing and spluttering, Lil Man was coughing and Hubby Dearest got the lurgy from me! It prompted me to do a little singing, after reading a fantastic rewrite of We Three Kings by Sue Vincent! If you haven’t heard it, check this post out, the singing link is in there!

https://butismileanyway.com/2018/12/14/sues-songs-for-the-seasonally-challenged-we-feel-ill/

If we were sipping chai together I’d mention that it was Christmas Jumper day on Friday too. I love a Christmas jumper! The charity, Save The Children, run an annual Christmas Jumper Day, and we all donate money for the pleasure of wearing a festive knit! I have quite3 a collection so didn’t need to buy another, though I have found a great one for Hubby Dearest… He’s a bit of a Rap fan… or he used to be, anyway!

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If we were sipping chai together I’d share with you my favourite jumper which I wore, and by the end of Friday, I managed to acquire a red nose to match it! And Sonu Singh joined in with the fun too!

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If we were sipping chai together I’d confide in you that we went to get our hair done on Saturday, as a pick me up, Lil Princess and I. My experience was fine, but she was devastated as they found a few nits in her hair… so they were unable to give her a trim! We spent the best part of Saturday afternoon treating, combing and checking her hair… think I got them all…
If we were sipping chai together I’d let you know that we had a function on Sunday at the Gurdwara where we had to attend, and then cookies were baked for school too, and I attempted to make some salt dough ready for school today…

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A post shared by Ritu Bhathal ✍🏽📚💜 (@ritubhathalwrites)

If we were sipping that chai together, and possibly reaching for cake or cookies I’d tell you that the end of term is finally in sight! Phew! We finish on Wednesday and have the staff Christmas party to look forward to on Thursday. The kids will be having a sleepover at friends, but I may have to ferry Lil Man to an extra set of cricket training sets on both Thursday and Friday, so no relaxation time then!
If we were sipping that chai together, and possibly reaching for cake or cookies I’d tell you I can’t wait for a little family time…

So there you have it… only two weeks left of this year to go! What ore fun will be chucked at me this week?

Have a great one Peeps!

#Blogmas2018 Ritu’s Blog Tips #16

16 Dec 2018 30 Comments

by Ritu in Blogmas 2018, Thoughts Opinions & Memories Tags: Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Blogging Groups, Blogmas, Blogmas 2018

Day 16

Join blogging groups on Facebook.

I had underestimated the power of a group of bloggers behind you, but around two years ago, I was convinced to join a Blogging group on Facebook.

There were daily opportunities to share your work, with specific reasons, from sharing others posts, to commenting on them, and even a day where a specific blogger was showcased.

My stats rocketed, and there was a whole load of advice available on tap. I didn’t feel like I was asking silly questions.

But… (there’s always a but) try to look into groups which don’t have thousands of members, unless you are ready for reginemted sharing policies.

Since then, the group I had joined, closed, but the members had formed a closeknit group and three or four others set up their own similar groups to carry the momentum on.

It can be time consuming, but you can choose when you want to interact.

The main stipulation is that you should share/comment on a mimimun of 2-4 other particicipants posts.

I try to visit all posts on the threads I am involved in.

By joining a blogging group, you will find yourself exposed to a whole host of blogs you wouldn’t have known existed, and others will find you. It’s a win win situation, as long as you are able to give the time to sharing!