Shelley Wilson | But I Smile Anyway...

ANYTHING BUT BOOKS TAG #TuesdayTag

21 Nov 2017 29 Comments

by Ritu in Tags, Thoughts Opinions & Memories Tags: Anything But Books Tag, Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Shelley Wilson

I was invited to take part in an Anything But Books Tag Post by the lovely Author Shelley Wilson, who is not only a most fabulous author but a fantastic motivational writer too!

Seeing as I am sat here coughing and snivvling at home, I figured now is a good a time as any, to complete these cool questions!

Q1. Name a cartoon that you love

Image result for tom and jerry

There are so many that I love, being a big kid… you surely know that about me already! 😉 But one of my all-time favourites has to be Tom and Jerry. I remember my Pops recording episodes for my brother and me to watch on repeat! Simple fun which I think can still be accessed today!

Q2. What is your favourite song right now

I have to say that for the last few years, recent music has passed me by. I have been stuck in my bubble of favourite music from the 80’s and 90’s, to be honest. But now Lil Princess is getting older, she is introducing me to much more of the new music than I had access to. As a result, I am really enjoying the new stream of latino influenced songs that are out right now. I love the beat and sensuous feel of the music, and even though I don’t understand the words, my body and soul ‘feel’ it… do you get me? As a result, one of the songs I could listen to on repeat at the moment is Enrique Iglesias and Subeme La Radio!

Q3. What could you do for hours that isn’t reading

As Shelley mentioned, I could definitely people watch for hours, or find a great series I wanted to see, and binge-watch the whole thing! But as I have a job, and kids, and husband, and pets, the opportunities for either are few and far between!

Q4. What is something that you love to do that your followers would be surprised by

Sit quietly and alone.

I say this as I am quite ‘vocal’ on my blog, and I appear to be this great extrovert. And I am. But there are times when I want to be by myself, serene in my own silence. Honestly, I don’t just love hearing my voice all the time, I promise!

Q5. What is your favourite, unnecessarily specific thing to learn about

Old Indian traditions and customs and their roots. There are so many things we are expected to do, within our culture, and I love finding out the reasoning behind why we still fulfil those expectations.

Q6. What is something unusual you know how to do

I can count banknotes – really fast! A remnant of my banking cashier days! Not that I have many notes to count nowadays!

Q7. Name something that you’ve made in the last year

Hmm… aside from food that I make every day, I think I can safely say I have made progress in my career! As a teacher, I am being stretched, and I have been given new responsibilities, and also with the role of Governor tagged on, there is a sense of accomplishment I am feeling (along with the exhaustion that accompanies it!)

Q8. What is your most recent personal project

I think my self-imposed #RiNoWriMo in August was my biggest and most recent personal project. I have a book inside me that has been crying to get out for the last 17 years. It has taken this long for me to focus and take the first 13,000 words into something more in the region of 70,000! It still isn’t finished but I hope that in the new year I will create time to finish this and maybe I’ll have a novel on my hands sometime next year!

#RiNoWriMo

Q10. Tell us something that’s your favourite, but make it oddly specific

As I have grown older, I have become a little more discerning about the tea I drink. As a result, if I am having a brew, my favourite teabags to use are Punjana. I love the taste and the fact that they are created from tea leaves from both India and Kenya, countries that feature heavily on my family history, just add to the reason why I think they are the best! Image result for punjana

And there you have it! A few random facts about me!

I am nominating 5 bloggers, who I think might enjoy the Tag Challenge, and if you wish to take part, please do!

Leibster Award – The Shelley Wilson Edition!

24 Jul 2017 65 Comments

by Ritu in Awards, Thoughts Opinions & Memories Tags: Award, Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Get To Know Me, Leibster Award, Shelley Wilson

This morning I was reading posts, and after leisurely perusing, I came upon a post by the lovely Shelley Wilson, author extraordinaire! (She wrote the brilliant Guardians Trilogy, read my review here!)

In it, she accepted the Leibster Award and answered all the questions brilliantly! Then as I scrolled down, I realised that she had nominated me!!!

I have accepted this one several times before, and usually do a reblog of the original post, but seeing as I am on holiday, I thought I would at least answer the questions!

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The Rules:

Thank the person who nominated you and link to their blog – Thank you SOOOOO much for thinking of me Shelley!
Answer the 11 questions the person asked you – I’m about to!
Nominate 11 people (comment on their blog to let them know) – I nominate all of you who read this post!
Ask the people you have nominated 11 questions – Answer Shelley’s questions please, they are great!

Shelley’s Questions:

1 Have you met any of your internet friends in real life? I was lucky enough to attend the Annual Blogger’s Bash for the last two years and there I have met many of my blogging heroes and those I consider my Blogily! (Shelley Included!)
2 What’s your favourite TV show? What character would you be from that show? I love too many TV shows to choose one! But if I had to choose a character, it would be Dot Cotton… isn’t she just an institution!
3 What’s your favourite kind of blog post to write? (Book review, personal post, fiction, etc.) Now that’s a really hard one! Because I write a bit of everything! I love to write creatively, but I think sometimes my personal posts are what actually hit a nerve, and help others.
4 What are your most and least favourite things about blogging? I love the interaction, and freedom to write what I want, but I hate the fact I don’t have enough hours in the day to do more!
5 Is there a genre you wouldn’t read? Why? I used to be very much a chick lit reader, with family sagas thrown in, (and some of that saucy stuff too)! But recently, I have realised that I can’t totally write off a genre without trying it, as after tasting Shelley’s YA books, I realised that I really enjoy a genre I would never have contemplated reading before!
6 Which of your own blog posts is your personal favourite? Why? Man, Shelley! You ask some really tough questions! I don’t think I have a personal favourite post, to be honest. There are so many things I write about that it is hard to pinpoint one post I feel particularly special about. Most of my posts about my family are from the heart though and really make me sentimental when I reread them!
7 Do you have any pets? If so, what are they and do they help/hinder your blogging/writing? If no, what would be your ideal pet? I have my darling cat, Sonu Singh, who has been in our life for 3 years now! He can be a hindrance, in that when he decides to come and sit with me, I want to snuggle with him, rather than write, but equally, he has been an inspiration too!

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8 What’s your favourite type of takeaway food? I try not to eat much takeaway but if I am ordering, I choose a chicken kebab! It’s a healthy option! Though pizza, Chinese, an Indian, Maccy D’s, KFC… among others, can be rather yummy too!
9 What would be your ideal career? Why? I’d love to be a professional story teller! There is no greater joy for me, than reading stories to my class. I love it so much and I enjoy using accents and different voices, as well as props, to make a story come to life. Imagine doing that all day, every day! (There’s my Drama major coming out!)
10 Which author do you like to recommend the most? I don’t think I really recommend an author specifically (though Shelley Wilson is a most amazing writer ;P ) I am more likely to recommend specific books.
11 Who’s your go to band/artist when you can’t decide on something to listen to? I have a selection of compilation albums which I ‘go to’ if a specific song doesn’t come to mind. I have 90’s R’n’B, or Disco, or failing that, several Bollywood or Bhangra discs that I will play. Yes, CDs. I can’t get the hang of downloading music, no playlists here, compilation CDs all the way!

So, there you have it, a little more about Ritu, laid bare!

And as I mentioned earlier, I nominate ALL OF YOU! Yes, I am a rule breaker!!!!!

Book Review – How I Changed My Life In A Year by Shelley Wilson

11 Apr 2017 16 Comments

by Ritu in Reviews, Thoughts Opinions & Memories Tags: Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Book Review, Changes, Lifestyle, Motivational, Shelley Wilson

How I Changed My Life In a Year: One Woman's Mission To Lose Weight, Get Fit, Beat Her Demons, And Find Happiness ...In Twelve Easy Steps!

Ever wanted to change something and thought it was just too much hard work?
Ever wanted to make a difference, but found the task too daunting?
Well, then you need to dip into this great book!
I’m not one for ‘self-help’ books per se, but was intrigued to read this personal account of how author Shelley Wilson turned her life around within a year.
A year.
It may sound like a long time to actually make the changes, but in the grand scheme of things, a year isn’t that long really, and considering she made not one, but twelve changes in that time, kudos to her!
Broken down into manageable weekly chunks, Shelley Wilson made her plan, and stuck to it, with great results!
I enjoyed it so much I read it in one day! And it has given me the motivation to make changes, starting small, and aiming big!

My Amazon review for Shelley’s motivational book.

Buy it here!

Did I mention she is a YA Fantasy author too. I reviewed her series here, if it’s of interest to you.

shelley-wilson

Here is Shelley’s Author blog: www.shelleywilsonauthor.com

Her lifestyle and motivational blog can be found at www.myresolutionchallenge.blogspot.com

Find Shelley on Twitter – @ShelleyWilson72

Visit Shelley’s Author Page here

Book Review – The Guardian Series by Shelley Wilson

29 Jan 2017 29 Comments

by Ritu in Reviews, Thoughts Opinions & Memories Tags: Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, review, Shelley Wilson, The Guardian Series, YA Fiction

I have to honestly say I am generally one for fluffy fiction. I like to lose myself in a cocoon of comedy and romance. Life is harsh enough anyway. Why read serious fiction?

And why even try Young Adult books? I am 41 for crying out loud!

But, as I have been doing for the last year or so, I downloaded a book (or three!) of an unfamiliar genre, as the author had become a good blog pal. I wasn’t sure whether it would be my thing but unless you try, you’ll never know!

And boy was I glad!

I was transported into the mystical world of faes and witches, water sprites and dragons, and adventure. Lots of adventure! The principle character Amber, a normal (or so she thought!) teenage girl, propelled into the realms of the folk she always scoffed at the reality of. And imagine the shock of finding out she was actually one of them too!

Sure it took me a couple of chapters to initially get into the first one, but once I was hooked, that’s it. My whole weekend was devoted to devouring this series of books!

I have already told the kids, who love a bit of Enid Blyton and her Fairy folk, that this will be a set of books for them to read when they are a little older!

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My Amazon and Goodreads review – ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Young Adult fiction is most definitely not my chosen genre of reading material, but at the recommendation of a friend, I downloaded this book onto my Kindle.
Well, what can I say?
I finished it within a couple of sittings, which for me is pretty good going as I don’t have much time to read!
The author, Shelley Wilson has created some likeable characters, and ones you really want to hate, and moves us through a magical mystery tour of witches, faeries, oracles, necromancers and all sorts of mythical fairy folk!
Once I had read the first couple of chapters, I was hooked, and rooting for our principle character Amber, who goes from normal teenage girl, to someone who possesses amazing hidden powers as the book progresses.
The romance aspect was there, and the climax was almost reached too soon!
I am so glad I already have the sequel ready on my Kindle!
A light, but deep read, if you know what I mean!

Click here ➡ Guardians Of The Dead – Book 1 to buy

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My Amazon and Goodreads review – ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Having only just finished the first book in the series that very morning, the story was fresh in my mind, and i was so glad that I already had the second downloaded, and ready to read.
I wasn’t disappointed in the least!
What twists and turns Amber and her own little magical army have to face in order to save the day… or do they???
I loved every moment of it, so much so, that I finished it in one day! It was indeed ‘unputdownable’!
The character development that is associated with a sequel was there, the budding romances, the adventure…it was great!
I have already told my children, who love End Blyton and the Fairy Folk, that when they are just a tad older, they should read this!
Number 3 is calling me!

Click here ➡ Guardians Of The Sky – Book 2 to buy

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My Amazon and Goodreads review – ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Did I enjoy it? Understatement of the year!
I have just devoured this three part series over this weekend and I have thoroughly enjoyed it.
Following the story of Amber and her friends and family, and the young teenager’s journey of discovery of her mystical powers was strangely addictive!
This volume showed Amber swaying between the Dark and Light Side (no, I’m not talking about Star Wars!) of her powers, and there are times when the twists and turns of the plot really leave you wondering which way the story will go!
Each sequel did the job of recapping briefly on the previous tales, to fill the reader in on the story, and the characters are beautifully described, growing more and more ‘real’ with each sequel.
Sucking me deep into the mystical world of Faes, Witches, Necromancers, Dragons, Sea Serpents and other worldly realms, I can honestly say I was dreaming about magic when I slept in between reading!
Well done Shelley Wilson! A brilliant Trilogy! I wonder… are we to expect any more…? What does the future hold for Amber and her friends?

Click here ➡ Guardians Of The Lost Lands – Book 3 to buy

shelley-wilson

Shelley is a fellow Brummie lass, though not by birth. She is a mum, and has a cat too! Her work is not just limited to YA fiction but she writes inspirational, self-help and motivational non-fiction books too!

I have one of those on my Kindle already to read too!

Visit Shelley’s Author Page here

Visit Shelley’s blog here