Category Archives: Events

An Exciting End to a Year in Blogs!

Wow! Do you ever have days like this when the number of readers on your blog shoots up? That’s what has happened to me in the last week. If I had a magic recipe that I could bottle and sell, I would make a fortune, but all I can say is welcome!

Another celebration is that I’m now being followed by a fellow Society of Author member, William Horwood, an ex president I believe, and a person I greatly admire.

You are most welcome William. I’m honoured!

I’ll be back in the New Year when I will be:

  • Looking forwards and backwards in an annual review
  • Continuing with my fortnightly book reviews
  • Discussing findings from Genealogy searches, especially those intensively carried out by my parents.

Much of my writing has been inspired by either my family history or that of others; how the acts and decisions of one generation has an impact on the next.

Finally I would just like to wish you a Very Happy Christmas, wherever you are and whoever you are spending it with.

Photo by Brett Sayles on Pexels.com

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Filed under Events, Family History

An Inspirational Stocking Filler for Christmas

New Cover Reveal of ‘Search for the Pearl’

I digress from my series of posts to bring you the news that

SEARCH FOR THE PEARL INSIDE YOURSELF’

has this fantastic new cover:

An Inspirational and Motivational little book for young people who are struggling to find their way at the moment.

This version is only available:

at Waterstones

at the Great British Bookshop

I have heard so many people say that their grandson, grand daughter, nephew or niece find it hard to move on after Covid and Brexit. Opportunities open a few years ago have challenges, drawbacks and hidden pressures.

Their education has been disrupted.

Their university days which should have been uplifting and full of social events has been curtailed or irreparably damaged.

Opportunities to travel or work abroad have narrowed.

A gap year of travels is weighed down with concern for the environment.

A 20 year old waiter in Greece remarked back in May just as restrictions were being lifted, ‘I’ve always wanted to see a bit of the world and maybe work in the UK for a while but I’m not sure it will ever be the same again.’

This is a theme close to my heart having taught struggling 16 to 19 year olds for over a decade in Luton Bedfordshire before moving to Fife.

There are still a few copies of the first edition which I am prepared to GIVEAWAY FREE in the UK, for just the cost of postage, if you get in touch with me before Christmas and outline briefly why you think it might help. Please don’t name the young person though.

diana@dianajacksonauthor.com

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Filed under Book launch, Book reading, Events, Inspiration, Inspirational and Motivational Series

Flowers of the Forest

Yesterday, Armistice Day, was a poignant reflection on wars gone by and current conflicts in the world. The words that comes to mind, both attending the service here in Kinghorn and watching the Cenotaph on TV are:

respect, humility, sadness and a longing for peace and freedom, but not without cost if necessary

It was a beautiful day here as we headed down to the Kirk by the Sea:

Kinghorn Harbour, Fife

After the short service we followed the piper, the scouts and cubs, the Lifeboat Crew and members of the congregation up Station Road to the war memorial.

Prayers were said, two minutes silence was observed, the bugle was played and wreaths were laid – a sense of unity with towns and villages up and down the UK.

In the minds of those present I’m sure each could tell a story from WW1, WW2, The Falklands (40th anniversary) Afghanistan, Syria ….) but the tale of bravery of two local lads on the memorial was read out.

Sunflowers had been planted in the summer with an underplanting of blue lobelia, in recognition of friends in Ukraine but, strangely, one remained in bloom for the occasion. Then, as the piper played ‘Flowers of the Forest’ fading into the distance as he walked away from us, a ‘haar’ descended. (a Scottish sea fog)

As Rev Jim Reid said afterwards, nature has a way of reflecting the atmosphere of the occasion and speaking to us in a way that nothing else quite matches.

We were treated with soup and coffee in the Church (Hall) by the scouts, after which folks walked around reading the the wreaths from local organisations and groups in Kinghorn.

The only remaining sunflower, gave it’s own tribute to lives lost and a battle that still goes on in Ukraine

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Filed under Events, Fife, The Great War, WW1