Why Read Fairy Tale Books For Adults

By Eliza Mendoza

Some people claim that they do not find time to read, because they have very tight schedules. However, no matter the number of hours you work per day, reserving time to read Fairy tale books for adults can make a positive difference in your life. Instead of watching movies and television, you can decide to read these materials and reap the mega benefits that come with regular reading.

You need to exercise your brain. This is because; lack of exercise can greatly contribute to your brain becoming dormant. Some people do not realize that their brains are becoming dormant because they cannot see them. However, just as your body looks unhealthy when you do not do regular exercise, your brain becomes dormant as well. You can exercise your brain by reading different materials.

Another benefit of reading is that it helps reduce stress. Sometimes, you may have stress related to your daily work, your relationships with others, or even marriage. Engrossing your mind in a nice story will certainly help you reduce stress. This is because; such a story will transport to the world of imagination, forgetting all the challenging you experience in life.

Reading these materials will also add to your knowledge. This is because these reading materials have new information that can make you more enlightened in life. The knowledge you gain will ensure that you have the power to face any challenge you encounter in life. Another benefit of reading these materials is that you will be able to build your vocabulary.

You can find these reading materials in bookshops, shopping malls, and supermarkets, around your area. However, it is important to take some time to ensure that you buy from reputable suppliers. One way of knowing if a supplier has a good reputation is by asking for references from people who have bought such materials in the past.

You may also purchase these materials from the online stores. You do not have to undermine reading various literature materials simply because; you do not find time to search for the best reading material. You can order a copy of these materials at any time while at the comfort of your home. Actually, you can purchase the reading materials while at the middle of the night. The online channel will also offer you a variety of such materials to select.

Some reading materials are lengthy. If you love reading bulky materials, such materials will definitely be the best to read. However, if you are not fond of reading such materials, consider searching for less lengthy materials. This will motivate you to read. Ensure that also that the content of the reading material is meeting your taste and preference.

Look for affordable Fairy tale books for adults. This is because; some reading materials are quite costly. However, this does not mean that they are not good. You can consider asking the seller why the materials are costly than others. You may be surprised to find that their quality is worth the cost.

About the Author:

Maya Touviere writes high quality fairy tale books for adults. To see more of her fine selections, visit her home on the Web today at http://www.mayatouviere.com.

Extend Your Writing Capabilities: Stretching Your Body

By Buffy Greentree

Exercise

If you want your mind to work, to be fully creative and concentrated, then you really need to exercise. What? Exercise? There is a reason you choose to sit behind a computer all day. Ah yes, but sadly the brain does not work so well without exercise. It doesn't have to be the hard, sweaty kind; walking is great. 'Why? WHY?' You cry to the heavens. Well, let me tell you why.

First: Being able to sit down and write works best when all your physical needs have already been attended to. If you have done some light exercise first, and blood is happily flowing to all your muscles, they feel stretched and nicely warm, and this will help you slip into the flow much more easily.

Second: Exercise gives your mind time to process. Watching your thoughts at every moment is counterproductive. Go for a walk and let your conscious and subconscious conspire, then half way through the walk, or when you return, you will might find you hear a little Click! and everything works that much better.

Third: Your brain benefits from physical exercise. Increasing evidence indicates that exercise develops brain plasticity (how flexible you are in your thinking, and how well your brain can build its habits), and makes your thinking processes both faster and more clear. Get some blood pumping around that brain and increase your concentration.

Fourth: If you want to be writing as a lifestyle, then sitting down for the majority of your life needs some sort of compensation by making the most of the time you aren't sitting down.

Fifth: There are things you need that you can't get inside. You need to get your vitamin D activated by sunlight. Sunlight on your retinas helps keep your circadian rhythm up to date, and so also helps you stay awake when you should. Sunlight also reduces depression, and refreshes the senses. So you could go outside and just lie in the grass for all this to happen, but why not do a bit of walking first? Or roll around while you are down there?

As stated before, it really doesn't have to be hard. Walking is good. I like to break a light sweat, but not go into anaerobic exercise. You should still be able to hold a conversation, with just slight puffs. This means your blood is pumping at an optimal level and your body hasn't started creating excess waste product such as lactic acid, which can add extra stress to your body to get rid of. Remember, we are all about stress minimisation. Though one or two hard sessions a week is fine if you are so inclined.

Stretching

If sitting all day, you really should spend some time stretching, because sitting is not a natural position to be in constantly. Years of constantly sitting makes your hip flexors shorten, which can result in lower back problems. Similarly, your glutes like to be gently stretched and used. Your neck and shoulders get tight from the tension you are placing in them, and your wrists and forearms are in danger from the strange repetitive motions you are making them do.

So when you suddenly feel as though inspiration has done a bunk, shrug your shoulders and stretch for five minutes. (Please note that because this is a short article, I've only gone into some stretches here. If you want a fully detailed account, please go to my book 'The Five Day Writer's Retreat' on Amazon).

Warm up: As you haven't been moving, the muscles won't be particularly warm, so it's not a great time to just demand they stretch out, and can in fact do damage. For each muscle group take a moment to warm them up. I recommend starting at the top of your head and work down. It's a nice organised method.

Back: With your feet about hip width apart and your knees slightly bent, keep your hips facing forwards, and try to twist around to one side and then to the other, in a smooth flowing motion. Each time try to get a little further around. Do ten complete twists to warm up through the back and core. Step your feet together and bend your knees. With your right hand, grab the left side of your left knee, and with your left hand grab the right side of your right knee, so your arms are crossed in front of you, with a firm hold on your legs. Keeping that hold, tuck your head in and push up through your back so your shoulders and upper back stretch out. After ten seconds take off the pressure. Then focus on just one side, hold on with your right hand and try to push up on your right. You should feel the stretch running down the length of your right side. Decrease the pressure, and try pushing up through your left side.

Legs: You might need to hold onto to something to start warming them up. Standing next to a chair for support, swing your right leg up as high as it will easily go, and then let it swing back as far as it will go before bringing it straight back up again. Each time try to kick a little bit higher without hurting. Do ten swings. Rotate your body so you are facing the chair. This time swing your leg out to the right, then let it swing back between you and the chair and as far out to the left as it will go. Each time try to swing to the right just a little bit higher. Repeat with the other leg.

Glutes and hip flexors: this is best performed on a mat as you need to be on the ground. Kneel on all fours with your hands under your shoulders and your knees under your hips. Bring your right knee up to your right hand, and your right foot across to your left hand. Slowly slide your left leg straight out behind you. You should feel the stretch in your right glute (aka your butt), and if you keep your chest up straight, also in your left hip flexor. This is similar to the yoga pose the 'half pigeon'. Hold this for about 20 seconds, then swap over.

If you do that every few hours, your body will thank you every day, and your spritely older self will thank you too!

About the Author:

Need help with self publishing, The Five Day Writer offers consultancy and services to make self-publishing easy. Five_Day_Writer

Why You Need Reclaimed Surgical Huck Towels

By Serena Price

In order to conduct smooth and successful operations, doctors require special equipment that meets certain level of standards. One category of materials that meet all the required standards and is available in this environment is the surgical huck towel. It has credible abilities when it comes to liquid absorption and as such, it is used to maintain cleanliness of most rooms in hospitals and clinics. Purchasing some reclaimed surgical huck towels will give you the same benefits.

Surgical huck towels which get their name from their primary area of use which is in the operating rooms are normally made of 100% cotton to achieve top level of absorption and true to this; they are the best that you can find in absorbing liquids. As already mentioned, the clothing is used to clean fluids like blood and other body secretion to keep operating rooms clean. They fabric is also very durable capable to withstand repeated use and washings.

The reclaimed surgical huck towels are named so after their primary use in operating rooms. They are the magical cleaning tools the doctors need when doing an operation. Other than in operating rooms, you can see them generally in all areas of medical settings, clinics included. Their roles are so important that these institutions never run short of supply.

The other people that heavily depend in this fabric are those in the field of janitorial services. This is largely due to the fact that it has ability to absorb very large amount of liquids. The same characteristic make them the preferred cleaning material for glass surfaces such as windows. You will also find them in car wash areas and restaurants where they are used as hand towels. In the same settings, they are used as mats and wiping aprons.

In your home, you will find this piece of cloth so convenient in cleaning. It is the best for cleaning windows and other glass surfaces. In addition to this, you can use them to quickly clean any spillage from almost all liquids you can imagine of where they both save time and results to very clean surfaces. It is always recommendable that you keep a number of them as the occasions that can call for their use is endless.

Currently, there are several online dealers who can deliver high quality item. You should try this option as opposed to local suppliers who many not have such a wide variety. Better still; the price range is so good that you may end up with the item with insignificant investment.

If you insist on shopping for one from the stores in neighborhood, then try stores dealing on medical supply as they are known to stock them in large quantity. You can also visit stores dealing in janitorial supplies where they are also stocked.

You can find a reclaimed surgical huck towels that will perform so well and last long enough to give the true value for your money. It is however advisable to keep a number of them so that one is always ready whenever the need arises. Once you make a purchase, it is best if you wash and dry it several times before you start to use it.

About the Author:

Burdisco Imports is your best source for reclaimed surgical huck towels on the American east coast. To view all of the great deals we have on janitorial supplies, visit us online at http://www.burdisco.com today.

How To Get Herringbone Dish Towels

By Serena Price

Herringbone dish towels are always unique and different from the rest of the products. They are sold in very many shops n the markets. Manufacturers supply different people with these products. They advise their customers to do window shopping before they can settle on a certain type of item. Customers are advised to select items from trusted individuals in the market.

Manufacturers buy their raw products from different industries. The fibers used have to be treated by these manufacturers before use. They ensure that all the items are durable and can serve customers for a specific period of time. Individuals are also supposed to ensure that they purchase goods from trusted individuals who will provide them with the best quality items. The towels are always soaked in water containing chemicals. The chemicals increase the toughness of these products and make them presentable.

Towels come in different designs. They are made by different manufacturers who have got lots of many ideas and goals. The manufacturers are allowed to use unique and presentable methods that will satisfy their clients. Customers are also asked to choose the design they would want their items to have. Individuals can also be advised to copy the new and old fashioned styles from the internet. Manufacturers are well known by the quality goods they provide top their customers.

Online buying is an easy and fast method of getting goods. Customers have to log in these different sites and choose on what they need. Manufacturers have opened different sites where products are displayed for purchase. Customers are always taken through some period of training where they are taught on how they can select and pay for good through the internet. This method is preferred by many people since it is easy and reliable. Customers are in a position of buying different and many things through the internet.

Towels should be absorbent for them to function properly. These types of products can be used when dealing with any type of utensil. They are able to hold water for quite some time. They are also easy to dry and handle. The cloths come in different sizes. The size of the products however varies from item to item. Customers are supposed to choose goods that will wipe all their products well.

Cleaning agents can be used when cleaning these goods. They are always soaked in water containing these products. They should then be washed and rinsed in clean water before they are aired. These goods should then be stored in dry areas to reduce the growth of molds.

Towels are cheap and affordable. They can be purchased by different people in the market. These goods are always sold to individuals in various ways. Those who are able to pay the required money at once can do so. Companies also allow customers to buy using hire purchase. The goods sold are then delivered to all customers. They have got very quality delivery services they use when transporting their products.

Customized herringbone dish towels are always unique. Manufacturers customize the products differently. They ensure that customers are able to buy goods that will satisfy them. They can use handmade stitches or use the specialized types of machines.

About the Author:

You can visit www.burdisco.com for more helpful information about The Importance Of Herringbone Dish Towels.

About Hiring A Professional Transcription Service

By Serena Price

When it comes to the many things that businesses have to contend with, one area that many people find time consuming and expensive is having to type various items that play a crucial role in what they do. This is why many turn to the method of dictation in order to save time, all while leaving it to someone else do most of the typing. In the end, many businesses find that hiring someone for professional transcription can be highly beneficial and cost effective in the end.

Transcription services tend to be used for a number of things, whether in the sense of personal matters or that of business-related ones. Some individuals may use them for personal matters, such as to help them with writing a first-time novel or memoir. Others may use them for larger products, such as essay or thesis writing, among many other things as well.

Small businesses and companies often use these kinds of services in order to cut down on labor costs and to promote better efficiency. While some may prefer to use software programs, others see the importance of accuracy that only a human transcriptionist could provide. Many are hired to transcribe meetings and to help with other office-related tasks.

Thanks to the world of technology, people have plenty of options when it comes to hiring or using the services of a transcription company. Some may use them in the sense of traditional office work, while others may specialize in the medical and legal fields. It's also common to see some transcriptionists who have experience with general transcription, like that of the entertainment industry.

When it comes to general services, this can include several areas. As an example, individuals may have experience in transcribing academic lectures and meetings. Others may be skilled in entertainment media, such as with closed captioning. Some people may offer services in foreign or voice mail transcription.

Selecting the right professionals will usually come down to the type of work you need done. Following this, it's good to look at their experience in certain areas. Different workers may have certain skills that others do not and vice versa. As an example, some people may be skilled in legal dictation but not in the medical field, particularly when it comes to terminology and other factors.

A good transcriptionist will typically have their own equipment, such as foot pedals, headphones, and any related software. They should also have a quiet environment to work in, especially if you plan to hire someone via telecommute. It may also be beneficial to look for someone with good references and who will be able to meet deadlines.

Professional transcription contractors or companies may charge differently from other ones. This can be based on their level of expertise and the nature of the work, down to word or character count. Some may also charge by the size or length of the audio file involved and the desired turnaround time. Therefore, it's important to consider the type of work you'll need done and to make sure that the person is reliable, experienced, and that they have good accuracy and typing skills. Above all, it's good to ensure that they have good hearing listening skills, too.

About the Author:

Read more about Tips On Hiring A Professional Transcription Service.

Why Surgical Huck Towels Have Gained Such Popularity In Cleaning

By Serena Price

In the medical terrain, surgical huck towels dominate. Widely used to wipe surgical equipment after an operation, they too do not escape the strict procedures and standards the rest of equipment used for surgery are subjected to. For instance, they are made of materials that are highly absorbent while at the same time are capable of sucking even thick fluids, and in the case of surgery, the target fluid is blood. It is not surprising that they have found their ways in our homes and are praised by auto dealers, window washers and professional house cleaners alike.

From the name, surgical huck towels belong to hospitals. That is not the case anymore, as they seem to appear anywhere that cleaning is required. Today, you will find them in homes, with car cleaners, in hotels and restaurants, in bathrooms, factories and any other place you can name. The question is why they are replacing the traditional rags that have been for long used in such cleaning and polishing of surfaces.

The fabric used in normally very light. As such, it allows superior outcomes in comparison to other materials designed for the same purpose. It works with a large variety of liquids, in fact, almost all liquids that you encounter in the normal operational environment in homes and majority of other institutions and factories. In addition to this, the removal of any liquid is achieved with the least time possible, making it very dependable and a time saving cleaning rag.

The choice of fabric is o specific putting all considerations for their use particularly in medical setting. The first priority is the absorbent quality. You are unlikely to find better absorbents than this item. As such, it makes the work much easier and save a great deal of time, something very precious in surgery settings and for you too.

When it comes to purchasing, the options are also equally wide. The new ones are readily available in medical stores, being primarily designed for medical settings. The prices are surprisingly attractive. In most of these stores, there are specialists who can offer assistance when it comes to making a choice. The other option is to try the reclaimed ones, which are equally good in performance and durability.

Better still, your sense of taste is well care of. The fabrics come in a great deal in terms of sizes, color and design. This means that they fit well for any cleaning purpose and in any occasion. In most stores, whether online or offline, there are experts who are there to ensure that your choice is the perfect one. You can always ask for their assistance when making selection.

Just like all other fabrics, the suggestion that you should wash and dry your newly acquired towel still holds. It will find application in a dozen of ways in your home. Professional janitorial service providers rate them very highly. Car wash attendants used it for polishing. The other areas you are likely to find them include restaurants, bathrooms and in aprons among others.

Ones again, cleanliness is almost a virtue, and as such, you cannot afford the opposite. In order to be in an environment that will make you comfortable enough, particularly at home, you will need to use special tools, beyond just soap and water in your cleaning process. Surgical huck towels are the cleaning tool that will truly give value to your money.

About the Author:

surgical huck towels are now found on the World Wide Web. You can get full details and information about the benefits of using these products at http://www.burdisco.com.

Amazing Tech Blogger Tips You Need To Use

By Colin Burnett

Blogging is the act of posting certain subject matter while sharing your opinions on a website. Doing this can help maximize the results you to use your blogging efforts. Read this article below for more tips.

Don't ever try to copy things from the web. You don't need to be professional, but you do need to be knowledgeable and passionate about your subject.

When publishing a blog, consider purchasing your own domain name, instead of using a free generic one. It does not cost very much to do so, and will make you seem more professional. Domain names are very important, especially when they include the actual names of businesses, are generally easier for folks to remember.

Give your readers every possible way to follow and share your blog easily. These portals give you multiple options to reach out and communicating with your readers and draw more followers in.

Make sure you blog is in tip-top shape. This means you are performing all necessary maintenance and that you're updating the blog to keep it current. This prevents boredom and facilitates site navigation.

Try to develop your mailing list as quickly as you can. The sooner you begin, the more time it will have to grow. You can use the mailing list to earn more money later on. Not starting a mailing list can prove to be very detrimental.

Patience is definitely key as you are trying to expand your readership. It will take a while for people to discover your blog. Also, until you get several blogs written, there just won't be that much content for visitors to read.

Start your mailing list as early as possible. The sooner you begin compiling your list, the greater the amount of time you have for growing your list. This list can make more money in the road. Not developing and utilizing a mailing list early can be costly.

Patience is definitely key as you are trying to expand your readership. It takes everyone some time for the word to spread about a blog. Additionally, since you are just starting out, there will simply not be much available for readers to view.

Break up longer blogs with subheadings to ensure your reader doesn't tire out.This will make your blog easier to view. This is easy and can help you elevate your blogging to the next level.

It is important to make your keywords be italicized and bold.This will make your keywords stand out and also improves your search engine rankings. If a keyword is easy to spot, they are much more apt to visit the associated site, which helps your SEO and profits.

Try to make sure that you divide your longer blogs up into smaller ones. A blog that is long post can be too much for your reader.

Advertisements play an important role in blogging and are utilized by most bloggers as a big part of blogging. However, if your blog is cluttered up with too many adverts, chances are you will not attract as many readers.

Keep a close watch on your blogging competition and always try to one-up what other bloggers are doing so that you can stay ahead of the game. Remember that they are probably on your blog just as you read theirs.

No matter what you'd like to accomplish with your blog, the advice in this article should help you get there. Blogs can help you share your views, market your products and even connect with new friends. Use what will work for your purpose, and remember that when you put something online, it is there forever, so choose your words wisely.

About the Author:

Before you buy any other products on-line, make sure you check Colin Burnett' excellent free report on how to write a good blog, and credit card scams

No Zombie Writing: Brain Food

By Buffy Greentree

Why would you think your brain isn't affected by what you put into your mouth? Sudden sugar rushes and the following lows play havoc with your concentration and ability to access the key language areas that will bring out the best in your writing. Remember that you are training to be an expert in your field, trying to push your mind, and body as well to some extent, to the edge of human possibilities. You want your wit to be quick and your decision-making skills sharp. You simply can't stuff any old food into a finely trained and balanced system.

Brain Food

Some foods are better for your brain than others - we have good evidence to support this claim, from a variety of research fields.

The secret to eating for your brain is the chemicals the food supplies to the brain. These different chemicals can keep you motivated, help you concentrate, improve memory, help you deal with stress, and slow down the ageing process.

So, here are some of the top foods for brain function. See how creative you can get.

These are the top four chemicals your brain loves:

Glucose: Yes, it is otherwise known as sugar, and we all hear all the time that sugar is bad for you. Let me explain. Most of the brain's energy comes from glucose, so you definitely need it. The problem is your brain needs a slow and constant stream of it, and gets rather upset by a sudden increase and then none at all. Dealing with this problem? Have more and smaller meals really helps with concentration.

Fatty Acids: Yes, your brain actually needs fat! Mmmm, though before you reach for those potato chips - it's not that type of fat. The big winner is omega-3, which you can obtain easily through fish. Particularly the fatty kinds like salmon and tuna (ahah! I've heard about tuna!). However, you can also get omega-3 goodness from walnuts, pumpkin and flax seeds, so you are not totally limited if you can't have seafood. How much are we talking? Well, one serving a day is a great aim.

Amino Acids: These come from protein-rich foods and are essential for mental alertness. They affect your neurotransmitters and so can improve a range of different mental aspects, including memory, your immune system and even your sleep. So where do these good thing come from? Amino acids come as the body breaks down protein, so fish, meat, eggs, cheese and yogurt are all good. The suggestion is to get one of these into each and every one of your meals. Are you up to the challenge?

Antioxidants: These help to regulate the oxidative stress that negatively affects brain cells. Want some of these goodies? Well good old tea is great, as well as veggies or berries. Your parents were right, you should eat your greens because they're good for you. For a tasty day's worth, you only need a cup of antioxidant rich food like berries. Hmmm... do I hear berry smoothie? Make it with yogurt and a splash of flax seed oil and you are ready to go!

Finally, I know it's not a food, but water mustn't be forgotten. Get more water into you, as even mild dehydration has consequences for your mental performance. Make sure you are having a few glasses a day of the pure stuff, along with all your other drinks.

Sadly, eating well won't make you super smart overnight. In most modern lives, change needs to be made just to get your brain functioning as it should. There are some short-term gains, but you should be focused on creating better brain function for the long term. And seriously, it will be worth it.

Avoiding the After Lunch Slump

1. Avoid eating too much. That 'stuffed' feeling is a bad sign. It means that more blood is going to be diverted to your digestive system to deal with the overload, and that you are going to feel sleepy and weak as a result.

2. Get some vitamins! Veggies at lunchtime are excellent, for many reasons.

3. Be careful of hot meals. They can be great in winter, but do have a habit of lulling your body into a meditative state.

4. Think about your sleep. If you are feeling sleepy mid-afternoon, it is often a good indication that you aren't get enough quality sleep at night. Spending an extra hour at night to prepare for a great sleep is better than three hours wasted due to tiredness in the afternoon.

5. An after-lunch meditation is great, but after the allocated 20 minutes, you need to kick your body back into gear, so try going for a walk to get the blood flowing again to the rest of your body. Also, getting out into the sunlight will let your body know it should be awake.

About the Author:

This is an excerpt from Buffy Greentree's book 'The Five Day Writer's Retreat', available now on Amazon. Five_day_Writer_Retreat

Britain's Famous Cold War Author

By Serena Price

The Cold War describes the years between the end of World War II, 1945, and the collapse of the USSR in 1991. Specifically, it refers to the tense quality of relations between the Soviet Union and the United States. Ian Fleming was a hugely popular cold war author. He is best known for his James Bond spy novels as well as a children's short story that became a popular Disney film, "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang."

Fleming's family came from Scotland. They moved from Perth to Dundee, where Ian's grandfather, Robert Fleming, made his fortune in the financial sector. When the Flemings migrated from Dundee to London in the south, Robert Fleming started an investment bank of his own.

Fleming's father, Valentine, was a barrister and a Member of Parliament. During the First World War, he went to serve with the Queen's Own Oxfordshire Hussars. When he was killed on the Western Front in 1917, leaving four sons aged 10, 9, 6 and 4, his obituary was written by none other than Winston Churchill, fellow officer, friend and future Prime Minister of England. Fleming's mother, Evelyn Rose, was the daughter of a wealthy London solicitor.

Born in London's Mayfair on 27 Green Street on the 28th of May 1908, Ian Lancaster Fleming was the second-eldest of four brothers. He went to school at Eaton College, and then studied abroad in Germany and Austria. His elder brother, Peter, was born in 1907. He eventually wed noted actress, Celia Johnson, who appeared in David Lean's Film, "Brief Encounter." The two younger Fleming brothers, Richard and Michael, were born in 1911 and 1913, respectively. Richard died of a heart attack in 1977, while Michael married and had four children.

Ian Fleming's early working years were spent at Reuters news agency. Incurring a fine for a driving offense in Oxford, Fleming had to absent himself from his court appearance because he was covering the World Economic Conference on Reuters' behalf. He looked fondly on his years at Reuters as the most thrilling period of his life.

During his one month's unsalaried trial at Reuters, Fleming was tasked with updating 500 obituaries. This impressed his then-boss, Editor-in-Chief Bernard Rickatson-Hatt, who described him as meticulous, methodical and painstaking. It was here at Reuters that he learned how to be fast and accurate. At Reuters, if you weren't accurate, you weren't employed.

It was Fleming's tenure as assistant Director of Naval Intelligence that inspired his 14 James Bond novels. He chose the name, James Bond, from the writer of a book about West Indian birds. Fleming spent 18 years in Jamaica, and the volume was his constant companion.

Cold war author, Ian Fleming, most famous for his spy novels, also wrote a children's short story, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. This story was eventually made into a Disney movie. The story was written for his son, Caspar. Fleming suffered a heart attack in Jamaica on the day of his son's 12th birthday, August 12, 1964. The boy never recovered from losing his father at such a tender age and took his own life in 1975.

About the Author:

Read the published books of our cold war author right now. To gain access to the web page today, go to http://www.war-author.com.

The Write Environment: Improving Your Writing With Easy Changes

By Buffy Greentree

If you ever want to write prolifically, writing needs to become a priority in your life - a skill that you practise daily. As such, you need to make it part of your lifestyle; it needs a dedicated place in your daily schedule, you need to factor in what you eat, drink, how you exercise and sleep. But these are many changes. Right now, I just want to talk about things you can do to your immediate environment in order to maximise your effectiveness as a writer.

Firstly, where is it that you dedicate yourself to writing? Do you have a dedicated writing space? Or do you snatch a corner of the kids' play area, or crouch in the kitchen as it begs you to clean it. Perhaps it's time to get one - there are many people who argue that having a space that is solely dedicated to writing is an excellent way to get your brain in the mood. I'm not one of those people, though I think it's important to have a time and space put aside to write in. When I first dedicated my lifestyle to writing, I wrote in my four-poster bed, which had lanterns hung on each post. Every night I'd get home from the gym, have a shower, dinner, and then jump straight into bed and turn on each of the lanterns. The next few hours before sleep I would dedicate to writing. This was a great time in my writing life.

After my tax return arrived, I bought a present for myself and my writing life: my Writing Chair (it in itself is not special; it's IKEA and probably half the world has the same chair, but it's given significance by my treatment of it). I aim to do nothing in that chair except write. Is my writing any better for it? Hard to tell, but my back is happier. Having the chair also puts me in the mindframe of writing each time I sit in it, because that's its purpose in my house.

As I live in a one bedroom apartment, my chair is in my main living area facing my kitchen area. This can lead to stress in some people, and while you can train yourself to block out the call of other things that need to be done, I found that the most effective way to rid myself of those nagging thoughts about cleaning was to get myself a cleaning lady. Lilly and her partner come every second week and clean my entire apartment, so I never have to worry about it. All for the price of staying an hour and a half longer at work (or not going out to a movie and dinner). Definitely worth it.

I've made concerted efforts to make my writing environment nice. My furniture is arranged so that I have inspirational books on shelves within arm's reach, inspirational words and favourite quotes festoon the walls, and I have plants around me. I find pictures that evoke my work to myself, as well as large prints of places I've travelled to and adventures I've had, both of which excite my imagination.

Lighting is very important to me, a not just having a good light - it sets my mood, illumines my thoughts, and places the shadows of my plots before me. Sometimes low, mood lighting is the most effective, while at other times I need sunlight streaming in. I've experimented with my lighting options, and have a lamp that has a warm light bulb in it, along with my down lights, and moved my chair to be situated right near the windows. I love having lanterns around my four poster, and think fondly back to those times that I wrote in bed like a princess, but have not moved them to my current location so I still get princess reading time before sleep. How does lighting affect you? Are your lights too harsh? Do you need to invest in a lamp? You might be surprised the difference it makes.

Lighting, music and sounds are all sensuous ways of putting your mind in writing mode. Some people (including myself) use soundtracks for their writing, and scented candles to evoke the writing atmosphere. I use both, combined with other techniques. What scents/sounds put you in the mood to write?

I once heard about writer who had tried unsuccessfully to write while raising young children. She eventually tried locking them in a play pen so she could sit down and write, but the complaints and noise made that impossible. Her solution? Free the children and lock herself in the pen! And it actually worked for her, so don't be afraid to think outside the box (or in this case, inside it!).

So, now I want you to visualise your ideal writing situation. If you could write anywhere, with no budget restrictions, what is around you? At least, what are the key elements?

For me, I have two images I keep coming back to:

The first is of a clear, light conservatory. A comfortable chair is surrounded by greenery, and beside it is a small table with shelves for books and can hold my pot of exotic tea that I breathe in deeply while thinking.

The second is that of a warm, carpeted study, with large French style windows that look out into tree branches. A fire crackles in the hearth, and dark wood bookshelves surround the room. A large mahogany desk is what I work out, and when I pause I savour the delicious smell of freshly roasted coffee with the warmth of the blaze.

In these two images, the colour contrasts and the amount of light are important. The nearness of books inspires me, and the use of natural elements such as wood soothes me. The two examples I use mean I don't need much memory input, such as the photographs I have up around me, (the inspirational books on the shelves serve that purpose for me). I try to recreate the essence of these two images as much as I can in my current environment.

Another task: describe your imaginary writing space in as much detail as you can, down even to the scent in the air. Spend five minutes trying to go deeper: where is the light coming from? What is closest to you? What colours dominate the scene? Are you sitting, standing, reclined? How are you supported: feet up with a neck rest, sitting on a desk chair, no back rest? What is your method of writing - desktop, laptop, typewriter? Once you have gotten as much detail out as you can, go through and make a list of elements that are most important to you. Then from these, implement any you can into your current space.

About the Author:

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To Think Write, Eat Write

By Buffy Greentree

I know, I know, writers are meant to live on booze and cigarettes, but honestly, some of those authors might have written an awful lot more, and for a lot longer, if they had looked after their diet a bit more. I want to look at how to optimise your writing ability through good nutrition.

The Naughty Things

Don't get me wrong, I have no doubt that people are able to write while eating fast food, and they might even do it better for short bursts with sugar to power them through an all-nighter for an essay. But we're talking about the long term, a career of writing. We are talking about being able to sit down day after day and not falling asleep after your midday meal or crashing from low blood sugar. Best health only comes with good nutrition. Why do you think your brain isn't similarly affected by what you put into your mouth? Sudden sugar rushes and the following lows play havoc with your concentration and ability to access the key language areas that will bring out the best in your writing.

Hunger vs Willpower

Hunger eats away at willpower, with the result forcing yourself to do something when you're hungry is nigh on impossible. Simple solution: don't let yourself get hungry. Don't wait to eat until it is too late. One of the biggest traps I've found while writing is that you get caught up in what you are doing, and then suddenly realise you're starving. Looking around the kitchen everything seems too difficult, so you end up grabbing some chips or just live on toast. Now toast might get you through the short term, but you'll look back at the week and realise you've not eaten anything but processed carbs. The salad materials you bought have now gone brown and your poor digestive system hasn't seen a vitamin in days. So plan ahead! ... and maybe stock a few meals you've frozen for those inevitable slip ups.

The first step is to always have breakfast. I know, I know, some of you don't like breakfast. You don't feel hungry at that time in the morning. Some people have 'always' felt this way and think it's in-built. But you can train yourself to prefer and even crave a healthy meal to start your day. Start with something, even if it is just a piece of fruit. Though, if eating only fruit, be careful of the famed 'sugar crash' that can follow natural fruit sugars in the same way it stalks a cake or biscuit.

Plan simple and brain appropriate breakfasts that won't be stressful to make. Plan them now, and add the ingredients to the shopping list. My breakfast ranges from porridge with cinnamon and brown sugar in winter, which is comforting and makes the world seem better, to natural yogurt and a homemade oat and dried apricot granola. I find yogurt too cold for winter, but refreshing and light in summer. Also, both meals are not at all difficult to whip together, and not having to make the choice of what to eat every morning saves some of my decision making power for later. Whatever works for you, organise it and use it.

Assuming you get up early enough to leave time between breakfast and lunch, I agree with the Hobbits on the importance of elevenses. A mid-morning snack breaks the workload into manageable pieces and gives you something to look forward to. Further, I'm not one of those people who say you should only eat fruit, unless you feel like it. Personally I find fruit one of the greatest things in the universe, however I am also in favor of a bit of cake - when it's the good solid homemade variety. Something that makes you look forward to the coming break, but doesn't leave you bouncing off the walls afterwards, or feeling so stuffed that you have to waddle back to your chair. Cheese and biscuits is another good snack. It is just a matter of all things in moderation.

Lunchtime

I love lunch. So many options! Almost anything is acceptable at lunch, unlike dinner and breakfast (which tend to be more traditional and rigid in their definitions). The thought of lunch, what I might have and how it will taste, gets me through a tough morning writing session. I am not above negotiating with myself or even stooping to self-bribing when necessary. However, you do need to think about the consequences.

Many people complain about a tiredness and heaviness after lunch that makes tasks such as writing feel impossible. This wipes out a good three hours of possible writing time, for no real benefit. Therefore, do everything in your power to stop this mid-afternoon crash. This is going to take some experimentation, and I don't think I agree with some practitioners who argue that it is due to carbohydrate intolerance and can be solved by eating carb-free. That might be partly true for some people, but there are a whole range of factors that affect that afternoon dip.

Some Steps You Can Take To Avoid the After-Lunch Slump

1. Avoid eating too much. That 'stuffed' feeling is a bad sign. It means that more blood is going to be diverted to your digestive system to deal with the overload, and that you are going to feel sleepy and weak as a result.

2. More protein, less carbs. (I sort of agree with the nutritionists, in that you should have some protein. But carbs aren't all bad.) A big bowl of pasta is a great way to make you want to curl up and sleep. However, a chicken salad will keep you fresh and awake.

3. Get some vitamins! Veggies at lunchtime are excellent, for many reasons.

4. Are you getting enough iron? One of the causes of fatigue, in women in particular, is lack of iron. Use your lunchtime as a chance to make sure you get enough. Chuck some spinach into your salad, or make it a Thai beef salad.

5. Don't rely on stimulants to pick you up. This might work on occasion, but in the end your body will just come to rely on them, meaning they are less effective and without them you feel even worse than you did before! Caffeine is an emergency drug.

In the afternoon it is easy to start craving carbs and sugar, but now really isn't the best time to have them, as they are just going to make you feel worse. Instead, now is a great time to make sure you have gotten enough veggies for the day. Still a bit low? Try something like carrot sticks with hummus, or even nuts. Once you realise how good getting vitamins can be, your body will be begging you for them.

Dinner

Dinner. Hmmm, I'm not sure if I buy the common diet myth that 'You shouldn't eat after 6pm.' I find that coming to that time of night and realising I can't have anything more until I go to bed is seriously depressing, and just makes me want to sulk. So sometimes you need to be realistic about this. A smaller dinner with a dessert, followed by a supper snack a few hours later will keep you ticking over nicely for an evening writing session.

Make your meals smaller and you are allowed to have more of them. How great is that? Also, you will avoid feeling stuffed, and not feel hungry in between. Just make sure that you do reduce the size of your meals to compensate for having more of them.

Snacking While Writing

I've said it before, I'm not above a bit of bribing to get myself to sit down and write. When I first started writing seriously, I had a great idea. I would beat two willpower problems at once: I would make sure I was never hungry OR fighting major temptation. How did I do this? By allowing myself to eat as much chocolate as I wanted, but only while I was writing. Great plan, huh? If I wanted to eat chocolate, which I did nearly all the time, then I had to be writing.

Well, there is one slight downside to this. If you are planning to spend 4+ hours writing per day, then eating chocolate for this entire time is not going to be healthy (and your keyboard can get grubby). So I gave up the chocolate. Painful, but it came down to a point of all or nothing for me. I was like an alcoholic - once I started, I couldn't stop. So the only solution was not to start at all.

Aaaannd... Welcome into my life caramel jerseys. Yup, I just replaced them with something else, which didn't solve my problem at all. But I needed something! The hours of just sitting there, not doing anything! And the chewing helped me think, really it did. So then I took a note out of my godmother's book, who had given up smoking. I started chewing gum. What else was I to do?

Chewing gum has a couple of benefits: first, your breath stays minty fresh. Second, the chewing really seems to help the thought process. Third, it stops you putting anything else, like mysteriously appearing pieces of chocolate, into your mouth.

Now I know this sounds like a small, inconsequential piece of advice, but think about it. If chewing gum saves me from devouring chocolate for four hours a day, it then saves me hundreds of calories a day. Hundreds of calories a day quickly equals an extra two kilos of weight gain per month. That becomes 24kgs heavier for every year that I write!

Like I said, chew gum.

About the Author:

This is an excerpt from Buffy Greentree's book 'The Five Day Writer's Retreat', available now on Amazon. Five_day_Writer_Retreat