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Monthly Archives: December 2015

Writing Library Purchase Requisition Forms: this works!

31 Thursday Dec 2015

Posted by Christoph Fischer in Uncategorized

≈ 6 Comments

Thanks Robin a.k.a. witlessdatingafterfifty.wordpress.com for getting my book into the library. You are the Best. And: Writing Library Purchase Requisition Forms work!!!

witlessdatingafterfifty

image

You will read a List on next post
which holds books by fellow
bloggers, following this.

This book was written by
Christopher Fischer.
Published 2015.

Finland,1918 ~
Civil War
follows 3
friends
for 30
years.

Won’t you want to read about
two men of differing
political views,
one female
who cares?

Christoph has also written,

~ “The Luck of the Weissensteiners”
Three Nations Trilogy: Book 1.
Misguided love and marriage
surviving the Holocaust’s
effects upon lives.
Wilhelm and Greta.

“Sebastian,”
is the main character
in the second book of series,
Three Nations Trilogy: Book 2.

~ “The Black Eagle Inn,”
Three Nations Trilogy: Book 3.
Family restaurant story,
WW II.

~ “Time to Let Go,”
Modern times,
British family saga.

~ “Conditions,”
Set in British
South coast,
Family dynamics,
Sibling rivalry,
after death of a mother.

~ “The Healer,”
Time is of the essence,
Erika has pancreatic cancer,
Seeking a…

View original post 48 more words

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So You Want To Volunteer – Guest blog by CHARMAINE CRAIG

31 Thursday Dec 2015

Posted by Christoph Fischer in Uncategorized

≈ 10 Comments

Great advice from Canadian volunteer Charmaine Craig
(pictures from previous blog posts)

Find out more about her on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/Be-Kind-to-Refugees-908617265901271/?fref=ts
https://www.facebook.com/notes/charmaine-craig/so-you-want-to-volunteer/10153832165522855
or support her GoFundMe campaign: https://www.gofundme.com/bekindtorefugees

So You Want To Volunteer

You are looking at numerous heartbreaking images whilst scrolling through your news feed, and thinking: What can I do to help? You read stories of volunteers and how they are helping in the biggest humanitarian crisis since World War II. You have this overwhelming urge to help, but don’t know if your small contribution will make a difference in such a large complex situation. 12295432_10153127109931035_2083930406583333085_n
You may ask yourself: Do I have the time? Can I afford it? Will my friends and family support my decision? Do I have the skills? Will I be able to handle seeing people in crisis and focus on their needs? Can one person really make a difference?
These are some of the questions I asked myself before going to Kos, Greece, to help the refugees. And the answer to all of them turned out to be “yes”. I already had three weeks booked off work, but I wasn’t sure if my help was worth the cost of the flight and hotels. However, my desire to help far outweighed any logical monetary or math equations. I needed to ‘see’ for myself what was going on in the world, and I needed to feel like I was doing more then just depositing money into a charity’s bank account—where, I might add, you don’t actually know who the money benefits.
If you are coming from North America I wouldn’t recommend any less than ten days, this would maximize the value of your volunteerism. Flights are too time consuming and expensive to travel that distance for any shorter period of time. Keep in mind that your time in service should be more valuable then the cost of the flight and hotels. You will discover the time you can lend to volunteering is in demand, and you may find that you want to stay longer. Many volunteers who planned on staying one or two weeks ended up postponing their flights home. I ended up staying two months, and I met many volunteers from EU countries when I first got there who went home and came back again before I left. Once you realize the great need for volunteers, you will feel very guilty about leaving. 12250077_10100587580890054_1233693129914873060_n
It doesn’t matter how old you are, whether you are qualified or if you have one arm, two or none – anyone can volunteer. Some volunteer organizations have age restrictions, which is a bunch of hooey—look elsewhere. If you care about people and want to do something to help, there is something for you to do. A volunteer may do one job or fifteen. A wide variety of skills are needed: coordinating teams, nursing, purchasing and transporting goods, fundraising, sorting donations of clothes and shoes, getting donations to those who need them, improving conditions, cleaning the beaches, preparing and distributing food, making children laugh, or just being on the beaches to welcome the refugees with dry clothes and a smile. And everyone is capable of giving a hug. 12278972_10153127109481035_7285676143325365805_n
If you are patient enough, you can get on with one of the larger NGO’s and have your travel and accommodations covered. Otherwise, count on self-funding your trip.
When I first decided to volunteer I applied with a couple of the larger well-known organizations, and after receiving their complicated application packages I realized that was too slow a route for me to go. So I researched online to find where I could best be of some help. I joined many Facebook groups that were organizing volunteers for the borders of Serbia/Croatia and Macedonia/Greece, and the Greek islands where the refugees first arrive to Europe by boats. I came across a news article about two ladies who had been to Kos to help in August, and were returning with a group of volunteers for a second trip in October. I liked what I read: these were two women who went out and made an impact. Their return trip was during the time I had off work, so I contacted them and asked if they would mind if I joined them. Meeting someone who had already been in the trenches, so to speak, took a bit of the worry off.
Van ready to go to Berlin with just over 1000kgs of donated clothing! Thanks for all your help Raz Hussain! Safe journey and see you there on Thursday!

Van ready to go to Berlin with just over 1000kgs of donated clothing!

Once I had a definite plan of action, I told my family and friends what I was doing. I did not discuss it beforehand, as I didn’t want anyone to try to dissuade me. I made the decision on my own, but once I told everyone I realized I had underestimated the amount of support I would receive. My boss said he would pay for my flight, and my friends helped to put together a good list of supplies to bring for the refugees. They also helped gather donated supplies, purchased supplies and gave me money. They proved to be a tremendous support for which I am ever so grateful.
I purchased my airline tickets, reserved a hotel (recommended by the group I was meeting), filled four very large suitcases and a carry-on bag and super large purse, and travelled to Kos, Greece.
Do your research when purchasing flights. Coming from overseas means transferring flights somewhere in Europe before reaching Athens, and from Athens you need a domestic flight to whichever island you have decided to go to. This often means a seven-hour wait in the Athens airport, so be ready for that. There are some direct flights from the UK to the islands. There are many pricing options, and if you play with all of the cheap flight websites you will find one that suits your needs. And if you are coming from North America, be sure to set your web browser to incognito before using sites like Sky Scanner and then set the currency to Euro–when the computer knows you are from North America, the price is much higher. I looked at numerous flight options with a wide range of prices. For me, it was a bit cheaper to travel to Turkey and take the ferry from Bodrum to Kos; however to save time I opted to fly through Athens. I thought the seven-hour wait at the Athens airport was preferable to the extra flight from Istanbul to Bodrum and then the ferry to Kos. But next time I think I may go the Turkey route. 10341515_10153172633206035_942482175605773734_n
Many hotels will give a discounted price to volunteers. In fact, some are close to free. When you are looking at where to volunteer, get in contact with the page administrator—remember the Facebook groups you now joined? Each stop along the refugee route has a group page or pages with information for volunteers, and many have corresponding websites. Be sure to use the resources available – they are a valuable source of all kinds of information. Here you will find where there is the most need, how the refugee process is currently managed in that location, and what volunteer activities will suit your skills. You can also get tips on where to stay, the best ground transportation, and what to pack.
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Be careful with the supplies you bring from home. Remember that baggage limits vary with each airline, and in most cases you will need to pay extra for excess luggage. When planning what to bring for the refugees, think about what is more economical to purchase at home, and what is lightweight and small enough to bring with you. And again, ask someone on the ground what is needed. You may end up bringing something they already have plenty of.
This is what I packed (most of which was collected/donated by those lovely friends I mentioned): Europe-migrant-Greece-media-018_m
260 emergency blankets
100 rain ponchos
120 toothbrushes and toothpaste (50 were cool kids’ ones)
60 small packages of Wet Wipes
100 disposable razors (in hindsight-I would bring more, as they are much cheaper at home)
50 small bottles of hand sanitizer
50 hotel-size bottles of shampoo (skip the shampoo if watching the weight)
100 hotel-size bars of soap
50 Emerg C packs to mix with water
100 hair combs
144 fruit bars (SunRype brand flat fruit snacks,
72 in a box for $8 Canadian)
10 packages of playing cards
50 small stuffies for the children 4 packages of coloured chalk
10 toques
10 pairs of socks
5 pairs of men’s shoes
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The last three items I recommend purchasing when you arrive (unless they were donated). It is much cheaper to get shoes, socks and toques there, and it helps support the local economy – in addition to saving weight and space in your suitcase. Also, next time I would skip the hand sanitizers and add more fruit bars. The adults and children absolutely loved them, and they were getting so little vitamin C as it was.
Don’t forget to pack your own clothes! I had very little room left for mine, and actually ended up wearing layers of them to save room in my case. Be practical when making your list, and check out the weather before you leave – and prepare for rain! I live on the rainy British Columbia coast and I have never experienced such torrential downpours as I did in Kos.
The majority of the volunteers aiding in the current refugee crisis are self-funded. The amount of money you need to volunteer depends on a variety of factors (e.g. flights, hotel, ground transportation, food) but you should try to do everything on the cheap, so that more benefit can be given to the refugees. You do not have to be rich, and it is not necessary to bring extra to donate to the refugees. Your time and service is desired, invaluable and priceless. However…
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I planned my trip thinking I would be responsible for all of the costs. At the time it didn’t occur to me to fundraise for it. I was lucky enough to have my employer pay for my flight as his way of contributing to fighting the crisis. I came prepared with a budget of my own costs, and a dollar amount of what I could afford to spend on supplies for refugees. I planned to figure out once I was there what to purchase for the refugees, and/or what I would give organizations working on the ground. But once I arrived and talked to many other volunteers, and took some time to analyze how the NGO’s, the smaller volunteer organizations and the individual volunteers were contributing, I realized that it was the groups of individual volunteers that were providing the majority of the aid – either with their own money or with money they raised through fundraising websites like GoFundMe.
Since the start of the crisis, and in the height of it – all throughout the summer and up until after I arrived in October – not one of the large well-funded government or NGO’s were paying for any food. Not one. Over 750,000 of our fellow human beings would have starved if not for the volunteers who fundraised and set up food programs. Then there is the problem of shelter…did I mention the torrential rains? At each stop on the route there are tents set up by the UNHCR, but these are greatly inadequate for capacity, privacy and security. Each place on the route has volunteer groups who have dealt with the shelter situation in varying ways. On Kos, the volunteers discovered a way to use the hotels as shelter for the families, the disabled and the elderly—by paying for them. Finding funding is so important – needs can change every day, and volunteers on the ground can see what’s missing and go out and fill that need, immediately.
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So in short, prepare to want to spend more, and prepare your friends. Start a fundraiser, or campaign for a volunteer group on the ground that has one. I started mine after I arrived and saw the desperate need. Trust your friends, family and colleagues—they will want to help you out. That being said, do be careful how you spend the donated money. Think about where your donors’ money is going to be used, and how you can maximize the benefits from donations by helping the most people.
Can you handle seeing fellow human beings in crisis and focus on their needs? I believe you can. My biggest worry going over was how I would handle seeing children in crisis when I can barely handle watching children get hurt in the movies. I am not experienced in crisis. I am not a first responder, a nurse, psychologist or anything like that, and I do not even know first aid, though I do have children who somehow survived childhood. I wasn’t sure if I could handle it, but I knew I had to try. I won’t go into detail of all the different situations of crisis I faced while in Kos, but I will tell you this – The human capacity of love and the yearning to help a fellow human being in crisis conquers all fears. You will be able to give comfort, to enable them to feel some dignity and to encourage them to have hope. You may cry after in your room or break down in another volunteer’s arms, but you will handle it and go on to give comfort, hope and faith again and again.
You will make a difference. I have faith in you.
With love,
Charmaine 12274685_10154491368108975_4478504403691964276_n
https://www.facebook.com/Be-Kind-to…
 www.refugeevolunteers.eu
https://www.facebook.com/refugeevol…

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https://www.facebook.com/Be-Kind-to-Refugees-908617265901271/?fref=ts

https://www.facebook.com/notes/charmaine-craig/so-you-want-to-volunteer/10153832165522855

https://www.gofundme.com/bekindtorefugees 11214270_10154491354968975_8705432629255212711_n12239870_10153124453896035_1739053068913923662_n

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED

31 Thursday Dec 2015

Posted by Christoph Fischer in Uncategorized

≈ Leave a comment

Europe-migrant-Greece-media-018_m

(AFP Photo / Anwar Amro)

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
From Facebook:

“Imagine being being tossed around at sea for close to 4 hours. Imagine being stuck out at sea, in an overcrowded boat taking in water – in freezing, cold winds.

As we are heading into a new year, the weather is quickly getting colder. On the Turkish side, where the boats leave from, it even started snowing today. In Skala Sikamineas, the temperature is expected to drop below 0°C tonight. At the lighthouse in Korakas, even colder.
But even in the most horrific conditions, we always expect that some boats might come. Because worse weather and more dangerous conditions equals bigger discounts from the smugglers. For some people, this is the only time they can afford trying to make it to Europe.20151219_EUP002_0

This morning a boat came to the camp after being tossed around at sea for 4 hours. Eventually they found their way to us, and we could instantly look after their needs. But, what they mostly need is a safe passage, and as long as it’s not provided, we will be there to give the refugees a warm welcome. No matter how cold the weather gets, our volunteers will be there waiting when they arrive. Winds or no winds.

Here are 10 things we do so if anything is in your skill set we would love to hear from you:
1. meet boats on landing and provide medical assistance and relief
2. provide free transport (paid by us) to MSF camp by villager’s pick ups in isolated and poorly accesible areas – this needs coordination
3. first response to information from United Rescues, ProActiva & our own network of villagers & signage on 15 beaches
4. infrastructure improvements and clean ups of inaccessible areas
5. casualty prevention planning & related projects & investments
6. run & stock our own clothes tent at MSF camp for upto 1000 refugees daily 7. give toys, water and snacks to kids & families and provide smiles
8. run a warehouse for northeastern lesvos on behalf of Lets Help Lesvos
9. break down so called ‘mafia arrangements’ exploiting refugees by bringing on board locals/villagers
10. laugh, cry and have fun together and work with many different fantastic volunteer groups !

10341515_10153172633206035_942482175605773734_n
We need low maintenace people who need VERY little direction – our core value is to Kill The Admin (every penny we raise will go directly towards our efforts on the ground) and for sure you wont receive masses of instruction manuals.
Here is how it works; shared accommodation in our volunteers house, 4×4 vehicles, petrol and phone SIM and top up costs are all provided. We ask for a contribution of 20-25 euros per day for this, all you need to to do is turn up and everything is arranged. Your 20-25 euros a day goes into a cashpot in the house (controlled by volunteers) which funds the villager’s 4×4 pick up’s petrol and transportation costs; anything left can be spent directly on refugees (bread, water etc.) With this set fee you can plan the financial side of your trip very easily and we recommend that you fundraise for these costs on the basis that it will in fact pay to transport many cold, wet and traumatised refugees up a 10km mountain path.
Please contact us – in the space of two months we have grown into one of the major providers of rescue, relief and transport in north east Lesvos (Korakas to Palios) and we are now in partnership with Medecins Sans Frontier and need a little bit of help  

Merry Xmas & a Happy New Year!”12271205_10153124241826035_1547184021_o
 www.refugeeslesvos.com
www.facebook.com/theckteamrefugeeslesvos

From me:

If you can’t volunteer, consider donating money to Rando’s gofundme campaign.

Supporting his campaign is money well spent. No overhead costs, everything is transparent and your money goes directly to the refugees. 

https://www.gofundme.com/humansasone

Post, Pin & Tweet – The BEST TIME to OUTREACH Infographic… | Chris The Story Reading Ape’s Blog

31 Thursday Dec 2015

Posted by Christoph Fischer in Uncategorized

≈ 6 Comments

Photo post by @Storyreadingape.

Source: Post, Pin & Tweet – The BEST TIME to OUTREACH Infographic… | Chris The Story Reading Ape’s Blog

Posted on December 4, 2015 by The Story Reading Ape

post-pin-tweet-best-time-outreach

If you enjoyed this article, why not share it with all your friends, online connections and groups – GO ON – you KNOW you WANT to!

Stevie interviews Chris, the Story Reading Ape

31 Thursday Dec 2015

Posted by Christoph Fischer in Uncategorized

≈ 19 Comments

birthday-celebrants-ape-giddy-for-their-presentsAs it is his birthday I’ve decided to post this interview with Chris the Story Reading Ape

Originally posted by Stevie Turner in Stevie’s Interviews

Chris the Story Reading Ape, indie author

Ape

There can be hardly anybody left on WordPress who is not familiar with the logo above, or has not heard of Chris, the Story Reading Ape.  Chris runs a promotional platform here on WordPress, and publishes valuable information and advice for Indie authors like myself.  Today for a change I thought I’d turn the spotlight around so that you can all find out a little bit more about Chris, the Story Reading Ape.

Thanks Chris, for answering my 20 questions!

  1. You say you’re not an author, but have you ever thought of writing a short story, poem or novel?

Yes I have posted several (very) short stories, you can find them under TSRA TALES in my blog NAVIGATION Tab ( http://thestoryreadingapeblog.com/blog-navigation/tsra-tales/ )

  1. Whereabouts in the world do you live?

I currently live in Manchester, England, but I don’t originate from there (big furry pointy fanged grin)

  1. What made you decide to champion the Indie author?

In December 2012 I bought an eReader which had an app for Goodreads included, so I joined them, intending only to list all the books I could remember reading (I’m STILL recalling them lol).

I joined some readers groups and noticed how many Indie Authors placed requests for Guest Posts on blogs, etc, as well as reviews of their books.

Intrigued, I set about investigating how and where to blog, finally settling for WordPress because they offered the best media spread, free blog themes and took time to answer all my questions.

Regards the topic of my blog, I didn’t want to post my reviews there (they are not grandiose affairs), so I designed it to be an independent authors promotional platform.

  1. What genre do you like to read the most?

Science Fiction, Fantasy & Historical Fiction, but I will delve into other genre from time to time.

I have to confess a weakness for children’s books, they help me relax and it’s amazing how much can be learned from their educational books.

  1. Who is your favourite author?

The late, great Sir Terry Pratchett!

You could say he was my Blog Persona Creator (see my blog About page for details) ( http://thestoryreadingapeblog.com/blog-navigation/about/ )

  1. Do you prefer to read an e-book or a traditional paperback?

I loved the feel and smell of traditional books, however, over the years of working in the Construction Industry, mainly in the Middle East where fine sand dust, as well as normal construction dust, is a job hazard, I have developed emphysema and can no longer read them due to the dust and ink fumes affecting my breathing, so rather than stop reading, I bought an eReader.

  1. What did you do for a living?

I was a Self Employed Mechanical / Electrical Consultant Engineer, working for various International Companies around the world.

Now I’m happily retired, busier and more fulfilled than ever.

  1. What is the one thing that you cannot do without?

My wife – she is one amazing Lady!

  1. How many views does Chris the Reading Ape’s blog attract every day?

It usually varies between 700 to 1200 views daily, but there have been several times this year where they have exceeded this.

  1. How can an author be included into Chris the Reading Ape’s Hall of Fame?  

Easy – Just check out my blog Submissions Guidelines at:

http://thestoryreadingapeblog.com/contact-me/

  1. What’s number one on your bucket list?

Enjoying whatever I do.

  1. Do you think surfing the Internet can be addictive?

Absolutely!

  1. As an Indie author myself, I’ve always found your WordPress blogs informative and helpful.  How many hours per day do you spend gathering information for your blogs?

That depends on what other commitments I have for author promotions, Book Covers, Book Promo Trailers and of course, whatever non-blog related stuff my wife needs me to do, but it does run to several hours each day.

  1. Do you think it is better to self-publish rather than use the services of a small publisher?

I don’t have any personal experience of publishing, so I can’t answer that with any authority.

  1. In your opinion, which websites serve the Indie author best in regards to promoting their work? 

There are a multitude of blogs and websites out there who post book reviews and love to introduce new authors to their followers – for free – many of them are authors in their own right.

However (and I’ll probably get a lot of flak for this) I would caution against using sites who make promotional claims that sound too good to be true and charge fees for those services.

ALWAYS do your research thoroughly and get the opinions of anyone who has used them before even thinking of committing funds to those services.

  1. What should Indie authors be mindful of when selling translation rights?

I don’t have any personal experience of this, however, I always recommend you do thorough research and get opinions from anyone else who have done this.

  1. Is it just a money-making scam, or is it actually worth buying books which inform authors of how to go about selling millions of copies? 

No comment, however:

Check out the authors of such books.

Are they rich?

What other books have they written?

How many copies have they sold?

What do their book reviews say?

Do the reviews sound genuine, are they too praising?

Check out the reviewers themselves, what else have they reviewed?

  1. Should an Indie author spend time blogging, or should his/her time be better spent writing?

Nowadays you need to do both, but balance is the key.

However, authors need to decide WHY they write and publish books.

For their personal enjoyment and fulfilment, or to become famous and make money?

  1. What do you think is the best way for Indie authors to find readers?

Networking – I recommend you read this post by Author Shirley McLain who gives a comprehensive list of ways ( http://shirley-mclain.net/2015/12/10/this-is-blatant-advertising/ ) and also browse my blog Resources Tab ( http://thestoryreadingapeblog.com/authors-resources-central/ ) and Information / Marketing Categories Cloud.

  1. Do you think the increasing number of self-published authors will cause traditional publishing to fall by the wayside?

Traditional Publishing has a ring of PRESTIGE that Independent Publishing doesn’t have (yet!) so I can’t see TP falling out of favour for many years

Happy Birthday Chris! download (5)

ST: If any other authors / publishers are interested in answering 20 of  my questions, please leave me a comment here and I’ll be in touch.

Review post for “Ludwika” on http://rachelmcgrath.net/blogs/books-to-read

30 Wednesday Dec 2015

Posted by Christoph Fischer in Uncategorized

≈ 7 Comments

Re-blog from http://rachelmcgrath.net/blogs/books-to-read/2015/12/ludwika-by-christoph-fischer/

Christoph Fischer is one of the most talented and gifted writers I have come across. Many of his books could almost certainly pass for non-fiction with their realistic portrayal of characters, well researched plots and more so, the way he tells the story, keeping you thoroughly engrossed from cover to cover.61b5f-christoph2bfischer2bcover2bludwika

Having just finished Ludwika: A Polish Woman’s Struggle to Survive in Nazi Germany, I was truly moved; left with a lump in my throat and a sadness for a time in history that many of us will never truly understand.

Ludwika Gierz was a real person, and whilst parts of the story are fictionalised, the essence of this Polish woman’s story through world war two in the midst of Nazi Germany is very real. Where racism was rife, and Hitler’s Mein Kampf dictated the treatment of many nations outside of German, the author portrays the strength of this one woman and her story of survival.

Given limited choice but to follow a German soldier away from her hometown in Poland, in order to protect her family and only child, Ludwika is shipped to Germany, and considered an outcast and inferior from the very start. Whilst Ludwika was not a Jew, and thankfully did not suffer the consequences that befell on the Jewish community at that time, she still was not considered an equal, being of Polish decent.

halina and ludwika

Her natural charm, intellect and strength were her only keys to survival. The loss, death and destruction, which surround her is heartbreakingly real, and sympathetically portrayed by the author. The entire book is cleverly researched and Fischer’s story telling is heartfelt and passionate.CWBY8Hx

 

This story truly makes you reflect on what was lost during this time, how so many families were torn apart, never to be seen again. It reminds us of the power and danger that befalls a dictatorship, and how easily that can result the loss of millions and the destruction of civil society. Something we hope the world will learn from, this book will remain a timeless reminder of this fact.

Review Christoph Fisher’s Website


Purchase Ludwika on Amazon6c69c-christoph2bfischer2bprofile2bpic2bludwika

irena friend and son

Welsh Wednesday Interview with Mansel Jones

30 Wednesday Dec 2015

Posted by Christoph Fischer in Uncategorized

≈ 9 Comments

tangwstylWelcome to Welsh Wednesdays and thank you for participating. First up, please tell us about your connection to Wales.

I was born and bred in Wales and I’m very proud to be the son of such a wonderful country.

Tell us a little about yourself as writer and as person.

I’m a history lover, a medievalist, and I’ve been researching and writing about that era for as long as I can remember. As a person, I enjoy music, reading and my two dogs, Madog and Cynan, named after two of the characters in my novel, Tangwstyl.

Why did you decide to write in your chosen genre(s)?

My love of history pulled me towards that genre. Also, I feel that we can learn so much from the past, so writing about, and researching the medieval period, offers endless fascination.

l us about the concept behind your book(s). 9780956690913

With Tangwstyl, I wanted to write about a medieval town, so I based it on my social history research. I placed the novel in Kenfig, a few decades before the sand encroached and swallowed up the town. The sand acts as a metaphor in the story. Also, it’s a strong motivating factor for the villains in the plot. Their castle is sinking into the sand. What can they do about it? Nothing. But they can line their pockets with gold if they accept an offer to murder the king…

Who is your favourite Welsh author? 

My friend and colleague, Hannah Howe, is my favourite Welsh author. And, no, she didn’t pay me to say that. And, yes, that answer is genuine.shutterstock_2405318_kindlephoto-171759170

What is the best thing about Wales? 

Wales has a history of hospitality and social justice, dating back to the laws of Hywel Dda, and beyond. We should be proud of that history and its legacy, proud of what we stand for as a nation.

What book are you currently reading and in what format (e-book/paperback/hardcover)?

I read mainly for research, mainly books about the medieval era and local history. I prefer hardbacks and paperbacks to modern e-readers, though I often wonder what medieval scribes would make of the way we write and communicate today.

Web links 9780956690920

http://jonesthebook.com

http://manseljones.com

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Mansel-Jones/e/B0044RKLZO/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1447080922&sr=1-2-ent

http://www.amazon.com/Mansel-Jones/e/B0044RKLZO/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1447080922&sr=1-2-ent

The Story of Silent Trauma

29 Tuesday Dec 2015

Posted by Christoph Fischer in Uncategorized

≈ 5 Comments

Judith Barrow’s amazing fiction book built on the facts of Stilboestrol (Diethylstilboestrol in the USA – DES) – this is an old blog, so I believe the special offer mentioned at the end is not on any more. Worth reading all the same!

Judith Barrow

Silent Trauma is the one book I’ve self published.   It’s fiction built on the  facts of Stilboestrol (Diethylstilboestrol in the USA – DES)   I knew I needed to write the story in my own way; to make the characters as rounded as possible even though it was the story of the drug, rather than the characters themselves that led the way. I would have liked to give them more of a back-story but I think they came alive in their own way in the end. I wanted to reach as many people as possible so I knew I needed to make the story as interesting as I could without it being completely didactic. But I’ve also heard some heart-breaking accounts of the lives of the women affected by Stilboestrol and I was always aware that I was representing them, so my facts had to be correct. And, if anything, the years of…

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An Open Letter to the Governments of Europe

29 Tuesday Dec 2015

Posted by Christoph Fischer in Uncategorized

≈ 16 Comments

An Open Letter to the Governments of Europe

http://www.europeact.eu/:

EUROPE, PLEASE ACT!

We, the front-line volunteers who for months now have been helping thousands of refugees, call on all the governments of Europe to act immediately and decisively to alleviate the situation. There are tens of thousands of people moving through south-eastern Europe and the current capacities of volunteer-based help sites are seriously challenged. Given also the rapid approach of winter and problems at various borders, we feel there is a real danger that the situation will lead to serious medical problems and likely deaths among the refugee community.

Every person has the legal right to seek asylum. If Europe is not able to provide safe and legal routes for asylum-seekers, it is obliged to provide aid to those who took the dangerous route. We do not want to see a single refugee dying while waiting in endless queues at European borders, literally in our own hands.  


Volunteers have been providing a wide range of activities so far, in many places completely replacing the absent government facilities and aid. We are distributing food and water, undertaking crowd management, providing critical information about registration and borders, referring vulnerable people to UNHCR or medical services, caring for children, managing stocks of clothing and blankets, cleaning waste, raising funds and providing shelter to the most vulnerable few.


We have been doing all this for months in Lesvos, Athens, Gevgelija, Budapest, Röszke, Belgrade, Eidomeni, Hegyeshalom, Nickelsdorf, Wien, Salzburg, Heiligenkreuz, Zakány, Botovo, Calais, Preševo, Berkasovo, Bregana, Harmica, Trnovec, Mursko Središće, Bapska, Opatovac and a number of other places around Europe. We have proven that volunteers can do a lot, but we will be unable to keep thousands of people warm once the winter weather closes in.


Winter is coming quickly and we all have just a few days to respond in a humane way.

  • We call on all European countries to provide immediate help to all those countries affected by the refugee crisis, instead of helping those countries that are building fences.
  • We call for the building of safe reception and transit centres with facilities that can cope with the harsh winter conditions of the region.
  • We also call for humanitarian aid to be delivered to the people that need it, for the provision of appropriate medical services and for the coordination of all efforts on a pan-European level.
  • We also call on the EU to immediately implement other mechanisms which aim to provide safe passage to the EU.

This is advance notice to all of you, the leaders of Europe, that people will be freezing to death soon on our borders if you do not act now.

​We have done our best up to this point and we will continue to help for as long as is necessary. But now it is your turn, governments of Europe. Please respond and demonstrate to the world that humanity is still at the core of European values.


Do you agree with our letter and want to help? All organisations are happy to receive any kind of donation, but right now we need more. Please call, email or visit your government, your MP, your ministers or your president and ask them,  “What are you going to do to prevent suffering and death among refugees?” If they don’t answer, or their response is not sufficient, call, email or visit them again. As long as is necessary.

​This #europeact open letter is supported by these volunteer groups:

  • PomocUprchlikum.cz (Czech Republic)
  • IRPeace.org (Hungary)
  • Migration Aid (Hungary)
  • United Volunteers of Preševo (Serbia)
  • Youth office Preševo (Serbia)
  • Budapest – Bamako SOS Refugees (Hungary)
  • MigSzol Csoport (Hungary)
  • Dobrodošli / Welcome Hrvatska – Centar za mirovne studije (Croatia)
  • Protirasistična fronta brez meja (Slovenia)
  • IHA – InterEuropean Human Aid Association (Austria / Germany)
  • Refugee Aid Serbia (Serbia)
  • SOSKonvoi – der geheime Kunstsalon Wien (Austria)
  • Slovene Philanthropy (Slovenia)
  • Fotomovimiento (Spain)
  • Graz: Spendenkonvoi (Austria)
  • Southampton Action – People to People Solidarity (UK)
  • Vluchtkonvooi (The Netherlands)
  • Cars Of Hope Wuppertal (Germany)
  • Studentské hnutí za solidaritu (Czech Republic)
  • Rastplatz Project (Switzerland)
  • Open Eyes Balkanroute (Switzerland)
  • Igors volontärarbete (Sweden)
  • Are you syrious (Croatia)
  • Center of Solidarity and Advancement Preševo (Serbia)
  • Netzwerksammelsurium (Austria)
  • Bezirk Jennersdorf – Flüchtlingshilfe 2015 (Austria)
  • Alla ar kockar (Sweden)
  • Reisegruppe 3 (Germany)
  • Hilfe für Kinder auf der Flucht (Switzerland)
  • CCC – Croatian Coordination Centar (Croatia)
  • HelpNeeded Europe (Sweden)
  • Tsüri Hilft (Switzerland)
  • Studenti pomáhají (Czech Republic)
  • BE AWARE & SHARE Projekt: “Flüchtlingshilfe, mit Vans vor Ort” (Switzerland)
  • CERIBA (Switzerland)
  • Medicine on the Spot – MedSpot (Hungary)
  • Crossing Channels (The Netherlands)
  • Helferlein-Netzwerk für Flüchtlingshilfe / Helpers-Network for Refugee Aid (Austria)
  • SHARE (Great Britain)
  • Plateforme Citoyenne de soutien aux réfugiés / Citizens Platform to support the refugees in Belgium (Belgium)
  • Kinder auf der Flucht e.V. (Germany)
  • Graz:Spendekonvoi (Austria)
  • Refugee Crisis Bratislava Volunteers group (Slovakia)
  • Cook4refugee (Slovakia)
  • Action from Switzerland (Switzerland)
  • Mercy Worldwide Trust (UK)
  • ENNSZ (Hungary)
  • Spolek Podhradí (Czech Republic)
  • HSUST – Aktivisti dana (Croatia)
  • ​Refugees in Serbia (Germany)
  • Refugees – Aid from the Northwest of England (UK)
  • Balkanroute (Switzerland)
  • Bienvenidos Refugiados – España (Spain)
  • Udruga slobodarskih aktivista (Croatia)
  • German Alliance for Civilian Assistance (Germany)​
  • SOS ERM (Italy)
  • Solidarity for All (Belgium)
  • Let’s help the refugees together in Hungary (Hungary)
  • Lighthouse Relief (Greece)
  • Humanitet.nu (Sweden)
  • Connecting Hands to Help Refugees in Greece (Greece)
  • Helping refugees Lesvos island ”Skala Sykamineas” (Greece)
  • Safe Haven Voyages (Ireland)
  • Hands of Hope (Douglas Isle of Man)
  • Humanitarian Mission in Europe (Italy)
  • Chlebem i Solą (Poland)
  • Goals connect e.V. (Germany)
  • Cork to Calais (Ireland)
  • Patient Innovation (Portugal)
  • Europe Refugee Network (Europe)
  • Lübecker Flüchtlingsforum / Solidaritätszentrum für Geflüchtete im Transit(Germany)
  • BORDERLESS:Flüchtlingshilfsaktion (Austria)
  • Züri4refugees (Switzerland)
  • ​Friends Helping Refugees (England)​
  • Borderfree association (Switzerland)
  • Zevnitř ven o.p.s. (Czech Republic)
  • Bauern helfen Bauern (Austria)
  • CROATIAN BAPTIST AID (Croatia)
  • CEV (Belgium)
  • Refugees Welcome Portugal (Portugal)
  • RIRK *RevolutionaryIndependentRefugeeKitchen* (Germany)
  • Wroclaw Wita Uchodzcow (Poland)
  • Are you Syrious Maribor helping reguees (Slovenia)
  • Stop Mare Mortum (Catalonia)​
  • Occupy Ljubljana (Slovenia)
  • Start Now Flüchtlingshilfe (Austria)
  • BALLYNAHINCH & DRUMANESS REFUGEE SOLIDARITY (UK)
  • Flyktinghjälpvidgränsen (Sweden)
  • Der volle Topf (Austria)
  • Happy.Thankyou.Moreplease!! (Austria)
  • WFWPI Europe (Austria)​
  • The Institute for African studies (Slovenia)
  • Børnebørn for Asyl (Denmark)
  • Rotes Kreuz Bezirksstelle Braunau (Austria)
  • Refugees Welcome Mülheim am Inn (Austria)
  • The Refugee Helpers of Hamburg main station (Germany)​
  • Refugees Shepherds – European Human Rights Defense League (Germany)
  • These Hands Are Better Than None (UK)
  • RefugeesFoundation e.V. – Support for refugees on the run (Germany)
  • Kos Kindness (Greece)
  • No Lager Osnabrück (Germany)
  • Hilfe für Flüchtlinge in München (Germany)​
  • Amadia International (Norway)
  • Welcome to Denmark (Denmark)
  • Bag To The Future (Netherlands)
  • Starfish Foundation (Greece)
  • Carry the Future (United States of America)
  • Kos Solidarity (Greece)
  • RefugeeVolunteers (Greece)
  • Search and Find Refugees (Austria)
  • Výzva k ľudskosti (Slovakia)
  • Levicharsko Dvizenje ”Solidarnost” (Macedonia)
  • l’Auberge des Migrants (France)
  • Coexistence and Communication in the Aegean (Greece)
  • East Lothian Welcomes Refugees (United Kingdom)
  • Calais Compassion (United Kingdom)
  • EPITOPOU e.v. (Greece)
  • Kindness Across Borders (Denmark)
  • Institute APIS (Slovenia)
  • Cadus – redefine global solidarity (Germany)
  • MYVOICE-project.org (Germany)
  • Fair Welcome (Denmark)
  • Calais Action (United Kingdom)
  • Greenpeace Croatia/CEE (Croatia)​
  • MIRANTAO e.V., Peer-Leader-International (Germany)
  • Cefnogi Ffoaduriaid/Supporting Refugees (United Kingdom)
  • Support for Refugees on the Run (Germany)
  • Social Policy and Action (Cyprus)
  • Elix -Conservation Volunteers (Greece)
  • Refugee Support Tour (Germany)
  • Berlin Refugee Help (Germany)
  • Fluchtpunkt Bergedorf (Germany)
  • Brot & Rosen. Diakonische Basisgemeinschaft (Germany)
  • Nara – Netzwerk Antirassistische Aktion (Germany)
  • Refugee convoy – Schienenersatzverkehr für Flüchtlinge (Austria)
  • Refugees Welcome – Flensburg (Germany)
  • Kiel hilft Flüchtlingenhttp://kiel-hilft-fluechtlingen.de/ (Germany)
  • Binario1 / Bahngleis1 (Italy)
  • Freund statt fremd e.V. (Germany)
  • Freundeskreis für Flüchtlinge Hammelburg (Germany)​
  • MakeSense (Germany)
  • Silent Climate Parade (Germany)
  • Autonome Komturei OSMTH Regensburg “Leonhard von Noblat” (Germany)
  • Geflüchtete willkommen in Bielefeld (Germany)
  • Willkommen in Reinickendorf (Germany)
  • Miteinander leben – eine Chance für alle (Germany)
  • Kontrapunkt Kulturhus & Socialt Center (Sweden)
  • Refugees Welcome, Lörrach (Germany)
  • Christian Peacemaker Teams (Lesbos Project) (Germany)
  • Refugees Welcome Information (Germany)
  • Refugees Welcome to Gothenburg (Sweden)
  • Flyktinghjälp Frölunda Prästgård (Sweden)
  • Café Mondial Konstanz e.V. (Germany)
  • Människa till människa Flyktinghjälp i Kållered (Sweden)
  • Mosaik Düsseldorf e.V. (Germany)
  • Verein für eine schönere Willkommenskultur (Germany)
  • Medinetz Rostock (Germany)
  • Healing Hearts Balkans (Finland)
  • Sussex Refugee Solidarity (UK)
  • Refugee Support Devon (UK)
  • Grenzenlos Kochen Hannover (Germany)
  • Unterstützer_innen Refugee Protest Camp Hannover (Germany)
  • Flüchtlingshilfe Erding e.V. (Germany)

​​
If you would like to add your volunteer group to this list or if you have other enquiries, please email us at europeactplease@gmail.com.

We are unfortunately unable to add individuals to the list.  If you are an individual volunteer who would like to support this letter, please share it on social media with #europeact and do not forget to call or email the leaders of your country.

Media contact: Michal Berg +420 603 102 284, michal.berg@seznam.cz

#europeact

Rosie’s #BookReview Team #RBRT LIVING IN THE SHADOWS by @barrow_judith | Rosie Amber

29 Tuesday Dec 2015

Posted by Christoph Fischer in Uncategorized

≈ 4 Comments

Rosie’s #BookReview Team #RBRT LIVING IN THE SHADOWS by @barrow_judith

POSTED ON DECEMBER 12, 2015 BY ROSIE AMBER

25

Today’s team review is from Cathy, she blogs athttp://betweenthelinesbookblog.wordpress.com/

Rosie's Book Review team 1

Cathy has been reading Living In The Shadows by Judith Barrow in conjunction with Brook Cottage Books

25942654

The third and final part of the trilogy picks up the story in the late 1960’s and concentrates on the next generation. Peter and Mary Schormann are still living in Wales with their teenage twins, Richard and Victoria. Richard has gone into medicine, taking after his father, and not letting his hearing problems hinder his career or his life. He is staying with his aunt and uncle in Ashford while he attends interviews for the university hospital in Manchester. He’s rescued from a potentially dangerous situation by Karen Worth who proves to be a catalyst in the story.

His sister, Victoria, bored with life in Wales, makes a very unwise decision, swapping what she considers her restrictive lifestyle for another, much worse and very frightening one.

Llamroth was deserted. True to form, Victoria Schormann thought: there wasn’t a soul around the village. Eleven o’ clock at night and everybody had gone into hibernation. She sighed with impatience. She’s been looking out for Seth’s camper van from her bedroom for the last two hours. Just when she thought she couldn’t stand the waiting any longer she saw it glide silently down the lane behind the church.

An extremely upsetting encounter for nurse Linda Booth, who is still traumatised by an incident from her childhood, at the beginning of the story suggests future distress. The rest of the cousins don’t escape trouble as the shadowy echoes of events from the past have unwelcome and heart breaking consequences for the whole family.

Told in short chapters, each focussing on an individual character, with an interlinking number of storylines merging into a suspenseful, sometimes quite sinister, narrative. Strong, realistic and mostly likeable characters, with one or two noticeable exceptions, all drive the story forward.  Issues that were totally frowned upon during 1960s are dealt with, including same-sex relationships and domestic violence. Cults and commune living, the effect they had on the members and their families, are also explored. The coincidences that bring the threads together are worked into the story extremely well, culminating in the final dramatic and moving scenes.

Judith Barrow crafts a skilful tale without downplaying the reality of life for ordinary people in a northern 60’s town. The BCB-Host Button-200Rosie's Book Review team 1evocative and convincing descriptions of locations and characters, along with the dialogue, give credence to the story.

Find a copy here fromAmazon.co.uk or Amazon.com

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