<p>&nbsp;</p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.nationalpoetryday.co.uk/">http://www.nationalpoetryday.co.uk/</a> </span><span style="font-size: small;"></span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">The theme for National Poetry Day is based on Games, so this poem that was written in collaboration with my grandson, last year, is my contribution.&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;</p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">The poem was one of three published in the anthology: <em>Shambelurkling and Other Stories</em> to raise funds for the National Autisitic Society.&nbsp; Since then, my elder daughter, Nikki, has completed: The Great North Run for the same charity.&nbsp; <br /></span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><span style="font-size: medium;"><strong><span style="color: #3366ff;">A Few of my Favourite Things</span></strong></span></p> <p><span style="font-size: medium;"><strong></strong></span></p> <p><span style="color: #3366ff; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p> <p><span style="color: #3366ff; font-size: medium;">My name is Jay.</span></p> <p><span style="color: #3366ff; font-size: medium;">I am big and aged 9.</span></p> <p><span style="color: #3366ff; font-size: medium;">I have yellow hair and blue eyes</span></p> <p><span style="color: #3366ff; font-size: medium;">and I like watching DVDs.</span></p> <p><span style="color: #3366ff; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p> <p><span style="color: #3366ff; font-size: medium;">I like swimming and winning.</span></p> <p><span style="color: #3366ff; font-size: medium;">I like looking through telescopes to see the sky.</span></p> <p><span style="color: #3366ff; font-size: medium;">I like to bounce on my trampoline - <em>boing -</em> <em>Boing -BOING!</em></span></p> <p><span style="color: #3366ff; font-size: medium;">and I like watching DVDs.</span></p> <p><span style="color: #3366ff; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p> <p><span style="color: #3366ff; font-size: medium;">I like playing football and scoring goals.</span></p> <p><span style="color: #3366ff; font-size: medium;">I like riding on the train to Saltburn-by-the-Sea.</span></p> <p><span style="color: #3366ff; font-size: medium;">I like doing jigsaws</span></p> <p><span style="color: #3366ff; font-size: medium;">and I like watching DVDs.&nbsp;&nbsp;</span></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p>

<p><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> Normal 0 false false false MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if !mso]> <span class="mceItemObject" classid="clsid:38481807-CA0E-42D2-BF39-B33AF135CC4D" id=ieooui> </span> <style> st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } </style> <![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} </style> <![endif]--></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><span style="font-size: small;">Promoting the anthology began in earnest after receiving ten copies of <span style="color: #ff0000;">Sham</span><span style="color: #3366ff;">be</span><span style="color: #ff00ff;">lurk</span><span style="color: #99cc00;">ling </span>and <span style="color: #ff0000;">Oth</span><span style="color: #0000ff;">er</span> <span style="color: #339966;">Sto</span><span style="color: #cc99ff;">ries</span> through the post on Friday.&nbsp;</span></p> <p><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></p> <p><span style="font-size: small;">Unlike the download version, which was printed on A4 white paper, the actual book looks completely different.&nbsp;&nbsp; When un-wrapping the parcel for example, the quality-rich front cover projected a superb, colourful picture that instantly draws the mind's eye into its surreal and evocative depths.&nbsp; The size is quite different too, only a tiny bit bigger than A5 to sit comfortably in either a child or adult hand.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></p> <p><span style="font-size: small;">The layout complements the whole beautifully and the contributors have pulled together and submitted a mix of tailor-made stories and poems.&nbsp;</span></p> <p><span style="font-size: small;"><em>&nbsp;</em></span></p> <p><span style="font-size: small;">Royalties from the sale of the book has been specifically ring-fenced for the (NAS) National Autistic Society's EarlyBird Plus programme. (&pound;1.06 per paperback copy and the same for downloads).</span></p> <p><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></p> <p><span style="font-size: small;"><em>Shambelurkling and Other Stories </em>can immediately be downloaded for the price of &pound;1.99, or it can be ordered in book form for &pound;3.99.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>&nbsp;</strong></span></p> <p><span style="font-size: medium;"><strong>The book currently has 15% off with the coupon code: STOCKING305 until December 15, 2010.&nbsp; </strong></span></p> <p><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>&nbsp;</strong></span></p> <p><span style="font-size: small;">Comprising of work written by freelance writers, <em>Shambelurkling and Other Stories</em> is a great read (but especially for 8-12 years olds!) and aims to raise funds for the National Autistic Society's EarlyBird Plus Programme.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></p> <p><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.lulu.com/product/paperback/shambelurkling-and-other-stories/13584180?productTrackingContext=search_results/search_shelf/center/1">http://www.lulu.com/product/paperback/shambelurkling-and-other-stories/13584180?productTrackingContext=search_results/search_shelf/center/1</a></span></p> <p><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></p> <p><span style="font-size: small;">The freelance writers, who contributed, and are listed in no particular order, are:</span></p> <p><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></p> <p><span style="font-size: small;">Maureen Vincent-Northam<br /> Rosa Johnson<br /> T A Belshaw<br /> Myra King<br /> Marilyn Sylvester and Jay<br /> June Gundlack<br /> Ruchira Mandal<br /> Rebecca Emin<br /> Emma Kerry<br /> Ben Sherman<br /> Cynthia Schuerr<br /> Jonathan Pinnock<br /> Christine Lesley Nedahl<br /> Rachel Carter<br /> Sharon Birch<br /> Mandy K James<br /> Mark O' Brien<br /> Marit Meredith<br /> Maria Fullerton.<br /><br /> The front cover illustration is by: Paul Townend.</span></p> <p>&nbsp;</p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Who mentioned snowballing? Here in North Yorkshire we are now covered in the stuff.&nbsp; <br /><br />Liz Foster and Alyson Lewis: the two practitioners, who were mentioned in the <span style="color: #ff0000;">Sham</span><span style="color: #ff00ff;">be</span><span style="color: #3366ff;">lur</span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #3366ff;">k</span><span style="color: #cc99ff;">ling</span> <span style="color: #800000;">and</span> <span style="color: #99cc00;">Other</span> <span style="color: #00ccff;">Stories</span> dedication, are delighted with the book and are looking forward to promoting it to parents and other practitioners.&nbsp; They think it is brilliant and are placing orders for their own families, too. <br /></span></p>

<p><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> Normal 0 false false false MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if !mso]> <span class="mceItemObject" classid="clsid:38481807-CA0E-42D2-BF39-B33AF135CC4D" id=ieooui> </span> <style> st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } </style> <![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} </style> <![endif]--></p> <h3 style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: small;">Happy New Year Everyone!</span></h3> <h2 style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: small;">Perhaps it's due to December's inhospitable weather why everything is being rescheduled for this month, which in turn is making time fly and life so busy.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;</span></h2> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Firstly, there's more good news on the Shambelurkling front: After emailing Wendy Webb&nbsp; (editor of eTIPS FOR WRITERS and leader of Norfolk Poets &amp; Writers), asking if she would consider including my little write-up on Shambelurkling in the next eTIPS ezine, Wendy's positive reply was: I will include your book info in next eTIPS.</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Wendy is a prolific writer of poetry and has recently had a poem published in the Soul Feathers anthology to raise money in support of the Macmillan charity.&nbsp; A worthy cause and she is in good company as there are also poems from: Poet Laureate Carol Ann Duffy, Bob Dylan, Seamus Heaney, Maya Angelou, Benjamin Zephaniah, Leonard Cohen, Sharon Olds and many more. &nbsp;</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Some more good news is that my letter in response to an article entitled: "<em>I don't know what is wrong with him</em>" that was published in the December issue of the <strong><em>Now&amp;Then</em> </strong>magazine, is also going to be published in Letters to the Editor. Here is the email address of said independent regional magazine which is delivered to 78,000 homes: http://www.nowandthenmagazine.co.uk&nbsp;</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Peter, the person who wrote the article has Asperger's syndrome and this was unheard of when he was a boy.&nbsp; He writes about his hospital appointment at the Middlesbrough General Hospital, in 1963, when he was aged only ten in a bid to find out what was wrong with him.&nbsp; Peter goes on to describe in detail the examination he was subjected to and how he felt. I was in tears whilst reading it.&nbsp; The article went on to state that: &lsquo;Now - <em>Asperger's syndrome is part of a group of conditions where people experience difficulties with communication etc</em>...' followed by a conclusion that said: Peter is now aged 57, and that although he has difficulty with his handwriting, he uses a computer and the internet to pursue his interest in writing about local history.&nbsp; And, that despite his unhappy schooldays, he has completed a history course at the Leeds University. &nbsp;&nbsp;</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">My letter in response was to promote the EarlyBird Plus programme and Shambelurkling, and also to claim that yes, although more is known about autism, the condition still needs to be better understood and more widely spread, as my grandson, Jay, spent some nightmare years at school, too.&nbsp; I sent a little photograph of Jay reading Shambelurkling, but I'm not sure whether that will get published. I'll have to wait and see how they edit it.</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;</p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Then, as if that wasn't enough of a coincidence, in the <strong><em>Guardian</em></strong> magazine, dated the 15 January, they had published a column entitled: <em>What I'm really thinking</em>, which was written by a man, whom also has Asperger's syndrome.&nbsp; His first sentence read: <em>I'm 50 and was diagnosed last year.&nbsp; Before then, I had no idea why social interaction was so hard.&nbsp; </em>There is no doubt that this man has high functioning Asperger's, but to read his thoughts as to the reality of his diagnosis and how he feels now, is so sad.&nbsp; He writes: <em>&lsquo;Now, I feel lonelier than ever.&nbsp; Diagnosis has brought increased self-knowledge, but it doesn't make things easier.</em>' If you feel you might like to read it, here is the address: <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2011/jan/15/really-thinking-aspergers-person">http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2011/jan/15/really-thinking-aspergers-person</a></span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Nearly forgot to mention that Guisborough Library and the surrounding area libraries have a poster on their walls, together with A4 rainbow flyers promoting Shambelurkling.&nbsp;&nbsp; The Tourist Shop in Redcar has sold one over the Christmas holidays (and is a miracle considering they were shut for over a fortnight!), and phoned me the other day to let me know that they will keep the other 4 on display for another couple of months.&nbsp;</span></p>