Free Your Pen

Buddhist Writing Prompt: Don’t Criticize

Don’t criticise is about not criticising others in order to feel better about yourself. Accept people as they are, warts and all, and remember that you’re not perfect either. The original lojong slogan is: Don’t talk about injured limbs which asks you to notice those moments when you subtly, or not so subtly, judge others… Continue reading Buddhist Writing Prompt: Don’t Criticize

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Buddhist Writing Prompt: Don’t be a Fake

Don’t be a fake is a reminder not to become egotistical about trying to transcend your ego. Mind training aims to free you from the tyranny of the ego and its fears, but there’s no need to turn that process into another ego trip. The original lojong slogan is: Change your attitude, but remain natural.… Continue reading Buddhist Writing Prompt: Don’t be a Fake

Free Your Pen

Buddhist Writing Prompt: Come Back to Basics

Come back to basics is about making and keeping a commitment to your mind training and writing practice. It’s about overcoming the tendency to get sidetracked by your ego and developing self-mastery instead. The original lojong slogan is: Always abide by the three basic principles which are: to keep your promises, to not act outrageously,… Continue reading Buddhist Writing Prompt: Come Back to Basics

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Buddhist Writing Prompt: Practice When You’re Distracted

Practice when you’re distracted is about remembering to be mindful of whatever is happening and not allowing yourself to get distracted. And when you do get distracted, to use the distractions as part of your practice. The original lojong slogan is: If you can practice even when distracted, you are well trained. When you sit… Continue reading Buddhist Writing Prompt: Practice When You’re Distracted

Free Your Pen

Buddhist Writing Prompt: Always Maintain A Joyful Mind

Always maintain a joyful mind is about not taking yourself too seriously and remembering that no matter what’s going on, you can have an optimistic approach to life. The original lojong slogan is more or less the same: Always maintain only a joyful mind. On the surface, it seems callous and simplistic to suggest that… Continue reading Buddhist Writing Prompt: Always Maintain A Joyful Mind

The Shining Ones

Research Notes: Greenland Sirius Patrol

If you’ve read the free chapters from The Shining Ones, you’ll know that Ethne has just made a dramatic escape across the ice sheet in Greenland on a sledge pulled by huskies. She doesn’t know it yet, but she’s about to meet the owner of the sledge: Jorgen, a soldier with the Sirius Patrol. The… Continue reading Research Notes: Greenland Sirius Patrol

The Shining Ones

The Shining Ones: Chapter 10 – gravity fails and the sun comes unhinged…

Previous: Chapter Nine Ethne stood in the darkness of the cave and held her breath. She was sure an attack was imminent; she had seen it clearly in her mind’s eye. Could she have imagined it? The others were irritable rather than scared. Voices called out for the generator to be fixed while people searched… Continue reading The Shining Ones: Chapter 10 – gravity fails and the sun comes unhinged…

The Shining Ones

‘The Shining Ones’ paperback – available now!

I’m happy to announce The Shining Ones has entered manifestation – it physically exists! The paperback has been available for a little while but I was waiting for Amazon to link it to the Kindle edition on their site. So what’s it about? If you’ve been reading the free chapters, you’ll have an idea. The… Continue reading ‘The Shining Ones’ paperback – available now!

The Shining Ones

The Shining Ones: Chapter 9 – false trails and fake IDs…

Previous: Chapter Eight Jack fought his way up the steps to the police station, pushing against the tide of bodies cramming the entrance. Nobody was moving. He couldn’t tell if they were entering or leaving and found himself caught in a Gordian knot of frantic and enraged people. Ana watched from the pavement. Stone griffins… Continue reading The Shining Ones: Chapter 9 – false trails and fake IDs…

The Shining Ones

The Shining Ones: Chapter 8 – the efflux of Osiris and stupendous hair…

Previous: Chapter Seven Ethne glanced around the cavern. The floodlights threw twisted shadows over the rocks, like ghosts seeping into the cave from a hidden dimension beyond. The dry air buzzed with the murmur of voices. For a moment, she imagined they came from the stones themselves, igniting the ancient language in her mind. Then… Continue reading The Shining Ones: Chapter 8 – the efflux of Osiris and stupendous hair…

The Shining Ones

The Shining Ones: Chapter 7 – waking up in a five star prison…

Previous: Chapter Six Michael lay across the middle of the bed, the soft pillows enveloped his head like the bosom of an immense goddess. Half asleep, he stretched out, luxuriating in the comfort and warmth. Subdued birdsong drifted through the window, as if the bird was concerned not to wake him. He hadn’t slept this… Continue reading The Shining Ones: Chapter 7 – waking up in a five star prison…

The Shining Ones

The Shining Ones: Chapter 6 – an unexpected encounter with a pigeon…

Previous: Chapter Five Ana woke in the night and lay in the darkness fretting about ARK. It hadn’t taken them long to find her, despite switching off her phone. Jack had said it wouldn’t stop them, and he was right. ARK had become her shadow. She had spent the evening searching for Michael, to no… Continue reading The Shining Ones: Chapter 6 – an unexpected encounter with a pigeon…