War hero returns home changed. His scars aren't always visible. Some wounds will never mend.
15 Word Story – War Wounds
15 Word Story – The Mighty and the Meek
Cruel and capricious Gods, looming like skyscrapers, capable of our annihilation. Humans: an ant's ode.
Subscription Fun!
As I am preparing my first newsletter - A Quarter Past - for my lovely email subscribers, I'd like to take this opportunity to remind you all to subscribe to my blog via the subscribe button you can see to the left of this post. **NOTE: This is a different subscription than the 'follow my blog'... Continue Reading →
Ablaut Reduplication
I find this absolutely fascinating and delightful. Read the below article, and then I dare you to write or say something out of order... "Oh no, it's a black, hairy, big spider!" So wrong.
Subscribe to my Blog via Email
If you love this blog and don't want to miss a thing, you can subscribe via email! It's now easier than ever to subscribe with popups and a 'FOLLOW ME' button you can click on my homepage. Coming soon for subscribers will be quarterly newsletters and updates on the progress of my written works. Look... Continue Reading →
Update and News
A quick update - I haven't dropped off the face of the earth... it's just been a tough few months. We lost our second, and last, doggie this month - a mere six months after losing her sister. I kind of went into meltdown and didn't really want to have anything to do with anything.... Continue Reading →
Stirring
The writing muscle begins to stir... It started with some simple backstory for a computer game character. Then I was asked to write a short piece of fiction for an upcoming magazine. Then... today I began editing Guns of Perdition. I am stirring once more from my slumber. NB: I know it's been heinously long... Continue Reading →
15 Word Story – Unrequited
She dances across the night sky, missing her blazing lover. Never together. Sun and moon. Image source: Pixabay
15 Word Story – Bear
She walks toward the grizzly. Unafraid. Heedless of claw and fang. He's just her teddy. Image source: Pixabay
15 Word Story – From Beneath
It moans. It groans. One arm snatches and claws. It's the monster under my bed. Image source: Http://pre15.deviantart.net/1086/th/pre/i/2016/276/a/3/the_monster_under_the_bed_by_qube_core-dajr5bs.jpg
Burning the Candle
Howdy all, I'm burning the candle very much at both ends right now. I've started my new job (manager of a retirement village with my co-manager and husband, Andrew), and am well and truly in the throes of moving house (it's a 'live-in' position). So by day I'm learning the names of 150+ residents, learning... Continue Reading →
15 Word Story – Dawn
Morning dew glistens on deep green blades of grass. Damp earth scent tickles my nose. Image sourced: Pixabay
Songday Sunday – Club Zydeco Moon
“Music has the charms to soothe the savage beast.” Welcome to Songday Sunday This is a massive inspirational song and one of my all-time favourites to boot. This song not only inspired the Big Bad and arch-nemesis of my anti-hero in my fanfic three-book saga, I even borrowed her name straight from the song. Mama ZuZu in... Continue Reading →
Friday Funnies
Weird humour Writing humour
15 Word Story – Mountainous
Jagged peaks, mighty and towering. Impenetrable. Unscalable. Foreboding. Guess I used too much hair gel. Image sourced: Pixabay
Breaking news…
Okay, well not breaking but important. Okay, well not important but interesting. To me anyway. How about I just tell you the news and you can make of it what you will. Yes. Let's do that. So, as many of you may know, I've been struggling recently balancing work, writing, life - you know, the... Continue Reading →
Songday Sunday – Things Have Changed
“Music has the charms to soothe the savage beast.” Welcome to Songday Sunday I’m not a massive Bob Dylan fan. I know a lot of people go ga-ga over Mr Dylan; I’m not one of them. This particular This particular song, however, has never failed to inspire my inner muse. Something about the lyrics paints... Continue Reading →
Shake Your Soul
Hi ho all, I'm here to encourage you to go and check out a new blog, ShakeTheSoul. I read a post by Shake where she describes her former obsessession with perfection. She then goes on to discuss how liberated she is after having learned how to ditch the perfection bug. A perfect piece for INFJs... Continue Reading →
A Jagged Little Shard
See this?? Know what it is? Anyone? I'll tell you what it is... it's the most painful freaking thing in the world! This my friends, is a kidney stone. Luckily for me, I didn't have to endure this jagged little shard as it scourged its way down a tube half the size of the stone.... Continue Reading →
Ode to the Outcast’s Bloghouse
This absolutely awesome piece of poetry comes from the Bloghouse's resident superhero (and super wife and mummy) Maria. Words can't express how humbled and thrilled I was to receive this lovely gift. I hope the other Outcasts join me in thanking Maria for our new Bloghouse chant!! Thanks Maria!!
Thankful Thursdays
In an attempt to self-actualise and fight anxiety and depression I have decided to regularly post about something I am thankful for. This might be something small like chocolate or something on a far larger scale, like sunshine. Join me (or don't) and comment on your own 'thankful things' in the comments section below! Thankful... Continue Reading →
Maaaaate…
G'day. Just a little post about 'Straya. Warning: swearing imminent.
Songday Sunday – By The Rivers Dark
“Music has the charms to soothe the savage beast.” Welcome to Songday Sunday I’m a big fan of almost all Leonard Cohen. The ‘poet king’ with that haunting voice and dazzling lyrics could do little wrong and I had to restrain myself to choose just one song. I ended up going with By The Rivers... Continue Reading →
Friday Funnies – Fitness Edition
Have a few yuks on me and enjoy your weekend! Funnies courtesy of Pinterest
Thankful Thursdays
In an attempt to self-actualise and fight anxiety and depression I have decided to regularly post about something I am thankful for. This might be something small like chocolate or something on a far larger scale, like sunshine. Join me (or don't) and comment on your own 'thankful things' in the comments section below! Thankful... Continue Reading →
Hot Properties
My pal, Dave, posted an awesome "game" on his blog earlier and I was so impressed, I just had to do it for myself. Here's the gist; the idea is to provide a list of a few properties - TV series, movies, comics, novels, games - that I'd love to write, given the chance. So... Continue Reading →
Songday Sunday – Bad Company
“Music has the charms to soothe the savage beast.” Welcome to Songday Sunday Today’s song is the quintessential Jessica-Bakkers-Character-Archetype song. 'Bad Company' by Bad Company is the very soul of every major character I have written to date. I am in love with the bad boy/girl, the anti-hero, the brooding curmudgeon who gets drawn into a good/evil battle on the... Continue Reading →
Friday Funnies
Have a few yuks on me and enjoy your weekend! Funnies courtesy of Pinterest
Thankful Thursdays
In an attempt to self-actualise and fight anxiety and depression I have decided to regularly post about something I am thankful for. This might be something small like chocolate or something on a far larger scale, like sunshine. Join me (or don't) and comment on your own 'thankful things' in the comments section below! Thankful... Continue Reading →
WIP novel update
By now, I'm sure you all know that I'm laboriously working on my debut novel, Guns of Perdition. I had planned to self-publish this WIP in December, however I've recently decided to try the traditional publishing route. This means Guns of Perdition may not be released in 2017 or possibly 2018. It depends if I... Continue Reading →
Songday Sunday – Hurt
“Music has the charms to soothe the savage beast.” Welcome to Songday Sunday Today’s song is by country king, the man in black, Johnny Cash. Cash's repertoire of powerful songs is long and many have impacted upon me, but none more so than 'Hurt'. This introspective song of self-deprecating honesty was the soundtrack behind a... Continue Reading →
Friday Funnies – Sassy Pet Edition
Have a few yuks on me and enjoy your weekend! Funnies courtesy of Pinterest
Blogger Recognition Award
I was thrilled when Cindy of Bird Flight nominated me for the Blogger Recognition Award. I have not been nominated for this one before and it comes from a lady who's blog is one I admire and thoroughly enjoy. Cindy is open and honest about her battles with mental health and often gives advice that (I... Continue Reading →
Thankful Thursdays
In an attempt to self-actualise and fight anxiety and depression I have decided to regularly post about something I am thankful for. This might be something small like chocolate or something on a far larger scale, like sunshine. Join me (or don't) and comment on your own 'thankful things' in the comments section below! Thankful... Continue Reading →
Hallo-WE-en Event!
Hey all, check out Melanie's Hallo-WE-en Event that YOU can be part of!!! I am!! Source: Hallo-WE-en Event!
Very British Problems
I was having a laugh with my good British pal, Richard Ankers, today about his love of coffee over tea. I was outraged to hear this... I mean, a Brit who prefers coffee over tea? What madness is this? Then I came upon this pin on Pinterest all about Very British Problems. I just had... Continue Reading →
The Outcast’s Bloghouse Wlecomes… Staci Troilo
This week’s member inducted into The Oucast’s Bloghouse is powerhouse writer and super supportive blogger, Staci Troilo. Staci is one of those writers that I gush over and send embarrassing comments to when she posts one of her fantastic (and usually twisted) flash fiction pieces. Her writing really is second to none! As well as... Continue Reading →
Songday Sunday
"Music has the charms to soothe the savage beast." I've been ruminating on how much music means to me. Music has the ability to lift me up, to make me cry, to take me away from this world. Music is also a major influence on my writing. I am either inspired by music or use... Continue Reading →
Friday funnies
Some funnies to get you through... ...have a fun-filled weekend!
You know you’ve made it when…
Scrolling through Pinterest I came across this pin in my feed... Wow!!! Congratulations Staci! You've made it to random Pinterest feeds!!! 🍾🎊🎉
‘Straya
FYI - 'Straya is what *bogans call Australia. *A bogan is an uncouth Australian usually seen in a *wife-beater and thongs. *A wife-beater and thongs is a blue singlet top and flip flops. Bogans usually get around in this attire when cooking a few *snags on the *barbie whilst having a *chinwag and swigging a... Continue Reading →
Archeology is just wrong
This is why... Nope. 😫
The darkest hour…
So today someone stomped all over my hopes, dreams and feelings with size eleven boots for reasons I'm still unsure of. It was said it was out of concern for me but I wonder if it was more jealousy or their own sense of loss or inadequacy. Either way it's knocked me for six and... Continue Reading →
A few funnies
Some funnies to brighten your day
An update
So, as many of you know, life recently dealt me a hand of lemons and forgot to pass me the pitcher, water and sugar. I was stuck with lemons for a few weeks and felt thouroughly miserable as a result. However, I'm now starting to get back on the horse (to messily mix metaphors) and... Continue Reading →
INFJ Problem – Perfectionism
Hi. I'm an INFJ... and this is draft 473 of this post; the others were deleted because they weren't perfect. So, who said my post wasn't perfect? Who was the dastardly editor who made me rewrite and rewrite until my fingers were bleeding? Why that was me of course! There will never be a harder... Continue Reading →
The Outcast’s Bloghouse Welcomes… Isabel Caves
This week’s member inducted into The Oucast’s Bloghouse is the elusive, ethereal princess, Isabel Caves. Young, New Zealand born Isabel is a wordsmith beyond compare when it comes to haunting poetry and lyrical haikus. This is evident in the numerous magazines that have picked up Isabel's haikus for publication. Further, Isabel's short stories carry on... Continue Reading →
Jessica Bakkers 