PERSPECTIVES!

'Tom began - hesitantly at first, but, as he warmed to his subject, his words flowed more and more easily; in a little while every sound ceased but his own voice; every eye fixed itself upon him; with parted lips and bated breath the audience hung upon his words, taking no note of time, rapt in the ghastly fascinations of the tale.'

It's funny how it happens, we hear a story...or a perspective of a story and we're pulled under...maybe we just sink in. It's easy. The tale is a good one, there's an obvious villain...an unlikely hero. No-body needs to twist our arm, we're on their side, totally convinced. 
But then she rings. He calls. They tell you a story. One that sounds familiar but isn't. One that you've heard before...but haven't.You crease your brow while you nod your head. Unconvinced. 
      'But I thought-'
      
The laugh silences you. You press your lips tight together while your mind whirls like a merry go round and you listen to a different story, a new tale, where the hero is destroyed and the villain wins the day. 
And then you wonder if there ever was a hero...if there ever can be a hero? 
Time helps to soften the blow, it blurs the image and blunts the edges. There's always a hero, someone will always save the day.  
You sigh and smile. There's a niggling worry that you ignore, a fleeting thought that you don't try to catch. 
Just be careful who you choose to be your hero.
Who you choose to save the day.

HABITS!

They say it takes about 30 days to form a habit, good or bad. Not long in the grand scheme of things really.But it's not just the doing, it's the keeping at something that's the hard part. Tony Robins says that in order to create a habit our shoulds become our musts! So I've decided to grab the bull by the horns and jump on. Yes, whether you want to or not you'll be hearing a lot more from me from now on.So while I'm here I'd like to congratulate all those shortlisted for the CBI Awards, it's going to be a tough call with so many fantastic books to choose from!! I don't envy the judges. Hope today's journey isn't too steep a climb. 

Shortlist 2015

Ten Books have been shortlisted for the 201 CBI Book of the Year Awards:

When Mr Dog Bites by Brian Conaghan

Apple and Rain by Sarah Crossan

Shh! We Have a Plan by Chris Haughton

Once Upon an Alphabet by Oliver Jeffers

The Apple Tart of Hope by Sarah Moore Fitzgerald

Daideo by Áine Ní Ghlinn

Only Ever Yours by Louise O’Neill

Haiku Más é do thoil é! by Gabriel Rosenstock illustrated by Brian Fitzgerald

Primperfect by Deirdre Sullivan

Beyond the Stars compiled by Sarah Webb