Goodness me, look at the time!

I don't know where the time has gone since my last post. Did you miss me? Although this blog is a way to keep my hand in when it comes to writing and of course it's lovely to connect with you folk out there, sometimes it has to take a back seat because real work comes along.

It's funny how often just when I'm on the verge of packing it all in and getting a proper job, things pick up: and that's what's happened in the last few weeks. People I haven't worked for in ages have resurfaced, and my regular clients seem to have perked up, too.

Not only that but I've also been commissioned to write a book! I can't tell you what it is, because I'm ghosting it for someone. That means my name won't be on it, of course, but I'm hoping I might get a mention in the acknowledgements. It's going to be hard work, I know, but I've made a promising start.

By the way, in case you were wondering, my public speaking engagements back in October went well. Since then, I've also done my first WI presentation, which was great fun. I spoke a bit about my writing and read a couple of my short stories (one from Nine Lives and a piece from Stripped-back Yoga), but the meat of the session was getting them all to write something.

This week's public appearance is playing my uke tomorrow night for a community gathering. Never a dull moment!

I have sinned

Of the seven deadly sins, the one I succumb to most often is envy. (What did you think I was going to confess? Shame on you!)

I've decided that's what's wrong with me this week. I'm envious of my husband for having escaped into retirement, even though it was me who encouraged him to give up work; I'm envious of friends who have more money than me, more freedom, bigger houses, better clothes, whiter teeth; and I'm envious of writers who have achieved more success than me and at an earlier age. In short, I have a bad case of Poor Me Syndrome. This is, of course, ridiculous. I am healthy, I'm surrounded by loving family and friends, I have no mortgage and I earn a decent living doing things I enjoy. I should be ashamed of myself - and I am.

I've been looking back over my last two years' accounts; while my earnings have remained roughly the same, the amount of my own writing seems to have gone down, notwithstanding that I've published two books in the last 12 months. This presumably means I've been editing more of other people's work, which is what pays the bills, but it seems a retrograde step.

Today, then, I've entered a couple of competitions. I also popped into Sainsbury's to buy the new issue of Om Yoga & Lifestyle magazine, where I was pleased to see that Stripped-back Yoga gets a mention on the books page. It's not all bad, then.

It's publication day!

It's finally arrived. Today is the day that Stripped-back Yoga is released into the wild. This evening, I'm having a launch event at Rushton Hall, which is one of the venues where I teach; then a week on Saturday I'm holding a one-off class at the place where I held my very first proper class. To say I'm excited is an understatement! My yoga friend Angela has just rung to reassure me it's all going to be all right and I must remember to breathe.

However, it's also a regular working day, and I have two classes to teach and an issue of Logistics & Transport Focus to proofread. Must dash.

About the book

Stripped-back Yoga is a collection of my thoughts about yoga to be dipped in and out of when you have a couple of minutes to spare. Some of the pieces are about practical aspects, but it's not a 'how to do yoga' book. Much of it is simply my opinion and observations, so I hope it will appeal to those who practise yoga and those who don't.

At £7.99, it will be available from my website www.juliathorley.com and from www.3ppublishing.co.uk/bookshop, as well as from Amazon's Kindle store.

Publication day is getting closer!

Here it is: the cover of my forthcoming book. What do you think? The painting was done by Malcom Parnell, who is an author as well as an artist. I'm so pleased with it. I shall try not to bombard you with nothing but marketing ploys in the coming weeks, but I am a bit excited, as this yoga book has been in the making for quite a while. This is the blurb: 

If you’re a fan of yoga with animals, this book might annoy you.

There’s a lot of yoga about these days. Most of it is wonderful; some of it is not. Long-time yoga teacher Julia Thorley has collected her thoughts on what she has learned on her mat. Some of the pieces are about practical aspects of yoga and others are a bit ranty, because there’s a lot about the modern yoga world that rubs her fur the wrong way. Her opinions are not always humble and may well make you cross, but some should raise a smile and might give you pause for thought.

Take a comfy seat – it doesn’t have to be in the Lotus position – and make up your own mind.

I've got a couple of writerly events this week. On Thursday, I'm sitting on a stall with other members of Northants Authors at a garden centre in Northampton (bet J K Rowling has never done that), where we shall talk to 'our public' and, it is to be hoped, sell some books. Then on Saturday, I'm guest speaker at Towcester Library, talking about writing and stuff.

Interesting times.