Own it: The Power of Taking Responsibility

Growth and personal freedom begin when we stop blaming and start owning. Responsibility isn’t a burden — it’s your superpower. Own your choices, own your power. When you, like us, regularly visit social media sites, you will no doubt have seen posts that begin with: “Hi, just after people’s thoughts…” or “Am I overthinking this?” “Someone [fill in name] hurt my feelings — but I am right, aren’t I?” “It’s not about me, but…” [fill in] Although most writers…

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DI Caius Beauchamp Detective Series

A quirky, humorous, cleverly written detective series that doesn’t shy away from contemporary and social issues; all the more praise for Charlotte Vassell in these hectic and polarising times. I was enticed and just couldn’t stop reading, and finished all three books one after another – rooting for the characters, despising others, and wishing some wouldn’t hurt people I’d grown to love… Category: Fiction Genre: Detective, Mystery Books in the DI Caius Beauchamp series: THE…

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Do Images of the Past Influence Our Perception of the Present?

How reliable are our memories? My father used to film and photograph the three of us growing up: my brother, sister, and me. An 8mm film camera and slides. I remember sitting in the living room after a family holiday, the curtains closed, the whirring sound of the projector aimed at the wall. Those were the times! But were they? How does what we experience in our childhood, throughout adolescence and adulthood colour our view…

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The Skeleton Key

Book Review: A treasure hunt, a complicated friendship, two families completely entwined, and then there is murder… Welcome to an intriguing page-turner that draws you into its fascinating story and makes you wish you could read on and on. Category: Fiction Genre: Thriller, Psychological As a true bibliophile, any story that involves books captures my attention. No wonder the premise of The Skeleton Key, with a creative idea for a book that, upon having been…

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Through the Barricades – Denise Deegan

Book Review: Driven by her promise to her dying father, Maggie fights for equality and accessibility of education in this powerful tale of love and war in early 20th century Dublin. Category: Fiction Genre: Historical I relished this immersive tale of love and the struggle for a better future, set against the Irish turmoil, the call for the Irish Republic and the social inequality of Dublin’s inhabitants: from the well-to-do who send their children to…

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Saltwater Shadows

Poem: When seaside living is just not meant to be Must be so nice to live on the seafront I bet you walk on the beach daily Bare feet touching the slowly warming sand Avoid treading on treacherous seashells You’ll love dipping your toes Into the salty sea, “they” said You’ll love the breeze and the wind blowing through your hair “They” didn’t tell me That the wind would be so forceful Smashing me against…

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Blushing Roses and Brazen Cherries

Poem: The lovely scents of Spring: freshly mown grass and intoxicating flowers A gentle breeze caresses the air Sweet notes of freshly mown grass She walks by, a delicate waft of perfume Of blushing roses and brazen cherries A bedazzling stream of consciousness As a lavish bouquet of enticing scents Daintily embellishing lustrous colours Evokes in abundance awakening senses ©Caz.C.Cole Thanks for reading! Jon & Caz Cole This poem has also been posted…

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Discover Deventer, the quirky Dutch riverside city in the heart of the Netherlands

Travel Diary: Deventer the pretty, picturesque place famous for its “Deventer Koek” and Christmassy Dickens Festival Country: the Netherlands Province: Overijssel Most of you have no doubt heard of Amsterdam, the Dutch capital city with its canals, its infamous Red-Light District, its Anne Frank Museum, and much, much more. But what about Deventer, the quirky city in Overijssel? Situated on the banks of the IJssel, Deventer looks as picture-perfect as you can imagine, especially with…

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Thousand Thoughts

Poem: When the maelstrom of thoughts is impossible to ignore Sometimes there are so many Thoughts in my head Whirling around in a maelstrom Making it difficult to breathe Caught amidst my thousand thoughts. One leads to a surge, a sequence of others And suddenly, an explosion No longer able to let go Forcing itself to the foreground Demanding attention. They can upset me, distract me From falling asleep. Even if I know They are…

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Was the 1941 Pearl Harbor attack avoidable?

Article | Bite-Size History: A day of infamy. Analysing the evidence of Japan’s declaration on war on the US Where were you when the Twin Towers were attacked? Where were you when American President J.F. Kennedy was assassinated? Do you know where you were when Princess Diana tragically died? For certain generations, that pivotal seismic event was the Japanese bombing of the US Naval Station at Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941. And in its…