Finding a Voice: Uplifting Memoir Chronicles Man’s Journey to Thriving with Developmental Learning Disorder

Posted on October 26, 2020 by Catherine Balavage

Damian Quinn is just like anyone else. His mind races with ideas; he’s intelligent and has the potential to achieve great things. But Damian has spent his life contending with one thing most don’t – the inability to form words and communicate properly.

In his new memoir, ‘Finding a Voice’, Damian takes readers from his early years when the only word he could say was “mimmy”, through to adulthood where he thrives as a successful disability advocate and Vice President of Afasic. This charity has saved his livelihood.

Synopsis:

The power of communication is essential; some say a necessity. We all do it, humans, insects, birds, cats, dogs, etc. No matter which species we belong to, we all communicate. Unfortunately, some people struggle to do so. Damian was one of them.

Developmental Learning Disorder, a speech and language disability, which Damian has had from birth, causes sentences to come out muddled and slow, even though all Damian’s ideas are there. Here Damian talks about how DLD has affected his life, and how the charity Afasic has been there to support him throughout.

Find the struggles that Damian had to go through in his life for him to speak.

Finding a Voice recounts the journey Damian has taken. From the early years, he was struggling to be diagnosed and have the disability recognized, to being heard as Vice President of Afasic.

Finding a Voice recounts the journey Damian has taken. From the early years, struggling to be diagnosed and have the disability recognized, to being heard as Vice President of Afasic.

“My pronunciations, semantics and discourse have been profoundly affected by DLD,” says the author, who has moved back to his hometown of Leighton Buzzard. “As you can imagine, this caused many issues growing up and going through the education system, particularly back in the 1980s when disability wasn’t understood or dignified as it is today. However, I have used my experiences in adulthood to carve out my own success; one that embraces the challenges I face. Unfortunately, DLD affects about two children in every classroom in primary school and sadly that it is more common in boys than girls.”

Continuing, “I wrote this book to share one man’s honest account of disability, both to help raise awareness and understanding among non-suffers, and help those who struggle with conditions like mine to understand they are not defined by it. Their success is not connected to it. I want everyone to understand the odds are always stacked in our favour, no matter the challenges we face in life.”

Reviews have been glowing. Chelsea writes, “I received my book this afternoon and finished it this evening. It was a fascinating read and very informative about DLD and the struggles Damo has faced growing up. It’s an emotional read at times, especially when Damo talks about his feelings behind feeling like he failed his parents. Damo is an absolute delight to know, and I know his parents would be very proud of who he is today! I urge people to read this book and educate themselves on this – fantastic job!”

Justin adds, “This is the heartwarming story of Damian who has grown up with a Developmental Learning Disorder. Damian at an early age, was diagnosed with a Speech and Language Disorder. Damian shares his experiences of living with a disability from his early childhood to his adult life, showing how having a disability has not stopped him from achieving great things in life and helping others with Speech and Language Disorders through the charity called Afasic. This is a most enjoyable and informative read.”

‘Finding a Voice’ is published on November 9th and available from all good bookshops as well as all online book retailers, including Amazon- https://amzn.to/37yTafq

You can find his website at https://www.dysphasia.co.uk/

The books that have changed me by Margaret Graham (aka Milly Adams and Annie Clarke)

Posted on October 21, 2020 by Catherine Balavage

The books that changed me, or should I say perhaps, developed my understanding… Heavens, so many, but let me take a stab at it.

As a child I read The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett in which an obnoxious orphan Mary Lennox arrives to live with her uncle at Misselthwaite Manor in Yorkshire. Archibald Craven locked the door leading to his wife’s beloved garden on her death. He also secreted his son, with crooked legs and back , in his own quarters for his own safety, and went about his business elsewhere, leaving the kindly servants to care for this disparate household.

The children find the secret garden, and slowly as they work within it, and as the seasons roll on, the healing of both begins. This book introduced me to a love of gardening, to the relentless rhythm of the seasons which has given me solace and a sense of something ‘bigger’. It grounds me.

Then as a teenager I read I Never Promised you a Rose Garden by Joanne Greenberg. This is the story of a schizophrenic young woman, who spends some years receiving therapy ina residential centre. As the young woman recovers she is devastated to realise that the world is not perfect, that happiness is not a given. That there are ups and downs, and one must find a ‘centre’. But as the psychiatrist says: I helped you heal, but I never promised a rose garden, I promised you a life.

I found this profound, and it stabilized the angst of a teenager, and was a great guide as an adult.

As an adult I was struggling to write my first novel – to navigate my way through the muddle of my thoughts, . I read Cinderella to my children one evening, and realised that it is the clearest example of the common structural form. It enabled me to write my first novel, and create almost 30 other books. It also allowed me to teach aspiring authors, perhaps the most rewarding part of my writing life, apart from editing Frost Magazine.

Basically, there is one protagonist, Cinderella, she has helpers ( mentors) and enemies (antagonists). Cinderella is on a journey, which is the plot, in order to resolved the theme, which for me was her quest to find love. Fourth must be Reginald Hill’s Dalziel and Pascoe novels. Erudite, immaculately structured with characters in complete balance, and scattered with laugh-aloud humour. They freed something in me, and made me brave enough to be myself, and allow the humour I inherited from my parents free rein.

Fourth are the Reginald Hill Dalziel and Pascoe novels, beautifully structured and written, with a superb balance of characters. Erudite, fascinating, and laugh-aloud funny. They gave me the courage to allow myself to use my own sense of humour, inherited from Mum and Dad.

Fifth and perhaps most importantly From Both Ends of the Stethoscope by award winning author Dr Kathleen Thompson

Dr Thompson is ‘the doctor who knows’ what it is to face the chilling cancer diagnosis, and then find your way through the maze of information and treatment. The book is set out in an extraordinarily accessible way for the patient, and also for those like me who have friends with this illness, it gives me a way of helping, of listening, of supporting. It is life enhancing, and invaluable.

If I can sneak in a sixth, The Variety Girls series by Tracy Baines made me realise I should have been on the stage, not stuck in a study writing. You see, I could have ‘hoofed’ with the best of them, and hugged the spotlight, and showed off, and my mum would have been shocked, then proud, as I received a standing ovation – just me, not the rest of the chorus, of course. Ah, well, I can dream.

Tips for squeezing the best out of the last few months of 2020

Posted on October 3, 2020 by Frostie

By Sid Madge, author of the ‘Meee in a minute’ series of books

2020 is proving to be the toughest year that most of us can remember. We’ve got through so far and can now look at how to adapt and get the most we can from the remaining few months of this year.

According to a YouGov poll only 8% of Britons want to go back to life as it was before the pandemic.

Let’s create something better for everyone instead of some watered down ‘new normal’. The first step for squeezing the best out of the rest of 2020 is to embrace uncertainty. There isn’t going to be some miracle vaccine by December, so what do we do now and for the rest of the year? We grab the remainder of the year by the scruff of its neck and focus on changing for the better.

Your Innate Growth Mindset

Stanford psychologist Carol Dweck became obsessed with understanding how people cope with failures and setbacks. Initially her research looked at kids and how they reacted to puzzles they couldn’t solve. The outcome of Dweck’s research is now world famous and she proposes that our success and happiness in life comes down to one thing – mindset. According to Dweck there are two – fixed and growth.

Individuals with a fixed mindset, have a fixed idea of what they are capable of, believing that what they are born with is the finish line. They tend to be more defeatist. Those with a growth mindset believe that what we are born with is just the beginning. What we are capable of is determined by our own aspirations, effort and determination.

Interestingly, Dweck believes we are all born with a growth mindset. We get trained out of it. We’re taught that failure is unacceptable – even though all great success comes through failure not by avoiding it. If ever we needed to re-assess that growth mindset it’s now.

Take a minute to consider whether you have a fixed or growth mindset? Has Covid-19 made it more fixed as you sink into a gloom? If you imagine you had a growth mindset instead – what would you do? Looking at your life and the rest of 2020 – what could you try? What have you always thought of doing but never got around to it? Lean into the uncertainty and adapt. Use it as a springboard to try things you’ve been putting off. Is there a different market you could approach? Stay curious, flexible, and open.

Changing Your Today to Change Your Tomorrow

What have you done today? Is that getting you closer to your business and life goals or further away? If you want a different tomorrow so you find a successful way through the pandemic, you need to take steps to change what you do today.

Stop for a moment and reflect on how you spend your time. When did you get up this morning? How much TV do you watch? How much time do you spend on social media? How much time do you spend learning something new? Do you spend time with family or friends? Are those exchanges enjoyable or stressful? How much time do you spend on your health? How much sleep do you get most nights?

Take a minute to draw a circle and divide it up into slices that represent how you spend your time during a typical day. Now draw another circle and divide it up to represent how you would like to spend your day. If you spend a lot of time at work but don’t enjoy it, what could you do today to find a something that you might enjoy more? Or what could you change at in work/home life today to improve your day? Identify the things you like or can live with and the things that you don’t like and can’t live with. How can you change the aspects of your day that bring you down?

Often, we don’t need to make big sweeping changes. Subtle little shifts can accumulate to bring about change.

Growth from Trauma

In 1967 psychiatrists Thomas Holmes and Richard Rahe developed a list of 47 stressful events that could impact health and happiness. The assumption is logical – we get more stressed when bad stuff happens to us, start accumulating stressful experiences such as a job loss, illness or divorce and you are more susceptible to physical illness, disease and depression. Global pandemics and economic uncertainty don’t help either.

However, the fly in their theoretical ointment was the fact that not everyone who experienced really tough life events were negatively impacted by them. On the contrary, some of those people actively flourished. This field of study is called post traumatic growth or adversarial growth and studies have shown that great suffering or trauma can actually lead to huge positive change. For example, after the Madrid bombings of 2004 psychologists found that many of those affected experienced positive psychological growth. A diagnosis of cancer and subsequent recovery can also trigger positive growth.

The people in many of these studies found new meaning and new purpose from surviving something terrible. Instead of seeing their situation as a failure or a problem they believed it could make them stronger. How can you use Covid-19 to find new meaning and positive growth?

Take a minute to think about exactly what you are worried about most in your life and identify one thing you can do about it right now. Set that in motion. What positives could you pull from the turmoil? Get creative – think of at least three positives that Covid-19 could give you. It might not be fun but if you can find the silver linings you can often move on quicker.

These suggestions are pulled from my Meee in a Minute books, each offering 60 one-minute micro-ideas and insights that can help us to shift our perception in life, family and at work. We can all use tiny interventions to adapt and change and make the very best we can of the months ahead.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Sid Madge is founder of Meee (My Education Employment Enterprise) which draws on the best creativity and thinking from the worlds of branding, psychology, neuroscience, education and sociology, to help people achieve extraordinary lives.

To date, Meee has transformed the lives of over 20,000 people, from leaders of PLC’s and SME’s to parents, teachers, students, carers, the unemployed and prison inmates.

Sid Madge is also author of the ‘Meee in Minute’ series of books which each offer 60 ways to change your life, work-, or family-life in 60 seconds.

Web: www.meee.global

Web: www.meeebooks.com

Twitter twitter.com/Meee_HQ
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/MeeeHQ/
Instagram www.instagram.com/meeehq
YouTube https://youtu.be/fISupZWZMQc
TEDx https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bR3Cyjs62c8

The Life We Almost Had by Amelia Henley | Book Review

Posted on July 31, 2020 by Catherine Balavage

The Life We Almost Had has the twist least likely to be guessed of any book I can think of. The book is clever and well done. Of course the book is a love story, but it is a unique one. The book is unbearably sad in places, yet it pulls you up. It keeps you guessing all of the way to the end. Highly recommended reading, this book is a triumph for Amelia Henley.

Anna wasn’t looking for love when Adam swept her off her feet but there was no denying their connection, and she believed they would be together forever. Years later, cracks have appeared in their relationship. Anna is questioning whether their love can really be eternal when a cruel twist of fate delivers a crushing blow, and Anna and Adam are completely lost to one another. Now, Anna needs Adam more than ever, but the way back to him has life-changing consequences. Is a second chance at first love really worth the sacrifice? Anna needs to decide and time is running out…

A beautiful and emotional love story that asks, how far would you go for a second chance at first love? Perfect for fans of The Man Who Didn’t Call and Miss You.

Amelia Henley is a hopeless romantic who has a penchant for exploring the intricacies of relationships through writing heart-breaking, high-concept love stories. Amelia also writes psychological thrillers under her real name, Louise Jensen. As Louise Jensen she has sold over a million copies of her global number one bestsellers. Her stories have been translated into twenty-five languages and optioned for TV as well as featuring on the USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestsellers list. Louise’s books have been nominated for multiple awards. The Life We Almost Had is the first story she’s written as Amelia Henley and she can’t wait to share it with readers.

Fair Warning By Michael Connoelly Book Review

Posted on June 24, 2020 by Catherine Balavage

There is a reason Stephen King calls Michael Connelly ‘a master of the genre.’ Pacy and perfect, Fair Warning is another superb thriller that you will not be able to put down. The book resonates with our present truth. Jack McEvoy is a journalist who is accused of murder and he uses his own skills to uncover the truth. Michael Connelly was a police reporter for the Los Angeles Times and as he says himself he puts ‘the truth in my novels and research then like a reporter in a story.’ You can tell

Fair Warning is a must read for any lover of crime novels, and even for those who are not. Superb.

Jack McEvoy is a reporter with a track record in finding killers. But he’s never been accused of being one himself.

Jack went on one date with Tina Portrero. The next thing he knows, the police are at his house telling Jack he’s a suspect in her murder.

Maybe it’s because he doesn’t like being accused of a crime he didn’t commit. Or maybe it’s because the method of her murder is so chilling that he can’t get it out of his head.

But as he uses his journalistic skills to open doors closed to the police, Jack walks a thin line between suspect and detective – between investigation and obsession – on the trail of a killer who knows his victims better than they know themselves…

Riveting, original and terrifying – this masterpiece from Michael Connelly is the best thriller you will read this summer.

Fair Warning By Michael Connoelly is available here.

Hideaway By Nora Roberts Book Review

Posted on June 17, 2020 by Catherine Balavage

Some books grip you and never let go. This happened with Hideaway. Written by prolific writer Nora Roberts, Hideaway is about the daughter of a Hollywood dynasty that gets kidnapped. Does not sound cheery, does it? Yet it is a riveting book full of depth that draws you in and never lets you go until the final page. It has it all: crime, romance, mystery, Hollywood, and a kick-ass heroine. What more could you want?

One day, she thought, one moment, one innocent game. How was it that day, that moment, that game never seemed to end?

Caitlyn Sullivan is just nine years old when a game of hide and seek at a family party will change her life forever.

The betrayal she experienced that night will shape Caitlyn’s life – and for years she runs and runs, hiding from the aftermath of the trauma. But Caitlyn comes to realise that if she wants to not just survive but thrive, she must return to the family home to face up to her past.

What happened that night may always haunt Caitlyn but she must decide if it’s what you’re running from that matters. Or who finds you.

Hideaway is available here.

The Operator by Gretchen Berg | Book Review

Posted on June 11, 2020 by Catherine Balavage

I read The Operator in awe. The relationship between the characters, the complexities of relationships, the jaw-dropping setting, this book is just perfect. Set in the 1950s in Wooster, Ohio, it follows switchboard operator Vivian Dalton who eavesdrops on the residents of the town. This comes back to bite her when she hears some gossip about her own life.

This pieces of gossip sends Vivian on a path of discovery and the consequences come thick and fast. I loved so much about this book: the setting is done so well. Gretchen really knows her stuff. She writes so well from different people’s perspectives. This book is full of depth and luscious descriptions. It keeps you guessing. When you pick it up it is impossible to put it back down.

It’s 1952. The switchboard operators in Wooster, Ohio, love nothing more than to eavesdrop on their neighbours’ conversations, and gossip about what they learn. Vivian Dalton is no different (despite her teenage daughter’s disapproval), and always longs to hear something scandalous. But on the night of December 15th, she wishes she hadn’t. The secret that’s shared by a stranger on the line threatens to rip the rug of Vivian’s life from under her.

Vivian may be mortified, but she’s not going to take this lying down. She wants the truth, no matter how painful it may be. But one secret tends to lead to another . . .

This moving, heart-felt and ultimately uplifting novel brilliantly weaves together an irresistible portrayal of a town buzzing with scandal, and an unforgettable story of marriage, motherhood and the unbreakable ties of family.

The Operator is available here.

The Cancer Ladies’ Running Club By Josie Lloyd

Posted on June 4, 2020 by Catherine Balavage

I was tremendously excited about reviewing this book because it is written by Josie Lloyd. I have read a number of books from Josie and I love them all and – although we have never met- I love her. After feeling sad that she has had such a tough time I dived into the book.

The first thing I saw when I opened my advanced copy were some reviews and I loved the one from Joanne Rose, divisional marketing directing: ‘This isn’t a (whisper it) “cancer book”. This is a book for book lovers, everywhere.’ Oh how right she was indeed. The book is uplifting, happy, sad and raw. The Cancer Ladies’ Running Club lets us know that even when bad things happen and times are tough, we can rebuild ourselves and triumph over adversity.

The Cancer Ladies’ Running Club is a great book to read right now. Yes, it has its sadness, but now more than ever we need to know that beauty can come from sadness, and that we will win in the end.

Sometimes we need our friends to help us find our feet…

When Keira first receives her breast cancer diagnosis, she never expects to end up joining a running group with three women she’s only just met. Totally blind-sided, all she can think about is how she doesn’t want to tell her family or step back from work. Nor does she want to be part of a group of fellow cancer patients. Cancer is not her club.

And yet it’s running – hot, sweaty, lycra-clad running in the company of brilliant, funny women all going through treatment – that unexpectedly gives Keira the hope she so urgently needs.

For Keira will not be defined by the C-word. And now, with the Cancer Ladies’ Running Club cheering her on, she is going to reclaim everything: her family, her identity, her life.

One step at a time.

The Cancer Ladies’ Running Club is available here.

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