The Multiverse of Max Tovey + Raffle

I decided to do something new in my blogging world and be part of something exciting! If you know me I am a huge bookworm and even if it is not my typical "thing to read" they hand it to me... I am reading it!!!

book:

Title: The Multiverse of Max Tovey

 

Max Tovey

 “We have to do something!” said Max helplessly. They had swords, but they had no control over the boat as the battle raged away from it.

“Giants, up!” yelled Myvi. “We have the nasty man to deal with, and these monsters are in our way!”

At this, the Giants grabbed their previous passengers, put them upon their shoulders, and swam towards the battle. The Gwragedd Annwn were being beaten back, outnumbered and out­sized, but now Fymbldwn and his friends launched themselves.

“Leave our friends alone!” yelled Fymbldwn, swiping at the Lord Grymnwr with his club and knocking him almost back to the far shore. At the same time, Dwrandwn and the others swam to­wards the rest of the Fomori with one hand and lashed out at them with clubs in their other, while their passengers slashed at snapping jaws and stabbing spears with their own swords, a double edged at­tack, but still they were not winning the fight, for they were at a bad advantage, having to swim while the Fomori floated free of the water.

Trying not to be distracted by the strange sight of his parents’ obviously well-honed sword-fighting skills, Max dealt the Fomori he himself was fighting a savage blow to the head with the flat of his sword, knocking it down into the water, before tugging on Fymbldwn’s hair to get his attention.

“Ow!” said the Giant.

“Sorry Fymbldwn, but we have to get back to the boat!”

“Why? I’m having fun!” said Fymbldwn, swiping out at two Fomori who bore down on them, and knocking them both off their feet. But in moments, they reappeared, angrier yet.

“But we’re not winning!” yelled Max. “Get me to the boat – I have an idea!”

With a little grumbling, Fymbldwn knocked the two Fomori over again, and swam back to the boat, depositing Max into it. Max opened up the sack of fruit, spilling its contents onto the floor of the boat.

“Pull the boat towards the fight Fymbldwn!” said Max.

“But...”

“Don’t argue Fymbldwn – I know how to win this!”

Fymbldwn pouted, looking like a child that had been told off. Max looked at him and threw his arms up in despair.

“Fymbldwn, we don’t have time for this – just pull the boat!”

And so Fymbldwn did, swimming with one hand and pull­ing the boat with the other, and now Max was within shouting dis­tance of the rapidly advancing Fomori, and the rapidly retreating Gwragedd Annwn. The Giants were doing their best, as were their sword-wielding riders, but they were no match for the now massive lake serpent Faeries.

“Get off him you gurt snake... thing...” said Sarah as she stabbed desperately at the Lord Grymnwr, who was bearing down on Max’s father. The wound distracted him from the fight with Owen, but now he turned his attentions to Sarah.

“Oh-oh...”

Sarah fought valiantly, as did her Giant, but Grymnwr was too fast and too strong for them, and now lashed his fearsome tail around the Giant’s neck, and began to squeeze the life out of Giant and rider alike.

“Get off my mother!” screamed Max, taking one of the Odd­wrau berries and dipping it into the lake. Almost immediately it be­gan to swell, and change colour to a very dangerous-looking red. Max threw it as hard as his tired arm would allow, and as the Lord Grymnwr’s devilish jaws opened, and prepared to finish Max’s ter­rified mother, suddenly he found himself swallowing a rapidly en­larging fruit. He only had a split second to register the fact that it tasted like bananas and custard before his body blew apart, his soul consigned to eternal darkness.

 

 

 

Author: Alastair Swinnerton

Author bio: Alastair has been writing for children’s television for over twenty five years. Among his many credits are ‘The Wombles’, ‘Sabrina, Secrets of a Teenage Witch’, and the Bafta-nominated CBBC Christmas Special ‘The Tale of Jack Frost’, which he wrote, co-produced and co-directed. He was also one the co-creators of Lego® Bionicle®. ‘The Multiverse of Max Tovey’ is his first Young Adult novel.

 Alastair lives in Somerset with his family, and spends much of his spare time walking the dog, more often than not at his beloved Ham Hill



 

Social media Links:

Author Website: www.alastairswinnerton.com

Author EG page: http://www.europeangeeks.com/alastair-swinnerton.html

Author Twitter: https://twitter.com/alswinn

Purchase Links:

B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-multiverse-of-max-tovey-alastair-swinnerton/1122499624?ean=9781943755028

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Multiverse-Max-Tovey-Hamdun-Chronicles/dp/1943755019/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1440180975&sr=8-1&keywords=the+multiverse+of+max+tovey

Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Multiverse-Max-Tovey-Hamdun-Chronicles/dp/1943755019/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1440181069&sr=8-1&keywords=The+Multiverse+of+Max+Tovey

European Geeks Publishing: http://www.europeangeeks.com/the-multiverse-of-max-tovey.html

 

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Wow What Happen?

Wow What Happen?



Property of: A Bipolar Mom and Her Daily Life!!!

I have not written on here in months.... I had this whole plan for summer of what blog post I was going to write and what I was going to share and so on. Then nothing....

Well I really should not say nothing but rather at the time I was starting and not realizing I was going through a manic stage of bipolar or I much rather call a battle. It has probably been the longest manic stages I have ever been in.

For me being manic is having this little hamster on this wheel in my head that never stops! Actually he never stops but when I am manic the hamster is like on steroids. When I was going through this manic phase I had no clue at the time what was occurring or how long this recovery would take.

Most days I felt fine but my thoughts would not quite down and I would have trouble sleeping. Projects started piling up, my house work down the crap shoot, and so on. My only main focus was my kids and doing the minimum not raise suspicion I guess when I look at. Basically function on auto pilot of my basic routine. However, it got bad at the mid summer. I let is slip to my therapist that I could  not quiet my mind and it was getting harder and harder to sleep. I was also looking for excuses as well. He suggested that I see my doctor as soon as possible. I already had an appointment on the books do instead of canceling that and scheduling sooner I stuck with that. Well by the time comes around my walls are down and I am crying to doctor that I wanted my mind to shut off.  He immediately adjusted some medication.

Property of: A Bipolar Mom and Her Daily Life!!!

Because of this I asked my mother to come down. I know I was capable of handling this change by myself but this made things a little easier. I have always said to my readers if you have the support use it! In this case use it! You need that person you can trust!!! In my case I have two... my husband and my mom. So why I was focusing on self care and getting things back to my normal. She was helping my husband and also helping me as well. Just because she was there she did not do everything for me. It is important to get right back up there and she made sure I got back on that blasted love hate relationship of a  routine with tough and gentle love. So I am forever thankful for that! I also wish each of you that you have that someone in your life just to make things a little easier.

Well fast forward some weeks....my weight is just piling back on like the speed of sound (a little much?) . It took me almost a year to loose 50 pounds and then to gain that back and then some in just months was devastating. I don't think anyone realized I cried in the shower almost every time looking at myself. Everyone kept telling me "head" first then "body" but I did not think people realized how much "body" I gave up to see thrown back at me. Nothing like having a little one asking if you are pregnant (awkward silence). It was also discovered that one of brain medications that has likely caused most of this medical weight gain has run its course and currently in the process of transition which I told could take several months because of the type medications.

Throw in some physical health problems....

What does this boil down to?

My summer health wise did not goes as plan. I do not feel like I am in the best health but neither the poorest. Besides focusing on my family and daily routine.... I honestly have to put myself first for once and figure this all out. I HAVE TO BE AROUND FOR MY CHILDREN!!!! As I have said before they did not ask to have a parent like this... but they did ask for to have a parent to try their best.... and that is what I am going to do!!!!!

So Wow What Happen?

Property of: A Bipolar Mom and Her Daily Life!!!

Mental Health Awareness Month

Image found on Google Free Images

April Showers might bring May Flowers but is also brings Mental Health Awareness Month in the United States. 

Found on Google Free Images

Now despite what a lot of Americans think mental health awareness is actually not a new concept but rather a shift in attitudes. The first mental health awareness week was observed in the early 1940's in May. It is kind of hard to imagine what they were making the world of aware of but there was some effort to make awareness towards mental health issues. It was not until the 1960's that Mental Health Awareness week became a month. It is still kind of hard to imagine what the awareness was back then. I can though say that was then and this is now. The concept of the month is to shift negative attitudes towards mental health and break the stigma surrounding it! 

For me mental health awareness month is not just sharing my illness but all the mental illness in general. The fact is no matter what mental illness you have been diagnosed with and no matter where you are in your journey you have likely experienced some sort of negative attitude or even been stigmatized about the illness you are living with. It is not fun being on the end of negativity or being stigmatized because of our illness but the thing I have learned there has come a point in everyone life that they have likely felt stigmatized, singled out, or stereotyped. The fact is a lot of people just don't know and it is our job to be the teacher and show the people who have the negative attitudes that they need to shift their way of thinking. The less stigmatized people feel about mental illness the more likely a person is willing to seek help and treatment. A that is one thing we want, people not be afraid to get help because of what other people may think of us. 

So I thought I would share a couple of things I have learned through my journey of Bipolar!

Hi I am Courtney! : Property of Bipolar Mom and Her Daily Life

Your illness does not define you! 

I do not walk around with a big stamp on my forehead that says Bipolar! No one else walks around with their health issue stamped on their forehead whether it is consider "physical"or "invisible". The truth is you were you before your diagnosis and you are still you after you diagnosis, This one thing alone does define who you are it is just another thing that makes you. So yes I have Bipolar but I am also a wife, mother, crafter, book addict, science geek, carnival glass collector, thrift shop hunter, music lover, nerdy, a semi-gamer, loves to match her nails to her mood, DIYer, quirky, has to left feet, gravity tester, and marches to her own drum beat.

Image found on Google Free Images

Be the teacher! 

I discovered the reason why people say something for the most part is not of malice or out of ill will but rather a lack of understanding. Now I know there are cases where this is completely opposite and I have faced true negativity and have been singled out because I live with Bipolar and another invisible illness. However, for most of the time the lack of knowledge seems to be real reason behind the stigma and negative attitudes. However, simply being who you are not hiding who you are is one of the biggest teaching tools of all. If someone questions about your mental illness don't hide it. Being honest with them is being honest with yourself and you can find out the reason they are asking you is because they are in need of help themselves. 

Be proactive!

Be proactive in your health, life, and your mental illness. One of the biggest stigmas we have to fight in mental illness is that we are unstable, incapable, laying in bed, and not treatable people. A lot of mental illnesses are life long illnesses and there will be bad days, time frames, and so on but we cannot live in those moments! We must always try to push to forward! You must be encouraged to seek treatment (which there are many many may types of treatments out there). We are not unstable, we capable, and treatable people! We may not have asked to have an illness but we can take control of what was handed to us!

Little Feet Special Olympics

Image Belongs To USMC Wounded Warrior Battalion East

Well yesterday our little family had a huge day! Caleb had his first field trip and it was to compete in the Special Olympics, Little Feet Division. This special section ranged from children with mild delays, Austim, Down-Syndrome, CP, and so on. All wonderful special miracle children having a wonderful time with family, friends, teachers, and volunteers.

For those who do not know Caleb has a pretty significant speech delay, a slight emotional delay, and sensory processing issues that requires a little help. He is in a wonderful preschool program where his emotional delay is pretty much gone and we just exhibit the typical problem little kids go through like wanting to take turns. He is making progress in his speech delay as well as his sensory processing issues.

Caleb and Christopher at the first event:  Property of  Bipolar Mom and Her Daily Life

We started the day by meeting in his classroom waiting for the morning announcements and the entire school sent off all the little Olympians. It was such an amazing site. I could hear in the back ground some kids a little confused on what "Special Olympics" were and I even heard a little girl saying they were the "kids who did not listen well" and the teacher telling her that she would explain to her a little later what made these kids so special which made my heart melt. Just like I believe in mental health education with bipolar I believe children need to be educated to know about all the wonderful and unique children out there.

Caleb on the bus on the way the to "Little Feet Meet" Property of  Bipolar Mom and Her Daily Life

So Caleb and I loaded the bus and Christopher and Caydance followed in the truck to meet us at the High School. When Caleb and I arrived at the high school we were met with another see of cheerleaders who cheered on our little athletes. After we signed in we made it to little feet division where the little feet division and volunteers cheered us on and we met our volunteers that would help out our school.

Cheers of Volunteers image belongs to USMC Wounded Warrior Battalion  East

Caleb at first was very overwhelmed at the first event and did not want to participate but I decided to step back and let Christopher take the lead on the huge game of "Duck Duck Goose" and when he was picked he took off! Some of his favorite events were the bubble wrap run and the bounce balls which I included pictures of. What was also special about this event the whole family got to participate so our little cheerleader not only got to cheer but got interact as well. Which I think is wonderful to see siblings interact with each other as well as others. I think Caydance loved the bounce balls the best.

The scarf event was the first event and Caleb was not thrilled about:  Property of  Bipolar Mom and Her Daily Life

Caleb and Caydance and the ball bounce one of their favorite events!!! 

Daddy and Caleb:  Property of  Bipolar Mom and Her Daily Life

One of the amazing volunteers:  Property of  Bipolar Mom and Her Daily Life

Caydance, Caleb, and Daddy bouncing away:  Property of  Bipolar Mom and Her Daily Life

Caydance our little cheerleader and Caleb our little champion:  Property of  Bipolar Mom and Her Daily Life

Caleb and Christopher bouncing while Caydance and one of the volunteers:  Property of  Bipolar Mom and Her Daily Life 

Caydance and the volunteer: Property of  Bipolar Mom and Her Daily Life

Spikey:  Property of  Bipolar Mom and Her Daily Life

Up High!!!! : Property of  Bipolar Mom and Her Daily Life

Caleb and the volunteer having fun!!! : Property of  Bipolar Mom and Her Daily Life

The bubble wrap event had to be Caleb's favorite event. Hey it would be mine too! Who does not like bubble wrap?

Caleb getting waiting to go on his first run on the bubble wrap run:  Property of  Bipolar Mom and Her Daily Life

There he goes:  Property of  Bipolar Mom and Her Daily Life

Another run: Property of  Bipolar Mom and Her Daily Life

Bubble Wrap Pile Up: Property of  Bipolar Mom and Her Daily Life

Caydance our little cheerleader!!!

As I said earlier it was a family event so not only could she cheer on her big brother but she could could participate in the events as well. So she had fun picking daisies, bouncing, cheering on her brother, and eating lunch with her big brother. 

Caydance bouncing:  Property of  Bipolar Mom and Her Daily Life

Caydance trying to pick up the big orange bonce ball:  Property of  Bipolar Mom and Her Daily Life

Picking Daisies or grass:  Property of  Bipolar Mom and Her Daily Life

Bubble Wrap Run:  Property of  Bipolar Mom and Her Daily Life

Caydance and I cheering on the huge game of Duck Duck Goose:  Property of  Bipolar Mom and Her Daily Life

 We finished the event by treating our little champion and cheerleader to ice cream!

The little cheerleader Caydance making face:  Property of  Bipolar Mom and Her Daily Life

Our little champion to busy chowing down to look up and smile: Property of  Bipolar Mom and Her Daily Life

We made it home and our little champion and cheerleader crashed out for naps!


All I can is I LOVE MY DAILY LIFE!!!

My Easter Miracle

Image Found On Google Free Images 

I wanted to let you know something that happen last night that was not only only miracle but a huge blessing as well!!!

I went and did grocery shopping last night for Easter dinner. I however, stopped at Dollar General first because they had these small plastic pools that I am using for the Easter basket (it is a family Easter Basket will explain that later in another post). Well I put it in the back of the truck then I ran into the grocery store. When I came out I loaded up the truck to include putting stuff in the pool so it would not blow away thinking safety first and not wanting the pool to blow out the back off the truck....

When I returned the cart. I have no idea why I did not close the back of my back tail gate (I always do). Well when I was driving off and pulling onto the main road I heard this sound... and my heart just dropped ...I was like OMG and did say a couple of not-to-nice words.... please tell me that I closed  the back of the truck. I pull over, glance into the truck, and  sure enough everything is missing. One of my greatest fears have just come true, I put a whole lot of people in danger because of my careless mistake.

MY first thought was to look over there did I just cause wreck!!!.... THANKFULLY NO!!! The next thing was how or what to do get back to where the pool/groceries where I was sure all destroyed....then I backed the truck up to the nearest parking lot to find a car coming towards me! My anxiety was starting to go in overdrive and every thought just flooded my mind. He had my pool still intact and the food that I just purchased still all intact... which was a huge relief I am talking milk and juices! When you are one income family we need to watch every penny.... I first apologized so much but he kept saying it is okay...I also thanked him... and before he left he gave me a tip on gas mileage.

When I got back into the truck ....I just cried and prayed...... I had to sit there .... and was just thankful

Image Found Google Free Images

 

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This is a test  and trying to figure out this blog world.... thank you for your help!

National World Bipolar Day - March 30

Image belongs to International Bipolar Foundation 

March 30th is a very important day to me it is almost birthday celebrating day for me.... it is National World Bipolar Day!!! The vision of this day is to bring world awareness and the stigma of bipolar disorders. This day means we are one step closer to ending the stigma not only around Bipolar but other mental illnesses as well! I could not be happier and honored to be part of this day.

The International Bipolar Foundation (http://www.ibpf.org) asked people who lived with bipolar, caregivers who help someone with bipolar, and the general public to submit a photo with a sign or positive message that would be shared on World Bipolar Day via Facebook and Twitter. I knew this is something that I had to do and be apart of.

So I thought I would write this blog post to go along with my photo for World Bipolar Day... So I hope you enjoy this particular post as I did!!!

Property of a Bipolar Mom and Her Daily Life

* I am not my illness

* I am a daughter, wife, and mother

* I am loved 

* I love with all my heart, body, and soul

* I am not crazy, insane, or unstable 

* I love music, crafts, and to read 

* I love animals 

* I am a fighter and will continue to fight for my invisible illnesses 

* I support invisible illness

* I am a stigma fighter

* I respect all

* I look like just everyone else but unique 

* I will fight for my family

* I am creative 

* I may have an illness but in reality it is more of a blessing not a burden 

* I like to dance like no one is watching 

* I am clumsy 

* I care 

* I am proactive in treating bipolar

* I love the many forms of therapy out there

* I am not afraid to tell someone I am Bipolar 

* I look just like anyone else

* I will not be a negative statistic 

* I am not meant to be used as a label 

* I am in good company 

Property of Bipolar Mom and Her Daily Life