Calamity Chicks 1.1

Some of the books in this series are billed as fairytale, but the entire series is a Cinderella story, because it never got the send off it deserved, overtaken as it was by the Time Doctors.

Calamity Chicks: Endearing, coming-of-age romances with lashings of adventure and a hint of spicy danger. Set in 70's Britain, they provide an immersive experience of growing up in a world without mobile phones and computers, but with the best soundtrack everrr!
#1 Tina's Torment - Ugly Duckling
#2 Chloe's Chaos - Goldilocks
#3 Linda's Lament - Reluctant Rock Star
#4 Helen's Hazard - coming in 2025

The first book in the series is Tina’s Torment – here’s a little more about it.

Would you tell your best friend?
On Chloe’s hen night, Tina has a dilemma: does she reveal what a rat her fiancé is and ruin what should be her happiest day ever? Or stay schtum and let him ruin Chloe’s life?

Best friends since juniors, their bond is threatened when they meet two cousins. Built like a Greek God, Justin is every girl’s heart-throb, but both Tina and Danny suffer his cruelty. High school turns Tina from a frumpy swot into a svelte high-achiever, but revenge is sweet when her inner disco diva attracts Justin’s attention – and Chloe's jealousy.

Tina’s hard work brings rewards as a blast from the past reappears with a mission – to make up for lost time. Being overweight and spotty, Danny never had the courage to stand up to his cousin, but now the girls on the sailing course think he’s a dreamboat. Tina is thrilled as he teaches her far more than how to sail, but his spiteful cousin isn’t done with them.
As college brings new adventures, all four are linked by dark secrets, and danger ensues as the monster seeks his revenge.

She’s All That meets Never Been Kissed with elements of The Duff

This cheeky piece of 70s British nostalgia features no less than three Ugly-duckling transformations, girl-powered escapes from hairy situations, a couple of unlikely heroes and the nastiest of villains. Feel free to boo and hiss.

N.B. A version of this story was previously available (from May 2014-May 2017) as part of a short story anthology called Triple Jeopardy, published under the pen-name Rowanna Green. There are several changes, adding mystery and reinstating all the yummy 70s songs some harsh critic made me take out. Now it's part of a series, you get to spend time with some of the other characters and see the other side of the story.

Back to School-itis

If you’re in England, you can’t fail to have noticed it’s back-to-school time, as evidenced by the plethora of ads for uniforms, stationary and the like.

For the rugrats, this is followed by the whole transition from long, sunny play-days to grey, rainy endless days of getting your soul sucked out by a bunch of thankless tasks. Or am I projecting?

For some kids, going back to school at the end of a long lazy summer can be traumatic. Anticipating a new teacher, classmates, grade, or school can trigger fear, anxiety, and depression - not to mention very real physical symptoms such as stomach aches, headaches, and insomnia. One doctor highlights various reasons for school-related anxiety, including fear of the unknown, academic pressure, social concerns, separation from family, routine changes, or past negative school experiences. He explained that while anxiety is a normal human response, it could affect sleep, appetite, mood, and school attendance if not addressed.

For some of us, this childhood pattern gets set and we never quite get over it, manifesting as weekend-itis, Sunday evening-itis, or my favourite, the Sunday scaries. I was surprised by how many articles I found on the subject, one blogger said "Mondayitis; back-to-work or school blues; the post-holiday comedown – these feelings snap at our heels on a Sunday night throughout life, whether children are in the picture or not."
Another said "Ever since I was a kid, I get a feeling of depression, emptiness and anxiety on Sunday nights. I think its pretty clear why, Monday, work and stress are coming the next day."

My own memories of Sunday evening go way back to being six years old, sitting under the hairdryer hood (which hung off the door because the stand broke), and definitely feeling unsettled. The thin-sandwich engineering degree had us alternating between terms at college and work placements, and I distinctly remember coming the closest I've been to anxious at uni, every time we swapped from one to the other. That is apart from taking exams, when I got so nervous I had to go in early to chuck up before it started.

I was okay through most of the 23 years writing software, apart from the three times I returned from a 6-month maternity leave. Now, of course, being retired means I'll never have to face those kind of stresses again.

My Top Thirteen Anthem Songs

The top 4 are songs which spoke to me on a visceral level – they were telling the story of my life (thanks, Billy J). The next half dozen have similar resonance – but in later years – they didn’t move me so much at the time.
Most of the others are in the list because they’re songs which make you (yeah, it’s not just me!) want to punch the air and sing at the top of your voice in absolute agreement of the song’s sentiment – this, I think, is the definition of an anthem. Some of them were turned into anthems due to their use in popular culture [film/TV/sports].

1. Argent – Hold your Head Up 1971
2. Helen Reddy – Angie Baby 1975
3. Janis Ian – At Seventeen 1975
4. Billy Joel – My Life 1978
5. Journey – Separate Ways 1983
6. Styx – Renegade 1979
7. Tears for Fears – Woman in Chains 1989
8. Waterboys – Whole of the Moon 1985
9. Deacon Blue – Dignity 1994
10. David Bowie – Rebel Rebel 1974
11. Bon Jovi – Livin’ On A Prayer 1986
12. Queen – We are the champions/We will rock you 1977 [A Knight’s Tale]
13. Tina Turner – Simply the best 1991/We don’t need another hero 1985 [Mad Max Thunderdome]

And the didn't-quite-make-its - many of which are quite universal.
Simple Minds – Don’t you forget about me 1985 [Breakfast Club]
Kate Bush – Running up that hill 1985 [Stranger Things]
Neil Diamond – Sweet Caroline 1969 [Big Bang Theory/England Squad]
Status Quo – Caroline 1971
Gloria Gaynor – I will survive 1978
Dexy’s Midnight Runners – Come on Eileen 1982
Bee Gees – Stayin’ Alive 1977
Skinner/Baddiel/Lightning Seeds – Three Lions/It's Coming Home 1996 [England Squad]

For those of you expecting to see things like ELO's Mr Blue Sky, try the Epic list here.
Another work-in-progress post I’ll be adding to as I remember stuff.

Time Travellers – Guess the Year #6

Famous Hatches, Matches and Dispatches from this year
Births:
Cielo Bublé (daughter of Michael Bublé and Luisana Lopilato), ?? (son of Tom Hiddleston and Zawe Ashton), Ilaria Baldwin (daughter of Alec and Hilaria Baldwin), August Cage (daughter of Nicolas Cage and Riko Shibata)

Marriages:
Ewan McGregor and Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Britney Spears and Sam Asghari, Kirsten Dunst and Jesse Plemons, Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck

Deaths:
Queen Elizabeth II(96), Olivia Newton-John(74), Ray Liotta(68), Christine McVie(79), Meatloaf(75), Dennis Waterman(74), Angela Landsbury(97), Leslie Phillips(98), Sidney Poitier(95) Irene Cara(63)

Time Travellers – Guess the Year #5

Famous Hatches, Matches and Dispatches from this year
Births: Lily-Rose Depp, Sabrina Carpenter, Brooklyn Beckham, Bailee Madison & Madison Bailey Kiernan Shipka, Morgan Turner

Marriages: Reese Witherspoon and Ryan Phillippe, David Arquette and Courteney Cox, Prince Edward and Sophie Rhys-Jones, Jean-Claude Van Damme and Gladys Portugues, David Beckham and Victoria Adams, Helen Hunt and Hank Azaria, Fatboy Slim and Zoë Ball

Deaths: Ernie Wise(74), Oliver Reed(61), Dusty Springfield(60) & Curtis Mayfield(57)

My Top Thirteen Epic Songs

It all began because I tried in vain to list my top 13 songs of all time – 130 would be nearer the mark. So then I thought of my top 13 acts and tried to pick one song. I started to write that these are probably the band’s one defining song (think Journey: Don’t Sop Believing, Billy Joel: Piano Man, Meatloaf: Bat Outta Hell), the one most people expect to hear if they go to a live show.
But then I realised those weren’t the ones I’d necessarily pick as a favourite – iconic, for sure, but not my go-to on my comfort-songs playlist – these tend to be longer than normal, usually a story song, huge arrangements bordering on operatic and when the last note dies, you need a pause because you’ve been put through a massive emotional journey.
A Magnum Opus.
I’d intended to call these “Opus” songs, but after a lively debate with my better half, decided on epic instead.

To my mind, these are the exact definition of a magnus opus – “a large and important work of art, music, or literature, especially one regarded as the best work of an artist composer, or writer.” The first one of those, for me, was Keith West’s awesome “Excerpt From a Teenage Opera” in 1967, ending poignantly with a bunch of kids singing:
“Grocer Jack, Grocer Jack, is it true what Mummy said, you won't come back? Oh no, no.”

After that, there were a bunch of standout songs, all the way to Queen’s unashamedly operatic offering in 1975 – which most people would have as their number one. But for me there were a couple which are more personal to me for one reason or another.
This post will be a work in progress as I remember more and more I can’t leave off the list.

1. Blue Oyster Cult – Don’t Fear the Reaper 1978
2. Disturbed – Sound of Silence 2015
3. Whitesnake – Still of the Night 1987
4. Thin Lizzie – Still in Love with You 1974
5. Queen – Bohemian Rhapsody 1975
6. Billy Joel – Scenes from an Italian Restaurant 1977
7. John Miles - Music 1976
8. Richard Harris – MacArthur Park 1968
9. ELO – Mr Blue Sky 1978
10. Ultravox – Vienna 1981
11. Slade – How Does it Feel? 1975
12. Styx – A.D. 1928/Rocking the Paradise 1981
13. Carpenters – Goodbye to Love 1972

Interesting that 8 of them were from my favourite decade – the 70s. And only one from this millenium!
As ever, I had so many, so here’s another bunch:

Journey – Change for the Better 2008
Spandau Ballet – Through the Barricades 1986
David Bowie – As the World Falls Down 1986
City Boy – Ambition 1979
Manfred Man’s Earth Band – Joybringer 1973
Meatloaf – Paradise by the Dashboard Light 1977
My Chemical Romance – Welcome to the Black Parade 2006
Foo Fighters – Everlong 1997
Wings – Live and Let Die 1973
Python Lee Jackson – In a Broken Dream 1972
Richard Marx – Hazard 1991
Hollies – Air that I Breathe 1974
Sad Café –Every Day Hurts 1979
Beach Boys – Good Vibrations 1966
Rush – Spirit of Radio 1980
Peter Gabriel & Kate Bush Don’t Give Up 1986
Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich – Legend Of Xanadu 1968
Keith West – Excerpt From a Teenage Opera 1967
Freddie Mercury & Montserrat Caballe – Barcelona 1987
Bee Gees – New York Mining Disaster 1941 1967

Time Travellers – Guess the Year #4

Famous Hatches, Matches and Dispatches from this year
Births:
Emma Stone, Vanessa Hudgens, Rupert Grint, Rose McIver, Adele, Rhianna & Jessie J

Marriages:
Mike Tyson and Robin Givens, Mick Fleetwood and Sara Recor, Burt Reynolds and Loni Anderson, Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson, Jonathan Frakes and Genie Francis, Michael J. Fox and Tracy Pollan, Jeff Goldblum and Geena Davis

Deaths:
Roy Orbison (52), Andy Gibb (30), Kenneth Williams (62), Trevor Howard (75) & Roy Kinnear(54)