Computers? They're easy once you know how.

Why is it that the computer has a way of making itself appear incredibly difficult until you know how? I’ve had friends who, not so long ago, were bewildered about how to use an email account but now they’re emailing as if it’s the easiest thing in the world, which of course it is… when you know how. Some of my friends are now wary of launching themselves into the blogging world because they’re not sure they know how. One of those friends has successfully dived in and you can find her at Thinking of the Days talking about everything from music to her allotment, cooking, family, life, the lot. Hopefully the others won’t be far behind because it really is easy once you know how.

Some time ago I set up a website because I wanted to connect with other writers but yet again it’s all about what you know and I now know that blogging and tweeting are the best ways to network, raise your profile as a writer and make lovely friends while you’re at it. So when the bill for next year’s website hosting arrived in my inbox I decided it was time for a restructure. Within the month my website will cease to exist. I’m transferring some of the content onto this blog. You’ve probably noticed that tabs have appeared above the title of this post. Of course, you won’t have noticed how many hours it took me to work out how to set up those tabs and additional blog pages and yet it’s simple now I know how.

Talking of lovely blogging friends, I’ve received some awards. Annalisa Crawford from Wake up, eat, write, sleep gave me the One Lovely Blog Award over a month ago. Apologies for the delay, Annalisa, but life’s been a bit hectic here.

Annalisa is a writer and fitness instructor and a lovely chatty blogger so please go and visit her blog. I promise you won’t be disappointed.

I’m passing this award to my friend Bridget at Thinking of the Days for being brave enough to dive in.

My other award is from Ruth who blogs at Out on a Limb. I met Ruth through Rachel’s Platform Building Campaign. She writes YA and she’s a chocolate lover, a blogger after my own heart, so all you YA writing, chocolate loving bloggers please go and visit her blog. It’s a must read.

Ruth has given me the Versatile Blogger Award and said that the rules insist I tell you seven things about me that you didn’t already know. Gosh! I doubt that there are seven things you don’t know about me so, as usual, I’m going to bend the rules and tell you about five firsts.

My first LP record was by Dionne Warwick
My first car was a turquoise Austin A40 Farina
My first holiday abroad was in Benidorm in the days before it was a TV series.
My first teaching post was as a History Teacher in Loughborough
My first published piece of writing was a short story called Waiting to be Rescued published in Best Women’s Magazine and if you’d like to click on the above tab marked short story you can read it.

I’m passing this award to my friend Maria at First Draft Café who, as @MariaAsmith, has done so much work to set up the #UKwriters group on Twitter.