I’ve had huge technological problems this week. I couldn’t do anything about it so instead of screaming and stamping I thought - Oh Well, my post will have to be late. Better late than never …

I am a huge advocate of procrasination, apparently it’s the prequel to creativity (they’ll tell you anything!) but these last few weeks I have turned procrastination on its head. I am a publishing machine!(LOL)

Menopause - A Hot Topic is hot off the press. I went to Suffolk to watch my words being made into a book. I hadn’t a clue what it would entail and if I’m honest, it sounded a bit boring. But when I turned up - what a place. A massive warehouse full of german machinary cutting, splicing, sifting and sorting. It was fascinating, noisy, colourful and an education. It gave me an insight into engineering and technolgy. It’s not glamorous but it’s clever stuff. Four days later my miniature, menopause book arrived - I love it.

You can buy a copy from my shop if you like. Sorry about the added cost of postage but I can’t do anything about that. Costs are the most annoying thing about producing a book. Oh and how to get it distributed, oh then there’s the margins, in fact there’s way more to this publishing business than meets the eye. In fact I have been asked to write a piece about my experiences to date to offer advice to those who’d like to give it a go.

There’s a general idea that being an author is quite appealing. People have actually said to me, ‘Oh my goodness, you’re famous’. ‘You must be raking it in’. ‘You’re doing so well’. Others have been enquiring how to write a book and what it entails. In short; it’s not glamorous, you don’t make ANY money at all and it’s harder work than I ever would imagine. But if you feel compelled to write a book - then you must do it and don’t stop until it’s done.

With all the effort involved it does beg the question - why do it at all? And my answer, God only knows but for now this is where I seem to be. On the plus side I’m learning a lot about myself. I’m trying new things and growing in confidence, which can only be a good thing especially for us ageing folk who society seems to shelve once we hit 50.

However you do meet some lovely people along the way and in the most unlikely places #Instagram! Last month I met Rachel Peru and this week, Jo Moseley. She’s a fellow Northern (we’re everywhere) she came down to London for the Feminists film festival (inspiring films about women and girls) Jo’s short film was nomiated. Jo is also the queen of paddle boarding. She’d just completed a trip; 162 mile along the canals from Goole to Liverpool, picking up litter along the way - 100 locks and 57 swing bridges. Fancy paddle boading solo for 11 days in the North of England! She’s got some spirit.

I asked her why she does it. ‘Being out in all elements, time to clear my head, spending time watching nature and having mini adventures. I meet people; narrowboat people, walkers and the like. One day I noticed this man looking a little ‘dubious’ so I asked if he was ok. He told me he’d come to the canal to think about his future and whether he wanted to continue living and what he was going to do about it. It was whilst contemplating he’d seen ‘the crazy sight of a woman on a surf board picking up litter’ and somehow that jolted him out of his thoughts. We chatted a bit about his situation and when he left he seemed a bit more sure of himself. I’m not sure if I helped but I hope so.

For me the next couple of week will be organising book launches and ‘strategising!’ (yeah - right) on how to market my book. All help graciously appreciated. And One Man and his Blog (just made that up) will be up soon too - this one is a very insightful. A topic we dont hear much about.

I leave you with this: At 50 something you get a sense of who you are. What you like and what you dont. I dont like jazz or particularly rap but a couple of weeks ago I found myself at the Jazz Cafc in Camden watching Che Lingo (fellow TedX speaker) - a 27 year old rapper from South West London. I am a different demographic from the majority of his followers (really, I hear you say) but I can tell you something - he was brilliant. The passion, energy, enthusiam and absolute love for what he does was a joy to witness. Have a look - Ché