Some people are declaring the Blue Origin and Virgin Galactic companies space race as advances for the Human Race. I don’t deny that the companies are creating large amounts of money on Earth in wherever they are spending it economies. Yes, it’s adding to Science understanding – I’m not disputing that. Anything adding to the understanding of the World we live in is good.

But is a space race the best way to spend money on the Human Race?

Why hasn’t a billionaire come out and completely funded Cancer cure research? Why hasn’t one decided to end World Hunger or work out how to Fix the Climate Crisis?

This is my theory / opinion. You may comment on it, but keep the comments civil.

My theory is this:

They don’t want to. It doesn’t make them any money or give them personal reputations as Daredevils. It doesn’t give them (column) inches in Newspapers or Clicks on the Interwebs.

Anything that would possibly help the poor, sick and hardworking masses of the world isn’t of use to them, because they don’t want to take money away from their bank accounts, to fix long term things that actually gives them money in the short term.

No. They would rather play at being an astronaut, than find the cure for Cancer and save those who are suffering.

The Science Fiction I want to see coming true is the Utopian type that helps people, the Food Replicators, the non invasive medical technology, the turning back of Climate damage… for a start.

Maybe I am naïve in that sense, but why have all that money in the bank when you can’t take it with you in Death? Why not fix things before you die and have a place in Human History after you die, instead of hoarding all that wealth and not using it for anything more than what amounts to joyrides for the Wealthy?

Why?

… well it didn’t actually fall that far… I suppose you could call it delayed hope instead…

Do you remember that at the beginning of May I posted about my first Podcast episode? It was only a little episode and only a little post, so I can forgive you for forgetting about it.

Well today I finished recording and published my first full podcast episode – in which I ramble about being a new writer on the internet and read my short story “Fallen Hope” from my little short story collection.

I had some problems with my mike (rookie mistake), so the sound is a bit wierd, but I am really proud of myself!

If you want to listen to it head to Spotify and search for The World of The Teigr Princess!
Or you could just click on the link in the text – up to you…

The reason it’s late, and it’s nearly a month later than I wanted it to be, is because I finished writing it, but came down with a cold which affected my voice, then I had my second covid jab and reacted to that, so I had to wait for it all to pass before I could record it.

Then I had problems getting enough quiet time… Wales being Wales, the weather changed and I couldn’t kick the kids outside for long enough… Then I had to sort out the software and learn what I needed to do…

All in all, it’s been a rough few weeks on the Podcast front!

I’m a writer. I write no matter whether I am making money or not.

Mostly I’m not.

I publish them because there are people out there that like to read and I love enabling them.

And because I don’t make money from my books, I have to choose wisely what to spend what little money I have available for publishing. So I tend to spend it on Covers. I know some wonderful Cover Artists.

I have a lot of anxiety around my books. I’m very sensitive about them and I loathe people who insult my CA’s.
This is what happened this morning. I was rash enough to open up to a group of people about my books and ask for their help on making the latest cover for The Angel’s Crown to be the best possible.

Clearly it was the wrong group of people to ask. I ended up having a meltdown and upsetting my family (they get upset when I get upset) which ruined a perfectly beautiful, sunny, summer’s day. I now have a headache and while I’m not likely to give up writing, I might give up trying to publish my work.

I’m so tired of trying so hard to do this.

It’s hard enough being a mother of 4 wonderful autistic children. It’s hard coping with the day to day effects of my own Autism, Depression, Anxiety and physical pain. It’s hard coping with the responsibilities of being a Carer to my Partner.

At some point, something will give.

I don’t want it to be the writing and drawing, but they’re the simplest to give up.

I’m not saying this because I want you to feel sorry for me or to guilt you into anything, but because I want you to remember something.

Every Author, big or small, is Human.

They all have problems that you cannot see through their words.

When you respond to an author on social media, how you talk to them affects them. They might not let it out in public (in fact most authors don’t) but if you value their work and want to see them publish more of it, so that you can read it, then be respectful, be nice and keep your insults to yourself – or you might find that they give up publishing that work forever.