Blog: Mel's Muse

Blogging, Book Marketing & The Problem With Duplicate Articles

Posted: Tuesday, 31st January 2012

To protect the privacy of participants, all names have been changed in what follows.

Dear Mel,

I wonder if you might give me some advice. I'm on Ezine Articles and I also write a blog. I duplicate material from one to the other.

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My Daughter's Tribute To Her Grandfather

Posted: Tuesday, 24th January 2012

My grandfather, Bill, 97 and ¾

Photograph taken approx. 1941

I started to call him Billy when I was little and he replied with Milly (even though my name was Amanda).  He was the only one that was allowed to call me Milly and Millicent when he was cross with me which wasn’t very often.

He would collect me from the infant school when he worked at the bottom of the hill.  We would go to the sweet shop across the road and I would say that I didn’t want sweets but please can I have cheese and onion crisps.

Articles on related themes: Bereavement; Life, Faith & Other Stuff; Relationships; Inspirational

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A Tribute To My Father

Posted: Sunday, 15th January 2012

Photo: My father in his Flintstone tie on Christmas morning, one week before he died.

My father, known to his parents as Beel, was born in Elgin, Scotland, on 15th April, 1914.  The middle one of three boys, he was raised, largely, by his mother and maiden aunts, because his father, a Captain in the Gordon Highlanders, was away in the war.  Under their tutelage, Beel grew up with a great reverence for women.  As one of his Carers remarked to me only last week, he loved to cuddle the girls, but he was always, utterly, the gentleman.

Articles on related themes: Bereavement; Life, Faith & Other Stuff

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Three Thoughts For Christmas & The New Year

Posted: Monday, 19th December 2011

Have you ever found that sometimes, various, seemingly disparate, things have come together and you've heard a still small voice?  Some truth about life that's been revealed to you?  Something that's previously eluded you, but has now come into sharp focus?

It can happen, as I discovered, even in the busyness of the lead-up to Christmas.  And it can happen in different ways.  For me, it was a snatched online conversation; a Google search; and a TV programme, ninety-nine percent of which was over my head.

JIMI HENDRIX & THE POWER OF LOVE

A Facebook entry began the conversation in my head.

Articles on related themes: Inspirational; Poetry; Life, Faith & Other Stuff

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ONLINE BOOK CLUB - Showing of Love by Julian of Norwich - Discussion Summary

Posted: Tuesday, 6th December 2011

Showing of Love, a book written by Julian of Norwich in the 15th Century, is not an easy read!  OK.  I admit it.  Mea culpa.  With much laughter, when nine of us met last week for Book Club, I was roundly - but affectionately - condemned for having chosen the book.

Some members opted not to read it at all.  Those of us who did were profoundly grateful to the person who took over from me (when my father nearly died) and apportioned sections to be read by various members.

Articles on related themes: Book Reviews; Book Club / Readers Group; Online Book Group; Life, Faith & Other Stuff; Forgiveness; Inspirational

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