Articles from my personal Journals
My seven-year journey to becoming a published memoirist happened while we lived in Athens, Cairo and Bangkok. Here I write about life as it happens, living abroad, being a mother, wife, sister and daughter as well as living a writer’s life.
If you wonder what it’s like being a published author, and how to write a memoir, from therapy on the page (the first drafts) through revision, editing, book design, publishing, marketing and selling your memoir, you will love these articles.
The shitty first drafts of these articles first appeared in my private journals and morning pages. When you sign up for my biweekly Circular you’ll never miss an article. Who knows, it might just be the spark of inspiration you need to write your story.
Welcome to my Life & Memoir Writing Journey 🧡
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Women’s Day, Mother’s Day & Voting for Change
“Population growth is one of the most serious obstacles to world prosperity and sustainable development. … Women’s education is the single most important path to higher productivity, lower infant mortality and lower fertility.” Gro Harlem Brundtland – The International Conference on Population and Development Cairo – 1994
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Edward Scissorhands A Trauma Theory
Trauma, you now know, can be passed down from generations, but as far as you are aware, not normally through the application of a humble hairbrush. Perhaps something about the situation triggered discomfort from her childhood. You will never know.
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Moving Chaos
After 7 1/2 years abroad we returned to Ireland and our life depended into chaos.
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What my Readers are Saying
“Vig! I’ve been on the plane finishing your book for the last 3 hours. Couldn’t put it down. I have a huge lump in my throat and I’ve been blinking back the tears as I read the last quarter of the book. I loved it!” _ Bonnie x
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Time to Say Goodbye
From our sofa in Athens, Ruby and I watched Grandad’s funeral mass, live-streamed from the near-empty Cathedral of the Assumption in Thurles. Grandad was well known and much loved, hundreds would have come… only 10 were allowed.
If you like these articles you will love my emails 🙂 They’re a roundup of what happened and lessons learned since my last email. I love a good email conversation. To me, emails stand as the last frontier of sharing our life writing. It is just like writing letters. Journaling and letter writing were two of my favourite things to do when I backpacked through Australia and Southeast Asia in the early ’90s. That’s when I met Shane. Letters and email are the most intimate we can be with each other — over distance — through written words. If you like my writing you will love my emails. Get them here and I’ll see you, within minutes, in your inbox. Thank you for reading. I am grateful you are here. 🧡
Much Love and Light
Vig 🧡
PODCAST
The Life & Memoir Writing Podcast
A podcast for writers and readers of true life stories who love a good memoir. Deep thoughts and conversations about true life stories, writing, reading and snippets from my village life.
ABOUT ME & WRITING
I’m a 50-something Irish-Norwegian writer and photographer who’s lived most my life abroad. At twenty-four I bought a one-way ticket to Australia, never imagining the profound impact it would have on my life. There decades later, together with my husband and daughter, I’ve travelled and lived in Ireland, England, Thailand, Egypt, Greece, and now, back home in Castleconnell. I like moving around and feel settled when I know my life will continue to changes. It’s exciting to think about how I can impact the changes and … as I did in 1991, change the trajectory of my future. I’m totally fascinated about this stuff!
I lived a long time ‘unconscious’ before I developed the curiosity and passion for understanding my human behaviours & emotions. It was the late 90s, early 00s. I was in my 30s and busy climbing the London .com career leader. Issues were holding me back and my search for a solution brought me books and cassette tape courses. Isn’t it funny how ‘the teacher appears when the student is read’?.
When I learned about how our past impacts our future, I wanted to write everything I remember from my past. Journaling has been part of the air I breathe since I learned to write, but when I discovered that, if I reframe my narrative story, I can also transform my future, it was a game changer. Read more about my memoir and life journey here.
What resulted in my memoir, Speak #TRUTH Lies, was 7 1/2 years of practising creative writing. The first years was al about learning the craft. After my father died, it became like therapy on the page. Going deep with a story that had haunted me and held me back from daring to be myself turned into a transformative approach to finding the truth in my story. Should you happen to pick up a copy on Kindle or Paperback, I would love to hear your thoughts and your story. Send me a message 🌻 Find out more about what I’m up to these days, here.
