Deja Vu Blogfest: My imaginary friends...

Today is the Deja vu Blogfest Day!  Hoorah!

I thought I'd re-post something that I wrote in year 2007, the year I started blogging. Why this one?  It's because in this post, I wrote about my imaginary friends which I still find amusing to this day. This is the story behind my blog title, Conversations with Self.  


And no, I did not exaggerate the story.  I did talk to imaginary friends...which worried my father.

Hope you enjoy reading it!


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First posted on 08 May 2007

I don't know why, but for some reason, I tend to reminisce a lot about my childhood these days. Last week, it was Caroline (my doll) I was reminiscing about so I wrote about broken toys and then somehow found a way to connect it to broken dreams, etc. This time, though, it's all about this part of my childhood when I had imaginary friends. If you witnessed my childhood, you would probably think I was a looney. But think...children do have imaginary friends, don't they? Or was it only me? (Widens eyes and looks around)  Oh, no!

Anyway, let me tell you about some of these 'friends' that people never saw...or some probably did but never knew that they were my friends. One of them was that reflection in the mirror. yes, oh, yes, call me a nutcase, but I did talk to myself in the mirror! I would really converse with the other 'self.' And she talked back to me! Only, it was also me talking, of course, who did you think it was? I used to do this very often that I overheard my Dad saying to my Mom, 'Don't you think we should take our daughter to a Psychiatrist? I am getting worried.' My Mom, who was so used to seeing me talking to my toys, said nonchalantly, 'Oh stop that. She's just playing. Children do that all the time.'

Yes, I said toys. I did talk to my toys (although I didn't have much, really) - I remember talking to Caroline while she was behind that glass. What a pity. I could only talk to my doll behind a glass! (will post her story soon) I also talked to my paper dolls which I made myself. They lived in an improvised dollhouse. I used matchboxes as furniture and my dollhouse was a corrugated box, sometimes I used a cigarette carton. Ahh, a child's innovativeness. I wonder where did it all go? I don't seem to have the same creativity now that I am older. But that's another narrative. I think I can only produce rubbish now...and perhaps children? 

Hold it. That's not all. There is something far more special than that beautiful (oh ha!) reflection in the mirror that looked like me (Har! Har Har!) and my dolls. There were lizards as well. Yes! That's right, those tiny crawling creatures with moderately elongate body and tapering tail...some might have another name for it, though. They are sometimes called wall or house lizards. Other times they are called house geckos. But let me just call it that. Lizard. At night, I developed this routine to converse with them before I'd fall asleep. There was one time, if I remember it right, when my Dad came home late from work. Remember that in those days, there were no mobile phones...(and telegrams came after a week, not the promised next day delivery...so if you'd send it, you'd arrive at your destination before your telegram). When Mom started to get worried, I would listen to the clicking sounds of the lizards. Tsk, tsk, tsk. I would close my eyes and converse with them. 'Is - my - fa - ther - safe?' One Tsk is equivalent to a syllable. Of course, I would interpret the Tsk-Tsk to what I wanted to hear, what did you expect? Funny, huh?

All these imaginary friends come to mind now that I am away from home. I have forgotten them a long, long time ago and never spoken to them for years - if I ever did that at my age, I would probably be in a mental institution.

Isn't it a universal truth that from the day we were born, we already have the need to communicate? A baby's uttering of its first word is always a milestone, a breakthrough that all mothers rejoice in. I have read somewhere that there was an experiment done by experts where they formed two groups of babies. The first group was cleaned and fed but no one ever communicated with them - verbally or otherwise. The second group was cleaned and fed...and carers communicated with these babies. After a period of time, it was discovered that the second group of babies grew faster and were healthier than the first group. This experiment only proves that we do need to communicate. It is this uniqueness that sets us apart from other creatures.

This is most probably the reason why I am writing this piece. There is the internet now to communicate to practically everyone and anyone in the world. My friend, Rosemarie, was right in telling me that blogging helps. It would like to thank her for being an inspiration to create my own blogsite...(and to Makis for introducing Blogger to me). It sure eases boredom and makes me think. It fills my need to communicate.

So, this time, I don't have to stand in front of the mirror or listen to the clicking sound of the house lizards (there isn't any here, anyway) or get dolls. I only have to sit down and immerse myself in the world wide web. It does help.

PS: I will understand if you think that at an early age, I showed signs of a mental disorder - talking to lizards and all  - but don't worry, I don't bite. Aha-ha-ha-ha!!!

Watching Willow Watts Launch Day!

Today is the celebratory launch of Talli Roland's second novel, Watching Willow Watts and I've joined the parteeeeyyy!!!!

Almost 150 bloggers have joined the If I could be Anyone, I'd be...Websplash and this is what this is all about! Woot!

So who would I be?

*Holds breath*

I'd be Samantha played by Nicole Kidman in Bewitched (2005)!  Why?  Because she's stunning and wears pretty dresses in the film!  And of course, magic!  Yes!  I'd like to have magical power to...to...I don't know - hmmm...turn bad people into toads?  Hee hee.  I'd like to be a beautiful witch with only the face of Nicole Kidman but please let me NOT be married to Darrin played by Will Ferrell?

Now, about Willow Watts:

For Willow Watts, life has settled into a predictably dull routine: days behind the counter at her father's antique shop and nights watching TV, as the pension-aged residents of Britain's Ugliest Village bed down for yet another early night.  But everything changes when a YouTube video of Willow's epically embarrassing Marilyn Monroe impersonation gets millions of hits after a viewer spots Marilyn's ghostly image in a frame.

Instantly, Willow's town is overrun with fans flocking to see the 'new Marilyn'. Egged on by the villagers -- whose shops and businesses are cashing in -- Willow embraces her new identity, dying her hair platinum and ramming herself full of cakes to achieve Marilyn's legendary curves.

But when a former flame returns seeking the old Willow, Willow must decide: can she risk her stardom and her village's newfound fortune on love, or is being Marilyn her ticket to happiness? 


The good news!  You can buy a copy of Willow on Amazon UK for £1.71, or on Amazon.com for $2.99. Paperback coming in November!


And, one more EXCITING part of today is seeing the beautiful Talli Roland as Marilyn Monroe!!!

Congratulations, Talli!

Lenny Lee Fest

I'm spreading Lenny Lee Sunshine!  ☼ ☼ ☼

This post is for a dear bloggie friend,  Lenny Lee

I have written a poem for you, Lenny.

Today is a good day!

I'm spreading sunshine all the way!

Let's smile and stomp our feet

And dance in a cheerful beat!

Bloggers gather 'round!

Let's all make a happy sound!

Today let's celebrate

Coz Lenny is our mate!

The blogging world is so blessed

To have Lenny in its nest

Such a lovely lad, he is!

He is Number One on my list!

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Lenny, I hope my poem doesn't sound too terrible!

Hugs to you!

Death by a Dark Horse by Susan Schreyer - Blog Tour De Force Stop 12!

It's been awhile since I've read a mystery so when Author Susan Schreyer offered me an e-copy of her debut novel, Death by a Dark Horse, I was excited!  So, first and foremost, I'd like to thank the lovely Susan who's now become an on-line friend, for the opportunity to read a very good book and to post a review on it.

Death by a Dark Horse is the first in the Thea Campbell Mystery series.

Here's the back cover blurb of her book:

Thea Campbell goes out for revenge when the one person who is the most likely and least likely candidate for thief steals her horse. But Olympic hopeful Valerie Parsons is past caring about being arrested. She’s dead. At first Thea’s horse is assumed to have killed the woman, but when the coroner determines it was a human hand and not a horse’s hoof that ended Valerie’s life Thea becomes a person of interest. Now intimidating people with little regard for due process are showing up on her doorstep looking to even the score. Toss in her wrecked love life, a sexy geology professor who stirs up more than dust, and an alleged psychic horse, and it soon becomes apparent that Thea’s predictable life is now out of control. As she takes charge of clearing herself of the murder she discovers the victim had a knack for making enemies—one of whom is Thea’s ditsy sister. She pursues her investigation with more at stake than ever, and in a seedy biker bar comes face-to-tattoo with information that will lead the police to the real killer. She dutifully reports to the detective in charge. But Thea is wrong. As close to dead wrong as she ever wishes to get.

The book is narrated by Thea Campbell.  She is an accountant and amateur dressage rider.  Now, if like me, you don't know anything about horses, dressage means:

From dictionary.com: the art or method of training a horse in obedience and in precision of movement.   The story revolves around Thea and her seven year old Hanoverian gelding, The Black Queen's Bishop who she calls 'Blackie.'

Why I like it

The story will keep you guessing from the beginning to the end!  It's a total page-turner.  I love how Thea cares about Blackie like a friend, beyond caring for a pet.  At times, she almost even forgets about herself and the fact that the police may also consider her a suspect!

Thea is a magnetic character who you'd want to stick with in a book, you'd want to be friends with her if she was a person in real life, and perhaps even help her do the detective work!  I admire her braveness and can't forget the moment she saw Valerie's body, right there in front of her.  I gasped as I read this part and thought 'My God, if this was happening to me, I'd drop dead!'  Each time I guessed who the killer was, I was wrong.

If you are a mystery book-lover, this book is definitely for you! A book that is cleverly-written!  I'm giving it 5 stars!  I would certainly get the next book when it is out.  Yes, the next in the series, Levels of Deception, will be out in February 2011 so watch out for it! 

I'm sure you'd like to get to know Susan more and find out more about her books.  Please click here to see her website and check out her blog!

Author Susan Schreyer is the new mystery author to watch out for!

This book review is part of the Blog Tour de Force that I am participating in.  I hope you find the time to visit other blog participants as well. To view authors and books in the Tour, please click here. Win prizes, including a Kindle! Go!


You can also go straight to Susan Schreyer's Blog for details on how to win! Go!

Disclaimer:  I received a free electronic copy of the book from the author for an honest review and I was not compensated for this review.

The Significant Other Blogfest by Mr JL

My wife, Len, has asked me to write this out for her on her blog.  The wife's 'The Boss' so we have to do what 'The Boss' says.  After all, I have a bit of free time now that I've finished washing the dishes.

The following are all about my wife, Len, who now writes in her spare time after leaving her corporate life to look after our son full time.  The first three items are answers to questions posted on DL's blog. (I will have to ask my wife to do the links for me, darn this blog!)

1.  Len loves pizzas to bits.  This always seems to stimulate her and puts her in a good mood.  Her favourite flavour is Pepperoni.

2.  Writing Habit - My wife doesn't have any writing routine.  She sometimes just sits with me in front of the television and starts writing by hand and when she does, she loses track of time.  I won't change any of her writing habits.

3.  It is very difficult to even think that my wife will not succeed as an author because I believe in her.  I am English-born and bred, yet I think my wife writes better English than I do.  I know she will succeed because she has the determination and in times of self-doubt, I am here to give her back her confidence.

(Sorry, I keep saying 'my wife' because that's how I refer to her when I talk about her...I will now try to refer to her as 'Len'...)

4.  My wife, sorry I mean Len, is a loving and very caring person.  Even in hard times, she has always shown her affection.  Having said that, I must say that she has bad days too and when that happens, I must disappear.

5.  As a wife, Len has an eye for detail and never lets me get away with anything which is not necessarily a bad thing - but what I don't understand is when I watch my favourite television programme, that's when she tries to tell me something that is very important.  But what can I do?  I'm just a mere man.

6.  Aside from writing, she loves public speaking and was a member of Toastmasters International in Manila.  She misses it and one day she may go back to it.

7.  Len had a short stint as a radio broadcaster.  This was years ago and I'd like to hear her again live on the radio.

8.  My wife can be really funny and comical.

9.  Some people have a funny reaction towards her as they automatically think she can't speak English because of her Asian looks.  When she starts to speak, they look startled.  Can you imagine how wonderful it would feel like for me when she gets published?  And I'd be grinning ear to ear. 

10.  She is not easily fooled.  She observes everything from getting the shopping to analysing documents and people.  Especially people.  I think that's the 'writer' in her.

Most of all, my wife Len is a loving wife and a good Mum and I'm proud of her.

Written by:  Mr JL (Len doesn't want me to reveal my identity..I don't mind becoming popular but it's her decision and this is her blog...and worst of all, I have to do what I'm told)