A Letter To MySelf – Page 5 – Jenn J McLeod

Posted on 05/04/201605/04/2016 by Jenn J McLeod — 2 Comments

Author, Natasha Lester, writes a letter to her 16 y.o. self

Natasha Lester writes…

A Letter to My 16 Year Old Self

You’re at high school, and you spend every day wishing to be somebody other than who you are. Stop doing that right now!

You don’t need to be more beautiful, have more friends, be taller, have bigger boobs, or—here’s the killer—be dumber than you are. If there’s one thing I can absolutely reassure you of it’s this: when you’re older, you’ll be so glad you have brains and you’ll look back at yourself right now and wonder why the hell you deliberately gave wrong answers in your maths test. You won’t fit in any better just because, for once, you don’t get perfect marks.

And who cares about fitting in anyway? Fitting in is just another word for being the same as everyone else. So, people think you’re a bookish nerd. Well guess what? Being a bookish nerd is secret code for author, and that dream job is in store for you if you just stay the course.

So revel in being yourself. Don’t think for one minute you’d prefer to be Miss So-And-So because she’s got a boyfriend, or to be Miss Somebody Else because she’s so popular. Popularity in high school is not an accurate predictor of anything in the future, and it doesn’t bring any especial rewards.

What does bring rewards is deciding to do what you love, and going after that until you get it. And you, my love, have the courage and the passion to do both, to have a life at the shockingly old age of 42 that you wouldn’t change for all the popularity in high school in the world.

Lots of love,

Your 42 year old self xx

About Natasha (and her Mr Fitzgerald!):

Natasha Lester’s third book, A Kiss from Mr Fitzgerald, will be published by Hachette Australia in April 2016, with her fourth book to follow in April 2017. She is also the author of the award-winning What is Left Over After (2010) and If I Should Lose You (2012). The Age newspaper has described her as “a remarkable Australian talent.” When she’s not writing or teaching writing, she can usually be found at yoga, drinking tea, or playing dress-ups with her three children.

Connect with Natasha:

Website: www.natashalester.com.au

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NatashaLesterAuthor/

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Wanting to honour the lost art of letter writing through this blog series, I also opened my fourth novel with a character writing a letter. And not just any letter. It’s a story –perhaps the most important he’ll ever tell.

The Other Side of the Season

Life is simple on top of the mountain for David, Matthew and Tilly until the winter of 1979 when tragedy strikes, starting a chain reaction that will ruin lives for years to come. Those who can, escape the Greenhill banana plantation on the outskirts of Coffs Harbour. One stays—trapped for the next thirty years on the mountain and haunted by memories and lost dreams. That is until the arrival of a curious young woman, named Sidney, whose love of family shows everyone the truth can heal, what’s wrong can be righted, the lost can be found, and . . . there’s another side to every story.

CLICK for more or leave a comment for Natasha using the LEAVE A REPLY link below. Thank you.

Posted on 16/03/2016 by Jenn J McLeod

Author, Nene Davies, writes a letter to her 31 y.o self

Dear Thirty-One Year Old Nene

OK, now listen. I want you to make a cup of tea, sit down and read this letter in one big gulp. Try not to get distracted! You know you’ll only have to go running if the children are quiet – noisy kids means all’s well.

I’m here to tell you that this year is going to be fine. You’re basically a single parent for the next twelve months, while Chris is working overseas, but I tell you what, girl – you can do it.

Firstly, trust in yourself. You know what to do.

Your new baby girl is a darling. She will sleep through the night in just a few weeks’ time – I promise! And your two little boys need all of you, mum. They need your energy and your patience and your love. And your footy skills in the back garden. They are going to miss their Dad like you wouldn’t believe, so step up and be two parents instead of just the one. You’re not half of a couple now, you are it!

So – take care of yourself. Don’t get sick. Take your vitamins and don’t have cereal for dinner. Your three little ones are depending on you. And you know what? The really good news is that you are going to be all over this. This year is in the bag.

Another thing. For the love of God, will you just stop with the over thinking? It only leads to doubt and confusion, clutters your mind with white noise and will eventually drain you. (Remember what I said about energy and footy.)

Be brave, be strong, sleep when you can, eat properly and go with the flow. Play with the children, teach them, let them help you with things – and lead your little team until the whole family is back together again.

You’ve got this, Neeenie. Never forget how much you’re loved.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Nene Davies is a Welsh-Australian author of contemporary women’s fiction. She emigrated to Australia in 2002 with her husband and three children, and lives in Brisbane, where she writes full time.

Do yourself a favour and connect with Nene online.

Website – http://www.nenedavies.com

Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/nenedavieswrites

Blog – http://www.sixpeasblog.wordpress.com (This is me on Nene’s blog a few weeks back. We had fun!)

Nene, your books are so lovely and you and your daughter are very clever. I just love seeing you online. Thanks for being on my blog.

Now, did you know…?

My fourth novel opens with a character writing a letter, which is what prompted this blog series. And not just any letter. It’s a story –perhaps the most important he’ll ever tell.

The Other Side of the Season

Everything has a reflection…

And there’s another side to every story.

. . . there’s another side to every story.

PRE-ORDER your copy now from Amazon, Kobo, iTunes, or

Posted on 03/03/201606/03/2016 by Jenn J McLeod — 4 Comments

Author, Sara Foster, writes a letter to her 30 y.o. self

Dear Sara,

Happy 30^th birthday from your 40-year-old self. Everything is so new at the moment: you are newly married, still fairly new to living in Perth, in a new house, with new freelance editing contracts for Australian publishers rather than UK publishers. I’m happy to tell you that all those decisions will be great ones, lucky you! Therefore, I wish I could spare you the anxiety of worrying about everything, but then that’s just part of who you are! It can never be said that you make a decision without thinking it through (sometimes tying your mind into knots)!

Life is looking good, but the next ten years will be beyond anything you can dream of right now. You haven’t even finished your first book yet, and you’re not convinced you can do it, but soon you’ll have finished not one but two books, and in the next decade you’ll finish – and publish – FOUR! Not only that but two little girls will come along and turn your life upside down and create merry chaos but will bring unimaginable riches and purpose into your life. In fact, it’s very hard to think back beyond their existence, because your mind is still slightly blurred by six years of uneven sleep and the many demands of a young family.

You are capable of so much more than you think you are right now. But I’m glad I can’t go back and tell you, because I can see that it’s been really important for you to discover this a little bit at a time. In the process you have taught yourself a lot about who you are, and what you can and can’t deal with. Which is much more valuable than someone else telling you – even an older version of yourself.

Finally, when you get on a boat with Germaine Greer, don’t try to talk to her about sea eagles – it’s just not worth it. 🙂

Love,

40-Year-Old You!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Sara Foster is the bestselling author of four novels, All That is Lost Between Us, Shallow Breath, Beneath the Shadows and Come Back to Me. She lives in Perth, WA, with her husband and two young daughters. To find out more visit

www.sarafoster.com.au or

www.facebook.com/sarafosterauthor

BUY All That Is Between Us now by clicking on the links: Amazon eBook OR a PRINT copy from Booktopia

HAPPY FOURTH BOOK, Sara.

Now, did you know…?

My fourth novel opens with a character writing a letter, which is what prompted this blog series. And not just any letter. It’s a story –perhaps the most important he’ll ever tell.