As a former teacher, I’ve discovered I’m entitled to join Boundless an experiences club that helps those who work or have worked in the public sector to make the most of their free time. It does this by offering savings on events and a variety of free benefits. The club was established in 1923 by Frank Edwards who set about bringing people together to share adventures. Nowadays, the £40 membership offers free entry into Kew Gardens and several royal palaces including the Tower of London and Hampton Court. To make the most of our membership, David and I visited Kew Gardens last week which is a train ride away from our flat in South West London. We explored a section of the grounds and enjoyed the temperate house. We also took a stroll along the treetop walkway which offered fantastic views over the London skyline.

David was keen to make the most of the warm spring weather, so he organised a trip to Worthing. We stopped off at Wakehurst (also free to enter for Boundless members) where the grounds offer diverse landscapes and plants from across the globe. It’s also home to the Millennium Seed Bank where over 2.4 billion seeds from around the world are conserved for the future. On reaching Worthing, we visited the pier, walked along the seafront and ate fish and chips.

Once back at home, I returned to my writing routine and am currently submitting my completed manuscript The Upgrade to agents and publishers. Querying is one of the tough aspects of writing and the ability to cope with rejection is very important. To support me on this journey, I attended an online session offered by author Zoe Richards who I met through The Savvy Writers’ Snug which is a FB group that’s well worth joining for authors seeking advice and support from others in the field. She offered a session drawn from her experience as a mindset coach which included a range of tips and techniques to tough it out in the book world. One of her recommended reads is Atomic Habits a book I’m currently devouring that explains how tiny lifestyle changes can have a big impact on the outcomes you want in life. (I was also interested to note the book was listed as further reading in a running journal I was given which aims to maintain motivation to run regularly.) It’s such a well-written book which has made me reflect on why it’s important for me to exercise each morning before beginning my writing practice. The book is also available to loan through Borrowbox as an audiobook. If your library subscribes to this service, you can download the app and have access to a huge range of ebooks and audiobooks. While I was on the app, I checked out other books that had been recommended by Zoe, and was pleased to find Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert listed. I’ve just finished listening to this thorough enjoyable book and can confirm that the subtitle ‘How to Live a Creative Life, and Let Go of Your Fear’ is a very appropriate one. I’m now looking forward to the audiobook of Bird by Bird by Anne Lamont which has been recommended to me many times.

If you can suggest other books on life and the craft of writing, do mention them in the comments. Thanks!