Today, I’ve done something that, just a few short months ago, I never thought I would do. “What did you do?” I hear you ask. Bungee? Abseil? A parachute jump?

Hell, no. This is much worse than all those things combined. I went to a local literary festival called “Ways with Words”. They had a ticket-only event called a Poetry Breakfast, which was essentially a group of poetry lovers reading their favourite pieces of poetry in an ‘open mic’ format. I bought two tickets.

This was the first event like this I had ever been to, and it was also the first time I’d ever read a piece of my work in public. I took two pieces with me – one from my last anthology, Scribblology V2 and one from my upcoming third anthology (which has two working titles, “The Grand Leveller” or “The Black Lodge” but that is still up in the air).

The main thing is that I managed to stand up in front of the mic and read confidently. I’m so proud of myself for managing to take this step, and as a result I’m now looking at other events and competitions. I’ve even offered to appear on a podcast that had asked for submissions and have been asked to guest on another podcast about autism, so I guess this ride has finally started for me.

As with every expedition or journey, it begins with those first tentative steps in the right direction. The only thing holding me back is fear or doubt, but I’ve learned that these chains will keep you captive unless you break free. So, grab your emotional bolt cutters like I have, break free and join me on your own version of my rollercoaster!

Stay Safe X