2012 Review

Well where do I start. This year has been a weird mix of emotions that has involved the sad loss of the father of three of my children and the happy occasion of the birth of my fourth son, and there have been many ups and downs in between. I’ve also had a couple of unexpected achievements.

At the beginning of the year I started my Chasing Dreams blog with a post about projects I had in motion and what I was hoping to achieve in 2012. To my surprise I realised that with a bit of motivation and a lot of hard work, my dreams could become a reality.

One of my goals that I had listed was to write a song to raise money for Cancer Research UK. This was inspired by the death of Michael Harris, the father of three of my children who lost his battle with cancer on the 1^st May. I not only wanted my song to raise money for this amazing charity but it was also something I wanted to put together for my boys to have something to remember their dad by.

I was lucky enough to have my song produced by a local musician, Chris Millington. My husband then put a slideshow video together to go with the song and you can watch this on you tube by following this link –  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GoXoptiiHpk

My story made ITV WestCountry News and I performed it live on BBC Radio Devon. I also made front page of my local newspaper The North Devon Gazette and had a write up in The North Devon Journal and EX33 and EX34 Magazines. My song also became available to download from iTunes, Amazon, eMusic and Google Play. Quite an achievement I’d say!

My main aim for this song was to find an established artist to record it to help raise maximum funds for Cancer Research UK. This is an ongoing project that I hope to develop further in 2013.

Another goal I wanted to achieve in 2012 was to have a piece of my writing (be it poetry, fiction etc) published. I didn’t really think this was possible at the time of writing it down but again to my surprise I made it happen.

I had written a poem called ‘Chocolate Temptation’ that I included in an assignment I was writing as part of my English Literature degree. I loved this poem so I submitted it to Graffiti Magazine. I couldn’t believe it the morning I got an email saying that they loved it and wanted to include it in their next issue!

I also took this one step further. As my poem was all about chocolate I decided to contact chocolate shops to ask if they wanted to display my poem. I was over the moon when the first shop agreed, and once again I had another story that made my local newspaper. It was great publicity for all of us. To date I have had three chocolate shops agree to display my poem and have even received free chocolate out of it…bonus!

Well there you have it, those are my two biggest achievements of 2012. Two dreams I had listed at the start of the year that I made happen. I still have lots of other projects on the go that I am hoping to make happen in 2013. I am looking forward to see what the New Year will bring.

Keep chasing your dreams!

@steffiemarie28

 

 

Out of Time

Hello, for this blog I thought I would share a poem I wrote in July that I had forgotten about. It wasn't untill my husband was looking for a spare sheet of paper in a note pad that it was found, so here it is!

Out of Time

 

I watched you rise, I watched you fall

You had a life, you lost it all

You laughed and cried, you schemed and lied

So unaware you were broken inside.

 

You lost your faith, your hope, your dreams

This life isn’t always what it seems.

 

Mistakes were made, No lessons learnt

Far to many bridges burnt

Then just when you were ready to try

Unwillingly you said goodbye.

 

 

Please feel free to let me know what you think by leaving your comments below.

Keep chasing your dreams!

 

@steffiemarie28

Chocolate Shop Epidemic

I'm starting a Chocolate Shop Epidemic!

Recently I had my poem 'Chocolate Temptation' published in issue 12 of Graffiti Magazine, then last weekend I handed over a framed copy of my poem to The Chocolate Emporium in Ilfracombe to be displayed in their shop. This story is going to appear in The North Devon Gazette next week.



The handover by Rob Lott Photography!

This small achievement got me thinking...what if more than one chocolate shop were willing to display my poem? So two days ago I contacted Nutcombe Chocolates in Dunster and asked if they wanted a framed copy of my poem to display in their shop. They were more than happy to join the chocolate shop epidemic. So tomorrow I will be visiting their shop to hand over my poem, as if this isn't exciting enough...they have a chocolate fountain!

My goal now is to have my poem displayed in as many chocolate shops as possible including some of the ones that have made The Top 10 Chocolate Shops, including Harrods Chocolate Box and Melt which are both in London.

I am hoping to gain some media help to promote my quest. An appearance on ITV's Thismorning or Daybreak would be fantastic. It would also be great if my local news (BBC Spotlight SouthWest and ITV Westcountry news) got involved. The publcity would be fantastic not only for me but the businesses displaying my poem.

Lets start a 'Chocolate Shop Epidemic'!

Keep chasing your dreams!

@steffiemarie28

Poem Presentation

I am very excited to tell you that yesterday, I handed over my poem 'Chocolate Temptation' to the owner of The Chocolate Emporium in Ilfracombe to go on display. My poem has recently been published in issue 12 of Graffiti Magazine in September 2012.

I recently contacted my local newspaper The North Devon Gazette about my poem and asked If they would be interested in giving me a write up.They were more than happy to feature my story in their paper.

Here is the photo that will be used in the article

The handover by Rob Lott Photography

 

I will keep you posted when my article has been published.

 

Keep chasing your dreams!

 

@steffiemarie28

Cancer Research Campaign Update

For this blog I thought I would give you an update with how my Cancer Research UK Campaign is going and what my next mission is, so here goes...

I made front page of The North Devon Gazette, you can read that article here - http://www.northdevongazette.co.uk/news/steph_s_song_seeks_to_inspire_1_1465862

I had a write up in The North Devon Journal, you can read that here - http://www.thisisnorthdevon.co.uk/Singer-seeks-producer/story-16633857-detail/story.html

My story has appeared in both EX33 and EX34 North Devon magazines.

My story made ITV Westcountry news, you can watch that interview here - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fnwwZPTlbss

I performed my song live on BBC Radio Devon, you can hear that interview with John Govier here - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mj35JZQkvLA

So far I have raised £131 on my Just Giving Page, If you would like to make a small donation towards Cancer Research UK you can do via my page http://www.justgiving.com/Stephanie-Lott

My single 'It Wasn't Meant to Be' is now available to download from iTunes, Amazon, Google Play and eMusic, all proceeds go to Cancer Research UK. For just 69p you can contribute to this amazing charity, here is a download link - http://www.amazon.co.uk/It-Wasnt-Meant-to-Be/dp/B0091KFB22/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1350380752&sr=8-1

I am still on a mission to find an established artist to record my song to help raise as much money as possible for this great cause. My next goal is to gain national profile. I will of course keep you all updated with the progress of this.

And just to finish, i'll end this blog with my official Cancer Research UK  single 'It Wasn't Meant to Be' http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GoXoptiiHpk&feature=plcp

Keep chasing your dreams!

@steffiemarie28

Waves

As it is national poetry day, I thought I'd share a poem with you that I have written and hoping to have published. The poem is called 'Waves', I hope you enjoy it!

Waves

 

Our wonderful world is made up of days

A moon with its stars and a sun with its rays

But our wonderful world has got its own craze

It appears to have an obsession with waves

An ocean wave for us to surf

A seismic wave to rock the earth

A wave of joy at every birth

A wave of dreams for all its worth

A microwave to cook your dinner

A brainwave making you a winner

On the same wavelength as a sinner

A wave of tears won’t make you thinner

The Mexican wave when winning the game

Tidal wave, freak wave you’ll drown just the same

A wave of sound when calling your name

A wave of hope to banish the pain

Electromagnetic, a wavy disturbance

Tsunami, a ripple are waves of persistence

Heat waves, wind waves show their insistence

Light wave, standing wave, shockwave resistance

We enter the world with a wave to say hi

A wave of emotions when truth is a lie

A wave of sorrow for each time we cry

Then leaving this world with a wave of goodbye

 

Please leave any comments you might have, I'd love to know your thoughts!

 

Keep chasing your dreams!

 

@steffiemarie28

I’m Published!

I am very excited to be able to tell you that I’M FINALLY PUBLISHED! When I first started this blog I told you about all the projects I am doing in order to accomplish my dreams. One of those dreams was to have a poem or short story published. Since that blog I have been submitting work to magazines, and despite a few rejections I persevered and I submitted my poem ‘Chocolate Temptation’.

After the submission it felt like forever waiting for a response. About four weeks had passed without hearing anything and I started to accept another rejection. I couldn’t believe the morning I received a message from the editor of Graffiti Magazine saying they loved my poem and was going to include it in their next issue. It made my day as it was completely unexpected.

You can order the next issue of Graffiti here http://www.wilkiemartin.com/graffiti.php

Being published is another dream I was chasing that I have caught, and I’m not stopping there. My next mission is to have a short story published, I can’t wait for the day I see one of my stories in a magazine!

 

Perseverance and determination are definitely needed to achieve your goals.

Don’t give up and keep chasing your dreams!

 

@steffiemarie28 

Another Article

I was very excited to wake up this morning to find my Cancer Research UK story has been published again, this time in EX34 Magazine. I am really happy to see my campaign is going strong and being heard by so many people.

It’s great that so many papers/magazines have been interested in my story. This publicity is what is edging me closer and closer to accomplishing my goal to find an established artist to record my song.

 

Where I am at…

My story is due to appear in the next issue of EX33 Magazine. I am also going to have a small article in October’s Molten news and a possible article in South Molten’s newspaper.

My single is now available to download from iTunes, Amazon and google play. I am very excited to find out how sales are going next month. I will keep you posted!

I am also on a mission to get another TV appearance to promote my campaign. I am hoping for national profile on something like The One Show or This Morning. This is proving to be quite difficult but I’m not giving up!

 

Keep following my blog to see how I progress.

Keep chasing your dreams!

 

@steffiemarie28

 

My latest Short Story

I have turned my experience from Saturday into a short story, let me know what you think, i'd love to hear your opinion.

Going Live

Yesterday I travelled to Plymouth with my husband Rob. We were on a road trip to the BBC Radio Devon studios. I was so nervous. All the way there I felt as sick as a dog. Much makeup was needed to cancel out the pale milky look on my face. Why was I nervous? I knew the questions I was going to be asked, I had been asked them many times before in previous interviews, like when I appeared on the TV and when I made the front cover of the local newspaper. But this was different, this was going out live and I had the added pressure of performing my new charity single on air.

After a two-hour drive we pulled up outside of the studio. I couldn’t stop shaking, my legs were like jelly and my hands were as unsteady as someone with Parkinson’s disease…’how the hell am I going to play guitar like this?’ I asked my husband. ‘You’ll be fine’ he said trying to reassure me. I wasn’t so convinced as I stumbled my way into the studio, guitar in hand and what felt like a million butterflies fluttering around in my belly. Before I new it I was sat at a desk in front of a microphone with three amazingly talented musicians all waiting to tell their stories and promote their music. Claire was up first, a quirky looking woman with her bare feet and cowgirl hat. But she sang and played brilliantly. If wasn’t nervous before, I certainly was after hearing her! It quickly dawned on me that I was going to be the most inexperienced musician in the studio. But there was one saving grace, I had a story to tell, one that really pulls at the heartstrings, so how ever bad my performance was going to be all mistakes would be forgiven because of my reason for doing it. Plus there was cake, and that always makes a girl feel better!

So my turn came around. ‘We also have Steph with us in the studio today’ said John who was presenting the morning show. ‘Oh shit’ I thought, ‘this is actually happening’. I was prompted to introduce myself and explain why I was there. I gave a brief explanation of how my former husband and father to three of my children recently lost a year long battle with cancer, and how I had now written a song in his memory to raise money for Cancer Research. I spoke in a nervous quivering voice that I was naively hoping only I had noticed. Then the time came to pick up my guitar and play my song to a potential 70,000 listeners. Luckily, I was unaware of that statistic until my interview was over. I noticed the mistakes I was making in my picking, but no one new how my song was supposed to go except for me so it didn’t really matter. Besides, I had talked my husband Rob into backing me on the mandolin to cover any imperfections. What? He may as well have made himself useful while he was there. Once I had started to sing though all my nerves gradually disappeared, I was actually enjoying myself and every note was in key. The applause from the other musicians was also reassuring.

It turned out to be an experience I thoroughly enjoyed and I left with a hunger for more. I could definitely get used to a lifestyle of performances and media attention. The only thing on my mind when it was over was when my next interview was going to be and who with!

 

Keep chasing your dreams!

 

@steffiemarie28

What a weekend!

This weekend I had my very first experience of being on the radio. Yesterday My husband and I travelled down to Plymouth to meet John Govier from BBC Radio Devon to talk about my Cancer Research UK campaign...I loved it! I was able to tell my story and talk about my quest to find an established artist to record my song, I even got to perform my new single live on air, I was so nervous but I have dreams to chase so my only option was to get on with it! I loved the whole experience, plus there was cake so I definitely want to do this again!

Please listen to my interview here on my Yoube channel: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mj35JZQkvLA

This morning I woke up to a lovely little surprise. My charity single 'It Wasn't Meant to Be' is now available for download from amazon as well as iTunes. If you want to support my campaign please download a copy, all proceeds go to Cancer Research UK. Your support is much appreciated!

So what is my next step? I am very excited to have another radio interview booked! I will be performing my song again and talking about my campaign on The Voice FM in Barnstaple on the 12th of September at 7:30PM, I hope you can all tune in to hear it.

Remember if you want to help me out with my new project please check out my previous post, "Be involved in my new Project!".

Keep chasing your dreams!

@steffiemarie28

Be involved in my new project!

In this blog I want to tell you about a new project I've started and how you can be involved. Since starting my English Literature Degree with the OU I've found that I really enjoy writing and I'm actually quite good at it. This has led me to seek out a job as a newspaper columnist. My column will compliment my blog and will be titled 'Chasing Dreams'. It is going to be motivational, inspirational and encourage positive thinking.

I have already started on some sample columns. My aim is to have 4-6 ready to submit when I apply for a job. They include subjects such as; how to be more positive, solutions for negative thinkers and I include my own experiences of hard times and negative moments and how I came through them.

This is where you can get involved. Do you have an inspirational story? Have you made something good out of a bad situation? What did you do to be more positive?
I'd love to know your stories and include them in my column. If you have a story to tell please share them with me. You can contact me via my email harris.stephanie79@googlemail.com, alternatively, you can leave your comments here on my blog.

I look forward to reading all of you inspirational stories and writing them into my column.
Keep chasing your dreams!!

@steffiemarie28

I'm on iTunes!!

I'm so excited, I just had to tell you all that my new song in aid of Cancer Research UK is now donwloadable from iTunes, for just £0.79, just click the button below!

.

I'd like to thank everyone for their fantastic support so far, if you haven't already done so please download my song, and support Cancer Research UK in the process.

Thanks!

@steffiemarie28

Busy Busy Busy!

As usual I have been super busy promoting my new single 'It Wasn't Meant To Be' for Cancer Research UK. Since my last blog I have received the final mix of my new single and it will be available to download from iTunes, Amazon and a few other retailers in the next couple of days. I will keep you posted when it goes live.

I have also put together a video for my track which includes a slideshow of photos of my boys and there dad Mick Harris and some pictures of myself from my photoshoot for this song. You can check out my video on YouTube via this link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GoXoptiiHpk If you have any comments about my campaign please do leave them on my blog!

You can also hear the track on soundcloud via this link http://soundcloud.com/steffiemarie.

I May also have another TV appearence soon with BBC Westcountry news who have shown some interest in my story, and I am going to have another article about my campaign in local North Devon EX34 Magazine.

Dont forget I will be performing my single live on Saturday the 25th August on BBC Radio Devon with John Govier. I will post a link nearer the time for you to tune in and hear my interview. All this publicity is great and very exciting.

Keep a look out for my next blog when I will be talking about a new project of mine and how you can be involved!

Keep working hard and keep chasing your dreams!

@steffiemarie28

The next step...

This week it has been confirmed that I will be performing my single 'It Wasn't Meant To Be' for Cancer Research UK live on John Goviers show on BBC Radio Devon. You can read my write up for this by following this link  http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00wyx9b. This has been very exciting news for me especially as it is following my recent tv appearance on ITV's West Country News. I am hoping to post a link to this interview soon.

Also, last week when my story was in my local newspaper The Gazette I meant to post a link to this article, so here it is! http://www.northdevongazette.co.uk/news/steph_s_song_seeks_to_inspire_1_1465862
It also includes a 40 second sample of my single.

My next goal from all the publicity I have received is to get another tv appearance on a popular show such as ITV's ThisMorning or Daybreak. Appearing on a show as big as these could really help me to complete my quest in finding an established artist to record my song.

I believe with alot of hard work this will happen
Keep chasing your dreams!

@steffiemarie28

Media Week!

This week has been a very succesful week for me in the media. I have had my story published in two local newspapers. On wednesday I found myself on the front cover of The North Devon Gazette, this came as quite a shock as I was expecting just a small piece in the middle of the paper. On Thursday my story appeared in The North Devon Journal. This has been great for help in promoting my song for Cancer Research UK. I also still have my story to appear on ITV's West Country News. I still don't know when it's going to be aired but as soon as I do I will keep you posted.

This morning, John Govier from BBC Radio Devon contacted me to invite me onto his show to talk about my campaign and also to play my song live...nervous! But this could be a great platform in helping me on my quest in finding an established artist to record my single.

Last weekend, I went down to Saunton Beach for a photo shoot for my official Cancer Research UK single, It was really good fun but freezing! I had three clothes changes with me and I found it quite a challenge changing on the beach in the wind without being seen! We got some really good shots though and have picked the photo for my single 'It Wasn't Meant To Be' which I am hoping to have on iTunes soon, I will keep you posted.

This will be the single cover

Keep working hard and keep chasing your dreams!

@steffiemarie28

Me on ITV!

Today I had my interview with Claire Manning for ITV West Country News, I loved it. I was being interviewed to talk about my official Cancer Research UK single 'It wasn't Meant to be'.

We filmed at the studio where we recorded the song, it was a funny experience having to re-enact it for the camera! I particularly liked the close up shot of my heels!

Me, Claire Manning & Matt the camera man!

It should be aired in the next couple of days, I will keep you posted as soon as I know more.

I found it a really enjoyable experience, hopefully I can do lots more TV to promote the song for Cancer Research - the next goal is getting on This Morning!

Work hard, & keep chasing your dreams!

@steffiemarie28

Chocolate Temptation

As promised for my next blog, here is one of my poems that I have submitted to Graffiti Magazine in the hope of being published. It is called 'Chocolate Temptation'. This is one of my poems I am really proud of as it was my first ever attempt at alliteration. So here it is...

You would sing to me your seductive song

I would dance with you in your dreamy delight

You would be my comfort and cure my cravings

I would drink your deadly double dose

you would smother my heart with your smooth caress

I would lose myself in your lustful lure

You would tease me with your tempting aroma

I would taste you with my tingling tongue

You would persist with your pleasurable intrusion

I would surrender to your sweet temptation

This is basically an argument between me and myself. One part of me is tempting me to have chocolate while the other part of me is trying to resist it, but in the end I always give in to it's temptation.

I will keep you posted on how I get on with having it published...fingers crossed!!

Keep chasing your dreams!

@steffiemarie28

Where do I start...

Right now I have loads of great things happening for me, so here goes...
In my last blogg I mentioned that my campaign regarding my new single for Cancer Research UK was getting some media attention. Well, yesterday I received a phone call from Claire Manning from ITV West Country news saying she wants to film me on Monday to talk about my campaign...exciting!
Also next week my story will appear in The North Devon Journal and has had some interest from local paper The Gazette. I have just received the new mix of my single which will be available on iTunes in the next couple of weeks.

If your wondering whats happening with my writing projects...
'James And The Dragon' is a work in progress and is my childrens fantasy novel, it is developing everyday. I'm hoping to have a sample from my first chapter to post soon!
I'm still waiting for a response from Graffiti Magazine to see if they want to publish one of my poems.
'Teddies Tales' is another work in progress. It is a collection of short tales about Teddies adventures and his friends Mouse, Dolly and The Farmyard Family.

On my next blogg I will post one of my poems that I am trying to have published.

Work hard and see the results
Keep chasing your dreams!

@steffiemarie28

In the spotlight....

Last week was an amazing week which ended with lots of possibilties. My story about raising money for Cancer Research UK with my song is going to appear in North Devon Journal in the next two weeks. As well as that I have had interest from local radio stations who want me to send them my song. But last weeks biggest accomplishment was receiving a direct email from Claire Manning from West Country News who is interested in taking on my story! As if all this isn't exciting enough, yesterday I had the chance to record my song in the studio with the help from local musician Chris Millington.



 

Laying down the vocals

I had loads of fun and definitely want to do more of this! My charity song 'It Wasn't Meant To Be' will be available to buy on iTunes very soon, all proceeds going to Cancer Research UK.
If you work hard at what you want, it will happen for you!
Keep chasing your dreams!

@steffiemarie28

Adding some Cello

What a Week!

I am having a very interesting week. In my last blog I briefly mentioned I was writing a song in order to raise money for Cancer Research UK. Well the song has been written and I have being doing loads of social networking to promote it, including contacting the local radio stations and newspapers, some of which have responded. I have also become a registered fundraiser for Cancer Research UK.

Today I had the added bonus of being offered help to record my song, which is going to happen on Sunday 22nd July...I'm very excited!!

I am proving to myself that if you put your mind to something and put in the hard work things happen.

Keep chasing your dreams!

Chasing Dreams

So here I am chasing my dreams. I have made a decision to stop talking about the things I want to do, but instead to just get up and do it. So here are a few projects I am working on at the moment...
My first love of course is music, I am half of folk/rock duo Despite Water which I'm really enjoying. We have started getting gigs and loving writing our own songs, I am currently working on a song that I am hoping will raise money for cancer research.
Writing songs has also given me a new love for writing just about anything, from poems to short stories to a complete novel, so here are my writing projects...
'James And The Dragon' is a work in progress, it is a childrens fantasy novel which was inspired by my 7 year old son.
Poetry; I have started submitting my work to magazines to be published...havn't been successful yet but I believe it will happen,
I am also entering writing competitions for poems and short stories etc. My last entry was for a haiku competition. Winners for this will be announced next month...fingers crossed!
I will keep you updated on the progress of all my work on my blogs. You can also keep up with me on twitter @steffiemarie28 and check out my facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/DespiteWater
Keep chasing your dreams!!!

A bundle of tiredness......

Ok, so my title says it all....I'm tired. For the last five weeks I have done nothing but change nappies and prepare feeds thanks to my new little bundle of......tiredness. As gorgeous as he is, my music life has completly been put on hold. Four children and a social life just do not mix!

Yes, I am a full time mum to four boys all under the age of 7 and I'm married to the most amazing man ever.

Well, that's pretty much all I can think of to write for the moment as I've not done much other than what I have said above, so for this post....goodbye!!