I was busy munching away on my new Graze box - their website is very user friendly and one I would highly recommend. 

I was encouraged yesterday in my writing - I had left my novel alone for about 1 month - and had started to write some short stories that I will make available on this website. This week I went back to my novel - to re-read what I have written and to endeavour to finish it. I wrote the short stories as I had got to a point with my novel where I needed a little bit more clarity in where I wanted to take the story and had hit something of a wall - so yesterday I was encouraged to smash the wall in. At times it seems like I am trying to climb over the wall - but yesterday I felt like I am now able to confidently smash it in! Come on!

Over the next month I will be making contact with a lot of publishers, both local and international, in the hope that they are interested in any of my manuscripts. I would love to become a fully recognised author in the public domain. If I am honest part of me would like to be famous and earn loads of money - so I could give it away and tell people another story. But I know I can do that now with the little that I have and then one day - To whom much has been given, much will be required; and from one to whom much has been entrusted, even more will be demanded.

You may think the second of my recommendations today is a bit of a cheat but alas I don't think it is!

On Tuesday(?) I recommended Foy Vance - today he released his new single 'Be The Song' - I spent my last few pennies of an iTunes voucher on it - you should definitely go buy/listen to it - words, beautiful words, tune, soulful tune.

Some other 'professional' people have taught me a lot as a youth worker - and I have had the privilege of spending time with them - either a 5 minutes chat or a one-on-one lunch in an endeavour to glean some knowledge from them.

Mark Yaconelli  Glad to see he has got his website sorted - more importantly if you get the chance to hear him speak or train you then GO!!! He also recommended a Chinese restaurant to me in San Fran (Sam Wo's) and it was the best Chinese food I have ate since I went to China 7 years ago!

Duffy Robbins Stalwart/veteran of youth ministry - Have read and been fed by his books at college, laughed with him at different conferences he has been taking and had the opportunity to meet him a number of times. Brilliant communicator. 

Mark De Vries Met him for the first time last week at a youth ministry training day. His book on sustainable Youth Ministry is excellent. Nice man who also gave us some restaurants to visit in Tennessee when we pass through in May

Kenda-Creasy-Dean She gave me a rubber duck - along with a hundred other youth workers - I still have that duck - visual reminder of a great communicator and researcher. Her book Almost Christian gives a stark message.

I have always struggled with being creative. I express myself through words and find that I am good at that. I can't draw that well or paint great paintings but give me some words and I will paint a beautiful pciture for you with them. Then my wife came along and expanded my awareness of what visual art is and combined with my love for being manly and doing stuff with my hands I started to become interested in restoring and painting furniture.

We started Pebble Lane - a furniture restoration business - where we source and restore bespoke pieces of furniture. There is a whole other blog post on the beauty of restoration that I am yet to write on this.

Anyway today I recommend the Shabby Chic range of furniture - or maybe just the idea of it - the philosophy - the vision. 

Enjoy

Just a lot of links to a lot of good bands/artists

The Delorentos  Great name - solid band who will hopefully be on the rise in 2012

The Frames Pure genius - Went to a NYE gig in Dublin to see them one year and Damien Rice came on - as did Lisa Hannigan  with her angelic voice. Bell X1 - schweet

Then some Northern Irish treats Captain Cameron - I interviewed him once - it was awkward for us both.

By far the best Northern Irish artist around has to be Iain Archer. Gentleman, warm soul and pure musical and lyrical genius. Not far behind him is Foy Vance - glad to see he has got his act together and got a new site.

Going to see Snow Patrol on Monday night .. 

Two Door Cinema Club - the north down boys have taken over the world - new album in 2012 - can't wait to hear it. Everyone in North Down has a TDCC story - the most prominent of mine is that I drove them round Coleraine to someones house so they could buy an amp when I worked at a youth music venue up the North Coast.

There are plenty of other bands and artists out there - sorry to be mainstreamish - Enjoy listening ...

Ben Howard

I missed his gig in Belfast and have regreted it ever since!

Here are his gigs for the start of 2012

Enjoy.

Today through Friday I will let you know a few of the bands and artists that accompany me - some local - some from far flung places

Today the first band is Matrimony - You can follow them on twitter here and check out their website here. They are somewhat folk/indie but before you roll your eyes and say not another one give them a listen or if you aere in the states go and catch a show. They bring some incredibly uplifiting tunes to your ears and are fantastic musicians. Jimmy's voice compliments Ashlees beautifully. The rhythms and melodies flow gently like the rivers of Mourne in Jimmy's home of Northern Ireland. You can tell the songs they write and sing have risen from the depths of human experience, of love and loss and some good nights too! Jimmy in the band was in the year above me in school and he is a good lad ... a good good lad.

Go Listen ...

NOW!

Favourite track - Obey Your Guns which you can watch if you click that little link - go on - I dare ya!

Ladies and gentlemen

Sarah Bel Francis

Today I want to recommend two Graphic Designery type people who aren't from this fair isle. Ireland, North and South has some immense talent - but so does the rest of the world so today I want to draw your attention towards Two Arms based out of New York and Jared Erickson out of Atlanta, Georgia.

I check these sites every week and like them both for different reasons.

Two Arms would be the company I would want to call upon if I ever got a NYC based publisher and published a NYC based novel. They are working from the city, Brooklyn to be precise, and you can see that in their design. Bold and eye-catching, working in partnership, improving through each others strengths and weaknesses. Go check them out.

Jared Erickson is a different dude - again with striking designs and quirky thoughts that come out through the different projects he is involved in. One thing I appreciate from his blog is the recommendation section where he weekly throws out a plethora of design inspiration. Nice His January wallpaper is currently on my desktop.

Thanks people.

Today I want to do a quadruple whammy and recommend three people who are all in the same profession.

Photographers are seemingly two a penny nowadays. Everybody thinks they can take a good shot that could make them a few bob on a photosharing website. We live in a visual world and I love it! Yet there are some photographers who by their very nature are different. With their shots you can tell the passion and gift they have for their chosen profession.

The first of those is Gillian Higgins. 

The second is Darren Anderson (not the ex footballer!) 

The third is Connor McCullough

The fourth are Ten21

Eash of these recommendations arises from people I know having their weddings/parties/headshots taken by the different photographers. Each unique in their own right and worth a look at. 

Don't worry Dave you get your own day ;) 

A fully qualified graphic designer and amazing artist Kerry has followed her heart and started a wedding stationery business - 17twelve. Going for over a year she has had so many good comments, worked with a lot of brides and today was featured in Weddings NI as their feature of the month. 

You can click here to visit 17twelve - get involved!