Let the adventures begin!

It can only happen to me!
#justsaying
I was originally going to write a blog post about how not to pack a suitcase.  For all my traveling, I have not mastered the art of suitcase packing.  I'm a shover.  Find a hole and shove something in it.  When you have a Star Wars carry on suitcase inside your main suitcase, it makes packing more difficult.
Don't ask.

But then one of the wheels on my wheelie case seized.  So now instead of each wheel moving like a ballet dancer so that I only need to direct my suitcase with one finger, I now have to drag it along as the one wheel has stopped turning.  I could feel my right bicep increase several sizes from the effort I had to put in to drag a heavy suitcase.
Not a good start.
My original intention was to take a train to my hotel from the airport.  However, changing trains and walking to the hotel dragging a suitcase, carrying a carry on suitcase, handbag and my laptop case on my back, made me think that plan might not be my wisest.
After all, I am an old woman.  My hair is grey.
I dragged my suitcase through Charles de Gaulle until I found the exit to the taxi rank.  A kind gentleman asked, "You want car taxi or motorbike taxi?"
Always thinking of the budget I asked, "Which one is cheaper?"  In my mind I imagined the motorbike taxi to be like a tuk-tuk which I used to travel on in Thailand.
I tried to smile pleasantly to disguise my shock when I saw the motorbike taxi was just a large-as motorbike.  The biker gave me his leather jacket to wear, put a disposable hairnet on my head before plonking a huge helmet on me so I had to strain my neck to see out the visor.  He put my laptop bag and handbag into side compartments, and tied my big suitcase with deformed wheel onto the carrier on the back of the bike, then he indicated for me to climb on up.

Let's get one thing straight.  I haven't straddled anything for many years.  My joints have seized up like the wheel on my suitcase.
But, pride was at stake.  So, completely disoriented with the heavy humungous helmet on my head, I managed to make my right leg lift and swing and got myself comfortable on the seat.  The biker man then passed me my carry on suitcase and I realised that I would have to hold it on my lap for the journey, making a wall between me and the biker.
The trip was exhilarating, if not a little frightening, as we weaved in and out of the traffic, going way past the speed limit when the freeway was clear.  My driver liked driving on the dotted line and I was sure I would lose both kneecaps or maybe knock off some sideview mirrors.  However, he was very good, even though he shouted and swore at cars that came too close, and even gave a few cars the finger which of course meant that he had to let go of the handlebar.  My nerves!
So today I am Bikergirl Cindy.  I was pleased when I climbed off that I didn't walk like a cowboy.
This wasn't on my bucket list but I'm pleased I had this experience.  And that it only took 20 minutes when if I had gone in a car it might have taken almost 2 hours in the heavy traffic.
So let the adventures begin...time to forage for food.

The Freedom Club is FREE on @amazon until Saturday! 
getbook.at/freedomclub. A group of teenagers decide to stand up to the school bullies, but what they uncover is nothing they expected.
Cindy Vine is an author currently living in Norway, but traveling in Europe for the summer holiday.  She's the author of The Freedom Club, Hush Baby, Not Telling and The Case of Billy B.  All her books are available in both ebook and paperback format on Amazon.

99c Summer Sale on Backlist Books

With the release of The Freedom Club, I decided it would be part of the celebration if I put a whole lot of my backlist books on a 99 cents Summer Sale Special.
Summer holidays are here for some and fast approaching for others. There is nothing better than reading a good book next to the beach or swimming pool.
I don't know about you, but I devour books when I'm on holiday. It's the best way to relax after a busy school year. I stock up my Kindle so that I don't run out, and I make sure I include some new indie authors I haven't read before. Let the summer holidays begin!

Not Telling summer sale price of 99c on Amazon.
Review
Some books and stories stay with you long after you've read them. Not Telling by Cindy Vine, is one of those that will stay with the reader for a long time. It's not always a feel good book, the warm and cuddly kind, but a very real gutsy piece of fiction that by the time you've read the whole story will get under your skin. Rape is a difficult subject matter for any author to handle. However, Cindy Vine handles it expertly in unfolding a tale, although fiction, that resonates the very real stories experienced by many women around the world everyday. This is a story we all need to hear

Defective summer sale price of just 99c on Amazon
Although Defective is fiction, it was inspired by real events in 1974 in the Western Cape in South Africa.
Reviewed by Bob MacKenzie for Readers Favorite
"Quirky and intriguing, this story is clean and tightly written. For readers who prefer their books to be intelligent, thought-provoking, and challenging, "Defective" will be an ideal choice."
Review
What I love most about this book? No matter how you expect it to end you'll be shocked when all your ideas are for naught. This story haunts you long after you finish it and you don't know exactly how to feel about the outcome, which keeps you thinking. You feel so many different emotions for the individual characters it's simply astounding.
Cindy Vine is an excellent writer and I cannot wait to read more from her. This book had it all; murder, mayhem, insanity, phobias, abuse, manipulation. It's a feast of the worst qualities that makes people so vulnerable and you get an idea of just how dangerous the human mind can be when pushed to the limits. This is a true must-read book! It will leave you with your jaw hanging open at the end.
-Kitty Bullard / Great Minds Think Aloud Book Club

Survival Tips for the Suddenly Single summer sale price of 99c on Amazon
Review
I am so happy I came across this book. It answered a range of questions about relationships, men and women that bothered me for long time. Lots of things described in this book were wide eye-opening for me. It made me actually look at my previous relationship from a completely different angle.
When we are in love we very often tend to overlook lots of important signs in our partner's behaviour that literally tell us to run away which could save us from another heartbreak. The great thing is that this book helps us to identify those signs on early stages to prevent us from falling into a trap again and suffering for years. What I also love about this book is that it gives you real life practical strategies on how to pick up your pieces after a break-up, get ready to date again, boost your self-confidence, sex tips and other valuable advice on how to get back on track.
If you are suddenly single and feel really down, this book will definitely boost your mood as it is full of humor! )
I appreciate the author of this book Cindy Vine for covering so many aspects of relationships, for wisdom and humor and great practical tips I needed so much. This book is easy and fun to read and I would recommend it to anyone without a hesitation.

CU@8 special summer sale price of 99c on Amazon
Fenella and Suki are two single middle aged mothers. Best friends since the age of two. There children are all grown and have left the home to start their own lives and careers. But Josh Suki's son is a cocaine- addict who has supposedly fathered a baby when he visited the U.K, and Kirsty Fenella's daughter has just been dumped once again and is miserable. Suki and Fenella decide to step in and help their children. They hatch a plan to get Kirsty a new man someone suitable, and to sort out Josh's mess . After trying to interview some suitable men for Kirsty at Waves restaurant and bar, they discover a good man is hard to find. I truly loved this book it's a fun light read. A real page turner i couldn't wait to see what would happen next. I look forward to reading more books by Cindy Vine

The Case of Billy B now on summer sale on Amazon for 99c
Review
This book was pretty good, I could not put it down, I loved the way his dad stepped up to take care of his son, when his mother didn't care about anyone but herself. Billy was very smart for his age... he was a good kid, who never complained, just went with the program... Until his dad moved in with the devil woman......lol. READ THE BOOK YOU WONT BE DISAPPOINTED.
I found this book sad and couldn't help but feeling sorry for Billy B from the beginning . What chance did he have even though his dad tried to be there for him and no doubt will go on to have a difficult life because of whom he was born to. Its a book that makes you think about life and the children in the world and how easy it all is to get caught up in a system .It was not depressing though.

Hush Baby will be on Amazon Free Promotion from the 
26-30th June
Hush Baby by author C. Vine is a gripping tale surrounding Kyle Rushton and his sour relationship with his live-in girlfriend Marlene. They have a son, Max, who is three years old. Max means the world to Kyle. Unfortunately, Kyle's see-saw relationship with Marlene was taking a toll on him and Kyle made the difficult decision to leave Marlene and Max and move in with his sister Sylvie. 
Hush Baby is an interesting read about personal relationships. Author C. Vine did an excellent job developing the plot. The story began at a slow pace, however, it quickened in the latter half of the novel. I love the unexpected twists that were included in the story. In my opinion, the story literally took on a different feel and transformed into a suspense thriller. This tactic is very cleverly orchestrated by author C. Vine. It propels the reader to become more engrossed in the plot. I did not want to put down the book! The language is simple and easy to understand. What was refreshing was that the novel was written from the viewpoint of a male as opposed to a female. Normally, most stories outlining relationship woes are slanted in the favour of females. This welcome diversion from the norm speaks well for equality of the sexes. I loved the descriptive passages in the novel. I applaud author C. Vine for keeping her readers on their toes, wondering how the story would finally end. The staccato formatting of the final chapter was a good move. It suggests that the reader should accept unpredictability in the plot. I recommend this book to all readers who love suspense.

The Freedom Club Latest Release!
There will be an Amazon Giveaway from 26-30 June!

Follow the Book Tour from 2nd-27th July

Review
This is a thought provoking read , on the angst and challenges that teenagers face on a daily basis within the school system. It is a book that will speak to adults and children alike. 
The unpredictable ending is brilliant.
Highly recommended.

Watch the Book Trailer here.




Cindy Vine is a South African author currently living and working in Norway.  She is the mother of 3 adult children who have inherited her love for travel.  Cindy has been in education for 30 years and has seen  and heard a lot of stories about the challenges children face which has inspired her writing.  It's hard to believe the hardships many children have to go through, while those in control turn a blind eye.  And this happens worldwide in places you would never expect.  All Cindy's books are available on Amazon in both ebook and paperback format,

13 Reasons why there needs to be this conversation

The Netflix series '13 Reasons Why' might be a controversial series, but what it did do was heighten awareness and start a conversation about the issues facing teenagers today.  Issues like bullying, cyber-bullying, sexual assault, rape, suicide, cliques, under-age drinking, drugs, homosexuality, school shootings and the adults who are supposed to be in charge having no control.  All these issues in one television series might make it overwhelming for the viewer.  But what you have to remember, is that the majority of our teenagers are overwhelmed by one or more of these issues every single day of their lives, either as a victim, perpetrator or a witness to the events.  Saying, "Kids will be kids," will no longer cut it I'm afraid.
What are we doing to help them?
Teenagers are notoriously bad at sharing what is really going on in their lives with their parents.  There are many reasons for this, but a big reason is that they don't want to disappoint their parents.  So teenagers keep secrets that sometimes they don't have the emotional maturity to deal with.  This leads them to make some bad, ill-informed choices that complicates a situation even more.  Then before you know it they are in so deep and drowning, and that's when the really bad choices are made.  And often all of this happens without the parents having a clue.
But, the school is aware 9 times out of 10.
Somebody on the staff always knows something.
I can almost feel the earth shudder as millions of educators shake their heads simultaneously in denial.  Subconsciously you know I am right.  I have been involved in education for over 30 years and I know that I am speaking the truth.
You see, in every situation there is always one or more children who can't keep a secret.  That child will pick a teacher they trust to confide in.  They might not tell you the whole story, or the story might be their truth and different to others' truth, but they will tell you something.  These children would have been the tattletales in elementary school.  Teachers will share what they were told with other teachers in the staff room.  But many times it will just stay as gossip and nothing will be done about it.
Don't say the school was unaware.  Somebody on the staff would have known something.  However, school management often choose to try and bury it as they don't want it to be known that their school is unsafe and they can't guarantee the safety of their students.  They have this attitude that if they pretend these issues are not there and not happening in their school, then all will just blow over and the issues will just fade away.  Kids will be kids, right?  Kids exaggerate, so it is never as bad as it's meant to be.  Wrong!  It's often a good deal worse.  What might seem silly to an adult can be devastating to a child.  And teenagers are still children.
As an educator, you need to know your students.
We have to take these issues in our schools seriously.
We have to give our teenagers a voice.
Nobody should feel alone and overwhelmed by life.
Dark times pass.
Support just needs to be there to help each other get through the dark moments.
We are in this world together, not alone.
The suicide rate in the United States has seen sharp increases in recent years. Studies have shown that the risk of suicide declines sharply when people call the national suicide hotline: 1-800-273-TALK.
Bullying in all its forms is a very big problem that largely goes unaddressed.  Bullying, sexual assault, rape are all connected.  If there is a culture of bullying in a school, chances are there will sexual assaults and rape happening in the shadows.  Sweeping reported incidents under a carpet and pretending they never happened shows the bully that there are no consequences for their actions, and that what they are doing is acceptable.
School management needs to step up and address the bullying that is going on in their school.
It is not just going to go away.  If there are no consequences it will get worse.
Our children are our future.  What kind of a future are we planning, if we are sending broken children into the world?
This is why we need to have this conversation.

The Freedom Club highlights some of the bullying that goes on in our schools.  It is a story about a group of teenagers who are tired of being victims.  They form a club to offer support to each other, so that together they can stand up to the bullies in their school.
But standing up to the bullies is not easy when you have no support from the school itself.
And it is even more difficult when the two biggest bullies are the principal's children.
And when the principal himself is a bully, you might have to go over to the dark side to get justice.
The Freedom Club continues the conversation started by the engaging, often controversial series 13 Reasons Why.
We have to do something.
Bullying must stop.
School shootings must stop.
We must do more to prevent teen suicides.
More must be done to make our children realize that sexual assaults are not just fun pranks.  The victims are hurt and emotionally scarred for life.
Rape is not only a crime committed by a man wearing a mask that breaks in through your bedroom window in the middle of the night.  
Rape is when you have sex with someone without their consent.
Many rapes go unreported.
The majority of them actually, so we have no accurate figures.
People tend to report stranger rape, but not rape by people they know.  Because somehow, even though they are the victim, they feel guilty.
As if they must have done something to cause the rapist to have sex with them.
Non-consensual sex is not okay. 
Not Telling highlights the very difficult issue of being raped by someone you know.
And if you are sexually assaulted or raped, should you tell?
Even if it will hurt someone close to you.
Do you protect them or protect yourself?
How might keeping it secret affect you for years to come?
Cindy Vine is a South African author and teacher who currently lives and works in Norway.  
She writes reality fiction, stories about the darker side of humanity.  Stories about issues many of us face each day. 
Issues that are hard to talk about.
But we have to get these conversations going.
If we are to be saved.

THE FREEDOM CLUB HD mp4

Teachers LOVE writing reports -not!

It's that time of year again that teachers hate - Report Writing!  If you are living in the Northern Hemisphere it is summer and the sun is shining and you are inside working on reports.  Aaaarrrggghhhh!
How to write end of year school reports...
How to write end of year reports when the sun is shining, the birds are singing and everybody who is not a teacher is at the beach or relaxing next to a swimming pool.
The correct response is 'with great difficulty.'
Look at me, writing a blog post instead of writing reports.
I am trying to build up some motivation.
How do you try and be subtle in your comments so that the parents know what you mean, but are not too subtle that they miss the point?
That is what I am mulling over in my mind over a coffee or two.  Maybe I should take a break and make breakfast?  But oops, I haven't actually started yet.  So maybe taking a break before you start might be termed procrastination.
And I never procrastinate, ever.  And there goes my nose growing longer by the second!
So here are some subtle ways you can use to inform parents about their child's progress.
Meghan has a beautiful smile which detracts from the vacant look in her eyes as she attempts to come to grips with the content.
William tries hard in everything he does, and especially tries the patience of all around him.
Britney lacks confidence in her own abilities and asks for reassurance every two minutes.
Michael has excellent sensory perception and is confident using the five senses, especially the sense of touch.  He enjoys touching himself while he completes his tasks.
Jessica is not afraid to express herself in class.  She has an extensive vocabulary that would make a sailor proud.
Roberto is a very physical little boy with an exceptional right arm, which he is able to swing with great force and connect with others throughout the day.
Ferdinand has the exceptional ability to sleep with his eyes open.
Maria is a great inquirer and loves to ask questions throughout the school day.  Her goal next year is to expand on her questions and not just ask if it is home time or if she may go to the bathroom.
Felicity excels in all areas except Math, Language, and anything that involves reading, writing and concentration.
Matthew is a lively young man who has the attention span of a retarded ant.
Should Don pay the same attention to his schoolwork as he does his hair, he will achieve a result of which he can feel justly proud.
Although Carla tries her best, she sets very low standards for herself.
Tatiana has learned about body parts and is able to make connections between the body part and its use.  She has inquired into teeth and has discovered that they leave pretty patterns on her peers when she explores their use.
James has found his voice which he uses to maximum benefit whenever things don't go his way.
Now that I have the report comments flowing in my mind, I best get started on the reports.
But first, I might need another coffee and to make breakfast...

Cindy Vine is a teacher and author currently living in Norway.  She has just released a new book called The Freedom Club which is available on Amazon in both ebook and paperback formats.
“We could be anybody and everybody. A group of high school stereotypes with one thing in common. Every one of us has a story.”

Every high school has the bullies, the freaks, and the weird kids that make you feel uneasy. Rourke High has more than their fair share. A few months before the end of their senior year, a group of seemingly mismatched kids get together to form The Freedom Club, hoping that they can support the victims of bullying, before they graduate. As they uncover secrets and lies they plot revenge - and discover love, friendship and truths about themselves, building up to a shocking climax that will leave you reeling.
Are children safe at school?
“We could be anybody and everybody. A group of high school stereotypes with one thing in common. Every one of us has a story.”