Alison Thompson's posts

Welcome to Conversations with Authors, where I – Alison Thompson, AKA The Proof Fairy – meet amazing authors and find out what inspires them to write and what advice they would offer other aspiring authors.    My guest today is Mark Kennedy, a motivational speaker, business owner and author who, together with his wife Jules, has written several books including the memorably titled Don't Get Your Neck Tattooed, a Z-A guide to life for young people, and What The Hell Just Happened? about how they overcame some serious life challenges.  During our conversation we talk about writing without a plan, using your book to gain an understanding of yourself, how becoming an author can lead to amazing things, thinking big, the benefits of beta readers and lots more.  More About Mark Kennedy  Mark and Jules Kennedy are motivational speakers, authors and creators of the multi-award-winning Future Toolbox - Life Skills That You Don't Get From Sitting Exams. When they're not speaking at events, Mark is a keen runner (com

Welcome to Conversations with Authors, where I – Alison Thompson, AKA The Proof Fairy – meet amazing authors and find out what inspires them to write and what advice they would offer other aspiring authors.   In this episode I meet Dr Carol Samuel, a reflexology practitioner and speaker whose first book The Tenacious Student: Non-academic to PhD was published in August 2021. The book explores Carol’s journey to gaining a PhD with no previous academic experience, and also offers an insight into her scientific research into reflexology and pain management. During our conversation we talk about how useful writing is as a tool for self-reflection and emotional healing. We also discuss why it’s so important to know who your ideal reader is , and chat about the rewards of writing your first book. More About Dr Carol Samuel  Dr Carol Samuel is highly regarded in the field of reflexology and is an accomplished practitioner in a number of different complementary modalities. Amongst her many accomplishments she h

Welcome to Conversations with Authors, where I – Alison Thompson, AKA The Proof Fairy – meet amazing authors and find out what inspires them to write and what advice they would offer other aspiring authors.   In this episode I’m heading across the Atlantic to meet Yakov Smart, an author, speaker, trainer and leading authority on digital marketing. Yakov was only 23 when he wrote his second book Disrupting LinkedIn and it has played a major role in catapulting his business to a six-figure income.  During our conversation we discuss using books to leverage business opportunities and how becoming an author makes you an expert authority. We also talk about choosing a title, the importance of good cover design, writing your book in manageable chunks and using dictation tools.  More About Yakov Smart  Yakov Smart is known as a leading authority when it comes to attracting premium clients online. Yakov grew his business from zero to multiple six-figures as a direct result of tapping into the strategies and sys

Welcome to Conversations with Authors, where I – Alison Thompson, AKA The Proof Fairy – meet amazing authors and find out what inspires them to write and what advice they would offer other aspiring authors.    My guest today is Sheryl Andrews: personal performance and relationship coach, motivational speaker and the author of Manage your Critic – From Overwhelm to Clarity in 7 Steps.  During our conversation we talk about asking for help, leaving a legacy and speaking your truth – whether that’s to help yourself or help others. We also explore breaking big ideas down into manageable chunks and the pros and cons of self-publishing.  Trigger warning: Our conversation took some unexpected turns and touches briefly on topics including drug abuse and self-harm. Please don’t listen if you might find it upsetting.    More About Sheryl Andrews  Sheryl Andrews is a personal performance and relationship coach, motivational speaker and author of Manage Your Critic – From Overwhelm to Clarity in 7 Steps” and fort

Welcome to Conversations with Authors, where I – Alison Thompson, AKA The Proof Fairy – meet amazing authors and find out what inspires them to write and what advice they would offer other aspiring authors.   My guests on the show today are Ashley Wong and Alan Walton. Ashley and Alan both work in the financial services industry and have been property investors since 2009. Alongside working full time jobs, they have recently found the time to write and publish their first book Choose the Right Letting Agent: A Property Investor’s Guide ​ During our conversation we talk about lockdown writing and using a coach to help you structure and write a book. My guests also outline how they went about writing a book in partnership, and how they are using it as the launchpad for a new business.  More About Ashley Wong and Alan Walton Ashley and Alan both work in the financial services industry. In 2009, they decided to become property investors and also to educate themselves in this area. Since then they have expande

Welcome to Conversations with Authors, where I – Alison Thompson, AKA The Proof Fairy – meet amazing authors and find out what inspires them to write and what advice they would offer other aspiring authors.    My guest today is… well, this one is a bit different, because to kick off Series 3 the guest is me! The wonderful Duncan Price of Mind Affinity is the host of the show for one week only, and we chat about my first book The Boy From Hell: Life with a child with ADHD, and my new book What’s Your Story: How to take your non-fiction book from possibility to plan to publication.  In our conversation we talk about where the inspiration for writing a book comes from and how I go about planning and writing my books. I also get very excited about some of the crazy things that happened as a result of writing my first book, including having breakfast with a famous Olympian! --- Find out more about Duncan Price at https://mindaffinity.co.uk or listen to his podcast at https://mindaffinity.co.uk/podcast  --- 

Series 2 has come to an end and I'm off fishing ... actually, I'm busy recording more conversations with authors. Series 3 is back with a bang on Thursday 28th October ... listen now to find out who the next guest will be!

Welcome to Conversations with Authors, where I – Alison Thompson, AKA The Proof Fairy – meet amazing authors and find out what inspires them to write and what advice they would offer other aspiring authors.    My guest today is Ash J Farraway, Christmas enthusiast and author of a collection of poems called Letters to Santa.  During our conversation we talk about managing the internal editor, how to use writing as an escape from life and the magic of Christmas. We also exchange notes on the thrill of holding your book for the first time. More About Ash Farraway Ash. J Farraway has always been an enthusiast and advocate of Christmas; the time of year not only when he can eat mince pies, but when everything is brighter, hopeful and looking towards the future. Alongside writing, Ash enjoys reading anything he can get his hands on, gardening and photography. He lives in Norfolk with his wife and two dogs.  https://www.amazon.co.uk/Letters-Santa-Ash-J-Farraway/dp/B098GT28MT/ref=sr_1_12?dchild=1&keyword

Welcome to Conversations with Authors, where I – Alison Thompson, AKA The Proof Fairy – meet amazing authors and find out what inspires them to write and what advice they would offer other aspiring authors.    My guest today is Paul Newton, a magician, mind reader and the author of MentalTheft. Paul started out as a magician, providing entertainment at weddings and corporate events but now he uses his skills to help people and companies defeat scammers.  ​ During our conversation we talk about using crowdfunding to finance a book, proofreading problems, personal branding and how to structure your content. Paul also talks about how he never would have believed that his book would even sell, never mind catapult his business and lead to him becoming seen as a leading expert in security and scams. It’s a jam-packed episode!   More About Paul Newton Paul Newton is a magician and mind reader who now steals sh1t for a living! Using his mind reading skills he steals personal information in the hope that he can st

Welcome to Conversations with Authors, where I – Alison Thompson, AKA The Proof Fairy – meet amazing authors and find out what inspires them to write and what advice they would offer other aspiring authors.    My guest today is award-winning international speaker, bestselling author, and the UK’s #1 Fear Strategist Keith Blakemore-Noble. Keith is the author of five books including his latest, The Masks We Wear, which was written and published during the 2020 pandemic (though the masks it talks about bear no relation to PPE!). In our conversation Keith tells me about the trials and tribulations of putting together collaborative projects and how he turned a business presentation into a book. We also talk about writing what you know, structuring your content and Star Wars! More About Keith Blakemore-Noble Award-winning international speaker. Multi-time best-selling author. UK’s #1 Fear Strategist. Coach. Keith Blakemore-Noble is all of these, but he is also someone who used to be terrified of speaking w

Welcome to Conversations with Authors, where I – Alison Thompson, AKA The Proof Fairy – meet amazing authors and find out what inspires them to write and what advice they would offer other aspiring authors.   My guest today is Pascale Lutz. Pascale is a beauty therapist, jeweller, medium and author and her second book Trust Me. Follow Me. Sincerely, Your Intuition came out earlier this year.  In our conversation we talk about being your authentic self and following your intuition, and Pascale explains how her first book led to another … and could lead to three more!  More About Pascale Lutz Pascale Lutz was born in Paris, France but has lived in Ireland since 1985. She adores animals, reading, playing the bass, riding her motorbike, going to pottery classes, cycling, cooking and baking for her friends. She’s also a keen photographer.  Pascale is a medium, an angel card reader, a jeweller, a fully qualified beauty therapist, an EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques) and Matrix Re-imprinting practitioner

Welcome to Conversations with Authors, where I – Alison Thompson, AKA The Proof Fairy – meet amazing authors and find out what inspires them to write and what advice they would offer other aspiring authors.   My guest today is Angie Simmons. Angie is a qualified coach and mental wellness mentor, founder of The Growth Development Foundation and author of How Am I Feeling Today? which is a year-long undated journal that's backed by neuroscience to help re-wire the brain.   In our conversation Angie tells me how her journal came about from her needing a way to work through an emotional life challenge. We also discuss the quality of Amazon’s print-on-demand paperbacks and talk about how anything can be achieved through taking baby steps.  More About Angie Simmons Angie Simmons is a single mum, pet owner and lives in an old mining town called Mansfield. She is a qualified coach, a mental wellness mentor, a published author, and the founder of The Growth Development Foundation. The Growth Development Foundati

Welcome to Conversations with Authors, where I – Alison Thompson, AKA The Proof Fairy – meet amazing authors and find out what inspires them to write and what advice they would offer other aspiring authors.   My guest today – the youngest guest I’ve ever had on my show! – is Anika Goyal, who is just 13. Anika is an author and podcaster and her first book Mixed Bowl of Stories was published when she was only 11!  In our conversation Anika explains how she uses vision boards to inspire her imagination and why she is looking for an agent for the two novels she is currently writing. We also discuss planning, beta readers and why authors need to keep reading!  More About Anika Goyal Anika Goyal is the author of Mixed Bowl of Stories, and is currently working on a new middle grade novel. She is also the host of the podcast Season 1 Book Club with Anika Goyal.  When she is not writing she is either reading, or binging shows and movies. Book: https://www.amazon.com/Mixed-Bowl-Stories-Anika-Goyal-ebook/dp/B07W

Welcome to Conversations with Authors, where I – Alison Thompson, AKA The Proof Fairy – meet amazing authors and find out what inspires them to write and what advice they would offer other aspiring authors.   My guest today is David M Somerfleck. David is a digital marketing specialist with over 20 years' experience working for marketing agencies. He is the author of The Road to Digital Marketing Profits and The Illustrated Guide to Digital Marketing. He also presents his own podcast, The David Somerfleck Podcast, where he and his guests discuss digital marketing and business culture and innovation.  In our conversation we talk about how business owners can use the questions their clients ask them as the content for a book. We also discuss the saviour complex, print on demand versus vanity publishing, and why you should never proofread your own writing. More About David M Somerfleck David M. Somerfleck is a digital marketing specialist with over 20 years' experience working for marketing agencies, 10 year

Welcome to Conversations with Authors, where I – Alison Thompson, AKA The Proof Fairy – meet amazing authors and find out what inspires them to write and what advice they would offer other aspiring authors.    My guest today is Susan J Walklate. Susan home educated her son, Simon, and writes about her experience, and the experiences of four other home-educating families in her book Radical Home Education: Discover Home Education Through the True Accounts of Five Families. She’s also creating a course to offer advice and support to families who are curious about or new to home educating.  In our conversation we talk about how writing about challenging life experiences can be cathartic and how Susan went about choosing the trim size for her book. She also gives me some insight into how the pandemic has affected home education.    More About Susan J Walklate Susan J Walklate is the author of Radical Home Education and an online course creator. She helps new and would-be home educators and families who find

Welcome to Conversations with Authors, where I – Alison Thompson, AKA The Proof Fairy – meet amazing authors and find out what inspires them to write and what advice they would offer other aspiring authors.   My guest today is Dr Rebekah Louisa Smith. Since 2009 Rebekah has worked in the film industry where she has positioned herself as The Film Festival Doctor. Her first book Born to Do It: Becoming the Leader of a Business Niche Using Powerful Spiritual Techniques, aimed at entrepreneurs wanting to start and grow niche businesses, came out in October 2020.  In our conversation Rebekah tells me how her book raised the profile of her business, and we talk about how everyone has a book in them and why it’s important to self-publish the right way.  More About Dr Rebekah Louisa Smith Dr Rebekah Louisa Smith was born in Worcestershire, United Kingdom. From humble beginnings working as a personal assistant at lots of corporate companies, she worked her way up to become an award-winning consultant and media

Welcome to Conversations with Authors, where I – Alison Thompson, AKA The Proof Fairy – meet amazing authors and find out what inspires them to write and what advice they would offer other aspiring authors.    My guest today is B. P. Shields. Brendan has been writing for pleasure all his life but it took a trip to China to inspire him to write his first book – in fact three books – the Rise of the Three Kingdoms trilogy, which is a modern retelling of the 16th century Chinese classic Romance of the Three Kingdoms.  In our conversation Brendan tells me why he wishes he’d started writing books 20 years ago. He also shares some ideas on dealing with writer’s block and overcoming self-doubt, and talks me through his editing process.     More About B.P. Shields   Brendan has always written – poetry, short stories – for his own pleasure, but never seriously thought about publishing since he didn't consider himself the next Carol Ann Duffy or Ian McEwan. Then a number of factors serendipitously came together. Fi

Welcome to Conversations with Authors, where I – Alison Thompson, AKA The Proof Fairy – meet amazing authors and find out what inspires them to write and what advice they would offer other aspiring authors.   My guest today is Angela Atkinson, an author turned blogger and lover of all things Swindonian! Angela is the author of four books based on Swindon buildings and history: Secret Swindon, Swindon in 50 Buildings, Swindon: A Born Again Swindonian’s Guide, and a biography of the painter and muralist Ken White.    In our conversation she tells me how her ambition to do an English Literature O Level led to an A Level, a degree, a blog and four books! We also discuss publishers and their marketing strategies – or lack of – and why it’s a good idea to be friends with your local branch of Waterstones.    More About Angela Atkinson   Angela Atkinson is the author of four books: Secret Swindon Swindon in 50 Buildings Ken White: muralist and painter Swindon: A Born Again Swindonian's Guide   She’s also the blogg

Welcome to Conversations with Authors, where I – Alison Thompson, AKA The Proof Fairy – meet amazing authors and find out what inspires them to write and what advice they would offer other aspiring authors.    My guest today is Brian Finney, an English literature professor and author of seven books, including literary critique, fiction and a treatise on the effects of 9/11 on American society. His latest novel Dangerous Conjectures came out in March 2021. Set in the early days of the Covid pandemic, it explores the rise of conspiracy theories and how they affect relationships.   In our conversation I find out how Brian’s academic career took him into the world of writing. We also discuss the freedom of self-publishing, and Brian talks about how the psychology of his characters can change the plot.    More About Brian Finney Brian Finney has published seven nonfiction books and two novels. Money Matters (2019), his debut suspense novel, was a finalist for the American Fiction Awards in the Best New Fictio

Welcome to Conversations with Authors, where I – Alison Thompson, AKA The Proof Fairy – meet amazing authors and find out what inspires them to write and what advice they would offer other aspiring authors.    My guest today is Mitali Deypurkaystha, a journalist turned business book coach and author of The Freedom Master Plan. Mitali specialises in teaching business owners how to write books that build expert authority and it was lovely to talk to a fellow book coach about the process of writing.  We also talk about planning, publishing and knowing your end goal, and Mitali shares some of the tools she uses with clients.  More About Mitali Deypurkaystha    Ghostwriter turned business book expert, Mitali Deypurkaystha, aka 'The Authority Creator,' transforms coaches, consultants and speakers into thought leaders by becoming published authors within 90 days. She is the author of the international No. 1 bestseller, The Freedom Master Plan, featured on ABC, NBC, CBS, and Fox, which reveals how she helped h