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A snippet of conversation between 3-year-old twin boys at bedtime. I sit in a rocking chair in the corner of their room every night until they fall asleep. This is quality writing time for me. On this night, I wrote down what they said.


Hairless troll doll in a red, white and blue outfit
The Man With No Hair

Mum, which colour do you like? I know you like Spiderman Santa can give you that And a heavy blue crystal What else? Paw Patrol things He has Avengers Assemble games I want to see that I think it's in the shops Vehicle stuff, and tool stuff and mowers I saw a big bulldozer in the shops


Mum, were you small when you had that guy with no hair? Were you small like us? It’s Dad’s now because it's from the shed but Dad said yes, you can have it


I saw a police car Did you? Yeah, in the garage With blue and yellow on it? And white? I love those colours All Blippi’s colours with orange and blue It did have blue on it And yellow? Yes. It’s in that garage. In the shops. With that garbage truck. It was picking some bins.


Mum, I want a hug and a kiss, Mum Mum, I want another hug Mum, I’m laying down

...


Mum, was Daddy bigger when that man that has no hair when you were small? Was Dad bigger when you were small?

Mum. Mum. Mummy. Mum. Was Dad small? Was our Mum and Dad small when the man with no hair…

Okay

Mum. Sorry.

Mum, I want another hug Mum, I want one too Mum, I love you so much I love you so much too, Mum

...


Mum, I’m starving. I want another hug.


x

IT'S FINALLY HERE!!!


Read the gripping conclusion to Cleo's story and her battle for the truth. I am so excited to share it with you! Here are all the details:

Picture of the front cover of the book The Silver Shepherd, showing a young woman lazing on grass under a grey sky

Release Date: 24 June 2023

Pages: 333

Cover Designer: James from GoOnWrite.com

Blurb:


Sheep attack shepherds when wolves tell lies


Cleo is a young Australian mother who lives an alternative lifestyle in one of the last remaining hippie communities. She is used to suffering for her choices; Walking around shoeless in a society that considers it dangerous and deplorable is either really brave, or really stupid... but that is the least of her concerns.


Cleo has inherited a secret from her family’s twisted past. A secret that some very powerful people are making sure stays kept, by any means necessary.


A secret that could change the world.


Before Cleo became a mother, she was a fighter and a rebel. But now she stays silent, reluctant to put her child at risk and carrying a heavy burden. However, when a suspicious tragedy strikes her family, Cleo realises that even if she keeps their secret, she is never going to be safe, and her child will never grow up free. No one will.


Something needs to be done, and it needs to be done by her.


Purchase Links: US Paperback - $14.99 USD

US Kindle eBook - $3.99 USD

AUS Paperback - $23.99 AUD

AUS Kindle eBook - $3.99 AUD


This book has been enrolled in expanded distribution (internationally) and will become available through other good online bookstores.


This book is also enrolled in KDP Select and is FREE to read for Kindle Unlimited subscribers.


It is the same size as The Silver Sheep, and they will look lovely on your bookshelf beside one another ;)


Enjoy!


Much love - Marley x

Drawing comics and finding humour in the hard stuff has helped to remind me that I am not alone.

Picture of a woman with long hair and glasses holding a hand-drawn comic in a sketch book and pulling a funny face

As I mentioned in this blog post, I have been feeling a little burnt out and the words stopped flowing easily for me. So, instead of doing nothing, I started drawing (badly) and ended up creating Mum Feelz - a comic about parenthood.


Mum Feelz (named by my BFF) lays bare the feelings of frustration about the things that make us want to scream/cry as a parent:

  • Lack of privacy

  • Lack of alone time

  • Sensory overload (e.g. being over-touched/too much noise)

  • Intimacy issues

  • Mess

  • Sibling arguments

These are just some of the things that I sometimes struggle with, and if you are a parent, then I am almost certain that you can relate to at least some of them yourself.

A hand drawn comic showing a mother saying "Dishes time" and all of the family members declaring that they need to go to the toilet and leaving the room. A colourful border is around the page.

So, I gathered together all of the comics that I have drawn recently (all 28 of them, so far), and put them together to make a FREE 16-page comic book for your horror and amusement.


You can download this comic book (PDF) as my gift to you, HERE.


Or you can find it on the Freebies page on my website (www.marleybetts.com).


Please do feel welcome to share the Mum Feelz comic book with other parents who you think might enjoy it.

It might help them feel less alone in this crazy, messy, noisy, love-filled parenthood journey that we are on (or at least feel like a much better parent than I am haha).


Now, I just want to get a bit serious for a moment. Stick with me here.


Being a parent brings us the highest of highs and the lowest of lows.


Please reach out if you need help - to a friend, a loved one, a doctor or mental health practitioner, Beyond Blue (Ph. 1300 22 4636), Lifeline (Ph. 13 11 14), or anyone you trust.

You don't have to do it alone.


You are seen and understood.


Enjoy Mum Feelz.


Much love,

Marley x

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