As you all who follow my blog know I've been helping cyber friend on Fridays. Most recently it's been Nick Wilford in his campaign to taise money for Specialty college in Scotland. I thought it might be fun to interview him here so y'all understand a bit why I've been pushing and touting his efforts. So without further delays here's Nick.
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| Andrew and baby brother 2009 |
Murphey
Saga- Why did you decide that writing a book was the best fund
raising idea to send Andrew to college?
Nick- It might
not necessarily be the best idea to raise cash, but I thought it would be
something different that people could get on board with both as readers and
writers. I hope it will snowball and get bigger and bigger, as opposed to a
noe-off event. Also, writing is pretty much all I know, and it seemed a shame
not to do something involving the fabulous talents of the writing blogosphere!
Murphey Saga- I understand that Andrew
has exceeded all expectations, what will he be studying and what does he want
to do after college?
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| Andrew at 7 hrs old |
Nick- He
definitely has exceeded expectations, he has come such a long way and we’re
bursting with pride for him. There are a lot of things he could do at college -
he loves music, for example - but he’s chosen a film-editing course where he
will have Eye Gaze technology enabling him to work with elements on screen.
He’s great with computers! The technology in general at the college far
outstrips what’s available in Scotland, we hope Andrew will be able to use it
in the same way someone like Stephen Hawking does. And we hope all these things
will add up to let him go on to a career in the film business.
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| Andrew & Mum 2010 |
Murphey
Saga- What are some of the profound problems Andrew faces?
Nick- Andrew has
struggled with communication in the past, but has really worked hard to
overcome that and now can express himself very effectively. As a little boy, he
would fly into a rage, but now he’s totally laidback and easy-going. The most
profound problem he faces these days is one of posture, an ongoing issue.
Andrew’s right hip tends to turn in as he sits, giving him a “windswept”
position, and he takes muscle relaxants with his legs. He has had several
operations, and pins in his knees, but the most recent surgery seems to have
gone really well. They cut tendons and he had plaster casts on for three
months, and he’s still wearing splints when he lies down, but his legs are now
straighter than we’ve ever seen them and his posture is fantastic!
+and+dad+Neil+(right),+July+2009.jpg) |
| Andrew & Nick 2009 |
Murphey Saga- Will you do another book
for this cause? As I understand it, the response was overwhelming for the current
book.
Nick- I’ve definitely thought about this and
I’d love to do a book every year. The course is three years long and we’ll need
to fundraise all the way through, so that’s three more books. Watch this space!
,+Hannah+(left),+Emma+(right),+December+2011.jpg) |
| Andrew and his sisters 2011 |
Murphey Saga- Aren't you kind of putting
all your eggs in one basket by depending on book sales? What else is being done
to send Andrew to college?
Nick- We have
all sorts of fundraising events going on. In our local area, in the last six
months we’ve had a Race Night, Ladies’ Night, sponsored cycling run, Family Fun
Day and Fayre, and my wife is running an online business selling wax warmers -
wickless candle with no flame and no mess - that has taken off in a massive
way. Andrew’s dad and I also have an opportunity to do a bungee jump in the
summer. We have collecting tins in local businesses, and the local paper is
following our story - I was featured on the front this week to publicise my
physical book launch on Saturday. We’re also looking at the wider picture by
lobbying the Scottish Government to build a dedicated specialist college here.
Andrew’s mum and sister recently appeared at the first Carers’ Parliament in
Edinburgh to advocate on this issue, on behalf of young people with complex
needs which just aren’t being met. That was broadcast online, and my wife was
also recently interviewed by a national newspaper on the online petitions she’s
running to build a specialist college and stop carers being charged to access
services.
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| Andrew on speed boat 2009 |
Murphey Saga- I understand you are an
author and don't depend on other people's writing, what do you write?
Nick- I’m
experimenting with genre at the moment. I haven’t found my niche and don’t know
if I will! My first two novels were thrillers, then recently I wrote a YA
dystopian for NaNo which I’m currently editing. Short stories can be anything -
they used to be contemporary tales focusing on one character’s dilemma, but I
wrote a paranormal for my anthology, and a romance for another blog hop. I’ve
had four of my older stories published in Writer’s Muse magazine. I’m going to
collect these and some others, maybe some new ones, in a collection - actually,
I keep saying this and I need to get on with it!
Murphey Saga- If my readers what to contact you how would
they do it?
Facebook
(not on there much though so it’s not the best way to contact me!)
Email:
mcwilfo(at)gmail(dot)com
Grab your copy
today of Overcoming Adversity
A collection of seventy moving and
uplifting original pieces - real life, flash fiction, and poetry - about
battling against the odds and the ultimate triumph of the human spirit. The
contributors include Amazon bestselling authors Alex J. Cavanaugh and Kyra
Lennon, and the cream of upcoming talent.
The anthology is part of a fundraising effort to send the editor's stepson,
Andrew McNaughton, to a specialist college in England. Andrew has cerebral
palsy, and is a remarkable young man with a promising future. However, the free
further education options offered in his own country of Scotland will not
challenge him and allow him to progress. In order to access the education he
deserves, Andrew will have to pay exorbitant fees, thus creating a situation of
discrimination.
Help us get Andrew to college by buying a book that runs the full gamut of
human emotions, ultimately leaving you inspired and glad to be alive. Whatever
struggles you are going through, our sincere hope is that this book will help.
Murphey Saga- List of
fabulous authors they can find inside-
Nick- This is quite
a lot! Hopefully your readers will recognise some of them and discover more
because they’re all excellent. We have Denise Covey, Hilary Melton-Butcher,
Trisha Farnan, Roland Yeomans, Melissa Bradley, Elise Fallson, Melissa
Maygrove, Elena-Adriana Dascalu, Michelle Wallace, Alex J. Cavanaugh, Krista
McLaughlin, Emma McNaughton (Andrew’s wee sister), Friko, Leigh Covington,
Carrie Butler, E.J. Wesley, Elsie Amata, Tara Tyler, Al Diaz, Michael DiGesu,
L.G. Smith, David Powers King, C.M. Brown, Tamara Walsh, Tobi Summers, Cynthia,
Pk Hrezo, Tammy Theriault, Mark Means, Morgan Katz, Ella Wilson, Clare Dugmore,
Yolanda Renée, Lara Schiffbauer, Ilima Todd, Kittie Howard, The Golden Eagle,
J.A. Bennett, Tyrean Martinson, E. Louise Bates, Kyra Lennon, Samantha May, M.
Pax, Shell Flower, L.G. Keltner, Christine Rains, D.L. Hammons, Chris Kelworth,
Nicole Singer, Sally Stackhouse, Nick Wilford (er, that’s me!), Brooke R.
Busse, J.L. Murphey (that’s you, obviously), Meradeth Houston, Elizabeth
Seckman, Kathy McKendry, J.L. Campbell, Damyanti Biswas, Carrie-Anne Brownian,
Michael Pierce, Julie K. Pick, Linda Hofke, Chuck Farch, Jossie Marie Solheim,
Kelley Lynn and Sheena-kay Graham.
I think it’s
safe to say that the content is extremely diverse, high quality, and there’s
something for everyone!
Where can
readers find your book?
Thanks for
having me today, Jo! It was a pleasure.
No Nick the
pleasure was all mine. I wish you and Andrew the best of luck.
So what have y'all been doing for fun lately? Have you grabbed a copy of this book yet?
You may have noticed the donation/blog hop logo on this blog for a young man named Andrew McNaughton. You may even remember that I am a contributing author in Nick Wilford's anthology, "Overcoming Adversity." You may also remember an interview I posted with Nick hen the book was published
+and+dad+Neil+(right),+July+2009.jpg)
,+Hannah+(left),+Emma+(right),+December+2011.jpg)
