For as long as I can remember I have wanted a dog; so when I started to spell, asking for a dog was one of the first elongated conversations I had with my parents. That was four years ago! Since then Susannah has joined me in a sustained campaign for a dog, which we have worked on together with increasing intensity.

Big events in my life get celebrated in poetry, and so I needed to find a poem to fit our campaign. Below is a pantoum which is a poem of any length, composed of four-line stanzas in which the second and fourth lines of each stanza serve as the first and third lines of the next stanza. The last line of a pantoum is often the same as the first. Always up for a challenge, my pantoum is dedicated to my fellow campaigner, Susannah.

In the Bible, Jesus tells the story of the persistent widow who goes on and on until she gets what  she wants – dogged persistence delivers its dues.

Dogged Persistence

Dogged persistence delivers its dues, 
The pattering of tiny feet suggested,
No more babies? We need a dog – don’t refuse, 
Drip, drip, drip; slipped into conversation, requested. 

The pattering of tiny feet suggested, 
The campaign of perseverance swelling, 
Drip, drip, drip; slipped into conversation, requested; 
The reasons rehearsed: our arguments compelling. 

The campaign of perseverance swelling, 
Pitter, patter, pitter, patter: soon to be our news, 
The reasons rehearsed: our arguments compelling, 
Dogged persistence delivers its dues.

On Friday I attended the Oxford Brookes Inclusion Conference and shared my message of literacy for all, selling a lot of my books and leading a seminar with Mummy and Sarah for Teach Us Too. Nothing gives me greater joy than hearing teachers say they will look at the education of children with PMLD in a different light.

If you know of any good ways to get my message out then please leave a comment below or email Teach Us Too via their contact page.

What a week!  When I approached bloggers to be part of my tour, I could never have imagined what would happen because of it: 44 new Twitter followers and connections, a proposed magazine article and, most exciting of all, an invitation to lead a seminar at Oxford Brookes University’s Inclusion Conference for trainee teachers.

Thank you to everyone who has joined me on the blog tour, and particularly to the bloggers for their wonderful reviews.

Today is the start of my Book Blog Tour, and I am very excited and honoured to be featured by seven different bloggers throughout the week.  For my grandparents and anyone else who is unsure what a Book Blog Tour is:

What is a Book Blog Tour and how does it work?

Every day this week my book will be reviewed on a different blog, along with two questions I have answered about a theme from the book.  As the links to the reviews go live I will update them below so you can click on the blog name and see the review.

Monday 7th January:

Elly Chapple at: Can Do ELLA

Last year I met Elly at FestABLE, where she invited me to talk as part of the seminars she was leading.  Elly is the mother of Ella, who like me has been labelled with PMLD, but believes firmly in ‘can do’ rather than ‘can’t’, and is working tirelessly to #flipthenarrative for children in special needs education.

Questions I have answered:

• How have parents reacted to Teach Us Too?
• What would you say to someone thinking of starting a literacy journey with a non-verbal child?

Tuesday 8th January

Tanya Marlow at: Tanyamarlow.com

Tanya is an author, speaker and broadcaster on faith and spirituality, and is a campaigner for those with chronic illness, disability and M.E.  Through the Association of Christian Writers I came across Tanya and I also really enjoyed her article in The Guardian: Don’t tell your child not to stare at disabled people – we are already invisible enough.

Questions I have answered:

• What is the message you would like the wider public to take from your book and campaign?
• What can the church do better to support those with disabilities?

Wednesday 9th January

Linda Hill at: lindasbookbag.com

Linda is a self-retired ex-English teacher, educational consultant and inspector, who runs an award winning book review blog.

Questions I have answered:

• Why do you think children are so captivated by Michael Morpurgo’s writing?
• How has Michael Morpurgo influenced you as an author?

Thursday 10th January

Jo Swinney at: joswinney.com

Jo is a Christian writer, speaker and editor, and I am looking forward to meeting her in March.

Questions I have answered:

• We understand the faith element has been contentious in some areas of the media. Why is it so important that you keep Jesus in your story?
• What difference has prayer made to your journey?

Friday 11th January

Lucy Rycroft at: lucyrycroft.com

Lucy writes about Christian adoption and parenting.  Head to her blog on Friday to be entered into the draw for a free signed copy of Eye Can Write.

Questions I have answered:

• How important has family been to your story?
• Can you describe the relationship with your sisters?

Saturday 12th January

Shaz Goodwin at: jerasjamboree.co.uk

Shaz is a part-time Inclusion Lead at her local school and blogs about books.

Questions I have answered:

• What have been the most effective ways that people have included you?
• How easy is it for you to include friends in your life?

Sunday 13th January 

Wendy Jones at: wendyhjones.com

Wendy has worked as a nurse and in academia, and is a Scottish writer and runs the Association of Christian Writers.

Questions I have answered:

• How do you answer people who say: Why do you think God gave you this condition?
• Today is the 9th anniversary of your transplant.  What would you say to someone unsure of signing the donor register?

As one year draws to a close and another begins it gives a chance to look back and reflect on 2018 and look forward to 2019.  And what a year 2018 was!  With the airing of the My Life programme in February and the publication of my book and launching of my charity in July, three big projects I had been working on came to fruition.  Each of those projects are opening new avenues and creating new opportunities as I look forward to 2019 with enthusiasm and anticipation.

The first excitement is my Book Blog Tour, which starts on Monday.  Join me and my book as we are reviewed by different bloggers every day next week.  Each blogger will also feature two questions and answers which I have written on themes covered in my book.  Do head over to the blogs to read the reviews and see what I have shared.