DO SOMETHING KIND TODAY...

Cathy says:
Yesterday, I was feeling lousy. I had one of those 24 hour sickness bug things and spent most of the night examining the toilet bowl at much closer quarters than I ever want to do again, and most of the day in bed with the curtains closed. My head felt as though somebody was thumping it with a giant mallet. I couldn't keep so much as a sip of water down.
And then... slowly... I began to feel better. The sickness eased off, the migraine subsided, I was able to drink half a cup of herb tea and not part company with it again. I felt so happy to be on the mend, I went onto my Facebook Fanpage and posted that I'd been ill but was feeling better again. And then... this.

Reader Faye (left) had seen my post and drew the most beautiful get well poster for me, which she posted on the Facebook Fanpage wall. I loved it. It was kind, cool, clever. It had gold stars and clever mentions of my book titles in the text. It made me happy and it made me feel so touched that somebody cared enough to make me something so special. It was proof that I really DO have the coolest readers ever. It reminded me that doing something kind for someone else is one of the BEST and most powerful things in the world.
And I am lucky - I genuinely do have the most amazing readers who show me how much they care all of the time. Sometimes it's a beautiful, heartfelt email. Sometimes it's a fabulous drawing or painting, inspired by one of my characters.

Sometimes it's a book or a story inspired by something I've written, or a good deed, like the cake sale the girls from Morpeth School held to raise funds for The Horse Trust inspired by Coco Caramel.
Often, on tour, readers make things for me - one of many favourites from my February tour was this cute phone charm/ bookmark made for me by reader Miriam who came to my Leeds signing. It's made from bright, braided ribbon and came complete with a very cool message label, so I wouldn't forget who had given it to me. (It can get kind of hectic at a bookshop signing so I don't always manage to get a note of someone's name!)

Another favourite is this fab bookmark (left) made from Fimo modelling clay and a simple paperclip. A shy reader gave it to me at a busy school signing, then hurried away before I could ask her name. It's based on me... and I think it's awesome.
Sometimes, the kindness comes in cake form. I have a reputation for having a sweet tooth. I love chocolate. I love cake. And sometimes my lovely readers make me truffles of cupcakes or a sweet treats they've created themselves.

The cakes in the picture were given to me by some of the lovely girls at Bishops High/ Blue Coat School in Chester at the very end of my tour, and they were gorgeous. It's worth remembering, with MOTHER'S DAY coming up soon, that a prezzie doesn't have to be expensive or exclusive to be special. Something handmade, with love and care and thought, can be even better. A batch of cupcakes, a hand made bookmark, a bunch of daffodills from the garden, breakfast in bed, a home made card, even just a lovely message like Faye's.

Don't wait until Mother's Day. Do something thoughtful and kind for someone else today. You'll make them smile, and that will make YOU feel good, too. It's a win-win situation. Think of it as a Random Act of Kindness, like Sam does in my book GINGERSNAPS. See if you can do something kind and cool today - and every day. COMMENT BELOW to share your Random Act of Kindness ideas - and spread the love!