VICTORIA: I LIVE IN DENMARK!

Another in our series of features about CC readers all around the world... we talk to Victoria who lives near Copenhagen in Denmark!

Victoria says:
I live about twenty minutes outside the Danish capital, Denmark, so it is kind of countryside-ish. Our house is made of yellow brick and dates from 1980, and I live with my mum, dad and older brother. In Denmark we have snowy winters and warm summers, which is great! My school is quite laid back - we don't wear a uniform and don't get detention unless we've done something really bad like smashing a window. It's an international school, so there are children from many different countries; students from the UK think our school is paradise, while others find it challenging. My favourite subject is history, but I also go to a drama school close to where I live and dream of being an actress one day.

Danish food is not too different from food in the UK, but we don't like cakes and sweets quite as much. We do have a traditional dessert which people often bring to school when it's their birthday - it's called Flodebolde and is very creamy and sweet. Smorrebrod is a typical Danish lunch (smor = butter, brod = bread). Everyone likes a sandwich, but the Danish LOVE them! Smorrebrod is rye bread with a topping of butter, cheese or sausage. In the Uk you have a cake called 'Danish pastry' but here we call it Weinerbrod, which means Austrian bread! I really love the cinnamon or chocolate versions.

We have many traditions and festivals and our way of celebrating Christmas is very different too. We celebrate on the 24th so we open presents and eat a huge dinner on Christmas Eve. The 25th is much quieter! Denmark is a small country, about 5.5 million people, and I think that's good. Denmark was one of the first countries to legalise gay marriage, which I am proud about as I feel this is fair. We also help refugees from troubled countries and once a year, some of these families are invited to meet the Danish queen and the politicians to talk about their issues and experiences. I can understand why the EU has named Denmark as the happiest country on earth.

Perhaps you've guessed, but I am not Danish - my dad is Polish but has lived in Denmark since he was a child and my mum comes from the Soviet Union, with family from Russia and Ukraine. As you can imagine, I worry a great deal about the unrest in Ukraine at the moment. I've visited Poland many times but it is rarer for me to go to Russia. Even so, I got upset recently when the Russian entry for the Eurovision song contest were booed and one of my teachers makes harsh comments about Russia to me which I do find upsetting. My biggest fear is a third world war - I would love the world to learn how to get along together. If I don't become an actress,  I would like to do something that works towards world peace, as this is something I think about a lot lately.

Cathy says:
Victoria's description of life in Denmark makes it really come alive - and I love that we get a real insight into Victoria's life too! COMMENT BELOW if you've ever visited Denmark, or email me HERE if you'd like to write about YOUR country for DREAMCATCHER!

I WAS HOME SCHOOLED - ILLEGALLY!

Reader Lauren is home schooled in South Africa, where the rules are super-strict for those being home-schooled. She shares her experiences with DREAMCATCHER...

Lauren says:
The South African education department REALLY doesn't like anyone doing anything out of the ordinary; they set rules that you must follow the SA curriculum exactly and take the exams at certified schools, which kind of destroys the whole point of home-schooling in the first place.

My mother wanted my sister and I to really WANT to learn, so she sourced different text books of very high standards and read a lot of works of great literature to us. Now that I'm over the age of fifteen, the law can't do anything about me not being in school, but it still makes life difficult. I am now doing my Cambridge AS levels, but the education department sets its own rules about which subjects you can do to get Matric exemption. They don't consider AS literature to be a worthwhile subject - I mean, seriously?

Being home-schooled has been a tough road at times, but I'm glad not to be in the mainstream. Also, I have far more time for music and writing, both of which I plan to be studying at university!

Cathy says:
I love that Lauren has such a love of learning and the confidence to follow her own path in life... even though the education system in her country makes it hard for her to do so! Good luck with your exams and with university, Lauren!

What do YOU think about home-schooling? Have you ever studied at home, or do you feel that school offers a better way of learning? COMMENT BELOW to tell us what you think!

BEAT BULLYING: THE BIG MARCH!

My readers have made it very clear: they see bullying as a big problem, something they care VERY strongly about. If you agree, please join us today on the BIG MARCH with awesome anti-bullying group BEAT BULLYING... find out how!

Does bullying matter? I think it does. Every day I get emails and letters from readers whose lives are being wrecked by careless cruelty, harsh words, exclusion. Bullying can be a punch, a kick, a shove... or it can be words that chip away at your confidence until there's nothing left at all. The amazing anti-bullying group Beatbullying have produced this brilliant short film clip to show just how much damage bullying can do... even though you can't always see the bruises. Please take a minute out of your busy day and watch... and if you can, help spread the word and say NO to bullying by sharing the clip on your Facebook or Twitter page!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wc2JlNqU9GA

So... what else can we do to say NO to bullying? We can ALL join the BIG MARCH - an online protest across Europe taking place today, 11th June - and stand together against bullying. Click onto http://bigmarch.beatbullying.org/login to make yourself an avatar (you can see mine above!) and sign in to the BIG MARCH - an online festival you'll love. You can even go along to the special Cathy Cassidy tent and see my tips on staying safe from cyber bullies too!

Do you believe we should stand together against bullying? Please take the time to make an avatar, design an anti-bullying placard and join THE BIG MARCH, and tell your friends about it too. It matters.

COMMENT BELOW to share your stories of bullying or to add your messages of support! Please join me... today and every day, we need to stand firm against bullying.

WELL HELLO, DOLLY!

Did you have a favourite doll when you were little? I asked some of my FB pals about their fave childhood toys...

Krysten says:
One of my favourite toys as a kid was this Alexander France doll I got as a little girl. She was part of a collection; my grandma remarked it looked like me as a child, with the cupid's bow mouth and big eyes... so from there the collection started. Grandma actually nicknamed me 'Dolly'! Francie, as I called her, was my favourite - there tended to be a lot of blonde, blue-eyed dolls back then, and I liked Francie as we had the same colouring. When i moved away from home as an adult, my mom sent me a couple of the dolls and Francie then moved overseas with me and back again. She is still in my room today, but I decided to spare my husband the other forty or so dolls in the collection! Today I am a writer and write middle grade, YA and adult fiction.

Ruth says:
This is Sally-Ann. My mum bought her for me after she'd been away for a week on an Open University course 37 years ago. I missed Mum so much that week; Gran was looking after me (dads didn't do much childcare in those days) and she was strict. She thought that at ten I was too old for dolls, but I loved Sally-Ann and loved that my mum knew that everyone needs something to cuddle sometimes! Sally-Ann came with me to university and even to Japan where I later went to teach English. She's a well travelled girl! Somewhere along the line her arm fell off... I still have it, but am ashamed to say its been in my sewing box for at least 20 years! Now I am a writer, I realise that Sally-Ann helped to develop my imagination; because I loved her, I had imaginary conversations with her and invented stories for her. When I look at her now, she helps me remember how it felt to be ten and really missing your mum...

Sheila says:
Here is my Tiny Tears doll which I still have. She went everywhere with me and I looked after her, took care of her, fed her, changed her, bathed her and dressed her in countless outfits... including this gorgeous green crochet poncho number, of course! (These things were very fashionable back in the late 60s, trust me!) It came as quite a shock when I married and had a real baby - she wasn't as perfectly behaved as Tiny Tears! I'm a librarian now... and no, I don't wear ponchos... ;o)

Judi says:
This is Carol, the doll I got for my seventh birthday. I never quite forgave her for not being a book... can you tell I was destined to grow up to be a children's author? Poor Carol lost her hair when I was playing hairdressers - how was I supposed to know it wouldn't grow back? My mum did make Carol's lovely dress - and a matching one for me. Nowadays my children mostly use her for making scary movies... well, you did tell me to be honest!
(Judi Curtin is now a bestselling children's author - luckily not a hairdresser! Check out her Friends Forever or Alice series of books, perfect for fans of Cathy Cassidy looking for something new... 

Linda says:
This pic is of me with my cousins at my big sister's wedding in 1973. I'm the one on the right! The dolls on the shelf in the background are my collection of 'dolls of the world.' I had dozens of them and used to research and read up on the countries they were from. I actually did travel quite a lot as a child and I always wanted to be an air hostess when I grew up so I could travel to every country in the world. Alas, I get very travel sick so that didn't happen! I loved the dolls, but I no longer have them.

Awww... such amazing stories! Did YOU have a doll you loved when you were little? Or a favourite from the dolls above? COMMENT BELOW to let us know!

JIGS & REELS...

So many of my readers are crazy about Irish dancing, I've decided to do another feature on it... read on and see just what it is about this style of dance that inspires such passion!

Nicole says:
I've been Irish dancing for just over a year now. I have competed in two feisanna and am now intermediate in a couple of dances. I go to Fakenham Irish Dance School, which is a new one but quite big, and over the year we've been going we have become like a kind of family. I fell in love with Irish dancing when I saw Riverdance on You Tube; I loved the music, the clothes and obviously the dancing! When I heard about the new class starting, I couldn't believe my luck. Since then we've done many demonstrations and we had a St patrick's Day ceilidh and showcase, which was fantastic. In the future I hope to get better and better at dancing; I'd like to see Riverdance and Lord of the Dance live - and if I practise enough perhaps one day I can be part of it, too!
I've written a poem which expresses what dance means to me:

Feelings
My feelings are like Irish dance.
Some days, I'm like a slip jig; calm, gentle and elegant like a kite in the wind.
Some days I'm like a single jig; bouncy, energetic, full of life, bringing energy wherever I go.
Some days I'm like a treble jig; flamboyant, determined, trying to make sure I am heard.
Some days I'm like a hornpipe; melodic and in rhythm with the world, like the second hand ticking on a clock.
Some days I'm a reel; loud or quiet, but always fast and on the ball.
So now you see - my feelings are like Irish dance.

Emma says:
I started Irish dancing when I was about four but never took it seriously until I saw the movie Jig. Mum saw an Irish dance class advertised so we went along and I was blown away by the awesome steps, cool, heavy shoes and beautiful dresses. At my first dance school there weren't many Feis's but when there were, there was SO much excitement as you could win a huge trophy. A Feis (competition) can be a really big deal - you have to dress a certain way, wear fake tan (I have no idea why!) and make-up, including dark eye make-up and lipstick so that you stand out.

I love dancing because you  learn new steps and improve all the time; and I love the new friends I have made because of it. I call them my Feis friends! I even have a dance friend in South Africa, which would never have happened otherwise. Irish dancing has taught me that nothing is impossible - if you work hard enough, you can achieve what you want. It has also taught me never to give up, and has made me a stronger and more determined person!

A Feis can be very stressful; we often have to leave very early in the morning to get there and get out hair and make-up ready. Many dancers wear wigs for a Feis but I've started having my own hair, worn in a side bun with bows and flowers in it. I used to wear a bun wig and have worn a large wig too... they are the hardest to put on, but they look amazing. The majority of my Feis friends wear bun wigs, but I'd always choose a large wig if I had to. I get my mum to do my make-up - the mums are called Feis-mums! I travel quite a lot for my dancing, and if I qualify for the World's Feis next year it would mean going to Montreal in Canada... wow! I love Irish dancing SO much and would never want to give it up!


CATHY SAYS:
Nicole and Emma really prove how easy it is to fall in love with Irish dancing... I love their passion and enthusiasm! COMMENT BELOW if you have been inspired to follow your dancing dreams!

QUICK ON THE DRAW...

We asked readers to sketch their favourite CC characters... and here are some of the results! Pretty awesome, huh? 

Kaylee says:
Here is my version of the Tanberry-Costello sisters from the Chocolate Box Girls series, drawn in a manga/anime style. I love the series because each sister has such a unique and cool personality, and their stories are imaginative, creative and realistic at the same time. I love making up characters in my head using ideas of my own plus inspiration from others, and drawing the sisters was fun... I didn't have a visual representation of them so I got to decide what they looked like and what they might wear. Each CC book has a unique message that I can somehow relate to. Books take me to a place that only my imagination can go to, and that's cool!

Vicky says:
This is my picture of Skye Tanberry from MARSHMALLOW SKYE; she's my favourite Chocolate Box Girl as she is so unique. I love her vintage style and her personality! Skye is thoughtful, creative and daydreams a lot which is something I can relate to! This drawing means a lot to me as I have just started drawing manga and I love it. When you draw in a manga style the drawings look the same and it's up to you to style them differently, which I love... for Skye I added a fishtail plait and a vintage dress!

Annie says:
I chose to draw Coco wearing her legendary panda hat as she is one of my favourite CC characters. She is never afraid to be herself - she doesn't care what people say. She defies the stereotypes (which many of us are afraid to do) and is totally true to herself - I admire her for that! I love drawing as it's a great way to express yourself when you can't find the right words. Also, it's fun - and anyone can do it if they put their minds to it! I did the picture on my iPad with a drawing app - I love the way the app makes things look. Very cute and cartoon-ish! Overall, I just love the colour and creativity in drawing!

Lydia says:
I chose to draw Ginger and Sam because GINGERSNAPS is my favourite book... I can really relate to it. When i was at school, I was teased for the fact that my mum and I didn't have stick-insect figures, and that we had curly/frizzy hair. It changed how I was around people, and I'd do whatever I could to be liked. I like Sam because he reminds me of a boy I know - he's great to hang around with, but he can be very annoying! I love drawing because you can capture a moment forever, and it can't be deleted. Plus, it's a way to express how you're feeling without talking to anyone, which is pretty cool!



Are you crazy about drawing? COMMENT BELOW to let us know which CC character YOU would choose to draw... or go ahead and draw them, and send in your pic - you could be starring in a future post on DREAMCATCHER!

SOUMIA: I LIVE IN ALGERIA!

Another awesome post in our series of readers all around the world... SOUMIA tells us what it's like to live in Algeria!

Soumia says:
I am seventeen years old and I live in Algeria, a country in North Africa. The capital is Algiers, and it's called the 'white city' (La Ville Blanche) as the buildings are all white. The languages here are Arabic and French... Algeria was once occupied by the French but we got our independence in 1962 after a long struggle.

At middle school I struggled a little and so I made a fresh start at high school. I had been known as the 'best friend' of the popular girl and I had also been ill, but I got better and changed my style. I made some great friends who were honest and mature and accepted me for who I am.

We are very proud to be a muslim country - we are a very generous people. Ramadan is a month we wait for every year, when we do not eat or drink anything from sunrise to sundown. My mum wakes the family at 4am to do 'sohor' which means eating something to help us though the day. Towards sundown, my sister and I help my mother to prepare food to break the fast;

I'll make 'bourak' as it's easy, my sister makes salad and my mum makes 'shourba', a soup we eat all month as it's full of vitamins to help us cope. The picture above is of shourba! Fasting is expected of everyone except for children, the sick and those travelling. The purpose is to feel understanding of homeless people who don't have a thing to eat or drink; you gradually see how hard it is for them and eventually you help them. We also eat tajeen, a very delicious bread. At other times of the year, we eat couscous, a grain-based dish with meat and vegetables (pictured) which is eaten every Friday to keep the tradition of our elders.

Girls in Algeria wear the hijab which is a scarf that we put on to cover our hair; in our religion, the woman is not allowed to show her body parts to any man except her husband. It is up to girls to decide whether they wish to cover their hair or not, but I do... I like it. I feel beautiful in the hijab and I think it makes people focus on your inner beauty; they don't get distracted by anything else. Some girls, though, are obliged to wear it by their parents, as some fathers would do anything to save their daughters from harm. They think that if a girl wears inappropriate clothes, it could bring her troubles. There is also the 'koftan' which is a traditional dress women wear to ceremonies or weddings - there are several different kinds of koftan.

Overall, I am very happy and proud to live in Algeria... it is a beautiful country.

Cathy says:
I love Soumia's account of life in Algeria... it helps me to imagine and understand a country I have never been able to visit. COMMENT BELOW if you enjoyed this post or would like to share an account of life where YOU live with DREAMCATCHER...

HAPPY BOOK BIRTHDAY, SWEET HONEY!

Yay! Today, 5th June 2014, is the official release date of my 5th Chocolate Box Girl book, SWEET HONEY. This calls for a celebration!

When I'm at the start of writing a book, it always feels like I will never get to the end... and if I do, it seems impossible that anyone would actually want to READ what I've written. So every time a new book is published, I get ridiculously excited all over again. This year, for the first time ever, I am a little bit ill and have had to cancel my school events because my voice has vanished on me. Disaster! I have nobody to celebrate with, so hey, we will have to do it here online. Welcome to the world, SWEET HONEY! All good bookstores will now have the book on sale, so take a look around and see if you can find any bargains... some booksellers do great discounts! Those of you who are super-dedicated and pre-ordered your books will be getting them today, as if by magic... or by first class mail, anyway!

You'll find lots of drama and intrigue in this story, which was to be expected with a character like Honey, but also a secret woven into the story which has the potential to blow everything apart. Expect a few surprises along the way... and if you comment below once you've read the book, no spoilers, please! Whether you're reading your copy today or not, please do have a slice of cake to help me celebrate... it's imaginary cake, so it's OK, promise!

As well as June 5th being the publication date for SWEET HONEY, it also happens to be exactly ten years since my very first book Dizzy was published... how cool? DREAMCATCHER, I've been privileged to meet the most AMAZING CC readers. You make all the hard work worthwhile. I think you're going to love the new book... happy reading!

My lovely publisher Puffin have given me a gorgeous silver bee necklace to celebrate... isn't it cute? I'd hardly have dared dream ten years ago how many books I'd write in the next ten years, or how many readers would connect with the stories all around the world. The books are translated into 19 languages now and I've been lucky enough to visit my readers in Australia, Singapore, New Zealand, China, United Arab Emirates, Poland, Ireland, France and more. Who knew? Best of all, through the magic of book festivals, events, signings, letters, emails, FB messages, twitter, instagram and of course DREAMCATCHER, I have been able to really get to know my readers. They... YOU... are awesome. You are the best thing of all about being an author, and I feel very privileged to have met you. Can't think of a better bunch of people to celebrate the new book with. So... right... back to business... cake, anybody?

Have you read SWEET HONEY yet? COMMENT BELOW to share your views and verdicts! 

HOT SOUP

One of the winning stories from my recent writing comp over on www.cathycassidy.com - Holly's story on the theme 'Broken' - we've called it 'Hot Soup'.

Today is the 10th January 2014, and the weather is coarse and dry with a chance of bush fires, fuming mad principals and assorted members of school staff. Oh, and because I kind of forgot it's wrong to paint giant murals of bloody roses on school property, I am also in hot soup. I walk towards Mr Mack's office, swirls of red and flakes of crimson staining my hands and blurring my vision.

'Caught red handed!' An oddly familiar voice cuts through the thick, stuffy air and I spin round, almost losing my balance. Someone grabs my hand, steadies me, and I look up and recognise Ray Carlton. He's always been the quiet kind that grabs your attention - foggy grey eyes, shaggy, dirty blond hair, a profound distaste for school cafeterias and maths homework. His touch feels like fire against my bare skin.

'You painted the rose on the garage wall,' he states. 'You're in my art class and I recognised your painting style.A lot of red and black, thick strokes along the sides; too little emotion and too much pain.'

'Nice analysis,' I mutter. 'It was a mistake - I don't want anything to do with it any more, so step aside and let me go to the principal's office and accept my punishment.'

'Oh, come on... the principal can wait.' He leads me outside, back to the garage where the janitor has splashed on a coat of whitewash to hide my painting. I can feel the rough strokes of my paintbrush still as I trail my hands across the wall, but there is no beauty for me - all I see is my childhood, bathed in shades of red. Red for the perfect little bows on the dress my mom stitched for me when I was little; red for her lipstick on a hot summer day; red for the roses she once helped me paint. Red, too, for the bloodstains on the bathroom floor that left my six year old self wondering what I could have done to make my mother stay.

'Red is my mother's colour,' I whisper. 'I'm never touching it again.'

Ray steps into the garage, shifting boxes, looking for something. 'I'm sorry,' he says. 'I heard what happened when you were a kid.' 

'Nothing happened to me,' I tell him. 'It was just my mother. She thought I was too young to understand, but I think somehow her broken pieces fell and shattered me too...'

'Look,' Ray says, pulling a cardboard box from the garage shelves, opening the lid. 'I've been working on this during lunch periods and while I should have been doing my maths homework. It's a mosaic - made entirely of broken pieces I've collected...'

For years after my mom's suicide, I resented how she left me. But all the shattered pieces in Ray's masterpiece were once part of a bigger whole, too. I run my fingers along the splintered surfaces, drawing blood. I can imagine the way his fingers picked out the broken pieces to make a heart shape.

'Will you paint it for me?' he asks. 'It's for all the victims of suicide and their families, to show that broken things can still be made into art. It may not be perfect, but that's fine, because art isn't supposed to be pretty, it's meant to make us feel something.'

By now, Mr Mack is probably sending out fuming mad search parties to hunt me down, but I don't care any more. I pick up an old paintbrush from the bench, prise open a tube of paint. I used to let my pain bleed onto the canvas in black and red, shades of suffering, dead colours. This time, I choose the colours of life, to honour the fight I am making to mend my own broken pieces in the form of art.

I start with a fresh petal radiating under watery sunshine...

Did you enjoy Holly's emotional story? COMMENT BELOW and share your views!

NEW BOOKS YOU NEED TO READ!

Stuck for something cool to read? Don't panic - we have recommendations to suit all tastes, and the authors themselves are here to tell you about them!

Jo Cotterill says:
My new book, LOOKING AT THE STARS, is about a girl called Amina who lives in a country where girls aren't allowed to go to school. Amina hates being told what to do, and when an army invades to liberate the country, she is hopeful things will get better... but they don't. Amina and her sister have to walk to a refugee camp in search of help. Once I finished writing it, I realised the book has everything I believe in one story. Amina learns that imagination and creativity are as important as other talents, and bring hope to those who've lost everything. Amina believes passionately that girls are just as good as boys, which of course I do, too! LOOKING AT THE STARS is suitable for readers of eleven and upwards... be warned, it has some sad stuff in it, but lots of uplifting bits too. Hopefully it will make you smile and cry at the same time!

Ali Sparkes says:
I've been writing all my life, but my first book was  published in 2006. I mainly write Sci-Fi action adventure novels for kids aged 9+ up to teens. My new book, DESTINATION EARTH, features the Isle of Wight, aliens and a 1980s jazz funk hero from the band Level 42... it's a bonkers mash up of all the things I like best! Fast paced action with kids from earth and beyond, plus one of my favourite holiday destinations and some great retro funk helping to save the world! There's a trailer up on my website, www.alisparkes.com along with a playlist of all the songs from the story - check it out, I think you'll like it!

Kate Maryon says:
I had a traumatic childhood, full of all sorts of things that children should never have to experience. Picking up a pen to write was a really helpful way of expressing and processing the pain and sadness I was feeling inside. My books are all about ordinary girls who find themselves facing an extraordinary situation. I think they are the place where my experience of having a difficult childhood and the understanding I have gained from helping thousands of children through their troubles, meet.
INVISIBLE GIRL, my new book, is out now. Gabriella Midwinter used to have a home - she wasn't invisible back then. Caught between arguing parents and moving house, twelve year old Gabriella somehow slips through the cracks and finds herself living on the streets, more alone than ever before. The big city streets are no place for a young girl - but they are all she's got, unless she can find her older brother Beckett. Unless she can find herself a home.


Cathy says:
Kate, Jo and Ali are lovely friends and fab writers... I definitely recommend their books! COMMENT BELOW if you've read any of these books, fancy giving them a go or if you have some great recommendations of your own to share!

HEATHER: THE PERKS OF BEING A DRAMA STUDENT!

Do you love acting and drama? We talked to reader Heather about what it's like to take part in professional stage shows... 

Heather says:
I'm fourteen and I've always loved acting. When i was younger my granddad used to take me to pantomimes every Christmas... I adored them and admired the actors hugely. I was always writing my own plays and stories and from the age of five or six, my cousin and I would act the stories out, regularly putting on plays for the family. Mum said I always had the ability to make the audience laugh or cry, to make them feel whatever emotion my character was feeling. By the time I got to secondary school, my passion for drama was stronger still. Every week in drama class I'd discover new skills and week after week my confidence would grow.

My drama  teacher was a huge inspiration - she taught me so much and also pushed me to audition for stage productions, and showed me that you can never give up. I found the courage to try to audition, and something remarkable happened; I got a part in two pantomimes with a casting company. I was overjoyed - and had so much fun playing the part of a cheeky munchkin! Next I auditioned for a part in the musical Grease at the Liverpool Empire and got the part - that was a summer to remember. The company who'd put on the Wizard of Oz were recruiting again so I gained another part, and then came my biggest production to date, Sister Act with the Empire Youth Theatre. I was playing a nun and it meant almost a year's worth of rehearsals to put on a phenomenal show. the reviews were out of this world - I was seriously in shock! I'm now working on a production of Cats and am very excited about that!

Auditions are very stressful and nerve-wracking. You have to be mentally prepared and memorise your lines, but also look relaxed and try to keep your cool. There will be times when you're not successful (I've had a couple) but you have to stay strong and keep on trying. What's the use of giving up? Taking part in a stage production is never plain sailing; you have to be dedicated and committed. There is no point in going through all the auditions if you then fail to turn up for rehearsals or don't prepare properly or work hard enough. You have to really WANT it, and to do everything in your power to keep the creative team happy. Working in shows like these is obviously a boost for my career, but I do it mainly because I enjoy it. My dream for the future is to turn my acting into a career, and my back up plan is to be a writer.

Cathy says:
Wow... Heather's account brings the whole world of theatre to life - and makes me understand how much hard work goes into a stage production! COMMENT BELOW if you have dreams of acting too... or if you'd like to ask Heather anything!