All About
SJ Welsted
"She's an extraordinary girl
In an ordinary world"
Extraordinary Girl
Song by Green Day
Mission
To look after myself [mind, body and soul], so that I can be at my most optimal to bring moments of happiness to those around and come into contact with me or my work.
Vision
Produce work that gives a moment of wonder in a world full of chaos.
Hello
My name is SJ
I was born in Nairobi, Kenya in the summer of 1982, during a coup d'état attempt, which failed to overthrow President Daniel. From there I travelled with my parents and elder brother, to many places around the globe. My education has been broad and once I had been diagnosed with dyslexia at 10 years old, whilst in Virginia, USA, I discovered how I needed to learn and digest information. Through into adulthood I have learnt many coping mechanisms. Despite my dyslexia, reading and writing have always been my way of relaxing. The writing itself, a method to stop the my vivid dreams and also allowing me to switch my ever active brain off .
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It took a major turn in 2008, following counselling for grief, it was suggested that I didn't just write about my dreams, but try creating a story. So I sat down and thought and began one about love and desire. An office romance. The more I wrote the better I felt. During my new writing journey, I also found that I could use my dreams to work out the elements of the story I was struggling with. It took me just over a year to both write and edit my first book. Since then, in between working and looking after my small family, I write down the dreams until slowly each became a story in their own right. I now have three books out that I have self-published. I do have an editor, however currently I can only afford for her to do one edit so I try to make sure it's pretty good before I send it on. I chose to do the Indi (independent) route for a mixture of fear and available time with going with a traditional publicist. I may take the leap one day (or if I am discovered), but right now I am working on building a life that I want to lead, not one that is being lead for me.
To See My Books and link to purchase
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Another side that helps me to calm and relax is being out in Nature. Nature fascinates me; the way it simply carries on regardless of what humans do or don't do. I bought my first camera in my twenties, with savings/birthday/Christmas money and my second bonus while working at Woburn Safari Park. It was a Nikon DSLR and I've stayed with that brand ever since. I like to take photos and do as little with them once they are taken. If the picture isn't near enough perfect I won't try to make it so. Only remove excess noise that might distract from the focus of the image. (I.E. I won't make the sky blue if it was a grey and overcast day when I shot it.).
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These days it's still a hobby, but I do upload to Alamy if they meet the criteria, but it's very low on my list of priorities.
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To See My Photos and link to purchase