Today I’m kicking off the blog tour for Natalie Hibberd’s debut book, Inside Out! I’m slowly getting back into dystopian books after wearing myself out on them (possibly due to the current political climate), so when I was contacted about this book I was intrigued, and also a little excited. The blog tour will be running all week, so be sure to check out the other hosts later on in the week.
For this kick off post, Natalie has written a guest post about five inspirational quotes, aka five quotes to live by. You can read about these below the divider, and hopefully they’ll provide some inspiration for you! Continue scrolling after the quotes to read more about Inside Out and the author. – Amber
Like many writers I know, I have always had a fondness for inspirational quotes. My room is plastered with them and I read at least one every day. They may not be able to magic away the hard times in our lives, but I have found that they sometimes provide just that tiny bit of extra strength needed to gather your energies and confront any challenges in your way.
I hope some of these may inspire you, as they did me.
“You Can Steer Yourself In Any Direction You Choose” – Dr Seuss
This tiny extract from Oh The Places You’ll Go has been a motivation to me for as long as I can remember. As a young, disabled woman whose greatest desire is to write for a living, I have been bombarded with people telling me ‘you can’t do that.’ I’ve proved to myself that I can make my own dreams come true. Believe that you can too!
“Of Course It Is Happening Inside Your Head… But Why On Earth Should That Mean That It Is Not Real?” – J. K. Rowling
This one might sound crazy, but I know that my fellow writers (and book, TV and film superfans everywhere) will understand its power. The way in which fictional characters can influence real people’s lives never fails to amaze me. Imagination matters. It can change the world.
“No One Ever Made A Difference By Being Like Everyone Else” – The Greatest Showman
Rather self-explanatory, this gem from one of my all-time favourite films means so much to me I dissolved into tears right there in the cinema when I first heard it. Being different is hard – but never once has anything been achieved by extinguishing your own spark just to blend in with everyone else. Whatever you do, do it your way. If you do that, anything can happen.
“No One Can Make You Feel Inferior Without Your Consent” – Eleanor Roosevelt
There are bullies in every walk of life and the scars they leave can do so much damage to your self-esteem. At my lowest, I viewed myself solely in the light of other people’s negative opinions. Self-confidence is something I continue to work on, and these words really spur me on. They also take on a new poignancy in the wake of the #MeToo and Time’s Up movements, as they remind me every day that we must fight to make sure these words remain true for everyone.
“When Things Get Tough… Make Good Art” – Neil Gaiman
I have been telling stories since I was two years old but during my most severe bouts of depression, I found that I couldn’t do it anymore, which broke my heart. This quote (and the whole Make Good Art speech) was the first lifeline I found to claw my way back to my art and – by extension – myself. The things you love are precious, fight for them.
About Natalie
Natalie Hibberd was born in Portsmouth and has wanted to be an author since she was two years old. She is publishing her debut novel Inside Out, independently with Matador, aged 21. Natalie was born with cerebral palsy. When she isn’t writing and reading, she enjoys singing, amateur dramatics
and listening to podcasts. Natalie lives in Petersfield, Hampshire, with her parents and her assistance dog, Chloe. You can follow Natalie on Twitter.
About Inside Out
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