THE WHY OF WRITING THIS BOOK

As authors, we are all compelled by many personal reasons for writing the books that we do. I was inspired by the words of Einstein namely, “There comes a point in your life when you need to stop reading other people’s books and write your own”. That is exactly what I did.

As an academic I have spent many years writing for the academic community, conforming to the rules and regulations that govern the profession. I am now free to write in an unrestricted manner without having to please pedantic reviewers nor chase the challenges of publishing in prestigious journals. However, having conformed to the constraints for so long, it is very difficult to find your own voice. This book is the result of that journey.

On occasion, books have the power to change our lives, hopefully for the better. As authors, we hope that our labour of love will at least offer some inspiration to our readers. It is perhaps less common for an author to experience an epiphany in the writing of their book. This was in fact, my experience, and I changed my career as a result. More of this in future blogs.

So, why target this group of older women, and why such an evocative title? As a passionate, opinionated expert of life beyond 50, I am well placed to share my own experiences and opinions having had to navigate the significant milestones attributed with this exalted status some years ago.

Making sense of the various changes and experiences I encountered on this journey, was not always plain sailing. On the one hand, I found an absence of inspirational information available to help me navigate these rites of passage associated with ageing. On the other hand, there was extensive academic rhetoric shrouded in medical and research language. Instead, I would have benefitted from honest and plain language backed up by personal experience from women who have gone before and whose words of wisdom would have offered comfort.

Why H.A.G.S.? In the first instance it challenges us not to take life and ourselves too seriously; secondly, I unravel the true meaning of hags and finally, it is a pneumonic that captures the key themes of the book, namely:

H – Healthy living
A – Attitude
G – Get up and go
S – Social connections

Hags are powerful characters often dominating stories and fantasies, feared for their magical abilities. The stories we tell ourselves about our identities, as older women, are equally as powerful in leading us down dark woods where dangers lurk. Instead, our magical powers can be of benefit to society as well as ourselves.

The message of my book is for women around the globe to love their age and to celebrate the reality of life over 50. Furthermore, we have a responsibility to be role models for the younger generation that life has a lot to offer beyond 50.

Angélique

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