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Greetings readers, bloggers, geeks, and authors and welcome to The ToiBox of Words. I’m your host Toi Thomas, author of Eternal Curse, and today I have a treat to share. A while back, I had the pleasure to interview a wonderful author named, Karl Ayling. A good time was truly had by all, and here’s how it went down.
Toi Thomas: Hi there Karl! It’s so lovely to have you here at the ToiBox Blog. I’m excited to learn more about you and your work.
Karl: Hi Toi. Thanks for having me.
Toi Thomas: So tell me, who is Karl Ayling?
Karl: I’m the author of Massive Power Massive Love. I’m a Christian who found faith later on in life. I’ve written about healing from the activities of paedophile parents and the emotional, physical and spiritual damage that this caused.
Toi Thomas: Well before we dive into your special message today, let’s get to know you, the person inside the author.
Toi Thomas: Who is so you and why?
Karl: I relate to The Who’s song Love Reign O’er Me from Quadrophenia. I have been listening to this track for many years and one day bopping along with my i-pod, I heard it differently. Something snapped and it hit me right in the heart. Transformation in music.
Toi Thomas: What’s your ideal reading spot for your next highly anticipated read?
Karl: I am currently reading David Finklehor and his research around the sociological background and effects of childhood sexual abuse. It’s an American book and based on US statistics which mirror those in my home country – the UK. I hope that this research will help me in my own writings.
Toi Thomas: What was your favorite book or story, pre-teen years?
Karl: Pre-teen I was into Spiderman and Superman comics. It was a cool way to follow the crowd whilst also hiding (and not dealing) with family issues.
Toi Thomas: In terms of interviews, whose brain are you just itching to scratch?
Karl: I would like to interview Jesus at anytime from his birth to age 30.
Toi Thomas: Now that we know a little more about you, the person, let’s learn about you, the author, and dive into your special message.
Toi Thomas: So what are you sharing with me today?
Karl: Shocking… heart- rending… inspiring… compulsive reading.
My book is a paperback published by Apolostolos Publishing. Its called, Massive Power Massive Love. It tells of my overcoming addiction and sexual abuse. Visit this link to learn more.
Toi Thomas: So where’s the motivation behind Massive Power Massive Love?
Karl: Both of my natural parents were abusive paedophiles; surviving childhood, OCD, and PTSD left me wanting to share. It has been a journey, which continues and the more I share about male abuse survivors perhaps, the more will be inspired to seek help.
Toi Thomas: What’s so special about this story that’s going to reel in the readers?
Karl: Not many male survivors write about childhood sexual abuse and overcoming addiction.
Toi Thomas: Past, present, future, is there a rhyme or reason to your writing?
Karl: I’m currently researching my next book. Reading around the topics and statistics of child sexual abuse along with client centred counselling. So far, I have chapter headings and some titles for poems. For me, this pre-writing process lets me see and find the edges of my topics before actually sitting down to write.
Toi Thomas: What author(s) has most influenced your writing? Why or how?
Karl: Coming out the other side of therapy and thinking about what I had to say, I developed my own unique style not based on anything other than an open and honest reflection of events.
Toi Thomas: Now this is where the questions get a little kooky; are you ready?
Karl: OK!
Karl: Lord of the Rings trilogy. This was literally the last book I read before finding my faith. And, I thought it was a secular work too!
Toi Thomas: When the soundtrack of your life is playing in your head, what songs express your glee and what songs bring out your rage?
Karl: Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky – 1812 Overture brings joyful glee whenever I listen to it.
Monster by Skillet brings up rage and anger.
Toi Thomas: Let’s play zombie urban survivor. What 3 things do you need to survive a black-out in Central Park the day zombies attack?
Karl: My bible. My family. My wits.
Toi Thomas: What’s the most fun experience you’ve ever had, to date?
Karl: Racing my motorbike around Bruntingthorpe Proving Ground at 166mph and popping an unintentional wheelie at 147mph.
Toi Thomas: Last question of the day; here we go.
Toi Thomas: Not that you can see into the future, but in your opinion, what does the future hold?
Karl: As I mentioned earlier, I’m reading research around my core subjects and this may lead to starting up a counselling service in my area of the UK. There are woefully few male counsellors doing this work with my kind of background. There is a charity in a local city that specialises training counsellors and I am booked onto an introductory course later in the year.
Toi Thomas: Thank you so much, Karl for spending time with me today.
Karl: Thanks again, Toi, for having me.
Okay readers, bloggers, geeks, and authors, that’s all for today. Be sure to follow this blog to see who will be visiting next time. For more from Karl Ayling, check out these great links:
Website: KarlAyling.com
Twitter: @AylingKarl
Purchase links for Massive Power Massive Love: Amazon | Book Depository
This has been a
Thank you for taking the time to read this post. If you like it let me know and share it with others. See you next time, Toi Thomas. #thetoiboxofwords
Trees
I don’t think it’s necessary to mention why trees are so important, but I will just a bit. Trees help hold all the land in place, they give us clean air to breath, they offer us shade, can be as a source of food, can be used for fuel and building material, and more. Trees are an essential part of life on earth, but aside from all that, trees are beautiful. Even with my allergies I’ll take the natural shade of healthy, strong tree any day.
I’m blessed to live in a world where all the trees aren’t gone, yet. I hope I never live in world where- let me see; how does the song go? “They put all the trees in a tree museum, then they charged a dollar and a half to see them.” ~Big Yellow Taxi by Joni Mitchell
Some terms, when you hear them said so often, start to have negative meaning and “tree hugging hippy” is no different, but I understand it. Some people do go to unhealthy extremes, but I don’t see a problem with people wanting to preserve trees. Needless to say, I look forward to Arbor Day each year.
Thank you for taking the time to read this post. If you like it let me know and share it with others. See you next time, Toi Thomas. #thetoiboxofwords