Hello! My name is Carol E. Wyer (I never divulge what the E stands for…no, it is not Ermintrude) AKA Facing 50. My interest in writing began a long, long time ago when I was laid up in hospital for many weeks. I started writing humorous stories about the incidents that occurred there and amused all my friends and family. I then went on to write light-hearted children’s stories, then stories for children that taught them French through humorous animal tales and finally, for adults four years ago.

My main aim is help people age disgracefully or at least laugh at life. I guess that’s why I also took up the challenge of stand-up comedy last year, and now tour the UK and Europe with my ‘Smile While You Still Have Teeth‘ comedy talk.

If I can make at least one person a day laugh, then I have achieved something, so writing for me is all about entertaining. My books are often what you would call, observational comedy and my writing has even been described as witty, acerbic and my humour like Robin Williams! Can’t get much better than that.

My first book, Mini Skirts and Laughter Lines is about a woman, Amanda facing 50 who is fed up with her life and getting older. Her husband is retired and under her feet and her son is driving her bananas. Worse still, her mother is having a fantastic time of it all and is partying in Cyprus with a toy boy. Amanda writes a blog and suddenly her life changes, she meets up with an old flame and makes hundreds of new friends. Her blog becomes vital to her sanity but there are some surprises along the way. Each blog post is jam packed with hilarious episodes that happen to her while she tries to engage her husband in hobbies, deals with her errant mother and deals with older age. Before I wrote it, I had no idea what a blog was, how to start one, get followers or anything so I began writing my own blog called Facing 50 with Humour. Little did I realise that my blog would follow the same path as Amanda’s and could boast thousands of followers in a short space of time.

I love blogging and the blogging community. When I am not writing books, I blog for myself and for the Huffington Post who invited me to write for the section HUFF/50. I often write about getting older and how to deal with what life throws at you so after a couple of novels, I diversified and wrote tow non-fiction books: How Not to Murder Your Grumpy that helps men deal with retirement and ‘Irritable Male Syndrome’ and the sister book, Grumpy Old Menopause which really caught media attention and even earned me a prime spot on BBC Breakfast television. Since then I have written two more novels and a short story collection.

I have been most fortunate. I actually self-published my first novel but after it was featured in major magazines, on radio stations and in newspapers, I was offered a publishing contract for it and the sequel, Surfing in Stilettos. Thereafter, I was invited to submit to another publisher, Safkhet Publishing who have since published all my books and have recently taken on those very first two as well.

I have little time for hobbies these days, what with writing for magazines, websites and getting on with the next two novels but I am doing five challenges to coincide with the launch of my latest book, and who know where they’ll take me.

When I was in my forties, I wrote out a bucket list and tried to complete most of the physical tasks on it, so I have done quite a lot of things including, scuba diving, flying helicopters, travelling, quad biking, track driving, kick boxing, and kayaking. Now I am older, I am trying to do the less physically demanding hobbies such as painting and writing, although stand-up certainly helps you lose weight!

My novels are aimed at women (and men) over the age of 40 although many younger women have read and enjoyed them. They should all make you laugh at some point.

Mini Skirts and Laughter Lines:

Amanda Wilson can’t decide between murder, insanity, or another glass of red wine. Facing fifty and all that it entails is problematic enough. What’s the point in minking your eyes when your husband would rather watch Russia Today than admire you strutting in front of the television in only thigh boots and a thong?

Her son has managed to perform yet another magical disappearing act. Could he actually be buried under the mountain of festering washing strewn on his bedroom floor? He’ll certainly be buried somewhere when she next gets her hands on him.

At least her mother knows how to enjoy herself. She’s partying her twilight years away in Cyprus. Queen of the Twister mat, she now has a toy boy in tow.

Amanda knows she shouldn’t have pressed that Send button. The past always catches up with you sooner or later. Still, her colourful past is a welcome relief to her monochrome present—especially when it comes in the shape of provocative Todd Bradshaw, her first true love.

Amanda has a difficult decision to make – one that will require more than a few glasses of Chianti.

Surfing in Stilettos:

Amanda Wilson is all geared up for an exciting gap-year, travelling across Europe. She soon finds her plans thwarted when she is abandoned in France with only a cellarful of Chateau Plonk, a large, orange Space Hopper, and Old Ted, the dog, for company.

Fate has intervened to turn Amanda’s life on its head. First, Bertie, the camper van, breaks down. Then her dopey son, Tom, who is staying in their house in the UK, is wrecking it, one piece at a time. Next, the jaw-dropping video Skype calls that her irrepressible mother insists on making are, by contrast, making Amanda’s humdrum trip even less palatable.

Finally, she discovers that her new-found, French friend, Bibi Chevalier, had engineered a plan to ensure that her philandering husband would never stray again; unfortunately, Amanda is unwittingly drawn into the scheme, becoming a target.

Meanwhile, on a beach in Sydney, a lonely Todd Bradshaw realises that his first true love, Amanda Wilson, is definitely the only woman for him. Can he get back into her good books and hopefully back into her arms with his latest plan? Or will fate intervene yet again and turn everyone’s lives upside down?

Just Add Spice:

Dawn Ellis needs to escape from her painfully dull existence. Her unemployed husband spends all day complaining about life, moping around, or fixing lawnmowers on her kitchen table. The local writing class proves to be an adequate distraction with its eccentric collection of wannabe authors and, of course, the enigmatic Jason, who soon shows a romantic interest in her.

Dawn pours her inner frustrations into her first novel about the extraordinary exploits of Cinnamon Knight, an avenging angel — a woman who doesn’t believe in following the rules. Cinnamon is ruthless and wanton, inflicting suffering on any man who warrants it. Little does Dawn realise that soon the line between reality and fiction will blur. Her own life will be transformed, and those close to her will pay the price.

Grumpy Old Menopause:

Have you started to write post-it notes with your kids’ names on them? Do you need to change your underwear after every sneeze? Guess it’s time to read this book then. It’ll help you get through “that” time in your life with a spring in your step and a smile on your face.

With numerous suggestions, sensible advice and amusing anecdotes, Grumpy Old Menopause will help you sail through that tricky part of a woman’s life with ease and humour. It should prevent you from turning into Mrs Crabby or worse still, a demonic monster.

“An excellent mix of humour and sound advice. This book is a must-read for all women … I highly recommend Grumpy Old Menopause. It is the perfect blend of humour and excellent advice to help all women sail through the menopause.” – Nicky Snazell, Fi STOP Consultant Physiotherapist in Spinal Pain, Fellow of Institute for the Study and Treatment of Pain. International Lecturer in Pain and Health

*** SHORTLISTED in The People’s Book Prize for 2014! ***

How Not to Murder Your Grumpy:

Is your Grumpy Old Man getting under your feet? Is he wrestling with retirement? Are you wondering if you should bundle him up and entrust him to basket-weaving classes? Then this book could be the answer to your prayers. This light hearted guide is packed full of lively ideas, anecdotes and quips. Not only does it set out to provide laughs, but offers over 700 ideas and ways to keep a Grumpy Old Man occupied.

From collecting airline sick bags to zorbing, you will be sure to find an absorbing pastime for your beloved curmudgeon. There are examples of those who have faced extraordinary challenges in older age, fascinating facts to interest a reluctant partner and innovative ideas drizzled, of course, with a large dollop of humour.

Written tongue-in-cheek, this book succeeds in proving that getting older doesn’t mean the end of life or having fun. It provides amusing answers to the question, “How on Earth will my husband fill in his time in his retirement?” It offers suggestions on what might, or most certainly might not, amuse him. Ideal for trivia buffs, those approaching retirement, (or just at a loose end) and frustrated women who have an irritable male on their hands, this book will lighten any mood and may even prevent the odd murder.

*** FINALIST in The People’s Book Prize for 2013! ***

Three Little Birds:

Charlie Blundell cannot get over the tragic death of her only daughter. She drifts between her job at the Art cafe and her hospital radio show, the only things which give her life purpose.

Her best friend, the madcap Mercedes, cajoles Charlie into writing a ‘carpe diem’ list, but then swaps Charlie’s list with her own. Now, each must complete the other’s challenges, and the outcomes will astound both of them. The challenges begin as a series of relatively harmless, fun activities. Soon, though, the stakes increase when Charlie has to complete her challenges to save the hospital radio station.

As the tasks become more demanding, a handsome stranger takes an interest in her, but he is not what he seems. One challenge causes a secret buried deep within her to surface, which may prove to be her undoing.

Three Little Birds is a story of love, friendship and discovery, laced with hilarity and topped by a wickedly funny parrot called Bert.

My short story collection, Love Hurts is a departure and deals with that powerful emotion, love. Love doesn’t always end happily ever after and I hope these stories will take you on a roller coaster of emotions.

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