British Book Awards: Books of the Year shortlists announced

Posted on April 4, 2017 by Frostie

The six category shortlists for the 2017 Books of the Year Awards were announced at the 2017 London Book Fair by Chair of the Judges and Contributing Editor of The Bookseller Cathy Rentzenbrink who said “there’s innovation, experimentation, good old-fashioned story-telling and beautiful production values.”

2016 marked a step-change in the British Book Industry Awards. A complete revamp of the Books of the Year, creating four new categories – for Children’s, Début Fiction, Fiction and Non-fiction – with an overall Book of the Year winner, was introduced to celebrate the books that best demonstrated the real value of publishing; a close collaboration between publisher and author that culminates in something extraordinary for the reader. This year, industry magazine The Bookseller, which runs the awards has acquired the British Book Awards, meaning that it will run as a unified event for the first time since 2004. Now known as The British Book Awards (or “Nibbies”), the 2017 ceremony is further expanded to include additional book awards:Crime and Thriller titles will have their own category, while non-fiction is split into Narrative and Lifestyle.

The winners will be revealed at a glamorous awards ceremony on Monday 8 May at Grosvenor House in central London which will bring together authors, publishers, booksellers, librarians and literary agents for a night celebrating the entire book industry.

The shortlists, which consist of six books in each of the six categories and which uniquely honour not just the author and illustrator of a title but the entire publishing team, are:

Books of the Year – 2017 shortlists

Fiction BOOK OF THE YEAR

Days Without End by Sebastian Barry (Faber & Faber)

The Sellout by Paul Beatty (Oneworld)

The Muse by Jessie Burton (Picador)

Cartes Postales from Greece by Victoria Hislop (Headline Review)

This Must Be the Place by Maggie O’Farrell (Headline)

The Essex Serpent by Sarah Perry (Serpent’s Tail)

Debut BOOK OF THE YEAR

The Trouble with Goats and Sheep by Joanna Cannon (Borough Press)

The Girls by Emma Cline (Chatto & Windus)

My Name is Leon by Kit de Waal (Penguin General)

What Belongs to You by Garth Greenwell (Picador)

Five Rivers Met on a Wooded Plain by Barney Norris (Doubleday)

Golden Hill by Francis Spufford (Faber)

Crime and Thriller BOOK OF THE YEAR

The Widow by Fiona Barton (Bantam Press)

Dodgers by Bill Beverley (No Exit Press)

Night School by Lee Child (Bantam Press)

Lie With Me by Sabine Durrant (Mulholland Books)

Conclave by Robert Harris (Hutchinson)

I See You by Claire Mackintosh (Little, Brown)

Non-fiction: Narrative BOOK OF THE YEAR

Mad Girl by Bryony Gordon (Headline)

When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi (The Bodley Head)

The Outrun by Amy Liptrot (Canongate)

East West Street by Philippe Sands (W&N)

The Good Immigrant, ed by Nikesh Shukla (Unbound)

Born to Run by Bruce Springsteen (S&S)

Non-fiction: Lifestyle BOOK OF THE YEAR

Hello, is this Planet Earth? By Tim Peake (Century)

Sidemen The Book by The Sidemen (Coronet)

The Unmumsy Mum by Sarah Turner (Bantam Press)

Five on Brexit Island by Bruno Vincent (Quercus)

Lean in 15: The Sustain Plan by Joe Wicks (Bluebird)

The Little Book of Hygge by Meik Wiking (Penguin Life)

Children’s BOOK OF THE YEAR

The Christmasaurus by Tom Fletcher, Shane Devries (illus) (Puffin)

Oi Dog! Kes and Claire Gray and Jim Field (Hodder)

Nadiya’s Bake Me a Story by Nadiya Hussain, Clair Rossiter (illus) (Hodder)

The Girl of Ink and Stars by Kiran Millwood Hargreave (Chicken House)

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child by J K Rowling, John Tiffany and Jack Thorne (Little, Brown and Pottermore)

The World’s Worst Children by David Walliams and Tony Ross (Harper Collins Children’s Books)

The category winners will be decided by six panels of judges, and a separate panel will go on to choose the overall Book of the Year. The category winners and the Book of the Year will be announced at the awards ceremony on 8 May 2017.

Comments from the judges:

Cathy Rentzenbrink, chair of the judges said: “What a delight it is to be celebrating the huge variety on offer from UK publishing. Our shortlists are full of unleashed imaginations, smart ideas, brave new worlds and personal stories tamed on to the page. There’s innovation, experimentation, good old-fashioned story-telling and beautiful production values. It is a joy to judge this prize and to be able to consider every part of the journey from the author’s mind to the readers’ hands.”

Sarah Shaffi, Online Editor at The Bookseller and deputy chair of judges said: “At the core of the 36 fantastic books on our shortlist are great writing and great stories, which are illuminated by passionate authors, agents, publishers, retailers and more who help get the book from dream to reality. Celebrating the work of an entire team is key to our awards, and it’s wonderful to be able to shine a light on the many people involved in helping a book succeed.”

Produced by leading industry magazine The Bookseller, the British Book Awards represent a high point in the book trade’s calendar, with winners including Publisher of the Year, Book Retailer of the Year, and Independent Bookshop of the Year. TheBooks of the Year awards recognise the publishing as well as the books, with both author and publisher as recipients of the prize.

Writing About My Experiences With Autism to Help Myself and Others

Posted on March 27, 2017 by Frostie

This week is the release of my book Look Into My Eyes which is about my experiences as someone who has Asperger’s Syndrome, a high-functioning form of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and also my experiences professionally from around 20 years working with those who have autism, their parents/carers, employers and supporting professionals.

I was diagnosed with ASD a couple of years ago. Following my adult diagnosis I felt compelled to try to learn more about myself. Until I sought diagnosis I wasn’t a fan of labels. I understood that they could be helpful, but I was also aware of people being treated as the label and not as a person, and some of these people would end up doing the same to themselves, viewing themselves as a label, not as a person.

What led me to seek diagnosis was that I was facing workplace discrimination which I felt powerless to tackle. It was making me depressed and suicidal. It was only when I reached this point that I decided if I had a diagnosis then I would get occupational health support to improve my situation at work. It took almost a year from visiting the GP to receiving diagnosis. In my work with families I had often encountered parents who had a negative view of the expected future for their autistic child. In many cases I could see strengths in these children that the parents weren’t noticing because they were dealing with the problems everyday like violence or challenging behaviour. They had sought diagnosis because of problems the child was having, so when they were told “your child has autism spectrum disorder, it is a lifelong condition” they often heard “the problems with your child will be there for life.” Many of these parents didn’t know much about autism, and hadn’t focused on the strengths their child had, so part of my role as a family worker was to help parents recognise these positives, and help them to learn how to work with the strengths whilst teaching their children how to handle the challenges.

After getting diagnosed I felt that I was in a unique position to help others. Due to working as a psychological therapist and family worker I had better insight about myself as a starting point than most, and I felt if I wrote down about myself I could look objectively at what I had written as if the writing on the page was a client, giving me an opportunity to gain greater insight and understanding. I thought if I wrote a book like that going through my life from birth to present day I would be able to write something which shows what the world is like from within the mind of someone with autism, as well as saying what I, as someone with autism, find helps me, what doesn’t help me, and what I think would be helpful around the different issues I’ve faced at different stages of life. I would also be able to share tips and strategies from a professional perspective, and my wife kindly wrote a chapter about her experiences being in a relationship with someone with autism.

I found the process of writing the book insightful, giving me greater understanding about myself. I have also had many people say how helpful it has been for them to understand why I am the way I am, and many readers have commented how the book has helped to give them a look inside the mind of their child, helping them to better understand their child, and given hope to them about what their child may be capable of in the future if their skills are channelled and they are helped with the challenges they face.

About Me

Dan Jones is author of parenting books including Sleepy Bedtime Tales, which includes 11 bedtime stories to be read to children to help them sleep, and additional tips and strategies for helping children sleep, Relaxing Tales for Children, which is 11 stories to be read to children to help them relax. The stories in these books are targeted at 4-7 year olds. Dan is also author of Look Into My Eyes which is an autobiography through the lens of Asperger’s Syndrome, that includes an extensive chapter of tips and strategies for parents/carers, teachers, friends, employers, and those with autism spectrum disorder, and a chapter written by Dan’s wife about being in a relationship with someone with Asperger’s. Dan has almost 20 years’ experience working within child and family support.

Website: www.alt-solutions.org

These links are for the books mentioned and direct people to their local Amazon website:

Sleepy Bedtime Tales: http://apn.to/prod/1517364248

Relaxing Tales for Children: http://www.apn.to/prod/1539976882

Look Into My Eyes: http://apn.to/prod/1542551196

1/3 of Females Put Off STEM Careers

Posted on March 21, 2017 by Frostie

A THIRD OF UK FEMALES INTERESTED IN STEM CAREERS ARE PUT OFF BEFORE LEAVING SECONDARY SCHOOL

46% OF UK FEMALES AGED 16-24 HAVE CONSIDERED A CAREER IN A STEM INDUSTRY, BUT ONLY 13% ARE IN STEM ROLES TODAY*

31% OF FEMALES AGED 16-24 BLAME LACK OF ‘REAL-LIFE’ CAREERS EDUCATION FOR THE LACK OF FEMALES IN STEM CAREERS

23% OF FEMALES AGED 16-24 SAY THE WAY STEM SUBJECTS ARE TAUGHT AT SECONDARY SCHOOL PUT THEM OFF A STEM CAREER

13% THINK STEM INDUSTRY WORK EXPERIENCE SHOULD BE MANDATORY

Debut, the student and graduate careers app has today published a report that reveals the reason why females aged 16-24 are not pursuing career aspirations in STEM industries. The report reveals that despite almost half (46%) of all females considering a STEM career while at school, only 13 percent make it through to fulfilling their plans.

The research, which involved 500 females aged 16-24 revealed that their interest in STEM careers ended before leaving secondary school. According to the females asked, the top five ways that secondary schools could fuel their interest in STEM careers more are as follows:

1) Provide ‘real life’ STEM careers education, such as ‘a day in the life of’ videos (31%)

2) Make STEM subjects more interesting to learn (23%)

3) Make STEM industry work experience mandatory (13%)

4) Promote the fact that STEM careers pay better salaries (10%)

5) Promote the fact that career progression is better in STEM industries (9%)

The Debut app, which has been downloaded more than 50,000 times, has seen 88 percent of students register a profile, and from those registered, only 16 percent are females studying or graduating in STEM subjects, compared to 22 percent of males.

Since its launch 12 months ago, Debut has showcased 432 STEM roles on the app, however only 34 percent of all applications received were from females.

Debut has fast become the recruitment method used by most the UK’s leading graduate employers, includingEY, Microsoft, Barclays, Capgemini, Rolls-Royce, L’Oréal, and General Electric – they benefit from being able to ‘weight’ applications, especially in the STEM industries, to promote equal opportunities.

“It would be great to see more STEM employers going into primary and secondary schools, or better still, live streaming direct from their organisations into the classroom, to give young people an insight into what STEM careers involve. Companies would benefit from this time investment in the long-run.”

Mother’s Day Gift Discount On Ancestry DNA Kits

Posted on March 20, 2017 by Frostie

Genealogy is huge right now so this Mother’s Day, give your mum the exciting opportunity to discover more about herself and the unique stories hidden in her genes with the AncestryDNA test.

The perfect gift for the most important woman in your life, AncestryDNA provides a personal ethnicity estimate from up to thousands of years ago from 26 separate regions across the globe (including Great Britain, Ireland, Scandinavia, Middle East, Asia Central, East and South and nine African regions). She can also uncover new family connections as the test matches users with a database of more than 3 million people worldwide who have taken the test.

The kit is very easy to use, you activate the kit online, gather your DNA – which is just some salvia, and then you send it away. You will then find out where you and your ancestors were from. Pretty exciting.

Available at www.ancestrydna.co.uk for £79 + postage but there is a special Mother’s Day gift discount up until March 26th: £69 + postage. That is £10 off.

Happiness tips for parents and their kids on International Day of Happiness

Posted on March 20, 2017 by Frostie

Happiness tips for exhausted and over-worked parents and their children on International Day of Happiness

International Day of Happiness – Monday March 20^th 2017

Natalie Savvides is a married Mum of two young children under five who lives in South-West London. She is also the author of Full Circle, published in 2016 by Pegasus, which is a memoir with a difference. Natalie Savvides, now in her early 40s, has been called ‘the real Bridget Jones’ on many occasions, but the difference between her book – Full Circle – and the likes of Bridget Jones is that it’s 100% real!

Her book is packed with unedited extracts from her diaries from the age of 13 through to when, through a chance meeting, she fell in love with her husband, as well as memories and reflections on the different times of her life – from school playground politics to leaving home for university, finding her place in a different town, then in a different country, meeting new friends, discovering truths about people she thought were friends, battling an ongoing problem with her weight by eating erratically and drinking too much, the infamous dating game we are all too familiar with, launching onto the career ladder, burning the candle at both ends, and much more, Natalie’s life story is told with such raw authenticity thanks to the diary extracts.

Natalie hopes her book will be read by teenage girls so they know they are not alone in their thoughts and feelings, and for their Mums, so they can remember a little of what it used to be like growing up!

International Day of Happiness is coordinated by Action for Happiness, a non-profit movement of people from 160 countries, supported by a partnership of like-minded organisations.

Five of the suggested ten changes you can make TODAY to help you feel happier

International Day of Happiness – Monday March 20^th 2017

1) Talk To Yourself: “It’s going to be a good day!”. Believe it. Every time something appears to get in the way remind yourself again: “It’s a good day”. Positive psychology can be powerful. Convince yourself that all is well and you will create a sense of wellbeing. Take time in the morning, in the afternoon and in the evening, even just a minute each time, to be mindful of where you are and what is happening around you. Tell yourself: “It’s OK, it’s a good day, I’m OK”.

2) Smile: It sounds like a cliché, I know, but it really works. Even if you don’t feel like it – smile. The act of smiling is proven to release stress. Smile at yourself in the mirror (force it if you must…), smile at others in the street. When you feel yourself getting stressed or anxious, stop and smile. You will feel the benefit throughout yourself.

3) Stop The Comparisons! Don’t compare others’ external worlds with your internal one. Lots of people project images that are not a true reflection of their real selves or lives. Social media is a perfect example of how we often only project the best version of our life – the happies photos, a comment about the best part of a day. People rarely share photos of themselves at their unhappiest. You don’t truly know what is happening in other people’s lives…Comparisons are the thief of joy!

4) Be Grateful: Gratitude cannot be underestimated. Focus on all the good things in your life and feel real gratitude for them – your health, the roof over your head, the hot cup of tea you just drank. Feeling grateful and appreciative sparks happiness and it builds momentum over time. The more you do it, the more it will come naturally.

5) Take A Deep Breath: Remember to breathe, take deep breaths from the bottom of your stomach, not shallow, quick breaths from the top of your chest. Be still and listen to your breathing for a few seconds and take a big, deep breath in through your nose and out through your mouth: five seconds in, seven seconds out. By doing this regularly, you will feel more relaxed and energised. The deep intake of oxygen circulates and energises the body and mind.

Natalie now dedicates her time to helping others with their problems, much like a ‘happiness coach’. While she may have been brought up in a ‘nice’ part of London, given opportunities to go to university, travel and enjoy exciting new experiences, Natalie also went through myriad challenges of growing up, finding her place in the world, and looking for love, like so many of us do (and quickly forget/erase from our memories as we get older!).

Her ability to recall the exact language and feelings of times in our lives that so many of us choose to forget gives her an incredible empathy with teenage girls, those in their early 20s living away from home for the first time, through to women in their 30s on the dating bandwagon trying to find love after a string of bad relationships!

In honour of International Day of Happiness Natalie will, on the morning of March 20^th, be giving away free copies of Full Circle to teenage girls, career women and Mums on Kensington High Street. Her aim is to show these women that they’re not alone in their problems, that there is a light at the end of the tunnel, and to give people another reason to feel happy on this International Awareness Day.

Natalie is also going to be visiting secondary schools throughout south-east England, during the summer term and new academic year, to talk to them about the experiences and emotions that are so overlooked and not commonly discussed in schools, from bullying to eating issues, drinking to friendships, drugs to anxiety. She will be gifting each school a copy of her book – Full Circle – for the library. She aims to continue this connection with the teenage students by returning to the school to answer their questions after reading the book (the content usually sparks a series of questions) and to offer one-to-one support when required.

How, What & Where Of Men’s Casual Clothing

Posted on March 7, 2017 by Frostie

You’re likely to wear casual clothes among friends because people you know won’t judge you – they already know who you are. Casual clothing tend to be relatively inexpensive which gives you more freedom, when you’re wearing them, to do spontaneous activities without worrying that they will get dirty.

There are lots of options when it comes to casual clothing, depending on just how chilled out you want to feel. At one end of the spectrum there are joggers and hoodies and at the other end there are jeans and t-shirts. You’re more likely to go to the gym and do things around the home in your most casual state. However, you wouldn’t necessarily want to be seen out in the pub in your trackies but you can do just about anything in jeans and a t-shirt.

The beauty of going casual is that you’re free to do whatever you want without worrying. If your day does turn into a spontaneous night out, you might want to consider throwing a bomber jacket over your casual outfit to spruce things up and give your outfit that sharper edge.

Black gives the impression of an instant slim down and you’ll find it easy to piece together as you don’t have to match different colours. Try a leather biker jacket combined with a simple black t-shire and a pair of slim fit black jeans. Finally, to tie the whole outfit together wear some dark brown boots – voila you’re casual but suave and you can go anywhere from the sofa to the club and still look good.

Other casual go-to items include denim shirts and checked shirts worn over a plain t-shirt, this layering gives outfits a more interesting angle. GQ has recently suggested that the latest weekend shirt is the western version of a denim shirt – “worn with black jeans or smart trousers and lace-up boots has the same rugged appeal as a traditional denim or check flannel western shirt, without being quite so cowboy.”

Looking at celebrity style, David Beckham is the master of casual clothing, slightly aided by his great looks, Becks gets it right every time. One look that stands out is the all black everything, downtime attire you will sometimes see Beckham papped in. Despite his reputation for great style, Beckham’s fashion comes from buying clothes that he likes, as he once said, “I like nice clothes, whether they’re dodgy or not” it just shows that if you’re confident in what you’re wearing, you can pretty much pull off anything!

By Patrick Vernon

London Book & Screen Week 2017 unveils programme that goes from Hogwarts to Hygge in celebration of books

Posted on March 6, 2017 by Frostie

David Nicholls, Roddy Doyle and Michael Morpurgo headline the seven-day festival

A Soho awards night with David Nicholls, a very special Harry Potter screening at the St. Pancras Renaissance Hotel London and conversations with Michael Morpurgo and Roddy Doyle lead the eclectic line-up of this year’s London Book & Screen Week (13-19 March 2017).

Produced by The London Book Fair, the seven-day, citywide festival celebrates books – and the films, games, plays and TV programmes they inspire – shining the spotlight on the critical role books play in our creative industries. This year’s programme celebrates the 20^th anniversary of the publication of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone and 200 years since the death of Jane Austen.

David Nicholls, one of the UK’s leading figures in literature, TV and film, will champion the specially curated programme of events as the Ambassador of this year’s London Book & Screen Week. Roddy Doyle will be in conversation at House of St Barnabas – thirty years after the publication of his novel The Commitments.

St. Pancras Renaissance Hotel London will be the spellbinding setting for a very special Harry Potter film screening. All-star comedy troupe Austentatious will return to Leicester Square Theatre to perform an improvised show based on audience suggestions. The show will be preceded by a panel of special guests from the literary world, who will divulge and share their own love for Jane Austen’s work.

Acclaimed children’s author Michael Morpurgo will be in conversation with Owen Sheers, and Deborah Moggach will introduce a screening of The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, which was adapted from her novel These Foolish Things.

With Britain in the grip of Hygge fever, Waterstones Piccadilly are putting on a Scandi crime screening, and bringing together Hygge experts Bronte Aurell (The Scandi Kitchen), Signe Johansen (How to Hygge), Louisa Thomsen Brits(The Book of Hygge) and Trine Hahnemann (Scandinavian Comfort Food) to provide wisdom on how to live more Danishly.

The fitness stars of Instagram – who have become publishing sensations – come together for a talk about fitness in the digital age: Faya Nilsson (Fitness on Toast), James Exton (LDN Muscle) and Alice Living (Clean Living Alice).

London’s award-winning LGBT literary salon Polari returns once again to The Light Lounge in Soho for a night of chat and cocktails hosted by Paul Burston, with joyous readings from Sophia Blackwell, Christopher Fowler and VG Lee. The Irish Literary Society are hosting a bumper series of events to showcase some of Ireland’s finest writers.

Jacks Thomas, Director of The London Book Fair and London Book & Screen Week, said:

“It’s wonderful to be working with partners across London to celebrate writers and their work in all its different formats. The line-up of this year’s London Book & Screen Week once again demonstrates the range and depth of London’s creative talent, and how vital books are for all our creative industries.

In 2017, we are particularly proud to present the CAMEO awards in their inaugural year. The Creativity Across Media: Excellence and Originality Awards will identify the individuals who create some of the most successful film, stage, TV and game adaptations, telling inspiring, gripping, life-transforming stories here and across the globe.”

London Book & Screen Week is run in partnership with some of the capital’s highest-profile brands, including London & Partners, the Mayor’s official promotional company for London, which attracts businesses and visitors to the capital and operates VisitLondon.com, the official city guide for London.

The launch night at Soho House, central London (13 March), will also see the awards ceremony for the inauguralCreativity Across Media: Entertainment & Originality Awards (CAMEO).

The festival combines specially curated events with an open sourced strand that anyone can submit to online at www.londonbookandscreenweek.co.uk. To find out more, and book event tickets, visit www.londonbookandscreenweek.co.uk.

LONDON BOOK & SCREEN WEEK 2017

Programme Highlights

Monday 13 March

AUSTENTATIOUS: A SPECIAL EDITION

At Leicester Square Theatre – 7 pm

Austentatious returns to its London home in resplendent fashion. In this special edition, powered by London Book & Screen Week, enjoy a pre-show ample with some special guests from the literary world as they divulge and share their own love for Austen’s work. Panellists include Oxford professor and Jane Austen expert Kathryn Sutherland (Teenage Writings), a member of the Austentatious cast, and more.

Tickets: £12.50: https://leicestersquaretheatre.ticketsolve.com/#/shows/873569690

POLARI LITERARY SALON

At The Light Lounge, Soho – 6.30 pm

London’s award-winning LGBT literary salon returns once again to The Light Lounge in Soho for London Book & Screen Week. Polari began in November 2007 in the upstairs room of a pub in Soho. It is now based at the Southbank Centre, where events are held every month. It tours regularly across the country, and hosts Polari Prize for Fiction, an award handed annually to the best first book by an LGBT author in the UK.

Tickets £5: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/polari-soho-special-tickets-31751988051

Tuesday 14 March

LIVING DANISHLY: AN EVENING OF COSINESS AND SCANDI CRIME

At Waterstones Piccadilly – 6 pm

London Book & Screen Week is collaborating with Waterstones Piccadilly to put on a special film screening, followed by a How to Hygge discussion with Hygge experts Louisa Thomsen Brits (The Book of Hygge), Bronte Aurell (The Scandi Kitchen), Signe Johansen (How to Hygge) and Trine Hahnemann (Scandinavian Comfort Food). Light refreshments will be provided.

Tickets £5: https://www.waterstones.com/events/living-danishly-an-evening-of-cosiness-and-scandi-crime/london-piccadilly

AN EVENING WITH RODDY DOYLE

At The House of St Barnabas – 7 pm

Roddy Doyle is the author of eleven novels, two collections of stories, two books of dialogues and Rory & Ita, a memoir of his parents. He has written seven books for children and has contributed to a variety of publications including The New Yorker, McSweeney’s, Metro Eireann and several anthologies. He won the Booker Prize in 1993, for Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha.

Tickets £15: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/an-evening-with-roddy-doyle-tickets-31889474276

THE BEST EXOTIC MARIGOLD HOTEL: A VERY SPECIAL SCREENING

At The Charlotte Street Hotel – 6.30 pm

This screening of The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel will be preceded by a special interview with Deborah Moggach, whose novel These Foolish Things, was adapted into the hit film. Deborah’s latest novel, Something to Hide, is set in Beijing, Texas, a fictitious African country and Pimlico. She will be talking about the meaning of settings and the writer’s view behind adaptations with the biographer, lecturer, and journalist Anne Sebba, author of nine critically acclaimed books of non-fiction, most recently Les Parisiennes, about Paris from 1939-49 through women’s eyes.

Tickets £18.43: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-best-exotic-marigold-hotel-a-very-special-screening-tickets-31827938220

Wednesday 15 March

MICHAEL MORPURGO IN CONVERSATION

At Bush Hall, Shepherds Hall

Michael Morpurgo, OBE, is the former Children’s Laureate and best-selling author of over 140 books, including Private Peaceful, Kensuke’s Kingdom, The Butterfly Lion, and War Horse, which first performed at the National Theatre in 2007. In this exclusive London Book & Screen Week event, Michael will be joined by Owen Sheers, author, poet and playwright, as they delve into the world of adaptions. This intimate dialogue will see the prolific authors discuss what it means to see the words and world you so carefully composed being lifted from the page and onto the stage and beyond.
Tickets £17.05: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-story-books-screen-stage-michael-morpurgo-talks-narrative-adaptation-with-owen-sheers-tickets-31991195527

FROM FIGHTING FANTASY TO THE WITCHER: HOW NARRATIVE DESIGN IN GAMING ENHANCES STORYTELLING
At BAFTA – 6.30 pm

In the world of storytelling, gaming is unique. Giving over control, it allows gamers to define their own journey within a malleable landscape. This inspires a new growing generation of storytellers in the 21st century across all media. With video game sales in the UK at an all-time high – what is the next chapter? And what is gaming’s mandate as a creative platform in the world of storytelling? Join us for a panel discussion featuring Ian Livingstone, co-creator of Fighting Fantasy gamebooks, Andrzej Sapkowski, the author of the Witcher novels, the writer and digital producer Meg Jayanth, and Chris Gardiner, Narrative Director at Failbetter Games.

Tickets available soon: http://www.londonbookandscreenweek.co.uk/events/

Thursday 16 March

OLGA TOKARCZUK AND DEBORAH LEVY

At London Review Bookshop – 7 pm

One of the most acclaimed Polish writers of her generation, Olga Tokarczuk has won multiple prizes, most recently for her novel The Books of Jacob, which explores an important moment in 18th-century Polish history. Two recent novels, The Books of Jacob and Flights, will shortly be published, for the first time in English, by Fitzcarraldo Editions. Tokarczuk will be in conversation with The Man Booker shortlisted novelist Deborah Levy.

Tickets available soon: http://www.londonbookandscreenweek.co.uk/events/

Friday 17 March

IRISH LITERARY SOCIETY

At Bloomsbury Hotel

The Irish Literary Society are putting on three events at the Bloomsbury Hotel specially for London Book & Screen Week. The Irish Literary Society was established in London in 1892. Among its founders were W B Yeats and Douglas Hyde and other leaders of the Irish Literary Revival.

The object of the Society is to promote the appreciation of Irish literature and culture and to provide a forum for intellectual and social activities in connection with these interests.
Tickets available soon: http://www.londonbookandscreenweek.co.uk/events/

Saturday 18 March

FITNESS IN THE DIGITAL AGE

At SF Studios, Hampstead – 10 am

Now that we’re all making a #fitspo to spread #motivation to our #fitfam, ‘Fitness in Our Digital Age’ will bring together some of the biggest stars in the fitness scene who have built dedicated followings on Instagram and blogs such as Fitness on Toast. In the tranquil setting of SF Studios, north London’s leading movement studio, we host a unique panel discussions featuring an amazing line-up including fitness expert Faya Nilsson and the co-founder of LDN Muscle, James Exton. Their discussion will be followed by an audience Q&A and book signings.

Tickets £13.25: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/fitness-in-a-digital-age-tickets-31997576613

Sunday 19 March

CELEBRATE 20 YEARS OF HARRY POTTER: FILM SCREENING AT ST PANCRAS RENAISSANCE HOTEL LONDON

At St. Pancras Renaissance Hotel London– 6 pm

Grown up Potter fans, rejoice: London Book & Screen Week are putting on a Harry Potter film screening in the spellbinding St. Pancras Renaissance Hotel London. Celebrate the 20^th anniversary of the publication of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone in a setting straight out of Hogwarts. Expect free popcorn on arrival and themed cocktails at the bar. Wands, wizarding robes, hats and broomsticks are welcome.

Tickets: £18.43: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/celebrate-20-years-of-harry-potter-film-screening-at-st-pancras-renaissance-hotel-london-tickets-31874274814

The Great British Family Report 2017

Posted on March 3, 2017 by Frostie

Frost magazine found the The Great British Family Report 2017 very interesting indeed. How do you match up?

NO MONEY, NO TIME, NO PATIENCE – BUT NINE IN TEN BRITISH FAMILIES ARE HAPPY

Great British Family Report paints picture of typical family in 2017 – from work to finances
Biggest worries include money, children’s happiness and lack of quality time spent with kids
Mums much more hands-on with chores – but also control the purse-strings
But despite pressures of family life, 91 per cent of British families are happy and content

A portrait of British family life in 2017 reveals parents are under constant pressure as they juggle finances, kids and responsibilities, according to a new report. But despite the burden of family life, more than nine in ten parents (91%) are happy with life.

Nationwide’s Great British Family Report was commissioned to produce both a snapshot of the average family but also to highlight the pressures affecting parents – from the costs of living, to the struggles many face in fulfilling their roles as parents, partners and workers.

The report, which polled 2,000 families, shows that, on average, families have two children, a pet dog, an income of £29,688 a year, live in a three-bed house and drive a Ford Focus. However, the insight also shows parents work an average of 30 hours a week and invest as much time doing household chores as spending time together (18 hours). The survey also reveals that women are far more likely to manage the household finances than men and also do an average of seven hours more housework per week.

Average family

The poll shows that British families tend to have two children (45%), while around a fifth (19%) have three and nine per cent have four or more. The average age for starting to have children is 27 years old, with the second child arriving at the age of 30. Those with three children tend to have their third at 33 years old.

As well as children, the families surveyed had an average of one pet, with a dog being the companion of choice, closely followed by a cat. In terms of the cars they drive, the most popular family vehicle is a Ford Focus. The average amount spent on the main family car is just under £9,000 (£8,911).

Two thirds (67%) of parents are married, according to the research, with one in ten (10%) either single, divorced or separated.

British families also enjoy an average of two holidays together a year, one in the UK and one abroad. While one in eight families (13%) aren’t able to go on holiday together at all. Nearly a third of families (30%) spend more than ten per cent of their annual income on holidays per year – demonstrating the importance many place on relaxing and having dedicated time with loved ones.

Family finances

The survey shows that women are more likely to control the family finances, with over a third of women (38%) saying they manage the budget, compared to just a quarter (27%) of men. The average household earns £29,688 a year, with one in five (20%) earning £18,000 or less. Families have an average of around£8,000 squirreled away in savings for themselves, while the average savings of the eldest child is £2,723. Families owe an average of £1,618 on credit cards, £1,315 on personal loans, £1,496 on student loans, £896 on car finance and nearly £500 is owed to the bank of mum and dad. Around one in ten families polled (11%) have more than £20,000 in savings.

When all the main bills have been paid, families polled say they’ve got an average of £183 of disposable income a week to spend for the whole family, which amounts to around £46 per person, per week, assuming a family of four. While two in five (41%) say they have less than £115 spare cash.

But with most of their money going on bills, entertaining the kids, paying school and childcare costs, parentssay they only spend an average of £30 a month per household on themselves for things like hobbies and luxury items.

Childcare and school costs

Just over half (51%) of British families surveyed use childcare, including breakfast and afterschool clubs, with children attending sessions two days a week on average. This costs families around £2,000 each year. However, school is also expensive, with clubs, activities, kit and extra tuition costing families a sizeable £800 per year on average. This comprises of:

£171 spent on clubs at school
£224 spent on school activities
£261 spent on school kit
£145 spent on extra tuition

Our house

The poll shows that British families have an average of three bedrooms, two toilets, one family room and one toy room.

Parents spent an average of just under four-and-a-half times their household income when they bought their family home, with the majority (78%) of families having a mortgage of £164,695 still to pay off. Althoughone in ten (10%) are lucky enough to own their home outright.

Technology plays an important part in the modern family home, with families saying they own an average oftwo televisions, two tablets, two laptops, one computer, three phones and two games consoles.

The average overall value of these household tech items was £806 for televisions, £398 for tablets, £560 for laptops, £381 for computers, £562 for phones and £379 for game consoles. Toys around the house tally up to an average value of £587.

Happy families

According to the Nationwide poll, 91 per cent of parents’ class themselves as happy with family life, with nearly a third (31%) saying they are extremely happy. This is despite parents conceding they argue with family members on average twice a week and find themselves spending the same amount of time doing household chores (18 hours on average) as the time they spend together (18 hours).

The research also found that families spend an average of ten hours a week watching television, but only six hours a week spending quality time together – defined as time spent with children completely undistracted. Getting in the way of this includes work (44% of parents reported this as the top reason), household chores (34%) and children using TV and gadgets to pass the time (25%). Nearly double the amount of women (40%) than men (22%) say chores get in the way of family time, while more men (58%) than women (36%) say work is to blame.

However, the tradition of the family meal is still a firm staple for British households with the poll showing that families eat together at the table on average four times a week, compared to only twice a week in front of the television. British families polled have an average of one family takeaway together each week.

Family routine

Research into the household routine highlights that mums and dads work an average of 30 hours a week, with men doing around 35 hours and women doing around 25 hours. The average family day consists of:

6.50am – get out of bed
8.10am – leave for work
7.45pm – put the kids to bed
8.11pm – relax for the evening
9.58pm – go to bed (parents claim to get just over six-and-a-half hours sleep a night).

Entertaining kids

Families spend an average of £558 per annum keeping their children entertained or busy, although many manage to keep their offspring busy without needing to spend a penny. The top five ways parents keep their children busy are:

65% watch a film at home
53% go for walks or outdoor activities
52% discuss their day or week
50% help children with homework
48% let their children entertain themselves

Gadget time also plays a large part of keeping children entertained in British households, with a third (35%) of parents admitting to using gadgets in this way.

Family chores

Parents despise a whole range of chores, with constantly tidying up after children considered the worst chore of all. The top five worst chores include:

Constantly tidying up after children (27%)
Getting jobs done around the house (22%)
Disciplining children (18%)
Getting children to bed (16%)
Getting them to put the iPad down or turn the TV off (16%)

Women despise parental chores more than men, with more than one in five (21%) men saying they don’t have a problem with any of them, compared to just one in nine (12%) women. However, women do a good seven hours more household chores a week than men.

Worries

When it comes to worries, money tops the poll for two in five (41%), while around third (34%) worry about their children’s happiness and almost a third (31%) feel they don’t spend enough quality time with their children. Men’s worries centre around work, with over a quarter (27%) concerned about work life balance, compared to nearly one in five women (19%). However, women’s worries centre around children, with nearly a third (31%) concerned that they are not a good parent, compared to nearly one in five men (19%).

Regrets

Two in five (40%) families wish they had saved more, over a third (37%) regret not travelling more and a quarter (25%) wish they had earned more. Around one in six (16%) regret working too many hours, with men (20%) regretting this more than women (13%). While 13 per cent wished they had more children, although this was more of a regret for women (15%) than men (8%).

Guilt

Losing patience with children so easily (45%) topped the poll when it comes to guilt, followed by allowing too much gadget time (27%) and wishing they had spent more time together as a family (24%). This may be the reason why more than a quarter of parents (27%) are concerned that they might not be good parents, or are not doing enough for their family (21%).

Phil Smith, Nationwide’s Head of Current Accounts said: “Our report shows that family life isn’t always easy, with home ownership, striking a work-life balance and keeping the children entertained a fine art. But while it is clear that time is at a premium and finances are being squeezed, it’s heart-warming to know that through thick and thin the vast majority of us are happy.

“As Britain’s biggest building society, we naturally see lots of families in our branches. One of the things we notice is that regardless of their financial circumstances, they all have the same need – to have peace of mind that they can manage their money”.

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