Amazon Launches Search for Modern Day Interpretation of:

 Twas the Night Before Christmas  

All you aspiring authors out there – here’s a chance for one of the best christmas presents ever. To help celebrate the spirit of Christmas gift giving, Amazon will share the new festive children’s story with the nation for free on Kindle devices, as well the Kindle reading app for iOS and Android

 The winning author will be recognised with a prize package including professional illustrations to bring the story to life for a potential audience of millions, a £2,000 Amazon giftcard and a top of the range Fire tablet

LONDON – 11^th November 2016 – To help celebrate Christmas this year, Amazon has launched the search for a modern day version of Twas Night Before Christmas as a gift to families for bedtime reading this Christmas Eve.

Twas the Night Before Christmas, the renowned poem widely believed to have been written by Clement Clarke Moore, was first published in 1823 and has remained hugely popular ever since.  Nearly 200 years on, Amazon has announced that it is looking for a modern day equivalent to this Christmas Eve classic – while at the same time helping launch the career of an emerging storyteller and rewarding him or her in the process.

The nationwide writing competition is open to all adult UK residents, with the winning story to be illustrated and published ahead of Christmas Eve. Alongside the opportunity to have his or her work professionally illustrated by esteemed artist Aless Baylis, the author will receive a £2,000 Amazon gift card, a top of the range Fire tablet and royalties from the book for years to come, following the initial five-day giveaway this Christmas.

Aspiring authors can submit their stories from 11th November by emailing their entries to christmasonkindle@amazon.co.uk to be judged by a team of Amazon books editors and the illustrator.

The winning tale will be turned into a book and published in the run up to Christmas to a potential audience of millions of readers around the world. Anyone will be able to read the book for free on Kindle e-readers and Fire tablets, as well as the Kindle reading app for iOS and Android, in the run up to Christmas, including for family bedtime reading on Christmas Eve.

“The fact that there are so many versions of Twas the Night Before Christmas available on the Amazon store is testament to the popularity of the story,” said Amy Worth, UK Kindle Content Director, Amazon. “We want people to continue to read this tale forevermore, and we believe that by creating a modern day equivalent, we will be able to shine a spotlight on the original and launch the career of an aspiring storyteller.”

Aless Baylis, a Brighton-based illustrator recognised for children design and patterns, commented: “I am really looking forward to seeing the range of stories from storytellers across the UK.  Today Christmas means lots of different things to each of us, so I am sure that we will get a really diverse selection of stories. I hope that together with the author, we will be able to create a story that resonates with readers for years to come.”

Aspiring UK-based authors should submit their 350-700 word Christmas Eve stories in English before 27 November. The winning story will be made available on the Kindle store around the world in the run up to Christmas.

The story will be published through Kindle Direct Publishing, Amazon’s independent publishing programme, which enables authors to retain their copyrights, keep control, distribute globally, and earn royalties of up to 70%.  The author will be enrolled into KDP Select, meaning that their book will be available through Kindle Unlimited.

The competition is now open for entries. For more information, writers can visit: www.amazon.co.uk/christmasonkindle

Leading nutritional charity stresses importance of ageing well from the inside out

This is interesting, so don’t be put off by the percentages included.

New research from the Institute for Optimum Nutrition has found that 62% of over 30s believe that looking young is the biggest sign of ageing well. Over 30s put less emphasis on preserving memory, eyesight and hearing. Two thirds (67%) claim they would change their diet if it meant they would age better

Figures from the Office for National Statistics predict that by 2039, 29.5% of the UK population will be aged over 60. With this ever-ageing population, new research from the educational charity the Institute for Optimum Nutrition has explored how we feel about ageing, as a nation.

The research of 2,000 over 30s across the UK found that people believe that being able to remain active (70%) is the biggest sign of ageing well, whilst a further 62% think that looking young on the surface is a strong indicator that they are fighting off the ageing process.

The findings reveal that as a nation we put more emphasis on preserving our looks rather than elements such as maintaining a good memory (57%), keeping independence (56%) and preserving eyesight (40%) and hearing (41%). This indicates that we may be overlooking preventative measures that we can use now, in order to impact our health in the future.

There was a notable difference between age groups and 70% of those 60+ believe good memory is a sign of ageing well, compared to only 47% of 30-39 year olds. Similarly, those in the 30-39 bracket put more emphasis on looking young (65%) than those 60+ (60%).

The research also found that little emphasis was put on how diet can affect ageing and the preventative measures that can aid the process. A huge 81% understand that diet and lifestyle impact the ageing yet only two thirds (67%) claim they would change their diet if it meant they would age better. The survey also revealed a significant number of people are confused about the effects of fat in the diet, with 26% thinking they should be avoiding fat in their diet.  Different fats have different effects on the ageing process and good fats are an important element in helping us to age well.

The figures show that most people understand what can help us age well, including keeping physically active (80%), avoiding smoking (70%), and a healthy diet (60%). Avoiding large amounts of sun exposure (53%) certainly helps to prevent skin ageing but conversely being too sun-shy can cause vitamin D deficiency which is a factor in many age-related ailments including osteoporosis and dementia. Fewer people acknowledge the benefits of avoiding regular consumption of alcohol (45%), playing word puzzles or sudoku (34%) and using anti-aging cream (19%). Only 30% of respondents noted the importance of social activity in healthy ageing, despite its significant potential benefits to keeping an active body and mind.

The Institute for Optimum Nutrition wants to highlight the impact an ageing population may have on the NHS and how we can all take steps to age well, from the inside out, through nutrition and an active lifestyle.

Deborah Colson from the Institute for Optimum Nutrition said: “It is great to see that the majority of people understand the importance of diet and lifestyle to healthy ageing. Now we need to make sure that those who are prepared to make change in order to age well can access the resources they need. And for those, who aren’t interested, we need to understand what the barriers are for them. If you had the choice wouldn’t you rather maintain very good health until close to the end of your life than suffer steady decline and poor health for decades?”

Review by Frances Colville

An Almond for a Parrot is a hard book to categorise – think historical fiction set in 18^th century London combined with ghosts and magical illusions, all with undertones of Fifty Shades of Grey.  The central character Tully Truegood finds herself in Newgate prison awaiting trial for murder and expecting to be hanged once her baby is born. The book is written in the form of a letter to her one true love telling the story of her life from unwanted child to celebrity courtesan, up to the point of the crime.

An Almond for a Parrot is the adult fiction debut of Wray Delaney, the alter ego of bestselling children’s author Sally Gardner.   Writing as Sally Gardner she has sold more than 2 million books in the UK and been translated into more than 22 languages as well as winning the Costa Children’s Book Prize, the Carnegie Medal and other awards for her books.

The characterisation is superb, the settings well-described and the storyline fast paced and intriguing. A bit more period detail wouldn’t come amiss but there is enough to make it feasible that this story is set four hundred years ago.

Something a bit different and worth getting hold of a copy when it is published by

HQ – Harper Collins in hardback (£12.99), ebook (£8.99) and audio editions (£11.99)

Shopping is not my favourite occupation, and I needed some winter scarves, embroidered with our charity initials, to keep us warm, and to remind people of those who are still in need.

I found my saviour on ebay. JC & T embroidery are a small family run business that prides itself on quality products and service. Trust me, they are brilliant.

They enjoy creating personalised products and were endlessly helpful while I explained what I needed.

Though the scarves I found on their site are classed as men’s scarves, they are a gorgeous soft wool / silk blend and have a velvety softness. I can’t wear wool against my skin, but these are perfect. We were offered the choice of either black, a very nice marl grey & camel colour or a beige & biscuit colour.

Then there was some discussion about the personalised initials. Carol was extraordinarily patient, because she wanted to get it just right.

Well, she did. We are thrilled. The scarves wash well, keep us cosy and help to spread the word about the charity. They’d also make a really good, and reasonable Christmas present. You can have a motif embroidered, ,initials, or whatever is your fancy.

With Christmas coming it’s well worth thinking of other personalised presents.

There are many options at JC & T embroidery. I liked these Christmas napkins. I wouldn’t usually bother, but sitting around the parson’s nose, pulling crackers, they do elevate the proceedings.

Do contact Carol for help and great discounts on an order of 4 napkins or more. I thought they’d make great keepsake wedding items, and lots of people will be planning those now.

Some will have new babies in the family..

Whatever the product, Carol says that they can embroider in any colour thread.

Have a look at them on ebay. Their costs are extremely reasonable, and the product excellent.

Delivery was prompt.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/usr/jctembroidery2016

Review by Jan Speedie

It’s twelve days to Christmas, a time for festive fun, present buying and kindness to all. Well that’s what Julia thinks until she encounters her neighbour. Once again Debbie Macomber has given us a great Christmassy story: following her Rose Harbour and Cedar Cove series fans will enjoy this fun story.

Julia Padden is a cheerful, hardworking girl looking forward to enjoying and sharing her Christmas spirit with everyone she meets. This is true until she meets her grouchy neighbour Cain, who can’t cope with Julia’s pleasant, happy nature. Having discussed the situation with her close friend Cammie, Julia decides to kill Cain with kindness. Julia also needs to secure her dream job by writing a daily blog and this is the ideal opportunity to write a blog for all to read about her kindness campaign to convert Cain. Life has a habit of changing things and bringing in the unexpected.

Read, enjoy and forget the worries of making it a perfect Christmas.

Debbie Macomber is one of today’s bestselling authors with more than 170 million copies of her books in print worldwide. She has also produced two cookery books and two books for children. In 2013 the Cedar Cove series successfully debuted on US cable TV. Apart from her writing Debbie is also spokesperson for World Visions ‘Knit for Kids’ charity initiative. Debbie and her husband Wayne live in Port Orchard, Washington and winter in Florida.

Published by Arrow in paperback £5.99

Review by Jan Speedie

It’s twelve days to Christmas, a time for festive fun, present buying and kindness to all. Well that’s what Julia thinks until she encounters her neighbour. Once again Debbie Macomber has given us a great Christmassy story: following her Rose Harbour and Cedar Cove series fans will enjoy this fun story.

Julia Padden is a cheerful, hardworking girl looking forward to enjoying and sharing her Christmas spirit with everyone she meets. This is true until she meets her grouchy neighbour Cain, who can’t cope with Julia’s pleasant, happy nature. Having discussed the situation with her close friend Cammie, Julia decides to kill Cain with kindness. Julia also needs to secure her dream job by writing a daily blog and this is the ideal opportunity to write a blog for all to read about her kindness campaign to convert Cain. Life has a habit of changing things and bringing in the unexpected.

Read, enjoy and forget the worries of making it a perfect Christmas.

Debbie Macomber is one of today’s bestselling authors with more than 170 million copies of her books in print worldwide. She has also produced two cookery books and two books for children. In 2013 the Cedar Cove series successfully debuted on US cable TV. Apart from her writing Debbie is also spokesperson for World Visions ‘Knit for Kids’ charity initiative. Debbie and her husband Wayne live in Port Orchard, Washington and winter in Florida.

Published by Arrow in paperback £5.99

Tomorrow’s Cities: Building the Future

RIBA, 66 Portland Place, London W1B 1AD Monday 14th – Tuesday 15th November 2016

Next week, the INTBAU World Congress, will take place. This is a biennial forum that brings together a host of international participants to debate the most pressing global issues facing building, architecture and urbanism.

In 1800 just 2% of the world’s population lived in cities. Now, some 55% of the world’s population live in urban environments. The 2016 Congress, Tomorrow’s Cities: Building the Future, explores the impact of this rapid urbanisation, one of the biggest challenges facing communities throughout the world. The Congress will highlight efforts in cities around the world to respond to issues of sustainability and good growth, heritage and identity, and the meaning of shelter.

Debating these issues will be a diverse range of established and new voices, including: Jane Duncan, President of RIBA; Leo Hollis, author of Cities are Good for You; Orna Rosenfeld, a Senior Housing Expert for the UN; Will Hunter, Director of the newly-founded London School of Architecture; and journalist, author and TED speaker Robert Neuwirth.

The Congress will be address three key questions over two days:

1. RAPID URBANISATION – How can our cities grow sustainably?
2. SHIFTING IDENTITIES – How does heritage evolve?

III. SHELTER – How can we build better homes?

Other events around the World Congress will include the presentation of INTBAU Excellence Awards at the Royal Society of Arts, and a shelter-themed Routemaster bus tour in partnership with the National Trust to explore London’s responses to housing crises in the 19th, 20th, and 21st Centuries.

Monday 14th –November 2016
8am – 5pm – Congress Day 1 (two sessions)
Tuesday 15th November 2016
8.30am – 12pm – Congress Day 2 (session three)
7.30 – 10.30pm – Presentation of INTBAU Excellence Awards at the RSA, followed by a reception

RIBA, 66 Portland Place, London W1B 1AD

@intbau, #tomorrowscities

http://congress.intbau.org

Scrooge and the Seven Dwarves

A festive treat for those who don’t want to get stuck in the past…

Award winning Sleeping Trees who have had sell out success with Cinderella and the Beanstalk, are returning to Theatre503 with the world premiere of Scrooge and the Seven Dwarves – a fizzing cocktail of everyone’s favourite pantomimes, directed by highly acclaimed Simon Evans (The Dazzle, Bug, Silence of the Sea).

One cold Christmas Eve, Santa and his elves are preparing for another busy night. The reindeer are ready and the sleigh is packed. There’s just one problem; the sleigh won’t start because the Wicked Witch has stolen all the Christmas spirit. In his desperation, Santa looks to the most unlikely of heroes to save the day… the terrifying Ebenezer Scrooge.

The performers recreate every character you’d expect to meet in a pantomime, as well as some you might not. With Scrooge, Snow White, the Wizard of Oz, Mary Poppins, the seven dwarves, Harry Potter and, of course, Father Christmas, the questions on everyone’s lips are… will Scrooge manage to change his ways and save

Christmas? Will the boys make it to Hollywood? And what do the Seven Dwarves have to do with ANY of this?

Sleeping Trees are a comedy trio blending the classic elements of a well-loved pantomime with an astonishing range of fast, physical and bare-knuckled comedy. With live music, and plenty of mess, the Trees sing, dance and fight their way through ninety minutes of panto pandemonium with on-stage musician Ben Hales.

Enjoy, and don’t forget to ‘look behind youuuuu.’

The production is funded by Arts Council England.

Tuesday 22nd November – Saturday 7th January.
Please check performance times and matinee dates carefully on the Theatre503 website. 90 minutes running time.

@wesleepingtrees, @theatre503, #Scrooge503

Suitable for ages 6+ (babes in arms under 24 months also welcome)

Theatre503, The Latchmere, 503 Battersea Park Road, London SW11 3BW, https://theatre503.com/

Tickets are available priced £15 (£12 concessions)
Family ticket £40 (two adults and two children or one adult and three children)

Available from Theatre503 Box Office and https://theatre503.com/, 020 7978 7040.

I was taken by a wicked friend to a gin club in London awhile ago. Bad bad man. Huge glasses, gin you couldn’t say no to. Bad bad headache the next day.

Looks like Bulldog Gin could have the same ‘can’t say no’ naughtiness.

Present in over 80 countries, BULLDOG Gin is the fourth largest and fastest growing premium gin in the world. I love the distinctive black bottle and distinct flavour, BULLDOG is a modern gin that has been quietly causing a stir on the gin scene with its British attitude and global mindset. My parents lived in India for some of the war, and – purely for medicinal purposes – had more than their fair share. I think, if they’re looking down from their cloud, they would like the look of this. .

Using only the best quality British wheat and water, BULLDOG starts with triple distilled neutral grain spirit. It is then distilled once more, adding the distinctive blend of 12 botanicals to the pot still to deliver a smooth result.

You can use Bulldog Gin as a cocktail. They have created one called:

The Last Word

Well, my family say I always have to have  the last word, so why change the habits of a lifetime.

METHOD.

1 pt of BULLDOG gin

0.75 parts Green Chartreuse

0.75 parts Maraschino Liqueur

0.75 Fresh Lime Juice

Shake all ingredients with ice and double strain into a Martini glass and garnish with a sunken Maraschino Cherry.

That should keep the cold out. Rather more attractive than a thermal vest, eh?

Stockist: Ocado. RRP £22.00 (the gin, not the vest)