Author Archives: Margaret Graham

Crime Roundup – Books we Mean, we Haven’t Become Vigilantes

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It’s summer and Frost has had a great time reading some recent crime novels.

Angela Marsons, who lives with her partner, Labrador and swearing parrot has written a corker:

Silent Scream, a D.I. Kim Stone novel.

Crime Roundup – Books we Mean, we Haven’t Become VigilantesSILENTSCREAM

D.I. Kim Stone does not excel at people skills, it must be said, but her sidekick Bryant invariably saves the day at that level. However it is Kim who takes her team to the edge of what is allowed, and strays over in order to get to the truth of things. In doing so her past is revealed and explains her own demons. Though this novel has sold a million internationally as an ebook, this is Silent Scream’s first outing in print. Well worth reading, with a good twist at the end. I almost got ‘who dun it’ but not quite. Clever.

Brenda Novak has set Her Darkest Nightmare in Alaska, a place I’d love to visit, so on that level I enjoyed the novel.

Her Darkest Nightmare.

But I was also gripped by Novak’s writing and taut plotting. Not sure I could work with psychopaths as Dr Evelyn Talbot does, but she has learnt to live with fear, after being targeted and tortured by her boyfriend as a teenager.  Not one to read at bedtime perhaps unless you’ve locked all the doors and windows, and looked under the beds, all of them. But I am a bit of a wimp. It’s one that stays with you. This is the first in a new series from this New York Times bestselling author.

Christopher Farnsworth’s Kill File’s opening sentence made me laugh. I quote:

I know what you’re thinking. Most of the time, it’s not impressive. Trust me. 

Kill File

 Oh, I do, I do, if I go by what I  read a great deal on social media. Thoughts put down unfiltered…

This contemporary thriller has its foot down all the way, and believe me, it’s driven by an expert:  great writing, interesting and refreshingly original concept. John Smith, the main character, has a special gift/curse, he can access other people’s thoughts. It is something John Smith has put it to good use in the past, only to find that his latest investigation lands him in deep water. I really liked this, bit like being on a roller coaster. Well worth taking on holiday.

Anna Smith’s Kill me Twice is a well trodden path, that of secrets threatening to destroy lives from the sink estates of Glasgow to the corridors of Westminster in another case for Rosie Gilmour.

KILLMETWICE Those who are already fans won’t be disappointed and it should gather in new ones as Rosie ducks and weaves to expose the truth of a presumed suicide – which wasn’t, and there’s sexual abuse too, linking powerful figures across the nation.

The Last Thing I remember by Deborah Bee is intriguing. Frost has already reviewed this, but I thought I’d have another look, and it stays crisp, the tension sharp, and all this right up to the last page.

The last thing I remember.

This is a debut thriller from the Creative Director at Harrods with TV rights already optioned by Alan Moloney’s Parallel Films. I  concerns a mugging victim who can’t move, or speak.

I have a friend who has been in just such a state: struck down by a virus she has been aware, but trapped inside her body. Fortunately my friend is recovering, but this is the clever plotting behind The Last Thing I remember.

Sarah has been mugged, and can hear, but not move, or speak. She has to piece together her life by listening to the people around her. Kelly is in the waiting room. She’s just a kid, a schoolgirl, but why is she there? Questions, questions, but slowly the picture is put together.

I really liked this concept. It isn’t an easy one to manage, but Bee’s done it, easy peasy.

Silent Scream by Angela Marsons pub by Zaffre

Her Darkest Nightmare by Brenda Novak  pub by Headline

Kill File by Christopher Farnsworth pub by Zaffre

Kill me Twice by Anna Smith  pub by Quercus

The Last thing I Remember by Deborah Bee pub by twenty7

 

 

 

Gransthread – On Retirement

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Penny Deacon’s version of retirement 
I spent my twenties living on a yacht, travelling the world. Great fun. Then I moved to teaching which turned out to be more fun than I’d expected. I also ran school libraries and wrote romantic novels. And some crime. Then I was Retired.

First there was panic. How do I cope on half my income? What am I going to DO with myself? And how will I get to know anyone since I’ve just moved house and my close friend in the area has promptly fled to London (thank you , Margaret). I imagined myself  a lonely and bored hermit.

Fast forward five years. I was swimming in the sea this morning with a friend (new). And lunched with three other friends (also new). I have lost three stone (much needed). I have been to the Galapagos Islands (dream trip)  and Orkney (another dream – despite the rain). I’m off to Italy next month. And then there’s the new kitchen …

I didn’t win the lottery. I DID get lucky – my health is good. My pension, much to my surprise, has proved adequate, and some of my savings got me to Galapagos (you can use up too many opportunities by keeping all your savings for a ‘rainy day’ which, if fate is kind, doesn’t come). I rediscovered who I was and, I hope, who I might be. Because I was in a new town I understood it was up to me to go out and find new friends (U3A and the local leisure centre gave me most contacts). It wasn’t  easy, but no harder than being a ‘new girl’ anywhere. I only bonded with one in every dozen new acquaintances, but that’s plenty to provide company and inspiration, and then some of their friends became my friends and so it goes on. Great return on a little effort and some occasional embarrassment (we’ll gloss over the time I got thrown out of the Circle of Friends for being a ‘disruptive influence’. Moi?)

The hardest thing has been finding out what my own rhythms are. I spent more than thirty years working, quite literally when in school, to someone else’s timetable. Now I have had to find my own pace. I rediscovered swimming – both in the pool and in the sea. I discovered a need to do something worthwhile and Words for the Wounded gave me an opportunity to work for a great cause and also to leap out of aeroplanes and take part in the muddiest assault course in the world.

Gransthread - on retirement Penny 3

I found that I was a natural early riser (a surprise – I’d been longing for the opportunity to laze in bed every morning and found I didn’t want it after all). I like some structure to my day or week – and revel in not being tied down to it. I do some local volunteer work but don’t want to commit to the same thing every week. But I can see a time when I might.

And that’s the most exciting thing yet: for me (and I know how fortunate I am) retirement has been an opening as well a closure, and the world is still full of possibilities.

Gransthread would love to hear of your experiences of retirement: frost@margaret-graham.com

 

 

 

There’s a treat on the way for ballet lovers

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ballet, cultureShakespeare has been delivered to cinema screens, and now it is to be ballet  but for 3 nights only.  One of Frost’s book reviewers, Jan Speedie will be heading the queue, as she LOVES ballet.

CinemaLive, one of the market leaders in Event Cinema, will be working in a partnership with The Australian Ballet to deliver a series of their ballet productions to cinema audiences for the very first time.

The Fairy Tale Series, will be screened in cinemas across the UK on three nights only: The Sleeping Beauty on 4th October 2016, Cinderella on 23rd November 2016 and Coppélia on 19th April 2017.

Screened in October 2016 will be the world premiere cinema release of Artistic Director David McAllister’s The Sleeping Beauty. This is a classical retelling of a favourite fairy tale based on Marius Petipa’s ballet. The live production of The Sleeping Beauty was the crowning moment of The Australian Ballet’s season last year. The Guardian said of it:

With such attention to detail – resplendent, unapologetic, and coupled with McAllister’s resounding belief in a happy ending – only the most cynical of hearts could fail to be captured by this Sleeping Beauty’s spell

 

Next is the award-winning production of Cinderella, which will play a limited exclusive London season at the Coliseum this July, before its world premiere to cinema audiences on 23rd November 2016.

The third and final production in this series is Coppélia which will have its world premiere in cinemas on 19th April 2017.

David McAllister, Artistic Director of The Australian Ballet says, It’s exciting to take our company and performances from the stage to the big screen and to reach audiences we may not have otherwise reached. This is an incredible opportunity to showcase Australia’s national ballet company.

The Fairy Tale Series will be screened at approximately 200 cinemas across the UK and a further 200 cinemas worldwide.
For all participating cinemas and to book tickets visit www.cinemalive.com

 

 

FOLK, ROOTS AND BLUES AT SAGE GATESHEAD

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Frost just loves The Sage, at Gateshead. Well, we love the area and all it has to offer full stop.

So here is the autumn programme, should anyone be in the area, or even feel like heading up to catch some of the folk, roots and blues from both sides of the Atlantic.

September kicks off with The Colin Holt Band and Snake Davis returning off the back of their sold out show last year. Next up is Anderson East, a huge hit at SummerTyne Americana Festival 2015. Loudon Wainwright III is joined by Chaim Tenenbaum on 24 October to add that extra Americana feel as well as songs that are heart-warming, hilarious, intensely personal, and indefinably ingenious. Adding a Canadian take on American roots are the multi-award-winning Gordie MacKeeman & His Rhythm Boys serve up old-time music.

The Black Crowes’ excellent guitarist Luther Dickinson makes an exclusive appearance in the North East on his Blues and Ballads UK Tour, while the bluesy Tony Joe White gets you down and dirty with his swampy, Cajun tinged guitar. Returning to Sage Two is Ryan McGarvey. His heavy but blistering blues guitar is already turning heads and you can witness him for yourself on 8 October. Walter Trout and the legendary Robin Trower, see to it that we are not left short of superb talent and excellent songs.

The Sage’s  Folkworks programme will sort folk-lovers out, but will also satisfy those with a thirst for inventiveness and alternative spirit. Martin Green, brings together Becky Unthank, Adrian Utley from Portishead and Mogwai’s Dominic Aitchison, to present Flit. A show which he is taking to Edinburgh Fringe and that also includes BAFTA-winning animators whiterobot (Will Anderson and Ainslie Henderson).

Fay Field and The Hurricane Party along with The Furrow Collective represent a new wave of folk talent. They have both already gained big fans and in The Furrow Collective’s case been nominated for BBC Folk awards. At the other end of the scale Ashley Hutchings of Fairport Convention, Steeleye Span and Albion Band brings a show which spans his entire career and demonstrates his influence on generations after him. Also returning are the North East’s own Ray Laidlaw and Billy Mitchell with The Lindisfarne Story.

2015 Folk Singer of the Year Nancy Kerr and her Sweet Visitor Band perform in Sage Two in September and later in the month she is joined by ‘English folk original’ Robb Johnson who is touring his new album A Reasonable History of Impossible Demands. Not to be outdone, BBC Radio 2 folk award nominated Ange Hardy and Lukas Drinkwater show you why they are two of this generations most in-demand performers with their live shows accented with Ange’s innovative and subtle use ofloop pedals to build layers of vocal harmony. Karen Matheson, meanwhile, adds a welcome Celtic connection to September as she showcases her impressive vocals.

To find out more about these gigs or make a booking visit www.sagegateshead.com or call Ticket Office on 0191 443 4661.

 

How about a look behind the scenes? By Margaret Graham

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How about a look behind the scenes? By Margaret GrahamHave you ever dawdled past imposing buildings and wanted to have a peek inside? Well, forget the peek,how about a real look, behind the scenes?

National Trust will be offering free exclusive, behind-the-scenes tours of the Danish, French and Portuguese embassies in London, as part of their Europe & Us programme.

The strictly limited openings, as part of Heritage Open days, will offer a unique glimpse into the inner sanctums of diplomacy. They will allow visitors insights into how these important government buildings are used to allow envoys to entertain while promoting their countries’ interests to the ‘Court of St James’.  Visitors will get to explore these fascinating buildings on guided tours and view the furniture and decorative art that reflects each nation.

On show, for example, will be the principal rooms of the French Ambassador’s Residence in Kensington Palace Gardens (‘Billionaire’s Row’), Arne Jacobsen’s modernist 1970s Danish Embassy and Residence on Sloane Street and the palatial home of the Portuguese Ambassador in Belgrave Square.

National Trust Creative Director Ivo Dawnay comments, In this year when our relationship with Europe has been front and centre of our thoughts, the National Trust is running a programme, dubbed ‘Europe & Us’, that seeks to gain insights into our long relationship with the continent.

The weekend-long event is part of Heritage Open Days, England’s annual festival of history that involves 5,000 events and 40,000 volunteers in a long-weekend of access to special places of historical interest.

The tours, which are free, are strictly limited in number and will be ticketed on a first-come-first- served basis. For security reasons applicants will be asked to apply with their full names, addresses and contact details and will be admitted only with photo ID.

Tickets are available by application at www.nationaltrust.org.uk/embassy-openings.

French Embassy: 11 Kensington Palace Gardens, Kensington, W8 4QP Friday .

9th September – 14:30, 16:30. Saturday 10th September – 10:00, 12:00, 14:00 15 people per tour
 Duration. 50 minutes

Danish Embassy: 55 Sloane Street, SW1X 9SR

Saturday 10th September – 11:00, 13:30, 15:30. 30 people per tour
. Duration – 1 hour 15 minutes

Portuguese Embassy: 12 Belgrave Square, Belgravia, SW1X 8PM

Friday 9th September – 10:00, 11:30, 13:30, 15:00 15 people per tour
. Duration – 1 hour

@nationaltrust, @NTLovesLondon

 

 

THE RIGHT DRIED FRUIT SNACKS CAN FILL NUTRITION GAPS, REPORT REVEALS.

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Fruit Bowl pic Sadly, it appears that the five-a-day health message is failing and we are falling short of the latest guidance on fibre, according to a new report. So maybe it’s time to rethink healthy-eating messages and look for fresh strategies to ensure children, in particular, eat their five-a-day and hit the fibre targets. A review just published in the journal of Complete Nutrition suggests one simple step would be to swap a sugary snack for dried fruit or a fruit-based snack, which doesn’t seem like rocket science . Dr Emma Derbyshire, a public health nutritionist, mum and one of the report authors agrees: “Putting the new UK fibre guidance into practice will not be easy. This is why brands like Fruit Bowl have looked at how children in particular can increase their fibre and indeed their fruit and vegetable needs. They have just introduced the new Picked and Pressed range which provides a natural source of fibre and counts as one of our five-a-day. So, simple changes such as replacing one item of confectionary with a fruit-based snack such as Picked and Pressed will provide an immediate benefit in terms in increased fibre consumption.” It seems to Frost Magazine, and one of the high points of the Fruit Bowl snack is that it has no added sugar, which seems to be a bugbear in many lunchboxes. As well as fruit in the snacks, there is milled flaxseed which is rich in fibre, and doesn’t overlay the flavour of the fruit. The Picked and Pressed Bars are available in three flavours, strawberry, orange and apple and pear. And for the grown up, only 60 calories per bar. Can't be bad. Fruit Bowl® Fruit Bites (RRP £2.00 for a pack of 4 individually wrapped 19g packs of Bites)Sadly, it appears that the five-a-day health message is failing and we are falling short of the latest guidance on fibre, according to a new report.

 

So maybe it’s time to rethink healthy-eating messages and look for fresh strategies to ensure children, in particular, eat their five-a-day and hit the fibre targets.

 

A review just published in the journal of Complete Nutrition suggests one simple step would be to swap a sugary snack for dried fruit or a fruit-based snack, which doesn’t seem like rocket science .

 

Dr Emma Derbyshire, a public health nutritionist, mum and one of the report authors agrees: “Putting the new UK fibre guidance into practice will not be easy. This is why brands like Fruit Bowl have looked at how children in particular can increase their fibre and indeed their fruit and vegetable needs.

 

They have just introduced the new Picked and Pressed range which provides a natural source of fibre and counts as one of our five-a-day. So, simple changes such as replacing one item of confectionary with a fruit-based snack such as Picked and Pressed will provide an immediate benefit in terms in increased fibre consumption.”

 

It seems to Frost Magazine, and one of the high points of the Fruit Bowl snack is that it has no added sugar, which seems to be a bugbear in many lunchboxes.

 

As well as fruit in the snacks,  there is milled flaxseed which is rich in fibre, and doesn’t overlay the flavour of the fruit.

 

The Picked and Pressed Bars are available in three flavours, strawberry, orange and apple and pear. And for the grown up, only 60 calories per bar. Can’t be bad.

 

Fruit Bowl® Fruit Bites (RRP £2.00 for a pack of 4 individually wrapped 19g packs of Bites)

 

 

Domination of Screens Taking Its Toll On Children’s Reading, Learning And Behaviour

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At Frost we are great believers in the value of reading, as you will have notices from the number of books we review.

So, it’s no surprise to know that new research has revealed that a book at bedtime can boost a child’s brain power, accelerate academic achievement and reduce the risk of behavioural problems.

 

MRI scans show that reading to children from an early age actually increases activity in parts of the brain involved with language, particularly those regions which are critical for spoken language and reading.

 

Better understanding of the neurobiology of the brain has also shown how diet and digital technology can influence reading and cognition.

 

But the latest research, underlining the importance of reading, points to problems ahead. Research from Equazen, suggests that a worrying number of British children are turning their backs on books. 

 

Leading neuroscientists believe that our reading is more superficial when we use a screen, but a survey of parents has shown nine out of ten children have access to a tablet or Kindle.

 

I endorse this. As an author I write more succinctly, and superficially for screen than for print. A new report, SOMETHING FISHY ABOUT READING, authored by Philip Calder, Professor of Nutritional Immunology at the University of Southampton and an advisor to Equazen and independent dietitian Dr Carrie Ruxton examines the very latest data and explores new research into literacy and brain function. And it reveals a complex interplay between reading, cognition, behaviour, diet and lifestyles.

 

It seems reading alters the way we think, and interestingly improves blood flow to the brain though, but e- devices may lead to ‘digital brain’ and reduced concentration. The report supports the benefit of omega-3 fatty acids, which I take. . 

 

Might be wroth trying some omega-3 for the kids, and ourselves. Equazen do a range which is suitable for pregnancy, babies from six months to three years, a liquid for children who don’t like pills, and a chew .

 

You can find these Equazen products at pharmacies, Amazon.co.uk and health food shops.

 

 

An interview with Liza Lutz – Bestselling author of The Passenger and The Spellman Files

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An interview with Liza Lutz – bestselling author of The Passenger and The Spellman Files – amongst others.              by Margaret Graham

An interview with Liza Lutz - bestselling author of The Passenger and The Spellman Files - amongst others. by Margaret Graham

What made you interested in writing?

I can’t pinpoint a particular realization or event. I guess it comes down to just being interested in people. And then once I discovered that writing could make my world funnier and more interesting, I was pretty much doomed.

Did you find it easy to become published?

In a way, yes. But in another, much more accurate way, not at all. I wrote screenplays for a decade until a friend suggested that I try rewriting one of them, The Spellman Files, as a novel. I did that and sent it to a bunch of agents. One of them saw its potential. Plenty of work ensued, but once I’d revised the draft, the road to publication was relatively short.

If you hadn’t become a writer, what else would you have liked to do?

Brain surgeon.

What is your writing process?

It’s mostly just sitting down and doing the work. I think I have some structural instincts that allow me to come up with an outline pretty quickly once I have a basic idea. I always end up veering away from it, but having that guide helps me avoid the staring-into-the-void thing that plagues a lot of writers. I save staring into the void for my free time.

thepassengerbylisalutzbookinterviewauthor

As well as The Passenger, which Frost recently reviewed, you have written the bestselling series The Spellman Files. Does another series appeal?

Not at the moment. I’m embracing the freedom of being able to tell whatever story I want to tell. Each of my last few books has been a big departure from the previous one, and that seems to suit me well.

What are the problems, and virtues of writing a series? 

One problem with a series is that the more successful it becomes, the more tempting it is to write what you think your audience wants to read. If I’m not writing something I would want to read, things are going to get stale for everyone pretty quickly. The chief virtue is that you can get to know characters to a degree that’s impossible in a standalone book. It’s like having multiple seasons of a TV show instead of an hour-and-a-half-long movie.

What do you like to do when not writing?

Read, watch movies, teach seniors Krav Maga.

You have won the Alex award and been nominated for the Edgar Award for Best Novel, so what’s next?

I’m writing a novel that’s totally different from anything I’ve done before. But I’m not ready to talk about it yet.
The Passenger by Lisa Lutz: Titan books. Paperback and ebook.