Joffe have shared the news that the DETECTIVE MATT BRINDLE DOUBLE-BOOK BOX SET by #1 bestselling author Helen H. Durrant is available as their Book of the Week  If you missed the Matt Brindle mysteries the first time round, now’s your chance to catch up. Discover two crime thrillers in one really good value box set — double the books, double the fun – or is fun the right word??   99P / 99C

Roper and Hooley are called into a top-secret meeting with MI5. Someone is trying to smuggle a dirty bomb into London.  Now the detectives are in a race against time to find the bomb before the people of London are put in mortal danger. Leese uses a fear that is under the surface of many of us – could they, would they?

Get THE CASE OF THE DIRTY BOMB by Michael Leese today for half price 99p/99c

Nick Shannon is investigating an insurance company who are ripping off their customers. Then David, one of the company directors, dies in suspicious circumstances.  Meanwhile Nick’s lover, Arlene, needs his help. She’s caught up in a property scam and wants to use his skills to bring down the conmen responsible.

Can Nick scam the scammers? Or will his plan backfire? And who hasn’t wanted to spank a scammer. 00p/99c

Joffe Books welcomes Kate Lyall Grant to the team. Severn House publisher Kate Lyall Grant is joining Joffe Books as publishing director in November.

Lyall Grant said of her new role: “Having worked closely with Jasper Joffe and his team on some of our backlist series in the past year, I have been blown away by the passion, vigour and expertise with which Joffe Books have reinvented authors for the digital market, transforming their fortunes and selling their books in breathtaking quantities. The opportunity to join such an innovative, far-sighted young company at a key moment in its development was one I simply couldn’t turn down. I am so excited to be joining the team.”

Says it all really, about Joffe Books. Bravo, well done. You can read the full Bookseller article here.

Tune into BBC Radio Berkshire next Tuesday the 12th at 3 p.m. for an interview with Joffe author Susanna Beard.  Susanna will be talking about her latest book, The Perfect Neighbour, which came out on 30 September.

If you haven’t read this excellent psychological thriller yet, grab your copy today

The first retrospective of the CWA’s Dagger Award winners gathers rogether some of the greatest names in crime fiction – get ready for blood on the floor scenarios, serial killers, world weary detectives, drug dealers, maybe forgers – yeah, let’s collect them all. Not sure a launch party would be a good idea though – all these fertile imaginations in discussion.

Ian Rankin  is there, within the covers, manipulating a Senior Curator at the Tate Gallery into constructing the perfect crime, or is it? Stella Duffy’s souring romance becomes a deadly obsession under her incisive pen. And what about parents who discover their child has committed the unthinkable or at least in Denise Mina’s imaginagion., and those are just a few.

I am beginning to like crime short stories – is it because the mystery is wrapped up quickly and satisfactorily, so one can get some sleep, with another to read tomorrow night? A well written sharp, incisive crime story (much like a dagger thrust should be) is a thing of beauty. There are many in this anthology.  Read and enjoy.

Edited by Maxim Jakubowski,  the well respected anthology editor with over 70 volumes to his credit – so applause to Maxim.

Daggers Drawn Edited by Maxim Jackubowski – 19 CWA Dagger Award-winning short stores from the best of best in crime fiction.

HB £17.99 Pub. Titan Books.

Anyone who has been to one of my yoga classes, will know that I do like to wax lyrical about the benefits of each of the poses. One of my clients called out on me on this, saying, “How do you actually know inversions slow the aging process?” Hmmmm, good question.

Let’s begin with some basics…

Firstly, yoga is ancient practice which is thousands of years old. Yoga is derived from the Sanskrit ‘Yuji’ which means union. By uniting the body with the breath, we can help to clear the mind. Since yoga incorporates breathing exercises (pranayama) with physical poses (asanas) and conscious relaxation techniques this can lead to significant physical, mental, emotional & spiritual benefits.

Interestingly, what the ancients & we who practice yoga ‘know’, science is beginning to confirm. Michael de Manincour, a Psychologist at the Yoga Institute quotes a study done with a group of people suffering from clinical depression & anxiety. They practiced yoga everyday for 6 weeks versus the control group, also suffering with their mental health, who did not practice yoga.

The yoga group recorded a 33% reduction in depression & anxiety, reduced emotional & mental distress, increased resilience & an increase in the number of positive experiences they recorded along with a reduction in the negative experiences. The control group did not record the same benefits. What is even more staggering, is that those who practiced yoga did so for only an average of 12 minutes a day.

And this is not the only study: try typing ‘scientific benefits of yoga ‘into google & you will come across scores of studies reporting similar results.

We are not only beginning to understand the enormous benefits from yoga but why.

Dr. Loren Fishman explains, ”It (yoga) thickens the layer of the cerebral cortex, the part of the brain associated with higher learning & increased neuroplasticity, which helps us learn new things & change the way we do things.”

Yoga not only benefits our mental health but it also helps us manage stress. There is no doubt we are living in increasingly stressful times. Our neuro-endocrine system has inbuilt mechanisms to help us fight stress. But if we are constantly triggered & not given the opportunity to reset ourselves, then stress hormones flood our system affecting our physical & mental health significantly.  Our automatic nervous system has 2 parts: the sympathetic nervous system which is responsible for our fight, flight or freeze response & the parasympathetic nervous system which controls the activities our body does whilst at rest including digestion, healing, sleep, sex, learning & creation.

When these complimentary systems work in harmony, alignment & balance we feel great, harmonious & balanced. When the sympathetic system is overused, the balance is upset which creates dis-ease: illness & disease. Yoga helps us to restore balance because it activates the parasympathetic nervous system, balancing the hormones of stress, allowing our body to heal.

In yoga we work with our body & our breath to restore calm in our minds. This works on many levels. First the breath. It is one of the most powerful ways to impact stress. Longer smoother breaths send a powerful message to the brain & balance our automatic nervous system. We can also reduce our blood pressure by slowing the rate of our breath.  But yoga also helps to bring our mind into focus & coherence. Try standing on 1 leg if you are thinking about something else. Indeed, you can often tell how much someone has going on in their mind, by how easily they can stand on one leg. Try balancing on your hands and arms, which is almost impossible if your mind is wandering or ruminating. By focusing on what we are doing physically, this focuses our mind & this helps to change our brains. It’s called neuroplasticity. And this focus & coherence is incredibly healing.

Advances in science & the advent of MRI scanners have enabled us to see how meditative practices (& yes yoga is a meditative practice) can change the structure & activity within the brain.

By using MRI scans, we can monitor the activity in our prefrontal cortex. When we are balancing, we can see on MRI scans that redirecting our thought patterns helps to create new circuits in the prefrontal cortex, which helps us access these in times of stress, when we need them.  Not only are we beginning to be able to actually see the changes in the brain from practicing yoga & meditation but advancements in molecular & cellular biology & science are beginning to show biomedical changes in our neurons & the functioning of the body at both cellular & molecular levels. Almost every week there is a new body of evidence being published about how yoga impacts our body at this micro level.

And since there is so much to share regarding the science behind yoga we will expand upon this next time.

If you would like to put some of these scientific benefits to the test & practice yoga with Alex her YouTube channel offers free short classes for everyone & is available here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQlKZJ7MeyYc6lqkv6seISw

Alternatively all of her classes are streamed on live on Zoom, for more information message her at alex@alexbannard.com

Free resources are also available on her Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/AlexBannardYogaMindfulness

And her website is www.alexbannard.com

Alex is based on the edge of the stunning Cotswolds & has been sharing her love for all things yoga & mindfulness for almost a decade, not just in the UK but also around the world. Her mission is to help everyone discover a more mindful way of living & to encourage them to embrace regular self-care practices for a happier & healthier way of being.

Back in the late 1990s, Valerie Williams began selling traditional tarts and cakes at local farmers’ markets around Lancashire. They sold like hot cakes,  (sorry about that) and never one to stand still, Val developed a more extensive range of traditional homemade biscuits , based on local recipes. These continued to gather fans , so much so  that very soon farm shops and garden centres were asking to stock her range. Steadily,  like Topsy, Williams’ Handbaked  ‘growed’.  Now their Eccles and Chorley cakes, Goosenargh Biscuits and Lancashire Parkin are a by-word in the area.

As the team has expanded, so too has the bakery’s reach: exhibiting at food festivals and events across the country, and now  it’s good to know that their online wing is growing fast.

Situated on the Docklands in Preston, Lancashire, in the very same spot where Val began it all, the bakery is still very much a family affair, though now the day-to-day running of the business is  the capable hands of the next generation,  Val’s son Thomas, with help from her daughter-in-law Katie. Though it has to be said, Val is still in evidence.

       Val- Director                                                   Tom – Director                                               Katie – Operations Manager

As Val told Margaret,  ‘Williams Handbaked will continue the same principles instilled from the start. Our focus will always be on quality. All our products are still made and packed by hand with the utmost care and attention by our small but beatifully formed bakery team(!) using only the finest ingredients.’ 

So let’s meet the Williams’ team:

                             Rachel                                                         John                                                                    Julie

Rachel  – head baker – joined Williams as a modern apprentice, and they wouldn’t let her leave. A very talented baker,  she is always to be found experimenting with new recipes. John has worked for Val since he was 16. He’s responsible for logistics, making sure every single order is packed and shipped correctly and on time. The team always know when baker Julie is in the building as they’ll most likely hear her before they see her, and quite frankly, they wouldn’t have her any other way.

Tom has been selling Williams’ biscuits and cakes at events and shows for over ten years, and, says Val, he has the market trader banter to match.  Rory is responsible for the Williams brand, incorporating the website, packaging, point of sale, social media and photography. Bringing a wealth of experience to the role Tim manages the dispatch warehouse and ensures every order sent out is spot on.

                  Sheryl                                                        Vicky                                                         Toby

Sheryl , bakery assistant, has been with Williams for twenty years, and has a keen eye for detail. Sheryl is currently working on her piping technique. Vicky .also bakery assistant says it’s been ‘a joy joining the Williams family‘ Vicky always arrives with a positive attitude, and will do whatever’s needed. Toby’s been baking cakes since he was 12. He first joined the team on work experience and is now working on his Apprenticeship.

Jesse is the newest recruit and has jumped in with both feet. He’s a fast learner and enjoys testing out recipes with his young daughter. Megan is John’s little cousin, and in between her studies at college, Val tells me you  can find her packing our biscuits and cakes. Ben is currently working for his Warehousing Apprenticeship and is Tim’s assistant in our dispatch unit.

So there we have it, Margaret’s curiosity is satisfied. Somehow it makes the hampers even more delicious to have met the team, all exuding enthusiasm, and comradeship, just as a family should. I do wonder what the Christmas hampers will look like. Seems likeChristmas presents for my family  is pretty much sorted

https://www.williamshandbaked.co.uk/

Is it a bit early to recommend things for Christmas?  Well, even if it is, I suggest you make sure you send this to all the grandmas you know.

The rhymed poetry is as jaunty as the cover illustration; marching along and relatable – what Grandma has not made a call to a daughter, to find the receiver is picked up, there is clicking, breathing, and then, the burr of the line,as the receiver is replaced.  Ah yes, the grandchild has discovered the thrill of answering the phone. Read it and nod, smile, laugh, remember… Click click, clack clack, burr.

Di Castle covers the gamut from one’s child becoming pregnant, to the arrival of the grandbaby, to the advent of another. Words of wisdom, of observation, the highs, the lows… Life’s rich pattern.

Di Castle told Frost Magazine that as a child she enjoyed A A Milne’s poetry (as did most of us) then onwards to Spike Milligan’s humour and Parm Ayres laugh aloud poems so often read in her own inimitable way.

That’s where poetry  sat in Di Castle’s writer’s world until the birth of her first grandchild, when the emotion of it all set the poetic cogs turning.

Chance remarks became germs of ideas, which became poems., some of which won competitions. As the collection grew , the obvious thing was to gather them into a book. But what about illustrations? Enter Denise A Horn, and a happy partnership was born.

Grandma’s Poetry Book is many things. A memoir.  A creative view of changing roles. A humorous vehicle. But most of all a pretty fine book of rhyming poetry and one that should be enjoyed by many. Lovely illustrations too.

Grandma’s Poetry Book is available on Amazon, here:  Amazon  Kindle and Paperback.   pub Matador.

The pandemic related lockdowns caused much introspection in the Rowan household, partly brought about by an unexpected sudden addiction to baked goods. You can imagine the resulting tightness of clothes, and the gloom. So steps had to be, and were,  taken.

Now that we have returned to a semblance of normality, hours in the day hasve become something of a precious commodity. and we have slipped into the habit of resorting at times to  slim-line ready meals. Some proved more successful than others, but nothing really convinced and generally left me feeling hungry not long afterwards.

So, I approached the Love Yourself range with a degree of scepticism, particularly as I am a vegetarian, and it often seems as though  we are a bit of an afterthought where ready meals are concerned.

Not only does Love Yourself provide a thoughtful menu for vegetarians, but a calorie controlled one at that.

If being a vegetarian wasn’t challenge enough, I ordered two of the 1500 calorie packages, (various other calorie and dietary options are available) prices start at £15.00.

The food is delivered daily and has a shelf life of a few days, so if you don’t eat it all, you could have it another day. Each box contains five packages, Breakfast; Snack; Lunch; Snack, Dinner

A gourmet chef uses fresh ingredients, cooks each day without additives. Furthermore advice from  a nutritionist ensures that the food is tasty (it really is). Thanks to the slow-release carbohydrates each dish keeps you feeling full for longer (it really does).

Every meal is scannable via MyFitness app to help keep track of calories and macro-nutrients though I confess that for me  this was a step too far, (stepping on the scales is exercise enough) so this aspect remains untested.

Obviously, as I only tried this for two days, I cannot vouch for exact weight loss but I can say that I never once felt hungry, and the food was uniformly delicious, therefore sustaining 1500 calories per day would not be difficult – and how could the weight not come off?

Each week Love Yourself provides an exciting combination of innovative dishes and a constantly changing menu.

My breakfast began with scrambled eggs and homemade country style bread, delicious and surprisingy filling, so much so that I barely needed my morning snack of a sweetcorn and feta cheese muffin. The muffin felt somewhat counter intuitive, but I forced myself for Frost Magazine, and was glad that I did.  A winning combination that took me through to lunch without a problem.

Lunch was a meatless mince Bolognaise with pasta, and the mince had real bite, not the sloppy stuff that I have had in the past.

I was so full, that I moved my afternoon snack of an apple and banana slice which was as filling and tasty as it sounds to a late night snack, allowing me to savour a dinner of Cumin spiced lentils and Brussel sprouts. Now I love brussel sprouts, so I should declare an interest, but these were taken to a whole new level.

So all in all possibly the tastiest diet day I have ever had and quite without feeling ravenous the next morning. when  I embarked on a breakfast of crunchy granola with sharp tasting berry yoghurt offering intense burst of flavour.

The morning snack was Butter bean and rosemary hummus with carrot, which felt worthy and the closest we came to a diet food, but tasty for all that. Lunch was Tempeh chasseur which was possibly my faourite of both days and my afternoon snack was energy chocolate,  prune and orange cookie.

Because the lunch and snack were filling, I was pleased to have a fresh, crisp and tasty Tofu and grape salad with a sesame dressing for dinner.

Love Yourself lets you enjoy a hot filling tasty meal on the table within 3 minutes, and one that will aid weight loss if that is your aim.

Meal plans with higher (and lower) daily calory allowances and of course containing meat are available and if the vegetarian option is anything to go by, you are in for a treat.

https://www.loveyourself.co.uk

I love candles, I do. But I’m seriously impressed by wax melts. A Melt In Time is a family-run UK company and their mission statement says it all: to create luxury wax melts that stimulate the senses while being gentle on the planet.

All the melts are made with best quality natural wax. This is important as candles made from poor quality ingredients or chemicals can be harmful, sometimes irritating the eyes and lungs.

These lovely natural melts are so easy and convenient too. They come as a block of six small cubes and you simply put one cube on your burner, light a tea light underneath, sit back and enjoy the beautiful aroma. The pack of six have a total burning time of 30-40 hours so they last for ages, and any residue can just be popped in the bin once cool.

As soon as I opened the package, I could smell the Sandalwood and Myrrh. Even within the wrapping the scent was stunning, and when I melted a cube on the pretty burner, the room filled with the powerful fragrance within minutes. I felt strangely compelled to stop everything, relax on the sofa, sip green tea and read a magazine. The Lavender melt smells equally amazing and I can’t wait to test it with a relaxing bath tonight. (Note to self – keep away from melts when I need to work – they are surprisingly addictive and ‘melt’ away my stress maybe a little too much.)

I love that A Melt In Time have such a huge range of traditional and unusual scents – from Vanilla Cinnamon and Rhubarb and Rose to Fresh Bread (good for house-selling I hear) plus some rather quirkly scents such as Unicorn Sparkle and Alien Invasion.

But don’t take my word for it, check out their website for yourself. The melts are just £3.99 for a block.

There’s also a range of very attractive and unusual Tea Light Wax Burners available. You can buy these individually, or as a set with two blocks of wax melts, currently on special offer at just £12.99 which make a fabulous present.

But if you want a real bargain, for everyday use, watch out for their ‘Waxidents’ (not quite perfect melts) at just £2.50 a pack of six.

So if you’re looking for a lovely Christmas present for friends or just out to treat yourself, take a look at A Melt In Time – you’ll wish you’d discovered them sooner.

By Dr K Thompson, award-winning author of From Both Ends of the Stethoscope: Getting through breast cancer – by a doctor who knows

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01A7DM42Q http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01A7DM42Q

http://faitobooks.co.uk

Note: These articles express personal views. No warranty is made as to the accuracy or completeness of information given and you should always consult a doctor if you need medical advice.