Alice may be bed-bound, but every day Stream Cast brings the world to her. From the streets of Tokyo to a masterclass in video games, she experiences other people’s wild and exciting lives all without ever leaving her room.

But everything changes when Alice is introduced to a new streamer.

As Alice and Rowan build a bigger and more beautiful world together, their secrets threaten to tear them apart. Would you risk everything for love?
Every so often I like to pick up a book that is more suitable for younger ages, mainly to satisfy my curiosity about how books have changed with the times and see what is new for the young people of today.

From the first page to the last I was hooked, it’s a cliché but I genuinely could not put this marvellous book down.

During these times where we have all been locked away from our friends like Alice, many of us have used technology for socialising. However, unlike most of us, Alice is bed bound all of the time.

Do you ever wonder what that is like? Sarah Ann Juckes writes a beautiful story of Alice, her friends and of course, her first love.

The world between us is aimed at readers aged 12-17, however I am in my late 20s and I still enjoyed it. I found it to be a lovely smooth read with short chapters which is ideal if you only want to read little and often.

I would recommend The World Between Us to fans of All the Bright Places and the fault in our stars.

After a year of an invisible enemy and lockdowns perhaps it’s no wonder that our lifestyle may have slipped from healthy to ‘could do better’.

Maybe now’s the time to ditch the comfort eating, the ‘is it too early for a glass of wine?’ habit and swap the TV for long walks (socially-distanced of course).

Gently as it goes though, self-kindness and patience are important too – and Pukka teas are a particularly pleasant way to start.

Do you remember when herbal teas tasted like coloured water? No, you’re probably too young, but trust me, Pukka is a totally different experience.

Pukka teas are all certified organic, and are harvested sustainably, and growers paid fairly.  The company was established by entrepreneur Tim Westwell and practicing herbalist Sebastian Pole. ​

Sebastian expertly blends practitioner-grade herbs and spices, which contain the highest level of essential oils and active ingredients. He uses Ayurvedic principles, a centuries-old Indian health practice which classifies people into three types, or Dosha: Vata, Pitta and Kapha, which can be rebalanced to restore health. You can even find your personal Dosha using the questionnaire on the Pukka Herbs website.

I love the various Pukka tea collections , but Day To Night has a particularly great selection, from getting you up in the morning with Ginseng And Matcha Green tea, Turmeric Gold to help reduce inflammation naturally, Revitalise (with cardamom which I adore), and then as we get towards evening, winding down with the naturally caffeine-free teas After Dinner and Night-Time.

But let’s talk a little more about night-time and sleep because sleep patterns have generally suffered during the pandemic. Research shows strong links between sleep and our immune system, and good quality sleep may even help our response to vaccination. So now is a good time for sleep hygiene.

Pukka’s new Night Time Berry is ideal – a mixture including different berries, valerium, chamomile, lavender and echinacea – a fabulous combination of natural sleep-inducers with immune-system support. And the best bit, it tastes absolutely delicious.

So, as a first step to your new healthy life, why not pop a box of Night Time Berry on your shopping list. Available from Waitrose, Amazon and Holland & Barrett for RRP £2.99 for a box containing 20 sachets.

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.

Joffe Books have done it again. A great line up.

A brand-new mystery from Helen H. Durrant, the bestselling author who’s sold over 1m copies of her mysteries worldwide. If you’ve yet to discover her, now is the perfect time to do so.

THE FACELESS MAN is out now. Don’t miss out, grab your copy today for a mere £2 / $2.99.

The body of a young boy is discovered, stabbed to death and set alight.

When Detectives Lennox and Wilde identify the victim, they’re led back to a room decorated with photographs of unsolved murders including an image of the faceless man.

Did the victim know too much?

Body on the Island by Victoria Dowd. 99p       Creepy, dark, funny – what more could you want.

The Lipstick Murders  by Roger Silverwood.  99p      A killer who leaves each victim bearing a message written in lipstick . Is it a vengeful patient is back,  hunting down those who botched his surgery one by one?

This time, Detective Angel knows exactly who he’s looking for . . . but can he catch the killer before he strikes again?

The Price of Murder by Brian Battison. 99p       Barbara answers a call at home and a distorted voice on the other end announces the kidnapping of her husband. Who has taken her husband and why?

The Girl on the Beach by Susanna Beard 99p     What would you do if you discovered a dead body on a remote beach and no one else seemed to care?  Anna recoils in horror as she pulls a strand of seaweed away from the rocks and uncovers the white, smooth curve of a human leg . . .

All page turners… go to Joffe to see more offerings.

MEET STEPH CAREY     PROJECT EDITOR at Joffe Books

WHAT I DO: As Project Editor, I’m lucky to be able to work on many different aspects of our books, and I get to read across a wonderfully wide spectrum of genres: from police procedurals and thrillers, to cosy crime, to historical romance. Part of my job is working out how to position a book within the market, so I might be researching competitor titles to brief a designer for the cover, or working out the exact readership of a book to write the perfect blurb. I also really enjoy the hands-on, nitty-gritty editorial tasks, like taking in author and proofreader corrections or finding and correcting errors in final files.

WHAT I’M LOOKING FORWARD TO IN 2021: Having only started at Joffe Books in October last year, I’ve never actually met any of my colleagues in person! I’m really looking forward to getting to know them all properly (hopefully in the pub) as soon as the world goes back to normal. It would also be great to be able to meet some of our wonderful authors and start thinking about ideas for future projects.

FAVOURITE BOOKS: I’m currently about halfway through Diana Athill’s memoir Stet: An Editor’s Life, which is a really fascinating account of what publishing used to be like in the glory days. Oddly, it’s making me nostalgic for cramped offices and huge stacks of proofs on my desk! I just finished Françoise Sagan’s Bonjour Tristesse, which is every bit as good as everyone says it is (and being set in the gorgeous, sunny South of France is the perfect escapist read…). Also – and I realise I’ve very late to the party on this – for any fans of psychological thrillers I can’t recommend Oyinkan Braithwaite’s My Sister, The Serial Killer enough.

Annie Clarke (one of Margaret Graham’s pen names along with Milly Adams)  is the author of the Home Front series.

I was talking recently to another writer about short stories which we agreed were a particularly exacting writing form. Clear, concise structure, usually revolving around one incident, with a lean cast and one protagonist, an antagonist, and a strong theme. It is a form that needs honing, then honing again, which is why I was interested to read news of this competition.

Exisle Publishing, a global publisher with a significant presence in the United Kingdom, has launched an open-form writing competition. Their goal is to encourage and reward creative expression, and tap into a diverse range of voices on an interesting and pertinent theme. Specifically, the impact of technology on our lives.

Entitled “When the Machine Arrived,” Exisle Publishing is offering a generous prize of £725 GBP to the winner, as well as publication opportunities for the winner and select runners-up. The word limit is 1,500 words.

Standard entry is free of charge, and open to writers from around the world. The deadline for submissions is March 30.

I had my first writing break after I was placed in a competition. Give it a try, all you writers out there.

This is the link to learn more and participate:  When The Machine Arrived

And good luck!

Margaret Graham is the author of 30 novels, writing under Margaret Graham, Milly Adams and Annie Clarke.

Her latest novels comprise the Home Front series.

I’ve become quite addicted to Beauty of Eczema products, invented by Camille Knowles, who struggled with such dreadful eczema that her life was a complete misery. Nowadays she looks just fabulous after having worked out a regime of life-style, diet and skin products, and she’s keen to help others with her Vlog and books and of course her fabulous skin range.

The nice thing about her skin products is that they’re all made with high quality, pure ingredients (plus a little magic in the form of crystals), so even if you don’t have eczema you’ll find they are fantastic for your skin, smell great and are perfect for a pampering evening. And if your skin is sensitive, they’re particularly good.

Calming Cream for example, is formulated with Mango and Shea butters and Jojoba Seed Oil. It also contains Omega 3 and 6, balanced to reduce inflammation and Oat lipids (a rich source of vitamin E). Rhamnosoft is based on a fermented sugar which protects and soothes and Bioecolia is a prebiotic to encourage beneficial skin bacteria. The final ingredients are Smithsonite and Rhodochrosite crystals for serenity, calmness and self-love.

Other items in her range include Pamper Me Bathing Oil, Skin Warrior Wash and Salty Soother and they are all fabulous and look so attractive in pretty pink.

If you’re wondering what to get Mum for Mother’s Day, look no further. All products are available from her website.

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.

With average mobile phone use at around three hours each day and rising, there are concerns about possible health effects. Wireless devices including phones emit radio-frequency waves, and one area of concern is whether this can affect our brains. Some research has been done, but more is needed. In the mean time using a speakerphone where possible is probably sensible.

Energydots make low-powered magnets which, they say, are programmed with a specific, naturally-occurring frequency. They explain that each DOT performs a slightly different function and the smartDOT and bioDOT protect from harmful effects of wireless radiation. They clarify that the DOTs do not shield from radiation, rather ‘retune (or harmonise) the emissions to a more natural coherent frequency’. The sleepDOT ‘uses passive micro vibrational technology to slow brain waves from beta to theta and delta (sleep) frequencies.’

To be honest, as a doctor, I don’t understand what ‘retuning or harmonising’ radio-frequency waves means and cannot endorse this from my medical or scientific background. I am curious to know how the sleepDOT changes brain waves.

To Energydot’s credit, they have commissioned a couple of quite small studies of the effect of the DOTs on mobile phone exposure, although I am unsure of the clinical relevance of the results.

However I try to have an open mind and wearing magnets is a popular treatment for arthritis and other diseases, albeit of unproven benefit, so I have given the DOTs a go.

I have tried the Bioband – a rather neat disc on a rubberised wrist band; I’ve also stuck a smartDOT in my mobile phone case and a sleepDOT on my bed. They’ve only been in place for two days so a little too soon to tell. I do confess to feeling a little calmer – whether it’s a placebo effect I can’t say.

So what’s my view on Energydot? I think Energydot have an interesting idea. I would have liked more information on their technology and their theory as to why it could work. Some serious research is needed to establish whether the DOTs do have a beneficial effect and I hope they will commission further work.

In the meantime I’m prepared to try the DOTS for a little longer – I can’t see that they would do any harm and with lockdown I think we can all benefit from anything which may help us sleep.

They are available from the Energydot website.

By Dr K Thompson, 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.

Does magic really exist? According to coaches Kirsty and Morgana at The Manifesting Institute yes it does. I too think that we have more power over our lives than we realise, and we don’t always believe it, or know how to harness it – and sometimes we inadvertently misuse it – we must indeed ‘be careful what we wish for’.

So let’s take a look at Magical Thinking’s five key ways to channel your super powers and transform your life:

1. Conscious rituals can create great unconscious habits

The body holds on to negative experiences and trauma. Affirmations may help, but try something physical, linking to where your want to be in life, like a regular self-care routine.

2. Choose your ‘intentions’ carefully 

Choose intentions about who you want to be not what you want to have. People who feel lucky are luckier.

3. Think and act in 3D

If you dream about a beach house, bring in shells, driftwood etc. Direct love towards your intentions and don’t be passive, interact with these physical objects daily. Think about a person or business you admire. Obtaining something that has a direct connection can have a magical effect.

4. Be intentional 

Be intentional in every area of your life, what you wear, your hairstyle, your jewellery. Disneybounding uses fictional characters. By dressing up (subtly or overtly) as an admired character we can resonate with their best traits.

5. Everything manifests – so remove things you’re not resonating with 

A cluttered room can affect you even if the door is closed. Remove what doesn’t resonate with your imagined best version of you. Physically declutter; delete time-sucking apps and discard clothes which make you feel bad. Ask before you buy something, is this a great collaboration for my best life? Or is it taking time, energy, money?

I like these ideas and will be trying them. To clarify, this doesn’t imply that if bad things happen, it’s your fault. There’s an important difference between being able to positively influence our lives, and taking undeserved blame for bad things that may happen to us.

If you’re interested in making your life the best it can be, check out the courses and ideas on the Magical Thinking website. Why not?

By Dr K Thompson, 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.

This is the personal memoirs of a lady who grew up as an Afrikaaner in apartheid South Africa. It gives an insight into her every day life and her relationship with her father who she portrays as a rather bullying, racist character. She goes on to describe her various relationships, both in South Africa and USA, where she traveled ‘to find love and meaning’. She shares her innermost thoughts with the reader and the book contains much self-examination as the author tries to understand her behaviour and her life.

The author says that she wrote her memoir in a quest to make spiritual sense of the traumatic life events she has experienced.

To be honest, this book wasn’t for me, but it may help others who resonate with her experiences.

.

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.