Category Archives: Books

SISTER SCRIBES’ READING ROUND UP: NOVEMBER

Posted on by

Kitty

Our Story – Miranda Dickinson

How I loved this book and Otty and Joe. Miranda Dickinson writes with such heart that it spills over into her characters and I fell a little in love with both of them, was desperately willing them to get together and getting a little cross when they were making poor decisions. I love reacting this way, it means the author has completely pulled me into her world. Our Story is a wonderful novel to escape with. Fun, empathetic and engaging, it was delightful reading and an absolutely perfect rom-com.

Christmas Island – Natalie Normann

I have been so excited about this book. I read Summer Island earlier this year and fell in love with Natalie Normann’s writing style and the setting and could not wait to read this second in the series (which can easily be read as a stand-alone). As with the first, this book truly delivers on the cosy or Koselig and as Holly and Tor’s romance builds from their first meeting the reader is taken on a whirlwind tour of Norwegian Christmas food and traditions. I loved so much of the detail of this book and it provided me with the perfect Christmassy escape.

The Single Dad’s Handbook – Lynsey James

This book is the story of Evan – a widower bringing up his small daughter – and how his grief has, understandably, upended his life. He discovers a book of letters written by his wife before she dies to help him deal with the issues she anticipates once she is gone. The letters are poignant and witty, which is a fair summary of the book itself. I read it very quickly, fell utterly in love with Evan’s daughter Violet and thought the way that Lynsey James manages to combine this story of loss with comic moments and the hope that a new romance can bring was very skilfully done.

 

Susanna

The Ferryman’s Daughter by Juliet Greenwood

Wow! What a book. I was utterly caught up in this enthralling family saga set in rural and coastal Cornwall in the early part of the 20th century. In Hester, Juliet Greenwood has created an exceptionally strong and appealing heroine and I loved and admired her as she fought to follow her dream in spite of numerous setbacks that occurred thanks to the conventions and expectations of the day. This is a thoroughly engrossing and satisfying book, packed with drama and emotion and enhanced by a strong sense of time and place, all served up by a gifted writer.

 

Jane

Glynis Peters’ The Forgotten Orphan is about as far away from a traditional orphan story as it’s possible to be. For a start the protagonist, Maisie, is an older teenager, and secondly, she is in the middle of a world at war. That said, it is a story of friends, family and loves lost and found, and it doesn’t shy away from the harsh realities of life and death in World War Two.

From a personal point of view I loved the fact the book was set in Southampton, a city I know well. It was well researched and well written, with a host of characters I came to care about. Family saga, wartime tale, love story – this book was all of these and so much more than the sum of its parts.

 

 

 

 

 

5 Books That Changed Me by Natalie Jayne Peeke West Country Correspondent

Posted on by

It is no secret to those that know me that books hold a special place in my heart. I enjoy being able to escape to a different world, a different time, a different place. With the stresses of everyday life I have been reading more and more over the past few years and I thought that now would be the perfect time to look back and reflect on the books that have changed me.

First up is Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s stone by J K Rowling. I have very fond memories of this book, my mum used to read it to me and she would speak in different voices for each of the characters which would always make me chuckle. I was fascinated with the world of magic and imagination that J K Rowling has. This book kickstarted my love of the Harry Potter books, i would insist on having the latest one as soon as i possibly could. I remember when I was 15 and Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix had just been released and that summer me and my family went on holiday to the south of France and instead of lounging by the pool all day I would stay inside and read. Yes I did finish it within the two weeks we were away. To this day I am a huge Harry Potter fan and so is my daughter who i now read the Philosophers stone to.

Next up is the Diary of Anne Frank, i read this for the first time when i was in secondary school around the age of 14. It opened my eyes to not only the cruelty and horror that Jews were subjected to just because they were Jews but despite it all Anne Frank remained  positive and extremely brave “I keep my ideals, because in spite of everything I still believe that people are really good at heart”. Anne Frank received her diary as a present for her 13th birthday and i was reading her diary when i was of a similar age and i remember thinking that i would not be that brave and it put things into perspective for me. The diary of Anne Frank is one book that will always remain on my bookshelf and one that i will turn to when i feel that i need to be brave or strong or positive. 

At Long last love by Milly Adams was a book that was given to me as a gift from someone who knows that my favourite genre to read is historical fiction. This book changed me in a different way to the others listed because even though I absolutely adored reading it and I went on to buy two more books written by Milly Adams because i enjoyed it so much, it is the events that followed reading this book that changed me. At the time I was writing my own blog where I would write book reviews and interviews with authors among other things. When I finished At long Last Love, i reached out to Milly Adams and asked if she would be willing to answer a few questions for my blog. She kindly agreed to do so. I went on to learn that Milly Adams is in fact a pen name for Margaret Graham who is a editor for Frost magazine, I must have done something right as to my amazement Margaret asked if i would like to write reviews for the magazine. Fast forward almost 3 years and I am now the West Country Correspondent for Frost Magazine and my confidence in myself and in my writing has improved drastically all thanks to Margaret Graham and the Frost Magazine Team. 

There are very few books that I have read as many times as A Christmas Carol by Charles dickens. This classic book did – as corny as it sounds- teach me the true meaning of christmas, it isn’t about what gifts you get but who you spend the time with, how you treat others, how you value and appreciate them. Over the years i have watched many film adaptations which i enjoy with my children, our personal favourite is ‘A Muppets ‘Christmas Carol’ which again has become a tradition to watch at least once over the festive period. 

Last but by no means least is a book that I read last year, The Lost Girl’s of Paris by Pam Jenoff. Up to that point I was blissfully unaware of women’s involvement in world war two. This taught me a lot about the German occupation of France, the resistance and the missions and sabotage that they carried out which would have absolutely contributed to the allied victory. I knew that back home women  worked in munitions factories risking life and limb.  However I did not know about Winston Churchill’s Special Operations Executive or SOE, where women would be taught sabotage and survival skills and would be parachuted behind enemy lines where they would face capture, torture and execution. These women were smart, courageous and ruthless. They were heroes. 

 

CELIA ANDERSON ON CELEBRATING ROMANTIC FICTION

Posted on by

When I was approached back in 2016 with a view to taking over the organising of the Romantic Novel Awards from Nicola Cornick, I have to admit my knees began to shake. Nicola followed a long line of equally super-efficient coordinators, all of whom had helped the system to grow and develop in different ways. It’s been a fascinating few years though, learning the ropes, meeting hundreds of writers, agents, publishers and avid readers online and experiencing the amazing diversity of romantic fiction as it is today.

These RNA awards are unique in that eight of them are completely reader-judged by up to 300 volunteers who are passionate about reading romantic fiction. Every spring, the regular panel of judges are re-recruited with some additions, and once the books begin to flood in (all ebooks now, which has been a blessing in this year of being extra-aware of passing on germs) the organiser is responsible for allocating batches of books to readers for a set period. We close for business on September 30th or when the cap of 500 entries is reached, whichever comes first, but allocation and judging continues way into the autumn until every book has been read and scored.

In addition to this, my hard-working colleague Laura James will be publicising and collating votes from librarians, book bloggers and book sellers as they nominate their favourite book of the year for the Popular Fiction Award which is presented at the same time as the other category prizes for Contemporary, Romantic Comedy, Debut, Fantasy, Shorter Romances, Historical, Saga and Thrillers. We endeavour to promote diversity and inclusion so that romance in all its forms is fully represented.

The results are strictly confidential until careful moderation of the judging process by a panel of experts has been completed, after which short lists are consolidated. Even then, only those on the lists are notified and asked to keep the secret until the announcements are formally made in February. In early March at a glittering ceremony and party in the heart of London, the final results are revealed and the trophies presented by a different celebrity each time. The final presentation is always the Outstanding Achievement Award, won in 2020 by the wonderful Milly Johnson who brought the house down and reduced everyone to tears with her moving and encouraging speech.

This showcase event is an ideal way to promote all genres of romance, to give members the chance to mingle with publishers, agents and fellow authors and to highlight the fact that romantic novels become more popular with every year that passes and that writers of romance should be celebrated for bringing much needed joy into the world of books. In this time of pandemic troubles, the format for the 2021 event will need to be carefully considered but rest assured, the winners and short-listees will still be celebrated with as much pomp and ceremony as we can safely achieve. They are all stars.

 

Celia Anderson was a primary teacher and assistant headteacher before deciding to leave it all behind to write full time. She has been an enthusiastic member of the RNA since 2011, having graduated through the wonderful New Writers’ Scheme and made many good friends along the way. With Harper Fiction she has recently published The Pengelly Series (59 Memory Lane and The Cottage of Curiosities). There are more to come…

 

 

 

 

Christmas on the Home Front by Annie Clarke – Review

Posted on by

October 1942: As Christmas approaches, the evacuees decide a pantomime is just what the village of Massingham needs.

Viola loves her new job away from the factory, and hopes that her romance with the handsome Ralph might have a happy ending. Meanwhile, married life is proving tough for Fran and Davey as they are forced apart by war work and an unexpected arrival on her doorstep turns her world upside down.

Following her husband’s shock confession, Beth finally feels as though she’s regaining control of her life, that is until he turns up . . .

A lot can happen on the home front, but Christmas is a time for family and friends, and the factory girls will do everything they can to ensure this year’s celebration is one to remember.

Do you need a big hug?

Well, Christmas on the Home Front will wrap its arms about you and make you feel loved and cosy as you turn the pages.

I feel like I’ve been waiting rather impatiently for the latest in the Home Front saga – and it was only July – but it’s been a loooong year. I have wondered what Frances, Sarah and Beth have been up to since we last met – that time it was Wedding Bells and this time it is most definitely about the children – because Christmas is about the children, isn’t it? But it’s about a whole lot of other things too. Especially in Massingham.

Our lovely girls are still working at the munitions factory and their mams are still making proggy rugs to sell to Briddlestones for extra cash. The evacuees are settled at Massingham Hall and the community does what it can to help – and oh, lord, little Eva, what a character, she made me laugh so much. There’s the hustle and bustle of everyday life and a panto to prepare for. And this is no ordinary pantomime I can tell you!

All life is here, in Christmas on the Home Front, it teems from the pages, and the love, hope and dreams of the tight community of Massingham shines from every line.  The times are tough, the people more so and they all pull together to help each other. As always, with any Annie Clarke book there is warmth and compassion in bucketloads.

All of the Home Front books can be read without having read any of the other titles but why deprive yourself. You’ll miss out on so much. I was worrying about poor Ralph the whole way through. Would he be able to redeem himself, would his secret past be revealed. To find out this and so many other things get yourself a copy, a cuppa and a big fat slice of cake and snuggle up to discover for yourself.

I sat up until the wee hours reading and had to stop myself at 2am to save the last chapters for the following evening. I wanted to savour the richness of the ending and I was not disappointed. I closed the book feeling warm and satisfied, and with the feeling that there are good people in the world, you can find them everywhere. I know these are fictional characters but they reminded me of so many people I know and have known – and that’s the magic spell Annie Clarke casts.

I feel I could catch a train when all this is over and find my way along the streets of Massingham. I’d stay there a while, walk to the beck where so many happy memories were made, along to Massingham Hall which would surely be a five star hotel by now.  Perhaps the landscape would have changed but the people would still have the strength and heartiness of the characters in this book. Don’t miss out on a hug!

Christmas on the Home Front 

Published by Arrow £6.99

About Annie Clarke

Annie Clarke’s roots are dug deep into the North East. She draws inspiration from her mother, who was born in a County Durham pit village during the First World War, and went on to became a military nurse during World War Two. Annie and her husband now live a stone’s throw from the pit village where her mother was born. She has written frequently about the North East in novels which she hopes reflect her love and respect for the region’s lost mining communities. Annie has four adult children and four granddaughters, who fill her and her husband’s days with laughter, endlessly leading these two elders astray.

Five Books That Changed Me By Yousra Imran, author of Hijab and Red Lipstick

Posted on by

Roxy van der Post for Myosotis Film & Photography

Headscarves and Hymens by Mona El Tahawy

“The most subversive thing a woman can do is talk about her life as if it really matters.” This was the line in Headscarves and Hymens that gave me the affirmation I needed to use my passion for writing to talk about the subjects that mattered most to me and not to feel a sense of “shame” for writing openly about life experiences. This was the first time I read a book which spoke so closely to my own thoughts as a Muslim Arab feminist, and I was nodding along every page of the way. Headscarves and Hymens is feminist journalist Mona El Tahawy’s first non-fiction book, and an in-depth look at the multi-faceted injustices women face across the Middle East.

It’s Not About the Burqa by Mariam Khan

It’s Not About the Burqa is an anthology of essays written by a long list of female British Muslim writers including BBC journalist Saima Mir, Jeremy Vine on 5 co-presenter Salma-El Wardany and award-winning author Sufiya Ahmed. They write unabashedly about their own experiences and on a range of topics people think Muslim women aren’t interested in – sexuality, feminism, politics, the law and queerness to name a few. This is a life-changing read because it proves that Muslim women are not a monolithic and there is no “one type” of Muslim woman. It also proves that we are extremely successful and have made incredible contributions in British society. Everyone needs to read this book.

Two Women in One by Nawaal El Saadawi

As well as being a famous Egyptian feminist, Nawaal El Saadawi writes novels and her husband has translated most of them into English. She writes about everyday Egyptian women, including working class women and women in rural areas. My favourite novel of hers is Two Women in One, probably because I can resonate with the protagonist Bahiah. Bahiah is a medical student in Cairo who is trying her hardest to reconcile the two women she is: the quiet, studious, obedient Bahiah at home, and the shameless, strong Bahiah who wears trousers, stands with one leg up on her stool in the lab and experiences intimacy outside of wedlock. The book is set in the early ‘80s, yet little has changed for women in Egypt today.

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

I read Little Women for the first time when Mum bought it for me as a gift when I was 11 years old, and until this day the part where Beth dies makes me blubber like a baby. Reading it again as an adult I can see that Alcott was a feminist – it wasn’t something that I digested as a young girl. If I was to do a postgraduate degree in feminist literature I would probably choose Little Women for my thesis, as there are just so many references to gender injustice. Marmi is a feminist and so is Jo March. I had thought Jo March was based on Alcott but I recently read Alcott had based Jo’s youngest sister Amy on herself.

The Mill on the Floss by George Elliot 

The Mill on the Floss was the 19th century novel I studied for my English Literature A-Level. It was a complete eye-opener, particularly as a teenager living in the Arab Gulf. I remember underlining so many passages in the book and telling my teacher that Victorian society was just like Qatari society; it was mad that the customs were so similar despite the 150-year gap! I could also see myself in the protagonist Maggie – the internal struggle between wanting to be pious and modest, but also be passionate and love and be loved. As an adult I now know I can be both – I don’t have to choose one or the other.

About the Author

Yousra S Imran is an English-Egyptian hybrid who works and lives in West Yorkshire. She has been writing from the moment she learned how to hold a pen and works full time in marketing and events in the education sector.
Yousra grew up between the UK and the Middle East and has a BA Hons in International Relations. She is passionate about women’s rights and gender justice. Yousra lives with her husband in Bradford, Yorkshire.

5 Books That Changed Me by Michael Rowan

Posted on by

1 Coral Island by R.M.Ballantyne 

The first ‘proper’ book that I read as child.  I could read the standard text that we were taught at school, but there was little plot, no discernible theme or character development. Coral Island was loaded with all three, this little book captivated me, as this was the first time that I could see the pictures they conjured up of the three shipwrecked boys having adventures in a lagoon. I would pretend that I was one of the two older characters every time I swam in any municipal swimming pool and even today at 64, I can’t resist imagining myself back there, as I duck beneath the surface in our local Lido though these days it is more Moby Dick than Coral Island.
Michael Rowan, writer

2) Merchant of Venice – Willian Shakespeare

As a 10 year old at St Wilfrid’s, I looked forward to our weekly reading sessions. One week there was a change of format, as our teacher explained that he was going to read us a story from a few hundred years ago. He didn’t read it as a play, but as a story, in parts over several weeks. He told us of a man who was in love (Yuck) and who needed money to impress the girl’s father. There was a riddle which I recall was a cliff hanger and then there was the cutting of a pound of flesh, ‘nearest to the heart’ which enthralled this 10 year old bloodthirsty boy. It was the beginning of a love affair with Shakespeare that continues to this day.

3) Lady Chatterley’s Lover- D H Lawrence

As a pupil at an all boy’s grammar school around 1971, I had been identified as a keen reader. Whilst most of my fellow pupils trudged through one book a term, I returned each week for a new book. This interest delighted a series of English teachers, until in the fourth year, Mr W gave me a special ticket to use the sixth form library. The keys to the sanctum of knowledge. As I perused the shelf containing the works of D H Lawrence, I discovered Lady Chatterley’s Lover, which was soon hidden beneath my blazer as I marched back to my class, about to become the hero of the fourth year. The look on Mr W’s face as he confiscated the book, my special library card and delivered his ‘you have let me down and yourself down speech’ will never leave me, but I did go on to read all of the works of D H Lawrence, albeit after I had left that particular school.

4) The Return of the Native – Thomas Hardy

In the summer of 1975, I found myself on an 18 30 holiday, now famed for high jinks and alcohol but then a travel company in its second or third year and virtually unknown. As a keen reader I ensured that along with my sun- tan lotion and coolest threads, I packed an ample supply of books. Evenings were spent in Spanish discotheques, whilst the afternoons were for laying on the beach recovering from a hangover. I however, was to be found reading about Eustacia Vye in The Return of the Native. How I was mocked by the other lads on the holiday, that is until a young and very pretty English Teacher lent over and asked me what I was reading. It was the beginning of my love of Thomas Hardy, and the start of my first holiday romance.

5 Contented Dementia – Oliver James. 

I was in my 50s when both of my parents developed dementia, a cruel illness of which, at the time there was limited information written.  

The demands of the illness kept growing, but there was little advice and I clearly recall thinking, if only there was the equivalent to a car manual, a book that explained in simple easy to understand language, what to do. A chance review brought this book to my attention, crammed with excellent advice, with its three golden rules, never ask direct questions, never contradict, and learn from the person with dementia. This book became my bible throughout my parents’ final years, and I went on to become an advocate for Contented Dementia. No one, no matter who or where, could have a conversation that used the word dementia, without me elbowing my way in and recommending the book. Over the years 100s of people have looked on me as some eccentric but quite a few of those have thanked me afterwards. 

 

Life advice from Anya Hindmarch, Stephen Fry, Joanna Lumley – A Few Wise Words

Posted on by

a few wise words, book, wisdom, good books.

There are two types of people in this world: those who think they know everything, and everyone else. The everyone else read great books like this and implement it into their lives. Compiled and edited by Peter Mukherjee, this book is the inspiration we all need after a tough year.

The contributors are a rich and varied bunch. There is something here for everyone. A Few Wise Words is an essential guide on conquering challenges and becoming successful. This book would make a perfect Christmas present. I cannot recommend it enough.
‘I was once told that I had three strikes against me – I was black, I was a girl and I was poor. But I was also raised to believe that I could do whatever I wanted and whatever I set my mind to achieve.’

Ursula Burns – US business leader, former CEO of Xerox

 

‘Almost everyone I have known that has found fulfilment in life, was invariably shocked

to discover that hard work is actually what they want to do, and is an

extraordinary pleasure and the most fulfilling of all things.’

Stephen Fry – Actor, television personality and writer

 

‘I do think that opportunities come along all the time for all of us, and you have

got to be ready to seize them when they do. ‘

Sir Keith Mills – Founder of Air Miles and Nectar Card

 

‘Success is often about how you deal with failure. When something goes seriously wrong, you can either give up or you can dig deep, recover your self-belief, and focus once more upon your goal. It’s all about your attitude and being positive, even when everything sometimes seems stacked against you.’

Tanni, Baroness Grey-Thompson – Politician, TV presenter and former Paralympic champion

 

 

In order to find success, we first need to find our direction…

 

When we are young, the greatest challenge we face is knowing how to find our initial direction. Where do we look? What exactly are we looking for? What talents do we have? When we are older and our journey is already underway, the questions change. How can we become the very best version of ourselves? How can we improve our game and move up? What resources can we tap into to help us?

 

A Few Wise Words is jam-packed with wisdom and advice from twenty-two exceptional individuals, all of whom have already achieved extraordinary success in their own lives. This book has been crafted to present the ultimate travelling companion and guide for our journey, enabling us to plan carefully for what lies ahead, learn how to find our passion, and discover our motivation. It will then help us to move forward with confidence and a clear understanding of what we need to do next. There are, of course, many routes that can lead to success and this book can help anyone to explore which path is the right one for them.

 

In this book – the first volume of a series – each contributor has their own unique chapter in which they define what success has meant for them, what their own journey was like, and how they managed to conquer the many challenges they had to confront along the way. Each then shares in a clear and easy to follow way, what they believe are the most important values, disciplines and actions that we should take, to enable us to successfully negotiate our own special and unique journey. Additional guidance is also provided for parents, covering the crucial role that they can play to prepare their children early, while enabling them to ‘hit the ground running’ when the serious part of their journey begins in earnest later on.

 

Compiled and edited by Peter Mukherjee, A Few Wise Words delivers a rich and varied collection of personal insights, knowledge, and advice from this exceptional group of individuals, all of whom are willing to share what they believe will enable any one of us to find our success, purpose and happiness in life. It will guide any young person, young adult or indeed, any person who has aspirations to do well in life, on how to get started and then how to stay on track. It is a book we can dip in and out of at any time during our journey for inspiration, advice and the guidance we need.

 

Contributor Chapters

 

Sir Ben Ainslie • Frank Arnesen • Zak Brown • Ursula Burns • Sir Roger Carr • Sherry Coutu • Pablo Ettinger

Mikhail Fridman • Stephen Fry • Dame Katherine Grainger • Tanni, Baroness Grey-Thompson • Anya Hindmarch

Declan Kelly • Martha, Baroness Lane-Fox • Joanna Lumley • Dame Carolyn McCall • Sir Keith Mills • Vin Murria

Danielle de Niese • Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks • Shriti Vadera • Sir Clive Woodward

 

A Few Wise Words is out on 16th November and available from Amazon and leading booksellers. www.afewwisewords.com

 

SISTER SCRIBES’ GUEST: ALISON KNIGHT ON WRITING A VERY SPECIAL BOOK

Posted on by

Alison Knight is a writer, teacher and editor living within sight of Glastonbury Tor. She is a member of the Society of Authors and The Romantic Novelists’ Association. She carries the dubious distinction of having introduced Kitty and Jane at an RNA conference.

I’ve always found entertainment, wisdom and solace in reading. When times are tough, it’s good to be able to escape into a story that takes you away from your everyday life and worries. So I suppose it was natural for me to become a writer.

Creating a legacy

My latest book, Mine, which is published by Darkstroke Books, is my fourth novel and a project that is very close to my heart because it is based on real events that happened in my family in the late 1960s. I’m the only one left who can tell this story and it was important to me to wrote it in order to introduce my children, nieces and nephews to people that have gone before. It’s my legacy to them, helping them to understand that the world was very different fifty-odd years ago and the people I portray in Mine were driven by the attitudes of society at that time. If the same things happened today, the outcome would be very different.

Understanding why

I also wanted to write Mine for myself. My memories of that time were stuck in the mind of a ten-year-old child. By putting myself into the minds and shoes of the main characters, I was finally able to understand what happened with an adult’s perspective.

I’ve written it as a novel rather than a memoir because I didn’t want it to be all about me. Instead, I wanted to explore how ordinary people made decisions that led them into an extraordinary situation. I was also aware that I would never be able to find out exactly what happened as the people who could tell me are not longer here. Instead I used my memories, conversations with family members, newspaper reports and official documents to piece together the story. Where there were gaps, I used what I knew and took into account the culture of the times and used my imagination to fill them. It soon became clear that the guiding themes were class, ambition and sexual politics.

Getting published

It has been an interesting journey to publication. At first, the book was far too long at 140,000 words for any publisher to take it on. A rewrite reduced it by over 20,000 words. Some agents and publishers suggested I give it a happier ending or turn it into a psychological thriller. If Mine had been pure fiction, I’d have considered these suggestions. But because it is based on real events, there were some things I simply couldn’t do.

The question of genre was a problem too. It’s a love story, but not a romance with a happy ever after. It was turned down several times because publishers weren’t sure how to market it. When asked to categorise Mine, I describe it as a family drama, or domestic noir.

But then I found Darkstroke Books, an excellent small publisher with a reputation for hard-hitting fiction. After years of rejection, Darkstroke’s acceptance happened quickly and Mine is finally being launched in November 2020. The editing process was fairly painless – my brilliant editor totally ‘got’ what I was trying to do and Darkstroke have been wonderfully sensitive and supportive.

So, how do I feel about finally sending this story out into the world? I’m excited, but also slightly terrified. It’s not often a writer is featured as a character in her own novel!

 

Find out more about Alison at www.facebook.com/alison.knight.942