New Self Help Book on Breast Cancer Released

Posted on January 14, 2016 by Frostie

From Both Ends of the Stethoscope: Getting through breast cancer – by a doctor who knows by Dr Kathleen Thompson

ISBN: paperback: 978-0-9935083-0-1 ebook: 978-0-9935083-1-8

Published by Faito Books

Cancer cells appear in everyone’s body much of the time, and more than one in three of us will experience some form of cancer during our lives.

One of the commonest of these is breast cancer.

So what is breast cancer? What is cancer come to that?

What is it like to have breast cancer?

Cancer cells are usually destroyed by our immune system – but sometimes they breach these defences, and we get cancer – why?

What can we do to prevent this?

Actually there are lots of simple things we can do to avoid cancer in the first place, and to give ourselves the best chance of recovering completely.

This is a non-fiction autobiographical, self-help book written by a doctor who has had breast cancer. Sharing her own experiences, the author takes the reader through the raw emotions associated with having cancer and needing to face one’s own mortality.

Always referring to her own cancer journey, with all its highs and dips, she helps the reader understand what they will experience during the treatment.

She explains the various medical consultations, tests and procedures, and the different treatment options, and how to make the best treatment choices.

She uses her personal experiences of things going wrong to illustrate how to deal with such circumstances, including coping with problems as an in-patient, and challenging incorrect medical decisions.

She deals with the post-treatment period, and what to do if the cancer comes back.

Alternative therapies are discussed, and, importantly, advice is given on how to distinguish credible research, and genuine therapies, from quackery.

Finally that all important question is answered – what can we do to protect ourselves against cancer?

Biography: Dr Kathleen Thompson

Kathleen is a doctor, specialising in pharmaceutical drug research.

A few years ago her life changed completely, when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. This became the inspiration for her first book.

She writes medical contributions for Frost e-Magazine and has authored various scientific research publications through her career.

She has two long-suffering children, who patiently tolerate their mother’s crazy projects, and rescue her from frequent IT catastrophes.

She has a passion for ballroom dancing and enjoys adventures. She has climbed Mount Kilimanjaro, walked the Camino de Santiago (500 miles) and cycled the mountains of Kerala, and also through Rajasthan. During two of these activities she raised funds for Women v Cancer –which provides funding for three cancer charities, including Breast Cancer Care.

Month 12 of my reading challenge By Frances Colville

Posted on January 14, 2016 by Margaret Graham

The Secret of the Cathars by Michael Hillier (published Matador 2015) is the first of a new trilogy of books based on the history of the Cathars, a medieval French religious sect. Lots of different groups of people hunting for various treasures and all a little bit confusing with quite a few loose ends by the end of the book though no doubt that is at least in part because books two and three are still to come. I think I will read them – it was a good enough plot to hold my interest and I do want to know how it all works out.

Ian McEwan is one of my favourite authors and his latest book The Children Act (Vintage 2014)didn’t disappoint, although at the same time it didn’t quite measure up to my absolute favourite, On Chesil Beach. The Children Act tells the story of Fiona, a high court judge who is going through a personal crisis at the same time as being called on to make a hugely important judicial decision. McEwan’s fascination with judicial issues, with music and poetry, and with the moral conundrum of how far you place your religious beliefs above the life of someone you love, all feature in this book which will leave you thinking long after you have finished it.

The 100 year old man who climbed out of the window and disappeared by Jonas Jonasson (Hesperus Press 2012) has been recommended to me by several people over the last few years but I never quite got round to reading it. But now I have and I’m very glad indeed. The book tells the story – obviously – of the 100 year old man who climbs out of a window of his care home and has a succession of adventures with an ever-growing group of people. At the same time as we progress through these escapades we are told stories about the rest of his life. It’s absurd, ridiculous, incredible and very funny indeed. And it has in passing a lot to say about the twentieth century, its events and many of its main characters, and also about the treatment of the elderly.

Not Working by Lisa Owens (Picador 2016) was another quick read. Easy (because it is told in bite-size chunks) to pick up and put down in between enjoying a house full of Christmas visitors. It’s the story of Claire who decides to take some time out from work to decide what she really wants to do with her life. The ending was disappointing, I thought. It sort of fizzled out as if the author couldn’t quite work out how to finish it more definitively. I enjoyed it though – I empathised with the main character and I liked the mix of humour and more serious issues.

Jill Mansell has long been an author I turn to when I want something light and cheerful. Three Amazing Things About You (Headline 2015)is her latest book and I thoroughly enjoyed it as I knew I would, though I have to admit there were parts which were definitely not happy-ever-after. A sensitive handling of some of the issues resulting from chronic ill health, and from the need for transplants. But the happy ending I hoped for was definitely there.

I thought long and hard about my final choice for this month – and indeed this year – and eventually settled on The Time of Gifts by Patrick Leigh Fermor (paperback edition re-issued John Murray2004) which was given to me by my elder daughter and fellow obsessive reader. I knew as soon as I read the introduction that it was going to work for me – not only did I discover the source of the title of another book I read and enjoyed this year (Like a Tramp, Like a Pilgrim), but there was also a quote from George Herbert, the poet I recommended last month. Very serendipitous! The author tells the story of a walk he took as a teenager from Rotterdam to Istanbul in the 1930s. But he wrote the book in the 1960s so has the benefit of hindsight and far more knowledge than he had at the time of the walk. It’s crammed full of historical, geographical and cultural information and you can learn so much from it. Or you can just read it and allow the beauty of the language to wash over you. It’s a wonderful book.

So here I am at the end of my year of reading. Total of books read = 63. And conclusions drawn? I love variety and I love to read all sorts of books, I admire good and original literary fiction, and – somewhat to my surprise – have become aware during the year that my absolute favourite genre is travel writing. I also know that even if I reach the grand old age of 105 as my wonderful great-aunt did earlier this year, I will never be able to read all the books I want to read. Life is, quite simply, always going to be too short.

Where do I go from here? Not sure yet, but the possibilities are endless – and the prospect so exciting. I can’t wait.

All books available from www.amazon.co.uk

From Both Ends Of The Stethoscope by Dr. Kathleen Thompson

Posted on January 13, 2016 by Margaret Graham

Review by Margaret Graham

Many of you will be familiar with Frost Magazine’s Dr Kathleen Thompson’s regular health features, which are topical, succinct accessible and helpful.

It is no surprise, therefore, that Dr Kathleen Thompson brings just the same skills to From Both Ends Of The Stethoscope – Getting through breast cancer – by a doctor who knows.

This guide should be read by anyone with cancer, or given to anyone we know with the disease. Not only that, it should be read by relatives who are suddenly thrust into a unexpected supportive role, which leaves them as confused and upset as the patient.

In the guide, Dr Kathleen Thompson has the courage to use her personal experiences of breast cancer to explore the situation. She acknowledges not only her reluctance to face up to the symptoms, but her initial fear and confusion as she adjusted to this change in her fortunes.

As a medical insider, she reflects and applies her understanding of the medical procedures brought to bear to counteract the progress of the disease. She suggests the questions patients could, or perhaps should ask. She explains the possible treatments, (remember, that knowledge is power).

This is the key to the guide, it seemed to me: it is important for the patient to take control of the situation, and for the relatives to support this stance. To control a situation you need education because education leads to knowledge, which leads to power. Here I must acknowledge the fantastic Andy McNabb, who made this suggestion in a talk he gave. I thought it profound, and use it often.

Indeed, everyone should keep it as a mantra.

I loved, particularly, the chapter on how patients manipulate the staff to achieve, or not, the results they require – read it, learn, and laugh.

Sensibly laid out, each chapter is easy to navigate. In other words, it won’t be too much or too difficult for those under stress.

Importantly, the author explains medical research, and how to assess the credibility of the numerous cancer treatment claims, and what we can all do to protect ourselves from cancer.

This is an important book, in either e-book or paperback.

Published by Faito Books it is available on Amazon.co.uk at £12.99

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/0993508308

House of Cards Season 4 Trailer Watch Now

Posted on January 12, 2016 by Catherine Balavage

Get ready people, the new season of House of Cards is coming to Netflix on March 4, 2016. To whet your appetite here is the House of Cards Season 4 trailer.

House of Cards revolutionised television. It was the first Netflix original to make a huge impact and change how people watch TV. We love it, do you?

Golden Globe Awards with Moet & Chandon In Pictures

Posted on January 11, 2016 by Catherine Balavage

BEVERLY HILLS, CA – JANUARY 10: (L-R) Actors Helen Mirren, Bryan Cranston, Robin Dearden and Leonardo DiCaprio attends the 73rd Annual Golden Globe Awards held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on January 10, 2016 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Michael Kovac/Getty Images for Moet & Chandon) *** Local Caption *** Helen Mirren;Bryan Cranston;Robin Dearden;Leonardo DiCaprio

BEVERLY HILLS, CA – JANUARY 10: Actor Alan Cumming attends the 73rd Annual Golden Globe Awards held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on January 10, 2016 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Joe Scarnici/Getty Images for Moet & Chandon)

BEVERLY HILLS, CA – JANUARY 10: Actress America Ferrera attends the 73rd Annual Golden Globe Awards held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on January 10, 2016 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Joe Scarnici/Getty Images for Moet & Chandon)

BEVERLY HILLS, CA – JANUARY 10: Comedian Aziz Ansari attends the 73rd Annual Golden Globe Awards held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on January 10, 2016 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Michael Kovac/Getty Images for Moet & Chandon)

BEVERLY HILLS, CA – JANUARY 10: Actress Eva Longoria attends the 73rd Annual Golden Globe Awards held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on January 10, 2016 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Michael Kovac/Getty Images for Moet & Chandon)

BEVERLY HILLS, CA – JANUARY 10: Writer Sam Esmail (L) and actress Emmy Rossum attend the 73rd Annual Golden Globe Awards held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on January 10, 2016 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Michael Kovac/Getty Images for Moet & Chandon)

BEVERLY HILLS, CA – JANUARY 10: Annie Guest (L) and actress Jamie Lee Curtis attend the 73rd Annual Golden Globe Awards held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on January 10, 2016 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Michael Kovac/Getty Images for Moet & Chandon)

BEVERLY HILLS, CA – JANUARY 10: Actress Jane Fonda attends the 73rd Annual Golden Globe Awards held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on January 10, 2016 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Michael Kovac/Getty Images for Moet & Chandon)

BEVERLY HILLS, CA – JANUARY 10: Actors Kirsten Dunst (L) and Garrett Hedlund attend the 73rd Annual Golden Globe Awards held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on January 10, 2016 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Joe Scarnici/Getty Images for Moet & Chandon)

BEVERLY HILLS, CA – JANUARY 10: Actress Julianne Moore attends the 73rd Annual Golden Globe Awards held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on January 10, 2016 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Michael Kovac/Getty Images for Moet & Chandon)

BEVERLY HILLS, CA – JANUARY 10: Singer-songwriter Katy Perry attends the 73rd Annual Golden Globe Awards held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on January 10, 2016 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Joe Scarnici/Getty Images for Moet & Chandon)

BEVERLY HILLS, CA – JANUARY 10: Actress Laverne Cox attends the 73rd Annual Golden Globe Awards held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on January 10, 2016 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Michael Kovac/Getty Images for Moet & Chandon)

BEVERLY HILLS, CA – JANUARY 10: Actress Maggie Gyllenhaal attends the 73rd Annual Golden Globe Awards held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on January 10, 2016 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Michael Kovac/Getty Images for Moet & Chandon)

BEVERLY HILLS, CA – JANUARY 10: TV personality Olivia Palermo attends the 73rd Annual Golden Globe Awards held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on January 10, 2016 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Michael Kovac/Getty Images for Moet & Chandon)

BEVERLY HILLS, CA – JANUARY 10: Rachel McAdams attends the 73rd Annual Golden Globe Awards held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on January 10, 2016 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Michael Kovac/Getty Images for Moet & Chandon)

BEVERLY HILLS, CA – JANUARY 10: Actress Regina King attends the 73rd Annual Golden Globe Awards held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on January 10, 2016 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Joe Scarnici/Getty Images for Moet & Chandon)

BEVERLY HILLS, CA – JANUARY 10: Actors Rosie Huntington-Whiteley (L) and Jason Statham attend the 73rd Annual Golden Globe Awards held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on January 10, 2016 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Joe Scarnici/Getty Images for Moet & Chandon)

BEVERLY HILLS, CA – JANUARY 10: Actress Saoirse Ronan attends the 73rd Annual Golden Globe Awards held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on January 10, 2016 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Michael Kovac/Getty Images for Moet & Chandon)

BEVERLY HILLS, CA – JANUARY 10: Actors Sophia Bush (L) and America Ferrera attend the 73rd Annual Golden Globe Awards held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on January 10, 2016 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Michael Kovac/Getty Images for Moet & Chandon)

BEVERLY HILLS, CA – JANUARY 10: Actress Viola Davis attends the 73rd Annual Golden Globe Awards held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on January 10, 2016 in Beverly Hills, California.

On last night’s red carpet, celebrities including Kate Hudson, Live Schrieber, Laverne Cox, Uzo Aduba, Eddie Redmayne, Amy Schumer, Gina Rodriguez, Jennifer Lawrence, Viola Davis, Sam Smith, Eva Longoria, Olivia Wilde, Jason Sudeikis, Jussie Smollett, Bryan Cranston, Olivia Palermo, Wiz Kalifa, Regina King and Instagram star Kristina Bazan joined Moët & Chandon for its beloved philanthropic initiative, “Toast for a Cause.”

A red carpet staple for many Hollywood A-listers, “Toast for a Cause” invited Golden Globes nominees and celebrities on the red carpet to raise a toast with Mini Moët for which Moët & Chandon donated $1,000 to the celebrity’s charity of choice in his/her name. As a result, Moët & Chandon donated to charities such as MDS for ALS, Art of Elysium, I have a Dream Foundation, Trans Tech, Place Called Home, Global Citizen and many more. New to the program this year, Moët & Chandon donated another $1,000 to a fund supporting aspiring young film makers via the inaugural Moët Moment Film Festival.

Moët & Chandon also served the Moët Ruby Red, a modern take on the French 75 and the official cocktail of the Golden Globe Awards.

The after-party saw celebrities sip champagne from Moët Minis delivered through a designed champagne vending machine.

Photo credit: Getty Images

Meet Gillian Holmes – Literary Editor

Posted on January 11, 2016 by Catherine Balavage

Gillian Holmes

Frost is delighted that Gillian Holmes of the editing house, The Editor, will, over the next few weeks, advise Frost’s readers on writing successful first chapters, and that tricky beast the synopsis.

The timing is particularly apt because the charity Words for the Wounded (sponsored by Frost Magazine) has launched its 2016 Independent Author Book Award for self published books – fiction or non fiction/e-book or physical. which is due to close on 6^th March. Last year’s competition was won by Jane Cable, who as a result is now represented by Felicity Trew of the Caroline Sheldon Literary Agency.

Felicity Trew

It is Felicity who is judging the Words for the Wounded competition this year, so flex those fingers, sharpen your imaginations and let Frost, and Gillian, help you along the way.

Gillian Holmes has been working in publishing for nearly twenty years. She started out at Quarto, working on craft books – applique and decoupage was very popular at the time and she’s endeavoured to forget everything she learned about those skills over the years.

She quickly moved on from that nightmare to work at Simon & Schuster where she worked with authors such as Jackie Collins, Ben Elton and Sean Hughes. As well as doing quite a lot of football, the X Files and books about UFOs.

Then on to Carlton, working on illustrated non-fiction and TV tie-in novelisations – the Coronation Street novel is a particularly proud moment. The entire 40 years in a novel.

But with three children, life in-house became difficult, so she worked as a freelance editor, copy editor and proofreader for various clients, before moving back in-house to Arrow Books six years ago, where she edited many bestselling authors, such as Katie Flynn, Dorothy Koomson, Amy Silver (aka Paula Hawkins), Cathy Woodman, Lisa Lynch and Margaret Graham, and many others.
Gillian is really looking forward, over the next few weeks, to helping those of you who are working on a novel, or perhaps to inspire those who are not, to do so.

For more information about the Words for the Wounded Independent Author Book Award, and the charity which raises funds to help in the recovery of wounded service personnel, go to www.wordsforthewounded.co.uk

Gillian has now set up her own concern, The Editor: gilliansholmes@hotmail.com

Adam Stafford, Taser Revelations | Music Profile

Posted on January 8, 2016 by Amy Voce

Adam Stafford returns with his first album in nearly three years following the widely acclaimed Imaginary Walls Collapse in 2013.

Format: 12″ vinyl (with download), CD and digital
Lead Tracks: Atheist Money, Phantom Billions
Label/cat number: Song, by Toad Records SbTR-A-049

Taser Revelations was recorded at The Happiness Hotel, Song by Toad’s newly aquired warehouse recording space. Utilising the warehouse’s natural room reverb to great effect, the album features producer and multi-instrumentalist Robbie Lesiuk performing a variety of instruments including steel drums, organ and piano. Greggor Douglas plays the Roland Juno/omnichord and ex-Maple Leaves Anna Miles provides harmony vocals.

Continuing Stafford’s trajectory into electrified alternative pop, Taser Revelations begins with some of the most melodically catchy songs he has ever written, before taking a swerve down a dark alley midway through the album, venturing into industrial syncopation, samurai-guitar attacks and some unsettling, vivid imagery.

Praise for ‘Imaginary Walls Collapse’
Nominated for a Scottish Album of the Year Award in May 2014
Albums of The Year in Goldflakepaint
Featured in Frightened Rabbit’s Albums of The Year in Drowned in Sound
#1 Album of The Year in Jockrock
#1 Album of The Year in Glasgow Podcart
#1 Album of The Year in Manic Pop Thrills and #1 in MPT’s Poll of Polls
#3 Album of The Year from Last Year’s Girl
#3 Album of The Year from Scottish Fiction
#4 Scottish Albums of The Year in The Herald on Sunday
#4 Albums of The Year in When You Motor Away
#5 Album of The Year in Is This Music?
#33 Albums of The Year in The Skinny
Vic Galloway’s Albums of The Year
Albums of The Year in Sonic Reverie
#20 Albums of The Year in The Tidal Wave of Indifference

Tracklisting:
All songs PRS registered, written by Adam Stafford.

Side A
1. Let a Little Love Inside
2. Phantom Billions
3. Atheist Money
4. Black Lung Applications

5. Unknown Swimmers
Side B
1. Railway Trespassers
2. Taser Revelations
3. Bracelet Dream of the Shadow
4. The Penumbr

The Ultimate Guide To Becoming a Successful Blogger by Catherine Balavage Reviewed By Margaret Graham

Posted on January 5, 2016 by Margaret Graham

Crikey- is it me, or is running a blog harder than it looks? by Margaret Graham

Read the: The Ultimate Guide To Becoming a Successful Blogger by Catherine Balavage and cut out the stress.

Catherine is the owner and editor of Frost Magazine, and I am her contributing editor. Working on a blog, or online magazine as I think of Frost, was a new addition for me, because my main thrust is as a bestselling author for Random House Publishers. (Arrow).

As the weeks, months, and soon – years –go by, I have learned a great deal from, and about, this extraordinarily generous and accomplished young woman. Not least is her amazing energy, not to mention her attention to detail. What’s more, she’s so polite, acknowledging and appreciating her writers for their submissions, whilst not taking her eye off the ball for a moment.

For a Luddite like me, The Ultimate Guide to Becoming a Successful Blogger has been an eye-opener. It shows just how absolutely crucial it is to keep that eye glued on the ball, and includes numerous tips which would require a great deal of time and research to unearth on one’s own.

It’s a fascinating insight into just how much hard work and dedication, constant attention, and nurturing is needed. It put me in mind of running an enormous allotment, or nurturing a baby, or indeed a puppy – said from the heart as I introduce into the house a pal for Rosie our cockerpoo. None of these can be left for many minutes before things start to fall apart.

This book starts with basics, such as design, name and the benefits of blogging, through to the all important revenue streams, and how to determine what readers want, and so on. It’s all here, accessible and essential, and written in Catherine’s unmistakable brisk but friendly style we have come to know so well. Just take your time, and let the expert take you by the hand, and save you zillions of hours of stop and start mistakes.

Bravo, a book that needed writing, a book about to take off into bestsellerdom.

The Ultimate Guide To Becoming a Successful Blogger is available here.

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