Category Archives: Featured

My Writing Process Kat Dunn

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  • What you have written, past and present

DANGEROUS REMEDY was my debut novel, published in 2020. MONSTROUS DESIGN is the second in the series, out June 2021, and I’m in the midst of writing the third and final book in the series, 

Before my debut I wrote a whole host of finished, part-written and completely abandoned novels, none of which I let myself take seriously.

  • What you are promoting now

MONSTROUS DESIGN is the sequel to DANGEROUS REMEDY, and comes out 10 June 2021. The first book in the series saw Camille, her girlfriend Ada, and their band of outcasts rescue a girl with strange powers from the guillotine in revolutionary Paris. In the second book, the gang is split between London and Paris struggling against Royalist forces that are growing ever stronger. Think duels, necromancy, betrayal, and a cast of queer, found family misfits.

  • A bit about your process of writing

I work a 9-5 day job, so I write evenings, weekends, lunch breaks and early mornings. It’s not always been easy to find the time to write, and I’ve had to put aside other aspects of my life to make it work. But I’ve been writing since I was a small child, and there’s nothing else I’ve ever wanted to do with my life.

I usually have anything from 5-10 ideas fermenting in my head at once, but I try to focus on 1-2 projects at a time. I’ll usually write a draft in 3-4 months, go back straight away and fix all the bits I know are wrong, then chunk it over to someone else (whether my editor, agent, or a friend) to get some more direction for the next round of edits. 

  • Do you plan or just write?

I used to think I was a planner, but the more real planners I meet the more I realise I’m somewhere between planner and pantser.  

It feels like someone’s dumped out a jigsaw puzzle into my brain, and I have some pieces that are obviously corners or edges, or here are a whole heap that connect together to make a building or cloud or something, and then there’s the mess of unknown pieces. So I’ll try to write the bits I know out in a very sketch note form. I like scrivener for this, because I can make a document for each puzzle piece and then start grouping them and moving them around, while making notes of all the things I think should happen in that scene. 

Then writing it is like putting the puzzle together. Sometimes it zooms along, sometimes you realise what you thought was a cloud was actually snow and it’s in the wrong place and you have to pull things apart…. You get the idea. 

  • What about word count?

Apart from a few outliers, I end up somewhere between 80-110k for most drafts. Things grow and shrink during edits, but I don’t have an over or under writing problem. I write the right number of words, they’re just the wrong words and have to go in the bin.

  • How do you do your structure?

I really love books about story structure. I don’t think there are really any hard and fast rules (and a lot of those rules are western-centric and automatically dismiss other forms of storytelling). But I like knowing what sort of patterns are out there, and pulling them apart. 

DANGEROUS REMEDY and MONSTROUS DESIGN are fast paced stories that take place over a handful of days each. I didn’t get to play around with structure too much, but I did use the structure to think a lot about what information I share with the reader and what I withhold until the right moment. I love a good twist and to make them work you’ve got to do a lot of work before you can whip back the curtain and reveal the truth. Having a clear idea of my structure helps me work out where I need to lay seeds. 

  • What do you find hard about writing?

I’ve found it tricky know how to structure stories that are driven by emotions and character over big flashy plots. I’ve been working on a side project where this has been my main challenge and I’ve learnt so much. It’s made me think about my writing in a really different way and prove to myself that even though I’m a published author now, there’s still so much more to do and learn.

I find editing harder than drafting. It stops being potential and starts being a real thing, which will always disappoint me a bit for not being exactly the thing in my head.

  • What do you love about writing?

I had to think about this for a while. It’s like someone’s asked me what do I love about air. I like that it means I can breathe? I’ve been through a lot of difficulty in my life, and for a lot of it been on my own, so writing has been as essential as water or sunlight. It means I can exist. It gives me purpose and meaning and joy. 

If I have to say something specific, I think my greatest joy is when character drives plot and plot drives character in a really effective way – a slow burn character arc that takes a hero to a villain. I love writing in moral grey areas, where good people do terrible things and terrible people do good things.

 

My Writing Process Joy Ellis

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1) What have you written, past and present.

To be honest, quite a lot, and mainly in the last five years. I’m at present writing my 26th book for Joffe Books, but have two more completed novels lurking in a cupboard (and in a completely different genre) that will probably never see the light of day. There are twelve books in the DI Nikki Galena, Fen Series; seven in the DI Jackman and DS Evans series; three Matt Ballards; and one stand-alone novel. Oh, and two more completed and already in the editing process with my publisher. Right now I’m working on book thirteen in the Fen Series. I sometimes wonder just how much mileage you can get from one detective, but from the messages sent to me by the amazingly supportive ‘Nikki Fans’, I’m beginning to think I’ll rival Coronation Street for longevity! 

2)What are you promoting now.

At the moment, because of it being shortlisted for The British Book Awards, Book of the Year, Fiction: Crime and Thriller section, all interest is on The Patient Man, Book 6 in the Jackman series. I loved writing this book as it was one that allowed me to use some wonderfully dysfunctional characters, and a particularly vindictive and vengeful killer who had set his sights on Jackman and Marie. I have to confess to enjoying writing the ‘baddies’ as the scope of what they are capable of is endless. Having said that, I always strive for a satisfactory outcome, which means good triumphing over evil… well, most of the time…

3) A bit about the process of writing.

It always starts with asking myself, ‘What if…?’ Just a thought, a vague idea that almost instantly begins to escalate. At that point I grab a notebook and scribble down these tenuous threads that might lead to a new novel. A whole book can materialise from a couple of lines hurriedly written in a notebook. They sometimes take the form of a cameo; a brief scene played out in my mind, and that becomes the foundation for the novel. A perfect example of this was when I was considering a plotline for one of the earlier books in the Fen Series. I envisaged the collapse of a building, trapping two strangers, a man and a woman. Believing the injured woman trapped with him to be dying, the man confesses that he has just killed someone. But, what if she didn’t die? What if she remembered what he had told her? And what if, he discovered that she was still alive? No more was needed to begin writing Stalker on the Fens.

4) Do you plan or just write.

I’m an organic writer, so once I have written Chapter One, I’m off! No detailed plans, I just work with my basic idea and run with it. I firmly believe that I set the scene, introduce my characters, then hand the whole thing over to them to do as they will. If I don’t, half the time they highjack the story anyway! 

5) What about word count.

It’s a little bit odd, but I seem to write each novel to finish up with a similar word count. It’s not intentional, as far as I’m concerned, the book is as long as it needs to be. It just works out that way. I use Word for my manuscripts, type in Times New Roman, font size 12, and always double space the text. For four books in a row, when I finally typed those wonderful words, The End, it was on page 406, and I have no idea how that happened. As to wordage, it’s generally around 120,000 words. My last book was a little longer and came in at 127,949 words, but of course that’s before my editor gets to work and prunes it heartily! 

6) How do you do your structure

This is quite hard to describe, because although I know how important it is, especially for a new writer, to structure a book well, it isn’t something I do consciously. Perhaps because of having written so many books, I’ve found a mental blue-print, and work to that automatically. And it’s as simple as one, two, three… because that is exactly what it is. A beginning, a middle, and an end. I’ve always thought of it as three acts, the first where you introduce the characters, the location and present the problem; the second where that problem is confronted; and the final act, where the problem is solved. And through all of this I endeavour to keep up the tension, and pay careful attention to the pace of the novel. Pace is incredibly important, and I see that as a wavy line with peaks and troughs. Build the pace and hold it, then slow it down and allow your reader to breath again! Then stick them back on the roller-coaster for a while! If you don’t give them time to gather themselves, they will fall, exhausted and gasping, across the finish line and wonder what on earth that was all about. Even if I’m not totally conscious of it, I know I’m aiming to structure my book to continually connect with my reader and keep them with me, page after page, until we reach a satisfactory ending… together.

7) What do you find hard about writing.

About the actual writing, very little! The hard part is when life gets in the way! If I’m on a roll, I really resent appointments, and doing all the things that still have to be done to exist. And as I’m not exactly in the first flush of youth anymore, sitting for long periods of time does me no favours! I am sometimes forced to stop simply through pain, and that is irritating beyond words, especially if the muse is with me. Yes, for me, the hardest thing about writing is striking a work/life balance, and I can truthfully say, that’s one thing I’m rubbish at!

8) What do you love about writing.

How long have you got? I love everything about writing. Recently however I’ve come to realise things that I never truly appreciated before the pandemic. I’ve always loved books and reading. My favourite present at Christmas as a child would be a book. It provided escapism, company, and adventure. Now, from some of the heart-warming messages that I’ve received in the last year, I’m understanding how much deeper this goes. Books have been an absolute  lifeline to so many people during this worldwide period of isolation and fear, and it’s really come home to me that writing books, is actually helping people to cope in extreme situations. It’s very humbling, and some of the stories I’ve been sent have literally reduced me to tears. So, I have to say the thing I love about writing the most, is finally understanding the positive power that books have to really make a difference.

 

Globally, 1 in 4 women have nowhere to manage their periods safely.

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Fempowered is WaterAid’s period subscription box, offering plastic free and 100% organic-certified period products with 100% of profits going to WaterAid projects.

water aid, periods, period poverty,

Fempowered monthly period subscription box: £10 including a £3 donation to WaterAid.

This Menstrual Hygiene Day on 28th May, international charity WaterAid is asking the British public to help transform the lives of women and girls around the world by subscribing to Fempowered, WaterAid’s monthly period subscription box. 

The box costs £10 a month and, with 100% of profits (£3/box) going to WaterAid projects, it provides a unique way for people to get eco-friendly, organic and plastic-free sanitary products delivered to their homes each month, while helping women and girls around the world to manage their periods safely and with dignity.

As a special offer, Fempowered is also offering new subscribers 30% off their first three boxes, using the code IMNEWHERE.

On any given day, 288 million people are menstruating. Yet one in four have no access to a decent toilet, and therefore nowhere safe and private to manage their period. Globally, 37% of schools do not have decent sanitation, meaning nearly 700 million pupils attend a school without a working toilet that locks. As a result, many girls skip school when on their period putting their future goals in jeopardy.

In many places, talking about menstruation is also shrouded in shame and silence. Often, girls don’t know about periods before they start, and many live in fear of rejection from their communities just because they’re bleeding.

Through purchasing WaterAid’s Fempowered bespoke period box, subscribers can support the international charity’s vital work to end this silence and discrimination around periods and help ensure all menstruating women and girls have access to the knowledge, facilities and materials to enable them to manage their periods and feel empowered to lives their lives to the full.

Therese Mahon, Regional South Asia Manager at WaterAid said:

“Globally, one in four women and girls are denied access to a decent toilet and a private space to manage their periods hygienically and with dignity. Menstrual health requires access to female friendly toilets with water and soap available at all times. Without access to these facilities at home, school, work and in public places during their menstruation, girls are at risk of missing school, whilst women can miss out on the chance to earn a decent income. 

“Periods are nothing to be embarrassed about yet there still exists a culture of silence and shame, which means the needs of women and girls are often overlooked, impacting their health and opportunities.

“Through Fempowered’s monthly period box, people can help us tackle stigma and discrimination and ensure those who menstruate can manage their periods with dignity.”

To subscribe and to find out more about Fempowered’s sustainable period products that give back, visit www.fempowered.me.

 

Introducing…Sugar Coated The “face” of ethical hair removal

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sugar coated vegan wax. Made from pure sugar syrup and water, Sugar Coated is the future of hair removal and the ethical alternative to waxing that will have you yelling “give me some sugar!”
Not only is Sugar Coated ultra-effective, more gentle on skin and the environment, but it is also vegan, 100%
natural, completely water soluble, biodegradable, and eco-friendly with its washable and reusable strips.
Inspired by an ancient method of hair removal dating back to 1900 BC, sugar waxing is tried and tested, and
loved by generations
Sugar Coated covers every hair removal need with a full body kit, as well as specific to leg hair, facial hair, bikini line, underarm and arm, and even hair removal on tattooed skin.
Each of these is made with a specific essential oil including rosehip, lavender, calendula, lemongrass, and almond for optimum skin healing and nurturing.
Say goodbye to those super sticky waxes, burning creams and painful epilators and give your skin a sweet treat with Sugar Coated Hair Removal.

Available at Next, Feel Unique, and Amazon.

Sugar Coated is the brainchild of Rosie Khandwala. Her story goes back
to the shores of the Indian Ocean on the north-east coast of Tanzania.
Growing up in Tanzania sugar waxing was the only form hair removal she
used. She learnt how to sugar wax from her mother and older sisters as

well as working in her cousin’s salon.

When she moved to the UK in 1987 she was amazed that sugar waxing
didn’t exist, so she started making her own. Seeing this glaring hole in the
market she and her husband started manufacturing at home to introduce
sugar waxing to the UK market. She soon outgrew the kitchen and they
found premises nearby where she is still manufacturing the sugar wax

today.

Sugar Coated is the vegan sugar wax that has the heritage and recipe
with a track record. This is the “face” of ethical hair removal. Made in the
UK with eco-friendly and ethical manufacturing at the heartbeat; Sugar
Coated is a product we want you to be proud to buy and share your
experience with friends just as its creator Rosie is sharing hers with you.

Three Weddings and a Proposal By Sheila O’Flanagan Book Review

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Three Weddings and a Proposal - bestseller Sheila O'FlanaganI have read quite a few of Sheila O’Flanagan’s books now and I am always impressed by the depth of her female characters. They are not your silly carbon-copy women. Delphine is no exception. The main character of Three Weddings and a Proposal will have you cheering her on at every point. She is such a great character and grows so much throughout the novel, it is impossible to not love her.

Three Weddings and a Proposal is a doorstopper of a book and it is such a joy to lose yourself in it. I also loved the fact some of the book is set in Mallorca as it felt like I was on holiday. With all of its twists and turns and fantastic characters, it is impossible not to love Three Weddings and a Proposal. It is an entertaining book full of depth, warmth and happiness. Loved it.

Three Weddings and a Proposal (HB, £20, Headline Review) will become a much-loved staple for readers of Sheila’s books. In her classic style, it’s set between Ireland and Spain, continually transporting the reader straight to the sparkling seas and sun-baked streets of Mallorca. Sheila grapples with the complexities of dilemma and change, gets to the heart of empowerment for women and champions finding your feet. Her books always feature a strong female protagonist, are always fun with characters you really care about and have a big dollop of warmth throughout.

Delphine has worked hard for her success, but her opinionated family aren’t convinced that her lifestyle could truly make her happy. While at a wedding, Delphine hears some shocking news that will make her revaluate all that matters to her – will love, family and compromise come before her career, security and independence?

Out on 20th May.

Vogue Williams shares her ‘Must Have’ Baby Products with The Baby Show Live @ Home

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Vogue Williams, radio & TV presenter, model and mum shares her must-have parenting products with The Baby Show:

Bouncer

I love the BabyBjörn Bouncer Bliss. We had one of these when we had Theodore and they are brilliant. You can get a toy attachment for it too, so that it can turn into a little activity chair for your baby. We recently got the new Leopard print one for Gigi which I love, but this bouncer will last you through all of your kids as the covers are washable!

 

Buggy

The Bugaboo Fox buggy was the main buggy we got for Theodore and then Gigi used it after she was born. It’s very long lasting and super comfortable, plus you can attach a seat to the back, which is where T sits now!

 

Baby Gym

I always find myself looking for ways to occupy Gigi. We got a gorgeous wooden play gym from Scandiborn and I just think they have the most gorgeous toys for all age groups.

 

Travel steriliser

I use the Avent Travel Steriliser. This steriliser is really compact, you can take it away with you and you can store it away in a cupboard, so there’s no need to have a messy steriliser sitting out.

 

Baby Clothes

In terms of clothing, there are so many baby brands I love, but some of my favourites are Rachel Riley, Pop My Way, MORI, Mini Rodini, Oliver Baby, Mini A Ture and Il Gufo. All of these brands are really good quality, so will stand the test of a messy baby!

 

Muslins

I think aden + anais do the best ones. You will need lots of these, we use them for everything, you can never have too many!

 

Breast Pump

My favourites are the Medela Swing and the Elvie. They are expensive, but have lasted me two babies so far and if we have more I will know I will be able to use them again.

 

High Chair

I really love the Stokke Trip Trap as you can use it from newborn upwards plus it’s easy to clean.

 

Sheets

Snuz do a lovely range of super soft sheets.

 

Moses basket

We got a really beautiful Moses for our sitting room from The Little Green Sheep.

 

The Baby Show Live @ Home takes place from Friday 19 – Sunday 20 June, 2021. For more information visit https://www.thebabyshow.co.uk/live

 

WHO-approved Reusable Facemask Uses Patented Silver-based Technology to Protect Against Covid-10

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Silver Life Face Coverings – providing ultimate, scientifically proven, sustainable protection

As the UK launches itself out of the latest lockdown and life returns to normal, it has never been more important to wear a facemask, which guarantees full protection against the Covid-19 virus.  Fabric face coverings and ‘fashion masks’ offer some minimal protection but now a team of healthcare scientists have developed The Silver Life Face Covering. This facemask uses silver-based 3D knitted technology, and meets the World Health Organization’s recommendations for use against the current microbial pandemic.

 These masks are stylish and well-made. We had some compliments when we were wearing them and people asked where we got them. They are also comfortable. face mask, reusable,

The Silver Life Face Covering uses silver as an integral part of the thread of its fabric, due to silver’s antiviral and antibacterial properties.  The mask also filters incoming air and the outgoing breath through a mesh size of just 3 microns (whereas ten microns is the current WHO standard) and is an effective filter in reducing air pollution particles, as well as airborne viruses such as Covid-19.

 

The Silver Life Face Covering is also reusable for up to 100 washes and is made from 36% recycled material making it better for the environment, than standard issue personal protective equipment masks which are neither reusable nor recyclable. Globally 129 billion face masks are used every month and more and more of these masks are finding their way into the ocean.

 

Dr Alan Green, environmentalist and founder of SP Science Limited (the owner of The Silver Life Face Coverings) says: “Facemasks have become virtually compulsory both here in the UK and elsewhere throughout the world.  Unfortunately, this has led to the estimate that the UK throws out 53 million face masks per day, and everyone has witnessed people throwing face masks onto the ground – our supermarket forecourts and entrances are littered with them!

 

‘The consequence is that face masks are now found in our high streets, rivers, meadows, oceans – almost everywhere.  Of course, we’re already aware of the huge pollution problems from plastic wastes that are literally choking our oceans, as reported by Greenpeace and others, and now coral reefs in the Indian Ocean are also suffering from “face mask pollution” too.”

 

“Single-use or disposable face masks are made using a variety of plastics, including polypropylene, polyethylene and vinyl – which means they can take up to 450 years to break down.  Even then, the plastic stays around as tiny microplastics.  These microplastics are causing fundamental problems to our world-wide ecosystems and have even been found in the Antarctic and Arctic environments.”

“This mask has been developed by experienced healthcare scientists and has safety, the environment, recycling and manufacturing standards at the core of its design. Sustainability is at the essence of The Silver Life Face Covering, as it also meets US Environmental Protection Agency standards for disposal – the only silver-based textile that does so.”

 

The mask is manufactured with a sculptured design for comfort and long periods of wear. It has a soft feel on the skin and the integrated nose wire helps prevent fogging when wearing glasses, and adjustable ear loops making it a one-size-fits-all product.  It is also ideal for indoor, outdoor and sports activities as is fully effective when wet – unlike the existing PPE masks.

 

The Silver Life Face Covering, was created by 3-D knitting technology experts, and SP Science Limited helped finalise the product for real-life use and undertakes sole source marketing and sales activity throughout the world.  SP Science Limited is a company formed by a group of highly experienced scientists, and public healthcare specialists, with long term experience in the healthcare sector. Their aim is to provide a range of barrier protection products for use by the general public, which are carefully selected for environmentally sustainable and use recycled materials in their core manufacture.

 

“Since November 2018, we have undertaken a world-wide review of the anti-microbial marketplace” says Alan. “We have now secured the use of ground-breaking, proven international technologies.  These technologies provide the protection our customers are seeking in this time of concern about viruses, and infections – and offer an ideal solution to disposable PPE face masks, which are now having a detrimental effect on our environment.”

 

 

Silver Life Face Coverings cost £14 for 2 plus postage (discounts are available for bulk purchasing). They are available in black and other colours will be available early in 2021. Visit https://www.silverlifemasks.com/ for more information, and also available for purchase on Amazon.co.uk, E-Bay and ETSY.

 

New Launches for ESPA & Christophe Robin

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We are super-excited about two new launches from Christophe Robin and ESPA. First up is Christophe Robin Healthy Glow Duo – RRP: £17.00

This contains minis of Cleansing purifying scrub with sea salt and Hydrating melting mask with aloe vera. The perfect ritual for a healthy scalp and deeply hydrated, shiny hair. A 2-step routine to gently detoxify the scalp and deeply hydrate and illuminate hair. This duo really works wonders. It smells great too. We cannot recommend it enough.

ESPA , Christophe Robin, new launches

Next up is ESPA Herbal Tea Infusion RRP: £15.00
Partnering with the mood-boosting benefits of the aromatherapy products in ESPA’s Signature Blends collection, these handcrafted wellbeing teas with their delicious flavours and beautiful aromatics are companions for modern living. With a choice of 6 blends in total, each infusion expertly blended to create moments throughout your day to pause, reflect, connect and inspire, from when you wake in the morning until you’re ready to turn out the lights at night.

Everything about this herbal tea infusion is perfect: the caddy is stylish and elegant. The tea is delicious and relaxing.  It brings instant joy every single time you use it. Love.