Category Archives: Life & Style

What the Ladybird Heard is back on stage in the Autumn.

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Much-loved stage adaptation What The Ladybird Heard, from best-selling children’s author Julia Donaldson and award-winning illustrator Lydia Monks, will continue to entertain families around the country this Autumn (16th September – 4th December). The new tour follows the highly anticipated West End season at The Palace Theatre this summer, bringing family-friendly live entertainment back to theatres.

Photo contains previous cast members.

Image credit Robert Day

The farmyard will be brought to life by Nikita Johal (Spring Awakening, Hope Mill), Roddy Lynch (A Christmas Carol, Theatre Royal Bath), James Mateo-Salt (The Pirate Queen, London Coliseum), Matthew McPherson (The Jolly Christmas Postman, Oxford Playhouse), and Abigail Middleton (Pig, Royal Court Theatre Liverpool). Showcasing live instrumental music, original songs, puppetry and rhymes galore this exciting adaptation is a treat for the whole family.

Author Julia Donaldson comments, ‘ It’s fantastic to see one of my most-loved children’s books, What the Ladybird Heard, returning to the stage, both in the West End and around the UK! After such a hard year it’s important that we can provide creative escapism for young children, and this stage show will do just that. I can’t wait to get back to the theatre and see it myself. I believe audiences are in for a treat!’

Illustrator and Show Design Consultant Lydia Monks adds, ‘It’s always a thrill to see my illustrations burst into life on stage and I’m very excited to be involved in this project. Theatre is an important tool for children’s creative development, and I believe this show is the perfect outlet. I look forward to transporting everyone to the farm for a fun family adventure’

Duration: 55 minutes (no interval) Performance times Please see website for times on each day.

15th July – 29th August The Palace Theatre Shaftesbury Avenue, London W1D 5AY https://www.nimaxtheatres.com/shows/what-the-ladybirdheard/

16th – 18th September Birmingham Hippodrome Hurst Street, Southside, Birmingham B5 4TB https://www.birminghamhippodrome.com/calendar/ladybirdheard/

23rd – 24th September The Radlett Centre Aldenham Avenue, Radlett WD7 8HL https://www.radlettcentre.co.uk/What-s-On/Children/What-theLadybird-Heard

25th – 26th September Tonbridge School E M Forster Theatre The Box Office, High Street Entrance, Tonbridge TN9 1JP https://emftheatre.ticketsolve.com/shows/1173611782

 

 

Perfect on Paper by Gillian Harvey reviewed by Natalie Jayne Peeke West Country Correspondent.

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Clare’s life is perfect…steady job, loving husband, two kids and lovely townhouse. Except her husband Toby’s barely listened to a thing she’s said since he landed his new TV gig, her daughter can’t stand the sight of her and her boss barely even knows her name. It seems that with middle age she’s become more invisible than a grey power suit, and no matter what she does no one seems to notice her. Not the mad haircut, crazy outfits or brilliant job performance.

So when Clare finds herself in a situation that not only guarantees notoriety, but makes her feel seen – she jumps at the chance. But can she really leave her ordinary life and ‘ordinary family’ behind? Or is this a chance for her to finally make her life more than just perfect on paper?

Review;

Every now and then you need to re jiggle your bookshelf and find a book that is a perfect summer read, fun, light, relatable , something that leaves you smiling and glad you read it. Believe me when I say that Perfect on Paper is that book.

Gillian Harvey creates a wonderfully relatable character in Claire, someone who feel invisible and fed up with her mundane existence. She is a strong main character and I found myself empathising with her on several occasions.

With a fantastic plot, entertaining characters and plenty of laughs Perfect on paper is the perfect recipe for a book that you will want to add to your suitcase this summer, regardless of where you are headed.

13th May , available as a paperback, audio & ebook

Shadow over the Spanish Sun by Caroline Montague 27th May: reviewed by Natalie Jayne Peeke West Country Correspondent

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Mia Ferris’s heart has always belonged in Spain. Every childhood summer was spent at her grandfather’s hacienda, riding together amongst the olive trees or listening to his stories of the past. So when she learns that he has fallen from his horse, she knows that she belongs by his bedside – even if it means leaving behind her life in London, and her new fiancé.

But as Leonardo fights for his life, secrets begin to emerge that tell a different story of the past – a terrible history that begins with a boy running for his life over the Andalusian hills, and ends with a forbidden love that only war can destroy…

As Mia untangles the passions and betrayals of the past, everything she thought she knew is turned upside down. Can she heal the wounds of the past, and face the truth of her own heart?

It is very rare to find a book that will stay with you for a long time, one that grips your heart and makes you feel the loss and heartache of the characters. Well, I have found that book, written by the sensational  Caroline Montague.

Montague reveals, or unravels is probably a better word, the family secrets steadily, effortlessly, fluently as we read on and learn about forbidden love in the days of the Spanish Civil War. Imbued with with historical detail, this family, and Mia’s journey of discovery  reflects the author’s clear love and admiration of Spain.

I was absorbed in this story from the first page to the last. It was my first encounter with Montague and I can not wait to discover her other works. She creates splendid characters who inhabit a believablepage turning world; a world and a time that is both heart-breaking and uplifting. When I finished the book I was left feeling stunned that someone could take me on such a emotional journey.

Available in paperback, ebook and audiobook.

Staycation Essential – The Snuggy

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When I saw the press release for the Snuggy arrive in my inbox I was pretty excited. I am big on comfort and I hate being cold. When it arrived it was beautifully packaged and looked great. Putting it on feels like a warm hug. You are basically walking around wearing an incredibly comfortable blanket. I love it.

With the warmer weather in our sights and the Government’s overseas travel list in place, staycations are expected to be even more popular than ever before. If you’re heading on one yourself, or pulling together an essentials list, I wanted to introduce you to the Snuggy – the perfect addition to your staycation wardrobe.

snuggy, lounge wear, warm , comfortable.

Adored by celebrities such as Chloe Ferry and Alex and Olivia Bowen, the Snuggy is an oversized hoodie that’s super cosy and warm. It’s ideal for throwing on when the temperature drops in the evening or for those pesky nighttime trips to the loo!

Available in five different colours at www.snuggy.shop, and with options for adults (£59.99), children (£34.99) and even your canine companions (£22.99), its soft flannel fleece exterior and sherpa fleece interior make it the ultimate in campsite cosy comfort.

 

Joffe Books has done it again, oh bravo: such a clutch of their authors have made the Reader’s Choice Awards line-up

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Wow, what great news from Joffe Books: a number of their wonderful authors have been chosen by the TCKPRCA committee to feature in the Reader’s Choice Awards line-up so, as they told Frost Magazine, so let’s not FORGET TO VOTE.

Featuring this year is:

  • Love Byte by David Atkinson
  • The Smart Woman’s Guide to Murder by Victoria Dowd
  • When He Vanished by T.J. Brearton
  • Murder the Boys by Judith Cutler
  • Witch Fire on the Levels by David Hodges
  • Crime in the Gallery by Catherine Moloney
  • Crime in the College by Catherine Moloney
  • Murder Among Friends by Janice Frost
  • Before He Kills Again by Margaret Murphy
  • Don’t Scream by Margaret Murphy
  • Hidden in the Heart by Beth Andrews

For those of you who aren’t familiar with the award, TCK Publishing Reader’s Choice Awards believe readers deserve to have a choice in the outcome of the awards. This belief has helped structure their casting, voting and award process and is central to everything they do.

So, readers,  it’s up to you to decide a winner in each category. To cast your vote, please visit: https://www.tckpublishing.com/2021-readers-choice-voting-page/

Such excitement, and riding on the back of that, let’s look at some other books on offer from Joffe Books this week:

            

Small Bones  by Kerry Buchanan 99p/99c

Green-fingered Sue Hearn is planting a herb garden and has spent the morning digging up all sorts of odds and ends, but the last thing she expected to dig up was a skull.   Her mother went missing thirty years ago, but surely this couldn’t be . . . or could it?   Sue confronts her father, aged and in hospital, and he insinuates the police were involved with the disappearance.   Crikey – now that’s a teaser.

A Sign for Murder by Linda Mather   99p/99c

Private Detective Jo Hughes takes on a new client, Connor Fitzpatrick, at the agency.   Connor’s brother Sean has gone missing. Then a body is found. And this missing person’s investigation becomes a murder inquiry.   He was last seen with a woman at the local pub. Who is she and how is she connected to the case? A nail biter quite frankly.

Smile and be a Villain by Jeanne M. Dams   £1.99/ $2.99

“Dorothy is a dear.” a  New York Times Book Review says about our heroine, and sure enough, a cozy thriller with enough twists and turns to make you dizzy.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “I have loved this series from the very first book! Hope Ms. Dams keeps on writing them for a very long time.” Jan

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “So great to have a protagonist of this age who is perceptive and intelligent . . . I can’t say enough about the characterisation!” Ratcliff

A great deal more information on all Joffe Books has  to offer available here.

 

Ways remote work is reshaping how tech companies operate

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Let’s admit it; no one could have truly predicted what the world is currently dealing with due to the effects of COVID-19. The pandemic struck fast and hard and caught all of us off-guard.

For tech companies and most other businesses, that meant one thing; it was time to adapt (and do so quickly) or die. While remote work (or working from home) is not a completely new thing, it wasn’t a big trend yet pre-COVID.

Today, big tech companies such as Twitter and Facebook have embraced it, with many more like Blueground, a provider of furnished apartments in San Francisco, joining the bandwagon daily.

In this post, we look at how this new trend is rapidly changing how tech companies operate for the better.

Reduced costs

It is impossible to talk about the shift to remote work and not mention the positive impact it has on finances for both employers and employees.

With COVID-19 negatively impacting revenues, finding effective ways of cutting costs is a necessity. That’s why employers are offering workers the chance to work remotely at the expense of significantly reducing their salaries.

In addition to cutting operating costs, remote work is opening other avenues for employers. For example, it’s now possible to hire employees from different geographical locations, including offshore countries where labor is cheaper. Again, the net effect of this is reduced costs of doing business, which is key during times like these when companies are dealing with unprecedented economic challenges.

Increased productivity

According to a study by the Harvard Business Review, remote work can motivate employees to be more productive and yield higher results.

By working from home, workers are able to cut down the time it takes to commute to their workplaces. The truth is, commuting to work takes up a considerable amount of employees’ daily schedules. This not only increases fatigue but also raises their stress levels, especially if the commutes are hectic.

Remote work makes it possible for employees to earn a living without having to deal with such stressors. Ultimately, they become more productive and this shows in more sales and improved relations with other team members.

Wider pool of talent

When tech companies require employees to work in the office, they are oftentimes limiting their talent pool to just those who can work at their location. As a result, most end up missing out on sharper and more qualified candidates from other regions.

For example, living in Silicon Valley is expensive, which means candidates who don’t have enough money to live there will be unavailable for selection.

By embracing remote work, companies can comfortably widen their talent pool as they can recruit workers from any geographical region.

Are there downsides to working from home?

As with anything, it’s not all rosy when it comes to remote work. The increasing popularity of the trend means a lot of information is coming up on the negative side of it.

For starters, reports show that remote work has taken a toll on some workers since most were used to collaborating with a team in an office setting. As a result, some have found it difficult to self-motivate when working at home without any physical supervision. On the upside, the self-driven ones have benefited immensely from a lack of physical supervision.

Another problem that is arising is a lack of proper work-life balance. Some employees are finding it harder to separate work from their social life, thus eating into their personal time. This has led to issues such as increased divorce rates and gender-based violence cases. The premise behind it is that parents and partners no longer spend as much quality time with their loved ones as before.

However, all these hiccups are slowly getting smoothed out and soon, remote work will become the norm—especially in the tech sector.

Conclusion

When remote work first started to pick up speed, employers doubted they could manage their staffs, and that it would lead to a dip in productivity. However, this has been proven wrong, with most workers and supervisors now working smoothly via virtual platforms like Zoom.

This continues to work well for both companies and employees, as the former cuts down on operating costs, while employees benefited from the reduced hassle and cost of commuting to and from work.

Overall, shifting to remote work has enabled many tech companies to remain competitive and profitable. Whether it will be a future trend or just a temporary way to survive the disruption caused by COVID-19, it is easily the best thing that has happened to the tech industry in a long while!
Collaborative post with our brand partner.

Grandma Crunch, The Breakfast of Champions: High protein, zero sugar, keto friendly

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All new high protein, zero sugar, keto friendly, crunchy snack for those wanting to kick-start the day right.

Grandma (Crunch) is on a mission to create a healthier way of living and with her famous recipe book in hand, she has been hard at work concocting new ways to provide healthy, nutritious snacks, which will help keep people fit and strong. 

We tried the cinnamon, coconut and cocoa cereal and they all taste great. Grandma Crunch is a great idea and we are super impressed at how it is healthy and delicious. What a great idea. 

 Grandma crunch, cereal, high protein, no sugar

Now, more so than ever, Grandma wants to get the nation back to healthy eating habits. It’s been a hard year for everyone, both physically and mentally, and whilst most of us have taken some comfort in takeaways and sugary snacks, it’s time to limit those back to the odd treat, and start to build our immune systems and fill our bodies with nutritious food, which will fight off any nasties. 

The UK is a nation of breakfast cereal lovers, both young and old, after all it’s a simple, easy to prepare breakfast staple. However with over 90% of the market saturated by high sugar varieties, Grandma Crunch aims to allow people to enjoy a bowl of cereal, knowing they are fuelling the body with goodness, without compromising on texture and taste. 

Keto snacks generally all have a similar texture, and take the form of thick dense protein bars. Additionally, many of these high protein, low sugar options give misleading impressions. An example is the use of Maltitol in leading protein bars, which is often used as a sugar replacement and marketed as ‘no sugar’ but in reality it still spikes insulin, and so it’s not diabetic friendly.

Founded by husband and wife duo, Charlotte and Norman, they believe in alternative functional foods, which have a real impact on people’s lifestyle. They believe food should be delicious as well as providing a crucial function and significant impact on how you feel and how you perform. Charlotte is passionate about the problems of diet culture and the impact of misleading consumers.  Whilst Norman, who is driven by data, has spent many years researching various diets, meditation, stress management and sleep patterns, which together has led them to creation of Grandma Crunch.

 

What you need to know when starting your own record label

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Whether you are an entrepreneur looking to start something new or an aspiring musician who wants to go out on their own, this article is for you. It discusses everything you need to know about starting your own record label and becoming a big player in the music industry if that is your target. Of course, you might just want to set up a small local label to help local musicians, but these tips will still help. 

  1. A Name

To start your own record label, you need a name. It doesn’t have to be the catchiest phrase on the planet, but it would help. The name is important because it represents you and what you stand for. It will be your branding and will be the name everyone knows. If you are reaching out to artists and producers at any level, it will need to be a name that you are proud of. 

As music covers so many industries and genres, you also need to think about what the name means. For example, if you are planning on specialising in the Pop music sector, you might want to avoid something that represents another genre entirely. Obviously, it is down to you in the end, but the name is what will stick. Be imaginative as you would if you were setting up your own company or agency name. At the end of the day, the name is something you should be happy with. 

  1. Defining a Genre

This sort of goes hand in hand with the name choosing. If you are going to specifically settle for one niche then that will have played a factor in setting up your branding. However, if you opted for a label to be named after yourself for example, then you still need to make sure you have a defined focus. Whilst a scattergun approach may work for some people when trying to find clients, it helps to be more targeted. This way will also see you face less rejection. 

Imagine a band trying to make it in Rock ‘n’ Roll like Nirvana receiving an approach from a label which promotes Pop Music. They will likely dismiss your email or direct message. You do not have to appeal to everyone, as quite simply, you just won’t. This applies to those looking to start their own record label, as well as musicians, producers and songwriters. Be strategic and mindful of who you want to market to. In the same way as a marketing company refine their target audience for their newsletters and social media strategy, you will want to do the same when attracting potential clients.  

  1. Work Out When How You are Going to Distribute Your Music

When learning how to start a record label, you reach a point where you know it is about to get serious. As seen in the article on Pirate Studios, starting your own record label can be so rewarding. It can work in so many ways and can be extremely beneficial if you are an aspiring musician yourself. However, you do have to get it right, especially when it comes to distributing and releasing music. As we have seen down the years, the music industry can ride in waves. Artists can have a stellar year and then you may never hear from them again. 

That is why it is so important to avoid releasing and distributing when you feel like it. Similar to when approaching clients and artists, it is important to avoid a scattergun approach in this regard. As there is new music being released every hour, every day, timing is everything. Even the artists and labels with the biggest status will still research the best time to release. Perhaps the best example is how much thought goes into getting the Christmas Number One spot in the UK. This is quite a profitable time for record labels and in the UK, there was always a battle against Simon Cowell’s X Factor juggernaut. 

  1. Think About How You Are Going to Distribute Your Music

Since streaming and downloads started being counted towards the charts and other official figures, how you distribute your music if you are a record label has become a lot more complicated. Obviously, you can still look into releasing online and this is what most new record labels will do. Finding a digital distributor can be quite simple if you know where to look, and this means your records will hopefully land on all streaming sites such as Spotify and others. 

On the other hand, it can be more profitable to get your music distributed to shop floors. With HMV still going, there is still scope for this to be done. However, this can come further down the line if you are just starting out. First things first, don’t overthink it and just get your music distributed online. 

  1. Spread the Word

Perhaps the most important part of starting your own record label is to spread the word. Word of mouth is a great tool. Similarly, to an artist trying to get their name out there, you are wanting to do the same. In an already saturated industry, it is all about timing and word of mouth. Get your friends and other business to promote your new label.

Do some scouting as well. There are many unsigned bands and artists with loads of potential that just need a break in the same way you do. Signing a fledgling artist with bags of talent and ability is easier said than done, but they are out there. What better way to give your new record label a real boost by getting that talented, unsigned artist on the radio. Some record labels started out as bloggers reviewing unsigned talent and this led to promotion online. From there, they realised they had a knack for spotting talent and ability, which led to them setting up their own recording label. 

What you need to remember is that everybody has to start somewhere. Just have a look around and make sure you have everything covered. 

 

Collaborative post with our brand partner.