Emma Watson Speech for HeForShe IMPACT 10x10x10

Posted on January 27, 2015 by Catherine Balavage

She used to just be that annoying character in Harry Potter but now Emma Watson has a brand new bag: standing up for gender equality as a UN Women Goodwill Ambassador. Here is her speech for HeForShe IMPACT 10x10x10 Program at the World Economic Forum 2015. It is another great speech and it will hopefully make a difference.

UN Women Goodwill Ambassador, Emma Watson, delivered another speech encouraging world and corporate leaders to take action for gender equality during the kickoff of a HeForShe program launch at the World Economic Forum at Davos on January 23rd, 2015.

Ready to take action? Make your commitment at www.HeForShe.org.

What do you think?

Askerswell Short Story Workshop by Wendy Breckon

Posted on January 27, 2015 by Margaret Graham

One of the most pleasant ways to spend an afternoon, is to share ideas with other writers and learn one or two writing tips. On Saturday 17^th January, the car ambled through the country lanes to Askerswell near Bridport, for a short story workshop. Accompanied by a rather large notebook and a trusty pen, I bumped into other like minded people as we walked up the path. The flyer for the Dorset Writers’ Network said, ‘let your imagination fly’, and that is exactly what we did. In the warmth of the cosy surroundings of Grey Cottage, our excellent tutor, Frances Colville guided us towards creating the perfect short story.

The twelve writers gathered around the table, listened, scribbled down ideas, exchanged helpful notes and read their work. There is something magical about listening to other peoples’ writing. All so different. Quite fascinating. Wonderful.

Frances is a very accomplished writer. She gave us a clear understanding into the composition of a good short story. I found her tips very helpful and thought provoking. One of the constructive ideas she presented to us, is to hot seat your chosen character. This technique is valuable for gaining further appreciation of characterisation; such as understanding his or her personality; age; relationships with others or individual motives. Either, ask yourself the questions about the person you have created, or ask someone else to ‘hot seat’ you. Both are effective tools to consider when writing a short story.This was very helpful, for gaining an extra insight into the creation of our own characters.

Our tutor made a number of further practical suggestions; the important use of dialogue in short stories; the inclusion of dramatic tension and how to achieve it, and the necessity for vigorous editing. Reading your story out loud is very important for getting the sense of rhythm and pace.

A worthwhile exercise to do at home, (which I immediately applied to my own writing), with great success, is to explore a written piece and the application of descriptive words. Are they the best ones to choose? Are you using cliché and words that are too obvious? Frances suggested, that as writers we underline each one, and think of them on an individual basis.

Four o’clock. It was the end of the session. Chairs were placed under the table. Notebooks and pens disappeared into bags. Coffee cups pushed to one side. Everyone left chatting, heads buzzing.

Frances Colville gave us lots to think about in her invaluable and absorbing session. I could have stayed for another two hours.

So now, it’s time to think of an idea! If you want to take part in the competition, create a story with a maximum of 500 words. This should be set in Dorset, have a strong sense of place and have equally strong characters. The winners will be chosen for the e-book anthology and the closing date is the 31^st March.

So, let those thoughts slide on to the page and your imagination fly. Without any further hesitation get writing.

Words For The Wounded Writing Prize Closes On 11 March

Posted on January 26, 2015 by Margaret Graham

Words for the Wounded writing prize closes on 11 March. Why on earth do three grannies (two shown above) throw themselves out of a plane, strapped to a fit young man, hoping their parachutes open? Well, OK, the fit young man is a bit of a clue. But seriously, why? The reasons lie in the past and the present. In the past, both my grandfathers survived the first world war, so just as there were thankful villages who had lost no men, so too there were thankful families. But life isn’t that simple, is it? Gentle Percy, my mother’s father survived but took his own life in 1923. War has long, relentless tentacles which reach out and destroy families, just as surely as bullets do. Then, about four years ago I met a young man and his wife. They were both under twenty five. She was pushing him in his wheelchair; his portable ventilator lay on his chest. He’d been shot through the neck in Helmand and is tetraplegic, (paralysed from the neck down). They were both smiling and cheerful but their hopes and dreams were very different now, and everyday life was a mountain in itself. I decided that, as writers, my two granny friends and I could help not just the wounded, but also aspiring writers. We founded Words for the Wounded and were enormously lucky in our patrons, amongst whom are Julian Fellowes, Louis de Berniers, Katie Fforde, Paddy Ashdown and many others. We decided also that we would earn our donations, not just appeal to the generosity of others; hence the skydive, and hence the Mud Challenge Obstacle Course in August, and hence the LitFest to be held at High Wycombe on 18^th April 2015 with Katie Fforde and two Midsomer Murders writers amongst others. Our main thread, however, is our writing prizes. We have the short category for poetry/fiction/memoir – up to 400 words, with prize money of £400. Entry fee £4.50 This year we are launching The Independent Author Book Award for fiction or memoir, with a 1^st prize of a Palamedes PR professional press release. And a biography and review in Frost Magazine. Entry fee £12.50 The WforW grannies absorb ALL the costs themselves, so every penny raised goes to the wounded. Our troops put their lives on the line for us, some are killed, many, many, more sustain life-changing injuries. To help them is the aim of Words for the Wounded. They deserve the best.

For more information: www.wordsforthewounded.co.uk

Spiralizer Review: Is This The Coolest Kitchen Gadget?

Posted on January 26, 2015 by Catherine Balavage

I never thought I would be the type to write about a kitchen gadget but here it is: my love for my Westmark Spiromat 11332260 Spiralizer. My spiralizer was actually a birthday present from my brother. Even weirder for me, to ask for something domestic for my birthday. Anyone who knows me knows that I am not domestic. But if anything will turn anyone into a (one-time) domestic goddess it is the spiralizer. I made vegan bolognese with it. (Above picture)

So what does it do? Well it turns vegetables into noodles and pasta. Yes, that’s it. Why so good? Well it’s fun to use and instead of having carbs you can have courgette pasta. Which is absolutely delicious and very healthy.Frankly I am obsessed and I am not the only one. Blogger Deliciously Ella featured the spiralizer on her blog and it sold out on Amazon.

Although the Spiralizer looks hard to clean, you can just pop it in the dishwasher. It comes with a few different attachments for variety and it is very easy to use. Because it is fun to use you use it more, therefore you eat more healthy. I should stop now as it is ruining my street cred to gush so much about a kitchen appliance but I really do love it. Vegetable noodles and pasta are great and less stodgy than the real thing. I still love pasta but I do find it heavier and more filling. This gadget is also perfect for the gluten intolerant.

You can buy a spiralizer here.

Zuzka … Capturing The Power Of Nature

Posted on January 25, 2015 by Corinne Tuddenham-Finn

With time being today’s luxury, finding cosmetics and treatments that make the most of our time-consuming beauty maintenance is a constant struggle.
I’ve been using three products from the Zuzka ‘Botanicals’ range for the last few weeks, a brand founded by Susan Kohutova, a qualified beauty specialist and registered medical herbalist, with over 20 years experience as a consultant and therapist for some of the top cosmetic companies. Susan suffered herself with an extremely sensitive and allergy-prone skin and realised there was a great need for a product range free from the main skin irritants that cause such distress for certain skins when used on a daily basis. In order to develop her own formulas, Susan studied Medical Herbalism and discovered the incredible healing powers of herbs, plants and flowers, utilising these precious natural ingredients to their best potential. The brand name ‘Zuzka’ is Slovakian for ‘Susan’, inspired by her Slovakian husband.
The packaging is functional, practical and purist, aimed at the modern woman whose intelligence is reflected as much in her health and beauty care as it is in her career choices. The results on my skin were visible and tangible, I could apply my make-up more easily and my skin stayed fresh and supple during the day.
Zuzka makes caring for your skin a pleasurable experience by providing the highest quality therapeutic products with fresh natural aromas that produce beneficial, satisfying results at a very competitive price.
Without the obligatory harsh fragrances associated with so many beauty products on the market at the moment, but simple, light scents, the plant extracts act deep-down, improving skin action to improve tone and texture with a bare-feel sensation.

Argenine Hydroxy Rejuvenation Cream 50ml – £36.99

A high performance cream containing Argenine Hydroxy, Zuzka’s exclusive ‘Botanical Botox’ formula, which offers intense correction of wrinkles and expression lines, offering a relaxing anti-inflammatory effect on tired, stressed looking skin. This product produces beautifully subtle results with great safety.

Rose Petal Facial Spritz – £18.99 – 150ml

The beautiful aromatic rejuvenating waters of rose petal, witch-hazel and frankincense, sooth and refresh the skin, closing open pores.

Organic rosehip oil for mature skin – £18.99 – 30ml

A luxurious, soothing, rejuvenating, collagen-boosting precious oil for mature skin, containing organic oils of rosehip, calendula, evening primrose, jojoba and the ultimate cell regenerating ingredient, rose essential oil.

There are five main skincare ranges:
Ocean Spa – toning and detoxifying
Honey Glow – soothing and therapeutic
Derma Care – deep pore treatment
Botanicals – rejuvenating and anti-aging
Cocoa Spa – revitalising and antioxidant

With a myriad of colours that would rival any cosmetic counter, a selection for men and tantalising beauty kits, this range is definitely worth a try!

• Not tested on animals
• 100% pure mineral make-up
• Free from sulphates, parabens (chemicals which have preservative qualities, frequently used in cosmetics and other over-the-counter beauty and health care products such as shampoos and toothpastes), mineral oils, synthetic ingredients and artificial fragrance.
Shop online at www.zuzkanaturalbeauty.co.uk

www.corinne-modelling.co.uk

How To Have Insta-Success

Posted on January 23, 2015 by Frostie

Part of the fun of having an Instagram account is getting lots of people to want to follow you. While it’s easy to set up an account, what makes the difference in getting lots of followers is taking interesting shots and making sure that people stay interested in what you have to share.

The very successful Instagram accounts are often those that stick to a particular theme. For example, a food lover might only post pics of food, while a travel write – unsurprisingly – will post shots of amazing scenes from around the world. There might be someone who has a really cute pet and only posts photos of that pet.

Many of the most followed accounts are those belonging to celebrities – Kim Kardashian, Justin Bieber, Miley Cyrus and Katy Perry are all high up on the list. There are some celebrities who have become much more famous than they might have done because of Instagram. For instance have you ever looked at the photos of Dan Bilzerian on Instagram? They may not be to everyone’s taste – in many of the shots there are lots of nearly naked girls with poker player Dan – but they definitely give a glimpse into the unbelievably opulent lifestyle that he now leads, thanks to his success at the poker tables over the years. In fact, his Instagram fame is one of the reasons that Dan now stars in the latest bgo TV ad, alongside actor Troy Verner, who has been the famous face of bgo for well over a year now.

Your Instagram account might not end up in bringing you fame and fortune, but by following the tips you should at least get more followers – and learn how to keep them following you.

Choose a theme – as mentioned above the most successful accounts usually don’t stray too far from their chosen theme.
Follow a schedule. Audiences like to know what they’re going to get from the accounts they are following. If you post every day, your followers will expect to see something every day. If you post weekly, they’ll expect that. Keep your followers loyal by sticking to a regular posting rhythm.
Add variety. Avoid becoming repetitive. You can have a chosen theme without your posts becoming dull. Think around your main subject and see how you can vary the images you use. You can add variety by posting fan pics too – if you get any!
Hashtag with care. A couple of descriptive hashtags are more effective than a big long list of generalised ones. Many hashtags per photo indicate to some Instagram users that you’re trying too hard to increase the number of people who follow you.
Interact with your followers. If people take the time to post comments about your images, it’s nice to acknowledge them. You may not have time to respond to each one individually, but take time to ‘talk’ to your audience, so they know you appreciate their comments.

Your goal of having an Instagram account may not be about enlisting legions of followers – perhaps you just want to share special moments with friends and family in an easy and digestible format. The most important thing is to make sure you have fun with your Instagram account – that’s what it’s all about, after all.

Why The Best Thing You Can Do For Your Acting Career Is To Quit

Posted on January 23, 2015 by Catherine Balavage

I know what you are thinking: what? That makes no sense. But bear with me. I have been acting for a long time. Since I was a teenager and in that time I have had some amazing parts, met amazing people and worked on projects that I was proud of. Also in that time I worked with a lot of jerks, had some terrible auditions, worked on awful projects and had some really awful experiences. My hair was always in a state of recovery because some over-zealous make up person had gone to town on it, my breasts were always being taped down by gaffer tape because costume people ‘didn’t know what to do with them’ and I was working too damn hard in an industry where the pay had not only not risen, but was actually the lowest in fourteen years. I kept almost getting the life-changing parts but lost out at the final hurdle. To put it frankly, I had had enough.

The last straw was working on a film on which I sustained a serious back injury. I damaged a disc and also had nerve damage. Over a year of painful physiotherapy followed. It was a nightmare. It was the last straw. ‘I quit’ I told my husband. ‘I just can’t do this anymore’. But it was only then the moment of clarity came; ‘Don’t quit’, my husband said, ‘You are too talented and have too much to offer. Take a break and then go back to it’. Cue the previously mentioned moment of clarity. He was right. Quit, but then go back.

The truth was, I just wasn’t into it anymore. I hated auditions, I hated working, I hated all of the BS that came with acting. So I quit, wrote my acting book, and by the time I was ready to go back I was in love with acting again. I wanted to make films again. I wanted to be on a television set. The break gave me the distance needed to realise why I had become an actor in the first place. I rediscovered all of the things I loved about working in the entertainment industry, which is the only way you can deal with all of the stuff you don’t love about it.

When your heart isn’t in something it comes across. You just have to take a break and go do something else for a while. Get a good-paying job and build up your bank account, travel, learn a new skill. Do anything but quit acting. It just might be the best thing for your acting career that you ever do.

If you are an actor then check out my book How To Be a Successful Actor: Becoming an Actorpreneur. It is available in print and in all eBook formats on both Smashwords and Amazon.

King Lear William Shakespeare Théâtre de Nesle Review – Paris

Posted on January 22, 2015 by Colin David Reese

How do you put Shakespeare’s King Lear on a stage the size of a postage stamp with 6 actors (3m,3f) running 90 minutes?

The answer is – carefully.

This is a very careful production with everything timed meticulously. The 6 actors obviously play many parts each and the changes of costume/character are carefully thought through and executed with a seamless precision; one actor walking past another who is ready to hand the scarf and take the jacket that indicates the character change (for example). The staging is organised and choreographed to the centimetre and the use of the sparse décor (rostra particularly) highly effective.

The text has been cut intelligently and some of the subplots sacrificed to bring the running time to the 90 minutes that the theatre demands.

What the production lacks is a certain passion and a rhythm. The poetry of the verse has been sacrificed in the interests of clarity – creating a rather controlled and intellectual production. But then this is a question of personal taste when it comes to Shakespeare and I prefer passion. The intricacies of the plots and the machinations of Goneril and Regan – not to mention Edmund – are abundantly clear and easy to follow; the surtitles enabling those whose English is not “native” to keep up to speed.

On the whole a huge “bravo” to the entire team and a production well worth watching if you are in Paris soon.

Colin David Reese

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