ROYAL CHINA – RESTAURANT REVIEW

Posted on by

Who wants some world famous Chinese food? Us, obviously. We took a trip to Baker Street’s Royal China restaurant and experienced huge flavours from its Cantonese menu with some superb service to boot.

Renowned for its Dim Sum and Hong Kong style dishes, alongside seasonal menus, the restaurant has something for any Chinese food lover.

The Baker Street branch is considered to be the Group’s flagship (of its six restaurants in London from Queensway to Harrow on The Hill) and when you walk into the atmospheric dining hall which can hold 250 people, you immediately see why!

Head chef Pak Kuen Ng is somewhat of a celebrity in the biz. Growing up in Hong Kong, his own experiences influencer the flavours. Our favourite dishes on the day included the Honey Roast Pork Puffs, deep fried stuffed crab claw, roast duck Cantonese style and ‘Royal China’ Lotus Leaf Rice. OK, we know that’s a lot on the favourites list but trust us on this one, the flavours are on point!

If you are drawn towards the Dim Sum, you’re in luck – there’s a new menu launching this month which will be served daily from noon through to 5.30pm. A huge mix of Cheung Fung, dumplings, buns and meat pots, all ranging from £3.90 to £6.60 a dish, it’s a budget friendly way to trial the lot however the Black Gold Yolk Lava Buns are eying us up…

You won’t be going thirsty here either, with over 40 different teas to choose from and over 100 wine bins, there’s a tipple to compliment each dish.

Visit https://www.royalchinagroup.co.uk/ to book and see what’s on

 

Budsies Soft Toys by Dr Kathleen Thompson

Posted on by

 

Looking for a novel present for the artistic child? Budsies are a US-based company who will take a drawing (either your child’s drawing  – or yours – nobody’s judging) and turn it into a soft toy. Their custom-stuffed animals are:

  • Hand-made to look just like the drawing you submit
  • 16″ or you can upgrade to 30″ for an extra huggable creation
  • The perfect surprise gift for anyone

They ship to various international locations including the UK. Check out their website for a full rang of their products.

 

By Dr K Thompson, author of From Both Ends of the Stethoscope: Getting through breast cancer – by a doctor who knows

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01A7DM42Q

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01A7DM42Q

http://faitobooks.co.uk

SISTER SCRIBES GUEST: RACHEL BRIMBLE ON WRITING ABOUT STRONG WOMEN

Posted on by

I first met Rachel when I tentatively joined a new chapter of the Romantic Novelists Association in anticipation of a house move, Rachel could not have been more welcoming and instantly made me feel at home. She manages to combine this open and friendly manner with a dedication to her career that makes her one of the most prolific authors I know.  

 

I’ve always wanted to write, but it wasn’t until my youngest daughter started school full-time that I started to pursue my dream of becoming a published novelist. That was in 2005 and my first book was published in 2007. I was ecstatic!

This book had been through the New Writers’ Scheme which is an amazing opportunity for a full manuscript to be critiqued by a published member of the Romantic Novelists Association. The RNA is an amazing group of female novelists (and a few men!) who support, encourage and applaud romance writers throughout the UK. It is a true honour to be a part of such a wonderful organisation and has almost certainly provided the push needed over and over again when I’ve felt I couldn’t continue to write.

Just recently, I handed in my twenty-third full-length novel to my current publisher (Aria Fiction). I have always loved drawing inspiration from real-life progressive and inspirational women, and this is reflected in the types of heroines I like to portray in my books.

As I write romance, these women ultimately end up falling in love, but it is their journey of self-discovery and empowerment that drives me to write and ensure my characters succeed. The love aspect is merely a much-welcomed added extra!

I write mainstream contemporary romance, romantic suspense and historical romance. My latest series is set in the fictional Pennington’s Department Store in Bath, England. Influenced by my love of the TV series Mr Selfridge and The Paradise, I was inspired to write a series that focused on the women’s issues of the early 20th century.

Once I’d decided on the theme of ‘female empowerment’, there was no stopping my fingers at the keyboard. I am passionate about self-growth, belief and achievement and to write about women determined to make a societal change appeals to me in every way. Book 1 in the series (The Mistress of Pennington’s) is about women striving to make their mark in business amid an extremely male-dominated world, book 2 and my latest release (A Rebel At Pennington’s) is about women’s suffrage and book 3 (hopefully released in the Autumn) is about the stigma surrounding divorce at the time.

As you can no doubt imagine, the research I undertook to uncover the required characterisation and inspiration to create these female protagonists led me to learn about some truly phenomenal women. Discoveries that will stay with me forever. There are so names we are familiar with – famous suffragettes, women aviators, doctors and scientists who all excelled and made their mark at the turn of the century, but there were also many women who remain unknown to us. Or at least, they were to me.

It is these women that inspire my work and the heroines I want to spend months and months with as I pen a 100,000 word novel about their evolving lives. The Edwardian period was a time of great change for women and it’s exciting to be a part of that. I love bringing historic women’s issues to the foreground of my novels and hopefully inspiring a woman in her own life today.

I could not write without women from the past, the present and undoubtedly, the future.

Here’s to the strong women who have gone before us and who continue to walk with us today!

 

Rachel Brimble lives in a small market town near Bath with her husband, two daughters and mad chocolate Labrador, Tyler. When she’s not writing, she likes to read, knit and walk the beautiful English countryside. Author of over 20 romance novels, Rachel hopes to sign a new contract for a contemporary romance trilogy in the not too distant future.

Website: https://rachelbrimble.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rachelbrimbleauthor/?hl=en

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rachelbrimbleauthor/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/RachelBrimble

 

March Reading Round-up.

Posted on by

Kitty. 

I finished Circe by Madeline Miller this month and I cannot do justice to how much I loved it. The story of Circe, a woman locked in by her divinity whilst also dealing with the very female roles of mother, daughter, sister and lover. This retelling made Circe much more accessible and empathetic than the male-centric version that I grew up with. Full of self-discovery, courage and empowerment it turns the myth of vicious witch into a story of a true heroine. I loved it so much that having read it once I am going to store it, like a secret treasure, for a re-read in a few months so I can wallow in it slowly and feel the magic again. 

I’m also reading Lionel Shriver’s Property, a collection of short stories. I very rarely read short stories and have such a marmite reaction to Shriver’s novels (sometimes I adore her, others not so much – I am, however, always in awe) that I wanted to read these. As ever, her writing is taut, crisp and twisty with each story leaving me admiring her incisive skill and her insight into the reality of the human condition. Sometimes unnerving, sometimes a little bleak but razor-sharp. Quite remarkable. 

Kirsten.

It’s been non-fiction for me this month. I am researching London during World War One for a possible upcoming WIP and I stumbled across A Home Front Diary by Lillie Scales. Lillie lived in Hornsey and ‘she wrote about everything that came to mind … the result is an intimate and honest portrayal of day to day like for a middle-class family’. It’s fascinating – from the difficulty of getting food and the introduction of rationing, to the fear of the ever-increasing bombing raids. It’s all much more as I imagined the Second World War – sheltering from bombs in the Underground Stations and such like. I have also been reading Round About A Pound A Week by Maud Pember Reeves which concerns itself with the other end of the social scale. To quote the preface ‘for four years between 1909 and 1915, Maud Pember Reeves and other members of the Fabian Women’s Group visited 42 families in and around Lambeth-Walk to record in minute detail exactly how they survived on their low incomes.’ Reading about their daily struggle to survive makes absolutely fascinating – yet sober and harrowing – reading. It’s also so uplifting to read about the cheerful and loving homes that many women created in the midst of appalling poverty and depravation. Inspirational and humbling! 

Cass.

In Stolen Sister, the latest release from Linda Huber, the contrasting actions of two people many years earlier result in repercussions no one could have imagined.
When young parents, Paula and Joe, head off to a reunion with their barely days old daughter, they have no idea of the tragedy about to befall them. Their two older children, Vicky and Jamie (who suffers from disabilities and needs constant care), were to be cared for by Paula’s aunt, Maisie – just for a couple of days, or so it was assumed.
The tragedy has a far-reaching impact, with both Aunt Maisie and the young couple’s friend, Sylvie (also at the reunion) making decisions in a moment of crisis that will haunt them for the rest of their lives.
With siblings torn apart without their knowledge, a ‘mother’ who seems intent on history repeating itself and a race against time to protect a child, Linda Huber has crafted an excellent, gripping family drama!

pastedGraphic.png

FROST’S FAVOURITE: NAILCARE

Posted on by

No matter how chic you look in your power dress, daring to bare to a chipped nail definitely eliminates sass points. If professional shaping and shellacs aren’t your thing, check out our High Street list of must-haves for manicured looking nails

Unicorn Nail Vanity Kit (£12.99)

A cutie mini vanity kit packed with the nailcare staples you need. Not necessarily the most professional to pull out pre-meeting but certainly pocket sized and, let’s face it, cute AF

Buy from: Thumbs Up

Nail Foundation (£15)

This priming basecoat a triple threat.Fortified with Hydrolysed Silk, it strengthens weak nails, promote healthy nail growth and acts as a banishing tool – ridding you of ridges and imperfections for a super smooth nail surface

Buy from: Look Fantastic

OPI Infinite Shine Nail Colour (£14.50)

Tis the season to get SUMMERY! As the weather warms and the sun tries to shine, we’re all about bright and bold. This OPI range is glossy and glam and has some brilliant pink hues (From Here To Eternity is our FAVE)

Buy from: Amazon

The Body Shop almond nail and cuticle oil (£8)

We know that cuticle oil splits the crowd – it’s an extra layer and usually forgotten BUT trust us, it’s worth the investment. The Body Shop offers a two in one pen which is packed with lovely scented, sweet almond oil. It softens cuticles and treats dry, brittle nails whilst helping your manicure last longer

Buy from: The Body Shop

Why The Lack of LGBT Book Prizes?

Posted on by

LGBT, LGBT issuesIf you imagine that finding a traditional publisher for a first-time unknown author is hard, think scaling the north face of the Eiger when it comes to LGBT writers. Equality has given us many opportunities in life, but in the world of publishing it has strangely reduced our chances. For while most publishing houses these days have LGBT authors and books on their catalogues, they are reluctant to take on too many and certainly when it comes to risky first-timers. Publishing, like any business, is driven by profit margins, and since gay authors and LGBT themed books are limited in their sales revenue, any manuscript landing on a publisher’s desk with a rainbow theme running through it, stands even less of a chance than the thousands of others already in the slush pile. Once, traditional publishers wouldn’t touch overtly LGBT books. Thus, it was left to independent presses to print small numbers, but which at least meant they were going into the shops, if only to be tucked away on a shelf at the back. Today, though the stigma of books dealing with a sexuality other than ‘the norm’ no longer holds sway, still the readership is relatively small and does not translate into big enough profits for the main influencers, the publishers who are supplying the highstreets and airport shops.

What percentage of book sales are LGBT? I scoured the internet for information but could find nothing. Someone must have these figures?

The scarcity LGBT bookshops seems also ironic, given the diversity we so enjoy today. There are only two in the UK (correct me if I’m wrong); Gay’s The Word in London, and Category Is Books in Glasgow. While LGBT only bookshelves are disappearing from the high street, independent bookshops such as the two mentioned provide much needed havens in which gay men and women can browse quietly and mix with other LGBT people. But why are there not more of these oases in our cities and towns? Are we missing something? Have we let the mainstream absorb so much of our culture that we are in danger of losing our identity and risk being ignored altogether? Is this what equality is?

Women in literature faced a similar dilemma when in 1992 a group of people from all areas of the literary world got together to discuss why The Booker Prize shortlist the previous year had not included any women writers. This was puzzling since 60% of books published were by women and yet they had been so underrepresented. The group discussed the value and purpose of literary prizes and whether they promoted reading or put people off, and the positive role such awards can bring to authors. From that meeting the Orange Prize for Fiction was launched in 1996. It is now called The Women’s Prize and is an important and integral event in the literary calendar.   

Apart from the Polari Prize for first time LGBT authors and the Diva Literary Awards, the only other solely LGBT prize is the LAMDAs based in the U.S. While the acceptance of LGBT literature into the mainstream has given it just as much chance of winning any of the plethora of book awards, and is welcomed, the fact remains that the LGBT category will always be so small it will inevitably make little impact on the shortlists.

The Green Carnation Prize was initiated in 2010 when, together with journalist and blogger Simon Savidge, Paul Magrs highlighted this ‘scandalous lack of prizes for gay men’ in the UK. Since 2017 and despite its success, it has fallen dormant. If help is required, the gay community must assist in either resurrecting this prize or establishing another if we are to give gay authors and their books the attention they deserve. It will take the support of major players and sponsors for it to happen and to be sustainable, but as the Women’s Prize has proved, it can be done.

 

Amazon’s Kindle Storyteller Award celebrates independent writing talent with £20,000 prize

Posted on by

An exciting new writing competition is here!

Kindle Storyteller Award returns to the UK for third year, recognising the best talent
in independent publishing

Amazon today announced that the Kindle Storyteller Award, recognising outstanding work by independent authors with a £20,000 cash prize, will return for its third year in 2019. The award is open to all authors who publish their book through Kindle Direct Publishing on Amazon.co.uk from 1st May 2019 to 31st August 2019.

The prize will be awarded to the work that garners praise not just from the judging panel of book and publishing industry experts, but also from readers. The shortlist will be compiled on the basis of a number of factors, including reviews, sales and pages read in Kindle Unlimited.

The winner will be announced at a ceremony in London this Autumn, and awarded the cash prize of £20,000, a marketing campaign to support the book on Amazon.co.uk, and the opportunity to have their book translated for readers around the world.

The award has been won previously by contemporary fiction author Hannah Lynn and action thriller writer David Leadbeater. Since winning the Prize, Leadbeater has sold more than 165,000 books, and Lynn has gone on to publish three further novels.

Other Kindle Direct Publishing success stories include LJ Ross, who has had seven Kindle number one bestsellers and five books go to number one on pre-orders alone, and Rachel Abbott, who has sold over three million books to date.

Alessio Santarelli, Director, Kindle Content said: “Following the enthusiasm and huge number of entries in 2018, we are delighted to bring the Kindle Storyteller Award back for its third year. The encouragement and support of aspiring authors is an endeavour we continue to champion at Amazon. Publishing a book has never been easier and we are proud to provide a service that allows for a breadth of diverse stories to be told.”

Hannah Lynn, winner of the 2018 UK Kindle Storyteller Award said: “Hearing my name called out last October for The Afterlife of Walter Augustus was incredible. To receive such recognition for only my second book was such a fantastic confidence boost that has made me all the more determined to keep writing. I wish the best of luck to the 2019 entrants and urge any writers who are on the fence to enter – you never know what might happen!”

The Kindle Storyteller Award will be open to submissions of new books in the English language, published using Kindle Direct Publishing. Titles must be previously unpublished, with a minimum of 24 pages in paperback. Readers can access all titles entered into the prize in print or on the Kindle store on any device with the free Kindle app for iPhone, iPad, Android phones and tablets, PC and Mac, and on Kindle e-readers and Fire Tablets.

The Kindle Storyteller Award 2019 opens for entries on 1st May 2019, and titles must be enrolled in KDP Select while they are in the competition. For further information, authors can visit www.amazon.co.uk/storyteller.

SISTERS SCRIBES: KITTY WILSON ON STRUCTURAL EDITS

Posted on by

Hello, it’s lovely to be on Frost again and I thought I’d take the chance to tell you what’s happening in my writing life right now.

It’s been a busy couple of months for The Cornish Village School series. At the time of writing this I’m working through the structural edits on book three, have signed off on the cover for the audio release of book two and received my first copies of the paperbacks for book one.

Structural edits are the first thing that needs to be tackled once you’ve finished and polished the first (second, third, umpteenth) draft and bitten the bullet and sent it off to your editor to see what they think. Because the author tends to be so close to the book, these edits are a vital, objective view of what needs to be tidied up, changed and possibly cut, possibly extended. Chapters may need to be moved or restructured and it usually involves ‘killing your darlings’.

For me, waiting for these is the most terrifying time; I somehow expect them to receive, read and critique my draft within the first fifteen minutes. I fill that quarter of an hour by biting my nails and opening up Indeed.co.uk and looking for jobs. I could definitely be a cast member in the Disney Store (as long as there is no singing required), perhaps that job negotiating exit from the EU would be simpler than any edits I will have to do (this job was advertised during my last panic browse. I considered it). Then I give myself a good talking to about rational behaviour and decide that I could do some housework, change my mind (no need for desperate measures), panic a bit more and start the next book in an attempt to distract myself.

The starting of the next book thing is a jolly good move. It’s my favourite bit of the process – that time where the world is full of possibilities, deadlines are so far away they may as well not exist and you can make anything happen. Once I’d written the first chapter with a vicar (my new hero and I’m already in love with him), a guerrilla yarn-bombing octogenarian and a secret underground dungeon, all was right again in my world. In fact, I was so enthused I almost forgot the dreaded edits. Which were made even more worrisome this time around by the fact that I have a new editor* and I am a little oppositional to change (I still have the screws to my bunkbed that my mother dismantled when I was eight).

When the structural edits did come in I read them, had a mini meltdown and it took a couple of days before I processed the words in front of me – all of which were fair, true and actually very positive. In fact, there was nothing at all that warranted the seismic earthquake of stroppiness I had engaged in but which is, apparently, a natural part of the process, because only after that could I start working my way diligently through her fairly short list of suggestions.

The next phase is the line edits and the proofread, all of which I’m hoping will be completed by the time you are reading this and I should be well on the way to finding romance for my handsome vicar. I enjoy these, or at least I think I do. If you’ve heard screaming bouncing across the British Isles recently then there’s a good chance I was kidding myself. Keep your fingers crossed for me!

All love, Kitty.

*who’s proved to be lovely btw.

 

Follow us @Sister5cribes