BEAUTY ESSENTIALS – THE NOVEMBER EDIT

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Despite this bizarrely warm and sunny November we’re having, the crisp air and subtle hints of Christmas are starting to come through so it’s time to make some changes to your regular routine. By this, we mean spoiling the skin, topping up the tan, gearing up the glitter and hydrating the hair.

Check out our November beauty must-haves below and thank us later!

 

Huda Beauty – The Nude Palette

If you haven’t heard about Huda dropping this latest launch, where have you been!? The beauty industry, and our Instagram feeds, are going wild for these 18 pigmented shades and it’s already sold out TWICE since hitting shelves in the UK just two weeks ago. The glitter formulas are absolutely mesmerising and will get you in the party spirit. Our favourite thing about this though, is the sheer number of looks you can create with different combinations. It’s a little more spenny than some but  trust us, it’s totally worth it.

Where can I buy? Feel Unique

How much? £56

Perfect for: EVERYTHING

 

Hairburst Volume and Growth Elixir

Anything that helps protect our locks in this weather gets the thumbs up from us but this fantastic elixir does so much more. Applying to wet hair helps to hugely increase the hair’s volume and also improves the quality and strength of each individual strand. You’d be lying if you said you didn’t see the results after your blow dry and this elixir leaves hair glossier after just one use. It has UV, heat AND pollution protection and the avocado and coconut actives leave the hair smelling super fresh too.

Where can I buy? Superdrug

How much? £23.99

Perfect for: Strengthening, volumizing and perfecting any hair type

 

Balmkind lip treatment

We do love this time of year but cracked, sore lips are not part of the desired winter wardrobe so it’s essential to be protecting your pout. Balmkind is a treatment balm that’s packed with Alpine Rose and Lysine (great for preventing and treating cold sores), as well as liquorice root. This concoction makes for an instantly nourishing and hydrating feel on the lips and to top it all, there is no petroleum in these tubes of goodness, meaning the protective barrier isn’t just artificial. Our favourite thing about Balmkind? It’s available in SPF20 (as well as non SPF) and protects against both UVB and UVA rays

Where can I buy? Balmkind

How much? £13

Perfect for: A super-soft and protected pout

 

Cocoa Brown By Marissa Carter 

An early Christmas miracle for washed out skin. This one hour tan uses accelerating ingredients to help it develop quickly and leaves you with a fast-drying, non-sticky, brown tan, all with Cocoa Brown’s signature Tahitian Gardinia scent. Super easy to apply when using the Cocoa Brown luxury mitt, you’ll have that festive glow in, quite literally, no time as it dries in seconds.

Where can I buy? Superdrug

How much? £5.99

Perfect for: A natural looking top up tan

 

Jolen Cream Bleach

Let’s be honest here, the last thing we want coming through on our flawless party pics is that ‘above lip shadow’. Hair removal can often be a bit too aggressive on the skin which is why bleaching is quite often the right route. Gentle on the skin, a light fragrance, great results and a budget friendly pricetag make it a great choice this season.

Where can I buy? Boots

How much? £4.35

Perfect for: A painless, shadow free top lip

 

 

Dedication for Meditation with Inhere Meditation Pods

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“Meditation is bringing the mind home” – Sagyal Rinpoche The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying

City life is not only fast and furious but also taxing on our mind and body’s. It seems like everyday is a rise and grind affair and time we dedicate to ourselves is ever dwindling. Yes, we often give ourselves a break and take time away from work to rest and recuperate and relax away from our homes, but what about those moments in life when we are unable to escape the norm. There has to be some kind of respite that we can achieve in our natural habitat. Major tech companies are starting to focus some attention on how to ensure their staff are functioning at their best by introducing sleep pods, break out rooms etc, but what about everyone else. What do you have at your workplace which allows you to align your thoughts and get back to you? 

Inhere founded by Adiba Osmani and Ghazal Abrishamchi  provides Londoners with meditation studios in Central London. Inhere meaning ‘to exist from within’ became the companies ethos and they wanted to bring a sacred meditation space to utilise within the workplace so they developed their revolutionary Meditation Pod. To debut their pod in an adequate location, they teamed up with luxury co-working space Uncommon and unveiled their creation for customers to use at their leisure. The collaboration was born, as both Inhere and Uncommon are based on the same values. Uncommon’s workplaces are based around health and wellbeing paired with design and technology. The spaces are designed to create an environment which are open and natural using plenty of outdoor light, plants and woods.

The Uncommon spaces showcase the new meditation pod which is a little ‘haven away from London Life’. With a selection of 10, 15, 20 and 30 minute guided meditations, customers can choose from an array of soothing sounds to accompany their relaxation time. The pod is a safe enclosure created from wood and allowing plenty of natural light to flood in to create a bright and airy space. Customers can lounge, sit or lie horizontally on the comfiest meditation chair complete with foot rest and place the headset on to drift into your own relaxation time. Alongside this, Inhere are set to open the most advanced drop-in meditation studio in Central London targeting City workers helping to bust any work related stress. 

To find out more about Inhere visit https://www.inherestudio.com

To book spaces at Uncommon and try out the new meditation pods visit https://www.inherestudio.com 

THE ROMANTIC NOVELISTS’ ASSOCIATION ANNOUNCES INDUSTRY AWARD WINNERS

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London: 14 November 2018 The Romantic Novelists’ Association’s (RNA) is delighted to announce the winners of its annual Industry Awards. The RNA Industry Awards are decided by the membership, with every member eligible to nominate within each category. They recognise and celebrate the many professionals whose work supports and promotes the genre of romantic fiction. Five awards were presented during the RNA’s Winter Party, held in the Library at the Institute of Mechanical Engineers in London.

Librarian of the Year

This award recognises the important work that librarians do in supporting the romantic fiction genre, and the Association in particular.  The winner was Sharon Hunt, from Kingswinford Library in Dudley, for being committed to supporting and promoting romantic fiction through library events, reviews, and publicity.

Runner-ups Will Cooban from Bexley Libraries, and Ben Woodfine from Bedford Libraries, were nominated for their continual support and proactivity, and for bringing romantic fiction events to their region.

Romantic Bookseller of the Year
This award recognises booksellers promoting and championing romantic fiction in a positive and proactive way throughout the year.  Store manager Elizabeth Shaw accepted the award on behalf of Waterstones, Truro.  David Headley and team at Goldsboro Books were joint runners-up with Andrew Sellers and the team from Blackwells, Leeds.

Media Star of the Year

Blogger Kaisha Holloway from The Writing Garnet was awarded Media Star of the Year for her great support for authors and her honest, detailed and reflective reviews. This award recognises journalists, bloggers, publicists, TV or radio presenters who have helped raise the profile of romance writing and/or the RNA in a positive way.  Bloggers Anne Cater, from Random Things Through My Letterbox and Rachel Gilbey, from Rachel’s Random Reads, were joint runners-up.

Agent of the Year

For the literary agent who has striven to support, mentor, nurture and promote their authors’ careers, the genre in general and the RNA in particular. This year’s winner, Amanda Preston from LBA, was nominated for her championing of romantic fiction and support for the RNA. With a list featuring several authors in the genre, she was praised for being supporting, unfailingly enthusiastic and never afraid to explore new directions.

Kate Nash, from Kate Nash Literary Agency, and Juliet Pickering, from Blake Friedmann, were joint runners-up.

Publisher of the Year

For the publisher who embraces the genre, mentors writers to produce their best work, and is innovative, creative and visionary in the marketing and promotion of Romantic Fiction on every level.  This year’s award was accepted by Rachel Faulkner-Willcocks, on behalf of Avon Books UK, for their commercial acumen and their energy, expertise and commitment to the genre and its authors.

Runner-ups were Laura McCallen from Canelo, and Emma Capron from Simon & Schuster.

The awards were presented at the RNA’s Winter Party at the Institute of Mechanical Engineers, Birdcage Walk, London on 14th November 2018.

Twins by Peter Zelewski: Reviewed by Catherine McGuinness

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We have probably all known twins who seem quite different, who are of mixed gender and may not even appear similar in the way that siblings can do. However, identical twins who by definition are the same gender have fascinated Peter Zelewski since he met identical twins Eric and Tim at school.

He was struck by their confidence and the bond which invisibly united them. To an extent he was jealous that they had each other.

Years later as a professional photographer he remembered this fascination and decided to create a project around the subject.  To this end he sought out identical twins; at random and by using the power of social media.

The result is this engaging book of portraits of twins ranging in age from 2 years old to 57 years old. Each portrait has a short commentary from the twins, which highlights some aspect of their life experience.

There is a moving introduction by one of the pairs of twins, in which they write a brief history of twins through the ages and then comment on Peter’s approach to his work, which for them captures the essence of their union. These photographs, this book is just a glimpse, a step towards an understanding of the unique and special relationship experienced by twins.  It will make you want to find out more.

Twins, produced over four years by award photographer Peter Zelewski is wonderfully enhanced by the quality of this publication. This is a volume to treasure, to gift and to grace bookshelves or coffee tables. And with Christmas on the way…

Twins by Peter Zelewski: Hoxton Mini Press £16.95 (Cloth Hardback) ISBN: 978-1-910566-43-5

Cute and Really Useful  – Any Sharp Knife Sharpener by Dr Kathleen Thompson

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How many of us saw back and forth at our Sunday joint with a hopelessly blunt knife? Maybe you’re still using an old carver given to you as a wedding present, all those years ago? Or is that just me?

So if chopping the supper veg is becoming far harder work than it need be, let me introduce you to Any Sharp. This neat little device is both attractive and useful. It feels solid to hold and, with its Powergrip suction, can be fixed on a flat surface for safety. You just flip down the lever to fix it, 3 or 4 light strokes of the knife along the sharpeners – job done.  All you need to rediscover fine, smooth-edged slices of turkey this Christmas.  As a doctor I have seen far too many nasty domestic injuries in the Accident and Emergency department so this simple hands-free operation really appeals to me.

Any Sharp is pre-set at 20 degrees, which, apparently, as any knife-sharpener will tell you, is the very best angle, meaning you get a good sharp blade every time without trying.

Whatever your kitchen colour-scheme, there’s an ‘Any Sharp’ to match- with choices of Metallic Red or Purple, Bronze, Copper, Black and Light Blue. I road-tested the metallic purple. It would look nice on display but is also small enough to pop in a drawer too – the choice is yours.

So why not get into the Christmas mood, and buy the first present – for yourself. Available at Amazon plus high-street shops.

 

Any Sharp Knife Sharpener

 

 

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

 

BOOK NEWS HQ Crime Fiction Showcase by Paul Vates

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At HarperCollins, The News Building, London Bridge

 

 

On a glorious 17th Floor – with twinkling views of London-by-night – we were surrounded by a stunning range of crime authors. Bestsellers such as Linwood Barclay mingled with debut writers like Melanie Golding.

 

 

All the writers had works on display and editors and PR flitted around like hoverflies, introducing everyone who made eye contact. If you tried to avoid eye contact, they gently nudged you until you did, then the introductions began! A succession of handshakes, questions, answers, drinks, canapes, handshakes, drinks, conversation, drinks and laughter made the evening fly by. Did I mention the drinks?

 

 

The only way to be fair is to list the authors that the HQ will be printing in the next twelve months or so: Khurrum Rahman, Mick Finlay, Roz Watkins, Vicky Newham, Phoebe Morgan, Mel McGrath, Christina McDonald, Will Caine, Kerry Barnes, Ross Armstrong, Lisa Hall, Melanie Golding, Faith Martin, Alice Feeney, Amanda Jennings, Suzy K Quinn, Annabel Kantaria, Helen Warner, Linwood Barclay, C J Skuse, Kia Abdullah, Louise Jensen and Louise Hare.

 

These works cover so many aspects of crime – historic, witty, thriller, contemporary… you name, it’ll be here. So many good books to look forward to.

 

Thanks to HarperCollins, HQ and all their brilliant team. And, of course, to the wonderful authors.

 

 

Paul Vates.

 

 

 

Chameleon: The soon to be ‘must-have’ colour changing stainless steel bottle by Milly Adams

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At a time when we need to be cautious about using plastic, how do we encourage the use of other types of water bottles? Perhaps by making them a ‘must-have’ item?

The Chameleon project could help. Using colour change paint, the Chameleon reacts to cold temperature. Chameleon encourages people of all ages to drink more water and use less plastic and seems like a great idea, as we struggle against the plastic tide.

So now is the time to rethink the way you drink and perhaps  this fantastic new colour changing water bottle will encourage you to do so. The chameleon, set to become an iconic ‘must have’ in its own right is made using thermochromic ink which reacts to cold temperatures.

This is not only fun, and different, but the Chameleon allows you to see the fill level, so you’ll know exactly how full your bottle is without having to open it.

As the cold water activates the colour, empty sections of warmer air return to white colour. So you’ll also know just how cold your water is as the colour intensity gradually lightens as bottle gets warmer.

A great idea. But help is needed to kickstart the project.

To learn more go to: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/root7/chameleon-the-color-changing-stainless-steel-bottl?ref=576274&token=5a51dd65

 

Milly Adams is the author of the series The Waterway Girls (Arrow) @millyadams2

 

BUSINESS OF BOOKS: RETREAT OR TREAT?

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Retreat or treat? When five writers arrived in Bath last month, we didn’t really know how it would pan out. We intended to work, but it was the first time we’d seen each other since meeting at the Romantic Novelists’ Association conference fifteen months earlier, so would there be too much gossiping going on? Or even a frosty silence as we realised we didn’t actually like each other that much after all.

We certainly started being very polite. Cassandra Grafton (no stranger to Bath with her Austen-esque novels) found an enormous Georgian house we could rent from Bath Boutique Stays and there was quite a bit of ‘after you – no, after you’ as we chose our bedrooms.

It soon became clear that our centre of operations would be the kitchen with its windows either end and huge table. We had no plans to cook, but Kitty Wilson and I had raided M&S on the way (she is one serious snack shopper) and what with our booty and all the wine, the fridge was filled to bursting point. But did we open a bottle straight away? No – we made a nice cup of tea.

So the first myth was busted open – we were not destined to spend our three nights drinking ourselves into a stupor. A drink with dinner (we tried a variety of local restaurants, culminating at the amazing Aqua) then another one or two afterwards was about our limit and while the vodka bottle was hit pretty hard (you know who you are, ladies), the gin went almost untouched and only two half bottles of Prosecco from our stash were consumed.

We did drink on the second morning though as we celebrated the launch of Kitty’s second book. Champagne and cake well before the sun was anywhere near the yard arm, flowers smuggled into the house and hidden the previous day, and a gift from us all. Of course, before we could touch any of it we had to stage a photo or two for social media. And then spend a great deal of time sharing them to all our followers.

Second myth – we had no real intention of doing any work. Wrong again. Susanna Bavin wrote more twenty pages in longhand towards the trilogy of sagas she’s working on. I completed the structural edit of the second book of my Sapere deal. Kirsten Hesketh was busy reworking the draft of her second novel while Kitty focussed on guest posts for her blog tour (not to mention keeping up her daily word count) and Cassandra worked her way through her ‘to do’ list following the announcement of her contract with Canelo.

But more than anything we supported each other in ways small and large. I helped Kitty with her guest blogs (I’ve done so many of them) and she and Susanna critiqued the outline I’d prepared for Sapere. Kirsten’s agent had started to send her manuscript to publishers and had received a few initial rejections – and there always are rejections – but that doesn’t mean they hurt any the less. I like to think we were all there for her.

The two days and three nights flew past, mainly because we were in the company of other writers. It’s a profession where you have no colleagues, no daily water cooler moments and just to be around each other and chat authorly things was utter bliss. Noone understands writers like other writers – the highs, and the lows, and the mundane bits in between.

We left Bath on the Friday morning with the firm resolve to do it again. But something else had happened along the way; bonds had been formed and friendships deepened. We’d become, as Kitty put it, sister scribes.