BUSINESS OF BOOKS: FIRST, LAST, EVERYTHING – ROMANCE AUTHOR CASSANDRA GRAFTON

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What was the first writing advice you were ever given?

If I think back to when I started to seriously consider writing full-length stories, the first piece of advice I recall was ‘just keep putting the words on the page’. After all, you can’t polish and edit a blank page, can you?

At the time, I’d only ever completed short stories, mostly co-written, for online communities. A solo writing project was a challenge in itself, but I didn’t really think of it as ‘writing a novel’ because of the serial nature of posting online.

It was the encouragement (and above advice) from those communities that helped me to get started, and it’s down to their on-going support and feedback that I managed to keep going, no matter what life threw at me. I just kept putting one word after the other, until eventually I’d finished telling the story I wanted to share.

 

Photo copyright is Adrea Scheidler Photography

What was the most recent writing advice you were given?

I follow a lot of writing blogs on Twitter, and many of them have wonderful snippets of advice, one of the most practical of which in recent months was about removing redundant words from your manuscript.

I discovered there were plenty of lists out there, once I’d put ‘redundant words in your novel’ into Google, and soon I was working my way through my extremely long manuscript and culling them (thank you, Word, for the Search and Replace function). In the end, nearly 10,000 redundant words sailed off into the blue yonder; not one of them was missed!

It turns out, however, that my biggest overuse of anything is not a specific word, but a punctuation mark. It was pointed out to me at a writing retreat last year that I need to ‘kill the exclamation mark.’ When I looked into it, I was appalled by how often I used them. I did, indeed, have a bit of a fetish going on. Hopefully, I’ve managed to keep them to a minimum in this blog post!

 

What is the piece of advice you’d most like to pass on?

There are variations on these words, but it boils down “don’t wait for your boat to come in; row out to meet it”.

It’s something I wish I’d taken on-board (if you’ll excuse the pun) earlier in my life. It can, of course, relate to all aspects of life, but with regard to my writing, it translates into this: Don’t let time slip away from you.

I’d wanted to write all my life, but always I made excuses: “no time, children to look after, piles of marking to get through, got to work late, too tired”. Even when the children were teenagers and didn’t need the same level of attention, even when I had an unexpected year of not having to work full time, always I seemed to have an excuse for actually sitting down and doing it.

I was 50 before the realisation struck that I needed to heed this advice – when it almost felt too late. I’d had a recent run-in with cancer, which led to a couple of rather unpleasant years, and as my milestone birthday approached, I started to re-evaluate my life. If I didn’t get my act together and produce a book sometime soon, perhaps I would never fulfil my lifelong dream?

It would be another year (2013) before I finally took the plunge into publishing my first novel. The story had been seven years in the making, for all the aforementioned reasons, but I did it.

It had still been a challenge. I was working full time, long hours, and any writing time was limited to weekends and holidays (thankfully I have a very patient and supportive husband, who would hoover around my chair at weekends as I sat at the computer, or read the paper in a pub when we were on holiday as I scribbled away at scenes in my notebook).

In more recent years, having moved to Switzerland and no longer having a day job, I have had the time to write, but still I procrastinate. My New Year’s Resolution this year was to treat my writing like a job, not a hobby, and I’m improving, but there’s a way to go yet.

So please don’t do as I do, do as I say: don’t let the time slip away from you!

 

Cassandra has published two historical romances and has co-written and published a contemporary cosy mystery/romance. She is currently working on a series of contemporary feel-good romances set in Cornwall. She loves traveling, reading, cats and dry wine and splits her time between Switzerland, where she lives with her husband, and England, where she lives with her characters.

 

https://cassandragrafton.com

Food franchise opportunities

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It appears that the UK is in the middle of a food revolution. Gone are the days of spending money on cigarettes and alcohol. Brits are enjoying quality time with family and friends choosing to spend their hard-earned cash at restaurants and cafes.

According to the Office for National Statistics, the average household spends £45 a week eating out, the highest it’s been in five years. The increase in spending is partly down to the fact that people are preferring to splurge on having experiences rather than buying tangible items. Eating out is no longer saved for special occasions but has become a standard part of everyday life.

And there are a wealth of restaurants offering a vast variety of different cuisines to suit all taste buds. There are currently more than 56,000 restaurants in the UK. Add to that 100,000 pubs, takeaways and cafés, and it’s no surprise that Brits are taking pleasure in sharing fun and food with friends.

Food glorious food

The UK’s love of food, coupled with our busy lifestyles, mean that fast food outlets such as McDonald’s, Subway and Wimpy are still as popular as ever. This is why franchise opportunities in the Quick Service Restaurant (QSR) sector are so profitable. The quality and consistency of the products and service mean that fans of the fast food brands return again and again.

And it’s not just burgers that consumers want in a hurry. Spend on contemporary fast food is also on the rise. Consumers are seeking specific and quality food from restaurants such as Wok & Go and Wolf. So much so, in fact, that a massive £607 million was spent on contemporary fast food outlets in 2016, an increase of 25% from the previous year.

When it comes to dining in, Italian restaurants such as Bella Italia and pizza outlets like Papa John’s remain the nation’s favourite. However, there has been a clear shift in trends to the North American style of restaurants specialising in burgers and steaks like Loaded Burgers.

Consumers are hungry for more.

It’s not just convenience and value that consumers want from food franchises though. Brits have become more informed about food trends and styles, and more demanding of good service and a first-class experience, so the pressure is on to meet expectations.

This is why buying a food franchise is a great opportunity. As a franchisee, you receive all the training and support you need to get your business off the ground. You don’t need to come up with a concept for your restaurant or create a menu from scratch. Most of the hard work will have been done for you.

With consumers increasingly wanting their food to be perfectly presented ready to share on social media, you can focus on providing them with the best service possible. You just need to follow the tried and tested franchise system with a proven track record of success while being committed to making your business successful and profitable.

https://www.pointfranchise.co.uk/I-231-food-franchise/

JUMPING ON THE BAMBOO BANDWAGON

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Every day we are learning about new trends, ingredients and ‘game changing’ science that will be the answer to our beauty worries.

The latest one to land in our inbox is Bamboo – one of the fastest-growing plants on the planet.

So, what are the supposed brilliant benefits of Bamboo?

  • Promotes healing – Bamboo contains methanol that boasts powerful anti-inflammatory properties that soothes and regenerates the skin.
  • Enhances radiance – Bamboo actually contains 70% natural silica – an organic compound that’s essential for the body and maintains the elasticity in the skin to keep your skin looking healthy, supple and radiant.
  • Strengthens & repairs – Bamboo extract can help to strengthen the outer barrier of the skin that protects it from bacteria and environmental pollutants. A stronger barrier makes it easier for the skin to fight off particles that can potentially damage and prematurely age it.
  • Reduces melanin production – Bamboo extract can reduce melanin production, helping dark spots and areas of hyperpigmentation fade away. Great for repairing skin after the summer months.
  • Hydrates skin – Thanks to the proteins, lipids and amino acid that it contains, bamboo is an unbelievable natural skin hydrator.

 

LET’S GET BAMBOOZLED!

Give these products a try

Naturaline Swiss Cosmetics Bamboo Body Lotion (£8.99)

Extracts of organic Bamboo optimises the moisture balance and elasticity of the skin to leave it smooth and supple.

Korres – Water, Bamboo and Freesia Eau de Toilette (£30)

Opening with fresh Bamboo, the EDT develops into notes of aromatic Freesia and Lotus Flower, before settling on a Sandalwood base. The unique formula is based on Water, one of the primary elements of the universe, and a symbol of purity and clarity.

Eborian – Korean Skin Therapy (£29)

BAMBOO MATTE is a 2-in-1 hybrid moisturiser that combines a sensation of intense hydration with a matte finish in one single step. Captured in a fine cream with a powdery effect, its Bamboo Waterlock complex protects the skin barrier from drying out while the Bamboo powder makes an excellent natural mattifier, to leave skin shine-free and matte.

 

Frost’s favourite… IMMERSIVE BAR

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London is packed with immersive bars that will amp up your drinking experience but we’ve discovered a GEM on the outskirts of Chelsea that’s brilliant for groups and those looking for a bit of role play and escapism.

A WESTERN WONDERLAND – MOONSHINE SALOON

Sometimes in London, you stop and really take in your surroundings and think, ‘Yep, I live in the best city in the world’. We had that feeling when we were being questioned by the County Sheriff in Moonshine Saloon about Stinky Pete’s whereabouts, while we were dressed head to toe in Western gear, naturally.

The Moonshine Saloon is a ‘bring your own liquor’ establishment and recommends you bring a 35cl spirit. We took a 70cl and learned they only use 35cl anyway so don’t get caught out, although they do return the bottle after your session.

From the outside on the calm streets of Chelsea, the venue can go somewhat unnoticed but as soon as you enter you’ll be feeling like you’ve entered West World. The actors don’t break character at all and engage with you throughout, playing out a storyline as they go.

It’s fun, it’s harmless and it’s a great excuse to practice a Southern accent.  Visit the Moonshine Saloon website to book.

 

 

A Day in the Life of Rob Keeley, award winning author of High Spirits.

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Rob Keeley is the 2nd place winner in the WforW Georgina Hawtrey-Woore Award for Independent Authors: Fiction for Young Adults Category with his sharp and evocative novel High Spirits.

No one ever thinks I have a real job.  One thing I’m asked all the time as an author – even by friends – is what I do all day.  I list everything that goes into writing, producing and promoting a book, and tell them I’m always at my desk by nine (earlier if possible) and there until five.  They never believe me.

For the last four years much of my working life has centred on the ghostly time-travelling adventures of Ellie, the main character in my Spirits novels.  Having written books based around the Victorian, Georgian and medieval eras, with High Spirits I wanted to explore modern history.  I was keen to advance Ellie from upper primary age to teenager, and to show how her life had moved on since her accidental altering of history in The Sword of the Spirit.  She is now a young adult herself, with a crush on a young man called Luke, and her family situation has been turned on its head.

 

High Spirits could have told a very different story.  I always planned to send Ellie back to Inchwood Manor (where the series began in Childish Spirits), but I was originally going to set the book in the Second World War, with Ellie time-travelling to 1940.  There, she would have become mixed up with the evacuees mentioned in Childish Spirits, while being haunted by the ghost of an RAF officer who had been billeted at Inchwood.

A rethink was needed.  I realised there had already been many books for young people about evacuees, and I felt there weren’t many ways to make this into a ghost story.  Instead I turned to researching the abdication crisis of 1936, and the lives of Edward VIII and Wallis Simpson.  I decided we would not actually meet them, but two shaping-changing ghosts impersonating them sounded like a lot of fun, offering potential for drama as well as humour and social commentary.  I felt it would be unusual and original to revisit this period in a YA novel, and since it saw a rise in racism, anti-Semitism and right-wing activity, it seemed a worryingly appropriate subject for today.  Young people are taught in schools that the British were the automatic good guys in World War Two, and may not realise how many people in this country in the 1930s supported Hitler.  It was a good time to open their eyes.

I kept the RAF officer and made him a ghost from the future, warning of the coming war.  Add in Ellie, the other regular characters and Viewpoint, the government’s ghostly watchdog, and we had a story!  The threat of a Nazi Britain could also be continued into the final book in the series, The Coming of the Spirits, and it’s here we’ll pick up with Ellie when that book is published.

I’d like to thank the judges of the Georgina Hawtrey-Woore Award, and I hope that children, young adults and older adults will enjoy my book.

Rob’s books are available from www.amazon.co.uk 

Learn more about Rob on his website: www.robkeeley.co.uk 
Twitter: @RobKeeleyAuthor 

 http://www.authorhotline.com/robkeeley

www.wordsforthewounded.co.uk 

Images used with the permission of Robert Keeley

Is That a Big Number? By Andrew C. A. Elliott

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is that a big number, maths,

This is a fun and riveting book. Written in an accessible and engaging way, it is unputdownable.

Impressive statistics are thrown at us every day – the cost of health care; the size of an earthquake; the distance to the nearest star; the number of giraffes in the world.

We know all these numbers are important – some more than others – and it’s vaguely unsettling when we don’t really have a clear sense of how remarkable or how ordinary they are. How do we work out what these figures actually mean? Are they significant, should we be worried, or excited, or impressed? How big is big, how small is small?

With this entertaining and engaging book, help is at hand. Andrew Elliott gives us the tips and tools to make sense of numbers, to get a sense of proportion, to decipher what matters. It is a celebration of a numerate way of understanding the world. It shows how number skills help us to understand the everyday world close at hand, and how the same skills can be stretched to demystify the bigger numbers that we find in the wider contexts of science, politics, and the universe.

Entertaining, full of practical examples, and memorable concepts, Is That A Big Number? renews our relationship with figures. If numbers are the musical notes with which the symphony of the universe is written, and you’re struggling to hear the tune, then this is the book to get you humming again.

Is That a Big Number? By Andrew C. A. Elliott is available here.

Beat the Heat With This Excellent Fan

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fan, good fans. Breeze with ease!

Frost is a fan of this pocket fan which also sprays water on you. We love the colour and it also has a handy wrist strap. Recommended.

Stop the stuffiness and stay cool and collected this summer with the backpack gadget you need on your travels.

This fan will spritz you gently with cool water on the move or at night if you need a quick fix to sleeplessness.

From an overheated office to a boiling bedroom we’ve all been there when you just can’t get cool.

This compact cooling device releases a fine water mist in addition to the fan’s cool air spin. The Spritz Ultra Fine Mist Rechargeable Fan is specially designed to provide the ultimate cooling sensation and lasts for 4 hours upon each charge.

Portable yet powerful, the wireless fan includes a wrist cable to keep on you wherever you are. Pack in a handbag, backpack or use simply at your desk this gadget will ensure you are at a comfortable temperature wherever you are.

Whether you’re cooped up in a camping tent or tanning it up on a sunbed stay happy in all this humidity.

Feel easy and breezy during a heatwave for just £12.99 from www.prezzybox.com.

FROST’S FIVE TIPS FOR A ‘FESTIVAL READY’ FACE

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Want to know what our favourite thing about summer is? Besides the heat, pool parties and endless excuses to consume ice cream? It’s the makeup. So many great opportunities to experiment including bronzed beach looks, festival glam and rosy glows in the evening sunshine.  We’ve pulled together our top tips for prepping ahead of finessing that that al-fresco partying look so take note, take flight and enjoy the final furores of festival season!

 

  1. Prep your skin before you go

Your skin is going to need a bit of TLC during the festival, thanks to the occasional bevvy you’ll enjoy (ahem…) right through to the constant UVA and UVB exposure (which can be really damaging for skin). So, in order to make sure you’re giving your make up the best canvas, use a hydrating cream and treat yourself to a deep cleanse.

 

  1. Know your look

Now, we’re not saying less is more (because we’re all about the excess when it comes to ‘Fezzy Glam’, but think of it this way – it’s not always appropriate to mix leopard print and zebra print, is it?! Make sure you have the full image of the look you want (and complimenting swatches) ahead of setting off. You don’t want to be ‘the one that threw it together’ now, do you?

 

  1. Be realistic

How likely is it that you and your friends are actually going to be commit to the intricate ombre face art you’ve seen? If it seems a bit ambitious, plan some designs that are achievable and quick to complete so that you don’t sacrifice on the quality of the look.

 

  1. Set up for success with a setting spray

You’re going to be hot, you’re going to be dancing and you might even be smooching so make sure you invest in a strong setting spray. This will be your best friend for making sure that look you’ve perfected sticks with you as you party hard into the early hours.

 

  1. Dance, clear skin, sleep, repeat

We’d recommend not being ambitious with expectations around your skincare during your trip. Are you really going to do a double cleanse, tone and exfoliating treating after a session in the tent? Probably not. BUT, if you are doing a weekender and want fresh festival face each day, try your best to remove the look the night before and apply an overnight mask – it’ll hydrate your skin and give you a fresh canvas for the next day… or should we say ‘the next partay!’

LA Girl Cosmetics has shared its favourite festival looks, to give you some inspo for the festival scene. Check out their site for more ‘must haves’.