Peace and Plenty and Annie Freud by Maya Pieris

Posted on January 22, 2016 by Margaret Graham

Annie Freud– teacher, embroiderer, painter, poet and brilliant party giver- is the daughter of Lucian Freud, great-granddaughter of Sigmund Freud and grand-daughter of sculptor Sir Jacob Epstein. She is also the proud owner of a new studio at her home, Peace and Plenty, in the heart of Dorset. Here from a window seat, which I would describe as more window bed, she has a view of fields, her husband Dave’s sheep and the slow train to Bath.

The studio “is a first” and, along with a dedicated space for Dave means their interests which involve “paint, mud and dirt” aren’t a problem. And she’ll have the occasional sheep for a neighbour in the adjoining animal pens. It is now also home to her father Lucian’s easel which she inherited following his death in 2011 and on which currently she has just painted a “portrait” of The Fox and Hounds Pub, her local and home to the Cattistock Poets.

I’ve got to know Annie over the last 5 years through the Cattistock Poets which she started and leads, encouraging writers to find and listen to their own poetic voices, “to make it better..and to take it seriously”. She has also been responsible for organising some fabulous poetry readings to which she has invited a variety of other published poets.

Her latest collection, The Remains, published this summer, contains 2 of my favourite poems – Aubergines and Abbotsbury, the latter which I heard Annie read in a beautiful, small, ancient Dorset chapel as part of a Christmas carol service. The Remains is her fourth collection and has established Annie as one of an exciting new group of poets – and a performer firmly committed to poems being heard.

The Remains is , however, proving an artistic turning point- another first- combining 2 loves, the visual and literary, the book illustrated by Annie with original paintings, some inspired by the Dorset landscape. When “I started writing poetry..I thought I would embroider in the mornings and write in the afternoon” but she found that this wasn’t working so put the visual to one side though found this “painful” needing this element to produce “something I would try to make more solid. I’ve painted all my life with pleasure but without enough self-belief but The Remains changed all that.” I asked her if her renewed need to paint was a rearrangement of two loves but she said that “was too easy, that one should not have self-limiting views of who you are or what you can do” and that painting fulfilled a physical need.

But whatever the medium Annie is committed to work that will “move, disturb or delight” the point being “what it is doing to other people”. She has also had another first this December with the setting of her poem The Sun Looks Forward to Winter to music by Benjamin Tassie for three female voice and hopes this time next year to see her first London painting exhibition happen.

As for Peace and Plenty- not her own invention but the name of the 2 cottages which form her very peaceful and plentiful home.

Jamie-Lynn Sigler: ‘I have Multiple Sclerosis’

Posted on January 22, 2016 by Catherine Balavage

Sopranos actress reveals 15-year battle with the disease.

Sopranos actress Jamie-Lynn Sigler has revealed she has been secretly suffering from multiple sclerosis (MS) for almost 15 years.

The newly married actress married baseball player Cutter Dykstra in California over the weekend. She was diagnosed with the disease when she was only 20 years old. A year before that she had been diagnosed with Lyme disease.

She told People magazine “I wasn’t ready until now… You’d think that after all these years, somebody would be settled with something like this, but it’s still hard to accept.”

She had decided to go public about her illness because of her new husband and their two-year-old son Beau. She said, “I think I’m at a point in my life with my son, with my new marriage, it’s a new me and I want to live my truth. I don’t want to hold a secret where it feels like I have something to be ashamed of or have something to hide… It’s part of who I am, but it’s not who I am… I didn’t want him (Beau) to get to an age where he felt like he had to keep this secret for me as well… I wanted to be an example to him of strength and courage.”

She went on, “It was a shock, it was surprising… to get the diagnosis was confusing but also strange because I didn’t feel sick. I didn’t feel like anything was really wrong. At the time my ideas of MS were limited… I thought it meant wheelchair, I thought it meant your life was over. And so there began my almost 15 years of being in denial… I didn’t want to believe that was going to be my future.”

She admitted that her symptoms had been bad over the past ten years but she hide it from film and TV bosses, saying:

“Sometimes all I needed was like five or 10 minutes to sit and recharge but I wouldn’t ask, because I didn’t want them to be suspicious,” she says. “I can’t walk for a long period of time without resting. I cannot run. No superhero roles for me… Stairs? I can do them but they’re not the easiest. When I walk, I have to think about every single step, which is annoying and frustrating.”

The 34-year-old actress takes medication for the incurable condition. She says this has kept her symptoms stable for past six years. She said: “Things are manageable now… It takes a fighting attitude to deal with all this. This disease can absolutely take over your life if you let it.”

Using a Copyrighted Picture Cost One Blogger $7,500. Why You Should Never Use Copyrighted Pictures

Posted on January 21, 2016 by Catherine Balavage

Do you take images from Google without checking the copyright and hope for the best? Then stop. Pictures from Google and other search engines are protected by copyright law. It is rare to be sued over an image, or even to get a cease and desist letter, but it only takes one mistake to lose vast amounts of money. If you want proof then here is one example,

Chrystie from Living for Nap Time blogged about green pepper coupons in 2014, she needed an image so did a Google image search for a photo of green peppers, found one she wanted and then uploaded it, months later she received an email from a lawyer stating that the image cost $750. Chrystie pointed out that it was a picture of a green pepper that you can get a lot cheaper, the lawyer responded that the law was on their side and that their client wanted $7,500 in damages.

Chrystie researched the person in question and found out that they owned lots of domains and seemed to be planting clearly-tagged pictures to boost the SEO of the pictures. Chrystie thinks they did this to optimise the pictures so bloggers like her would use the image and would then sue the blogger in question. Chrystie had to hire her own lawyer. Her lawyer advised her to settle the case even though the chances of it going to court were small because if it did go to court she would be liable for the claim and all of the court costs, which could cost $100,000 or more.

The truth is, if you copy a picture from the internet and it is copyrighted it is protected by law and you are liable for the cost of the image or even damages even if you link back to the original source. So don’t do it, it’s not worth it! This case is American and people in the UK may be less likely to sue but it is not worth the risk.

If you need free images you can search Google for copyright-free images by clicking on the options icon in the top right hand corner then going to advanced search. If you then scroll to the bottom you will get to ‘usage’ and can click on ‘free to use or share – even commercially’. There are a few options, including an option to modify images. It helps to take a screenshot of the copyright-free image to further protect yourself. Don’t get caught out. You can also take your own pictures which is the best option as you can then tag them and get hits via Google Image Search. I will do another post on where you can get free images for your blog soon. In the meantime, stay safe.

For more blogging tips like this check out my book The Ultimate Guide To Becoming a Successful Blogger. It tells you everything you will ever need to know about blogging.

Film Extra Caught Out Pretending To Be Stormtrooper In Star Wars Film by Lucasfilm

Posted on January 20, 2016 by Catherine Balavage

An aspiring actor and film extra got caught out lying about being a stormtrooper in the new Star Wars film…by Lucasfilm. Alex Rolt had a lot of positive feedback when he told his local paper that he played the stormtrooper who says the line “Traitor!” in the new Star Wars: The Force Awakens film. The drama school graduate told the paper he had been chosen because of his fencing experience to fight against Boyega. He told the journalist: ‘They got me in the stormtrooper outfit but the prop didn’t have a clip or anything on the uniform, so I had to hold it in a certain way then deliver the line: “Traitor!” ‘ The interview then went viral.

The interview came to the attention of Star Wars production company LucasFilm who revealed the role in Star Wars: The Force Awakens was played by veteran stuntman Liang Yang.

Rolt made a public apology and admitted he only had a small extra role in the production. He said on Twitter: “Sorry for doing this to all the fans. Was a joke that got out of hand. My career is tarnished.”

Acting is a very hard career and actors do embellish their careers sometimes. Unfortunately, Rolt did not simply embellish, but took the credit for another actors part. It probably was a joke that got out of hand. It remains to be seen if he can redeem his reputation in the industry but it could be possible. He has already publicly apologised and that is the first step.

What do you think? Should Alex Rolt be forgiven? How wrong was what he did?

Catherine Balavage has been an actor for over ten years. Her book on acting, How To Be a Successful Actor: Becoming an Actorpreneur, has gotten numerous five star reviews and has been called the ‘best advice available’ by numerous sources.

National Clear Your Clutter Day Launches in March 2016

Posted on January 20, 2016 by Frostie

Thousands more will be booking extra holidays this summer with the riches they acquire thanks to the first national Clear Your Clutter Day on March 19.

Hoarders will be encouraged to dig out their stash of unused items and to sell them at car boot sales, on classified and free local selling sites, and even at auction houses. They will also be urged to bin useless junk and to donate knick-knacks and clothes to charity shops and the homeless. Collectors will even be shown how to upcycle other curios to make free presents for family and friends.

It is hoped that the annual scheme, called ‘Clear Your Clutter Day’, will reduce the UK’s bulging mountain of unwanted stuff and give consumers a huge financial boost so they can afford an extra fun holiday this summer.

Organiser Jasmine Birtles, the consumer finance expert, said it will also help the one-in-five UK households in “bric-a-brac bother”.

She said: “Britain has long been a nation of hoarders, with 20 per cent of households admitting to having enough clutter to fill a whole room. Most people would like to de-clutter but either don’t have the time or are overwhelmed by the task at hand.“Clear Your Clutter Day is the long-awaited catalyst to help people live stress and clutter-free lives. It is a time when hoarders can rid themselves of useless items once and for all.”

Jasmine, the founder of Moneymagpie.com and a regular guest on BBC Breakfast, Sky News and Channel 5 News, added: “The initiative benefits every one – the hoarder, bargain hunters, and UK charities.” which takes place on Saturday, March 19, a selection of how-to articles will be added to Moneymagpie.com.

A free ebook will also be available to anyone taking part in the Clear Your Clutter Challenge. On the day itself Birtles, dubbed the ‘Queen of Cash’, will be joined by a team of experts who will host live webinars on Google+ and Periscope.

To celebrate the inaugural launch of Clear Your Clutter Day,

Jasmine’s Top Five De-Cluttering Tips:

1. Make a bid for freedom. Look on de-cluttering as gaining space and freedom rather than having to get rid of things. If you see it as gaining something you’re much more likely to throw out things you know you don’t love or need.

2. Do it space by space. Don’t try and do your whole home in one go. Do it drawer by drawer and cupboard by cupboard. Start with the easiest room in the house (probably the bathroom) and once you’ve cleared that room, give yourself a quick break and then start on the next easiest room. Once you’ve done two whole rooms you will already have more of a sense of satisfaction and control over your life which should spur you on to do more cluttered parts of the house.

3. Do it with a friend. Get a friend or family member round to help you. It will make it more fun and help you sort more of your home than you would on your own. If you’re a natural hoarder, bring in someone who loves throwing things out, so that you’re not tempted to just keep everything.

4. Use the four box rule. Get four boxes which are marked ‘throw away’, ‘charity shop’, ‘sell’ and ‘recycle’. Everything you decide not to keep should go into one of those boxes. The ‘throw away’ one is easy (although even some broken electronic items could be given away through

An interview with Gillian Holmes – editor by Margaret Graham

Posted on January 19, 2016 by Margaret Graham

Gillian Holmes – aka The Editor – has been working in publishing for nearly twenty years. She started out at Quarto, working on craft books and worked with many publishers, and finally

Arrow Books where she edited many bestselling authors, such as Katie Flynn, Dorothy Koomson, Amy Silver (aka Paula Hawkins), Cathy Woodman, Margaret Graham, Lisa Lynch, and many others.
Gillian now has her own editorial agency, The Editor, and over the following two weeks, she will be giving advice on the first three chapters, and the synopsis. This might well prove useful for any of you who are thinking of entering the Words for the Wounded Independent Author Book Award. Last year’s winner is now represented by Felicity Trew of the Caroline Sheldon Literary Agency. Felicity is this year’s judge. (more details www.wordsforthewounded.co.uk)

Frost asked Gillian more about herself.

What are your passions?

My main passion is reading. My parents moved around the world a lot and because I went to boarding school, I didn’t have many friends at home. So books stopped me feeling lonely. Well, that and my musical box (no music as all tapes warped due to the tropical climate) which I would play while I pretended to be a ballerina. Quite sad considering I have never had a ballet lesson in my life.

I also love to swim. An early morning swim will usually set the day up perfectly. I find solutions to all sorts of problems in the water – including problems with the book I’m working on at the time. Oh, and I am a massive QPR fan; this affliction has taught me forbearance and patience.

What do you read?

I read widely and according to my mood. I usually have several books on the go. I read women’s fiction when I want to be engrossed in someone else’s life. For those days when I’m tired, I read romance – contemporary or historical. It’s comforting and always cheers me up. I also really enjoy real-life tales of derring-do like Agent Zig Zag. Also, Samuel Pepys’s diary is a big comfort read for me; he always makes me laugh. I like crime for when I’m bored, I particularly like books with a long-running characters, so Jo Nesbo and Lee Child are great favourites. Recently I’ve discovered a new character to follow in Tony Parsons’ Max Wolfe: tortured single father, boxer and policeman. What’s not to love? And finally, I adore historical novels. I used to raid my mother’s collection of Georgette Heyers and Jean Plaidys, but my absolute tip top favourite was Katherine by Anya Seton. Last year, my aunt researched our family history and, thrillingly, she discovered Katherine is our grandmother (great great etc). I was in actual heaven! Personally, I think this is the most interesting fact about me. If my friends had ever heard of her, I’m sure they’d agree.

What do you love about what you do?
I have never managed to write a book, so I admire and respect authors enormously. Books have been my constant companion throughout my life, so to read one in the rough, and help an author shape it to be the very best it can be, is enormously satisfying. Editing is very subjective, so as an editor I must never lose sight of the fact that this is not my book, so I need to set my ego aside. Just because I’d do it differently, doesn’t mean I should advise the author to do it my way. An editor has to be a different person for every book they edit and work within the parameters of the author’s style and vision. I like that challenge, and if an author seems genuinely happy with my suggestions and work, I’m thrilled. I love knowing that I have helped create something without actually having to do all the work. I’m a bit lazy, you see.

The first three chapters or so are important in drawing in the reader.

What would be your first piece of advice?
Firstly, your first line needs to grab the reader’s attention and set the tone of the book. Don’t save your best line for half way through the first chapter, or even half way through the book. Get it out straight away so the reader wants to keep going. Then the challenge is to follow through on that promise. Try not to fill the first chapters with backstory and description. Always remember you’ve got another 70,000 words plus to fit that in. Just keep it moving. Hook us in and don’t let us go.

I find a synopsis difficult. Will you be helping Frost readers with this? If so, in a nutshell, what should a synopsis do?
Yes, absolutely, because having worked as an acquiring editor, an agent’s reader and a reader for competitions, I know how important a good synopsis is. Firstly, remember why you’ve been asked for it and who you’re writing it for. Usually it’s for a competition or a submission to an agent/publisher. They want the synopsis because, if they like the first three chapters, they want to see how you’ve developed the rest of the book. It will give them a clear overview of the concept and structure, and often determine whether they will want to see the rest. They don’t want irrelevant detail and descriptions, and they don’t need dialogue. And most importantly, they DO NOT want you to leave a cliffhanger. Finally, keep it short – 1500 words or fewer.

Will you ever write a novel?
I’m not sure. I have a butterfly mind and I tend to get bored quite quickly. Writing a whole book would entail me concentrating on one thing for far too long. Having said that, I did write half a book once – it was a romance inspired by my crush on Daniel Craig (I know, I know, I’m a sad cliché). The heroine (who wasn’t at all based on me, not at all) rescued him from some dastardly kidnappers. I got so involved with my characters (well one in particular) that I expected him to email me to let me know what happened next. Sadly, he never did, which I know he regrets.

Or a short story?
Short story writing is a very particular skill and not at all easy to do. I might try it one day, though. The great thing about short stories is they can be just as satisfying as a good novel, but they don’t take as long to read.

Your favourite book as a child?
I had two. Ballet Shoes by Noel Streatfield – I wanted to be Posy so badly, that when I had my daughter I (briefly!) considered it as a name. And A Little Princess. I went to boarding school when I was very young, so I related. Which is a little dramatic of me, as I was treated perfectly well by the school and, disappointingly, I never did discover that I owned some diamond mines.

What question would you like to be asked?
How does your husband Daniel feel about the fact that your career as a prima ballerina keeps you away from home so much?

To contact Gillian. gilliansholmes@hotmail.com
To find out more about The Independent Author Book Award: www.wordsforthewounded.co.uk
Words for the Wounded are also holding a LitFest on April 16. www.wordsforthewounded.co.uk

An Interview with the impressive Andy McNab by Margaret Graham

Posted on January 18, 2016 by Margaret Graham

Andy McNab was awarded both the Distinguished Conduct Medal (DCM) and Military Medal (MM) during his military career, and was the British Army’s most highly decorated serving soldier when he finally left the SAS. Since then he has become one of the world’s bestselling writers, drawing on his insider knowledge and experience.

As well as three nonfiction bestsellers, he is the author of the bestselling Nick Stone thrillers, several other fiction and non fiction titles as well as a series of books for young adults. Besides his writing work, he lectures to security and intelligence agencies in both the USA and UK, works in the film industry advising Hollywood on everything from covert procedure to training civilian actors to act like soldiers, writes for a variety of newspapers and magazines and campaigns tirelessly as a spokesperson and fundraiser for both military and literacy charities.Andy, Nick Stone, in Detonator, talks of knowledge equaling power. In one of your talks I sat in on at the Yeovil Literary Festival, you mentioned that your army tutor at your squad’s first literacy session explained that the ability to read was the route to education, which = knowledge, which in turn = power. This clearly resonated with you, even changed your life.

You write non-fiction and fiction, which shows the importance of the latent abilities your tutor unearthed but have you felt the need to pass this equation to others? Perhaps through literacy charities? If so, what are they? Tell us more about how this equation has changed the lives of others.

Yes very much so. I was lucky enough to have been given an education by the Army, and I spend a lot of time now telling young people my story and encouraging them to make the most of educational opportunities on offer. I am an Ambassador for the Reading Agency, and through them visit many schools, prisons, Young Offender Units and workplaces every year. If I can get just one inmate, school kid or worker to change their reading habits or pick up a book for the first time, then it will have been worth it. My message is pretty simple, ‘If I can do it, anybody can.’

Was the transition from active participation and huge achievement in the SAS and then into civilian life tough? I suspect the adrenalin rush has taken a dive. The pace must be so different, and the focus.

Life is certainly not dull now. I get my adrenalin rushes elsewhere nowadays, whether its surfing, trekking to the South Pole as I have recently done or getting out and about on my motorbike. The pace of life is still pretty full on, I have projects on the go both in the UK and the US at the moment, but I’m not someone who enjoys taking time off, I like to keep busy.

The best account yet of the SAS in action – Sunday Times

Writing is something in which you have control, and focus. You can work on your own, at your own pace, which I suspect is frenetic. Is this one reason why you do it?

I like purpose and focus, and work most productively under pressure. I would like to be able to say that as an author I can write at my own pace, and be left alone, but the publishing world doesn’t really work like that. There are always deadlines and they seem to get closer every year!

Do you miss not working in a tight unit in which there is implicit trust, or like Nick Stone, do you only trust yourself?

I guess I have replaced that army camaraderie with friends and family, and some trusted colleagues who I’m involved in various projects with.

Do Nick Stone or Tom Buckingham ever get into situations they can’t get out of, so you have to go back and create an escape route or do you know exactly the plan, from start to finish?

I certainly have a framework from the beginning, and as most of the action is based on my experiences or knowledge, I would hope I know how to sort out any dramas.

Presumably you use your experience of special forces to drive the action, but must be careful not to actually reveal too much information of how the SAS works? Has this ever happened, at draft stage, and has been spotted by an editor, or do you have a good editorial eye?

Every book, even the Young Adult ones, goes through the MoD. They have, from time to time, picked up specific descriptions or, say, the make of a car used in the action, and asked me to change it as it is a little too close to a specific operation, but it is rare.

And oh, Andy McNab, how could you kill off Frank’s – you know who in Detonator? I was devastated. Yes, I saw it coming, but … How could you? I know you called yourself a functioning psychopath in your Yeovil talk, but when I do that sort of thing I really mind. Do you? You handled the guilt and grief really well, and when the others … No, won’t say anymore, we don’t want to give it away. But you did feel it, I’m sure.

It was the same when I killed off Kelly, she was getting too old and would either have to become a mother figure or have a love interest, and that takes the storyline off in a different direction, so you just have to cut them loose. Its good to throw in a few surprises, don’t want anyone feeling too comfortable!

You’ve just trekked to the South Pole, so there are still challenges aplenty for you. But what’s next?

I’m thinking of trekking to the North Pole actually. The guy who took us to the South Pole has offered to take me as a favour, so I’m trying to work out when to fit it in. It’s a question of time though, I’ve got various film and TV projects on the go in the States, plus the books and several other projects happening in the UK, so I need to start doing some juggling.

You can obtain Andy’s books from Amazon.co.uk, and all good bookshops. And you must. They’re rip-roaring action fiction/non-fiction with heart. Great stuff.

Read Margaret Graham’s Detonator review here.

Win Champagne & Wine With Frost Magazine & The EE British Academy Film Awards

Posted on January 18, 2016 by Frostie

The EE British Academy Film Awards ceremony will be taking place on Valentine’s Day, Sunday 14th February 2016. Continuing their love affair with the BAFTA Film Awards, Frost Magazine has teamed up with Champagne Taittinger and Villa Maria to invite you to sip like the stars. As the official Champagne and Wine and Partners to BAFTA, Champagne Taittinger and Villa Maria wines from New Zealand are delighted to offer you the chance to win a bottle of Taittinger Brut Réserve NV, a bottle of Villa Maria Private Bin Sauvignon Blanc 2015 and Villa Maria Private Bin Merlot Cabernet Sauvignon 2013, as served to the guests at the Awards.

Adding extra glitz to the awards for the 14^th year running, Taittinger is the only leading Champagne house to remain owned and actively managed by the family named on the label. Taittinger is widely available. www.taittinger.com.

Villa Maria has been New Zealand’s most awarded winery for over 30 years and remains proudly family-owned. Villa Maria wines are widely available in all good retailers. Visit www.villamaria.co.nz

Terms & Conditions: Entrants must be 18 or over. Entrants must provide a mainland UK address and telephone number for delivery. Visit www.bafta.org for more information.

To be in with the chance of winning this fantastic prize, follow @Frostmag on Twitter or Instagram, or like us on Facebook. Alternatively, sign up to our newsletter. Or subscribe to Frost Magazine TV on YouTube here: http://t.co/9etf8j0kkz.Then comment below saying what you did or email frostmagazine@gmail.com Competition finishes 5th of February.