A day in the life of Fiona Joseph (Author and Speaker)

Posted on November 12, 2015 by Margaret Graham

I wake between 6 and 6.30 AM. My partner Peter brings me an early morning cup of tea and then it’s all systems go: helping our younger daughter get ready for school (Have you had breakfast? Brushed your teeth? Where’s your PE kit? What do you mean you’ve got cookery today?) or waving our elder daughter off to a university lecture. I’m one of those mums who stand waving on the doorstep until my children have disappeared from sight.

8.15 to 12.15 PM

Ideally I’m at my desk for 8 AM. My most productive time for writing is early in the morning.

My office is in a room upstairs at home and I do the majority of my writing on an iMac. I switch between different software depending on what I’m writing: Pages and Storyist for writing prose fiction and non-fiction, and Final Draft for screenwriting. (I’m currently writing a dramatisation of my biography of Beatrice Cadbury and Final Draft is the industry standard.)

Writing a screenplay for the life of Beatrice Cadbury.

At about 10 AM I’m ready for a break, a cuppa and a catch-up chat with Peter, who works downstairs in the dining room. Sometimes we’ll do our unofficial ‘meeting’ in our local Costa. And then it’s back to our work domains for both of us until lunch.

If I fancy a change of writing scene I go to my local church where I have an arrangement to use one of their meeting rooms. I take a portable word-processing device with me – my AlphaSmart NEO – along with a flask of tea and a blanket to avoid chills.

12.15 – 1.15 PM

Lunchtime is my favourite part of the working day. At about 12.15 PM our dog Bonnie butts her nose against the stair-gate to tell me it’s time for her walk. (She has three walks a day – talk about spoiled) Exercise is vital for both of us. The walk takes about 20-25 minutes, sometimes longer if we stop for a chat with doggy friends and their owners. Bonnie was a rescue dog, and sadly ill-treated, so she needs oodles of love and patience. We live in a leafy suburb of Birmingham but holiday a lot in Weymouth, and this picture shows Bonnie happily at the seaside.

On our walk I daydream, or listen to music or a BAFTA GURU screenwriting podcast on my wireless headphones. Lunch will be quick, such as a sandwich or soup, or in summer months, some sautéed courgettes or roasted beetroot from our allotment.

1.15 to 4 PM

I like to be back at my desk for 1.15 PM. My afternoon can be made up of any of the following activities:

more writing or editing
working on my website
archive research
replying to emails, e.g. invitations to speak
going out to give a talk to a group
speaking on the phone with my biographee, Godric Bader, the subject of my current work-in-progress
visiting my local primary school where I’m privileged to be a community governor

Sometimes my research will take me into town to the Library of Birmingham or to the Bournville Archives. For my latest novel, Comforts For The Troops, I wove true facts and details of the Cadbury workplace into the story.

Visiting the Bournville Archives to research Cadbury women workers.

4 to 7 PM

This period is break-time and family time. Peter or I prepare dinner. I’m very strict on home-cooked food and eating round the dinner table. It’s the time of the day when we can share news, air grievances(!) and generally have a laugh. Mobiles are banned. If one of us has had a particularly noteworthy day I’ll serve dinner on the Plate of Accomplishment. We occasionally play cards afterwards – 10 card rummy, Old Maid and Sevens are old favourites.

7 to 10 PM

Sometimes I’ll be out giving a talk at a local society like the WI, the U3A , a local history group or a book group. It’s very satisfying to talk about the research and themes underlying my Cadbury books and I really enjoy chatting with people over a cup of tea afterwards.

If I’m at home I’ll flake out with some telly. I’m an ardent fan of Corrie and Holby City and I enjoy a good UK drama, preferably nothing with violence in it though. By 10 o’clock I’m fit to drop, but if necessary I’ll do an hour’s more writing before bed!

Fiona Joseph is the author of the acclaimed biography, ‘BEATRICE The Cadbury Heiress Who Gave Away Her Fortune’, and a novel inspired by women working at Cadbury in World War One, ‘Comforts For The Troops’. For more details visit www.fionajoseph.com

Christmas Gift List: Stocking Fillers

Posted on November 12, 2015 by Frostie

Ah, the Christmas stocking. It may be filled with satsumas but that is all part of the charm. Along with a dose of vitamin C, add these great gifts.

Milk_Shake Daily Duo Gift Set.

A bestselling environmentally conscious brand. Professional hair products which combine the benefits of milk and fruit. From www.milkshakehaircare.co.uk

Dearest Margarita: An Edwardian Love Story in Postcards

Smart and original. This is a great present with hours of fun to be had. In 1900, aged twenty and travelling from Havana to Europe, Margarita Johnson met and fell in love with the dashing gold prospector Charles Lumb. Her father disapproved, and after three years of secret postcards, the couple eloped to London. Cut out of her father’s will, Margarita was never welcomed again in Havana.

Margarita treasured her postcards from Charles, her family and friends, who wrote from England America and Europe. They remained with her until she died in 1959. Years later they were found by her granddaughter, tucked away in a cubby hole, and are here seen for the first time.

Dearest Margarita: An Edwardian Love Story in Postcards is available here.

Billington’s & Paul A Young’s Golden Sugar-Coated Caramel Bombs

So delicious, so amazing they might actually be worth diabetes. Okay, maybe not. But these exclusive truffles are definitely something to look forward to. If you really love someone, slip them into their stocking. £15.50 at Paul A Young’s stores.

Sugru Home Hacks Made Easy Guides.

The guides are as great as the Sugru. Okay, maybe not: it would be hard to match up to what Time Magazine listed as no. 22 in their Top 50 inventions list in 2010 (the iPad was no. 34). For mums who love to mend, dads who like to organise or colleagues who like to be up on the latest trends, the Sugru Home Hacks Made Easy guides designed to help with everything from misplaced keys and fraying cables to broken parts and even some genius shoe storage ideas. It’s the perfect gift for anybody who loves a good idea.Compiled by mouldable glue Sugru (often described as the love child between Play-doh and superglue), the guide comes complete with booklet, dinky storage tin and five mini packs of Sugru to get you started – all for £10.00 and available exclusively at Sugru.com.

Accentuate.

This rather cool game got funding from Peter Jones on Dragon’s Den. You guess movie quotes, accents and the year the film was released for triple points. A great game to make boxing day more fun. Accentuate Party Game is available here.

Wine For Dummies

Wine For Dummies, 6th Edition by Ed McCarthy and Mary Ewing-Mulligan

Wine For Dummies, is essential reading for anyone who enjoys drinking wine and wants to stay up to date with today’s wine scene. This easy-to-follow guide will help readers understand different grape varieties and varying wine styles, decipher wine lists and labels, and understand how to use them to make the right purchases. It also explains how to match food with wines that will bring out the best in both and how to select, store, open, pour, and enjoy wine. Wine For Dummies is available here. . A great book that tells you all you need to know about wine.

The Gourmet Chocolate Pizza Company Belgian Chocolate Pizza Slice

Belgian Chocolate Pizza Slice – £2.99 from family run thepresentfinder.co.uk

Delicious pizza slice made with a thick base of chocolate, topped with vanilla fudge pieces, chunks of chocolate brownie cookie and white chocolate curls.

Walk Mill Botanics

Naturally beautiful handmade products. Walk Mill Botanics do homegrown, handmade products for body and home. Their products are unique. Their handmade soap comes in recycled cloth embedded in flower seeds. You tear it, plant it and then watch it grow. Smart, unique and innovative. These natural products are amazing and smell divine. They are also SLS and paraben free. We tried there Blackcurrant & Honey With Ginger Handmade soap and Lavender bath bomb and loved them. Available from http://walkmillbotanics.com

One4all Remote

Great, easy-to-use universal remotes. Perfect for those who are technically challenged. The new One For All TV Zapper is a simplified, easy TV remote featuring only the keys you actually need but still performs the functions of a universal remote control. And it has a really comfortable grip and guaranteed stability on your or your loved one’s side table – so it’s easy to pick up and use. For something a little more advanced, the Zapper + has the ability to use One For All SimpleSet for advanced functionality, including menu navigation and number keys for direct Channel selection. With big buttons for channel and volume controls, these remotes have been twinned with an optional wrist strap so it doesn’t go missing down the side or back of the easy chair or sofa.

At very affordable prices, the One For All TV Zapper (URC 6810) retails at £12.99 and the Zapper + (URC 6820) at £17.99 from electrical retailers, selected grocery multiples including Currys (URC 6820) and online from the One ForAll web shop and Amazon.

Gin & Tonic flavoured Lip Balm

Gin & Tonic flavoured Lip Balm – £4.99 from family run thepresentfinder.co.uk

A great idea and beautifully packaged. This luxury Gin and Tonic flavoured lip balm is simply gorgeous. Made in the UK, by Bath house, the moisture-rich shea and cocoa butter balm, made with natural butters and extracts, will leave your lips feeling smooth and soothed.

Eat 17 Bacon Jam

Eat 17 Bacon Jam .Set of Four – £14.99 from family run thepresentfinder.co.uk

Delicious and something a bit different. The set of four is a great gift for a foodie friend or as a stocking filler! Each of the jams go well with a huge range of dishes and can be eaten as a spread so there is a place for Eat 17 Jam on the table all the time! Included are Bacon, Onion, Bacon Chilli and Chorizo Jams.

More Mindfulness Colouring.

Adult colouring books are huge at the moment and More Mindfullness Colouring is perfect for relaxing and taking care of your mental health, something that can definitely be tested at Christmas.

More Mindfulness Colouring: More anti-stress art therapy for busy people is available here.

Raisthorpe Manor’s Sloe Gin and Damson Port.

Dreaming of a white Christmas? If the weather doesn’t oblige, you can create your own sloe-storm with a gift of Raisthorpe Manor’s Sloe Gin – a Great Taste gold winner. Carefully matured for eight months on the Raisthorpe Estate in the heart of Hockney’s Yorkshire Wolds to an old (and secret) family recipe, Raisthorpe’s Sloe Gin offers that unmistakably complex combination of bitter-sweet London Gin and the tart tang of sloes, and is at home in the flute as it is in the hip flask.

Damson Port, hand crafted in Yorkshire, is one of the UK’s most unique bottled liqueurs and was rated top of its class for taste, winning three gold stars from the Great Taste judges in 2014.Only the finest hand -picked local damsons go into each bottle and are gently steeped in Port with a dash of sugar to a secret family recipe. Its wonderful balance of sweetness, luscious fruit and hint of damson stone is the perfect foil for a cheeseboard, turkey and all the trimmings, or on its own after dinner. It’s sure to leave any recipient in good spirits. Available in 5cl, 35cl or 70cl bottles: £3.95/£16.95/£24.95

We tried both of these delicious liqueurs and were very impressed. Delicious beyond words and a truly brilliant present. Frost loves.

Raisthorpe Manor Liqueur is available here.

Grumpy Cat No-it-All Book

Fun and hilarious. We loved this. It really puts a smile on the face. Grumpy Cat: No-it-All: Everything You Need to No is available here.

Heir & Grace Mulled Oranges Candle.

Created just for Christmas but can be used all year round. This is beautiful, just absolutely stunning. It smells divine and is just so christmassy it can’t help but make you smile. The ideal gift for anyone. Has warming noted of nutmeg, cinnamon and clove, a glazed orange heart underpins the festivity. This is a Christmas classic.

http://heirandgrace.co.uk

Nightingales Under the Mistletoe by Donna Douglas Reviewed: Tracy Baines

Posted on November 11, 2015 by Margaret Graham

Christmas 1941 and the nurses at the Nightingale are facing their toughest winter yet.

With shortages everywhere, and every news bulletin announcing more defeats and losses, the British people are weary and demoralised and The Nightgale Hospital is suffering too.Millie is recently widowed and dealing with the demands of her family’s estate. It’s not long before her old world of The Nightingale begins to beckon, along with a long lost love…

Jess is struggling with her move from East London to the quiet of the countryside.Effie finds herself exiled to a quiet village, but the quiet doesn’t last for long as she soon finds excitement in the shape of a smooth talking GI. As Christmas approaches, even the shelter of the countryside can’t protect the girls from heartache.

This is the first book I’ve read about the nurses at the Nightingale Hospital and it won’t be the last. Even though I came new to the series (this is book seven) it was easy to read as a stand alone and was at no point confusing.

It was a perfect winter read as I sat in front of a roaring fire, mug of tea and a box of choccies to hand. I was soon deep in the world of nurses and country living. The characters are likeable and realistic and the author strikes a perfect balance between the hard, grudging work that nurses do and the camaraderie that comes from pulling together. It doesn’t shy away from the awfulness of war but deals with it in a way that’s informative without being too upsetting and certainly made me wonder at the bravery of people during those trying times. That said there is humour and warmth on every page.

An absolutely perfect read for those who love Call the Midwife.

To be published 11^th November by Cornerstone Publishing

Love You Better by Natalie K Martin Reviewed By Frances Colville

Posted on November 10, 2015 by Margaret Graham

Natalie K Martin’s second book Love You Better is about domestic violence. Set in London, Thailand and Ibiza with links to other parts of the world, the story is fast paced with well-drawn characters and a good if somewhat predicable story line. We all know that domestic violence can occur in all sorts of households and relationships, and any book which reinforces this and flags up some of the telltale warning signs is welcome. The author has done her research well. And her love of travel shines through too.

However, the ending of the book was clearly signposted from the early pages and for me this detracted from the impact of the story as it evolved. It’s hard to care enough about the development of a character – even one you empathise with as much as Effie – if you’ve already worked out what is going to happen to her. There were a few other things which pulled me up short. Is the character Oliver intended to be the same age as the other main characters (that is, mid twenties) and if so, how can he possibly be one of the most sought-after lawyers in London? A three storey whitewashed Georgian house in a quiet street in Clapham for £500,000? I don’t think so. Nitpicking? Yes. But why not get it right?

This book is still a good read though. It flows well, it’s interesting and I did actually want to know if I guessed the right ending. And I liked the play on words in the title. A book worth reading in fact. I’m going to search out the author’s first book Together Apart and look forward to future offerings as well.

Love You Better is published by Lake Union Publishing and will be available in the UK in paperback and ebook versions from 8^th October 2015.

Excellent Christmas Ideas: Adult Colouring Books

Posted on November 10, 2015 by Frostie

Adult colouring books are not just a trend, they are a phenomenon. They were everywhere in 2015 and the trend to de-stress by colouring in shows no sign of abating. Here are our suggestions for a colouring Christmas.

Winter Wonderland Patterns. Creative Colouring For Grown-Ups

From snowflakes and robins to Scandinavian prints and reindeer, this is a beautiful wintry colouring book. From Michael O’Mara Books. Winter Wonderland Patterns: Creative Colouring for Grown-ups is available here.

Crap Colouring In: Mindless Art Therapy For Modern Life Joe Sumner.

A hilarious parody on the trend. This age-appropriate book has all of life’s little annoyances to brighten yourself up. From speed bumps to shopping trolleys. Brighten them up and vent with your pencil. Smart with classic British humour. Crap Colouring In: Mindless Art Therapy for Modern Life is available here.

The Gold Collection. The Gift of Colouring For Grown-ups.

Luxurious and lavish, This sophisticated colouring book helps you find your inner-calm. It has a beautiful gold-foiled cover. The Gold Collection: The Gift of Colouring for Grown-Ups is available here.

Creative Colouring For Grown-Ups Christmas Patterns.

Over 100 pages of festive cheer. Wonderful patterns. Out 1st December. The above and below adult colouring books are from the publishers of ‘Creative Colouring For Grown-ups’. Christmas Patterns: Creative Colouring for Grown-ups is available here.

Creative Christmas. The Gift of Colouring for Grown-ups.

Has a gorgeous foil cover and the flaps give inspiration for Christmas wrapping. Hours of de-stressing fun. Creative Christmas: The Gift of Colouring for Grown-ups is available here.

Lost Ocean. An Inky Adventure & Colouring Book Johanna Basford.

This is a stunning book from the creator of Secret Garden and Enchanted Forest, Johanna Basford. Johanna has sold millions of copies of her colouring books and lives in Dundee. Lost Ocean has over 60 hand-inked, black-lined illustrations. This gorgeous marine-themed colouring book is the perfect gift for the colouring fan. Lost Ocean: An Inky Adventure & Colouring Book is available here.

Which one will you buy?

A Killing Winter By Tom Callaghan Book Review

Posted on November 9, 2015 by Margaret Graham

Hail my new hero, Tom Callaghan.

As a fan of Tom Rob Smith and especially his novel, The Secret Speech, I thought there would not be another writer to touch him. I was wrong.

With A Killing Winter, Tom Callaghan has created a fascinating, cold and harsh setting, but one in which the central character is a living breathing empathetic detective, one with compassion, one dealing with personal loss, but one who ploughs on through the political difficulties determined to reach the truth, whatever the threat to himself.

With a superb sense of place. Callaghan gets the balance of tension, empathetic characters, and the setting just right.

When Inspector Akyl Borubaev of Bishkek Murder Squad arrives at the brutal murder scene of a young woman, all evidence hints at a sadistic serial killer on the hunt for more prey.

But when the young woman’s father turns out to be a leading government minister, the pressure is on Borubaev to solve the case not only quickly, but also quietly, by any means possible. Until more bodies are found …

Still in mourning after his wife’s recent death, Borubaev descends into Bishkek’s brutal underworld, a place where no-one and nothing is as it seems, where everyone is playing for the highest stakes, and where violence is the only solution.

I couldn’t put The Killing Winter down. Thank heavens there is another on the horizon: A Spring Betrayal.

I can’t wait.

A Killing Winter – Tom Callaghan 5^th November 2015, Paperpack £7.99.

Louis Jadot – the very essence of Burgundy: Domaine Ferret Pouilly Fuisse 2013

Posted on November 9, 2015 by Margaret Graham

Wine Review by Margaret Graham

Louis Jadot – the very essence of Burgundy:

Domaine Ferret Pouilly Fuisse 2013

There are those days which absolutely require a fine wine. Such a day occurred not long ago when one of Milly Adams’ books did rather well in the bestseller list. As a close friend of Milly’s how could we not celebrate.

Nothing’s easy is it? Bourgogne winemakers had a tough year in 2013 when nature decided to have a tantrum. First, a long winter; with hail damage and lord knows what else, then a gloomy spring, which eventually moved on into summer. In October the grapes could be picked. In spite of the difficulties – what a wine.

There is the taste of subtle fruit on the palate, acacia flowers, with a hint of buttery spiced nuts, along with an intense finish, and superb with shellfish, risotto, grilled or friend fish, goats cheese and creamy cows milk cheeses.

We ate goats cheese and salad, and drank to Milly’s book, Above us the Sky. Perfect.

RRP £26.90, Fountainhall Wines, Aberdeen; North and South Wines Ltd, London; Penistone Court Wine Cellars, Sheffield; Planet of the Grapes, London; Vino Wines, Edinburgh; Taurus Wines Ltd, Guildford; The Oxford Wine Company Ltd; Aitken Wines, Dundee; Coruss Retail Ltd, Luton; Southwick Court Fine Wines Ltd, London; Edencroft Fine Wines, Cheshire; Partridges Of Sloane St Ltd; Peake Wine Associates, Fareham, Hampshire; Wine Chambers, Newcastle; Last Drop Wines, London; Constantine Stores Ltd, Falmouth; The Red Bottle Company Ltd, Thame, Stop & Save , Tonbridge Wells.

Christmas Gift List For Tech Lover

Posted on November 9, 2015 by Frostie

There are always so many great tech gifts out there. So we have narrowed it down for you. Check out these beauties.

The Leitz Icon Smart Labelling System

A very impressive labelling system which is portable. It is smaller than a shoebox and is perfect for that super organised person in your life. The Leitz Icon Smart Labelling System Is perfect for the tech savy and provides high-speed technology, possessing the ability to print over 200 labels a minute – perfect when you need to send out all those Christmas cards. The labels created can be put onto paper, plastic and card and is renowned for high speed printing. This new gadget can be operated via the free Leitz ICON iPhone app, tablet, laptop or PC, making it really easy to use on to go. Unlike other models, this product is smaller than a shoebox meaning there is no fuss when moving it around.

Leitz Icon Smart Wireless Label Printer is available here.

The Leitz Complete iPad Privacy Case

A great gizmo that stops people stealing your business ideas, or just stops people knowing what you are up to, naughty or nice. The Leitz Complete iPad Privacy Case has an integrated privacy film in the front lid, preventing others from viewing your display tablet from either side. Original high resolution and full colour retina display is reverted to simply by opening the case lid, unlike standard, self-adhesive privacy filters available. Touchscreen operation remains functional and gives all-round protection for iPad’s – no scratches, no dust, no dirt.

Leitz Complete Privacy Slim Folio Case is available here.

Eyefi Mobi WiFi Memory Card

This is a great little invention that lets you transfer your pictures easily and wirelessly. Brilliant. Eyefi Mobi WiFi memory card with 90 days free membership to Eyefi Cloud. Photos and videos can now be transferred quickly, easily and wirelessly to a smartphone or tablet, making them immediately available for sharing with the rest of the world via social media or email. Eyefi Cloud offers users the ability to organise, sync and share unlimited photos and the first 90 days are provided free of charge.

￡33.99 for 8GB/ Available from Amazon.co.uk

Corpore / Wear Bodywear

We reviewed this posture awareness vest with its innovative technology and were very impressed. It really works. CORPORE/ wear is high performance body wear designed to enhance posture awareness.

Designed to correct bad posture habits, CORPORE / wear is innovative bodywear that improves the position of the back.
Maintaining good posture while studying or working in the office is key to increasing performance and reducing muscle fatigue. CORPORE / wear is based on a compression system that is only active when the spine is curved. Compressive strips on the lumbar exert little pressure alerts that help the body recover optimum posture without any effort.

Designed for men and women aged between 18 and 50 years. The body wear has individual designs for men and women and comes in both black and white. www.corpore.com prices start from £35.00.

Cobra Drive HD Dash Cams

This dash cam is great and even lets you share straight to your smartphone via Wifi. How cool is that? Cobra Drive HD Dash Cams – record the road ahead or create action films. Drive HD Dash Cams will continuously record video of the road ahead of drivers, serving as the perfect eyewitness in the event of traffic incidents, while also providing peace-of-mind and an extra sense of security when on long drives across the country. With a special waterproof case, the Cobra CDR 900 dash cam is the perfect action cam! Record awesome films on a sailing boat in the English channel, the kids surfing in Cornwall or even whilst walking the hills in the Great British weather. Recording in super HD 1296p, the action footage will be top notch and users can even send what they’ve taken straight to their smartphone via WiFi to share with friends instantly.

￡79.99 – ￡179.99 http://www.cobraelectronics.co.uk

The Roku Streaming Stick

This is so smart. It is a streaming stick and a remote that gives you access to more than 1,500 channels. It is simple to use and makes a great present for anyone, providing hours of entertainment. The Roku Streaming Stick is easy to install and simple to use. The tiny stick works with any HDMI capable TV and provides access to the most comprehensive streaming channel line-up in the UK, including all major catch-up TV channels (BBC iPlayer, All 4, ITV Player and Demand 5), as well as popular streaming services such as Netflix, Google Play and Now TV. With more than 1,500 channels in total, there’s so much content packed into the small stick that you can watch what you want whenever you want it!

It’s the perfect Christmas gift for anyone who wants to catch-up with TV at a time that suits them and with TV streaming becoming increasingly popular in the home – the Roku Streaming Stick is a small and elegant item that’s an ideal addition for any home.

It retails at £49.99 and is available from Amazon, Currys PC World, Maplin, Tesco Direct, and most major supermarket branches throughout the UK.

Why not add a NowTV Subscription with that? Only £6.99 a month and a great gift, Especially for Christmas and into winter. nowtv.com

Ventura portable charger

Not much is more infuriating that running out of battery so give the gift of unlimited power…well, kind of. This funky gadget is a great portable charger. Ventura portable charger – PB60. A fun portable charger, great for festivals. It’s bright so super easy to find in a packed, messy tent and great for rapid charging of your phone when you need it. With a storage capacity of 10,400mAh, you need never worry about that dreaded low battery again.

Available from www.snooper.co.uk for ￡39.99

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