HeyDoodle Dinoroar – Colouring Fun Without The Mess – by Award Winning Author Dr Kathleen Thompson

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So once again that time is here. Time to write Christmas present lists, trail around the shops and trawl internet retail sites.

What do you mean, it’s still October? Don’t you realise that some of us have a recurring nightmare that it’s Christmas Eve, and we’ve bought nothing and are forced to scour through the shelves of the local late-night garage for Christmas gifts? Alright, it’s probably just me who has a serious panic attack if all my presents aren’t bought and labelled by the first week in November. Once again I fear I have shared too much.

Anyway, being a generous soul I plan to also share some of my gift discoveries with you all. And first on the list is HeyDoodle.

HeyDoodle is an Australian company founded by a mother of two small children. She thought how great it would be for kids to have reusable colouring mats where they could doodle, colour in their favourite pictures and learn their numbers in the process.

Not content with just dreaming, she founded HeyDoodle, so now we can all enjoy fabulous silicone mats covered in pictures with different themes. Personally I love colouring in the dinosaurs, and so does my four-year old grandson when he manages to elbow me out of the way. Not only does it feature the dinosaurs’ names but there are numbers from 1 to 10 to trace too. Then you can help your child find and count the objects to which the numbers refer, such as the 10 dinosaur footprints or the two T-rex. The child can colour them in with the special colouring pens provided to help count them. I love toys which are not only fun but help kids learn too and this is just great for that.

The silicone mats wipe clean once the child is finished (and appropriate photos taken to show the rest of the family obviously) so all is tidy and ready to start the next day. The mat and the colouring pens come in a very neat pack which is super easy to store and takes up almost no room.

If your child isn’t into dinosaurs, there are Aussie animals, fantasy characters and more – and for the older child (or adult) World Countries with flags – another great learning tool.

Besides the mats there are books too, consisting of eight reusable colouring pages, pens and a keepsake box – educational books such as the Natural Wonders and simple fun ones such as the Old MacDonald Had A Farm book.

Check out the HeyDoodle web site for lots more great ideas.

Going back to my favourite, the Dinoroars mat with pens is £14.99 for the A4 size and £21.99 for the A3 size. A great price for a top-quality gift for the little ones in your life.

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

Note: These articles express personal views. No warranty is made as to the accuracy or completeness of information given and you should always consult a doctor if you need medical advice.

[slide 2 My book]

Oh my goodness the Columbia Community Association Centre has received right royal approval…

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Dear Ms Taylor

The King has asked me to thank you for your kind letter, in which you shared the wonderful news of the refurbishment of Columbia Community Association Centre.

His Majesty is most grateful to you for taking the trouble to write as you did, and for sharing a little of this community project. The King was particularly interested to learn of the unique door with its original brass handles which has been so carefully restored.

I am to convey His Majesty’s hope that everyone in the local community enjoyed the grand opening day of the community centre on 28th July, and I am to send the King’s warmest good wishes to you for writing with this uplifting news.

Yours sincerly

All of this has made Frost Magazine, particularly Margaret homesick, so she and Dick are hoping to pitch up at the CCA coffee morning on 28th October, and apart from catching up with everyone, they will admire the letter. Yes because… knowing Marion and Red Shoes Bob, it will already be framed and up on the wall.

See you all then.

Information: Columbia Community Association  Columbia uk Community Forum

Memories of Brady Square

My word, do find time to read No one got cracked over the head for no reason by Martin Brunt

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Good heavens – spare a moment, well, a great many moments to turn the pages of this book … No one got cracked over the head for no reason: Dispatches from a Crime Reporter by Martin Brunt. 

Trespass into the world of crime from the journalist’s eye view. Come with Martin Brunt into a world we might glimpse in newspapers, or watch in snippets on TV. Here, you can  take time to turn a page or two, or three, or, oh come on, let’s stop shilly shallying , you will want to  go the whole hog – all 333 pages. It is fascinating, a world of which we know nothing, not really, which leaves us thinking:  Good grief, heaven’s above. Surely not. Ah, I see. Crikey …

Martin Brunt, who was chief reporter at the Sunday Mirror before moving to Sky in 1989, reveals shocking and harrowing crime he’s covered over the past thirty years, and in doing so introduces us to the life of a crime reporter, and discusses the obsession of the public with crime. Add to this the nature of the relationship between the press and the police, not  forgetting the input of that strange phenomenon  social media, which appears, through witnesses, to inform not just the public, but the crime reporter. One suspects it might also mislead…

Brunt grapples not just with actual crime but with the question: what sort of crime grips the nation, and why is it that others do not? He also considers the damage done to those like Cliff Richard who are mistakenly suspected of sex abuse – such a feast for those eager to chew the cud, cast aspersions, and let’s face it gloat – and others to despair over the salacious acceptance of suspicion as guilt.  Whatever the reason, it ruins lives and careers.

So many questions, revelations, that it’s a must read for all those interested in crime from many angles.

This book is accessible, informative, fascinating and thought provoking.

No One Got Cracked Over The Head For No Reason – Dispatches from a crime reporter by Martin Brunt. HB and e-Book.  Biteback Publishers. Available on Amazon.

The Story Hive – The Home of Amazing Audio Stories

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Frost loves The Story Hive. Amazing audio at your fingertips, and completely free!

The Story Hive is a brand new and COMPLETELY FREE audio story streaming platform. Pop onto the www.thestoryhive.co.uk platform from your mobile or laptop. Featuring the work of London based writer Phil Ryan.

You get access to hours of wonderful audio stories and novels for both adults and children alike, across a wide range of genres including mind body and spirit sections. You get guaranteed entertainment at the swipe of a finger. You get to leave the world behind just briefly.

But don’t take our word for it. Listen for yourself. Prepare to be entertained and enchanted. And best of all it won’t cost you a penny! In a world of corporate subscription platform models that now essentially starve creators it’s completely free – no sign up – no email – no marketing – just make a donation if you feel it’s worth it. Support independent authors.

Lord Bird (The Big Issue Founder) “Please flock in your thousands to The Story Hive: free audio storytelling to extend your imagination. It’s full of thrillers, romance, sci fi, comedy, observational and literary literature; even children’s stories. Ghost and horror sit side by side with these genres, so fear and fun go hand in hand. And no Phil Ryan hasn’t paid me to write this piece….”

WHY GO ON A WRITING RETREAT BY JO THOMAS

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To celebrate publication of  Countdown to Christmas, Jo Thomas shares the magic of writing retreats…

credit: Gemma Griffiths Photography

I love the chaos of busy family life. People coming and going. The dogs greeting everyone, tails wagging; the hustle and bustle in my kitchen. I thrive off it….most of the time. But sometimes I need everything a writer’s retreat gives me.

The first writing retreat I went on was a house in Scotland, Cliff Cottage, owned by a writer who enjoyed the company of other writers. It overlooked the sea and was a marvellous place to sit and work and leave daily life behind.

There is nothing like spending time with other writers to get the juices flowing, ideas bouncing, plots unblocked and for laughing together. Generally, writers get other writers.

I went on to go on writing courses in France with Anita Burgh, Veronica Henry and Jane Wenham Jones and eventually after years of trying and failing I got my first book, The Oyster Catcher written. After that, Chez Castillon become a place to go and get words on the page for me.

I love morning tea with writer friends…… drinking tea in your dressing gown and discussing a plot problem that’s holding you up or talk through an idea that’s come to you in the night.

Now that I run retreats in France, we generally meet on the morning of the first full day to introduce themselves, tell us why they’re there, what they’re writing and what they want to achieve in that week.

For many people making time to get away from everyday life has taken a lot of effort and juggling, not to mention organising travel and paying for that time away. I don’t want anyone to feel they haven’t achieved something by the time they’ve left. Even if it’s a plan for going forward.

Then I’ll make time to meet with everyone, one to one. It may be over a coffee in café in the town, by the pool in the shade of the covered terrace or over a gin and tonic in the bar across the road. Somewhere we can talk about the path forwards; talking ideas, finishing the book, finding an agent. Anything.  A week away is like a fullstop on busy everyday life and whilst you may not write a book in that week I do want everyone to go home feeling they know how to keep going.

And so we leave with plans, food memories from meals out at the bistro or the restaurant by the river or oyster tastings on a Sunday morning, with new clothes bought from the linen lady at the Monday morning market, shoved into our already tightly packed cases. We have laughed together, swapped stories, even cried in some cases as we support and encourage each other in our writing. We swap email addresses, make WhatsApp groups and new friends. And we promise to meet again, same time, same place….. new words to go on the page. It’s a place of support, encouragement, celebration and laughter. A little pause on everyday life to keep the wheels of our writing routine turning as we go back to everyday life and I return to busy kitchen, happy dogs and family life around the table.

 

Countdown to Christmas by Jo Thomas is published by Penguin (£8.99)

Joffe treats us to an incoming tide of enticing new books.

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I have picked my own choice of Joffe Books’ new titles for this week. But trust me, it was quite a task as they are all so scrumptious. Let’s start with the book of the week. 

A Body in the Cottage which is a gripping crime mystery full of twists from bestselling author P.F. Ford and is out for — just £0.99 * 

A woman is left badly beaten in a derelict cottage. Then the killer comes forward — an elderly man. Case closed.  But as another body is discovered, Detective Norman suspects a false confession . . . and that the real killer is still at large. It’s up to you to turn those pages to find out who dun it…

Below you will find my pick of the the rest. But crikey, talk about dithering. It’s so hard to choose, they are all such satisfying reads. But here we go:

 

      
Jack  Knife by Steve Parker £0.99/$0.99

It’s 1975. A young woman is found disembowelled by the side of a road. Detective Bill Roach will spend the next fifty years searching for the serial killer: Now, unsuccessful and ageing in a retirement home, eighty-year-old Bill might just be the closest he’s ever been to discovering the secret. This is an original take on crime. Read and chew your nails.

The Bluebonnet Betrayal by Marty Wingate £0.99/$0.99   As you all know by now I am a sucker for cozy crime. Blame M.C. Beaton and her glorious Agatha Raisin series. Here is a belter from Marty Wingate, USA TODAY BESTSELLING AUTHOR: beautiful blooms, a fabulous guestlist — and one dead body. Had Pru’s dream of working at the Chelsea Flower Show just turned into a nightmare?  But she won’t give up — not on the show or the hunt for the murderer. So very there…

Now, what about The Frank Doy Thrillers in this eleven book box set? That’s right, eleven books all with great characters, plot lines to die for – oops – well you know what I mean. All with a dash of  of humour too.  I thought them in the mould of Lee Child, Michael Connelly and Michael Grant.  Great price at £1.99/$2.99. On we rush:

New from Choc Lit:

 

            

Lucy Keeling’s ‘Friends’ box set – whether you like soft or hard centres there is something for all: slow-burn romances to friends-to-lovers and fake relationships:  £0.99/$0.99

Hanukkah at the Great Greenwich Ice Creamery by Sharon Ibbotson

Is it trite to say, help yourselves to a scoop of delight? Probably, but I’ve said it because I loved it, almost as much as I love pistachio ice cream. Surly New Yorker Cohen Ford has a sweet surprise in store when he visits London and the Great Greenwich Ice Creamery one December.  Little does he know that his life is about to change . . .   £0.99/$0.99

Now, what’s new at LUME?

                  

Kingfisher by Christopher C. Tubbs £0.99/$0.99   – historical naval adventure which really  gripped me as Ralph Wrenn, officer on HMS Kingfisher, navigated mayhem and terror, as he endeavoured to capture pirate vessels in the Mediterranean. But when Ralph meets a beautiful young woman, he must keep his wits about him — there is more to her than meets the eye. Never a dull moment.

Postman’s Knock by J.F. Straker £0.99/$0.99  is a classic British murder mystery as Detective Inspector Pitt is called to unravel the disappearance of the local postman. But the local residents are unwilling to help . . . they’ve all got something to hide. So, can Pitt dig deep and find the culprit before anyone else dies? Oh, go on, read it.

Now, a newbie coming on 24th October, and as I’m fond of Marlow I must mention it. 

The Marlow Murders by Biba Pearce £0.99/$0.99 is a great crime mystery: Debby Morris, mother of two, goes to a Christmas party at the historic Hollyhock Manor in Marlow . . .   And never comes home. Is it a planned disappearance or something more sinister?


Finally, a look at Joffe Books’ NEWS

Publishing Director Kate Lyall Grant is delighted to have signed a new two-book deal with bestselling psychological thriller writer Jane E. James

‘We’re really thrilled with how well Jane E. James’s first two psychological suspense titles for Joffe, Her Second Husband and Not My Child, have done. And Jane’s darkly imaginative genius shows no sign of running out of steam in her latest novel, Her Daughter’s Husband, which we’ll be publishing later this year. Her growing number of fans are in for a real treat.‘

Jane E. James

‘I’m thrilled to have signed a second two-book deal with Joffe Books and am looking forward to working with Kate and the rest of the team again. I can concentrate on writing even more of the mind-blowing twists that readers have come to expect from Joffe’s psychological thriller authors since I know I’m in good hands with them. The best readers are Joffe readers.’

For more information: Joffe Books

*Launch prices are available for a limited time only. Please check all offers are live and available in your location before purchasing.

JANE CABLE REVIEWS

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The Forgotten Promise by Corin Burnside

I’m normally a fan of dual timelines, but with this book I enjoyed the Second World War timeline so much I would have preferred for it to have filled every page. Maggie and Agnes’ story was so moving, and it was refreshing to read about a same sex romance in that period. The war around them was well researched and felt real, and I enjoyed this aspect very much.

The premise of the book, without giving too much away, if that when Agnes is recruited to join SOE she is forbidden from telling Margaret, because they are only ‘friends’. In the end she does leave a letter promising to return, but it never reaches its intended recipient.

I found myself hanging on every word of Agnes’s time in France, but not so the contemporary story. I found elderly Margaret’s periods of confusion and clarity a bit too convenient to the narrative, to be honest. But it didn’t spoil the book overall.

Call me grumpy, but I just wish that the title related better to what was between the pages; the book is called The Forgotten Promise, but to me the whole point was that neither of them did forget.

 

The Book of Beginnings by Sally Page

I love books about friendship, and this must be up there among the best. Although it took me a while to settle into it, once the cast of characters began to build around ‘Average Jo’ I was enthralled, and wanted to know more about them.

When Jo’s uncle develops dementia and her relationship breaks down, she goes to London to look after his stationery and hardware shop. Isolated and lonely, her confidence in shreds, she meets some of the people living and working around her, including Ruth, the runaway vicar, and Malcolm, a retired analyst who buys a new notebook every week. And slowly, maybe a little too slowly, their friendship begins to form.

This book is rich in vivid detail; about the settings, the characters, and the ghosts who may or ma not walk on Christmas Eve in Highgate Cemetery. Although there were small parts of the plot I did not like, they didn’t detract from the whole and I was left in awe of the writer’s skill.

 

The Figurine by Victoria Hislop

As always, the sense of Greece at a certain moment in time is created perfectly by Victoria Hislop. The oppressive atmosphere of young Helena’s grandparents’ apartment when she visits in the 1970s echoes the regime her grandfather is part of, and the whiff of corruption is never far away. And when, years later, she discovers an Athens of her own, the sense of new freedoms is palpable too.

I also really liked Helena as a character and was sufficiently interested to know how her story unfolded to almost forgive the head-hopping, which blighted the early parts of the book in particular. There was a vividly drawn supporting cast too, but I felt there were too many of them at times, too many scenes which contributed little to the overall narrative. I did enjoy the story, but overall it was too long in the telling for my taste.

On one level I feel bad criticising such a successful and established writer, but on the other, I do not want to misrepresent my personal opinion of the book.

 

 

Home Spa with RINGANA: your routine, your playground

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I have fallen for Ringana. Their baby products are fantastic and I recently trialled their travel kit. The products work and they have no nasties in. I have had sensitive skin my entire life and these products never upset my skin. I love sustainability and freshness and Ringana are serving up both with a cherry on top. Top marks for this fantastic beauty brand.

Ringana, beauty review


Brand-new fresh products to expand your RINGANA beauty routine…

Right on time for the start of autumn, some fresh products have been added to RINGANA range, not only enhancing beauty routines, but also setting standards with regard to ageing care.

With three brand-new products – FRESH cleansing water, FRESH scrub face & body and our unique FRESH illuminating enzyme maskthe RINGANA cleansing and grooming steps are expanding, taking beauty routines to a whole new level.

In addition, the formulations of our two intensive better-ageing products, FRESH overnight face treatment and FRESH overnight body treatment, have been given a comprehensive update so they are now far more effective. And we’ve done all of this completely in keeping with our freshness and sustainability philosophy – just as you’d expect from RINGANA.

THREE FRESH PROSPECTS FOR YOUR BEAUTY ROUTINE

1) Highly concentrated cleansing with a long-term effect

Thorough cleansing should always be the first step in the morning and at night. To complement our well-known FRESH cleanser, we are now introducing our new FRESH cleansing water.

It contains micelles, formed by mild sugar tensides, that envelop and remove accumulated dirt such as residual make-up, helping to minimised blocked pores. The oil-free formulation is suitable for all skin types, but is particularly good for skin that’s oily or tends to impurities because its bioflavonoids refine the pores and regulate sebum production. Hyaluronic acid hydrates the skin, promoting a firm, youthful look. FRESH cleansing water can be rinsed off after application, or left on to do its work.

125ml for £21.92.

2) Smoother and more radiant in just a few minutes

We recommend that once or twice a week you expand your evening routine by adding a further cleansing step, using our brand-new FRESH illuminating enzyme mask or FRESH scrub face & body. Afterwards your skin will be perfectly primed for other subsequent steps of grooming, and ingredients will be able to penetrate more easily into the deeper layers of skin:

FRESH illuminating enzyme mask is a gentle exfoliant made of enzymes from papaya, pineapple and kiwi fruit which effectively removes impurities and excess sebum from the surface of the skin. At the same time, kaolinreduces fine lines and wrinkles. What’s special about the mask are the fruit-derived enzymesand PHA – a gentle polyhydroxy acid – which is also very well-tolerated by sensitive skin. Coriander and rosemary extract soothe the skin and have an antioxidant effect. This innovative combination is unique and represents a completely new way of exfoliating.

50ml for £34.10.

3) FRESH scrub face & body contains upcycled exfoliating grains from raspberry, blueberry, apricot and pomegranate and removes dead skin cells, while helping to regenerate the skin and stimulate skin renewal. Circulation is boosted and the skin also gets a natural, healthy look. In addition FRESH scrub face & body activates the body’s own production of collagen and elastin. Orange fruit waterhydrates the skin, while almond kernel oil and sesame oil groom the skin and make it supple.

200ml for £41.41.