My Reading Challenge by Frances Colville

Posted on February 10, 2015 by Frostie

How many books can you read in a year? It recently occurred to me that life is far too short to read everything I want to read. There simply aren’t enough hours in the day or years in a lifetime. So I’ve set myself a challenge for 2015 – to be organised about what I read, to make deliberate choices and above all to emphasis variety. But there has to be quality there too. I haven’t any time to waste.

So here’s the pick of the books I’ve read in January. First up were two Agatha Christie novels. The first, Ordeal by Innocence was a re-read and the second, Death in the Clouds, new to me. I thoroughly enjoyed both. For me Agatha Christie is a master craftsman, able to weave together the intricate threads of a plot in remarkably few words, and at the same time create a view of her world with all its idiosyncrasies. Agatha Christie paperbacks are readily available in secondhand bookshops.

Next I moved on to Stoner by John Williams (First published 1965, Vintage classic reprint 2012). Another brilliantly crafted book and a beautifully written one, it tells the story of William Stoner, an American academic, who seems to stumble through life with a sense of not being quite sure what he is actually doing there. I was hooked from the first page although it’s hard to analyse why. Perhaps it’s just simply enough to say I recognised him. I would like to have known him.

And then something completely different; a memoir entitled Love, Nina written by Nina Stibbe (Penguin paperback 2014) telling the story of the time she spent as a nanny for a family in London in the 1980s. This well written and very humorous book particularly resonated with me as I too worked as a nanny for a London family in my gap year. Nina Stibbe has a delightfully light and self-deprecating voice and a casual way of dropping big names (Alan Bennett and Jonathan Miller for example) into her writing, adding both depth and interest. I see she has also written a novel and I look forward to checking that out – though maybe not this year.

My final book this month was Margaret Forster’s Good Wives? (Vintage paperback 2002) With a mixture of biographical writing, and personal reflection, Forster tells the story of three ‘good wives’ from different times (Mary Livingstone, Fanny Stevenson and Jennie Lee) and tries to work out just what it is that makes a good wife. It’s an interesting premise for a book, and generally a good read, though it suffers from being neither biography nor memoir, falling somewhere between the two. Perhaps inevitably I am left feeling dissatisfied and wanting to know more – about the people whose stories she tells and about her.

So I end the month by adding yet more books to my list – further biographies of the three ladies, and re-reads of Margaret Forster’s novels. Not quite what I’d originally planned.

This Month’s Top Books

Posted on February 5, 2015 by Frostie

It is still bloody freezing outside, so what better time to curl up with a good book? Here are some of our top books for this month.

I Should Have Said Daisy de Villeneuve

The French have a particular expression for when words fail – ‘’Pensées d’escalier.’ It refers to the inability to think of the perfect response in painful or awkward situations until you’re out of the door – a scenario many of us can relate to at some point in our lives.In I Should Have Said, London born illustrator, designer and writer Daisy de Villeneuve pools together her personal experiences of friendships, flirtations and full-blown romances to equip you with quips for when dialogue dramas strike.From forthright frenemies, bemusing boyfriends or lukewarm liaisons, Daisy’s artistic, anti-romantic antics will be your armour against unrequited amour so that shocked silences, desperate dilemmas and wavering words are a thing of the past.

We loved this book. Wonderful illustrations and witty retorts. Daisy de Villeneuve is effortlessly cool and this book is fun and entertaining.

I Should Have Said…: Quick-Witted Comebacks I Only Wish I’d Said – to Friends and Lovers is available here.

100 Ideas That Changed Advertising Simon Veksner

Like it or not, advertising shapes our lives. This book is thorough, entertaining and educational without being boring. Perfect for anyone with an interest in advertising. 100 Ideas That Changed Advertising takes a look at the key concepts and developments that have shaped the world of advertising, from the early Twentieth century to the present day. Divided into mini-essays, it explores the socio-political and cultural factors behind these changes and the impact that they have on the ads we’re exposed to every day.

Illustrated throughout with hundreds of examples of classic and contemporary ads from companies such as Apple, McDonalds, Dyson and Coca Cola, it’s an accessible and informative read that offers a fascinating insider’s insight into the ad industry.

100 Ideas that Changed Advertising is available here.

Obsession in Death J.D Robb

Another brilliant crime thriller from J.D Robb AKA Nora Roberts. Entertaining and indulgent.

A crisp winter morning in New York. In a luxury apartment, the body of a woman lies stretched out on a huge bed. On the wall above, the killer has left a message in bold black ink: FOR LIEUTENANT EVE DALLAS, WITH GREAT ADMIRATION AND UNDERSTANDING.

Eve Dallas is used to unwanted attention. Famous for her high-profile cases and her marriage to billionaire businessman Roarke, she has learned to deal with intense public scrutiny and media gossip. But now Eve has become the object of a singular and deadly obsession. She has an ‘admirer’, who just can’t stop thinking about her. Who is convinced they have a special bond. Who is planning to kill for her – again and again…

With time against her, Eve is forced to play a delicate – and dangerous – psychological dance. Because the killer is desperate for something Eve can never provide – approval. And once that becomes clear, Eve knows her own life will be at risk – along with those she cares about the most.Nora Roberts published her first novel using the pseudonym J.D. Robb in 1995, introducing to readers the tough as nails but emotionally damaged homicide cop Eve Dallas and billionaire Irish rogue, Roarke.

With the In Death series, Robb has become one of the biggest thriller writers on earth, with each new novel reaching number one on bestseller charts the world over.

Obsession in Death is available here.

At The Break of Day Margaret Graham

Another brilliant novel from Frost favourite Margaret Graham. Brilliantly researched and engrossing. A must read.

It is 1946, and as Europe slowly picks itself up after the trauma of war, Rosie Norton faces a bright future in America. Evacuated in 1939 by her grandfather, she escaped the cramped streets of London to a new world in Pennsylvania.Suddenly, at the age of sixteen, she is called home to a Britain bruised by war and still suffering the hardships that America knows nothing about.While struggling to become accepted again by her family she is supported by her childhood sweetheart Jack.Until Jack is sent to war in Korea and a homeless Rosie, together with the child he doesn’t know they have, is left to fend for herself in London.

At the Break of Day is available here.

When I Met You Jemma Forte

The new novel by best-selling author and TV personality Jemma Forte. When I Met You is the third book from Jemma. Jemma writes about a range of hugely relatable issues with reverence and emotional intelligence including family, illness, life decisions, romance, love and growing older. This is the perfect novel to lose yourself in. Imaginative, clever and addictive.

Marianne Baker is happy. Sort of. She’s had the same job for 15 years. She’s 31, still living at home with her mum and sleeping in a single bed. Playing the violin is her only real passion – but nobody like her does that for a living.Then one night everything changes. The father who abandoned Marianne as a child turns up on the doorstep, with a shocking secret that changes her live forever. Suddenly her safe, comfortable world is shattered. If her father isn’t the man she though he was, then who is he? And more to the point, who is she?

When I Met You is available here.

And if you are getting married…

Check out our editor’s book The Wedding Survival Guide: How To Plan Your Big Day Without Losing Your Sanity by Catherine Balavage. It has had some five star reviews and covers every aspect of wedding planning from the perceptive of someone who survived planning their own wedding. It is well-researched and entertaining.

Engaged? Daunted by wedding planning? Not sure where to start? Don’t worry, this book is a no-nonsense guide to planning the perfect wedding no matter what your budget. With time and money-saving costs, advice on handling difficult relatives and hints and tips to plan your perfect day. This is the only wedding book you will ever need.

The Wedding Survival Guide: How To Plan Your Big Day Without Losing Your Sanity is available here.

The Glass Girl By Sandy Hogarth Book Review

Posted on February 5, 2015 by Catherine Balavage

The Glass Girl is a deeply moving novel. A stunning debut that is well written and evocative. The plot is smart, drawing you in and not letting you go. The main character, Ruth, is a wonderful narrator. Interesting and intelligent. The book tracks her life along with the main historical events of the time. Her life is thrown onto a certain path after a traumatic event. She flees to Australia for the solitude of the outback, taking her secrets with her. Only her mother’s death brings her back and she must then confront her sister.

The Glass Girl goes deep into the pain a sibling can cause. How family can tear us apart and that the past can always haunt. The Glass Girl is a brilliant novel, I could hardly put it down. Beautifully written and deeply engaging, The Glass Girl is a highly recommended read. Brilliant stuff.

Say thank you to your sister for me.

His parting words cause sixteen year old Ruth to flee to Australia in shame and fear, telling her mother, it’s just a year mum, then I’ll be home. But even there her secret drives her to the isolation of the outback.

Seven years later the death of her mother brings Ruth home to England. Now she must confront her sister, Alexis. But there are darker secrets that threaten to tear apart the family she thought she knew and Alexis’ betrayals are not over.

Sometimes you can’t keep running. In a world of lies and betrayal by the people she loved, is Ruth strong enough?

The Glass Girl is available here.

Sandy Hogarth’s Day in The Life is here.

Benedict Cumberbatch Sends Wedding Invites By Email

Posted on January 28, 2015 by Catherine Balavage

Would you send your wedding invitations by email? He announced his engagement in The Times in November but it seems in other areas Benedict Cumberbatch is less traditional. In fact, he sent his wedding invitations by email. The actor is expecting his first child with fiancé Sophie Hunter, a theatre director. It seems they are in a rush to marry and friends say they will marry “within months”. The couple got engaged after dating for a year. Benedict is up for an Academy Award for his work in The Imitation Game.

A friend told The Mirroer “The invitations have gone out already which is very quick, It’s shocked a few people but they want their special day to happen before they have the baby. The details have been sent out in an email rather than a paper invitation as time is of the essence.”

The wedding is top secret but the source also said “They’re planning the perfect day, Life couldn’t be much better for them at the moment.”

When my (now) husband and I got engaged we send out our save the date cards by email but posted out wedding invitations. I wrote about finding good but inexpensive wedding invitations here. Sending wedding invites by email is much more environmental friendly and we did think about it, in the end we thought our older relatives would like a memento that they could keep.

What do you think? Is it okay to send wedding invitations via email?

If you are getting married then check out my book The Wedding Survival Guide: How To Plan Your Big Day Without Losing Your Sanity, it has everything you need to know about planning your dream wedding.

Why The Best Thing You Can Do For Your Acting Career Is To Quit

Posted on January 23, 2015 by Catherine Balavage

I know what you are thinking: what? That makes no sense. But bear with me. I have been acting for a long time. Since I was a teenager and in that time I have had some amazing parts, met amazing people and worked on projects that I was proud of. Also in that time I worked with a lot of jerks, had some terrible auditions, worked on awful projects and had some really awful experiences. My hair was always in a state of recovery because some over-zealous make up person had gone to town on it, my breasts were always being taped down by gaffer tape because costume people ‘didn’t know what to do with them’ and I was working too damn hard in an industry where the pay had not only not risen, but was actually the lowest in fourteen years. I kept almost getting the life-changing parts but lost out at the final hurdle. To put it frankly, I had had enough.

The last straw was working on a film on which I sustained a serious back injury. I damaged a disc and also had nerve damage. Over a year of painful physiotherapy followed. It was a nightmare. It was the last straw. ‘I quit’ I told my husband. ‘I just can’t do this anymore’. But it was only then the moment of clarity came; ‘Don’t quit’, my husband said, ‘You are too talented and have too much to offer. Take a break and then go back to it’. Cue the previously mentioned moment of clarity. He was right. Quit, but then go back.

The truth was, I just wasn’t into it anymore. I hated auditions, I hated working, I hated all of the BS that came with acting. So I quit, wrote my acting book, and by the time I was ready to go back I was in love with acting again. I wanted to make films again. I wanted to be on a television set. The break gave me the distance needed to realise why I had become an actor in the first place. I rediscovered all of the things I loved about working in the entertainment industry, which is the only way you can deal with all of the stuff you don’t love about it.

When your heart isn’t in something it comes across. You just have to take a break and go do something else for a while. Get a good-paying job and build up your bank account, travel, learn a new skill. Do anything but quit acting. It just might be the best thing for your acting career that you ever do.

If you are an actor then check out my book How To Be a Successful Actor: Becoming an Actorpreneur. It is available in print and in all eBook formats on both Smashwords and Amazon.

Short Story Workshops Across Dorset by Margaret Graham

Posted on January 16, 2015 by Margaret Graham

One of Frost’s favourites, author Kate Kelly, who wrote of her experiences at the Edinburgh Festival is featuring as a tutor at one of the free Workshops taking place across Dorset over the next two months.

In an effort to reach aspiring writers living in rural communities a series of free-entry creative writing workshops for adults has been devised and take place at twelve venues across Dorset between 12 January to 14^th February.

Amongst the tutors is another familiar name. Frances Colville who arranged the Bridport Slam, won by one of Frost’s most fun writers, Wendy Bracken, is teaching. Frances herself has featured in Frost in A Day in the Life. In addition, there is Tracy Baines who I taught, and who is a successful short story writer, so lots for the aspiring writer to enjoy.

Perhaps they would like to enter the Words for the Wounded writing prizes? www.wordsforthewounded.co.uk

The short story workshops will kick-start DWN’s first e-book anthology. For anyone and everyone who enjoys writing or would like to learn to write short fiction check out the communities listed here: Winfrith Newburgh, Sturminster Marshall, Cerne Abbas, Askerswell, Durweston Horton & Chalbury, Martinstown, Stalbridge, Verwood, Crossways, Upwey, Bourton

To book a place, email sue@dorsetwritersnetwork.co.uk

Taking part gives you free entry to Dorset Writers Network e-book competition. Competition launch event is on Saturday 24th January – 2.30pm – at Dorchester Library.

Come along to hear Natasha Solomons reading from her work and celebrate the launch of Dorset Writers Network’s e-book competition. Advance booking essential, telephone Dorchester Library on 01305 224440.

The Stages of Writing a Book

Posted on January 16, 2015 by Catherine Balavage

Ladies and gentlemen, I am in the process of writing my third book. Three-quarter of the way to be more precise. Which puts me at number 7 on this list. Writing and publishing a book is amazing. The feeling when you have your published book in your hands is like no other. You did it. It is not easy however. It took me years to get my first book published. Mostly due to procrastination. My next one was finished and published within five months. Not bad for someone with acute morning sickness. My third has so far taken seven days to get three-quarters of the way through the first draft. Which is not bad. You can check out the first two here. I will get into how tedious and hard it is writing a book with my list of the stages below, but before we get to the list I will leave you with this amazing quote from Amy Poehler in her amazing book Yes, Please.

“Everyone lies about writing. They lie about how easy it is or how hard it was…No one tells the truth about writing a book…the truth is, writing a book is this: hard and boring and occasionally great but usually not. Even I have lied about writing. I have told people that writing this book has been like brushing away dirt from a fossil. What a load of shit. It has been like hacking away at a freezer with a screwdriver.”

The Stages of Writing a Book

Hopefulness.
Excitement.
Despair.
First quarter done. Glimmer of light.
Despair.
Epic melt down. Tell everyone you give up and would burn the book if it wasn’t on your computer.
Resignation, decide that since you started you should finish.
Wonder what breathing in fresh air is like.
Get into the flow of it, it might be okay after all.
Finish first draft. realise it is only the first draft. Cry.
Read first draft. It’s awful. Cry some more.
Despair.
Start editing. Ignore the boredom and the fact there are so many more fun things to do than this.
Realise that it’s not actually that bad.
Finish editing first draft.
Hope
Happiness
The possibility of it all being over soon
Get draft back from proof reader.
Despair
Try to ignore the amount of grammar and spelling mistakes you made.
Final edit, go through all suggestions and edit accordingly.
Finish book: go on week-long champagne binge.
Get cover back from designer. Has spelling error. Cry.
Get cover fixed.
Get book formatted for the different eBook and print versions.
Despair.
Finally see finished book: elation.
Publish book and it starts selling: happiness like no other. Feel huge sense of achievement.
Start writing next book.
Despair.

What do you think? Are you a writer? What do you think are the stages of writing a book?

Amanda Seyfried: Being ‘Overweight’ Has Affected My Acting Career

Posted on January 12, 2015 by Catherine Balavage

Want to know how hard it is to be an actress? Then just look at how slim Amanda Seyfried is and then read her tweet below.

Fun fact: I almost lost out on several roles in my career because I was overweight. Wrong, America.

— Amanda Seyfried (@AmandaSeyfried)

The Mean Girls actress went on to say in an interview with Elle UK.: “I don’t have to look like a supermodel. I don’t have to have those abs, the camera doesn’t see that. But because we have all been designed to want these things, I’m a victim of this stuff, too. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t constantly aware of what I’m doing with my body.”

It is very disappointing that Hollywood, and the media in general, cannot get over their cookie cutter one-size-fits-all view of beauty. Amanda Seyfried is not ‘overweight’. I understand that you have to be in shape and healthy to act and the camera really does add 10 pounds, but the world would be a truly horrible world if we all looked the same. Hollywood: take note.

If you are an actor then check out my book How To Be a Successful Actor: Becoming an Actorpreneur. It is available in print and in all eBook formats on both Smashwords and Amazon. It has had 5 five star reviews.

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