Interview With Author Sophie Duffy

Posted on February 24, 2014 by Catherine Balavage

How did it feel to win the Yeovil Literary Prize, and then a host of others?

I was very surprised when I had an email to say I’d won the Yeovil Prize back in 2006. I see that moment as a breakthrough though it was another 5 years before The Generation Game was published by Legend Press, after it won the Luke Bitmead Bursary in 2010.

Do you have a favourite book that you have written?

I feel closest to the characters in The Generation Game as I lived with them for so long. I still think about them and wonder what they are up to. Particularly Philippa Smith.

What is your writing routine?

I wish I had one! I am not the most organized and have a house full of teenagers which can be a distraction. Supplying food. Washing countless socks. Nagging. Driving around Devon lanes. However, I do now have a room of my own, an office at the bottom of a garden. A glorified shed. It is full of all the tat I’m not allowed to display in the house. I love tat. So I try to get out there in the mornings. But inevitably my plans are scuppered.

How do you come up with your ideas?

They come from small thoughts. A memory. A conversation. A person who passes in and out of your life. Those small thoughts then grow into something more substantial. Something that nags away in the back of my mind, eventually pushing through and saying ‘write me’. I write about families and so I get inspiration from every family I meet, all with their different quirks, make-ups, rules, traditions and skeletons in the cupboard.

Do you ever get writers block?

Not really. I can faff around a lot and resist the act of sitting down and actually writing. But when I do sit down with the intention of writing, the words usually come. If I am struggling, then I read and read and read. It’s all part of the creative act.

How long does it take you to write a book?

Hmm. A while. Eighteen months to two years to get down a decentish first draft. Then maybe another year to rewrite. It’s a long, slow process for me.

What’s next?
I’m rewriting my current novel. I have the plot and the characters but I was telling it wrong. So I have changed the voice and it seems to be working much better. I hope.

Tell us about CreativeWritingMatters.

I used to be an early years teacher and moved on to youth work. I love teaching and was delighted to join Cathie Hartigan along with Margaret James running workshops and courses for www.creativewritingmatters.co.uk in the Exeter area. We also appraise manuscripts and mentor novelists online. Last year we launched the Exeter Novel Prize and had over 250 entries. We now have a shortlist which is being considered by my agent Broo Doherty of DHH Literary Agency. The winner will be announced at an awards ceremony in Exeter on 22nd March. Very excited.

Advice for wannabe writers?

Persist. Don’t give up. Be determined. Read. Do a writing class. Join a writing group. Enter competitions. And write whenever and wherever you can.

Best piece of advice you have ever been given?

Be bold.

http://www.sophieduffy.com/
The Generation Game
This Holey Life

Nikki Gemmell Interview | Books

Posted on February 23, 2014 by Catherine Balavage

Nikki Gemmell is a talented Australian author, best known for writing the best-selling erotic trilogy The Bride Stripped Bare, With My Body and I Take You. She has recently released her first children’s book, The Kensington Reptilarium. Scarily talented and productive, it was an honour to interview her.

You have written eight novels and four works of non-fiction. How do you manage to be so prolific?

In that exhausting lifestyle triumverate of the modern harried woman – work/family/social life – something has to give. I just don’t believe you can have all three. In my case it’s the social life that’s been sacrificed. I just get too knackered. Having kids has also made me much more disciplined. I don’t spend their school hours unpacking the dishwasher and tidying the house – I write, solidly. Am constantly gleaning little pockets of time to get it all done (in fact am typing this now, in the car, on the side of the road, having just dropped off my son to a basketball match.)

You write a lot about female sexuality. What draws you to write about it?

Honesty connects. Nowhere more powerfully than in the sexual sphere. There is so much vulnerability, bewilderment and misconception about sexuality, and it feels exhilarating (and necessary) to write about it utterly truthfully.

Lire included you in a list of the fifty most important writers in the world. How did that feel?

It’s a little tuning fork in my head – to try and live up to it!

You have written your first children’s book, The Kensington Reptilarium: what made you choose that genre?

Several of my own children who were too addicted to their wretched screens. I wanted to write a kid’s book that would ignite the flame of reading passion in them, because I just couldn’t get it to catch alight (to my despair and mortification.) Lo and behold, the Grand Scheme of Maximum Distraction actually worked.

Do you have a favourite book that you have written?

Shiver, my first novel – a story extremely close to my heart. The Bride Stripped Bare – because it transformed my life. And The Kensington Reptilarium – because it was such enormous, liberating fun.

What is your writing routine?

Get the kids, work solidly, then pick them up and give my life over to them. My trick is to get household chores done around them – never in cherished writing time.

How do you come up with your ideas?

I’m constantly on the prowl with a notebook in my handbag – it records ideas, titles, quotes, conversation scraps, magazine articles.

Do you ever get writers block?

I used to but not anymore – writing is a business to me now, as well as a passion. It pays bills, so I just have to plough on or my kids won’t be fed. I literally can’t afford to be blocked anymore.

How long does it take you to write a book?

Usually a couple of years, but I’ve actually written one of them in three weeks (not saying which!)

What’s next?

The publishers want a sequel to Kensington Reptilarium, as it did well for them. Then I’m thinking of an historical novel after that. Something different for me. I’m addicted to change, trying new things. Not afraid of failure in the slightest. It’s how you progress in life.

Advice for wannabe writers?

Tenacity is all. And discipline. Focus. The capacity for hard, gruelling work. Talent only gets you so far.

Best piece of advice you have ever been given?

Write as if you’re dying – it’s a great motivator. It stops you making that seventh cup of tea.

http://www.nikkigemmell.com/
Nikki Gemmell’s Threesome: The Bride Stripped Bare, With the Body, I Take You
Honestly: Notes on Life

Different Styles Of Wedding Dresses

Posted on February 3, 2014 by Frostie

So you are trying to choose a wedding dress but there are so many styles to choose from, and so much jargon, I mean, what the hell is a trumpet? We decided to put together a visual reference guide to help you along the way. Let us know what your favourite is, we had so much fun writing this article and looking at endless pictures of wedding dresses. If you want help and advice planning your wedding then buy our editor, Catherine’s, wedding book, it is full of great advice and lots of tips. If you are off wedding dress shopping soon then also check out our editors experience of buying her wedding dress. Happy shopping!

Strapless Sweetheart Neckline Halterneck V-Neck

Plunge

One-Shoulder

Mermaid A-Line or Princess

Empire

Ballgown Trail / Train

Short

Trumpet

The trumpet silhouette is different to the mermaid as the skirt gradually flares about mid-thigh. It has a close-fitting bodice.

Backless Lace Back

Straps Sleeves

Cap Sleeves

Off-The-Shoulder / Boat Neck

What one will you choose? What is your favourite?

If you are planning your wedding then get your hands on The Wedding Survival Guide: How To Plan Your Big Day Without Losing Your Sanity. It has great advice on every aspect of wedding planning and lots of great advice on choosing the perfect wedding dress.

Strength Training Exercises For Women Book Review

Posted on January 23, 2014 by Frostie

January is full of the best of intentions, it is the time of the year when we are determined to get healthy and fit, but usually gym membership and exercise classes fall by the wayside. I know a lot of the time the effort to leave the house is what really gets me so it is exercise DVDs and books all the way.

My first thoughts of Strength Training Exercises For Women: Tone, Sculpt, and Stay Strong For Life by Joan Pagano is that it is knowledgeable and easy-to-use. It starts by testing your fitness and checking your BMI with a handy table. The introduction and chapter on why lift weights? highlights the importance of weight lifting for women. It then goes into your training programme, which includes information on equipment, muscles and exercise, posture and alignment. I learn a lot.

There are a variety of programmes in the book. One of my favourites is the 15-minute Workouts- perfect for the time starved. When I have more time, the focused exercises are brilliant. You can choose the lower body, upper body or core body programme.

The book is easy-to-use; each exercise has lots of pictures and tips. I was very impressed with this book. I think it is great for any women who wants to reach her physical peak, or has wanted to do weights but needed a dedicated programme. Highly recommended.

Calm: Secrets To Serenity From The Cultures Of The World

Posted on December 24, 2013 by Catherine Balavage

In the run up to Christmas we got sent a lot of books about being calm. Rather aptly when you think of the stress and craziness of Christmas. Calm: Secrets To Serenity From The Cultures Of The World is a different type of book, it takes inspiration from cultures around the world to add to your life. A smart and great idea. The book has fifty calming cultural secrets as well as the methods for applying them at home. Each one brings a new idea to bring to your life. Unlike other books on being calm, this one is actually calming to read. You just have to relax and learn, then implement what you learn into your life.

The book is easy-to-read and fun. Each cultural calming secret comes with the secret, the tradition, the date to try it and the country it originated from.

For example, Reap What You Sow has the secret: Be self-reliant, the Tradition: gardening for self-sufficiency, Date: Any time, Originated in: Chartreuse Monastery, France. It then goes into detail.

Calm: Secrets To Serenity From The Cultures Of The World is a very good book, a great buy that is a step up from most of the self-help books out there: one with real, helpful advice and great cultural secrets: self help whilst learning about travel and culture? Enlightening and entertaining. I loved it.

Calm: Secrets To Serenity From The Cultures Of The World can be bought here.

Win A Copy Of The Promise

Posted on December 22, 2013 by Frostie

Frost Magazine has teamed up with our friends at Pearson — the world’s leading education publisher — to give away copies of revolutionary new self-improvement guide, The Promise.

The result of years of psychological research and insight, The Promise by respected psychologist Graham W Price is the definitive fool-proof route to a life free of negative thoughts and full of positivity . . . and that’s a promise.

The book maps out a clear and surprisingly straightforward path to achieving all the things we want from life: lasting relationships; job satisfaction; freedom from stress, anxiety, worry, regret, depression, addictions, weight problems and other self-limiting issues; and enjoying a rich and fulfilling life.

Across its 224 pages, The Promise reveals the secrets of Price’s Acceptance-Action Training (AAT), developed to significantly enhance motivation, resilience and relationships and empower people to reach their personal and professional goals.

As the title suggests, the book is a promise from the author to readers that if they follow his guidance they can banish forever the negative thoughts and feelings that limit potential, take control of their lives and determine their future. It’s a programme that’s already been proven to work with thousands of individuals from all walks of life.

The Promise is the last word in self-help books: a complete process of personal transformation presented in 13 inspiring chapters, with each unlocking more powerful techniques to grasp control of our destiny.

Easy to follow, and packed with real-life case studies illustrating the incredible things that can be accomplished, it is a compelling and persuasive guide that will appeal to anyone wanting to boost their abilities for a more fulfilling life.

We have 10 copies of The Promise by Graham W Price (Pearson, RRP £10.99) to give away. For your chance to win, follow @Frostmag on Twitter and Tweet, “I want to win The Promise with @Frostmag” or like us on Facebook. Alternatively, sign up to our newsletter.

Our review of The Promise is here.

Win A Copy Of 101 Business Ideas That Will Change The Way You Work

Posted on December 21, 2013 by Frostie

Frost Magazine has joined forces with Pearson — the world’s leading education publisher — to give away copies of new business guide, 101 Business Ideas That Will Change The Way You Work.

This illuminating title by respected business writer Antonio E. Weiss challenges long-held beliefs about good business practice to provide employers, managers and entrepreneurs with invaluable bite-sized nuggets of clever business insights.

Each idea in the 300-page book, described as a “box of chocolates for the managerial mind”, is neatly structured, giving a headline, summary and fun illustration, followed by snappy sections on ‘What You Need to Know’; ‘Why it Matters’; ‘What You Might Say About This’; ‘How This Will Change the Way You Work’ and ‘Where You Can Find Out More’.

And as each idea is covered in a few pages, 101 Business Ideas is the perfect book to dip in and out of when seeking another perspective or fresh inspiration.

The book’s author, Antonio E. Weiss, is a management writer and business consultant who has served leading public sector clients including central government and the NHS on strategy, performance improvement and capability building issues.

In writing 101 Business Ideas, Weiss has drawn upon the collective wisdom of contemporary business and social science thinkers including The New Yorker journalist Malcolm Gladwell and Israeli-American psychologist Daniel Kahnemann, winner of the 2002 Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences.

It contains brilliant business tips and big ideas such as how to spot if a CEO is lying; why innovation can be overrated; why networking can make you anti-social; how biology affects your decision making; and why online procrastination actually accelerates productivity.

By telling readers what they need to know, why they need to know it and how to do it, 101 Business Ideas will ensure professionals are cannier, more effective at work and always one step ahead.

We have five copies of 101 Business Ideas That Will Change The Way You Work by Antonio E. Weiss (Pearson, RRP £12.99) to give away. For your chance to win, follow @Frostmag on Twitter and Tweet, “I want to win 101 Business Ideas with @Frostmag” or like us on Facebook. Alternatively, sign up to our newsletter.

Win A Copy Of Make It Fly!

Posted on December 20, 2013 by Frostie

Frost Magazine has teamed up with Pearson — the world’s leading education publisher — to give away copies of new self-help guide, Make it Fly!

If you have a personal project or professional ambition that you’d love to realise, but aren’t sure where to begin then Make it Fly!, by change specialist Brigitte Cobb , could be just what you need.

In writing the book, Cobb has combined over 15 years of personal and business development
experience helping businesses transform their organisations to design a tried-and-tested ‘make-it-happen’ model.

As such, it is the first book of its kind to offer practical step-by-step guidance on making any dream project — such as a new business venture, house extension or slimmer figure — get off the groundand soar.

Across its 192 pages, the guide uniquely goes beyond goal setting and positive thinking to show in detail how to be clear about your dream (the ‘what’), put an action plan together (the ‘how’), and “get out of your own way” and deal with personal hang-ups (the ‘who’).

Clear and comprehensive, it provides a logical building block approach to get what you want in life — however big or small the idea, ambitious or wide-reaching — showing you how to take your big dream or vision and chunk it down into realistic, achievable steps.

Make it Fly! is more than a handy guide, it’s the reader’s own personal coach. Packed with
inspirational quotes and practical exercises to complete, the emphasis is firmly on action and readers are given full support as they progress through the steps and master new skills.

We have 10 copies of Make it Fly! by Brigitte Cobb (Pearson, RRP £10.99) to give away. For
your chance to win, follow @Frostmag on Twitter and Tweet, “I want to win Make it Fly! with @Frostmag” or like us on Facebook. Alternatively, sign up to our newsletter.

Our review is here.

Frost Magazine

Books and Lifestyle

Tag Archives: Books