Tag Archives: Catherine Balavage

This Month’s Top Books

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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

ishouldhavesaiddaisydevilleneuve

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

100ideasthatchangedadvertising

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

JDRobbobsessionindeath

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

margaretgrahamatthebreakofday

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

whenimetyoujemmaforte

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.

wedding, weddings, wedding planning, wedding book, wedding advice, wedding tips, wedding planning tips, wedding survival guide

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

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6.SandyThe 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.

 

 

 

Joan Collins Timeless Beauty Helene Red Lipstick & Nail Lacquer Review

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joancollinsmakeupreview

I have always thought that glamour was underrated. I don’t like that a lot of people don’t tend to make much of an effort when it comes to glamour anymore, or being well dressed. Men and women alike. In the spirit of full disclosure, I can count myself amongst them sometimes. Too often in fact. Joan Collins has always been glamourous and while leaving the house everyday with a full face of makeup is too much of an effort, she really does inspire me to try harder.

She has launched a new beauty range, Timeless Beauty. It is all very impressive. The range has a lot of gorgeous stuff in it. The PR person sent us Lipstick & Nail lacquer in Helene to review. This is what Joan says:

“Lipstick is, to me, the Queen of cosmetics. It brings a hit of distinctive colour that lifts the face even when wearing no other make up. Lip colour itself can be a statement, can say something about the wearer and how the world sees them. I named my lipsticks after characters I have played as they reflect some aspect of the character’s persona.”

The lipstick is gorgeous, great packaging which just screams glamour. The colour is a luscious red cream with a hint of blue undertones. I never usually wear red lipstick. My lips are too big and don’t need anymore attention drawn to them, but this is beautiful. It is long lasting and also hydrates. In fact, it was tested and shown to improve hydration levels in the lips after 30 days.

Joan’s Tip: Look perfectly groomed by matching up lip and nail colour.

Next up was the nail lacquer, also in Helene. A matching red. Joan said:

“I don’t feel dressed without nail lacquer. It’s as essential to me as lipstick. I love the style of this bottle, elegant and practical with a long tapered cap that’s easy to hold, and, helps balance the brush when applying. The ribbing improves grip and ease of opening and closing.The colours are my personal favourites and I wear them all switching one to the other to reflect my mood, the effect I want to make, or simply to compliment my outfit.”

This is the same beautiful colour. The packaging is just gloriously stunning and glamorous. The nail lacquer is easy to apply. It is a smooth, self levelling colour that covers imperfections and leaves nails looking sleek and chic.

I love these and Joan’s Timeless beauty range. It brings a rather wonderful touch of glamour to life. Which makes it worth making that extra effort for after all. I may become more like Joan yet.

 

 

Some People Actually Have a Problem With The All-Female Ghostbuster Cast

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all female cast, ghostbusters, sexism, film, Upon hearing a piece of modern music my Grandfather always used the line, ‘You kids today, you don’t even know you’re born.’ Well if you are a young thing and you have not seen Ghostbusters then let me tell you: you don’t even know you are born. The same goes for most 80s & 90s films. The 80s and 90s were great decades for film. Fact. Which is super exciting because not only are they doing a remake of Ghostbusters, but it has an all-female cast. Yes people, you heard it right: an all-female cast. Kristen Wiig, Melissa McCarthy, Kate McKinnon and Leslie Jones will star in the 2016 remake. Problem is, even though it is 2015, some people actually have a problem with this.

Director Paul Feig tweeted the news of the new cast and confirmed the new Ghostbuster film release date: July 22, 2016.

 

Paul said: “It’s official, I’m making a new Ghostbusters & writing it with @katiedippold & yes, it will star hilarious women. That’s who I’m gonna call.” Not everyone is as enlightened as Paul however. Social media was awash with sexist comments about the all-female cast. Funnily enough, no one had a problem with the all-male cast. Some Tweets were funny:

 

 

The most depressing thing is that in 2015, the new Ghostbuster film having an all-female cast is actually a thing. While I won’t be giving any trolls publicity here there was one important person who gave it the thumbs up: the original Ghostbuster himself, Dan Aykroyd. A statement read:

 

“The Aykroyd family is delighted by this inheritance of the Ghostbusters torch by these most magnificent women in comedy. My great grandfather, Dr. Sam Aykroyd, the original Ghostbuster, was a man who empowered women in his day and this is a beautiful development in the legacy of our family business.” 

 Dan Aykroyd is obviously a very awesome and evolved man. As is (@JohnRossBowie) 

 

 

Bill Murray hasn’t said anything about the project but the other surviving member of the original, Ernie Hudson, doesn’t seem happy about it; he doesn’t think it should carry on the Ghostbusters name as it will have  “nothing to do with the other two movies.” and while he said he was not against the idea of an all-female cast his first reaction to the casting news on Facebook was  “No comment”. There are more brilliant reactions in this excellent Radio Times article.

 

Ghostbusters all-female cast: good or bad idea? Have your say.

 

 

 

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

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acting tips, acting career, acting, advice, book, how to be a successful actor, quit, Catherine BalavageI 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. 

 

 

The Stages of Writing a Book

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writing, the stages of writing a book, writing, writer, author, self publishing, writer, despair, first draft.

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

 

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

 

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

 

 

Leek And Lentil Hotpot Recipe | Vegetarian Food

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My husband has stopped eating meat, which means I have had to develop something of an imagination when it comes to cooking. I came up with this dish after being inspired by a lentil and tomato dish I had at an Italian restaurant in Putney called The Italian Boys. This is completely different, but I was greatly inspired by the combination of tomato sauce and lentils. So here is my take on it.

I have called it a hotpot after my husband suggested it. It tastes amazing, if I do say so myself.

Leek And Lentil Hotpot Recipe Vegetarian Foodcooking

Cooking time: 30-40 minutes

Leek And Lentil Hotpot Recipe

You will need:

3-4 Leeks.

A tin of chopped tomatoes.

Lentils (150-200g)

3 carrots

A tablespoon of olive oil

A dollop of butter

La Rosmarina sauce. (We get ours from Fattoria La Villa but you can buy it from somewhere else or make your own. The ingredients are tomatoes, extra virgin oil, fresh rosemary, garlic, salt and hot chilli pepper. Only use a tiny amount of the hot chilli pepper, you want a slight kick, this is not a spicy dish).

 

Leek And Lentil Hotpot
Leek And Lentil Hotpot Recipe | Vegetarian FoodLeek And Lentil Hotpot Recipe | Vegan

Method

Thoroughly clean the lentils and then add them to a pan. Pour cold water over them and then bring to the boil. Cook for 20-30 minutes. Next clean and chop the leeks and the carrots. Then take a frying pan and add a dollop of butter or spread. Add the leeks and the carrots and sauté them for 10 minutes. Add a tablespoon of olive oil. When the leeks and carrots are cooked add the lentils and then the rosemary sauce. Finally, add the tin of tomatoes. Stir it all together and make sure it is all hot. Job done: Leek & Lentil Hotpot. It is quick and easy.

If you can’t get your hands on some La Rosmarina sauce, although I recommend that you do, add some fresh rosemary, a clove of garlic, a touch of salt and a very slight amount of hot chilli pepper to the dish. The hot chilli pepper can be taken out altogether if you do not want any spice, or add a little more if you are so inclined.

Leek And Lentil Hotpot Recipe Vegetarian Leek And Lentil Hotpot Recipe Vegetarian Food

This is an amazing dish that really locks in the flavour and is very healthy. If you cook it for yourself, let me know what you think.

Leek And Lentil Hotpot Recipe Vegetarian Foodcooking

 

Russell Crowe: Female Actors Should Act Their Age. Meryl Streep Responds

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There has been some uproar after Russell Crowe said that female actors should act their age. Meryl Streep came out in support of him and The Guardian did a great quiz on actors and playing age.

Russell said in an interview with the Australian Women’s Weekly: “To be honest, I think you’ll find that the woman who is saying that [the roles have dried up] is the woman who at 40, 45, 48, still wants to play the ingenue, and can’t understand why she’s not being cast as the 21-year-old, Meryl Streep will give you 10,000 examples and arguments as to why that’s bullshit, so will Helen Mirren, or whoever it happens to be. If you are willing to live in your own skin, you can work as an actor. If you are trying to pretend that you’re still the young buck when you’re my age, it just doesn’t work. I have heard of an actress, part of her fee negotiation was getting the number of children she was supposed to have lessened. Can you believe this? This (character) was a woman with four children, and there were reasons why she had to have four children – mainly, she lived in a cold climate and there was nothing to do but fornicate all day – so quit arguing, just play the role!”

Russell_Crowe female actors should act their age

Unfortunately that is not right at all. While some women will not want to play older, I have met a few, the roles for women are usually terrible when under 40: girlfriend, stripper, ‘the girl‘, a whore or merely window-dressing. When a women is over 40 the roles do not realistically reflect women’s lives. We are usually the mother, grandmother, crone or witch.

Jezebel blogger Rebecca Rose had this to say: “ALERT: Hollywood movie actor person Russell Crowe is fed up with all the old ladies who dare to want to be cast as something other than old spinsters or whatnot. Quit complaining that you’re cast in a role where your character has ‘nothing to do but fornicate all day’ and make a bunch of babies. Stop demanding that film-makers try to expand the depth of your character beyond ‘broodmare’. Just play the role, OK? Funny how Crowe doesn’t bother to offer any opinion about the mind-boggling legacy of Hollywood men playing romantic leads to women 10, 20, 30, and sometimes 40 (!!!!!) years younger than them,” Rose added. “Because it’s clearly the sad old women daring to pretend they are outside their actual birth ages that are ruining Hollywood … Thanks Crowe for reminding us, yet again, that women are always held in contempt for doing anything remotely similar to what their male counterparts do without reproach.” Very good points. Men do not tend to ‘play their age’ and their on-screen wives are usually significantly younger than them.

 

Amy Gray wrote on Junkee.com,  “The ‘ingenue’ roles Crowe refers to are the only ones readily available for women; on the flip side, the majority of male characters in film and TV are aged between their 30s (27%) and 40s (31%). That could be because we’re more likely to want to watch lead characters based on their fuckability – and the older a woman gets, as any executive will tell you, the less faceable she becomes.” Crowe is 50 and also said “The point is, you do have to be prepared to accept that there are stages in life. So I can’t be the Gladiator forever,”

 

What do you think?

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.