Reading Round-Up: Nov/Dec 2017

Last Updated: 04 September 2024

The end of 2017 is here, 2018 is just peeking over the horizon and it's time to say goodbye to another year. I don't know about you, but I can't believe how fast this year has gone!

2017: My Year in Review

Last Updated: 04 September 2024

Regardless of certain things that have happened in the world at large this year, for me, 2017 has been a very good year. I'm lucky enough to have been blessed with some wonderful people, opportunities and experiences, all of which have left me here reflecting on how good this last year has been to me.

My Top 5 Books of 2017

Last Updated: 04 September 2024

Without it even seeming possible, we've come to the end of another year. Last year, I did a round-up of my top 10 books of the year which proved to be popular, but this year, my reading stats dropped dramatically as books fell by the wayside due to various other commitments like work and life. So, this year, I've narrowed it down to my top five books of the year instead.

Rules, Accents, and the Difficulties of Writing in English

Last Updated: 04 September 2024

AD* | Written English is an odd language. Unlike languages such as French, where there are strict writing rules, there are plenty of rules that are simply ignored or misused in English. This makes writing more difficult and often means that even native speakers struggle to make the meaning understood in written language. Despite this, English is the most used and widely spread language in the world and accounts for 80% of the information stored on the world’s computers.

2018 Blogging Resolutions

Last Updated: 04 September 2024

AD* | With barely a week left of 2017, I don't know about you, but I can't believe we're almost into the New Year already. Where has this year gone?

Now, I'm not usually one for making New Year's resolutions in any capacity. Hardly anyone ever sticks to them, people make grand sweeping goals that aren't realistically achievable, and within a few weeks, they've all gone to waste anyway. Personally, I prefer to spend my time actively trying to make myself and my life better rather than wasting precious time setting targets that I will never be able to reach - at least within the short term.

However, this year I've decided to give resolutions a chance and try setting myself a few blog-related goals I want to do my best to achieve in 2018.

Interview: Tom Ward

Last Updated: 04 September 2024

This morning, I'm pleased to be welcoming author Tom Ward to the blog to chat about life, the writing world, and his third book Fires.

Why You Should Take a Chance on the NFL

Last Updated: 04 September 2024

America's game - the clue is in the title, surely?

More and more people worldwide are beginning to develop an interest in American football and the NFL, thanks to the sport's increasing accessibility, the International Series games and the league's desire to expand out of its home country.

How to Pick an NFL Team to Support

Last Updated: 27 August 2024

For overseas fans and those who are just starting to get into the sport, finding the right NFL team to support can be a big decision. If like me, you haven't grown up with American football, you find yourself beginning with a clean slate, free to make your own choices and support a team of your choosing. But, to coin a popular phrase, with great power comes great responsibility, as the team that you choose will stick with you throughout the rest of your life as a football fan.

Dancing Like No-One is Watching

Last Updated: 27 August 2024

When was the last time you danced like no one was watching?

Giving in to your desires and feeling completely carefree, forgetting that you're surrounded by people and not even considering what they might be thinking of you - that's the feeling you get when you don't have a care in the world.

5 Things Cheaper Than a Cinema Ticket

Last Updated: 27 August 2024

Over recent years, the price of the average cinema ticket has seen a massive hike. While going out to the movies is still a popular activity, this popularity is gradually dropping as people give the big screen a miss in favour of watching their films on DVD or streaming services.

A Story About the Importance of Stories by Elizabeth Jane Corbett

Last Updated: 22 September 2024

It is no accident that most of the world’s belief systems are based on narrative. Whether a novel, film, oral folktales, a news story or specifically religious writing, stories help us make sense of our lives. I didn’t set out to develop that theme in The Tides Between. The concept of the novel started with a character. In this instance, a young girl called Bridie who had lost her father in tragic circumstances. I had this idea that a creative young couple would help her to come to terms with her loss during the long sea voyage to Australia. Through a serendipitous process involving my mother’s Welsh heritage and my childhood emigration to Australia, my creative young couple became Welsh storytellers.

Reflections On Growing Up: Watching a Childhood Friend Get Married

Last Updated: 27 August 2024

Back in September, I attended the wedding of someone I went to school with.

'Congratulations to the happy couple, but why is that a big deal,' I hear you ask. Well, in itself, it isn't. Weddings are just part and parcel of life, a happy union between two people in love. They're romantic, they're sweet, and they're a fun social event offering a chance to catch up with people you rarely see.

So, with that in mind, why was this particular wedding different?

What Writes Me by Daniel A. Cohen

Last Updated: 22 September 2024

Writing fiction is quite weird. Don’t get me wrong, telling stories is as human as putting melted cheese on things, but there are plenty of true stories to be told. Riveting tales of courage, adventure, romance, and all the evil you could ever stomach. Stories that actually happened to real people, chock full of life lessons, that can be far more outlandish than even the most creative minds can concoct. So why is it that we insist on making stories up? And even more confusingly, why, as readers, do we attach to fiction as forcefully as a mother bear superglued to her cubs?

Introducing Almost Autumn

Last Updated: 27 August 2024

When the weather is cold and Christmas songs are played on repeat almost everywhere you go, sometimes, all you want is something fresh, exciting and a little different to listen to. Luckily, I have the perfect antidote to cure your winter music blues - say hello to Almost Autumn.

3 European Travel Destinations Not to Be Missed Off Your Bucket List

Last Updated: 27 August 2024

If you’ve been out and about and caught the travel bug, then the chances are that you’ve probably started a travel bucket list. Throwing caution to the wind and wondering how you will ever be able to afford to travel to all of the places you want to visit may be an issue, but with some careful planning and preparation, travel is easily accessible to all. If you are in the process of creating your travel bucket list, here are three destinations that you should definitely not miss off your list. Whether you are a thrill seeker or a relaxation lover, these destinations have something special and are guaranteed to make you fall in love with them.

12 Days of Clink Street: Interview - D.N. Carter

Last Updated: 27 August 2024

It's my third and final feature as part of this year's 12 Days of Clink Street, and I'm interviewing author D.N. Carter. Read on to discover all!

Gift Wrapping Tips and Tricks

Last Updated: 27 August 2024

AD* | Whether you love gift wrapping or hate it with a passion, it's undeniably a big part of the gift-giving process. Of course, wrapping presents takes time, particularly at Christmas when there's a mountain of gifts waiting to be wrapped, but putting the extra time, thought and energy into your gift wrapping can work wonders when it comes to showing that special someone just how much you care.

12 Days of Clink Street: Historical Christmas Childhood Memories by Alice Graysharp

Last Updated: 22 September 2024

Christmas 1924

The baby’s cry pierced the stillness of the Christmas morning. Her mother drew her up from the little cot, tutted and fixed a clean nappy, padding back to bed, carrying her safely cocooned in a warm blanket. The baby’s father turned and, smiling “Happy Christmas,” drew his wife and child into an embrace. He reached out and picked up a small present from the side table, passing it to his daughter who grasped the parcel, revelling in the crunchy feel and rustly sound of paper. “Ah,” said her mother affectionately, “you have to open it,” and she gently guided the baby’s hands. The baby reached in and grasped the wooden miniature cage with a wooden ball inside. Lifting it in the air the baby chortled with delight at the rattling sound which punctured the Christmas morning’s quiet.

For baby Patricia Adela Roberts, Christmas 1924 was a happy, secure and comfortable time of laughter and of singing, of plenty and of love. As were her next four Christmases.

Interview: Nemra

Last Updated: 30 July 2024

Today I'm thrilled to be returning a little to my musical roots with an exclusive interview with exciting new music collaborative Nemra. Read on to find out all about the band!

12 Days of Clink Street: Christmas in Germany by Monika Jephcott-Thomas

Last Updated: 30 July 2024

Christmas for me as a child was a wonderfully long drawn-out affair. It started 4 weeks before Christmas with Advent and ended on the 6th of January on Epiphany. During that time there were highlights filled with long-established traditions in our family.

Review: Bakerdays Letterbox Cake

Last Updated: 30 July 2024

AD* | Last month, I was given the opportunity to review a fabulous letterbox cake from the personalised cake company Bakerdays - naturally, I jumped at the chance!

Book Review: A Gift from Bob by James Bowen

Last Updated: 30 July 2024

Street cat Bob and James, stars of bestselling A Street Cat Named Bob and The World According to Bob that touched millions around the world, spend a cold and challenging December on the streets together in a new adventure.

From the day James rescued a street cat abandoned in the hallway of his sheltered accommodation, they began a friendship which has transformed both their lives and, through the bestselling books A STREET CAT NAMED BOB and THE WORLD ACCORDING TO BOB, touched millions around the world. 

In this new story of their journey together, James looks back at the last Christmas they spent scraping a living on the streets and how Bob helped him through one of his toughest times - providing strength, friendship and inspiration but also teaching him important lessons about the true meaning of Christmas along the way.

What Winter Means to Me

Last Updated: 25 July 2024

The coldest, darkest season of the year, winter is a period filled with dull, dreary weather and freezing temperatures, interspersed by the bright lights and festivities of Christmas and the New Year. But while some of us dread the colder weather, others look forward to snuggling up in front of the fire with a hot drink and a classic Christmas film on the TV.