Book Cover Reveal - Prosecco Christmas by Sylvia Ashby

Here is the great festive cover for Prosecco Christmas by Sylvia Ashby

Book Blurb :

Family is where life begins.

And what better time to spend with your family than Christmas week?

Ashley and Giacomo go to Upper Swainswick, a postcard village ten minutes’ drive from Bath, to stay with Ashley’s mum and step-dad. It’s their last visit before the arrival of their first child.

But babies have a habit of being unpredictable.

So when Ashley goes into labour on Christmas Eve, three weeks ahead of schedule, it takes everyone by surprise.

She’s not ready! Her perfect Birth Plan is packed away in her hospital bag two hundred miles away, she has no going home outfit, and she has a live event planned on New Year’s Eve for her YouTube channel, The Sinking Chef. People have been signing up for it for weeks. She can’t possibly disappoint them on the last day of the year. What is she to do?

The tinsel gets even more tangled when Giacomo’s parents decide to fly from Italy to meet their first grandchild. Hotels are fully booked, so everyone has to stay under the same roof.

Would eleven people in the house, not counting the baby, turn out to be simply too much for Ashley?

About Sylvia Ashby :

Sylvia Ashby is fond of the written word: books, blog posts, recipes, even an explanation to the HM Revenue & Customs as to why she thinks skirts should be exempt from VAT - she's written it all!

She likes travelling and has lived all over Europe - London, Brussels, Amsterdam and Sofia, Bulgaria. Currently, she lives in Leuven, Belgium with her husband, daughter, son and a sparrow called Jack, who comes occasionally to peck the seeds she leaves for him on top of the garden shed.

From Sylvia Ashby herself: Three random facts about me

I graduated university with a Graphic Design degree and spent my twenties working in advertising. Never did it occur to me that my degree would come in handy when I start publishing books.

In my early thirties, I was a shop owner. I owned four shops, one of which was in St. Christopher’s Place London W1. I was doing everything from buying the collections to submitting monthly PAYS. It was madness. I’m so glad the economy crashed in 2008 and I had to give up retail.

Then I started writing. It felt like the first conscious decision I’ve ever made in my life. I felt a sense of belonging. The thought “I could be doing this for the rest of my life” didn’t scare me half to death. Four years and four books later I still feel the same way. This is love, home and vocation wrapped in one.

My first book, Pot Love, was about food and love.
My second, The Treachery of Trains, is about finding love in unlikely places.
The third book I wrote is actually Pot Love‘s second instalment. It’s called The Sinking Chef (Pot Love Book 2) and in it my eponymous heroine Ashley is in even bigger trouble then she was in Pot Love. The two books are standalone and you don’t have to read them in order.
My fourth is The Official Pot Love Series Cookbook and you can get it completely FREE (see blog)

Prosecco Christmas is Pot Love Book 3 and is released on 17th November.

Blog http://sylvia-ashby.com/

Twitter https://twitter.com/bysylvia_a 

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/sylviaashbywriter/ 

Amazon UK author page is here

Amazon US author page is here

* Book cover reveal image and info via Neverland Blog Tours @NeverlandBT

~ Katie aka Word Scribbler ~ 

Book Cover Reveal - The Big Event by Anne John-Ligali

Today I'm sharing with you all the cover for The Big Event by Anne John-Ligali . How lovely is this book cover? :)

Book Blurb :

Part one of the Friendship Online Short Story Series.

Constance Jeffries is excited when she gets the chance to meet up with virtual friends at a

get-together in a London hotel. She’s been tweeting and messaging her lovely friends for years and feels they must be just as excited to finally meet her in person too. Or so she hopes.

A short story about the importance of ‘real’ friendships and how it’s the little things that matter the most.

The Big Event is out 30th November. You can pre-order it here Amazon UK  Amazon US 

About Anne John-Ligali :

Anne John-Ligali is a writer and the founder of Books and Authors UK, a popular website featuring author interviews and book reviews.  She loves all things books: reading, writing, going to book events, and meeting other book lovers. She has written a series of short stories and is currently writing her first novel.

Anne has always loved stories and read many books as a child, including the entire Sweet Valley High and Caitlyn series.  Her interest in writing fiction came years later, when she began writing for pleasure in 2007. Since then, Anne has been writing on and off and enjoys participating in writing groups. Twice in 2014, she won the monthly Novelicious Pinterest Prompt Fiction Competition.

When Anne is not writing, she is likely to be at soft play with her kids, taking long evening walks in Hyde Park, making green smoothies, window shopping, or having a pampering session at her local beauty salon (whenever she gets the chance). She can also be found watching box sets (albeit with a bit of shame at still having to catch up on Scandal, Grey’s, and Downton).

Originally from Peterborough, Anne now lives in London. After moving to London, she studied graphic design at the University of Arts and has held a number IT administration jobs in the city. Anne continues writing and aspires to write more women’s fiction books, a non-fiction book and several children’s books.

How to find Anne John-Ligali and Books And Authors UK online :

Anne's Website: http://annejohnligali.com/

Anne's Twitter: @AnneJohnLigali

Anne's FB: /annejohnligali

Book Blog website: http://www.booksandauthors.co.uk/

Blog Twitter: @BooksNAuthorsUK

Blog Facebook: /Books-and-Authors-UK

Blog Instagram: /booksnauthorsuk

* Book cover reveal image and info via Neverland Blog Tours @NeverlandBT

~ Katie aka Word Scribbler ~ 

Awesome October Challenge

It's officially Autumn. Summer is over and the daylight hours are getting shorter and darker. There are 3 months of 2017 left. What do you have planned for the rest of the year? Are you planning to make some changes or are you waiting until the new year?

Why start new things or decide to change your life in January, the coldest and darkest and most miserable month of the year? You have 3 months to make a great start and be ahead of all those people attempting to make and keep resolutions in January 2018. October is the perfect time for new beginnings and projects before Winter hibernation and the most unmotivating month of the year. Let's make October awesome :)

I have put together a fun and easy challenge to make you think, change your daily routine a little and maybe step outside your comfort zone and try new things, whether you have major changes you want to make in your life or just want to have more fun or be more creative.

You can sign up for the Awesome October Challenge here !

I will be emailing daily prompts with positive quotes, short 5 minute tasks and the occasional major life change suggestion.  There is no pressure. If it's something that doesn't feel like you, miss it out, or if you miss a few days because life is super busy, you can either catch up and have a super productive fun weekend with it or skip those days.  If you don't join until the 2nd or last week of October you'll still get 30 tasks. It will be a 30 day or 30 task challenge and you'll have the email prompts to keep forever. (The challenge starts on 2nd October)

I want to make this an inspiring community and to encourage yourself and others taking part, please use the hashtag #AwesomeOctober .  I'll be using this hashtag as well throughout October to tweet inspirational and motivational things and to share and celebrate all our achievements. I have also set up a Facebook group so we can all chat about the great things you're achieving and the fun time you're having! You can share any unexpected results or epiphanies you have. You can join the Facebook group here

Are you excited to see what October and the rest of the year will bring?  What do you already have planned?

~ Katie aka Word Scribbler ~

Awesome October sign up form

Awesome October Facebook Group  

How To Stay Motivated And Reach Your Goals

Are your dreams always in the back of your mind but you're not moving towards achieving them? Feeling unmotivated or uninspired?

Here are five tips for keeping yourself motivated and reaching your goals, that I use and work for me. 

1. Set a goal date.

It's great to have big dreams and life goals. Some future goals are so far in the future right now there's no action you can take towards them, but for others there are tangible actions and steps that will help you move closer to your long term and short term goals.

It's totally normal when you want things to change that the timescale you think of is 'tomorrow' or 'as soon as possible', but without a set date to aim for, the steps you take towards that goal can actually end up being aimless or too slow or not useful. Start planning from the goal date backwards. If something is genuinely urgent, give yourself 1 or 2 weeks or 1 month. For bigger goals, think what do you want to have achieved or where do you want to be in 6 months or 1 years time? For big life goals you can even write a 5 year plan, and then plan for the first 6 months. Break up the time into weeks or months and working backwards, write down all the steps you need to take to achieve it. You want to achieve Z? What do you need to do to achieve this? Do Y. What do you need to do to achieve Y? Do X. And so on, A being the first action you take in your first week. (Obviously you may not have 26 steps, as per the alphabet, in total if it's a short term smaller goal)

2. Be realistic

What can you realistically achieve in a day or a week? You're not superhuman and super productive every single day. Be realistic with your timescale and don't over plan or over aim, you're likely to fail, get behind and feel overwhelmed. You're not going to complete 10 tasks every day for weeks. Doing something daily is really difficult to maintain and your productivity and motivation can weaken. Aim to complete 1,3 or 5 tasks a week (depending on the size of the goal, date you're aiming for and how many different goals, with different end dates, you're aiming for at once). Write them on your calendar or in your diary. Colour code them if more than 1 goal. Keep progress with a tracker in your notebook or bullet journal.

3. Have visual reminders

Having a constant or regular visual reminder of your goal is great for inspiration and motivation. One of my goals is to book my dream holiday, an Indian Ocean island paradise trip. My 2017 calendar (that hangs on my wall and I see every single day) is a 'Paradise Beaches' calendar, of beaches and crystal clear water in the Indian Ocean, South Pacific and Caribbean. My laptop wallpaper image is of a hotel in the Seychelles. I also have a secret Pinterest board of images representing my goals, that I see regularly when I am online, and some of my public Pinterest pinboards reflect my goals too, such as 'Paradise' 'Dream Houses' and 'Writing Inspiration'. 

Do you have images of your goals in your bedroom, work or writing space? 

4. Celebrate your achievements

A good motivational tool is to focus on what you have achieved so far, not just thinking of all the tasks you still have to complete or goals not yet accomplished. I have a separate notebook, in addition to my diary and to do list, that is my achievement journal. I write down what I have achieved that day. Sometimes these can be really small things (but small things add up to big achievements!) or big tasks completed and ticked off the goal tracker. By having to sit and think and actually write these down brings a real sense of accomplishment and moving forward.

I also have an achievement tin. I use an old instant coffee grounds container with a fun and bright pattern on for this! You could use an empty glass jar and decorate it or you can buy a pot with a removable lid especially for this purpose if you wish. Using small pieces of paper, write down the things you have achieved so far, 1 achievement per piece of paper, adding as you achieve goals, and keep them in the tin. Opening the tin regularly and reading one of the great things you have achieved keeps you feeling positive and motivated to keep going.

In a similar way, I have a dream tin, with my big dreams and the goals I'm actively working towards.

I have a secret 'goals achieved' pinboard on Pinterest. I have visual reminders of goals I've achieved around my room too, such as postcards and souvenirs from my favourite places I've solo travelled to, and the penguin I adopted :)

Goals achieved!

5. Re evaluate

At the start of every week or month, depending on your goal date, re evaluate your goal(s) and your progress. How many tasks are you completing? Have you planned to do too much or too little? Set aside 1 or 2 days a week to not work to recharge your body and your brain. Keep an eye on your goals but also make sure you schedule time off, whether it's 1 day a week or 1 week a month, when you don't plan any tasks and you'll come back to it feeling refreshed and positive. Reward yourself for achieving your goal(s) for that week.

The weekly to do list you originally planned is subject to change and not set in stone. If you really need a weeks break, because of other priorities or life just getting in the way, then that's totally fine, and this can be beneficial as gives your thoughts a break and when you think up new ideas. Whilst it's good to push yourself to reach deadlines you've set for yourself, also keep your workload realistic and if your 1 year goal becomes a 1 year and 2 month goal, that's ok!

Remember - Slow is better than standing still. Late is better than never. If you get behind, if you take a few more months to reach your goals, you still achieved them! Better than never starting or giving up.

What do you do to motivate yourself? Do you have visual inspiration around you? How do you track your progress? Do you celebrate what you've already achieved?

~ Katie aka Word Scribbler ~ 

Sunshine After The Rain by Daisy James plus Book Voucher Giveaway

About Daisy James:

Daisy James is a Yorkshire girl transplanted to the north east of England. She loves writing stories with strong heroines and swift-flowing plotlines. When not scribbling away in her peppermint-and-green summerhouse (garden shed), she spends her time sifting flour and sprinkling sugar and edible glitter. Her husband and young son were willing samplers of her baking creations which were triple-tested for her debut novel, The Runaway Bridesmaid. She loves gossiping with friends over a glass of something pink and fizzy or indulging in a spot of afternoon tea – china plates and teacups are a must.

Daisy would love to hear from readers via her Facebook page or you can follow her on Twitter 

Facebook: /daisyjamesbooks

Twitter:  @daisyjamesbooks 

Goodreads page here 

Book Blurb: 

A summer that changes everything…

Frazzled workaholic Evie Johnson has finally had enough! When she’s blamed for a publicity disaster at the art gallery she loves, she decides to flee the bright lights of London for the sun-drenched shores of Corfu and turn her life upside-down.

Under the shade of the olive trees, she picks up her dusty paintbrushes and begins to chase the dreams she had put aside for so long. But she never expected to bump into drop-dead-gorgeous Sam Bradbury – and certainly not whilst wrapped only in a towel!

A summer fling is the last thing Evie wanted but a few stolen kisses under the stars might just begin to change her mind…

Sunshine After The Rain by Daisy James is available on AmazonUK and AmazonUS     

Win a £10 Book Voucher !

This is for a £10 book voucher for any high street store that sells books.

UK only. 

Enter via Rafflecopter here

* Author bio, book blurb and giveaway by Neverland Blog Tours @NeverlandBT

~ Katie aka Word Scribbler ~

Why You Should Read Jane Austen

Last week was the 200th anniversary of Jane Austen's death (16th December 1775 - 18th July 1817) and there have been so many film and tv adaptations made of her books but how many of them have you actually read? Did you read one or all of them years ago but not since?

How many times have you watched Pride and Prejudice? Mr Darcy is a literary icon yet I watched the 1995 adaptation with Colin Firth years before I read the book. I realised shortly before the 2005 film release that I had never read it and needed to asap. I loved it and the film adaptation too.  Who wouldn't want to marry Matthew Macfadyen or Keira Knightley and live happily ever after in a grand stately home in the countryside?

Raise your hand if you've seen and enjoyed the adaptations of Sense and Sensibility, Mansfield Park or Northanger Abbey, albeit years ago, but never read the books? (err that would be me!).  With so much interest in Jane Austen this year including a display in my local library that jogged my memory of this fact I've come to realise that I need to experience these stories the way they were meant to be enjoyed, through words and imagination not on screen.

Like William Shakespeare, Jane Austen was a big influence on the English language and there are many words and phrases that she was the first to use including :

Brace Yourself
Dinner Party
Door Bell
Dress a salad
Family Portrait
If I've told you once, I've told you 100 times
Nice Looking
Shut up

English is cool :)

Northanger Abbey was the first of Jane Austen's books to get a publishing deal (in 1803) but it was not actually published until after her death. I'm going to read her books in the published order, as follows :

Sense and Sensibility (1811)
Pride and Prejudice (1813)
Mansfield Park (1814)
Emma (1815)
Northanger Abbey (1818)
Persuasion (1818)
Lady Susan (1871)

Other than Pride and Prejudice, which I've rewatched x 10,  it's been years since I've watched an adaptation of one of her books so it's like I'm discovering the characters and stories for the first time.

Have you read all her books? When did you last read the book of a film adaptation and not just rewatched the movie? Has anyone read Lady Susan? Let me know in the comments if you plan to read the books too!

~ Katie aka Word Scribbler ~

source

Blog Tour - Book Review - A Little Of Chantelle Rose by Cristina Hodgson

Book Review : A Little Of Chantelle Rose by Cristina Hodgson

About Christina Hodgson :

Cristina Hodgson, mother of two, born in Wimbledon, London, currently lives in southern Spain. Cristina had a long career in sport, reaching national and international level and still actively participates in Triathlon races and enjoys outdoor activities. In her spare time she also enjoys reading and writing. She won a sports scholarship to Boston College. After a period in Boston, she returned to the UK and graduated from Loughborough University with a degree in Sports Science.

A LITTLE OF CHANTELLE ROSE is her debut novel and was be released in May 2017. Amazingly, it has nothing to do with running!

Book Blurb :

At the age of twenty-four, Chantelle Rose has all a city girl can expect: a tiny bed-sit in South London, a lousy poorly-paid job, a tyrannical boss, and quite a few exes added to an ever-growing list.

Desperate for change, she becomes an extra in a seedy crime film. When that leads to the opportunity of a lifetime – a role to play with a million dollars to win and seemingly nothing to lose – she accepts without thinking twice. After all, what could possibly go wrong? In any event, she´ll earn enough to buy her dream home, set up her own business and never worry about money again.

And what about love? Two men have won her heart: Robbie – sultry, silent, mysterious; and Lionel – Hollywood heart-throb, charm, wealth, adventure.

But who can she trust? Who is bent on scaring her away, and why?

There seems to be more at stake than just her heart. Will a million dollars be worth it?

My Review :

First of all, I really liked this book! The main character, Chantelle Rose, is a movie extra and one of my American friends is (shout out to @atlfilmxtra ) which made it fun to read. It's not a job that's in any books I've read before which made this different and worth a read. The story is a little far-fetched but that's what books are for right? It's a perfect escapism story to relax with. 

Chantelle Rose is living in a not so nice London flat with a low paid job she hates and desperate for money, which makes her relatable, then she gets a very lucky break and is flown off to California. She seems naive at the start of the book but endearing by the end. There are lots of colourful and complex characters, mistakes, and misunderstandings which keeps you reading. This isn't a straight forward girl meets boy and they live happily ever after novel. The (shock) ending is abrupt and teases possibility for a sequel. There's romance but also mystery and lots to keep you thinking and guessing.

There's something for everyone, a glamorous film set, a yacht and a red carpet with a Hollywood hunk and a cozy country cottage with a cute charming guy. Books that are described as a 'romantic comedy' are usually more romance and less comedy but A Little Of Chantelle Rose is definitely a comedy with so many funny moments! This is a great book to relax with on holiday in the sun or a rainy British Sunday afternoon.

You can follow Cristina on Twitter @HodgsonCristina and GoodReads 

A Little Of Chantelle Rose is available on AmazonUK and AmazonUS

Giveaway : A Little of Chantelle Rose bookmarks and keyrings

 

~ Click here to enter the Rafflecopter giveaway ~

* I received a copy of this book for an honest review by the awesome Neverland Blog Tours @NeverlandBT

~ Katie aka Word Scribbler ~

My Personal Goals And Plans For 2017 / 2018

(source)

** Update . Due to my dad becoming terminally ill and sadly dying in March 2017 my blog was on hiatus for 6 months after this blog post and sporadic before this **

A new year. The time to re evaluate and to plan new adventures!

This time last year I was moving out of my London flat and about to go to Italy for 8 weeks :)

What were your goals last year and what are they this year?  'Travel more' is on my list every year!

There are some one off goals here and some than require major input and time and life changes. I have also set myself some business and financial goals (I am self employed) but I'm keeping these between myself and my notebook :)

Move into my own flat (again)

I've been living back in my hometown (Norwich) at my parents house and working part time. This year I want to take on more freelance work and be working full time, and therefore also have my own space to live and work. Maybe not the apartment in the photo just yet! But I'm working on it ;)

(source)

Blog more

I re started this blog in October and managed only 3 blog posts in October and none since. Life has been really unpredictable (a close family member became seriously ill) and although I had the best intentions when I wrote this in October, my personal blog had to be put to one side again. I want to take my blogging more seriously and really get somewhere with this blog and incorporate it into my work a little. I'm aiming for a minimum of 1 blog post a week/52 blog posts this year. I'd love to collaborate with other bloggers, creative people, and possibly some brands.

Adopt a penguin

This is a random goal I know ha ha, but I LOVE penguins and would love to donate to a conservation charity and get updates about my penguin :)

One of the things on my bucket list is to see penguins in the wild but this will have to wait another few years!

(source)

Finish the first draft of my debut novel

This has been on my 'New Year Goals' list for the last 2 years. My intention this year is that once I'm living in my own place again, I'll be more relaxed and have some free time to focus and write. I will mention my writing on this blog and on Twitter but more on my author Twitter which you can follow at @ktjarviswriter .

Write/ direct / produce a short film or music video

I went to Cannes in the South of France in 2014 during Cannes Film Festival week, and wrote first drafts of 2 short film scripts the year before as part of my degree. Visiting Cannes was such a life long dream come true and that trip continues to inspire me so much with my life goals. Since then my writing (novel and screen) has been put on hold but this year I intend to complete the scripts (maybe write some new ideas too!) and make at least 1 into a film that everyone can watch.

Go to a cat cafe

This is also something I've wanted to do for while. Years ago I used to have a cat and so did my parents, and currently neither of us do. As there's no way I can have a cat in the near future the next best thing, other than be a professional cat sitter, is to visit a cat cafe! I know there are a few in London and it will involve some forward planning when I know I'm in London for a few days.

(source)

Buy a ring (or 2) from Pandora

I love Pandora's jewellery designs. This is more a reward I've promised myself when I reach one of my financial goals with my business but I'm including it here to motivate myself :)

Go to a Formula One Grand Prix

or go to a testing weekend, or just see a Formula One car on a track somewhere. I went to the Monaco Grand Prix practice day in 2014 and it was sooo good and I want to experience that again (several times a year for the rest of my life would be great!).

Go on a beach holiday

I want a real desert island, crystal clear water, white sand type of beach holiday. Mauritius or Seychelles or Madagascar. I've never gone to somewhere like this, most of my holidays as an adult have been city breaks, and this is a dream holiday and big goal for me this year. I aim to at least book this holiday before the end of 2017.

(source)

What are your goals / plans for 2017 ? 

~ Katie ~