An interview with Cathy Cassidy!

 Recently I had the incredible opportunity to interview one of my favourite childhood authors and as it would be simply criminal not to share it with you, share it with you is exactly what I've done! 
Cathy Cassidy is a children's author of 23 books, previous agony aunt for Shout and Jackie magazine as well as being vegetarian of 30 years! What I like the most about Cathy is that she does not deem herself  'superior' to her readers and took the time to send me this lengthy reply the same day as we arranged our interview!

1. Is there a certain book you’ve read that has changed your perspective on the world? A few! One was The catcher In The Rye by JD Salinger, an American book written in the 50s... in some ways, one of the first YA books perhaps. It was so direct, so emotional and tackled real-life issues and troubles from the viewpoint of a teenage boy. I loved it. The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath had a strong impact also, and then Goodnight Mr Tom by Michelle Magorian, which showed me that a children's book could handle very serious issues in a powerful yet redeeming way. 2. Do you believe in writer’s block? Depends what you mean by 'believe'! We all experience it, that lack of inspiration or a lack of certainty about how to handle a tricky bit in the plot... but giving in to it? Not happening. No other career path is allowed to give in to 'block' so why should an author? Daydream or try doing doing something totally different until you work out how to iron out the plot problem, but keep writing... better to do something than to give in and find yourself genuinely stuck.

3. Do you think that it’s important for public libraries to remain open to all universally? Yes, totally. As a child, all my books came from libraries... without them I could never have read so widely nor dreamed so big. Without them I would not be a writer today, no question of that. We imagine we've come a long way and that technology has replaced the need for libraries, but many children today live in poverty and libraries are a lifeline for them. Everyone should have access to books and learning, and to the magic of stories. And even if you do have money to buy books, who can buy enough to satisfy an avid reader? Free public libraries are one of the great achievements of a civilised country, yet the UK government is closing them and slamming the doors of opportunity on the writers and creatives of the future. Shameful. 4. When did you first decide that English was a subject you wanted to pursue as a career? I didn't! I didn't like English Lit at school as I liked to have my own responses and reactions to novels, plays and poetry rather than be told what to think. Analysing those awesome books and poems ruined their magic for me. Also, I didn't see how a degree in English Lit would help me to be a writer... and there were no degrees in Creative Writing back then. I took a degree in illustration, and loved every minute... art school was a perfect place for me to be as creative and off beat as I wanted. I'd already had my first short story published by that point, and I went on writing all through art college... art and writing were equally important to me.

5. What does a typical day in the life of Cathy Cassidy look like? I get up quite early - seven-ish - and check through emails, check the FB fanpage, twitter and Insta. I have breakfast, walk the dogs and the sit down to write. If a book is going well, I will break off for dinner and write again till evening. Most evenings are spent doing emails etc, but there never seems to be enough time for everything that needs to be done! Because I work for myself, I have the option to be flexible and I can take a random day off (unless a deadline is looming). When I'm on tour, things are very different, and I may be away from home for a week or a fortnight at a time, living out of suitcase and criss-crossing the country by train, talking to 400 kids in a school in the morning and the same amount in a different school, different town, in the afternoon. 6. What’s your opinion on eBooks as opposed to traditional paper books? I am not a fan of e-books... reading on screen just feels like work to me! I love the feel of a book and the cover design is important to me too. I spend so long at my laptop writing that the very last thing I want to do is read from it, or from a tablet. Nope, not for me.

7. Before gaining fame as a writer, did you ever consider writing under a pseudonym? I often used pseudonyms when writing for teen mags. Often I had two short stories in the same issue, or an illustration and a story... so it looked better if I used different names! Interestingly, Cassidy is not my married name, so even now I can pass under the radar if I use my married name! 8. Is there one book that you believe everybody should read at least once? Generally, no... we are all so very different I think we find our own passions and favourite genres when it comes to reading. I do wish every child could read a book called The Unforgotten Coat by Frank Cottrell Boyce, about immigrant children who vanish unexpectedly from a class. It shows so perfectly that migrants are human beings just like us, that we should never turn our faces away from their plight. Actually, I'd quite like the government to read that book, too!

9. Do you read reviews on your works? How do you deal with positive/negative responses? I don't go looking for reviews... and I'm lucky, as I honestly haven't seen many bad ones. My readers tell me what they think, and they are the people who matter most... if they're happy, I'm happy. 10. Is there one piece of advice you’d give to aspiring young writers? Write - in your own time, outside of school. Write about what you care about, because the passion will shine through, and don't listen if others tell you it's a waste of time dreaming of a career as an author. Believe in what you are doing, and work your socks off to make the dream happen.

Once again, thank you very much for the fab opportunity.
Health and Happiness, 
Marti xxx

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children

I am honestly SO excited for this post purely for trivial reasons such as the fact that I haven't done a book review in a few months and the fact that I have truly committed to the series. Anyhow, I finished reading this book in the first week of October and really fell in love with the story line and the children and decided to share my thoughts with you lovely lot!

In  a nutshell, this book is the story of 16 year old Jacob Portman and the event that changed his life forever, cliché I know but give it a chance. The first few chapters of the book focus on the relationship between Jacob and his Grandpa Abe, who grew up in an orphanage for his entire childhood and fought in the war. Growing up, Jacobs's grandpa would tell him fantastic stories about a girl that could fly, a boy who was invisible, 'the bird' who kept them safe from the monsters and wonderful Emma who could start a fire with her hands. Jacob adores his grandfather but realises as he grows up that these stories are nothing but that, 'stories'. 

When Jacob is merely fifteen, Grandpa Abe starts to obsess over these monsters which Jacob's dad quickly writes off as dementia. What a terrible mistake. When Jacob comes home early from work (to be honest, anything is better that stacking adult diapers), he finds his grandpa unconscious and bleeding terribly in the garden. Grandpa Portman dies in Jacob's arms, but not without spluttering a few words with his last breath. Here's a few for you to remember Alaska, "'Find the bird. In the loop. On the other side of the old man's grave. September third, 1940.' I'll leave you with that thought and not include any spoilers. 

As anyone who has both seen the movie adaptation that hit the screens a few weeks ago will know, there are a huge amount of details that have either been changed or cut out completely in the process of constructing this film. 

For a start, Emma's peculiarity is switched with Olive's. I don't in any way think that this is a negative thing though and I mean, being able to fly is just as awesome as being able to make fire right? In the film, we first meet Emma as she introduces the home and peculiar children in wait..are those lead boots? Like I said, it's interesting to see Tim Burton's views on what the work of Ransom Riggs looks like to him and I understand why he thought it might be necessary. Also, I don't think that the music play list did much justice for this film. It just didn't seem to fit very well which was a shame because the music in the trailer is so pretty. I absolutely loved watching Eva Green as Miss Peregrine and all of the children were amazing.  Although some scenes were in my opinion, over animated and far fetched (don't even get me started on the Blackpool scene), I do truly recommend giving it a watch.

Until next time, health and happiness,

Marti xxx

A few of my favourite things about Autumn

Books that make you scared

The beautiful array of colours you can only describe as 'October'

The weather being gently crisp though not yet icy

Growing a pumpkin and knowing it's yours

Hearing the patter of rain whilst safely indoors

Long, evening walks before returning to a hot water bottle in bed 

Tartan and plaid finally making an appearance
Candles that spice the whole room with warmth
Pine cones, acorns and conkers everywhere
Fluffy dressing gowns and even fluffier socks
Yummy crumbles, strudel, pies and soup
The crunch of leaves under your boots 
Bubble baths and steaming showers finally being appreciated
Fireworks and bonfires that light up the bleak night 
The potent yet phenomenal scent of Lush at Halloween
Writing letters under lamplight
And finally, a hearty mug of tea anytime, anyplace, anywhere.

Health and happiness, 

Marti xx

Audrey Hepburn by Chris Rice

I don't tend to rate audio books, mostly because it doesn't occur to me to buy them or loan them from the library, but also because I get irritated by their borrrrrinng voices and the pace they read at. Though whilst perusing the quick reads section of the library on Saturday, the beautiful cover of Audrey Hepburn caught my eye. When I took it home and chucked it on my bed, a matching CD fell out. To my horror, I had taken out an audio book..

Debating whether to just read the book or play the CD at the same time, I decided on the latter. In all honesty, they did read a bit slow for my liking but it's something you can get used to. I'm not sure if I shall take out any more audio books in the future but I think that they would be great for people who are often busy and don't have the time to pick up a paper book. Or maybe it could be a good replacement for the radio during long car journeys. The book itself was very interesting though worded a tad simply. The narration tells us about Audrey's life and her journey into the Hollywood world. What I found the most interesting was the story line of her part as Eliza Doolittle in the production, Breakfast at Tiffany's and how they 'had' to use a different vocalist as her voice wasn't 'strong' enough . There are only 20 (ish) pages to the whole book which is a bit of a letdown considering the fact that the text is large and there are plenty of images. These images however, were so beautiful that I shall let Penguin off.

All in all, I would recommend only to lower level readers or as an audio book for background noise. It's such a shame as I find that Audrey is such an interesting character and I hope that I find better books about her in the future.

Heath and happiness,

Marti xx

Summer Favourites with Lou Loves

Harry Potter:

The harry potter books and films are nothing new to me. They'd scatter my brother's bedroom floor and he'd always, always make me sit through them all. It's until now though, after years of my brother moving out that I've revisited this wicked and marvelous school of witchcraft and wizardry and introduced myself to the likes of Snape and Dumbledore yet again. This involved watching seven films in a matter of days but do you know what? It was, it was totally worth it.

 The Book Thief:

I have no idea how to express my love for this film through words..It's so captivating and deeply touching that I cannot express how much you must watch it. Without giving too much away, I can tell you that the film follows the life of Liesel Meminger, a nine-year-old German girl who was given up by her mother to live with foster parents in the small town of Molching in 1939, shortly before World War II and is narrated by death which is a big aspect of the story. I can't wait to read the book and see how it compares.

Sand:

Sand will never be a thing that I take for granted because quite frankly, it's hard to come across where I live. Whilst staying in a beach cottage in Cornwall a couple of weeks ago, surrounded by miles of sand and beach, I was really able to appreciate the splendour of such a simple thing. Glistening and sun kissed, as delicate as a feather.

Lauren Child:

I'm positively certain that I have talked about Lauren Child at length over my blog before but I'm truly obsessed with the way she illustrates. It's all so unique, so simple and so beautiful. I've recently been interested in her books too which showcase her trademark style.

Wishing you heath and happiness,

Marti xx

(Make sure to check out my lovely friend Lou's post)

When life gives you lemons...

This week has been so hectic and therefore I apologise for the last minute blog post but hopefully it shall be a bit of a change from the usual.

So Ti, what have you been up to that has consumed so much time? I'll answer that one: revision, revision and guess what, more revision! Over the last few weeks I've spent most of my time after school with my French teacher, trying to pass a bloody speaking exam. The actual exam wasn't until Wednesday at 12 pm and to be perfectly honest with you, I spent all day worrying about it haha. Once I started going it wasn't too bad though, and sir was hopeful I wouldn't have to resit. We got our new timetables for school on Monday which marks the start of year 10 work, whoop, whoop! On Friday (while you are reading this) I'm going to Robin Hoods Bay as part of my geography coursework. After we've finished our work (honk if you love bin counts and environmental surveys as much as me haha) we are allowed to do what we please. I was determined to download Pokemon Go and see if we could find any Pokemon around the beach but unfortunately you need IOS 8 or later. I'm sure other people will have theirs though haha. I have nothing planned for this weekend but I know that my brother and one of my sisters are coming home for the weekend. We break up for summer next Friday which I cannot wait for! It means I have so much more time to do fabulous things like writing.

Wishing you all health and happiness,

Marti xxx

Little Giveaway + Celebrating Books

I love getting to know you lot better. 

Honestly, however cheesy it sounds, I have met so many incredible people through this little space on the internet (and hopefully many, many more to come) that giving something back to you guys just seems compulsory. That's why I've decided that another giveaway is overdue. It's going to be very different to my January Giveaway though because of the way both my readers and I have changed. Firstly I must mention that I didn't specifically go out and buy the 'prize' that I am giving away. It's the original paper back version of 'Dizzy' by Cathy Cassidy and was the first teen fiction book I ever read. Cathy Cassidy, along with Roald Dahl, Jacqueline Wilson, Michael Morpurgo ect, inspired me to start reading and pick up book after book after book. The words on each page have been brought to life so many times that I would apologise that it's not in perfect condition, but why should I? Books are supposed to be read, not cased in glass cabinets. Unless that is, you have a very unique way of storing you books haha!

It seems like these days nobody reads anymore. So few people can recall the satisfaction of picking up a book and getting lots among all the words and feeling like you are part of the story. If this generation won't read- what hope do we have for future generations with rapidly improving technology? If this book is not for you, consider a sibling/friend or younger family member that could be interested. Reading is for everyone, and is honestly something that sticks with you for a while. 

The way you enter is also going to be rather different and hopefully more straight forward than last time. All you need to do is drop a comment telling me why you read (don't fret none Google+ users, just pop me an email instead) :) The giveaway is open internationally and will be picked from a hat at a later date. You will receive your book with a handwritten note through the post which is why I must ensure that you are comfortable directly messaging me your address should your name be chosen.

On the topic of reading and celebrating books, I was in the library yesterday and decided to do something I've been meaning to do for months. I read a blog post a while back (I think it could have been written by El) about random acts of kindness and one of the things she suggested was to leave little notes in library books. I thought this was such a thoughtful idea and if it actually gets to the reader (what I mean by this is, if it doesn't get dismissed as rubbish) it would make their day. I decided to leave it in a copy of  An Abundance of Cathrines by John Green becuase it's a book that I'd really like to read but I've got so many other books to read before then. Hopefully the reader will enjoy the note almost as much as the book!

Good luck!
Wishing you all health and happiness,
Marti xx

Zoella Body Mist Review

Hi everyone, some of you may not know me, so let me introduce myself. I'm Lou from Lou Loves and I have been blogging for nearly a year now. Marti and I made the decision to do a guest post on each others blogs as we thought it would be a fun idea and help let both audiences get to know about us better. Anyway, today I am going to be doing a review which is a favourite over on my blog so I thought I would do one for you all.  I hope you enjoy this post and I will (hopefully) see you soon. xx

Today, I am going to be reviewing the Zoella Beauty Body Spritz's. I have all 3 and love when new collections come out. The bottles themselves, are okay quality but the scent inside makes up for it. On 2 out of 3 of my bottles, the product leaks out the top when you press it down which cane be a little annoying but it's not too big of an issue.

Blissful Mistful is the original collection scent so it is floral and really fresh. For me, it's the perfect Spring/Summer scent (it would also be a pretty good holiday scent - which it was for me last year). The scent lasts nearly all day without completely going but I find it's nice just to top up the scent about half way through the day.

The next to be released was Lets Spritz'. This was in the Tutti Fruity Range which is getting discontinued right now and shops are selling it out so get it whilst you can. As the range name suggests, it has a fruity scent that I think works best in late summer and early autumn - kind of like the last breath of summer.

The final spritz was Sweet Inspirations (I was really disappointed this didn't have a product name :( ) However, the scent makes up for it - it has a macaroon and toasted almond scent. I think this is that perfect all year scent which can actually be really hard to find.

All of Zoe's spritz's are £8 and available at superdrug and online at feelunique and superdrug.

Thank you so much for reading and don't forget to check out Marti's post

Love Lou

xx

http://louloves01.blogspot.co.uk/2016/06/guest-post-random-acts-of-kindness.html

From notes to post

Bonjour mes petits chéris!

This is a post that Lou and I have had scheduled for the longest time ever (literally months) but have never gotten around to posting. Over here in the UK it's half term which I assumed would mean a week of blogging and taking photos. Oh how wrong I was! I've been busy every single day this week whether it be travelling, simply meeting my friends or doing homework. The post is basically going to be a breakdown of the process of writing a blog post. I've always wondered how other bloggers went about posting and whether they do it any differently from me. Over the year I have spent blogging, I've developed my own way of drafting my posts which works perfectly for me. I'd love to hear about you!

1. The Idea

Ideas come to me at times I least expect. I could be in the shower, in that weird state of mind before you drift off to sleep, daydreaming in a maths lesson or reading. I recommend always keeping a notebook in your bag for such occasion but when I forget, that's when the memo notes on your phone come in handy. When I get home, I'll create a blog post with that title and save it as a draft. Make sure not to publish said post like I have done one too many times!

2.Drafting the Post

The next stage of writing my post is drafting. This basically means word vomit. Any initial ideas, photos or layout preferences you have, make sure you post them at this point. You do not have to draft the post immediately after coming up with the idea (some of my ideas date back to last year and I still haven't got round to drafting them!). Also I like to choose which labels to add at this point. For example, the post I have drafted here (which is a sneak peek at next Friday's post!) is a lifestyle post. The labels I have added here are home, life and places.

3.Taking the Time to Write it

Stage three is very much like stage two only you should allocate however much time you need to write the post here. I usually spend about an hour on this stage (depending on what type of post it is) but you may need either less or more time. Write straight from what comes to your mind as you can always tweak it later. Another point to add about this stage is that you should only write when you are in the mood and never try to force a post. 

6.Proofreading and Spell Checking

Before I hit the orange publish button I always (well, I always intend to) proofread my post and get somebody else to check my spelling. You can also reword parts that seem clumsy and ensure all your links are fully working at this stage.

7.Publishing

Finally, it's time to publish or decide when you schedule your post. This part is definitely the most self explanatory but in case you you haven't realised already, it's that giant circle there.

Hope you're as excited to read Lou's post as I am.
http://louloves01.blogspot.co.uk/

Dressing fit for Friday

Picture this. It's Friday morning, you overslept and have little less than half an hour to have breakfast, feed the cat, do something with your hair, brush your teeth and get out of that front door. Sound familiar?

So where does fashion come in to any of this? It's that reoccurring dream where you turn up at work in your pajamas, underwear or worst of all, crocs! Sometimes I actually consider crawling back into bed and living in my pajamas all week as the thought of  turning my wardrobe upside own for something to wear haunts me. 

So when T.M.Lewin contacted me asking to take part in their his & hers style challenge I jumped at the opportunity. It's all about dressing fit for Friday and styling outfits that can go from work presentations to the pub. Having a translatable style can help you stay as chic and classy as you are all day long. T.M.Lewin host the most lavish variety of classic pieces, fabrics, to accessories that are fashionably interchangeable as well as an impressive selection of suits.

So, considering the vast majority of my page views come from a female audience, I have decided to begin with the woman's outfit. I wanted to create something that was universal and would compliment any skin tone, size and figure. I also wanted it to be very feminine yet not something that would become hard to maintain or touch up later in the day. I have included both flat shoes and heeled depending on your place of work and how much you are on your feet. I also think the necklace would spice the outfit up for a night out perfectly.

T.M.Lewin Fitted White Piqué Shirt

T.M.Lewin Albany Black Tri-Acetate Skirt

New Look Black Knotted Front Ankle Strap Pumps or

 New Look Black 'Wiggle' Court Shoes

House of Fraser Izzy Flower Statement Necklace

And now moving on the more male dominated outfit, I have selected one of T.M.Lewin's trademark suits to accompany sleek, black shoes. Being able to dress well and have your own style will put you far ahead of other colleagues on the employment side of things. I also think that navy is a very slimming and alluring colour for workwear.

T.M.Lewin Jackman Suit Jacket

T.M.Lewin Jackman Navy Skinny Suit Trousers

T.M.Lewin White Twill Double Cuff Fitted Shirt

T.M.Lewin Navy Skinny Silk Tie

Samuel Windsor Classic Oxford Shoe - Black

Have a wedding or formal meeting planned and have no idea what to wear? Look no further than T.M.Lewin for fabulous value yet astonishing quality suit bundles that can suit any occasion.

http://www.tmlewin.co.uk/

Winter favourites

For me, winter is my least favourite season. I hate the way that the cold weather seeps into your bones and makes getting up in the morning that bit harder. I hate the fact that it's now impossible for my hair to dry naturally and requires me standing with my head upside down, blow drying my hair until my back forces me to stop. I also hate the fact that my skin is so dry which makes applying makeup that bit more hellish. But enough of all this negativity (that was one of my resolutions, right?). That feeling when you can finally slink into bed after a hot bath with a book to read is one of the most amazing feelings on earth in my opinion which has been something I've found myself doing most nights. Here are some of the things I've loved most this month.

Candles

The reason I love candles so much is simple: they make a room so much more cozy and warm. I'm not sure if this is actually true or whether it's some sort of placebo effect but when I light a candle, I instantly feel more relaxed and calm.  I've always loved Yankee Candles but lately I've stepped out of my Yankee comfort zone (that's definitely not already a thing, but I've made it one) and have been using all sorts of different brands we received for Christmas. A few I  have been using recently are Viking Candle (definitely a knock off but actually really strong smelling), Flamingo Candle and Jamei  Candle (I'd never heard of this one either).

It's Potent eye cream

Like I said earlier, my skin starts to get really dry at this time of year which is why I find using an eye cream necessary. The one I've been using most recently is It's Potent! eye cream by Benefit. As well as giving my skin more radiance and less dryness, it's also managed to tone down the dark circles under my eyes. 

Burt's Been lip salve

I'm not going to lie, there's not really much special about this lip balm other than the fact that I'm not allergic to it. Burt's Bees also donate loads of money towards protecting honeybees and do not test on animals.

LUSH Hot toddy shower jel

My bathroom is full of shower gels and bubble bath at the moment but this one clearly stood out among the crowd. It leaves your skin feeling so soft and smelling great. It's one of those smells that fills the whole bathroom with a cinnamony spice scent whenever you use it.

Lipsticks

I've never really been much of a lipstick person before as I found them too drying and never really found one that suited me. When I received a Revlon lipstick from Rosie in the post, I absolutely fell in love with the colour and texture and decided to try more from the range. This month I've been loving the shades Pink in the Afternoon, Pink Cognito and Peach Parfait. 

Just to let you know, our giveaway is still open until 12/02/16. Good luck!

Valentines giveaway

I can't believe it's been a whole year since one rainy day in January, I was sat with my laptop (probably eating Smarties) and decided to write a blog. It just seems so obscure to me. I remember my first comment was from Hannah  and I couldn't actually believe that anyone read my blog let alone wanted to comment on it.

Since then, I have met so many people from all over the world who share the same passion as me and even inspired others to write! Creating this blog was one of the best decisions I've ever made and I can't believe how much of a difference it has made in my life. To say thank you to all my readers and followers, whether you started reading my blog yesterday or the day I started, I've decided to team up with one of my friends and fellow blogger StormySkypie to host a giveaway. If I could, I'd love to give you all a prize because you all deserve it but I thought this was the next best thing.

Information on the giveaway

1. The giveaway includes Lush's new, limited edition soap: Roses all the Way and a Fat Face gift set which includes a body lotion, body spray and phone case.
2. The Giveaway is International
3.  You must be over 18 or have consent from parent/carer to enter this giveaway as we will need to ask for your address to send the prize 
4. Entries close on 12/02/15 at 6 pm UK time and an announcement date will be confirmed later and picked from a hat.
5. To enter all you have to do is comment on this post why you read my blog as well as making sure you're following us both on either  Instagram @pink_smarties_ @stormy_skypie or Google+ +Abbie Mclaughlin +Marti Stelling. 

Good luck!