I Won Another Prize! ~ from, Adventures of a London Kiwi

Emma is from New Zealand and lives in London.   Emma blogs at Adventures of a London Kiwi - it's one of my favourite blogs with a combination of foodie posts, books that she has enjoyed and her life in London.

At the end of June, Adventures of a London Kiwi celebrated one whole year of blogging and Emma hosted a giveaway.    She offered a personalised foodie parcel of gourmet goodies to the value of £25.00

I was delighted to find that I was the winner.  Emma emailed me to get an idea of my likes and dislikes and today, the huge parcel arrived.    I was so excited when Martin phoned to tell me that it had been delivered to his office.

Oh. My. Goodness.   The parcel was filled to the very top with a wonderful selection of fabulous foodie gorgeousness - I was a little bit overwhelmed but thrilled to bits with absolutely everything!

Here's what is in the box:

Tyrrells Swanky Veg Crisps - Candy Striped Beetroot, Red Beetroot & Blue Potato Crisps. I'm a real crisp addict and especially like the gourmet varieties.  I've not tried these yet but am a fan of vegetable crisps and am looking forward to tasting this unusual flavour.

Eazy Pop Microwave Popcorn - Sweet and Top of the Pop Microwave Popcorn - Hot Pepper.   Lately I've been enjoying the sweet n salty popcorn that is sold in most of the supermarkets - I'm going to really enjoy making my own version in the microwave.

Perach Rice Crisps in Zaatar & Olive Oil   I'm really curious about these.  I eat a lot of rice cakes - usually with cheese or pate and these look like crisp size rice cakes.  I've never come across zaatar before - it's a Middle Eastern herb, and sounds as though it will be similar to thyme.

Kurkure Masala Munch    Another new savoury treat for me to try.  These are popular in India.  Crunchy strands with a masala hit.

A really pretty bag of Hope & Greenwood Afternoon Tea Sweets.  Emma told
me that she bought these in Selfridges.  I've heard of Hope & Greenwood - they are a very 'vintage' sweetie brand.  The packaging is gorgeous and inside there are boiled sweets in three different flavours; lemon meringue, cherry bakewell and treacle tart.   I've tried the lemon meringue and they are delicious.


Arnott's Shapes - Pizza flavour.  These are a real Australian treat and have been around in Oz for almost 150 years!

A box of Pukka Good Morning Organic English Breakfast Tea.  I love a good
cup of tea, and drink gallons of the stuff throughout the day.  English Breakfast is my favourite - nothing quite beats a traditional cuppa.




 I told Emma that I love Greece and Greek food and she was good enough to include a couple of proper Greek delights.  A jar of  Gaea Kalamata Olive Tapenade and some Sunita Honey Halva with Pistachios - two of my very favourite Greek treats.


 A little bag of Country Products Chilli Bites was next in the box - I'm
a fan of chilli, but don't like it too hot.  I've not tasted these yet, so don't know if they have a kick or a kiss yet!

The lovely little pot of Newton & Pott Mango Salsa Chutney is made by a local friend of Emma's.  I'm told that it's divine with cheese and crackers.



I love Sesame Seed Snaps and usually have a couple of packets in my bag, so was delighted that there were two bars included in the parcel.

And then came the chocolate!  A packet of Bahlsen Choco Friends - wafer biscuits covered in chocolate.



Some Allen's Jaffas - these are another Australian product and are delicious - similar to Smarties, but bigger and more organgy!


And finally, a bar of Dark Chocolate with Sea Salt from Pret - I'm loving salty caramel and salty chocolate at the moment so this is a real treat!


Emma also included a personalised bookmark in the parcel, along with a lovely card.

I'm really thrilled with my prize and want to say another huge thanks to Emma for putting together such a personal prize.

**** Book Launch @ Waterstone's Meadowhall *** It's Raining Men by Milly Johnson

It's Raining Men is Milly Johnson's ninth book and was published on 1 August by Simon & Schuster Ltd.  As Milly is a Yorkshire lass through and through, her official launch party was in Yorkshire on Yorkshire Day (1 August), and because Milly is a lots of fun, she also had a special launch event today at the Waterstone's store in Meadowhall, Sheffield.    Now, although I'm not a Yorkshire girl, I do live just a few miles away from the Yorkshire border, and Sheffield has become something of a second home over the past few years - great shopping, fabulous theatres and concert venues and some great places to eat.  So, off we went, myself and the lovely Martin - I was very excited, Martin was very apprehensive - he had heard tales of half-naked men dancing and such!!

We met up with Kate who blogs at Books With Bunny and Wendy - had some lunch and then made our way to Waterstone's.   I'd already spied the dancing men earlier, so was prepared!

                                              Wendy & I giggling                                            The 'It's Raining Men' dancers

Oh it was fun!!   Milly really can throw a party, but of course we knew that didn't we?  After all, she was the winner of 'Come Dine With Me' some time ago.     Milly looked great, she's gorgeous - with gorgeous hair and glittery eyes and the most beautiful black and red dress, she's also tiny (although taller than me, but that's really not difficult).     The (sadly not half-naked) dancers kicked up a storm to The Weathergirls' hit It's Raining Men and we were invited to have our photos taken - then tweet them, one photo would be picked to win a prize.   I gently persuaded the lads to pick me up for my photo - oh, the terrible things we bloggers have to do!!!!

Kate, Wendy and I were interviewed by one of Milly's team - I think the interviews will be broadcast on Milly's Facebook page - I'm sure that I gabbled on a bit, but I know I plugged the blog - so watch out for that!

Then I met Milly!   She's really lovely, and she recognised my name from Facebook and my blog, she jumped up and gave me a huge hug, she's so friendly and down to earth, it was a delight to meet her.  And so generous too - not only did she sign all of our books, she also gave away really cute tote bags filled with umbrella shaped chocolates and bookmarks.

                                              It's a hard life!!                                    Meeting Milly                          A Hug from Milly 

We really did have a great time.  Milly and her team, and the Waterstone's staff were so welcoming and friendly, taking the time to talk to us and were really interested in what we had to say about books and blogging.

After frantically Tweeting and Facebooking on assorted iPads and phones, we went off for coffee and cake - well all that dancing and meeting famous authors is hungry work you know!   Just as we were about to say our goodbyes and go our separate ways we found out that Kate had won the photo competition!  We hurried back so Kate could claim her prize; a set of Milly's books and lots of lovely goodies in a goodie bag, and one of the It's Raining Men umbrellas.   We were excited all over again!

                                            Kate is the winner!                                            Goody Bags and Signed Copies

I'm so looking forward to reading It's Raining Men, look out for my review very soon.   If you'd like to see more photos of the day check out Twitter #itsrainingmen.   Milly also has a Facebook page for her books and there's lots of information at www.millyjohnson.co.uk

Thanks to Milly, her team, Waterstone's staff, Kate and Wendy for a great day out.  Oh and special thanks to Martin for being the official photographer and putting up with our giggling!

Th Engagements by J Courtney Sullivan

1947 : Mary Frances Gerety, a young copywriter in an eminent advertising agency, has to convince the world of tow things - that marriage means a diamond ring on every woman's finger, and that she is as good at her job as any man.  And then, in one moment of brilliant inspiration, Mary Frances writes down four words which will achieve both her aims ....

Moving from a Harvard swim-meet in 1927 to the three-martini lunches of 1940s advertising, from the back streets of 1980s Boston to an exquisite Parisian music shop in 2003, The Engagements is a novel about love, marriage, commitment and betrayal; it is as sharp, as fiery and as beautiful as the stone we have taken to represent our dreams.

I haven't read any of J Courtney Sullivan's other novels and was really not sure what to expect when The Engagements dropped through my letterbox.   I found it quite an interesting read, the characterisation is excellent and I did like the idea of interweaving different stories together to produce the main plot.  However, there were times when I felt my mind wandering, and to be honest, I did find the character of Mary Frances somewhat hard to engage with.   Despite this, I do feel that the subject matter is fascinating, and I was especially interested in how a woman who was not married, and not really interested in marriage, could sell the idea of diamond engagement rings to a whole generation of women.

I enjoyed the other stories that link to the main plot,although there were characters that I liked better than others,  in much the same way as a reader usually enjoys one or two stories in a collection.

The Engagements gives the reader a lot to think about.  It's about love and relationships and the power of advertising.  It considers the role of women in professional situations, and the change in culture over the years.

The Engagements was published in hardback by Virago (Little Brown) on 4 July, the paperback will be published early in 2014.    My thanks go to Emily Burns from the publisher for providing my review copy of The Engagements.

J Courtney Sullivan is the author of the New York Times bestselling novels Commencement and Maine.  Her writing has appeared in the New York Times Book Review, the Chicago Tribune, New York magazine, Elle, Glamour, Allure and the New York Observer, among others.  She is a contributor to the essay anthology The Secret Currency of Love and co-editor of Click: When We Knew We Were Feminists. She lives in Brooklyn, New York.

For more information about J Courtney Sullivan, visit her website www.jcourtneysullivan.com, her Facebook page or follow her on Twitter

Foodie Penpals ~ July 2013

I took a break from Foodie Penpals during May and June, due to holidays and work and things just getting in the way.  I was happy to re-join for July, and this month my penpal was Roseannah from Glasgow.

Usually penpals are matched up with separate people, you send to one person and receive a parcel from a different person.  Somehow, this month, Roseannah and were matched as senders and givers.  This was Roseannah's first Foodie Penpal experience and to be truthful, it didn't run as smoothly as it could have.  I'd planned to send my parcel during the last week in July, ready for reveal day, and then I found out that Roseannah is away until the middle of August.   So, I've not sent her any goodies yet, but will be making sure that she gets a nice parcel of Lincolnshire goodies in time for her return to Glasgow.

My Scottish parcel arrived a couple of days ago, and Roseannah has certainly taken on board my likes and dislikes.  She sent me a box filled of Scottish themed goodies, accompanied by a Glasgow postcard that explains just what is in the parcel.

"Dear Anne,    Greetings from Glasgow!   I was glad to know that you like cheese, so I included a bit of Isle of Mull Cheddar, my favourite Cheddar.   Also, a Stornoway Black Pudding.  This has a lovely sweet, aromatic quality.   A couple of fried slices are great with scrambled eggs.  We like a slice to top our homemade pork and chorizo burgers.  If that doesn't appeal, it's a brilliant stuffing for chicken breasts or a loin of pork, or cooked crumbled into mashed potato.   The potato scones are a traditional addition to a cooked Scottish breakfast.  Also good with scrambled eggs.  And I like them grilled with cheese as a snack.   Finally, I couldn't resist including a popular Scottish biscuit.  Not classy, but classic.   Enjoy with a cup of tea."

Best wishes,   Roseannah 

I was delighted with the goodies that Roseannah has sent.   I love black pudding, but don't tend to buy it to cook at home as my OH is not keen.   I do love the idea of stuffing it into chicken breast, and am going to try that this week.  I think it would be great stuffed into the chicken, with some parma ham wrapped around the chicken, then pan-fried.    I may even sprinkle a little of the Isle of Mull Chedder, grated, between the chicken and the ham.
I'm afraid the potato cakes didn't make it into the photograph .... I ate them straight away, they really are lovely - a nice treat.
Oh and the Tunnocks chocolate bar - another of my favourites, I love them!

I really enjoy being part of the the Foodie Penpal project.  If you are interested in taking part, check out the joining instructions over at the Rock Salt blog.

Ghost Moth by Michele Forbes

During the hot Irish summer of 1969, tensions rise in Belfast where Katherine, a former actress, and George, a firefighter, struggle to keep buried secrets from destroying their marriage. As Catholic Republicans and Protestant Loyalists clash during the "Troubles" and Northern Ireland moves to the brink of civil war, the lines between private anguish and public outrage disintegrate. An exploration of memory, childhood, illicit love, and loss, "Ghost Moth" is an exceptional tale about a family--and a country--seeking freedom from ghosts of the past. 

When I was offered the chance to review Michele Forbes' debut novel Ghost Moth, I had heard nothing about either the novel or the author before.  The description was enticing and seemed to be just up my street.  The debut novel of an female Irish author, a dual-time story, set in Belfast - what's not to love?

The uncorrected proof copy is a slim paperback, just 237 pages long.  The first few pages are taken up with praise for this novel, from editors, publicists and managers of the publishing company.  Praise that includes the words 'poised', 'effortless' 'powerful' and 'searingly beautiful' - those words frighten me!  Huge praise to live up to.

There is no doubt that Michele Forbes is a very accomplished author, as a debut novel, this is outstanding. Her use of language does create a story that is a joy to read, although at times I felt that the descriptive prose could have been aimed more at her characters than at the setting.    Sometimes short novels have a somewhat sparse feeling to them, but not this one.

The story centres around Kathleen, married to George, and a mother of four children and begins when she gets into difficulty whilst swimming in the sea.  This episode awakens memories for Kathleen, of a time twenty years ago when although engaged to be married to George, she begins a liaison with Tom - a dressmaker who fits her for a costume.

The story flits back and forth from the late 1960s back to 1949.  Personally, I enjoyed the 1960s story more than that set in the 40s.  I found Tom a difficult character to envisage, or to understand why he became so important to Kathleen.

This is a story of love, of changing political climate, of secrets left unsaid.  It's also a story of relationships between a mother and her children and between a wife and her husband.   The ups and downs of marriage, of illness and ultimately of tragedy.  

A fine debut novel, I have no doubt that Ghost Moth will make an impact on anyone who reads it and that this is just the start of a successful writing career for Michele Forbes.

Ghost Moth is published by W&N Weidenfeld & Nicolson, an imprint of Orion Publishing Group on 26 December 2013 in hardback and trade paperback on 5 September 2013

Born in Belfast, Northern Ireland, Michele Forbes is an award-winning theater, television, and film actress who has toured worldwide with "The Great Hunger" and "Dancing at Lughnasa." She studied literature at Trinity College, Dublin and has worked as a literary reviewer for the "Irish Times." Her short stories have received both the Bryan MacMahon and the Michael McLaverty Awards. She lives near Dalkey, Dublin with her husband and two children. "Ghost Moth" is her first novel

The Cult of Nostalgia by Bruce Bruschi

One night in Paris and I'm already doing stupid things but Simon's been brainwashed and it's not pretty.

                                                  Love Carly xxxxx

P.S. Paris has all of the charms of Baltimore!

Carly is convinced that her boyfriend Simon is about to propose.   He's been dropping quite a few hints recently, ever since he got involved with Morningside - a sort of self-help cult.  Carly is a life coach, and Simon is in need of coaching; he's neurotic, dissatisfied with life, a little bit odd.   Armed with a wedding dress bought on a whim from a vintage shop, Carly is ready to get married.
So is Simon, except he's not marrying Carly.   Out of the blue, from nowhere, Simon up and marries another Morningside member and they take off to Paris for a honeymoon.

Carly is convinced that Simon has been brainwashed, he's also taken her great-uncle's memoirs with him. She is determined to get both the book back, and Simon.   Helped by Simon's brother Josh, Carly sets off to find Simon, and to find out just what is going on.

Intwined into this story is the story of Carly's great-uncle.  His time in Paris during both the 1920s and the 1960s, hanging out with the likes of Hemingway and the Fitzgeralds.

It took me quite some time to really engage with this story.  Carly is a bit of a kook, as they'd say in America, and to be honest, at first I thought she was just a bit dumb.   Once I'd got through the first 120 pages or so, I started to really enjoy the story.   Paris is brought to life, in Carly's modern-day story, and in her great-uncle's stories too.    I loved reading about literary giants such as the Fitzgeralds.  The writing flows easily once the story is established, and the characters develop warmth over time.

The Cult of Nostalgia was published on 4 July 2013 by Cutting Edge Press, my thanks as always to Saffeya for sending my copy for review.


Bruce Bruschi has worked in academic and arts administration in roles that have taken him from San The Cult of Nostalgia, his first novel.
Francisco, via Honolulu and Paris to Cambridge where he now lives with his partner.  Winning prizes for his short stories and plays spurred him to write

 

 

The Qualities of Wood by Mary Vensel White

A haunting and beautifully written debut novel by an exciting new talent.

When Betty Gardiner dies, leaving behind an unkempt country home, her grandson and his young wife take a break from city life to prepare the house for sale. Nowell Gardiner leaves first to begin work on his second mystery novel. By the time his wife Vivian joins him, a real mystery has begun: a local girl has been found dead in the woods behind the house. Even after the death is ruled an accident, Vivian can’t forget the girl, can’t ignore the strange behaviour of her neighbours, or her husband. As Vivian attempts to put the house in order, all around her things begin to fall apart.

‘The Qualities of Wood’ is a stunning novel from an exciting new writer. Perfect for readers of Anne Tyler and Anita Shreve.

Vivian and Nowell Gardiner have only been married for four years when Nowell's grandmother dies.  They make the decision that they will give up their regular lives for a while to clean up the house, ready to put it on the market.    Nowell leaves first, Vivian follows on a few weeks later.
For Vivian, this is a huge upheaval; she's given up her job, moved to an unknown town and now has to sort through the clutter and memories of the life of a woman she didn't really know.

When Vivian finds out that a young girl's body has been found on land just outside of their boundary, she finds it a struggle to cope.  The death was ruled an accident, but the behaviour of people around her make her question the truth - how much do people really know about what happened that night?

The Qualities of Wood is about a slow moving, gentle sort of town and the writing is just the same.  Mary Vensel White's strength is in her descriptions - of the numerous characters, and of the small town and it's culture.   Although I didn't particularly like either Vivian or Nowell, there is something about this young couple that entices the reader.  The undercurrents of their relationship are often tense and sometimes a little dark.

Evocative and deep; The Qualities of Wood is an exploration of relationships and passions, of secrets long hidden and reactions.  The story and the characters develop over the length of the novel, and although there are no fast-paced action scenes, or nail-biting excitement, this really is a novel to savour.

The Qualities of Wood is published by The Friday Project - an imprint of Harper Collins  - 25 July 2013.

My thanks to Sabah, as always for sending my copy for review.

Mary Vensel White was born in Los Angeles and raised in Lancaster, California.  She graduated from the University of Denver and lived for five years in Chicago, where she completed an MA in English at DePaul University.  Her short fiction has appeared in The Wisconsin Review and Foothills Literary Journal.   The Qualities of Wood is her first novel.
Mary Vensel White currently lives in southern California with her husband and four children.  She is working on another novel set in the Midwest, a place that flourishes in her imagination despite her sunny surroundings, and a collection of inter-related short stories.

For more information about Mary Vensel White and her writing, visit her website www.maryvenselwhite.com.    Her Facebook page, the Qualities of Wood Facebook page, or her Twitter feed