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Saturday, 26 November 2011

Matilda's Secret

Matilda's Secret is a novel by Sandra Goldbacher and it is a part of the "A Girl for all Time Book" series.

Matilda Marchmont is thirteen, she comes from Norfolk. Her life is pleasant, but it must be admitted, a little dull, at times. She rides her horse, is allowed to mix medicines for her family (she likes to pretend to herself that she is a witch!) and writing in her secret diary. In fact she wrote "Nothing exciting will ever happen to me."

She longed for something exciting to happen. She felt somewhat envious of the life of glamour and excitement enjoyed by her cousin Katherine Howard. Because Katherine lived at court, Katherine was really, really fashionable! Oh, how she longed to be more like her lucky, fortunate cousin!

Then, one fateful night, something exciting, something quite unthinkable happens to Matilda! She is despatched to live at the Royal Court, too. She is to become a lady-in-waiting,  but she will be more than a 'mere' lady-in-waiting. For she is to become a spy in a potentially dangerous mission to help further the chances of her cousin becoming the wife of King Henry VIII!

Matilda does become drawn into the kind of glittering, glamorous lifestyle that she had longed and craved for. But at what cost to herself? For as well as the glamour and the friendships, she finds herself facing great dangers that she could never have imagined deep in the rural Norfolk of 1540!

Her journey takes her from Hampton Court Palace to what was probably the most dangerous place in the whole of the British Isles at that time, the Bloody Tower itself!

The book is very well written and captures what it must have been like to live in the turbulent times of King Henry VIII.

Matilda is the first in the A Girl For All Time series of dolls, novels and keepsake books, and will make fantastic Christmas gifts for little girls all over the world!

The next book is about  Amelia Elliot, a young Victorian girl. And at age thirteen, Amelia is about to inherit something very interesting. Matilda's trunk, that is filled with treasures that will change young Amelia's life!

The book costs £6.99 ISBN 978-0-9567200-0-9

Poppy Day a new novel

Poppy Day is a new novel by Amanda Prowse.

It is described as an original story of love and war, and this is certainly what it is.

It asks an important question, exactly how far would you go to bring home the person who you love the most in the world?

From very early on in their lives, from their early school days, in fact, when they were both a tender six years old, Martin and Poppy find each other. They discover within themselves a capacity for a love that genuinely transcends all other loves.

The love that they feel for each other is unshakable.  

Martin is Poppy's best friend, her guardian, her protector against the cruel world. In short, he is her soul mate, her one true love.

But Martin takes the decision to join the army. And he is sent to fight the war in Afghanistan. It is during his first tour of duty there that Poppy receives the news that all service wives fear and dread. The news that her Martin has fallen into enemy hands.

What can Poppy Day do? She can try to get her man back. But at what cost?

The story is a breathtaking, captivating read that takes the reader from the East of London to the other East, the East that contains the searingly hot plains of Afghanistan.

Can their love survive the terrible trials and tribulations that they find themselves facing?

The book is available in paperback at £8.99 and is published by TIP. ISBN 978-1-906382-06-3.

The book is published in association with the Royal British Legion Poppy Day appeal.  www.poppyshop.org.uk /

This book will make an ideal Chirstmas present.

Sunday, 13 November 2011

Agent Zigzag by Ben Macintyre

Agent Zigzag by Ben Maciintyre is the incredible but true story of the most notorious double agents not only of World War 2 but perhaps of all time.

Eddie Chapman was a somewhat problematic mixture of a variety of disparate and conflicting strands. He was a soldier (cashiered due to not bothering to go back after a period of leave) an expert jelly man (using gelignite to crack safes) a thief, a rogue, one of the most charming and personable and likeable men you would ever possibly meet, a villain, a man of great courage, a lover, a man conscience.

Trapped in a prison on Jersey, Chapman was on the island when it was overrun by the Nazis. He hit on a cunning plan. What if he told the Germans that he would be willing to spy on Great Britain?

Eventually, after a series of mishaps, blunders and errors (not of Chapman's making) he was parachuted into a field in Cambridgeshire.

Soon he was working for British Intelligence as Agent Zigzag, the most successful double agent every used by MI5 to trick the Germans.

Macintyre was allowed absolutely unprecedented access to the Top Secret archives of MI5 which contained a wealth of information about the extraordinary life and career of Eddie Chapman.

An official report by MI5 said: "The story of Eddie Chapman is different. In fiction it would be rejected as improbable."

The book is extremely well researched and superbly written and well illustrated with copious photographs many from the official archives of MI5 and the German Abwehr.

Chapman, however, never received the recognition that he deserved. Macintyre was able to establish that this was due to the double dealing and perfidy of an MI5 official who was not only a disgraced drunk but who only got the job because of a family connection, but who took against Chapman for some, to be frank, bizarre reasons.

Thebook is published by www.bloomsbury.com in paperback at £7.99. though if you follow this link http://www.amazon.co.uk/mn/search/?tag=bookworms05-21&link_code=wsw&search-alias=aps&field-keywords=zigzag&Submit.x=8&Submit.y=6&rd=1 you can buy the book at a special discounted Amazon price of £4.55.

Monday, 7 November 2011

Weight Loss, the Essential Guide

This is another of the highly approachable and easy to use Need 2 Know books. It is written by Sara Kirkham who is not a guru of a weird fads celeb diet. Sara is a genuine nutritionist who lectures and writes on nutrition, so her book is a breath of very fresh air.

No fads, no fantasies, no fallacies, this book is the real deal if you really do want to lose weight in a sensible, structured and safe way.

She provides commonsense ways to reduce your calorific intake, tells you why control of portion size is so vital, tells you how to get past or beyond the weight loss plateau and how to measure your progress.

The book contains some enticing recipes that will help you reduce your weight as part of a calorie controlled diet, which is, of course, exactly where this book comes in!

Sara also provides tips on how to create shopping lists that will help you in your battle of the bulge, how to keep a food diary and why this can be so important.


The book also has a wealth of hints, tips and information and also some references to some other books that might be of help for the aspiring dieter and some information on some groups that could  be useful. There's also a wealth of websites for you to browse at your leisure.


The book is in paperback and costs £9.99, the ISBN is 978-1-86144-090-7

No Time for Theory? New book explore simple stratergies for influence

With the ability to influence others in the world of business becoming increasingly vital, the launch of Advocates & Enemies: How to build practical strategies to influence your stakeholders (www.advocatesandenemies.com/pr) is a must have read for anyone wanting to succeed and build powerful relationships that really work.

With 77% of respondents of a recent survey admitting finding it difficult to influence individuals, 74% struggling with groups, and most reporting networking as their biggest deficiency when it comes to influence, Advocates & Enemies could hold the key to change.

Packed full of simple and practical ideas, this easy read book is less about theoretical concepts and more focussed on looking ataccelerating progress so achievements and goals are met, and met quickly. It’s all about people using their influencing skills in simple ways in order to succeed.

Colin Gautrey, author of Advocates & Enemies, said, “The approach I’ve developed over the years and now explored in my third book, is a simple process of focusing on a specific objective; identifying who can help or hinder your achievement and then analysing them in terms of a. their agreement with your goal and b. the quality of the relationship you have with them”.

He added, “The book is perfect for anyone who is too busy to read lots of theory and wants to get on and develop a strategy for achieving goals and building strong networks – fast! In many ways people are generally quite good at building relationships but falter when it comes to focusing where it matters most – with key stakeholders. They also seem to struggle when it comes to getting out there with people they don’t know very well. Advocates & Enemies can help them change this so they can create stronger business relationships that really perform”.

Damian Hughes, author of Liquid Thinking, added: "This is a book which contains some simple yet profound truths about our ability to persuade and influence others. It is an important book and its impact should be immense.”

For more information visit: http://www.advocatesandenemies.com/pr

Sunday, 6 November 2011

Surfing, the Essential Guide

Surfing, the Essential Guide is a new book out in paperback from Need 2 Know Books. It is written by an expert surfer, Kathryn Dawes.

It's not a book aimed at the Californian surfers -as most books seem to be- it is aimed at people in the United Kingdom who have aspirations to become surfing experts, themselves!

There's nothing wrong with books aimed at the surfers of California or Australia or Hawaii, it's just that because surfing is a little different in the British Isles, a book aimed primarily at the United Kingdom market makes a good deal of sense.

Kathryn is not only an expert surfer, she is something of an educator, too. She tells you what you need to know about surfing, the best equipment to buy, depending on your budget, the best clothing, where the best surfing sites are in the British Isles, where you should surf and also places where a neophyte should avoid unitl they have a bit more surfing experience under their belt.

Kathryn addresses her readership as equals. As equals who might need to learn, but as equals, nevertheless. She does not talk down to her readers, which is not always the case with some surfing experts.

Kathryn tells you how and why waves work, safety, your first steps, the basic and easier manoeuvres and moves you will want to try, what equipment is available what you could or should not try at first, surfing in the United Kingdom, Europe and further afield for when you are a little more experienced. She also gives you tips on surf fitness and health and on surf culture, so you will be spared any embarrassing errors!

At only £9.99 this book is a must have Christmas present for every new surfer and perhaps for some more experienced surfers, too! ISBN 978-1-86144-106-5.

Friday, 4 November 2011

Embezzled Love

That's Books Loved this video promo so much that we decided to run it on That's Books!