Welcome to my second Year of Good Deeds, a challenge I set myself during April 2013. I decided to do at least one Good Deed a day for a whole year.
During my week I’ll also being updating you on My Kindness Challenge which I’m also doing. I read about a new challenge to make the world a better place to live in. “Speak Kind Words, Receive Kind Echoes” see the inspiration on The Kindness blog . During my learning process I’m donating money to charity for my slip-ups to make me work harder to achieve results. I earn no money from any of my book reviews, so having little to spare should focus my mind.
This week I’ve been doing the following;
June 29th – Just sorting out the book and readers for the challenge as we head to the last day of posts. Trying to get at least one reader for every book.
June 30th – My morning helping at school, and a final push for the book review challenge. Posting out lists of readers to authors.
July 1st – So just when you thought you could pause for breath, I thought I’d launch a Book Review Team to help authors reach a wider audience. A relaxed team, free of charge to join with the importance being writing and posting those reviews. For more details click on the rose widget on my sidebar. Just sorting out finer details now but we already have lots of interest from both authors and readers.
Online issues of Fleet Life and Elvetham Heath Directory went out today.
July 2nd – Book reviews are coming in from readers who took up my book review challenge already, there are some speedy readers out there. I’m posting them on my blog as they come in. Went over to my Mum’s and fed her 3 week old chicks at lunchtime as they were out. Was chief navigator and tour guide to friends as we went out to a countryside pub for a meal. Put an extra tip in the restaurant bill to cover any trip ups in my Kindness challenge.
July 3rd – Dashed to the supermarket to do the weekly shop, picked up litter in the car park and bought some cereal to go in their Charity Food Bank collection. Just about to launch the first Rosie’s Book Review Team booklist.
A long evening walk and more litter picking.
July 4th – The first book review from my new Book Review Team has come in already, I will be posting Dani’s Review today as you are reading this (Sunday). Back to Friday, went out for a walk to check out a closed footpath and picked up litter along the way.
July 5th – Added another book to the Book Review Teams’ list. Any one who would like to join can check out the link http://wp.me/P2Eu3u-5qu. I’m in a whirl wind of admin collating books, book reviews, guest author pieces, adding books to the Book Review Team list and reviewers to another. I’m sending book review requests to authors and drafting up lots of book review posts. It all seems really popular to thank you everyone for all your support.
Sent out details of children’s books I’ve read to a student who is looking to do a project on children’s books over the summer.
It’s that time of month again when my book reviews are published in the two magazines that I write for. This month’s Fleet Life has my reviews on Page 6. For an on-line version go to http://www.fleetlife.org.uk click on the online directory and once its loaded turn to page 6.
Welcome to my second Year of Good Deeds, a challenge I set myself during April 2013. I decided to do at least one Good Deed a day for a whole year.
During my week I’ll also being updating you on My Kindness Challenge which I’m also doing. I read about a new challenge to make the world a better place to live in. “Speak Kind Words, Receive Kind Echoes” see the inspiration on The Kindness blog . During my learning process I’m donating money to charity for my slip-ups to make me work harder to achieve results. I earn no money from any of my book reviews, so having little to spare should focus my mind.
This week I’ve been doing the following;
June 22nd – Last night we went to the 25th Wedding Anniversary of dear friends. It stirred up so many past memories, they’ve been churning in my mind all night, bringing more and more names from the past that I haven’t thought about for several years. So first thing, I wrote a long Thank you e-mail to my friends and added all those names we couldn’t remember last evening and added our love and wishes for another 25 happy years of marriage.
People are signing up for the Book review Challenge, it’s marvellous the support I’m getting.
Good Deeds received, had a e-mail this morning from a computer wiz who inputs all data that moves at the cricket matches our son plays in. Our son’s a bowler and bats very low down in the order, often not batting at all, but yesterday he got to bat and scored a very handsome 21 runs. The e-mail contains all the data of both his batting and bowling, every ball bowled or faced and a fancy wagon wheel diagram of just where he hit those balls to. I just know he’s going to be over the moon when he gets up and will spend hours over the information. He’s a stats boy and it’s all stored away in his brain ready for the next game.
Another Good Deed received, this morning I’m a guest over with Seumas Gallacher
June 23rd – My morning helping out at school, listening to the young ones reading. Good Deeds received; I’m a guest on Lizzie Lamb’s blog this morning. A Woman’s Wisdom has done a lovely post to help promote the Book review Challenge and people all over the world are working their butt’s off to help spread the news and prepare post pieces and get books ready to send out to readers. BIG THANKS to everyone.
June 24th – A day of challenges today. I’m thrilled with all the support I’ve got for the Book review Challenge. I had to work this morning so when I got home at lunchtime I was eager to get back on the computer to keep on top of all the mail. Blah! The internet was down! So I looked at the opportunities this gave me, a quick lunch and out to the supermarket for bread and milk hoping the internet would be back up and running when I got home. No luck, phoned the supplier to get a message that it could be another 7 hours. 7 hours without the internet this gal can’t have that. Rang my Mum, “I’m coming over I need your computer”. Dashed over taking a few things with me that needed dropping off and managed to get on-line and get through all the mail and social media that needed attention. Phew!
Back home and we have internet for another 2 hours before it breaks down again in the middle of the England World Cup match (we have cable TV) So my son’s mad and I’m chucked off the internet again. I’m adding money to my Kindness pot like a slot machine as very unkind words escape my mouth. Wait patiently! ha ha. Phone the provider again, they do love a joke! Internet may be off for another 6 hours! Do they realise the significance of (Rosie Amber being off of the internet? Oops!) The England match? Back on after a couple of hours, missed most of an uneventful game of football, but made it just in time to see England beaten at the cricket. There’s quite a lot of gloom looming over this house.
Can’t wait for the Book review Challenge to start tomorrow, there are so many people helping out all doing Good deeds to help promote and support it, that the love is spreading.
June 25th – Day 1 of the book review challenge. I’m also trying to sort out a night out for a group of friends, so it’s a round of e-mails to check everyone’s availability.Phew! What a busy day on the blog. Still need more people to read and review the books, but lots of kind comments about the post.
Day 2 of the book review challenge and we are joined by Bodicia from A Woman’s Wisdom and later in the post we discuss, Non-fiction reviews.
Just got back from the weekly Tesco supermarket shop to re-fill the cupboards for the hungry hoards. Got chatting to the lady on the checkout about a fellow worker who had suddenly died a few weeks ago. A much loved co-worker he also played a big role in the running club that my oldest child belongs to. She’s involved in an athletics project at the club and the group of the athletes are getting together to organise a competition event and they intend to make call it The John Hewitt memorable. Apparently John was always whistling “Always look on the bright side of life” by Eric Idle which was originally featured in the Monty Python film “The Life of Brian.” The song has been in my head playing since I left the supermarket and it brings a smile to my face. I’ll suggest to the group that the local Tesco might be happy to provide some sponsorship for the event.
Enjoy this clip from the 2012 Olympics (Eric begins after a couple of minutes, it brought back lots of fun and should make you all smile)
Life really is for living isn’t it? Got completely lost in youtube videos of the Olympics after I’d researched the Eric Idle video for you all. I’d forgotten the way that Britain pulled together and got behind the whole Olympic dream. I watched a couple of more clips; the Mr Bean one to The Chariots of Fire theme tune and the Queen’s arrival at the Olympic Stadium with oo7 James Bond, such showmanship. Thne I just had to watch the clip from The Life of Brian and the original “Always look on the bright side of life” song, just so funny!
June 27th – Posted a book review for Susan Scott’s book on Goodreads and Amazon In Praise Of Lilith, Eve And The Serpent In The Garden Of Eden And Other Stories . Day 3 of the Book review challenge and we heard from author Terry Tyler on the importance of book reviews, we looked at Goodreads and I talked about writing bad book reviews.
Went for a walk and picked up litter, my walk took me along the canal, there was so much litter, a dead pigeon, a dead fish, a rat crossing my path. Smells of dog excrement (Bags of it left for others to pick up – I do draw the line there) and rotting rubbish spoiled my enjoyment of the nature.
Sent a long over-due e-mail to a friend in Australia.
June 28th – Day 4 of my book review challenge and today we heard from fellow book reviewer Diane Coto, I gave an overview of Shelfari and I wrote piece about going deeply into a book review.
E-mailed a friend to check on her daughter’s twisted ankle.
Think I need a rest, anyone else exhausted just reading this? Go and watch that video for a few minutes then.
Today is letter D on the A to Z Challenge. My book today is “Derek’s Revenge” by Mac Black, Third book in the Derek Series. Genre: Adult Humour
Let’s meet Derek, he currently works as a newspaper reporter, but his life’s ambition is to write a best selling book.
Name: Derek Toozlethwaite.
Objective: To write a factual best seller.
At long last a great idea for the book – about a rock band that made the big-time in the USA.
RABID REVENGE – and they came from Newingsworth UK – his town!
In the USA they made their name,
Top gee-tar-ists in the ‘Hall of Fame’
Wow, they’re celebs – from Derek’s town.
Trust TOOZLETHWAITE
He’ll track them down.
They’ve had their glory
Their time at the top
They’re older now,
They’ve had to stop.
Rabid Revenge – rockers, acting tough
But they’ve made their money,
They’ve had enough.
Will he let them settle? He will not!
There’s a book to be written!
And DEREK’S …hot!
Read about his escapades, if you dare, and become a ‘Derek’ fan…
Derek Toozlethwaite’ series:
Please…Call me Derek. Derek travels from child to confused adult, from reporter for the local paper to any job available, doing everything he thinks he should, but doing it his way. Pursuing life and employment leads Derek to fling himself into the sort of sticky situations he won’t want to have to explain to his friends or his family. With determination, gritting his teeth, doing everything for the best, how could anything go wrong.
Derek’s in Trouble. As funny as ever and as unlucky as always, Derek is going through another unexpected crisis in his life. A local reporter with the partner of his dreams, his life is all set to be perfect. So, how will he explain his foray out in his wife’s dress? Then, there’s the leggy lady intent on making a lasting impression …on top of that, there are everyone else’s problems to sort. Is his Gran, the secret Radio agony aunt, capable of helping anyone?
Derek’s Revenge. Derek has not had much success getting his first great novel started – in fact, the research it requires has nearly cost him his marriage and ruined several pairs of his wife’s tights. All he needs is a better topic, maybe he should be writing non-fiction, he is a journalist, after all… As is normal for Derek, things go pretty rapidly and hilariously downhill from there!
Derek’s Good Relations. Relations and Relationships – poor Derek has far too many of both – he has a book to write – a mother he has only just met – a wife about to give birth and a poodle who hates him. Life had been so different a year and a half ago. Back then it had been a life before ET and Mom and a heap of other people interfering with his good intentions.
Derek’s in Trouble is the second book in the Derek series of witty humorous tales about newspaper reporter Derek Toozlethwaite. Derek is surrounded by a cast of delightful characters who add to the chaos and calamity which is Derek’s life.
The book opens with recently married Derek caught dressing up in his wife’s clothes as part of research for a newspaper article. However wife Sally doesn’t see the funny side of her best pair of shoes being ruined and takes off to stay with her parents while her temper cools down.
Meanwhile there is so much else going on; Derek’s Granny gets a secret slot on the local radio as Granny Wisdom. Poor Hamish Macintosh is forced to sell up his farm. Aunt Thelma wants a motorbike and the lovely Sophie Clerkenwell-Brown wants to sign up the author of The Big Squeak, the mysterious Ivy Bloom. Then there are Arthur and Charlie, gardeners who are training for the Marathon and looking for sponsors and finally what is growing on Hamish’s old farm now being run by Tipsicorus International?
Just how much trouble can one man get himself into? You will have to read it and see, and like me, become a fan of Derek.
Come back and find out more about the Derek series in my April A to Z Challenge. Mac Black’s books will be featured on Friday 4th April.
Welcome to my weekly roundup of my year long challenge to do one Good deed a day for a year. This challenge began back in April 2013 and is still going strong. My inspiration came from reading “A Year of Doing Good” by Judith O’Reilly. Here is what I’ve been up to this week.
February 24th – The children are back at school today, so my Good Deed is ticked off with a morning helping out at school. Good Deed received; Mac Black’s book Derek’s In trouble arrived in the post today, can’t wait to get started on it.
February 25th – Have had a great 2 days on the blog giving and receiving Good Deeds. It started on Monday when I posted my review of Red Clay and Roses by S.K.Nichollshttp://wp.me/p2Eu3u-4Ge and went on to today with her taking part as our guest author. http://wp.me/p2Eu3u-4Hp I have had so much positive feedback about the review and the interview it has been lovely. On top of that I’ve helped spread the word about the book far and wide and I know it has lead to some readers buying the book. Finished another book today, this one was part of the new HarlequinE box set Shivers books, Legacy of Darkness by Jane Godman. My review and author interview will be posted here on the blog at the end of March.
February 26th – Have just written a book review for Sarah’s Survival Guide, it will appear on the blog later in March, started my next book Saving Our Pennys by Roy Dimond and Jeff Leitch. Just 5 letters to fill in my A to Z challenge, 2 of which I have authors interested in, but just need their confirmation.
February 27th – Having just finished reading Saving Our Pennys by Roy Dimond and Jeff Leitch. I needed to get out in to the sunshine and spend some time reflecting on the lessons I had learnt from the book. Do you ever read something that really makes to stop and think? So off I went for a walk, I like to leave all technology behind when I go out like this and just be at peace. Picked up litter along my route. Good Deeds received: Had virtual coffee with a blogging friend and she helped me out on a few technical issues.
March 1st – Have been feeling guilty, guilt is bad! I have contacted several authors about taking part in my A to Z challenge, lots of them have been wonderful and sent me back information quickly and efficiently. I had an author I had contacted by Twitter back in January who said yes, then when I sent out more messages they just got re-tweeted instead of read and replied. I’ve since let another author have the slot and the first one RT’s many of my daily tweets, but lost his chance. Today I sent him an apology by tweet. What else can I do?
Finished and reviewed Mac Black’s book Derek’s In trouble and the lovely Mac has offered to send me the third book in the series. There were so many great characters continuing the mayhem in Derek’s life, I’m still chuckling now remembering Granny Wisdom in her wheelie bin and 4 drunken men trying to climb over a high wired fence in the middle of the night. The afternoon was lovely and sunny and I spent it in the garden, a small good deed involved weeding the shared garden pathway.
Filled another letter on my A to Z challenge. Just letters Q and X to find books for, am hoping authors of the letters U and Y will send me the details I need this week. It’s been a good week.
Book reviewer and garden enthusiast. Updates from my Hampshire garden. Usually talking about books and plants. People do not forget books or flowers that touch them or excite them—they recommend them.
Everything I know about gardening I've learnt from a combination of my mum, Carol Klein and Monty Don. My garden is a tiny 2x3m yard requiring a lot of TLC...
During my week I’ll also being updating you on My Kindness Challenge which I’m also doing. I read about a new challenge to make the world a better place to live in. “Speak Kind Words, Receive Kind Echoes” see the inspiration on The Kindness blog . During my learning process I’m donating money to charity for my slip-ups to make me work harder to achieve results. I earn no money from any of my book reviews, so having little to spare should focus my mind.
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Rosie Amber 