*Collaborative Post. These days, thanks to things like self publishing, it is possible to launch your own book even without going through the steps of getting an agent and a publisher. This means that lots more people try writing their own books, because there isn’t the same risk that the book you worked so hard on will never see the light of day. Whether you…

There are never enough hours in the day or days in the week to get everything done. The bare essentials may make it through but looking after us often ends up at the bottom of the list. It’s crazy – because looking after ourselves saves time in the long term, as we are able to function more efficiently and less likely to succumb to illness…

This year I’m on the quest to head to 12 gigs and go on 12 trips. Here’s the list so far: Gigs: City & Color Funeral for a Friend Enter Shikari The Used Justin Bieber Funeral for a Friend The Used Simple Plan The Cure Simply Red Placebo Moose Blood Bring Me The Horizon Alamode Black Foxxes So that’s 15 gigs, so I will have…

As you may remember before I headed off to Glasto I shared a little snippet of what I was packing in my huge camping bag, and I thought it’d be nice to share with you what I actually used from that post. There were bits we couldn’t have lived without and bits that we didn’t use as expected! From the lovely pack that Lifeventures sent…

Are you a proud Essex girl/guy? Or are you just a fan of the infamous county… if so, show us your Essex! We all spend so much of our lives snapping away so I’ve found a little something you can do with all of those photographs stashed away on hard drives, SD Cards and mobile phone storage! The Essence of Essex is a photography competition…

Enjoy your lunch even more with this Parma Ham French Toast! Serves 2 Ingredients: 4 slices wholemeal or seeded bread 1 egg 1 ½ tbsp milk 1 tsp wholegrain mustard Two knobs of butter 1 pear, sliced ½ tbsp balsamic vinegar 100g brie, sliced 6 slices Parma Ham Salt and cracked black pepper Method: Combine the egg, milk and wholegrain mustard and season with a little salt…

I’m Jane, and ordinarily, you can find me over at Is That You Darling. Though my blogging has been sporadic of late, I always find time in my schedule to blog about my love of books and reading, and in recent months, my blog seems to have gone from being a lifestyle blog with a focus on the bookish side of life, to a bookish…

With safety concerns restricting some of Britain’s most popular summer destinations, such as Turkey and Egypt, travellers still planning to head abroad during the summer months may find accommodation in resort at a premium.  The world’s leading global hotel price comparison website and mobile app, HotelsCombined, has shared the following tips to help travellers get the best deals when searching for accommodation this season, plus…