Bad Winners

And the winners of the recent Bad Girls giveaway are....(drum roll)....

Nicky from Exeter
Kath from Hull
Sophie from Southwick
Susan from Brightwell
Jen from Bidborough
Bella from Swindon
Natalie from Chester
Suzanne from Leek
Laura from London
and Donna from Edinburgh

Your shiny books will be in the post in time for you to enjoy over the wet and windy Bank Holiday weekend. Don't forget to post a review on every possible web site going, Twitter it, Facebook it, and if you blog, blog it!!

More giveaways and comps coming soon...

To all you sniffers and sneezers, coughers and splutterers. You ear diggers and nose pickers, groin huggers and armpit scratchers. All you eye rubbers and spot squeezers. You nail bitters and hair pullers. All you fidgetters and elbow rammers. For the love of God. STOP DOING IT IN PUBLIC. WE CAN SEE YOU.

The Transworld Summer Reading Challenge

OK, OK, so Summer might be well and truly over, but I've just signed up to take part in this bad boy which looks like a work of pure marketing genius!

I think I've got a month left to read and review four books from the list, so I'm going for:

2. Matters of the Heart by Danielle Steel
6. Forbidden Pleasures by Jo Rees
12. After You by Julie Buxbaum
14. The Wish by Sasha Blake

Wish me speedy reading skills like I've never had before!

As ever, I’m late to the party that is Lost Dogs and Lonely Hearts , winner of the Romantic Novel of the Year award 2010. Published by Hodder back in 2009, it’s been sitting on my shelf, waiting to be picked up, looking almost as sad and lonely as the poor old abandoned mutts that feature heavily in the story itself.

I’m not a huge dog fan, nor have ever had an overwhelming desire to have kids, and both subjects feature heavily in the book, but that’s not to say I felt detached in any way, as its incredibly touching and sad. An overwhelmingly heartwarming story, I can completely see how it won this year – and will be looking out for the new book by Lucy Dillon this Christmas; Walking Back to Happiness (great title!).

Oooh, and the package is beautiful. There is a touch of the Harriet Evans about it. Just enough sparkle, not too girly for an old bird like me.

Grangewood School Family Fun Day

On Saturday September 11th I will be helping out at the Grangewood School Family Fun Day – I hear talk of face painting, bouncy castles, arts & crafts, mini farms, rides, games, a plethora of food and drink and a Soccer School… and I’ll be manning a book sale stall!

I’m also pleased to report that star of TV and books, the wonderful Olivia will also be making an appearance. There will be a story corner reading by yours truly, some goody bags with books, finger puppets and activity sheets and the opportunity to hug and hold the most gorgeous weird pig lady character going.

The Fun Day is being organised by the Kai Phillips Trust to raise money for Grangewood School in Pinner, and is being held at Coteford School (which shares its grounds with Grangewood) from 12noon – 4pm. Grangewood School is trying to raise funds to build an adventure playground in the woodland area of the school, and all money raised at the Fun Day will go directly towards the project.

Come, donate, sponsor…. hear me read, buy some books, hug Olivia.

The Mother and I took ourselves off to Borough Market yesterday afternoon to gorge ourselves on some rather splendid French cheese; and then a bumper evening of leg flicking and swarthy dudes at Sadlers Wells new show Tanguera which is kind of like an extended hour and a half Strictly Come Dancing - without dodgery old Brucie. Watch a clip here and then tell me you don't wish you could do that!

Chris Dagley - 23rd June 1971-28th July 2010

My Uncle B sent me some post which arrived today. It contained a note, and a couple of local newspaper clippings, relating to the tragic recent death of Chris Dagley, a drummer who Uncle B, my Dad and I used to watch and listen to many years ago when he played with NYJO.

Chris was an amazing musician, with a rare talent - a grin that could light up a room and passion for jazz that completely blew my mind.

I spend many happy Sundays with a bag of nuts and a diet coke at Ruislip Jazz Club, with Dad on one side, nodding his head and tapping his feet and Uncle B on the other supping a beer and reading the papers listening to the belting solo's performed by Chris and a flutist called Lisa, who used to break my heart with her rendition of Somewhere...

I didn't know Chris personally, but my thoughts are with his friends and family.

Here is a quick link to a Chris solo ...enjoy.

Loads of good sex AND a fairytale happy ending!

Bad Girls is quite literally fabulous. Lots of sex scenes (none that make you cringe), lots of fab stereotypical "straight outta the pages of Heat magazine" characters that cross all the boxes (a lap dancer, an A list hollywood hunk, a fading supermodel and a generic wanna be IT girl, famous for nothing more than weird style and falling out of taxi's and into clubs)and a surprisingly touching fairytale (of sorts) ending for all involved. Rebecca Chance has written a sizzling story here - and if you haven't already had your Summer holiday, grab yourself a copy of this rather glossy Clit Lit and indulge your inner trash.

Bad Girls Giveaway

Those lovely people at New Work have offered readers of Fat Girl on the Run not one, not two, but five brand spanking new copies of Bad Girls, the follow up to Diva’s from Rebecca Chance, for a mini giveaway.

No multiple choice, no answers on a postcard required. Just pop an email to comps@simonandschuster.co.uk. Winners will be chosen at random from all entries, competition open to UK residents only please. You have till noon Friday 13th August to enter. Go on, you know you want to.

Why not have a little click here to see Rebecca Chance sip a cocktail and chit chat about the book. And yes, she is that fabulous in real life too.