I’m very late to the One Day party. But am so glad I came.

Going off-genre is always a risky business for me. My default setting screams “NO!” whenever someone tries to get me to read something that doesn’t have a sparkly pink cover and doesn’t fall neatly into a chick lit theme. But some very persuasive colleagues and chums, who’s opinions I trust immensely, told me One Day would leave me breathless, and quite frankly, they weren’t far wrong.

Obviously it’s a beautiful love story. Em and Dex were bought completely to life, and the impending sense of doom cranked up with just enough sensitivity that even though I know I was being played, I loved every minute of it. I’m delighted that Dex remained a selfish twat even in grief and even though I take issue with a few flaws in Em, I could completely see why she loved him to the bitterest of ends.

However, and here’s my thing. One Day is actually completely on-genre. Just cause it’s written by a man, and just cause it doesn’t have a pink cover, it completely centres around a couple, in love, and the obstacles stopping them being together. It's brilliantly written and all that, but I wonder, in a cynical raised eyebrow way, whether if it had had a pink cover, and been written by a women, the great and the good of the book critic world would have heaped just as much praise on it.

The Best of Times, the Worst of Times

It's been an interesting year. When I say interesting…

I turned 40. I had The Shoulder. The circle became a square. I had to adjust to the loss of Group Sales Director, UK Sales Director, and Special Sales Manager. And I've had to adjust to the new Big Cheese, the new Medium Cheese and the new Mini Cheddar. We had the Car Accident. I fell off the non-smoking wagon. I’ve now got The Eye.

Sometimes, it does feel like a very steep uphill struggle…

Go to the pub

I’ve never been a fan of cider. It’s just a bit too student for me.

However, I have been converted having supped on a dimpled tankard (or two) of Rekorderlig Winter Cider at the weekend. Yummy.

Buy and Listen... Listen and Buy

If you haven’t already taken yourself off to the shops and bought your copy of Why DO We Have to Live With Men? then quite frankly, you’re dead to me.

However, if you won’t take my word for it (that it’s brilliant, and funny, and a MUST HAVE read) – why not have a quick listen to Bernie on the radio and you will hear for yourself why I love her.

And the winners of the Bundles give away are… Vita in Whitchurch, Helen in Bideford, Karen in Luton, Chris in Battersea, Tracey in Swansea, Beverley in Ilkeston, Suzanne in Leek, Pamela in Ryde and Caroline in North Waltham. The next lot of rules are even simpler than the last ones... Receive. Read. Review.

The Beach Hut

My only criticism of The Beach Hut is that, given my rather goldfish like brain these days, I thought there were perhaps just one or two too many characters to keep track of. Now, I know that each character was absolutely beautifully written, lots of back story, well rounded, you know, everything you want from your main players – but – I did kind of struggle to keep on top of it. Other than that – it's gorgeous. You really feel a nostalgic sense of the Great British Seaside, sandcastles, Fab lollies, almost but not quite, ginger beer and cucumber sandwiches. But the story has much more. Teenage angst. Unrequited love. A funeral. Infidelity. A wedding. Adoption. Redundancy. You’ve got everything you could ever want in there. Some happy endings, some rather sad endings, some hopeful endings, and actually - a few stories that didn't have a full stop at the end of them at all, which I found quite intriguing. I’ve loved Veronica since Love on the Rocks back in 2006, but I think I might have missed Just a Family Affair and Marriage and Other Games in a haze of other books on my reading list…so will be updating my amazon wish list immediately.

Bundles!

We are having a clear out.

As such I have a box full to bursting point of gorgeous new books that I'm going to bundle up together and offer out. To you.

Each bundle (of which there are 7) will have a hardback Jackie Collins and then a couple of paperbacks... you might get a Colette Caddle, Milly Johnson and Jennifer Weiner. It might be an Adriana Trigiani, Paige Toon and Jane Costello...it's that random, even I don't know yet.

And if your name (or the name of a close friend who's deserves a personally signed copy of a book) is Diane, then you (or they) are in for a rather marvellous treat!

So, what do you have to do?

Not much actually, just pop an email to comps@simonandschuster.co.uk with the words FAT GIRL ON THE RUN BUNDLES in the header. The seven winners will be chosen at random from all entries, competition open to UK residents only please. You have till noon Friday 22nd October to enter. Go on, treat yourself.

Things Wot I like....Part 2.

The new No 7 nail varnish in Beanie.



The new competition running on the Simon & Schuster website to win a Project D frock to celebrate the launch of Dannii.

The rather marvellous cupcakes Crumbs & Doilies did for me to celebrate Jennifer Weiner.


The crisp, cold, bright and sunny morning.

Things Wot I Like...Part 1.

Card Factory. Oh Shut Up! I know, I know, it's chav city, but in today's fiscally turbulent times, who can argue with 7 pretty decent greetings cards for £1. That barely covers a Happy Meal these days, so what's not to like?

M&S Iced Spiced buns. You can either buy a single bun. Or a pack of two - one for now, one for later. Guess which pack I buy? Go on, guess!

The Book of Tomorrow by Cecelia Ahern. A beautiful finish on the paperback, and a continuation of the Team Ahern branding makes for a great package. Another magical, slightly bizarre story - after spoilt and stroppy Tamara Goodwin discovers her father dead on the floor on his study, her life falls apart. Forced to move from her huge fancy mansion to her aunt and uncle's gatehouse cottage in the country things start getting weirder and weirder when... actually, no, I'm going to leave it there. It's all rather strange, but ultimately rather fabulous, so grab a copy from Amazon today, on special offer at £3.99. Bargain.

The new series of The Apprentice, tonight 9pm on BBC1. Can. Not. Wait. To. Ridicule.

After just one too many bottles of champagne than is wise on a school night, I discovered that behind my back and without my knowledge, Bernie has relaunched her website and has been blogging away, la la la, on a regular basis.

My life is more complete. She's just so damn funny. Happy reading, happy Friday.

It's been a long time...

...since I last posted.

We'd booked a week off work cause we were knackered! We were going to do a bit of this and a bit of that. Some day's out, some Wii, some sitting on the sofa watching rubbish on the box. And to cut a long story short - day two into the week, some complete twat drove into the back of us, resulting in some excruciating whiplash and our car being written off.

Suffice to say, the mood in the Virtue household was somewhat sombre and stiff for the rest of the holiday - and has only marginally improved now to be honest!

But then today I took myself off to a wee school in Pinner to help out at a charity fun day by selling one or two books.

I took along the worlds favourite pig - Olivia - for a hug and a story, the rather suave Lamb double act opened the fair, and a jolly time was had by all. Look.

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.