Saturday Snapshot - August 18th

Saturday Snapshot is hosted by At Home With Books. To participate in the Saturday Snapshot meme post a photo that you (or a friend or family member) have taken then leave a direct link to your post in the Mister Linky below. Photos can be old or new, and be of any subject as long as they are clean and appropriate for all eyes to see. How much detail you give in the caption is entirely up to you. Please don’t post random photos that you find online.

Wow- August 18th... summer is really getting away from me now.. but that means it's nearly winter and christmas.. the end of the year is my favourite time of the year. 

This week has been not the best, I've been a little under the weather and speaking of weather, ours has been horrible.. so I spent the week working, feeling overly tired and not nearly doing as much healthy eating and exercise as I had been.. also I've had a painful wrist for a while now.. and work has been agony with it! 

however.. ending on a great note, as I mentioned last week.. I got my AS (half my two year college A-level) results on Thursday.. and I hadn't been worried all summer, or even that much on the way there.. (maybe because I really did try... I spent a solid month revising in my room basically haha) ...

Me and one of my friends were late, so it was a little hectic, and had to run to get our results.. that was fun in boots.. anyway.. so you curious? 

I was literally speechless, I mean I knew 3 of them would be like that because I had done most of it already.. but I really thought English would be a B.. which I guess would have been good.. but to finally be able to say 'I got straight A's' it was just amazing, the best I could get.. and I got it! I still can't believe it, I'm just so happy, and I hope to maintain those grades next year and add the stars to them! 

I spent the day with my friends, we we're a little childish in maccy's with balloons (which we tied to our wrists and took home with us in my friends LITTLE car.. and went shopping with.. I may or may not have walked past a Morrinson's staff guy and hit him in the face with the balloon..) this sweet little old worker in maccy's with a bowtie gave us a toy from happy meals to celebrate our results.. that was cute. (and yea I basically did eat junk all that day...)

Hope you have all had a lovely week and enjoy the weekend! See you next week! 

Saturday snapshot: August 11th

Saturday Snapshot is hosted by At Home With Books. To participate in the Saturday Snapshot meme post a photo that you (or a friend or family member) have taken then leave a direct link to your post in the Mister Linky below. Photos can be old or new, and be of any subject as long as they are clean and appropriate for all eyes to see. How much detail you give in the caption is entirely up to you. Please don’t post random photos that you find online.

Wow - Summer is really flying now! (specially since I'm working all the time)

I spend Monday through to Thursday running/working out in the morning then working at night and then on Friday I spend my day off with my friends playing badminton and swimming.

I actually don't have any new pictures from this week! So here's a few of my old photography snaps for you to look at. 

This shot is from a couple months ago now, I was just playing really, I think it portrays my love for healthy eating - which I am doing so well at now! 

And this is what my TBR pile looked like this time last year.. some of those are still in my TBR.. however there is no such thing as a 'pile' anymore.. more so stacks of them everywhere! 

And this is one of my favourite shots from my AS photography exam earlier in the year.. which I am getting my results for my first year of A-levels (half way there!) on Thursday.. so you'll be seeing a picture of those next week!

Today I am working both jobs.. from 8:30-2:30 and then the other one from 6-10 (or later if it's busy)... so lets hope I can survive it!

Hope you had a lovely week - with less work than me- and enjoy your weekend. (I really need to find time to read moreeeee!) 

Saturday Snapshot - August 4th

Saturday Snapshot is hosted by At Home With Books. To participate in the Saturday Snapshot meme post a photo that you (or a friend or family member) have taken then leave a direct link to your post in the Mister Linky below. Photos can be old or new, and be of any subject as long as they are clean and appropriate for all eyes to see. How much detail you give in the caption is entirely up to you. Please don’t post random photos that you find online.


This week I started my new job (so now I have two!). I make the desserts in a restaurant on a camp site near where I live, and I am enjoying it there, although it is like being in a sauna it's soooo hot! 


This is the shirt I wear, and I wear an apron on top: (all black, my parents say it's like I'm going to a funeral, but they also say I look slim in black so it's not entirely a bad thing and plus I like black clothing.) 

I had a night in with my friends, which somehow lead to a fight with whipped cream.. and me having multiple bruises from wrestling during that... (I may be small but I'm a fighter!) 


My poor arm, the photo doesn't even show the damage that much: 

Apart from the day with my friends where we ate BBQ stuff and junk basically, I've been doing well with eating healthy and working out! (determined to go back to college fit)

This was an extra yummy smoothie me and my mum threw together: 

Fresh Pineapple

Fresh ripe Mango

Coconut shreds

Crushed Ice

But really you can throw any fruits together in a blender and it tastes yummy, last week there were only scraps of fruit left and I used something like: A few frozen rasps, half a banana, half an avocado, half a nectarine and a slice of mango - and it was yummy! 


I just love experimenting with them to be honest, if any of you have any favourite smoothie recipes I would love to try them!


Hope everyone had a lovely week, lets hope the sun comes back soon, and enjoy your weekend!

The History Keepers by Damian Dibben - Extract One

Today is publication day for Damian Dibben’s fantastic follow up to The History Keepers, CIRCUS MAXIMUS.


Here he is reading an extract from the book! 




And this is part one of a Q&A with Damian Dibben himself!

Author interview with Shayne Leighton

Welcome to the blog Shayne Leighton author of The Vampires Daughter (Of Light and Darkness #1)

Could you tell us a little bit about yourself?

My name is Shayne and I love every aspect of storytelling - which is probably why I am involved in so many aspects of it. I love writing novels, and am especially in love with my Of Light and Darkness novels, but I am also developing the feature film adaptation of the novels as well as maintaining an up coming career in acting and singing as well. I have been in several independent films and am currently working on my first original album. I'm married to someone from the Czech Republic (where my novel takes place) and my favorite foods are eggrolls, olives, and iced tea. 

Did you always know you wanted to be an author?

I've been writing short stories since I was in the second grade. My favorite story was one I wrote in the fourth grade about what it would be like to live inside a bubble. My mother is a published poet, so I guess I've always known that I would love writing and storytelling - and that it would be something in my blood. 

When did you initially begin writing?

As early as I could spell (even when I couldn't) I was writing. :) I've always loved it. 

What was your inspiration for Of Light and Darkness?

My initial inspiration for the story came from one day when I was imagining my life as a fantasy. If I lived within a fantasy world, what would it be like? It was almost a fanfiction of my life, with a few elements skewed. I imagined everyone I knew and loved, and what kind of magical creature they would all be. I was inspired to form the characters first and the plot began to form itself later. 

Could you tell us a little about Of Light and Darkness?

Of Light and Darkness is a Gothic fairytale that takes place in Prague, Czech Republic, about a young girl raised by a Vampire. She is the only mortal who lives in this hidden, secret, magical city as she tries to survive among impossible things. It's kind of a cross between Interview With The Vampire and Harry Potter. 

Do you have any other novels and if so are they of the same kind of genre?

Of Light and Darkness is my debut novel. The next novel I am working on is the sequel to the first in this series. But I do have several other ideas including an alien novel and also a true story drama depicting my husbands life and his immigration process to America. 

Where can we find Of Light and Darkness?

Of Light and Darkness is available wherever books are sold including Amazon, iTunes, Barnes and Noble, and more. 

Where can we find you? (blog, twitter, ect..)

You can join my fanpage on facebook.com/ShayneLeighton, or on my twitter @ShayneLeighton, or by visiting my blog linked on my personal websitewww.ShayneLeighton.com

Is there anything else you would like to say? 

Thank you so much for this wonderful interview, and I look forward to hearing from some new readers! I always try to connect with all readers who have something to say about the book, so please don't hesitate to leave a comment or write an email. :) 

The Forsaken by Lisa M Stasse - Book Trailer

Saturday Snapshot - July 28th

Saturday Snapshot is hosted by At Home With Books. To participate in the Saturday Snapshot meme post a photo that you (or a friend or family member) have taken then leave a direct link to your post in the Mister Linky below. Photos can be old or new, and be of any subject as long as they are clean and appropriate for all eyes to see. How much detail you give in the caption is entirely up to you. Please don’t post random photos that you find online.


I had a real good week this week. As I live in Cornwall, England I live a five minute walk from the beach and it has been very sunny this week, I've felt like I'm on holiday! I spent the majority of the week at the beach, or sunbathing on the balcony/in the garden including an amazing day where all my friends came down and we played rounders and swam in the sea. Also I finally took my driving theory test and passed with 48/50 on the questions and 66/75 on the hazard perception - which I was really surprised as the man told me as I felt like I hadn't even passed! I've also started healthy eating and exercising regularly again *yay for determination* (though an injury to my knee means inside work outs and no jogging for the moment *sigh*).


Didn't take too many pictures this week... 

I've begun to make some yummy smoothies lately

The day before my theory, sunbathing and revising

As a result I tanned loads! (though I'm half Asian so...)

Ohh and did you notice I changed the design of the blog? Thought some summery colours were needed!


Hope everyone had a great week, enjoyed the weather and have a lovely weekend to come!