Susie, Author at Allison & Busby

Shall thy listen to the rules of marketing?

19 August, 2009

I recently ordered a copy of Darcy Bussell’s Pilates for Life DVD off Amazon. (This is my attempt to keep fit now that I have temporarily frozen my gym membership – simultaneously contributing to Fitness First’s loss in earnings as reported in the papers this week.) Anyway, the DVD arrived in the post and enclosed […]

Flashback to a favourite read

18 August, 2009

Today I had a wonderful flashback. My Favourite Books blogger posted a lovely review of one of our titles, The Secret History of the Pink Carnation, by Lauren Willig. There, at the end of the review she likens the book to Anthony Hope’s The Prisoner of Zenda – and there it was, the sudden rehashing […]

The lesser known Wimbledon championships

14 August, 2009

Yesterday I trekked up to Finsbury Park to watch my other-half run a 10K Charity Race for The Stroke Association. He came third. Me so proud. He was however beaten by a girl. He not so proud. Anyway…inspired by his efforts and the good cheer at the event, I looked into seeing if there were […]

Anyone fancy a half-price trip to the Maldives?

12 August, 2009

I have always wanted to come across an amazing travel deal, out of the blue, and then throw caution to the wind and book it right then and there – a kind of romantic and extravagant act of spontaneity. Nothing however has quite appealed enough to warrant that kind of action. But today I received […]

Thumbs up for Duet for One

11 August, 2009

I am more of a film-buff than a play-enthusiast but the other week I had the pleasure of being treated to a night in the West End to watch Duet for One with Juliet Stevenson and Henry Goodman. I have to say that I wasn’t exactly anticipating a riveting night – the entire play revolves […]

A Big Yum for Dim Sum at Yauatcha

5 August, 2009

(This is why I am not employed as a writer for tabloid headlines…) Last night I went for dinner at Yauatcha – a dim sum restaurant in Soho (on the corner of Berwick St and Broadwick St). I’d never been before but can now recommend it to anyone who loves dim sum. The selection to […]

Think of life as a mayo jar & two beers

4 August, 2009

I tend to be quick on the delete button when I read most of the chain FW: emails that land in my inbox – usually a bit cringe-worthy in their feel-good or holier-than-thou ness. You know the ones: “Good friends are ones who listen when you cry, Good friends are etc…”, peace to the world […]

I heart Google Analytics

29 July, 2009

I have been working on website-related things and have spent some time understanding how to read Google Analytics which tracks the activity on our website. I was only recently introduced to this wonderful tool and it’s really quite fascinating. I would highly recommend that everyone with a website sign up to it. By looking at […]

Bid for an autumn bank holiday

27 July, 2009

I read in The Mirror today that the Work Secretary will announce plans which include the possibility of giving employees a new Bank Holiday to commemorate those who have been killed at their work place. It aims to make people more conscious about Health & Safety , and I have to admit the grim news […]

Butternut Squash Soup recipe (a good post-dentist meal)

23 July, 2009

Yesterday I went to the dentist and stupidly didn’t eat beforehand. I got home famished but too sore to chew. Solution? Leftover home-made butternut squash soup. It was so comforting a meal I feel the need to share the recipe here… Chiara’s Butternut Squash Soup 1 small butternut squash – peeled and chopped into small […]

My Sister’s Keeper movie – to see or not to see?

20 July, 2009

I’m about to finish reading My Sister’s Keeper, by Jodi Picoult. Not the most uplifting of books… in fact, reading it actually makes me feel anxious but I can’t bring myself to put it down – it is, without a doubt, captivating. So much of the reason it holds the reader is because each chapter is seen from the perspective […]

I chose the wrong job

15 July, 2009

I should have been a Computer Animator. How cool would it be to spend your working day creating something like this? (View with sound on.) My 10-month-year old nephew can just about stand up on his two little legs whilst holding precariously onto the coffee table – and we are so proud. If only I […]

Happy Green Britain Day!

10 July, 2009

Today is Green Britain Day – a day to get together to do one green thing for the planet. Can’t say it started off well for me. In the process of making my first cup of tea in the office this morning, I opened the cupboard and proceeded to get hit in the face by […]

This July it’s all about crime…

8 July, 2009

No, I’m not talking about knife-wielding hoodies – I’m talking about crime fiction. There’s a lot to look out for this month so here’s a list for all you crime-fiction fans out there… 1. This Friday 10th July – Sandi Toksvig will be investigating the mysterious lure of crime fiction on BBC TV’s The One […]

Flippin’ heck, free copy of Flipping Out (signed to you!) up for grabs

7 July, 2009

Flipping Out, the new book in the acclaimed Lomax and Biggs crime series by Marshall Karp is out now. It follows The Rabbit Factory and Bloodthirsty and if I had a pound for every critic, blogger and reader that has raved about these books, well, I’d have paid for a nice holiday in Bermuda by […]

The post-wimbledon slump

6 July, 2009

After past two weeks of Wimbledon-mania, today feels a bit – well, blah. For one, I’m still feeling a bit forlorn over the fact Roddick lost to Federer in the final. He SO deserved to win the match – for all of Federer’s talents, I do think he was lucky this time. Plus, even though […]

Photos from The Hidden Dance launch

3 July, 2009

I promised you I’d soon be posting some pictures from last week’s launch of The Hidden Dance, by British actress Susan Wooldridge at Hatchard’s. And what better day to do so than the day Susan graces the stage as Lady B in the new production of The Importance of Being Earnest – opening tonight (previews) […]

Happy Canada Day!

1 July, 2009

I have to admit I wouldn’t have known it was Canada Day were it not for all the tweets about it. But considering I’ve often been mistaken for a Canadian because of my mid-Atlantic accent (which comes from growing up in Europe with an American mother) I am taking the opportunity to spread the cheer […]

How I got to see Hewitt, Roddick and Murray yesterday…

30 June, 2009

I was not in the office yesterday. I was at Wimbledon. I made the executive decision to take the day off and together with my boyfriend, Anthony, I set off at noon on Sunday to camp out for tickets. When we arrived at the queue we knew we’d already missed out on Centre Court (only […]

A doubly memorable evening

26 June, 2009

Yesterday evening, we had the pleasure of celebrating the launch of actress Susan Wooldridge‘s debut novel The Hidden Dance at Hatchard’s. It was a wonderful and star-studded affair, and it was of course a special delight to be mingling with literary celebrities and marvellous actors I’ve watched on film and TV screens over the years. […]

Top Brit thriller writers touring UK airports

25 June, 2009

Just came back from a Publishing Publicity Circle (PPC) meeting with various editors from the Observer including Jane Ferguson on the Review, Oliver Marre on the Books Desk (standing in for Books Editor Will Skidelsky – where were you, Will? I was hoping to finally meet you in person), and Louise, editor of the Woman […]