Tag Archives: books

About a truck… and a book

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Two contrasting interviews on this week’s show, with Tracey Greensmith and Fanny Blake both on the phone to the studio…

First up, it’s Tracey, who’ll be putting herself to the test later the same day in the kind of feat more often associated with the likes of Eddie Hall, Hafthor Bjornsson and Brian Shaw – for those of you who don’t share June’s passion for watching it, they were placed 1st, 2nd and 3rd respectively in the 2017 World’s Strongest Man competition!

Cheered on by her family, friends and colleagues, Tracey be giving it all she’s got as she attempts to pull an 8.5 tonne truck along a 30-metre course during a charity fun day in aid of the Alzheimer’s Society at Iceland Foods on London Road in Newark.

She’ll be sharing details of the activities taking place during the event, as well as telling June, Tina and Sue all about the  gruelling training programme she’s gone through in recent weeks to prepare for pulling that heavy load!

Then a very different  story – quite literally – in the second hour as Fanny talks about her brand new book, Our Summer Together…

A publisher for many years, editing both fiction and non-fiction before becoming a freelance journalist and writer, Fanny has written a number of novels, including With a Friend Like You and Women of a Dangerous Age – which sounds like one the Girls Around Town might well identify with, don’t you think?

The author of various non-fiction titles and ghost writer for a number of celebrities, she’s also Books Editor of Woman & Home magazine. In her latest novel, described by Nottinghamshire author Cathy Bramley as ‘a true celebration of love and life in all its forms; full of joy, hope and triumph’, she tells the tale of Caro who thought she knew everything about being a wife until her husband suddenly leaves her.

When a chance meeting on a train introduces her to Damir – younger, intriguing and attentive – she realises that opening up to a man so different from everyone else in her life might also mean getting to know who she really is and that maybe it’s never too late to start again…

Tune in or listen online between 10am and 12 noon to hear from both guests this Sunday, as the conversation moves from a truck to a book.

Newark Book Festival’s youngest published author

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It’s not unusual to hear someone say “One day I’m going to write a book”…

But how often do you hear an eight-year old say “I’m going to write a book this year” and actually make good on the promise? Well, if you were listening to the show this morning, you’ll have heard the Girls Around Town talking to Harriet Scrase-Hollamby, who said and did just that!

Now 12 years old – and soon to turn 13, as she was quick to point out! – Harriet was sitting with her mum making up stories and writing even before she started school. In January 2013, she told her parents she was going to write her first book that year – the result was Granny, Mummy and Me : Trouble at the Barn and it wasn’t long before the sequel, The Rescue, followed.

Illustrated by Rebecca Fane, the stories feature the adventures of fun-loving Hattie and her Granny. A crime-solving double act who prove that the best heroes are ordinary people who find ways through extraordinary situations, they set out to show that no problem is too great when you stick together.

Sometimes the best children’s storytellers are children themselves – Harriet Hollamby is proof of this fact – Paul McGee

The youngest published author taking part in this year’s Newark Book Festival, Harriet has already started work on her third book – a stand-alone title aimed at an older, teenage audience – and when you reach the end of The Rescue, you’ll see she has big plans for the Granny, Mummy and Me series too, with four more adventures to come.

Her first two books are available to download on Amazon or you can email Harriet direct at hattieholl@gmail.com to buy them in paperback. And with a percentage of the proceeds on all sales donated to charity, you’ll be helping this enterprising young writer support local good causes too.

Cathy’s Amaretto Almond Biscuits

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Fancy a tea-time treat? How about these bite-sized Amaretto Almond Biscuits which the Girls Around Town and guest Cathy Bramley enjoyed on the show this morning?

Made by June using the recipe from Cathy’s new book The Lemon Tree Café, they’re easy to prepare, pretty to look at and simply delicious – and they’re gluten-free too…

If you don’t have any Amaretto, you can replace it with milk – or you could just use this as an excuse to go out and buy a bottle!

The paperback edition of The Lemon Tree Café will be published on Thursday 24 August and is available now for pre-order from The Bookcase in Lowdham.

Amaretto Almond Biscuits

  • Servings: Makes 25
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Print

Cathy’s Amaretto Almond Biscuits

Makes 25 – Time 20 minutes

Ingredients

  • 3 egg whites
  • 1 tablespoon Amaretto (or substitute milk if you don’t have Amaretto)
  • 150gm ground almonds
  • 150gm caster sugar
  • 25 whole almonds

Directions

  1. Pre-heat the oven to 2000C (1800C fan oven / gas mark 6 / 4000F). Line a baking tray with greaseproof paper.
  2. Whisk the egg whites until frothy. Very gently, fold in 1/3 each of the ground almonds and sugar. Pour in the Amaretto (or milk), then add the remaining almonds and sugar.
  3. Take a teaspoon of the mixture and drop it onto the baking tray, using a second teaspoon to push it, leaving at least 3cms between each biscuit. Top each one with an almond.
  4. Bake for 10-12 minutes – they should be golden brown but still have some ‘give’ as they will crisp up as they cool.
  5. Leave on the tray to cool and store in an airtight tin.