Today is the final day of 2023 and what a year it has been. The New Year of 2024 has arrived with tomorrow being the first of January. The past year has felt like it's flown by despite each day being 24 hours. But it has been a great year. Looking back, I don't have many regrets in life and I can safely say that I have no regrets from 2023. This year has been filled with happiness and success but also challenges and obstacles along the way. The beginning of 2023 wasn't a great start to the new year as I was very unwell but once I got January out the way, it turned out to be a much better 11 months than I anticipated. As it's the end of the year, I wanted to share my yearly round-up full of highlights from the 12 months. So here goes... My professional highlights Finished Level 1 of my degree My degree is quite unusual compared to the traditional university route as I'm studying part-time online. For my degree, there are three levels I have to complete with numerous assignments and formal assessments. But earlier this year, I finished Level 1 of my degree. Currently, I'm nearing the end of the first course for Level 2, but I'm really proud of how I've done so far because I passed each course within Level 1 with good grades and also a new love for scriptwriting. There is still more for me to do but I'm really happy so far and I've met lots of amazing people along the way too! Interviewed two authors For WriteWatchWork, I was able to interview two authors this year, Cressida McLaughlin and Chelsie Hart. Cressida is one of my favourite authors - all her books are so good - and Chelsie is actually a new author for me this year, but I loved her debut novel. Interviewing Cressida and Chelsie meant a lot because I'm an aspiring author and I just felt very grateful to be able to talk to them both about their careers and the craft of creating a novel. Reached over 350 articles for FormulaNerds This year marks two and a half years since I joined FormulaNerds as a journalist. Since October 2021, I have not only written lots of articles, but been a part of the podcast and am now the Deputy Editor-in-Chief. But 2023 is a great year because whilst I never attended a race, I did write lots of articles which means I have written over 350 articles for FormulaNerds. These include features, news articles, race reports and exclusive interviews. Interviewing the F1 Academy Champion F1 Academy began this year and I have been lucky enough to be a part of the drivers' journies, speaking to them before and after race weekends. But a highlight has to be when I interviewed Marta García, who became the first-ever F1 Academy Champion. My personal highlights Turning 22 2023 saw me turn 22, so I'm officially in my Taylor Swift era. My birthday is always a highlight of the year for me because I get to celebrate with family and friends and it makes me realise just how lucky I am to have such special people in my life. A Trip to Dublin My sister and I went away for a couple of days with our cousins to Dublin. It was the first time we'd been to the city and it was lovely. We explored some of the culture, saw some of the sights, did some shopping and just had a great time as a family. We'd never been away somewhere like that before, so it was really good to just spend time together. Reunited with family I have family that live further up north and I have family who lives on the other side of the world in New Zealand. But this year, I was able to see them all. Family is the most important thing to me so to be able to reunite with those I haven't seen in a while just makes me smile and it's definitely a highlight of my year. Brands Hatch As someone who works in motorsport and loves racing, I've actually only ever been to two race tracks. One is Silverstone and the other circuit to is Brands Hatch. I went in April with my motorsport-loving friend, who runs IntoTurn1. We watched the BTCC there and it was so much fun. It absolutely poured it down and we were soaked, but it was a highlight of my year. Reached 30k words of my novel This year I completed NaNoWriMo and whilst I didn't reach the 50,000 words of the challenge, I did manage to write each day of November. Some days I wrote only 200 words and others I wrote over 1000. But in total, I now have over 30k words of my dystopian/fantasy novel. I can't quite believe I have that much so I'm very happy to continue adding to the word count in 2024. Karting with my Dad My dad and I went karting this year at Teamsport Harlow. It my first time getting into a kart and I'd say that's probably the most difficult part of karting - getting in and out of the kart. The racing was so much fun and I'm thankful to have videos and photos of our time at the track. It was such a good day and I loved it! London Christmas Lights Now this is the most recent highlight because it happened about two weeks ago. My sister and I visited London to go to the Christmas markets and see all the Christmas lights across the city. We had such an amazing time and really enjoyed ourselves. We were very tired afterwards but it was worth it. We'd never done something like that before so to spend a day together in London, just exploring was really fun. And with my main highlights of the year listed above, I wish you all a Happy New Year and thank you for sticking with me throughout this past year! Until 2024...

Books are one of my true loves in life, and when we reach the winter months, there is nothing I love more than a Christmas book to read. Christmas is exactly a week away. December is passing by rather quickly, but there's still time to enjoy festive activities before New Year. For me, one thing I love to do in December is to snuggle up with a hot chocolate and a good Christmas book. In fact, I have a whole shelf on my bookcase dedicated to books set at Christmas time. A Christmas book can not only help you get in the festive spirit and feel the holiday cheer, but it can also help you escape if you're finding the build-up and organising a bit stressful. So because I love Christmas books, I thought I'd share some of my favourites. First up is... That Festive Feeling by Heidi Swain Released this year, That Festive Feeling by Heidi Swain is just one of my by Heidi that I have on my shelf. I received this book as a gift for my birthday and I desperately wanted to read it before Christmas. I finished it last week and absolutely loved it! The story follows Holly, who is recently divorced, as she house-sits for her friends in the small Norfolk village of Nightingale Square. Whilst house-sitting over the holidays, Holly's determined to hunker down and not get involved in the community activities. But after meeting Meg and having her eyes opened to other ways of life, Holly falls back in love with her job, herself and what life could be. That Festive Feeling is part of a series but can be read as a standalone. And I'd definitely reading it. A Christmas Tail by Cressida McLaughlin This book actually follows the four seasons and has a part set in each. But the front cover, the title and the general feel of the book are very Christmassy. A Christmas Tail is about Cat, who becomes a dog-walker whilst finding her feet in a new community where she's living with friends. Part four is the part set at Christmas and it honestly made me smile so much. There are lots of different festive activities in the book and Cressida's descriptions are perfect. This will be a book that I definitely will read more than once because I loved the story and the happiness the book brings. The Christmas Book Club by Sarah Morgan Now, this book is similar to Heidi Swain's one above in that it was released this year for Christmas. And of course, I also got it for my birthday. I started reading The Christmas Book Club the weekend just gone and I am loving it so far. I'm just under halfway through. It follows the story about a young woman who is struggling with life decisions and three women, who are long-time friends but have their own issues and secrets. I have a feeling I am going to reread this book again next year because currently, I'm loving it! Lakeside Mountain Rescue Series by Sarah Morgan You know those books that you love so much that you reread them every year? Well, three books from this series are that to me. The books - Wish Upon a Star, Once Upon a Christmas and Angels in the Snow - are so good, every December I read them and some of the print has even started to fade. Each book follows two couples in their own short story and of course, they come with a happy ending. The story of each couple is different so it's not a regurgitated plot, they are all individually good, but I do have my favourites. They are easy to read, heart-warming and most of all, festive! A Festive Feud by Maren Moore A Festive Feud by Maren Moore is a Christmas novella that is perfect for readers who fancy a quick, spicy holiday read. It's an enemies-to-lovers novella that is about Emma and Jackson. A Festive Feud is a take on Romeo and Juliet as Emma and Jackson are from rival families, who try to outdo each other in terms of Christmas festivities every year. But when things take a turn for the worse and Emma and Jackson are forced to work together one year, they discover that each family isn't actually as bad as it seems. I haven't read much by Maren, but I did really enjoy A Festive Feud. It's a quick read so is perfect for a busy December. Lovelight Farms by B.K. Borison Lovelight Farms is the first book in the Lovelight series. It follows Stella, who runs a Christmas Tree Farm, and her best friend, Luka. Times are tough on the farm so Stella enters a competition but says she runs the farm with her boyfriend, prompting Stella and Luka to fake date. Lovelight Farms was a festive book that drew me in straight away and kept me intrigued throughout. I loved the Christmassy feel of it and the fake dating tropes with friends to lovers! It was such a good book that is easy reading and will make you fall in love with the festive season! Some other good recommendations: Snowed in for Christmas by Sarah Morgan I'll be Home for Christmas by Karen Clarke A Cornish Cream Tea Christmas by Cressida McLaughlin Underneath the Christmas Tree by Heidi Swain Murder at the Theatre Royale by Ada Montcrieff If you fancy a festive read in the build-up to Christmas next week, give one of the above a go. Until next time...

The new year of 2024 will soon be upon us and a new year means new opportunities. When Covid-19 arrived and the UK went into lockdown, I didn't know what my future would hold. I had successful uni applications but wasn't sure whether or not I wanted to go to university to study with the pandemic. I also wasn't sure whether the degree I'd applied for was the right one for me. And so, utilising all the free time we had during lockdown, I completed several online courses. Eventually, I stumbled across OCA - Open College for the Arts - and found the perfect degree for me. It was scary beginning an online degree because it requires a lot more self-motivation and dedication than a typical degree. But what made that time in my life even more adventurous was joining FormulaNerds as a journalist and then becoming a podcaster as well. The point of the brief history of the past few years of my life is that when I was faced with new challenges and opportunities, I welcomed them with open arms. A bit like when I started writing this blog. Writing is something I've always loved doing but at university, I had the opportunity to study scriptwriting. I'd never studied scriptwriting before, so when I had the chance, I took it. And now, I absolutely love it and have written the opening to my feature film idea, the beginning of a thriller TV series and also a radio script. At FormulaNerds, being a journalist was a comfortable job. I knew I was good at it because I could write and had done journalism before. However, joining the podcast panel was something so far out of my comfort zone, as was becoming an editor. Now, two and a half years later, I love being on the podcast and being an editor, attending press conferences etc. I wouldn't have thought I would enjoy these things, but when the opportunities came, I said yes. So, here's why you should accept any opportunities that come your way with open arms. You will grow as a person New opportunities can be scary. After all, not everyone loves change. However, accepting new opportunities can allow you to develop as a person. When faced with change, people can either run away or accept it and when an opportunity comes knocking, you will no doubt discover things about yourself that perhaps you didn't know before. It can help you progress and achieve what you dream of achieving. For me, being on the podcast has made me much more confident with my job but it's also increased my self-confidence, and the same could happen to you. It can lead to bigger and better things Sometimes an opportunity can be presented as one thing, but if you accept it, it can lead to hundreds more opportunities that you may never have considered. Accepting opportunities can spark an idea in you, increase your love for something, or simply open your eyes to what else is out there. If you take an opportunity, it might not always work out. But that doesn't mean it was a failure because it could just as well lead to something much bigger and better, you just don't know it yet. You can increase your social circle Nowadays, people say it's more about who you know rather than what you know. And to some extent that is true. When faced with new opportunities, it's a good idea to take them because you never know where they could lead. One opportunity might introduce you to individuals and experts in another industry or field that you decide is more suited to you. You could also meet and make new friends in your personal life, not just your work life. Accepting opportunities can introduce you to new people who can be beneficial for you in the future. It can give you great stories for the future Most people in life when they're older will look back and think about what they've achieved and what could have been. So embracing new opportunities could mean you'd have fewer regrets in life and could have many more great stories for the future. We all have the potential to drive and generate our own success and taking new opportunities can be a part of that. And who knows where each opportunity could lead. Looking back on what you've achieved, on risks you've taken, are both good reasons to not let life pass you by and to welcome change. So with 2024 only a couple of weeks away, don't be afraid to embrace new opportunities in the new year. Until next time...

We are officially more than a week into December and Christmas is not far away, so it's only right to watch some Christmas movies in the build-up to the holidays. December is my favourite time of year because whilst it gets cold and rainy, the festivities of Christmas just make me smile. And this year is no different. Whilst work and university studies continue, I'm trying to enjoy the build-up to Christmas this year, doing lots of Christmassy activities. One of these is, of course, watching Christmas movies. Last year, I shared a blog post with festive films to watch. Some of these included The Holiday, The Polar Express, Arthur Christmas and more. So with Christmas only a couple of weeks away now, I thought I'd share some more Christmas films to get you into the spirit of the holidays. In last year's post, I recommended some of my favourite Christmas movies. But luckily for you, I love lots of Christmas films so there will always be more recommendations. So if you fancy snuggling up on your sofa with a hot drink and some advent calendar chocolate, maybe give these movies a try this December. Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey A Christmas film that is also a musical? Say no more. Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Story is a musical that takes you on a journey with a toy-maker and his granddaughter. This movie is a fantasy film where an imaginary world comes to life with music and dancing and family love. This is one of my favourite Christmas films - and not just because I love musicals! I remember absolutely loving it and really enjoying and becoming absorbed in the story of the film. So if you love musicals, magic, and families reuniting, then this film is for you. A Christmas Carol This is an absolute classic of a Christmas movie. Based on the novel by Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol tells the story of Ebenezer Scrooge as he is visited by the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future to help him get rid of his bah humbug ways. I loved this book when I first read it and I do enjoy the film. It's such a heartwarming tale to have at Christmas and the transformation of Scrooge is also just great to see. If you want a family-friendly classic festive tale, this one is for you. The Holiday Calendar The Holiday Calendar is technically a romance film, however, I think it teaches you a lot about embracing life and recognising what you have. It stars Kat Graham as an aspiring photographer, who receives a vintage advent calendar from her grandfather. The story goes that the advent calendar has some magic, but at first, Abby is sceptical to believe. But when things start to happen and relationships begin but also become complicated, she embraces the calendar and what it is trying to tell her. Now I don't think we can have an advent calendar quite like the one in the film, but it's good to relax and watch it unfold on screen. Love Actually If you ask any British person to list Christmas movies, I'm pretty sure Love Actually will be on the list. It's a classic British holiday film that combines the stories of eight different couples set in London as they navigate their relationships and the stress of Christmas. Personally, this isn't one of my top Christmas films, but I love it nonetheless. It teaches you about relationships and is full of top-notch actors including Emma Thompson, Liam Neeson, Hugh Grant, the late Alan Rickman and more. If you fancy a romantic comedy this December, give Love Actually a watch. Angels Falls Christmas If you like romcoms or heartwarming movies of the Hallmark variety, this film is for you. It's on Netflix and it tells the story of Ally and Josh as they navigate the holiday season. The two are a couple at the beginning but things take a quick turn when Ally struggles to give up working at the hospital over Christmas. But as the saying goes, you never know what you had until it's gone. And this happens to Ally and Josh, but with the help of some angels, they both find their way back to each other and Ally finally learns to let the past go and embrace everything about Christmas. My sister recommended this film to me and I watched it the other day whilst wrapping Christmas presents and it made me smile. The Christmas Chronicles With Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn, you'll be sure to enjoy this family-friendly film about two siblings, Kate and Teddy, as they go on an adventure with Santa to save Christmas. Kate hatches a plan to capture Santa on Christmas Eve to see if he is real or not and persuades her more-than-sceptical brother to join in. But things go awry and the two have to join forces with the Clauses and the elves to save Christmas. There is a sequel to this film as well, which is just as good as the first. My family and I watched this the year it was released and I remember loving every second of watching it. With these recommendations, I hope you find some Christmas magic this December. And if you give any of these films a try, let me know what you think about them. Until next time...

As a writer, it can be challenging to get yourself into the right mindset to be able to sit down and write what you need to write. But there are ways to help get yourself into the writing zone. Today is the first of December. NaNoWriMo - National Novel Writing Month - officially ended yesterday and if you've read a couple of my previous posts, you'll know that I've been participating in NaNoWriMo this year and trying to stick to it. And I can proudly say that for the entire month of November, I have written at least 100 words of my novel each day. There were some days were I nearly forgot or I didn't have the time, but I quickly got my phone out, opened Padlet, and wrote for five minutes. Sticking to this habit of writing each day has been fulfilling and rewarding, but it wasn't always easy. From my experience and from talking to other writers, it can be hard to get into the writing zone. Sometimes the words are just there in your mind bursting at the seams to get down on paper, but often, you can find yourself sitting at your computer or with your pen in hand and nothing to write. So, with the weather now turning colder and the final month of the year here, I wanted to share some tips on how to get into the writing zone to help motivate you and also to help you find that spark to get the words written. Write anything Earlier this year, I interviewed the best-selling author, Cressida McLaughlin. One of the questions I asked Cressida was how she gets into the writing zone and one of the things she said was that she would 'Hello computer'. Cressida said that writing some random words, whilst not fitting with her story necessarily, helps get her into the zone of writing. And it's true. If you've sat down and are ready to write but don't know where to start, writing anything can help. It's like freewriting - writing whatever comes into your head. In fact, I know that this works because for my university course, I was given the task of freewriting and I didn't know where to start, so I wrote the same boring words over and over again until I then had a spark of inspiration and could write a full scene. So tip number one is to just get words down on the page. It doesn't matter what they are but writing anything can kick-start the creative juices and get you into the writing zone. An aesthetic board Now, I know a lot of authors follow this tip and for aesthetic boards, Pinterest and Padlet are your best friends. I am a huge lover of Pinterest, I use it for all sorts of things, but one of the main reasons I use Pinterest is to create aesthetic boards. On my Instagram, I create edits for different books I've read, which are essentially an amalgamation of different photos that fit the aesthetic of the book. I loved creating aesthetic boards so much that I've created one for my novel. And as for Padlet, I use it to store any kind of inspiration or things relating to the world of my novel that I want to remember. When I find myself stuck or struggling to get into the writing zone to write the next chapter, I'll open up the aesthetic boards, and scroll through the different pins and items on there. It doesn't just have to be photos, it can be quotes, songs, videos etc. Immersing yourself in the aesthetic of what you're writing, helps you focus and embrace the world you're creating. A dedicated playlist Music is one of my favourite things in life and there are songs for everything out there for you to listen to. So, it's only right that music can help you get into the writing zone. Again, Cressida mentioned that she likes to play some background music, mostly classical or instrumental, to help focus on her writing. But not everyone works well to music. However, if you're struggling to get into the writing zone or you have writer's block, having a dedicated writing playlist can help. It can be a playlist of songs you find it easy to write to, for example, some soft, mellow music like Lewis Capaldi; or it can be a playlist of songs specific to your writing. I have created a playlist titled 'My Novel' - imaginative, I know - and all the songs on the playlist are ones I associate with my story and the characters I'm creating. During NaNoWriMo, when I'd sit down and write some of my novel, I'd always put on those songs and it would instantly aid me in getting words written because it transports me to the world of the story. A writing space If writing isn't your full-time job, it can be difficult to have a specific area of your house where you go and sit to write. But having a writing space can be really beneficial. For me, my writing space is in my bedroom where my desk is. It's nothing special, but when I sit down at my desk, open my notebook or my Word Document, it's easier to write and focus there than it is, say at the kitchen table. So if you're struggling to get into the writing zone, create a space in your house that conveys calmness and tranquillity where you can focus and start writing. Read the previous page More often than not, it can be a challenge to remember what you wrote the day before. I found that during NaNoWriMo. But one solution I had that helped me focus the next time was to read through the previous scene or chapter I'd written. This allowed me to remember what had just happened, but it also put me into the characters' heads, making it easier for me to write the next section. Reading the previous page can also help iron out any continuity errors and things that don't add up because you know you've already written it and won't end up writing something different. Take a break If you're finding that you really can't get into the writing zone despite trying lots of the above, that doesn't matter. Sometimes you have to remove yourself from the situation entirely. So instead what you can do is take a break. Getting up from your desk and going for a walk, or going to a coffeeshop, something that will take your mind off your writing, can help you get into the writing zone. It allows you to enjoy life away from work so that when you return, you have a fresher mind and won't get bogged down by sitting at your desk and staring at a blank page when the words don't come. Remove distractions One of the biggest things I've found can pull you from the writing zone and stop you from fully immersing yourself in it are distractions. Now these can be of any kind but the most common one is your phone. Having your phone on your desk can be very distracting because anytime you get a notification, the screen will light up and will pull your attention away from your writing to your phone; we all know how easy it is to then get spend ages scrolling through different apps. So to keep yourself in the writing zone, remove anything that you think may distract you. Have fun Now this is probably one of the most important tips I could share. Writing, whatever it may, should always be something you're passionate about and something you find fun. If it's tedious and you're not really feeling the story, then maybe try changing direction. But if you can't wait to sit down and write, then it will be easier for you to get into the writing zone and get those words down on the page. Happy writing! Until next time...

Music is an aspect of life loved universally, but when it comes to working with music, it can go one of two ways. However, I'm going to share why I think music is a good thing when it comes to work. I was having a conversation the other day with my sister about working to music. It came about because we both work from home and our offices are next door to each other. During a typical working day, we both work in silence in the morning, unless our work requires us to listen to an audio. However, after lunch, I tend to open up Spotify and play some music in the background to work to. For some reason having music playing in the afternoons makes me work more efficiently as opposed to working in silence. I've always known silence is not something I prefer, so music always makes an appearance. But it's not the same for everyone. My sister shared a post about working to music on LinkedIn and it got a big response with varied answers of some people having to work in silence and some working with different kinds of music in the background. Those who said they didn't mind working to music mentioned the types of music they had in the background, which typically included instrumental musical or classical music. One of my sister's LinkedIn friends even admitted that she sometimes puts on a TV show that she's seen lots of times before because she knows she doesn't have to concentrate on it. It's "Brainless Activity Distraction". For me, in the build-up to Christmas, I play some festive music including songs such as Angels We Have Heard On High or Little Drummer Boy. But the songs I play tend to be quite mellow and slow in tempo. My go-to artists are James Blunt, Lewis Capaldi and Dermot Kennedy, but sometimes I do mix it up a little. However, this November, as I've been completing NaNoWriMo, I made a playlist of songs that I can relate to my characters and the plot of my novel. So, each day when I'm writing for NaNoWriMo, I'll play that playlist and it'll help get me in the zone and embrace the world I'm not crafting. Because I'm someone who thrives with music in the afternoons whilst I work, I wanted to share some benefits of listening to music whilst you work to inspire you and maybe help as well. Affects your cortisol levels - for the better Music is such a powerful tool in our lives that I don't think some people realise. For me, I have a playlist for nearly every emotion because music can affect how we feel. And for some, it's a way to release stress. But whilst you're working, if you play some soothing music - it doesn't have to have lyrics, it could be Experience by Ludovico Einaudi - it can help calm you and lower your blood pressure, which in turn will lower your cortisol (stress hormone) levels. And nobody wants to be stressed at work because then we don't do our best job. Reduces burnout This point kind of relates to the one above. Having music on in the background engages your brain whilst working, which can result in you feeling more satisfied and more productive. With the feelings of satisfaction and wanting to be more productive, it can reduce burnout - and stress - meaning that you work more effectively, but also take care of yourself so you aren't doing too much. A beat for your work Depending on the work you do, it can be useful to have a rhythm or a beat to work to, especially if you're job is a physical job. But I find this works for me even when I'm at my laptop. Soothing, mellow music helps calm you, but some upbeat, funky music can give you a burst of energy, get that blood pumping and provide a beat for you to work to. But be careful you don't choose songs that make you want to abandon your tasks to get up and dance the night away. Distracts from other distractions When you're working surrounded by colleagues, or even if you work in an office by yourself, there are so many things you can easily be distracted by. For example, there may be building work being done nearby, colleagues talking on the phone, or things happening outside your building that are drawing your attention. But if you have music playing, with or without headphones, then it can help you refocus because it'll draw your attention to your work, stopping you from getting distracted by other less important things. If you can't work with music in the background, then thank you for taking the time to read my post. But if you do sometimes work with music, or are thinking about trying it, then I hope these benefits have inspired you to give it a go/continue listening. Until next time...

Grey's Anatomy will always be a TV show loved by many for its intricate storylines and intriguing characters, but the character that stands out is Meredith Grey, so I thought I'd share some inspirational quotes from Meredith Grey. Grey's Anatomy is an American medical TV show spanning 19 seasons. Throughout the series, there have been numerous characters, some having left and new ones joining the show. However, there is one character, the protagonist, that people will always remember when it comes to Grey's Anatomy. And that is Meredith Grey. Meredith Grey has been a constant character throughout Grey's Anatomy but ahead of the 20th season airing in 2024, the character will leave the show. Meredith is portrayed by actress Ellen Pompeo and over the course of all 19 seasons, Meredith has been an inspiration to viewers. I love Grey's Anatomy, it is one of my top five TV shows that I will always rewatch. There are episodes for each emotion whether you want to laugh, cry, or scream. So, with the Hollywood strikes having now ended, and with Meredith Grey being iconic and an inspiration to many, I thought I'd share some inspirational quotes from Meredith from Grey's Anatomy. Inspirational quotes from Meredith Grey "Knowing is better than wondering. Waking is better than sleeping, and even the biggest failure, even the worst, beats the hell out of never trying." "Did you say it? 'I love you.' 'I don't ever want to live without you.' 'You changed my life.' Did you say it? Make a plan. Set a goal. Work toward it, but every now and then look around; Drink it in 'cause this is it. It might all be gone tomorrow." "You can build a house out of anything. Make it as strong as you want. But a home, a home is more fragile than that. A home is made of the people you fill it with. And people can be broken, sure, but any surgeon knows, what's broken can be mended. What's hurt can be healed. That no matter how dark it gets the sun's going to rise again." "You can have the worst crap in the world happen to you and you can get over it. All you gotta do is survive." "Don't let fear keep you quiet. You have a voice, so use it. Speak up. Raise your hands. Shout your answers. Just find your voice. And when you do, fill the damn silence." "A hero is only human, but that's the point. If they can do it, so can you. So, you keep going. You don't give up. You stand tall. You fight. You always show up to save the day." "Maybe we have to get a little messed up before we can step up." "When there's something you really want, fight for it - don't give up no matter how hopeless it seems. And when you've lost hope - ask yourself in 10 years from now - you're gonna wish you gave it just one more shot. Because the best things in life, they don't come free." "At some point, you have to make a decision. Boundaries don't keep other people out. They fence you in. Life is messy. That's how we're made. So, you can waste your lives drawing lines. Or you can live your life crossing them." If you need some inspiration, I hope these quotes can help. Meredith Grey is an iconic character and to me, along with Brooke Davis, she is one of my favourite fictional female protagonists on TV. Until next time...

November is officially National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) and as an aspiring author and someone who is partaking in NaNoWriMo for November, I thought I'd share some tips and tricks with you. If you're not a writer - aspiring or current - or someone who knows writers, you may not know what NaNoWriMo is. But I'm here to tell you. Essentially, NaNoWriMo is 30 days where you sit down with your pad and pen, or a computer, and you write part of a novel. By the end of the 30 days, if you follow the exact NaNoWriMo rules, you will have 50,000 words of a story written. There is the NaNoWriMo website that if you sign up to it, you can keep track of your progress each day and earn little badges along the way. For example, if you complete a writing streak of seven days, you'll earn the badge for writing each day for a whole week. Now, being an aspiring author, I'd heard of NaNoWriMo before. And last year actually, I decided to participate in the challenge. However, I didn't sign up to the website and I didn't get very far in the grand scheme of things. But this year is different. 2023 is the year I'm sticking to NaNoWriMo. I've signed up to the website and have written part of my novel each day since the first of November. Even last night when it was gone 10pm and I was in bed, I made sure I wrote something for NaNoWriMo to keep my streak going; it wasn't much, around 200 words, but it still counts. And with me trying to stick to the schedule of writing each day, I've come across some challenges in the last week. It got me thinking about others who are taking part in NaNoWriMo and have struggled as well, or perhaps people who wanted to take part but found it daunting and haven't joined the challenge. I wanted to share some tips I've found useful whilst completing NaNoWriMo to help others interested in the challenge. Schedule a time NaNoWriMo requires you to write each day. If the idea of a novel is scary, you can write whatever you want - maybe a poem or just some freewriting. But you probably won't be consistent in writing and getting words onto the page unless you schedule a time to sit down and do it. With an everyday job, it can be difficult to find the time. Especially if you have other commitments like family etc. For me as a freelancer and part-time uni student, I can be more flexible with my working hours. So when it comes to NaNoWriMo, I do my day's work and when it gets to about 5pm, I focus on NaNoWriMo and writing however many words I feel like writing that day. 1666 words - Not mandatory The website of NaNoWriMo says that the goal should be 50,000 words. But that isn't mandatory. To get 50,000 words in 30 days, you'd have to write 1666 words per day, but again, that isn't mandatory. As an example, the highest word count I've written per day so far - 11 days into NaNoWriMo - is 700 words. I actually started this novel I'm writing a while back and am continuing it for this month, trying to get as many words written as I can. Therefore, I'm not forcing myself to write 1666 words each day if it's a struggle. If the words aren't flowing, if you've got a touch of writer's block, or if you're happy writing a scene of only 500 words, you don't have to try and reach the goal of 1666 words. Anything you write is better than nothing. No editing allowed This has become my mantra whilst writing my first draft. Throughout my uni studies, I've learned the importance of getting a draft down and then editing and rewriting. But I've always found myself editing as I write, which becomes very unproductive in the long term because I never progress that far with the writing. So, for NaNoWriMo, my advice would be to get the words down. Just write - obviously, think about basic grammar and spelling etc - but try not to edit as you go. They always say you can't edit a blank page and that is 100% true, so try to get a first draft down and once you've got that, then you can edit. Write for you The authors I've spoken to have always given me one piece of advice. Write for you. Write what you want to write, not what you think others want. And that is so important, especially when it comes to writing novels. The amount of work that goes into planning a novel and taking it from an idea to a finished manuscript, is immense. I'm currently working on two novels, one is fantasy-dystopian and the other is YA dystopian, and the brain capacity it takes to world-build, to create authentic characters, realistic dialogue, etc, is challenging. So, if you're participating in NaNoWriMo this month, make sure that whatever you're writing is something you want to write. If it isn't, you'll probably find it more difficult to keep at it and find the will to get words down, but if you enjoy writing the story, and love the characters and plot you've crafted, it will be far easier. Visualise your end goal As an aspiring author, I can't wait for the day I can - hopefully - hold a published book in my hands that has my name on it as the author. That has been a goal of mine for so long and it is what keeps me motivated to continue writing. If you have a similar goal in life or can visualise the endpoint that you want to achieve, it will increase your motivation and give you that drive to keep going and complete each milestone on the journey to your destination. So with NaNoWriMo, visualise what you want to achieve by the end of the 30 days and hopefully it will make you want to continue writing and get those words down. Embrace the challenge NaNoWriMo is scary. It is. It isn't an easy feat. But you can do it. If you embrace the challenge, warts and all as the saying goes, it can be a fun project to do this November. We're just under two weeks into NaNoWriMo and if you've started the challenge already, don't let a mid-month slump get you down. Continue writing, push forward and embrace NaNoWriMo in all its glory. The sense of accomplishment you'll feel at the end of the month, whether it's due to having a complete manuscript or setting up a habit of writing daily, will all make you feel as though you've accomplished something. So keep writing! If you do participate in the NaNoWriMo challenge this month, let me know in the comments how you get on. Until next time...

With the winter months arriving and the colder weather already here, it can be hard to manage your time wisely and find motivation, but a weekly planner can change it all for the better. 2023 is nearly over with the world being a few days into November. With the winter months now here and the UK being subject to cold and stormy weather, stress tends to find a way to occupy our days. It can be hard to find the motivation to get out of a warm bed and do the jobs you know you need to do, and it can be difficult to keep on top of everything. Especially with Christmas being next month, managing your time and everything you need to do before the festive holiday arrives is more challenging than we probably like to admit. Some people can list numerous ways to destress and make this time of year easier on all of us, but sometimes it's easier said than done. Trust me, I know. This time of year includes my birthday, my mum's birthday, some relative's birthdays and big events concerning work, ongoing university studies and on top of all that, autumnal/winter activities I want to do. But there is something that I always find helps me clear my mind so that I can see what I need to do in a way that doesn't overwhelm me or make it a stressful situation. A weekly planner. This is what I use to solve all my problems in terms of time management. How a weekly planner can help your time management There are periods in my life where things can become a bit overwhelming because I have so many things going on and so many things to do that keeping on top of them all is difficult. One way I've learned to deal with this is to write a to-do list. Every morning I grab a post-it note and write down everything I want to do for that day. I include things such as rewriting the second draft of my assignment, Tesco delivery and even 'Reply to...' if I need to respond to a friend's text. If there's something I then do during the day that I hadn't initially included on the list, I add it and tick it off. On my to-do list, I also write down events in the week that are already scheduled so I know what's happening when and I try to set myself specific time slots to complete things in. But having it on a Post-it note can sometimes get confusing because I end up cramming all my jobs onto a tiny piece of paper, in shorthand, and it's not always easy to read or remember it all. So having a weekly planner with a monthly overview is the perfect solution. On Etsy, there's this digital weekly planner that gives you a weekly calendar for five weeks plus the monthly overview. But that's not all. This five-week planner allows you to not only plan each day for the week but also provides space for a weekly to-do list, a focus section to help you determine what's more of a priority, a weekly mood reflection and a space for planning the important items for the coming week. There's also a little doodle section for a little creative break if you fancy it. Having this planner helps me get an overview of everything that's happening each week. But I've found it has also helped me find motivation for tasks. The layout of the planner makes it clear to see all the events I've scheduled and knowing that I'm going to rate each week on the Sunday inspires me to be as productive as I can. Plus, the good thing about this planner is that it's digital. You can either edit on your laptop if you prefer working with a screen or you can print each page and handwrite, which means that for each week you can reuse the planner and start fresh. So, if you need a way to help manage your time and find motivation to complete tasks, then maybe give this weekly planner a go. And if you do, let me know how you get on. Until next time...

Halloween is here and it's a day for trick-or-treating, scary movies and a night in front of the TV and with so many movies to choose from, I list some of the top horror films to watch this October 31st. I can't believe October is coming to an end. Today is Halloween, the final day in October, which means only two months left of the year. Now, in England, I often think that Halloween isn't as much of a big thing as it is in America - or at least what is portrayed on TV. But whilst I don't dress up for Halloween or celebrate the spooky holiday, I do like a good scary movie! I've watched a fair few over the years ranging from frightening horrors like Annabelle to family comforts like Hocus Pocus. And as Halloween is here, I thought I'd share some good movies to watch this Halloween. Hocus Pocus I mentioned it above and I will always recommend Hocus Pocus, and not just because it's kind of a musical. Hocus Pocus is a family classic that is a good movie to watch if you're not a big fan of horror films. It has autumnal and Halloween vibes and it features Hollywood stars Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy. I remember watching Hocus Pocus when I was younger and last year, the sequel to the original was released. However, I must admit, I have yet to watch Hocus Pocus 2. But maybe this Halloween is the perfect time to watch it. Hubie Halloween Hubie Halloween was released back in 2020, the perfect time for new movies because of the pandemic. And when it came to Halloween, my family and I decided to watch this film. It features Adam Sandler and is a comedy/horror movie set in Salem, Massachusetts. Hubie Halloween is a good movie if you have children and if you fancy a cosy Halloween film. Scream Now whilst the first two films are family-friendly and cosy Halloween movies, this one is not. The Scream franchise is probably one of the most well-known horror film series. The classic Ghost Face will always be notorious. So if you want a real horror that will make you jump and probably hide behind a cushion, Scream is for you. The Cabin in the Woods Now this movie isn't exactly a frightening horror. It's more a comedy with horror elements, but rather than creep-you-out-in-the-dark horror, it's a jump scare movie. It is a good film, and I remember I watched it with my friends one time and there is one particular scene that made us all scream even though it wasn't that scary. So if you're intrigued to find out what that was, give the movie a watch and see if you scream as well. The Woman in Black The Woman in Black I think will always be a horror people remember. When it came out, it was such a big movie that I even ended up watching it at high school. It of course has Daniel Radcliffe and is a supernatural horror about a ghost terrorising those in the village. The Woman in Black is scary, it is creepy and it's not a film to watch alone. And that brings me nicely on to my next horror film... Annabelle I like to think I'm pretty smart but I wasn't when it came to Annabelle. For some reason, I decided to watch this movie whilst home alone at night. I wouldn't recommend it unless you're a major horror film fan and do that a lot! Annabelle is a horror movie about a vintage doll that causes a lot of supernatural and terrifying problems for a couple. If you're not a fan of dolls, don't watch this or the other films in the series, but I must say it is a good horror film. Other horror movies to watch The ones above are the movies I would recommend but of course, there are many more horror films. So, instead of going on and on about them all, here are another 10 movies to add to your watch list this Halloween. IT Psycho The Shining Halloween Friday the 13th Hereditary Get Out Insidious Truth or Dare A Quiet Place Happy Halloween, everyone! Until next time...

Bingo. Dancing. Throwback music. Prizes. If you like the sound of all of these things, then you should go to Bingo Loco. With my birthday being at the end of the month, to celebrate with friends I went to Bingo Loco. Now, I hadn't heard of Bingo Loco before until my cousins told me about it and raved about how much fun it is, so I decided to go. Essentially, Bingo Loco means Crazy Bingo. And to be honest, it is a bit crazy. Bingo Loco happens every third Saturday of a month and they have events all over the UK and even further afield including Ireland, North America, Australia and the UAE. My friends and I went to one in Essex and it was by far the most amount of fun I've ever had on a night out. I say night out, we were home before 10pm so if you're not a big fan of late nights or have other commitments at home etc, Bingo Loco could be the best thing for you. The way that we decided to do it was to go for a late lunch beforehand to make sure that we had eaten a substantial amount before going to Bingo Loco. And that was lovely because we got to have a nice meal at Prezzo, chill a bit beforehand and then made our way to Bar and Beyond, where Bingo Loco was held. When we got to Bar and Beyond, there was only a small queue - I think we were the fifth group in the queue. As a result, we had the choice of seats and actually ended up in a really good spot; we were close to the bar, could see the stage, had room for dancing, and we were near a door out of the venue that caused a breeze whenever it was open, so we didn't really get too hot. But let's get into what actually happened during Bingo Loco and everything I saw last Saturday. Bingo Loco - The World's Greatest Bingo Rave I've been to some clubs before, but I can't say I've ever been to a rave or a bingo night quite like Bingo Loco. But I would definitely go again! The tickets are slightly more expensive than I would've liked, but I don't regret paying that amount to go. In fact, for everything you get and could win at Bingo Loco, £22 isn't extortionate. However, moving away from the tickets... Once we had our table and were given our bingo cards, we went to the bar, got a drink and then were just chatting. In the background, they were playing some music and it was the 90s-00s music, giving throwback vibes but everyone there knew practically every song. Doors opened at 5pm and people had until 6pm to get seated because that was when Bingo Loco officially started. It lasted for three hours until 9pm and time really does fly when you're having fun. With everyone ready to start playing Bingo, the organisers would explain the rules, call out some numbers and then play some songs. So, the idea is there are three rounds in total. Rounds one and two have three games and round three has two games. After each game, there's the opportunity to win a prize and the big prize at the end is a holiday. The first game of each round requires you to have one horizontal line of bingo numbers checked off. The second game is two lines and the third game is three lines. My friends and I came close quite a few times, but we didn't win. However, whilst the prizes are part of the game, you'll still have lots of fun. The calls for some of the numbers aren't exactly traditional bingo numbers. For example, there was no Legs Eleven, but there was Thirty-Nine Sweet Caroline, in which the song then played and everyone got up on their feet and danced. When I say people dance, people were dancing on booths, tables, chairs, you name it. I didn't dance on any furniture, I stayed with my feet on the floor, but I did dance a lot. And I'm glad I did because the songs were great, everyone joined in, and nobody cared whether they looked silly or like a Strictly professional. Fun was the aim and fun was what we achieved and when you look back on photos and videos from Bingo Loco, it'll make you smile. Or at least, it has for me. One of the highlights for me was when Taylor Swift's song 22 was played because that is the age I'm turning in a few days so I was able to belt that out (probably not in tune, but nobody cared), but I also loved when Sweet Caroline was played because I have a great video of myself and my friends singing along to it. So I guess this blog post was me trying to convince you to try Bingo Loco. Honestly, it was amazing and there are so many things I loved about it. But one thing I know can play on people's minds is when you go for a night out, the expectations are for women to wear heels and dresses and doll themselves up. And whilst you can do that at Bingo Loco, you can also wear jeans and trainers and just be yourself. If you fancy a night out - that's not too late - with your friends where you can dance, drink, sing, and have tons of fun, you should try Bingo Loco. Until next time...

Six of Crows is a duology by Leigh Bardugo set in the GrishaVerse and I have to say it is worth all the hype it's received. Books are my one true love in life. As a bookworm I read various genres but one of my favourites is fantasy. I envy how fantasy authors can create a whole new world and society, input different characters into the world and hook the reader from the first page. Some of my favourite books/book series are fantasy/dystopian novels including the Shatter Me series and A Court of Thorns and Roses series. However, I now have another series to add to that list and it's the Six of Crows duology. My friend gave me the paperbacks of the duology, which I was grateful for as I'd always wanted them but wasn't sure I'd like them, hence me not buying them myself. But then my cousins, who have read the duology, recommended them to me and so I decided to read them. Beware, a spoiler about the ending of book one is mentioned below. My Review of the Six of Crows Duology by Leigh Bardugo Fantasy world: 10/10 Action: 9/10 Romance: 8/10 Found family: 10/10 The Six of Crows duology consists of two books, Six of Crows and Crooked Kingdom. The two books are to be read together as book one ends on a cliffhanger leading onto book two. Six of Crows introduces you to the world of the GrishaVerse and Ketterdam. We meet the protagonists of the duology and discover the aspects of the fantasy world Bardugo created. Book one follows the story of six misfits as they attempt to pull off an impossible heist. Each chapter is written in a different character's perspective allowing the reader to get an insight into each of them and see their point of view. The third-person narrative allows the reader to feel like an observer, watching the events unfold in real time. The premise of an impossible heist is one that captured my attention because after being introduced to each of the main characters and seeing their "status quo", the action begins and we see the characters planning and plotting. The male protagonist of the duology is Kaz Brekker. Brekker is portrayed as a ruthless, cold and dangerous man. He's notorious and nicknamed 'Dirtyhands' and 'Demon'. But from the chapters told from his perspective, we see that there is more to Kaz than ruthlessness. He has many layers to his character that he keeps hidden to maintain a sinister reputation. I personally loved Kaz's character because yes he is morally grey and sinister, but he is troubled by his past and trying to escape the trauma from his past; the mission he and his team of Dregs embark on brings his trauma back and adds more conflict into the narrative. Inej, to me, is the second protagonist. She is the one person who has probably seen more sides to Kaz than anyone else. Essentially, he saved her from a horrific path in life and as a result the two work side by side. Inej is his Wraith and is one of the most skilled people in Ketterdam who doesn't have the use of magic to aid her. I liked Inej's character because she was so controlled, so specific in her movements and actions but she was also a survivor. Throughout the book, we learn what each character has gone through and I felt so much empathy when it came to Inej and Kaz, actually, and I loved how Leigh portrayed these characters and their stories. Nina, Jesper, Matthias and Wylan are the other four misfits that make up the crew of six for the heist. Nina is a strong Grisha woman, fighting to survive after a past where she was captured and nearly killed. I liked Nina's humour and personality as a whole, especially the change in it when Matthias came into the story; their enemies-to-lovers vibes were so good and whilst Matthias isn't my favourite character - there was one scene where I wanted to punch him - he does have a good heart when it comes to Nina. Jesper was one of the more comedic elements throughout the novel and I enjoyed seeing how he fits into the group, his hidden talents and the way he interacted with Wylan as if he likes him but didn't want to like him. Wylan was a bit of a 'meh' character at the beginning for me; he was quite innocent to the horrors of Ketterdam and the Barrel but towards the end of the novel, his character arc was clear and you could see he was starting to embrace being a Dreg. The entire plot of book one kept me hooked all the way through because the way Bardugo wrote the prose keeps you wanting to know whether the team manage to pull of the heist. Obviously, as it's a fantasy book we know there'll be conflict throughout the novel, so the problems that kept cropping up just made it even more exciting but also added to the suspense. And now onto Crooked Kingdom Crooked Kingdom was very much the same. After Inej is captured at the end of book one, Kaz and the team create a plan to try and get her back. But nothing is as simple as it seems...obviously. I loved book one and couldn't wait to start book two because I needed to know what happens. Leigh's writing style is very poetic but it also has clarity that conveys the images she wants you to see off the page clearly and the narrative will hook you in until the last word. Crooked Kingdom follows on from Six of Crows and so, you already know the characters and what's happening. But I felt that throughout Crooked Kingdom, I actually got to know the characters better as individuals on a deeper level. In the first part, the focus is mainly on Inej and her safety, which means that as a reader we learn more about her character and the relationship she has with Kaz and within the dregs. I loved her character even more in book two because of the emotional connection Leigh creates between her and the reader. Similarly, Kaz became less of a villain and more of a tortured hero in Crooked Kingdom. In the first book, you do learn about his past but in book two, you see Kaz try to overcome what holds him back and it was refreshing seeing his vulnerable side as well as the 'dangerous Dirtyhands' that was primarily in book one. There is a lot of action happening in Crooked Kingdom. The conflict is not an easy conflict to resolve, hence the thickness of the book, but whilst reading it, I didn't feel that it was too long-winded or complex to follow. Leigh wrote the narrative in a way that flows well and isn't too fast or slow-paced - it was just right. However, towards the end, there is something that happens that I was not expecting. Looking back now, it makes sense why it happened and did seem logical but at the time, I wasn't happy because it was a sad moment and an emotional one for the characters of the story. But I do think it strengthens the narrative that bit more. Choosing my favourite book out of Six of Crows or Crooked Kingdom is difficult. Six of Crows introduces you to the world and the characters and you get immersed in their lives. But on the other hand, Crooked Kingdom is more action-packed, perhaps more emotional, and you have that stronger connection to the characters because you know who they are from book one. What I can decide, however, is that the Six of Crows duology by Leigh Bardugo is one of my favourite series to read. I will never forget the stories, the characters and will - definitely - reread them. Have you read the Six of Crows duology? If so, let me know your thoughts down below. Until next time...