A facelift for your garden

Just like the rest of your house, your garden also needs attention. Wouldn't you rather prefer a nice, manicured garden full of flowers and greenery to a desolate looking desert?

Not it!

Well, the best way to give a much needed makeover to your garden starts with a plan. You may want to pay special attention to the amount of space you have available. It would be great if you have a big garden. But, not all of us are blessed with one, so make the most of what you have. 

A garden will be nothing without plants. Make sure that you have plenty of grass, plants and flowering plants in your new garden. You will be able to figure out what works best for your garden by consulting the  greengrocer.

Apart from greenery, a garden needs a focal point and an accent. This may sound awfully technical. But allow me to elaborate. A focal point is the thing that you are going to notice in the garden. It may be a water fountain or a sculpture, or even a tree. It's up to you to decide what you would want to display as the focal point in your garden.

Accents, are other areas of interest. They can be plants, garden gnomes or even those lawn flamencos if you are in the mood. The main thing to keep in mind about selecting these is to make sure that they match well and don't stand out individually. The idea is to create a final picture that is unified but does not blend in with each other. A tough balance to strike. If you're not much of a pro when it comes to these things, be sure to let a professional take the job for you.

Now that your garden looks much better with a carefully selected focal point, a few accents and lots of greenery, you would want to add some outdoor garden furniture to take in all of the new splendour. Be sure to purchase high quality furniture that is sturdy, attractive as well as durable.

Useful Link

Outdoor garden furniture

Get published already...

So you've written the next Harry Potter... No one cares. Unless you're published. If you think that you've created some sort of masterpiece that will take you on the same path as J K Rowling to be richer than the queen some day, make sure that the people who matter, take a look at it.

I readz ur Buk

First of all, you need to have your killer idea developed in to at least an outline.
If you think you can do the whole book or a few chapters, then that would also be good since that way, the publishers can make a decision based on your writing style as well as your idea and plot line.

U SPOILZ it

The next bit is the fun part. But it could be annoyingly frustrating and you may be tempted to commit murder at one point. But, this is necessary. Round out a few trusted people, these could be your friends, family or spouse and let them read your book and listen to their feedback. Your style may not be to their taste but, you'll at least be able to correct those typos and grammar mistakes and (shudder) plot holes!!

I said plot hole... plot hole

Step three, now that you know that your idea doesn't completely suck, start looking for publishers. If you're from the UK, looking for UK publishers would be a better idea. Check out their web sites before you send out your manuscript to make sure that the company accepts your genre.

CAN'T HAS FaNTASY

Next up is to actually send your manuscript out. Now, if you feel like using regular mail it's entirely up to you. But they won't be able to guarantee a safe and undamaged deliver. So, contact a courier services UK to make sure that your manuscript reaches the publisher in perfect condition and without dog ears and missing pages.

Lolcat did it!

The next step is to wait and prepare yourself for rejection. True, your idea may be the most awesome idea in the world for you and your friends, but a publisher might think otherwise. So, exercise patience and try not to send angry responses for those rejection letters and keep your head up, the right publisher for your book is out there somewhere...

...publisher!!

If all else fails, may I suggest self publishing? Not many authors have gone this way but it's definitely worth a shot.
Good Luck!

Reading list...

I'm into fantasy these days. I'm really a science fiction person at heart (trying to find a logical explanation for it all and without resorting to deus ex machina). Fantasy is, I'm surprised to say, actually quite good  (as long as it doesn't involve swords and wizards - except Harry Potter). Especially the ones that fall in to the Urban Fantasy category. So, I got my hands on a bunch of these books and am making my way through them...

The mortal instruments trilogy

you know what I'm referring to as spooky...

This is the first one of this category for me. I liked it, a lot. I'd say innovative and spooky.

Unearthly by Cynthia Hand

out of this world

I loved this one. I thought the idea was great. can't wait to get my hands on the second book in the series... keeping my fingers crossed for another great one.

Fallen by Lauren Kate

Fallen for Fallen

I just finished Fallen, halfway through Torment and I must say, I'm impressed. Luce is quite a gentle character and I was afraid she would catch Bella-swann-itis somewhere in the middle of the novel. But, not so much... ' very impressed by Arianne though. Can't wait to read the third instalment.

Tormented by Torment

Do I have to say?...

The mediator by Meg Cabot

I read mean spirits... and want more

This was a fun and easy read. Too bad I started with the third book, but it's definitely a great series. I wan't to read more, definitely!

Need by Carrie Johnson

Even the pixies are meaner than E. Cullen

Pixies, not so cute after all. It was new for me but I liked it. Even if I'd only read the first novel. and I NEED to find the second book.

Sooo, want this!

I'm looking to get my hands on the Trylle trilogy, Artemis Fowl and maybe one of those vampire fiction novles (maybe not, I don't like the names - vampire academy... eugh) 

How to write a blog post...

Since I've already written a few, I thought I should do a post on just how to write one.

Blog Rule #1

Giving opinions on something, whether it's a movie, a song or even a product, always work. Make sure that you give true opinions. If you like something, say so. If you don't why not write a rant about it? You will be surprised at the amount of people who will agree with you.

Blog Rule #2

Try to keep your blog articles short and to a maximum word limit of about 500 words. Any more than that, would bore the reader and he will eventually click away to another blog with less words and more pictures.

Blog Rule #3

Yes, pictures are important, no one wants to see a pile of text page after page. Break it up with pictures and caption them wisely. People tend to read posts when they notice interesting pictures too.

Blog Rule #4

It's all in the headline. You know what I mean, if you've seen how newspaper headlines grab the attention, then you understand what I'm trying to say.

Blog Rule #5

Write about current topics. Currently trending topics, such as those topping the yahoo top search lists could help generate more traffic to your site. Don't know what to say about such topics? Refer to the 1st tip.

Blog Rule #6

Have your own style. Good writers are known for their unique style. Even of you don't intend on making it as a top writer, if you want to make a mark on the blogosphere, you need to have your own style. This style doesn't necessarily have to be a writing style, it could be the way your posts are fashioned, it could be the pictures you use or it could be your page layout, make sure to stand out as an individual as much as you can.

Blog Rule #7

And remember that people love lists. See? This is a list. Lists are easy to read, easy to write and have tons of information without looking like a novel. So, make lists like top ten favorite lolcats, or top 5 survival skills for a zombie apocalypse.. etc.

Blog Rule #8

Posting regularly also helps. That doesn't mean you should do 5 blog posts a day. That would totally take the fun out of it, a maximum of one post a day would be more than enough to keep your blog running.

Blog Rule #9

And make sure that you edit your posts to perfection. You wouldn't want to look like an ignorant n00b for all of blogosphere to see. Triple check your posts for any errors and correct them before you submit them.

So, until next time,
Happy Blogging n00bs  :)

Product review #2 - Biotique Red Sandalwood sunscreen

I've been using this for a while and I must say, it's good! Biotique is an Indian beauty product company specializing in herbal products made with actual herbs rather than chemically synthesized ingredients. What I can honestly way about this product is that, it is a good sunscreen and also serves as a moisturizer. It's safe to use with complicated result inducing products like Retin-A. It did require a breaking in, the first two or three days were rather greasy and could lead to small bumps. That's barely noticeable and passed fairly quickly. I recommend this for anyone with oily or sensitive skin as it doesn't worsen the condition and lead to massive break outs. It also works remarkably well as a sun protectant.

The verdict - It's great, I'll be using this for a very long time!

Rating - 41/2 stars

Cheap and effective relocation

Thinking about moving away to a new house? As if the hassle of house hunting wasn't enough, moving companies are charging sky high rates to provide you with their relocation expertise. If your house is loaded with priceless antiques and fancy grand pianos and all sorts of extravaganza of the sort, then feel free to allow a professional grade removalist to handle your operation. 

But, if, like me, you don't have to worry about denting your grand piano (I have an electric piano in case you were wondering, very sturdy) opt for one of those man and van services for a cheaper fix. 

Wondering what that is? Well explanation, a man and van service is as the name suggests, a man with a van who will assist you on extracting, packing and driving your belongings away to a new location. These men with vans are not just drivers, they do know a thing or two about moving your belongings without reducing them to piles of rubble so they will definitely be of aid.

Rates? Believe me you would be surprised at just how cheap the services of a Man and Van removals  company be. In comparison to a regular removalist company, this type of service provider will definitely take a huge chunk out of your relocation budget. Besides, why would you want to spend an exorbitant amount on removing your stuff from your old home to a new one while you can clearly save some of it and add it to the decorating budget?

Just like everything else, man and van removal companies have also gone online, so you won't have to run around in circles all over the city or max out your phone bill by calling a dozed companies to arrange their services. Everything is just a mouse click away so you can find the perfect man (with a van) for the job in the comfort of your home while you're chilling out in your 'jammies.

So, click away and book yourself a man with a van to save time and money and a lot of hassle as well.

Useful link 


Man and Van removals 

Product review #1 - Olay quench body lotion

I had the chance to try out a new body lotion to end my dry skin problems. I got Olay Quench-lavender body lotion and has been using it for a while. It's actually great as its got these little bits of shimmer particles, a pleasant smell and really seems to help with my dry skin issues. The great thing about this lotion is the fact that it doesn't get absorbed in tot eh skin too fast and dry out completely within minutes. It gives a nice shimmer that is all over the runway and keeps skin hydrated. Though I've read reviews about this being a non-greasy formula, I have to disagree on that. I can't quite describe the feel, it's not entirely sticky and oily but rather a feeling of having a layer of lotion on my skin. perhaps that's my own understanding of hydration.

The verdict - It's good, really good, I will definitely stock up on that. Perfect to use in the summer because of the shimmery bits.

Rating - 4 1/2 stars