I Fed The Bear

So... last night, something cool happened.

After what seemed like forever, I got to see Owen Benjamin live!

I've previously mentioned that Owen is made of awesome, but when I wrote that post about him a couple of months ago, I was still pretty new to his comedy. Since then, I've come to fully appreciate what a rare gem of a guy he really is.

Funny? Check.
Entertaining? Check.
Intelligent? Check.
Willing to speak his mind? Check.

These are the things comedians used to be made of. Way back before everyone was "offended" by everything, and before people had to "call you out" over a simple comment. Back when people used to understand what a joke really is, there were comedians like Owen Benjamin. For true comedy buffs, he is the real deal. His podcast, 'Why Didn't They Laugh' proves this as he deconstructs his own shows and talks about what did and didn't work with certain crowds, and how he won them back over - which he always manages to do with his quick wit and sharp mind.

So, needless to say, I was pretty excited to head to Birmingham to see the Big Bear.

I was in no way disappointed.

Before Owen performed, we were treated to thirty (ish) minutes of Feraz Ozel, a comedian from Los Angeles who instantly made the crowd laugh with his observations about "Birmingstan" and some extremely valid points about the benefits of bacon. Rumour has it, Feraz is hoping to come back to the UK next year, and I highly recommend seeing him if you get the chance.

Then, after a short break, came the moment I'd been waiting for. Owen Benjamin stepped out to a somewhat tame crowd (side note: at the end of the show, the lovely young lady who was selling Owen's merchandise said, "Oh, you were sitting to the side of the stage, weren't you?" I nodded and she said, "We heard you laughing." My friend Autumn and I were not afraid to let our hair down and make some noise!). What followed was over an hour of non-stop laughter. Amongst the highlights were Owen's English accent - you haven't lived until you've heard an American say the word "willy" in a British accent. :p His perfect pronunciation of David "Attenbruh" had the crowd howling, as did his references to Jimmy Saville. One of the funniest moments for me came when Owen was discussing Chris Martin of Coldplay which ended in a bit about Winnie The Pooh - I sincerely hope that catches on because it was brilliant! Also, whacking off to Gandhi deserves an honourable mention!

A big part of Owen's life and his comedy is his trusty piano - and, man, does he have some great songs.Advice Song for Millenials  and Summer of 1869. Owen's response to John Lennon's Imagine live for the first time which had me laughing hard, and he ended the show with Feel My Heat - and finally got the crowd singing. I guess it takes us Brits about 75 minutes to warm up. ;)

When the show was over, I was lucky enough to be one of the first to see Owen and grab some hugs! It was SO great to speak to him (and I'm pretty sure I didn't say anything dumb lol). I didn't mean to lurk at the venue for quite so long but I was so busy chatting that I didn't get a selfie right away, so I went hat shopping and chatted with Feraz and the awesome people who had been selling merch and taking photos throughout the show.

Owen Benjamin is truly one of the kindest people you could wish to meet. He has time for everyone. He truly wants to talk to his fansand hear their thoughts and ideas, and that is just another part of why he continues to be so successful.

I hope Owen finds his way back to the UK again soon because I am so ready to do it all over again! There are still a few dates left on this tour, so if you haven't been yet, GO! Get the tickets. Feed the bear!

   I found the Big Bear!

Girls' night out

                                  My tired face. I didn't take that hat off until I got home!

Miles of Smiles Bloghop

The Rules:

Several years ago, I created the Bloghop of Joy with Clare Dugmore. The idea behind it was for people to sign up and tell each other about the small things in their lives that always make them smile. Miles of Smiles will run along those exact same lines BUT we’re doing this all over social media. That means you can use your blog, your Facebook, your Twitter or your Instagram to share your joys.

The reason we’re opening it up is to spread this as far and wide as possible. Things on your list of joy could be a random memory, something you see on TV, overhearing something that makes you laugh out loud - just that one thing that makes the clouds part, and the sunshine appear again.

We all know that our friends and families makes us happy – that is pretty much a given. We're not talking about life-changing moments, just the little things that inexplicably make us smile and forget our worries for a while. We would love it if you would join us on our #MilesofSmiles mission!

My List of Joy

So, I already did this hop on my writing blog, but I'm joining in over here because there are some entertainment specific things that make me happy! 

Podcasts

I rarely have time to listen to podcasts BUT there are some that I just have to make time for. Specifically, Why Didn't They Laugh by the awesome Owen Benjamin (will talk about him more at some point!), and Tell 'Em Steve Dave (this is not for the faint-hearted. These guys are hilarious, but not necessarily family friendly!) 

Ed Sheeran

I have a confession. I didn't like Ed Sheeran much at first. I didn't really get what the big deal was, but now? Now I cannot get enough of his music. 

British Comedy

I love comedy of all kinds, but - and I may be biased - British comedy is amazing. Quite recently we had a TV show on here called The Keith and Paddy Picture Show, where to of Britain's finest comedians/actors/presenters "remade" classic movies. Their version of Dirty Dancing was infinitely better than the genuine remake that happened recently!

So, tell me, what are the little things that make you smile?

 To join in with a blog, sign up here:

One Love Manchester

So... last night Ariana Grande returned to Manchester after the horrific attack at her show on May 22nd, and she brought with her a whole host of amazing artists, who call came together to help raise money for those who were affected by the attack. 

Honestly, I wasn't absolutely sure what to expect. What I always knew for sure about Ariana Grande was that she has an amazing voice - other than that, I didn't know a whole lot. So, to witness this beautiful young lady on stage, doing what she does best while fighting back her emotions, was just phenomenal. She's a petite little thing, but she commanded that stage and that audience with ease - and she made a fan out of me the moment she sang with the Parrs Wood High School choir and held onto the sweet young lady who sang My Everything as she broke down. Also, One Last Time was a moving moment as that was reportedly the last song played at Grande's concert on May 22nd. And can we just talk about Ariana's stunning rendition of Somewhere Over The Rainbow? It could not have been a more perfect song to end on.

Other amazing moments during the concert included the always awesome Robbie Williams trying to hold it together in the city that means so much to him. My inner teenager could not handle seeing him so upset, and his chants of "Manchester we're strong" were truly moving, as was him singing Angels. 

The Black Eyed Peas singing Where Is The Love with Ariana was where I lost it. That song has been in my head since the first attack on London earlier this year, and to see it performed at this event was amazing. Also, will.i.am is the shiz. 

Coldplay took to the stage to sing what has become Manchester's anthem - Don't Look Back In Anger. Not everyone was crazy about them covering the Oasis classic, but it felt important that that song had a place at the concert. The crowd seemed to love it, and then Coldplay went into a few of their own songs. Love them or hate them, they know how to put on a show, as the audience was showered in coloured stars which rained down from the sky.

One of the bigger moments of the night came from Liam Gallagher's appearance on the stage - dressed in orange and looking pretty much as he did back in the nineties. Read into that what you will :p but it was great that he was a part of the night. 

All in all, it was an incredible show to witness. There were tears and smiles, and a feeling of oneness, firstly with my fellow Brits who were all talking about the concert, talking about the parts they enjoyed and the parts that made them cry - not one of them forgetting why this concert was happening. But also with the rest of the world who watched as some of the world's best known performers united for this event. 

Where Words Fail, Music Speaks - A Charity Anthology

Generally speaking, I tend to keep posts about my books off this blog - unless it is a charity anthology! And since this particular anthology has a very strong link with music, I'm okay with talking about it here.

Where Words Fail, Music Speaks is a collection of short stories and poetry by writers from all walks of life.

Each story and poem is based on the titles of 90s Britpop songs, including Come Back To What You Know, Bittersweet Symphony, Animal Nitrate, Disco 2000, and more.

Our list of authors is: Kyra Lennon, Clare Dugmore, Annalisa Crawford, Ker Dukey, Wesley Copeland, Robb Turburville, D H Sidebottom, Audrina Lane, M.B. Feeney, Karen Frances, S.J Warner, Scout Dawson, Kimberly Morgan, Maddie Wade, Rebeccalou Heronpontin, and Andrea Coventry.

All proceeds from the sales of this anthology will go to Clusterbusters.

Those of you who follow me on social media will know what this is all about, but for those who don't - I have several friends who live with the debilitating pain of cluster headaches. While research is being done all the time into a better way for people to manage the pain, there is still a long way to go yet, and I wanted to do something to help. Raising money is key to continuing research, so I pulled in a team of some of the coolest writers I know to put this amazing book together. 

There is something for everyone inside. There's heartbreak, there's hope, there's pain, there's joy, there's growing up, and for good measure, a little bit of bizarre! You can't fail to find something inside this book you will love! 

If you would like to donate to this fantastic charity and bag yourself a brilliant book, you can do so at the following links:

Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B071CK2K6H
Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B071CK2K6H

Thank you! <3 

Mad Love for Black and White Rainbows

I have a confession to make. I had always heard of Bush - of course, I grew up in the nineties - but back then, I was all about the cheesy music. While I was singing along to the Backstreet Boys and learning Steps' latest dance routine, I didn't realise what I was missing out on.

Fast forward to the present. Well, last December, to be more specific. I'm working on a project that involves me looking deeper into the nineties music scene, and I stumbled across a few tracks by Bush. I started listening. I loved their music.

Fast forward again to an average Saturday night watching TV - when I heard Mad Love for the first time. That was enough to sell Black and White Rainbows to me. Since then I have been listening to the album from the time I get up until the time I go to bed. When I have to stop listening to do other things, I have one of the songs from the album in my head. Just in case you were curious, today, I wandered around the supermarket singing Sky Turns Day Glo to myself. :p

This is not going to be your average music review - that's not really what I do. I can't talk to you about what is technically brilliant, or speak with any great authority about how this album compares to previous albums, because my knowledge is not strong enough. 

But what I can tell you is this. I haven't been gripped by an album this way in years. In fact, I don't think I have been this gripped by an album ever. And I listen to a LOT of music.

I wish I could explain what the hell it is about this album that makes me want to get shit done... but maybe that's a mark of how damn good it is. It's rendered me incapable of finding the right words. All I can tell you is that it's crawled under my skin and awoken something inside me that has been sleeping for WAY too long.

If there is only one album you check out this year - for the love of God - let it be Black and White Rainbows.

Making a Murderer - One Year On

So... you know that magic thing Facebook does, where it shows you your memories from previous years? Well, yesterday, mine informed me that it was a year since I finished watching Making a Murderer. One. Whole. Year.

Making A Murderer, in numerous ways, changed my life. Changed me. My recollection of watching it for the first time is that I was totally gripped by every single episode. Not in a "well this is entertaining, I need more" kind of way, but in a "what in the hell is wrong with the world?" kind of way. It felt dark, to me. Chilling that a man such as Steven Avery could be jailed for a crime he didn't commit, and then, just when he thought the nightmare was over, it all started again, and his sixteen-year-old nephew was dragged along for the ride. It broke me. It kept me awake, wondering how the system could have failed these people. How people in positions of power could manipulate the public with such skill that, even now, many still don't see past those awful press conferences.

Like everyone else, I wasn't there when Teresa Halbach lost her life. I can't say with 100% certainty who killed that young lady who had so much life left in her. But I do know this. There are a lot of people who had a deep desire to see Avery behind bars - that is clear from the documentary. Remember the way some of those people spoke about him? The way the investigation focused mainly on Avery and his family right from the start? It was and still is troubling to me that this kind of thing happens, and the last year has highlighted just how many more Steven Averys and Brendan Dasseys there are all over the world.

Making a Murderer inspired many people to get out there and make a change. Protests were arranged, various fundraisers were set up, petitions were launched, research was done. Even those who didn't think their voices were that loud were ready to stand up and say SOMETHING. Laura Ricciardi and Moira Demos set the wheels in motion for the world to stand up and make some noise. The enormity of their achievements is almost impossible to put into words.

While the fight is still ongoing for Avery and Dassey, the tables are turning, make no mistake. Those men will get back to their families because of the hard work of legends like Laura Nirider and Steven Drizin. Kathleen Zellner has frequently tweeted about progress being made in Steven's case. Justice will be done.

On a personal level, what's changed for me since this time last year? So. Many. Things. In March last year, I wrote this. It was kinda like this post, noting the things people have done since MaM first aired. But you know what's really cool? During this fight to correct the injustice, the friendships I mentioned have grown. Now, the people I used to discuss the case with talk on Skype about... everything. They're people I turn to when my days are rough. They are the people I go to when I have good news to share, and vice versa. And it never fails to fascinate me that some of my favourite people were found because we watched the same documentary.

It never fails to fascinate me that one year later, there is still an army of Making a Murderer fans who see the big picture, and are still standing up for something they believe in so passionately. At a time when so many people think only of themselves, it's constantly inspiring and exciting to know that there are some incredible people out there.

Keep fighting the good fight, my friends.

Love In The First Degree Anthology - Raising Money for The Innocence Project

It's been a while since I posted and that's mostly because I have been working on this project I want to share with you today!

Those of you who have read this blog before, know I've talked about Making a Murderer a lot. That documentary has literally changed people's lives, and brought people together. If you watched it too, you'll also know that the situation Steven Avery and Brendan Dassey found themselves in left many feeling upset and frustrated, searching for things they could do to help.

 Well. I'm not a lawyer, I'm not rich, I'm not the best super sleuth. What I am is a writer. And so, one of the things I knew I could do is help raise money for The Innocence Project. I think the Innocence Project is a hugely important organisation, and not only did I want to help them raise money, I also wanted to raise awareness of what they do.


Before I share the details of the book with you, I just want to extend a thank you to some amazing people. Firstly, my co-authors, Clare, Kirsty-Anne, Allana, and Laura. You have been fabulous!

I also want to thank my MaM besties, Paula Grabow, Gemma Cosgrove, and Rich Donovan (plus all of you others - you know who you are!). You three have provided me with laughs, inspiration and joy, and I can't imagine a life without you in it!

To Laura Ricciardi and Moira Demos - thank you for bringing not only the Averys' story to our attention, but shining a light on the flaws in the criminal justice system. What you have done is nothing short of incredible.

And to Jerry Buting and Dean Strang - thank you for showing that there are still people of integrity in the world. It's easy to forget sometimes. You guys haven't had the easiest time of it - but please know that you did a great job back then, and you're still doing a great job now!

And on that note... I bring you the project!

Together with some of the UK's best indie authors, I created Love In The First Degree. Here are all the details you will need:

LOVE IN THE FIRST DEGREE;

AN ANTHOLOGY IN AID OF THE INNOCENCE PROJECT

Genre: Romance (contemporary and paranormal)

Date of Release­­: July 18, 2018

Cover Artist: The Graphics Shed

Find Online: Amazon US | Amazon UK | Goodreads

Description: Love In The First Degree is a collection of short stories written by seven authors who have come together to help raise money for The Innocence Project. This anthology includes stories by Laura Morgan, Allana Walker, Clare Dugmore, Kyra Lennon and Kirsty-Anne Still.

Each story speaks of crime, passion, determination, and most importantly, intense romance that will leave you thinking about the characters long after you have finished turning the pages.

Being wrongfully accused of a crime could happen to anyone, anywhere, and The Innocence Project works hard to overturn wrongful convictions and help innocent people get back to their real lives where they rightfully belong. All proceeds from sales of Love In The First Degree will be donated to The Innocence Project.

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Author: Laura Morgan

Title: Ensnared

A hand outstretches amidst the chaos of a brutal attack, offering safety and protection—but only in the arms of a villainous gangster who certainly isn’t going to be good news. Take it and accept the consequences? Or refuse and risk losing it all in the aftermath?

That’s exactly what happens to Bree Locke the night she meets mobster Alexis Ramon.

What seems like a good idea at the time ends up being the turning point in her life, but how will things pan out, and will she be able to survive the consequences of her decision?

Because when you fall from the frying pan into the fire, you’re going to get burned…

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Author: Allana Walker

Title: Believe

What happens when the one guy you thought would protect you, doesn't? What happens when your own family and friends turn against you in your time of need? What happens when all you want is someone to believe you? What happens when the one person you least expect does? Find out how one girl’s life turns upside down only to turn back with a few simple words... "I believe you."

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Author: Clare Dugmore

Title: Seeking The Truth

Erin Reynolds has been on the West Midlands Police force for seven years. She’s seen some strange things in the line of duty, but nothing quite like this.

On her first day working as a detective Erin witnesses something that makes the whole department question her sanity, and leads to her being sent on a leave of absence.

Desperate to prove what she saw was real, Erin tracks down the only other witness, Arcane Specialist Morgan Jackson. The occult expert is as infuriating as he is charming. When the killer leaves a disturbing message on her answer phone, Erin is forced to work with Morgan in order to catch the culprit and get her job reinstated.

The hunt takes them around the West Midlands, visiting a flirty priestess, a druid on the wrong side of the law and a sorcerer from Morgan’s past. As Erin learns more about the supernatural world, she also realizes there’s more to Morgan than just his sarcastic wit and arcane knowledge.

She's drawn to him almost as deeply as she is to the truth of what she saw. Her feelings for him are bought into sharp when Morgan gets on the wrong side of the murderer and it's up to Erin to rescue him, and stop the occult forces plaguing the area before the darkness takes over.

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Author: Kyra Lennon

Title: Reasonable Doubts

Darcy Ryan is a woman on a mission.

A mission to take down the corrupt cops who ensured her best friend, Matteo Torres, went to jail for a crime he didn’t commit – the murder of his wife, Rebecca.

Darcy is willing to do just about anything to prove his innocence, including getting up close and personal with the case’s lead detective, Finn Drake.

She knows she’s playing a dangerous game, but it gets more dangerous then she could have ever imagined when she discovers everything she thought she knew about Rebecca Torres was wrong, and Finn Drake isn’t the man she thought he was either.

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Author: Kirsty-Anne Still

Title: Love Me Not

Synopsis: I love him. He loves me. Our love story was that easy. I stuck by that, making sure he knew I was his person, his rock when he was arrested for murder. A murder that I knew he didn’t commit. But here I am, breaking his heart, unravelling our love story. All to save him. I’d break his heart – and mine – a thousand times over if it clears his name. *** I wasn’t raised to be a good man. I was loved to be one. She was the one constant when my world started falling apart. Until she wasn’t. I was no longer the man I had become. I was a murderer, a criminal, a broken man. She started to see me as the murderer I was branded, but mark my words, this doesn’t end here. When I’m a free man I’ll tear this world apart to get her back.

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About Laura Morgan

Laura Morgan writes dark and powerful romance novels. She’s a hopeless romantic with a dark side. Be warned, she may give her characters their Happily Ever After, but makes them work hard for it!

You can join her for more information regarding her books at www.lauramorgan.co

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About Allana Walker

Allana Walker is from Scotland. She began writing in secret then took the big leap into self-publishing in 2015. She doesn't have a specific genre, but she's all about romance and HEA's.

She loves mafia, MC and dark reads.

Always in love with the bad guy of books when she should hate them.

Her other passions, besides reading and writing, are baking, spending time with her family, watching wrestling and going to concerts.

www.facebook.com/authorallanawalker

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About Clare Dugmore

Clare Dugmore is the author of contemporary romance ALL IT TAKES.

She is a thirty-something, married, mother of two from the West Midlands, of England.

In her spare time, Clare enjoys binge watching shows with her hubby,

spending time with her two sons, and playing video games.

You can connect with Clare via her website at http://www.claredugmore.com

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About Kyra Lennon

Kyra Lennon was born on the South coast of England, and to this day, still lives by the sea. Fiction writing has always been her passion, but she also has numerous articles on a variety of topics published on prolific websites.

www.kyralennon.com

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About Kirsty-Anne Still

Kirsty-Anne is a British author who stumbled across her love for writing just as she started university. Over the last couple of years she's found the style of writing that best defines her and her work. Her favourite genres to write are romantic suspense with dark themes, but loves to push her boundaries.

Find Kirsty on social media Twitter @KirstyAnneStill