My experience getting screen time on MasterChef Canada

Docmong's avatarHideous

Who the hell has not pondered life as a television star?

I understand that not everyone aspires to be eyeballed by high definition lenses like I had as a child, but I am certain everyone has taken a moment to imagine themselves signing autographs in a mall somewhere.

As a child, I was the obnoxious type. I was always the first one to open his mouth when it came to answering a question in class. On my first day of kindergarten, I voluntarily went out of my way to personally introduce myself to the school’s principal. That might have made my parents proud, but looking back on it, I consider that move extremely pretentious. Growing up, I kept putting gas on the fire that was my need for attention. But my MasterChef experience kind of put out the flames.

Flash forward to the summer of 2017. After years of mastering…

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Author Interview – Marcus Nannini

ItsGoodToRead's avatarIt's Good To Read

For my fifth interview in “The Author Speaks!” series, I get to chat with Marcus Nannini, author of Chameleons, an Untold World War II story.

A self-confessed life-long history buff, with a new book in the series “Left For Dead at Nijmegen” appearing on bookstores soon, he is busy busy busy with meticulous research into each of his novels to give that touch of authenticity, to contributing articles to magazines such as World at War, and Strategy & Tactics.

Chameleons

Book:Chameleons, An Untold World War II Story

Published: 15 June 2017

ISBN: 1612968899

Summary: Set in Oahu, in Hawaii, near Pearl Harbour. It is primarily from the perspective of Lieutenant Masaharu Yokoyama, the commander of the mini-sub, and the Hawaiian police team detailed to resolve the mystery of an old skeleton.

Now my favourite bit!!

Please, give us a little more about the person behind the book:

A history…

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Tales of a Nuisance Man – James Maxstadt

ItsGoodToRead's avatarIt's Good To Read

Summary:

This is a short story collection with a fantasy twist. The storyteller is the Nuisance man himself, Duke Grandfather, as he regales his grandson with stories of his past.

Main Characters:

Duke Grandfather: The narrator of the tales, he grows from being a greenhorn to the most experienced and famous of the Men, and has use of an Ultimate Weapon.

Lilly: Duke’s wife, we first meet her as a City Watch Necromancer, a witch of immense power and skill, used in the service of the city.

Minor Characters:

Sarge: The duty sergeant in the local City Watch station, gets to know and befriend Duke over the years.

Raven: Emerges as a rival Nuisance man, less ethical than our hero.

The Grandson: His role is the listener, yet the old man has a reason to bring the grandson into his circle, more than just passing on reminiscences.

Plot:

The grandson…

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Author Interview – James Maxstadt

ItsGoodToRead's avatarIt's Good To Read

My third interview in “The Author Speaks” is with James Maxstadt, who has written the delightful “Tales of a Nuisance Man”

He is a busy man – just finished the sequel to Tales, in the middle of two other novels, and building ideas for yet another! I am really grateful he found the time (somewhere!) to give us his thoughts, and an update on what’s going on with him!

The Book Itself:Tales of a Nuisance Man

This is a short story collection with a fantasy twist. The storyteller is the Nuisance Man himself, Duke Grandfather, as he regales his grandson with stories of his past. A great YA read, or adult read to the kids!

Book:            Tales of a Nuisance Man

Published:  November 14th, 2017

ISBN:            1979198756

Now my favourite bit!!

Please give us a little…

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Author Interview – Wendy Drinkwater

ItsGoodToRead's avatarIt's Good To Read

My tenth interview is with chatty and bubbly Wendy Drinkwater, who wrote Hobbs’s Horrific Arts and Gifts,a fun, entertaining take of the horror genre.

Wendy looks after her two cats, and her husband, while fitting in a busy work schedule at a non-profit! However, she will ALWAYS find time for a cat-natter! She SAYS she’s shy, but read on and decide for yourself!!!!

Hobbs

Book: Hobbs’s Horrific Arts and Gifts

Published: March 23, 2018

ISBN: 9781978105676)

AND NOW MY FAVOURITE PART!!!!

Please, give us a little more about the person behind the book:

I was born outside of Chicago, and my family lived all over the country by the time I was 18 (though mostly in the Midwest). I currently live in Madison, Wisconsin, with my husband and two delightful cats. I work at a nonprofit as my day job, and I love having the chance to give back to…

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The Moth: Occasional Magic

ItsGoodToRead's avatarIt's Good To Read

Summary:

I had never heard of The Moth, or what it does. It is primarily an American thing, with the occasional show in London and the like.

The premise is essentially people getting up and telling their stories. These people run the full gamut, from famous artists, writers and other celebrities, to other less well-known people. The stories themselves cover a myriad of topics, and with equally diverse aims – to educate, shock, enlighten, clarify, entertain.

The Moth works through radio, the show being called Moth Radio Hour. The format is the storyteller speaking live, to a live audience, recounting what is was that makes this event or experience important to them. These are real people, telling real stories. This book has taken some of the more compelling tales, and written them down.

From a close escape from a famous serial killer, to a woman discovering her quiet fire, to…

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Join Julie at Middle Dodd – a few months later than expected

Julie Haiselden's avatarJulie Haiselden

Tuesday 14 May

Last September we planned to walk to Middle Dodd on the way to Red Screes. Somehow we missed the left hand turn to take in the former and ended up at the latter. So today we decided to rectify that mistake.

We drove to the inn above Brothers’ Water (so called because two brothers drowned there in the nineteenth century) in the Hartsop Valley.  For £2.50 we parked at the pub for the day. The staff made a note of our intended destination lest we should not reappear before night time.

We walked up to Scandale Pass and ascended from there with Red Screen dominating the view to the right.  It must be said when distinctive features, character and charm were being distributed, this fell was not blessed.  Nonetheless, it counts as a Wainwright and as such, has now been ticked off our list.

IMG_20190514_154747896 Nice valley walk…

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Mexico 2017

gracethoroughgoodbeauty's avatarGrace Thoroughgoods life musings

On the 27th of June my family and I flew to Mexico for the third time 🙂 We have been to Mexico for the past 2 summers and have loved it so much that we decided to return for a third year running- this time it was my mum, my dad, my middle brother, his girlfriend and I. The flight is around 9 hours and on the way to Cancun we had a very dramatic flight! One female passenger was beating up her boyfriend so they had to be separated and then someone else was smoking in the toilets!!! I think I speak for everyone on the plane when I say that we were very relived when we landed safely in Cancun. After our flight landed we grabbed our bags, went to the hotel, unpacked and grabbed a nice dinner at a Japanese restaurant- we were transported to the dinner…

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