Author Interview and Giveaway

Howdy,

It feels like the longest time since I've done a giveaway so I am super happy to include a giveaway in this author interview. A while ago you may remember that I reviewed Pieces of Sky in a round up of children and YA fiction I've been reading.

I also had the opportunity to interview Trinity Doyle and I leapt at the opportunity, having really enjoyed the book. It is really nice to be able to connect with an author whose work you have enjoyed and ask them questions. I hope you enjoy the questions I posed.

I sent through the following questions to Trinity and these were her responses:

How has Pieces of Sky changed from the very first sentence you wrote to the finished book you now have?

I think the easiest way to answer this is to say how it hasn’t changed. Well, Lucy, Evan, Steffi and Cam are still there. Pieces of Sky underwent extensive rewrites as I, essentially, learnt to write. It always began from the same place: fear of the water, but spun out in so many different directions. With each draft I felt it getting closer to the actual story but I had to sacrifice a lot to end up with the final book.

Who is your favourite character in the book and why?

No! I love them all. Last time I answered this question I said Steffi but this time I’ll go with Cam. Cam was the big brother I always wanted and I cruelly took away from Lucy. I love stories where an absent character still has so much weight, and I hoped I achieved this here. Cam, to me, is a bottomless well—a place where I can just keep falling. He’s a fantastic muddle of contradictions from the leader to the layabout to the obsessive. He’s the kind of person you don’t think values anything but in truth values things fiercely. I wish everyone could’ve known him.

What is your favourite line/s from the book?

*fetches book* This is one of my favourite moments…

            The Sunbird hits the freeway and it’s just us and the road for the next four hours. The day is hot and we drive with the windows down, the wind whipping in at us, and the stereo up. Despite the heat, Evan’s wearing jeans—black jeans and a dark green T-shirt—but he’s kicked off his shoes, bare feet on the pedals.

            I stick my feet on the dash and lean back in my seat. I get a surge of something: freedom, independence, growing up—it sings in my bones.

Which character gave you the most difficulty to capture in words?

Alix. Alix was a side character I had no idea what to do with. She started off as Steffi’s friend but was too similar to her, so I made her a swimmer but then I couldn’t work out why she was friends with Steffi. Then I made her Lucy’s friend and a swimmer and she began to make sense to me. Once she felt real the story just seemed to jump into this other more realistic space.

You have had a lot of different jobs, how have they influenced you as a writer?

This is a tough one! I think in my different creative endeavours I’ve always been hunting for my voice, something that felt true to me. Many things I’ve done felt like an imitation of something else. I always had the hope that through exploring different styles I’d find mine but when that didn’t happen I struggled to continue. Writing is the closest I’ve come so far.

What book do you wish you had written? or What book do you read again and again?

I reread a bunch of books this year and one of the standouts was Hunting and Gathering by Anna Galvada. The story is essentially about a bunch of lonely people finding each other and becoming a family—and I just love that. I finished it and thought I want to do that! And that’s pretty much what I’m trying to accomplish in my current project.

Can you share a standout moment for you in the process of writing Pieces of Sky?

When I was trying to figure Evan out. I was listening to the radio at work and Polaris by Jimmy Eat World came on. I stopped whatever I was doing and just sat there because that song was him. Even though it was nothing to do with him—and he has mixed feelings about Jimmy Eat World—he was just completely in it. I listened to that track on repeat for a long time after that.

At what point of the process did you start to think that the published book would become a reality? Do you call yourself a writer when people ask you what you do, when did you start doing that?

I always hoped for this story to be published but it didn’t start looking like it could actually happen until I’d gotten to the querying agent stage—that’s when I believed I had something publishable.

I read an interview with a writer, can’t recall who, where they said to stop calling yourself an aspiring writer, if you write then you’re a writer. I tried to own it after that. It’s something that’s very personal for me though so I struggle to talk about it, I tend to crack a few jokes then turn the conversation back on them.

As a writer and an aspiring writer what were the things that kept/keep you going on the days when it feels like an impossible dream?

Other writers. I’ve been lucky to have found some wonderful writing partners and we all just care about each other’s work so much. Having someone else take what you’re doing seriously is a massive motivator.

What practise has most influenced the development of your own unique voice as a writer?

Good writing is all about honesty and honesty of self is the hardest thing to put on the page. Something that’s laughable but I think had a great baring on my writing was the years I spent on livejournal. In what I call my vague emo poetry I was learning to name what I was feeling and to put those feelings into a public space. That practice meant that I was a lot closer to my emotional self when I came to my manuscript and I’d already dealt, to a degree, with that fear of being seen.

I loved reading these answers, I would love to sit down and have a face to face talk to Trinity! Thanks so much Trinity for answering these questions, your humility as an author and person really shine through and I look forward to reading your next book.

If you enjoy YA fiction I'm sure this will be a book you will like. If you want a chance to win your own copy (NZ and Aus readers only, sorry) then please leave a comment below - how about you tell me: a favourite line from a book, the title you'd chose for a book if you wrote one or what you are reading at the moment.

Entries close Monday 6th of July and I'll email the winner after that.

love you more than a parcel in the post xxx

Book Week - Janella's Super Natural Foods + Giveaway

Welcome back book lovers.

Before we go on it must be noted I am not on the sugar-free, paleo, carb free, nut free, dairy free, gluten free, add your own train/s. I also have no food allergies and I am partial to a peanut butter sandwich on cheap white bread. I like steak and after a year as a vegetarian my iron levels were fine but my B12s were so bad I had to go on a course of injections - now I just eat meat.

Okay now you know these things here I am with a book all about natural foods.

In fact this book ticks most of the trains I mentioned above. It is predominantly vegetarian, sugar free, vegan, GF and many other 'free's' and it is meatless. (But there are suggestions and variations which include meaty ideas). Janella argues (nicely) for a vegetarian life that is free of processed crap (she put it more nicely than that) but the book is still packed with lots of tasty recipes.

This week I have made:

The Bicher Muesli - I liked it. Flip had a go but decided it was not really his thing. Nice and simple soak overnight and then enjoy in the morning. As a non morning person I like this approach.

Broccoli and Mint pesto - simple and quick to make stirred through wheat pasta (shhh don't tell Janella about that it was supposed to be spelt pasta). We all loved this. Bounce said - Mama this smells yuck but it tastes good. 

Bliss Balls - all the boys gave them a go. They all like them. I on the other hand keep going back to the fridge for seconds and thirds - I like them that much.

Also Vege Fritters - I think I over processed these a little so I needed to add more rice flour to firm them up and so they were more like a falafel texture than a fritter texture but they were very nice. Bounce said I like these mama but I think Dad will really like them. Flip didn't have them because he'd been sick so he didn't have tea. When The Atlas got home we had them in wraps with aioli and they were good - definitely one to do again.

and Kale Chips - these have real potential but I was a little (lot - oops) heavy handed with the salt. Also the Kale I bought was really past its best so I think that didn't help

I like that the recipes in this book are achievable. They aren't complicated to make although some of the ingredients are harder to source. But depending on how you shop already you may well have a lot of the staples already on your shelves. For starting out with these kind of recipes I recommend shopping in places that sell loosely/ in bulk rather than packets. This means you can buy just a little for a specific recipe rather than ending up with 500g of something you needed 2 tsps of and really have no idea how to use.

Will I make more things from this book? Yes I will. Probably not everything because I never make everything from a recipe book unless I have to, and it's my life so probably I don't have to, right?

Will I still make indulgent, 'wicked' recipes like double chocolate and raspberry brownies? Heck yes, I will. I am very lucky to have a family that doesn't have food issues and I love to bake and I believe in enjoying food and not feeling scared of or guilty about food .... but I do think there is more space in my repertoire for 'good' recipes.

I like the layout of the book but wish there were more photos of the recipes. It may be noted Janella and I could not share a wardrobe... but then who do you know who would share a wardrobe with me?

Things I have discovered making the recipes:

1. Hemp Seeds - which are used widely in the book are not allowed to be sold in SA
2. Goji Berries - 'super food' also known as Lycium barbarum costs $43 kg at the supermarket, $45 kg for organic ones at the health food store and $28 kg at the Asian food warehouse.
3. I'm not really a careful measurer - I already knew that but all the recipes turned out fine with my liberal approach so I am sure you will be fine making them.

If you'd like a copy of the book Allen and Unwin are prepared to send a copy to one lucky reader. You must have an Australian address or a lovely friend who will send it on I suppose (sorry non Aussie readers).

Leave a comment here and I'll do a draw on Friday or Saturday.

Details - Janella's Super Natural Foods by Janella Purcell. Published Allen & Unwin November 2014 RRP $39.99 Aus.

Fun right?

love you more than a bliss ball, or 4 xxxx

What I'm Reading - Safe With Me and a giveaway

Okay so here's another book I literally ate up. One afternoon and evening and I was done. I think perhaps I am a fast reader?

Safe With Me by Amy Hatvany

Anyway, this book is new to hit the stores this month. It's the story of 3 women - 2 mothers, 1 daughter and the way their lives, tragedies and secrets become entangled in each other. This books deals with some very big themes - losing a child, domestic violence and organ donation. Technically it's an easy read but emotionally it isn't. Having never faced any of these personally I still found myself really upset for the characters in parts of the story.

The author I think, does them justice though. She presents them as rounded, multifaceted issues forcing the reader to think about how that could be them, rather than making judgement calls from the sideline. In parts it gets heart pumping and edge-of-the-seat, I-wish-I-could-read faster ish.

The 3 characters Hannah, Olivia and Maddie take chapters in a turn-about fashion and so the story moves from one character to the next, fully engaging you with her tale until you move onto the threads of the next person.

I think this is a book that many women would relate to. It is at its heart about relationships, particularly that of a mother and daughter and how we make decisions based on the important people in our lives. It also identifies the need in all of us to be in relationships where we can be truly ourselves and how healing this is.

This is the first book I've read by Amy Hatvany, but she has also written Heart Like Mine. Judging by this book would be happy to read anything else she wrote. Also I love that in her author bio it says this 'In 1998, Amy finally decided to sell her car, quit her job, and take a chance on writing books.' I always love it when people go all out for their dreams.

The good news is, thanks to postal issues, I have ended up with 2 copies of this book so Allen and Unwin said I am allowed to give my extra copy away. I know!! Whoop :o) If you think you need something to read and this sounds like it - leave me a comment and tell me one author you think is always spot on. Giveaway open for a week or so.

Details - Publisher Allen & Unwin, 1 March 2014. Sold wherever you find your favourite books. :o) RRP
$29.99 Aus

love you more than a parcel in the mail xxx

We Recommend - Some Handmade and Giveaways

Every year our boys open a pair of matching summer PJs on Christmas Eve (at least they have for the last 2 years!). Usually I buy plain t-shirts and fancy them up and make the shorts for the bottom.

This year the t-shirts are from AS Colour. A lot of printing companies and small indie printers use their tees and hoodies to print on as well. We really like them because, unless it's arty/interesting The Atlas and I kind of resent being a walking billboard for a company.

I also really like the range of colours they have, frankly in our house white t-shirts don't stay that way for very long at all. I have 2 of their hoodies and The Atlas has at least 2 hoodies and several tees. They used to have a shop in Chch but now we buy online. If you'd prefer organic cotton they have those too. Be sure to check out their sale section too if you want some amazing bargains (seriously $2 nice coloured mens t-shirt anyone?)!

If you want to do something simple and sweet for a  'handmade' gift I recommend a cute plain, vibrant coloured tee or hoodie with a personalised design. You could use fabric paint or like me good old visoflix, some tracing and an iron. (I top stitch as well because these puppies will get a lot of washing machine and messy sleeping action).

These are their Christmas Eve jammies!

Also because AS Colour sent me some extra tees I have done 2 to give away.

Red balloons sailing - kids size 4

Light Pink Floral unicorn -  kids size 10

and because I did 2 fabric unicorns there is also a black and white butterfly unicorn which is all ready just to iron on to a garment, bag, other, of your pleasure.

To enter:
1. Pop over to AS Colour and tell me something you like (link opens in a separate window so you can find your way back!)
2. Link in a recommendation of your own
3. Tell me a Christmas tradition you have
4. Tell me which thing you would like to win.

Four chances :o) Separate comment for each please.

Winner drawn and announced next week. Thanks to AS Colour for the fab tees and hoodie.

Winners of pillowcases and edible pens were Naomi and Ash.

We Recommend for Christmas 

our posts about genuinely lovely things

Thanks for your recommendations. Button code on the right.

Love you more than a bright t-shirt on a cloudy day xxx

We Recommend - Personal, Postable, Perfect (& another giveaway)

So I've been on a bit of a pillowcase fix this year when it comes to making gifts... but I know not everyone is a maker and frankly some days I just want to selfish sew so I'm not always a maker either!

But I do love beautiful pillow cases and special messages. So here's what The Atlas will be getting under the tree ... shhhh!

Oh, that's right he gets my blog via email so... surprise babe!!

I love this because we really are 'better together' at least I know I am better together with him. He's probably quite cool all by himself but I always like people to meet me with him and I do talk about him quite a lot and ... well anyway.

These awesome pillowcases are made by the wonderful NZ design duo elephant and bird. Who are a boy girl team screen printing all sorts of loveliness in NZ. I guess he's the elephant and she's the bird? Ahem - let's not speculate. I rather like their blog too - it's thoughtful and thought provoking.

These pillow cases come in a gorgeous linen pouch with an elephant and bird stamp and strike me as the perfect sort of gift for hard to buy for partners and overseas types who you need to be posting to soon and don't want anything too big or bulky. They post all their products overseas too and with the lovely pouch you could bypass all the frustration and get them sent direct to your recipient. That's my kind of shopping!

The pillow cases are a nice heavy but smooth fabric too so I can't imagine they will go bobbly and mess up your hair :o)

And they use eco-friendly practices too which makes this hippy happy.

Here's their felt intro:
At elephant+bird all our products come from our own unique designs and illustrations. We screen print onto organic cotton garments for men, women and children and home wares as well as graphic prints and other small bach creations.

I'm also thinking these would make really awesome wedding presents. I tend to resist the gift register like a gift-horse resists opening their mouth. I know it's nice to get someone what they want but, towels??? Yawn.

These are perfect. I will buy these and they will be thankful for my wonderful taste, their lovely NZ product and the fact that everyone will be jealous (which they definitely won't be about towels - unless they get caught short and have to run through your house wrapped in a bathmat - which could happen I guess).

So, are you jealous of The Atlas' awesome Christmas present and wonderful wife? Well you can win a set of your own - that's pillowcases - clearly I do not come in a set and I am not for sale or a prize (although I don't mind when The Atlas calls me a trophy wife! ha ha).

How to win? - a comment for each please:
1. Head over to E+B felt page and let me know what you love most.
2. Like them on FB
3. Link in a recommendation post of your own
4. Tell me something funny that has happened in your bedroom (G for general not R18!)
         - one night I woke up and found The Atlas under the bed taking all the junk out from underneath it and marching it across the room to put it on a shelf. I asked him what he was doing and he told me he was moving things to higher ground. He had no recollection of it in the morning but he had been dreaming about floods. See he is so awesome - he's even responsible in his sleep! :o)

Thanks to the lovely Elephant and Bird team for a beautiful place to lay my head at night.(or should that be The Atlas to lay his head??)
Winner drawn on 20th of November and notified by email. Still time to enter the edible ink pens draw from last week too. Lucky, lucky readers!

We Recommend for Christmas 

our posts about genuinely lovely things

If you'd like the code you can find it on the right.

Love you more than a sweet dream xxx

We Recommend - For Baking Babes (and a giveaway my honeys!)

Now a baking babe may be a smoking hot mama who knows her brownies from her blondies ( I don't like white chocolate so you're getting no blondies from me!)

or... a baking babe could be a littler person who loves the chance to get let loose in the kitchen.

Anyway, this week I'm recommending something we've had a huge amount of pleasure from Edible Ink Pens. Basically they are like felt pens that you can use to write on food with and the food is still edible. The gift that goes on giving all year round.

Now and again I use these to smuggle a marshmallow into the boys' lunchboxes with a love note on them.

We've used them to make snow men

they are also super fun for adding features to faces

I imagine the fondant icing artist types could have an absolute field day designing things.

or you could draw on lickable tattoos! (that comment isn't supposed to be R18 either!)

and we used them recently for the party - little people drew their own teddies on a fondant cup cake topper.

My friend also used these to make this amazing cake for her wee one.
She said: The americolor pen I had was one of the blue ones, it was great for colouring the larger areas, had plenty of ink/good ink flow and kept working!!

Of course you could always buy a 10 pack separate them out and give them to friends with a packet of marshmallows or cupcake cases. Perfect for the food loving friend or the kind of present I'd actually be stoked to get in those 'bring a $5 gift' Christmas parties. (Which I know I should roll my eyes about but I totally love. Last year The Atlas had one at his work where you take other people's presents - you know the one? - and he felt so bad about taking something someone wanted the next day he took it into work and gave it back to them, so they got 2 gifts and he got none!)

Now I know these things aren't the easiest to locate - believe me I have tried.  So I am very excited I found a fab place to buy these and they post so if you think Santa would like to sneak some of these into your stocking then send him this way. (Or if you live in Hawkes Bay they have a store as well).

or...... you could win a pack of 10!!! I know, busting your gumdrop-buttons right??? Right here. Because Cake Stuff are awesome, yes, yes they are.

Now I know you are really thinking of how much your children would love a set of these for biscuits and cupcakes and marshmallow snow men making, and you're not thinking at all of how much fun you are going to have planning your next party and never sharing them....I have mine hidden in a secret place in the pantry and I'm not telling you where!

So you could win a pack of 10 Americolor food pens - as featured in the photos above, usually $34.95.

How you ask me? Well here are your 4 chances:

1. Visit Cake Stuff and tell me something you'd like Santa to put in your stocking (don't get lost over there okay there is a lot to look at and you may need a tissue for the drooling!).
2. Link up a recommendation post this week
3. If you follow me some how (email, RSS, Bloglovin...whatever) then I want to give you another chance because I appreciate your company for the journey.
4. Tell me a way you would use these - go on inspire me.

Separate comment for each please :o) you know you want to make it easy to be picked.

I will draw the winner on Nov 20th and send them out to you in the mail. I have also drawn the winners for the Sami's giveaway - congrats to Therese T, Jackie, Louana, Alex, lil Abs and Sunshine Leonie. Holly won (and has received) the cufflinks from Linkz. If you are a winner please flick me an email with your address and I'll do my best to get them in the post this week.

We Recommend for Christmas 

our posts about genuinely lovely things

If you'd like the code you can find it on the right.

Love you more than a chocolate and marshmallow hangover 
(the only kind of hangover I've ever had!) xxx

We Recommend - for the food snob and giveaway

I know another giveaway - how much fun is this?? In my family I have rather a lot of foodies, perhaps we could call them food snobs???

This can make buying for them easy or hard. Easy because they love good food products, hard because they are going to turn up their noses about e-colours, food numbers, fillers... you know those things on the ingredient list you can't pronounce :o) My foodies are either foodies and hippies or foodies and gluten free or foodies with champagne tastes... or D all of the above!

Anyway... The Atlas and I went to an artisan food market with tastings (the best kind!) a while ago and spent rather too much time 'tasting' at one of the tables, Sami's kitchen. These guys are another one of those great ideas if you want to give a foodie something they will really, really like but you're on a pams gingerale budget. They have spice mixes/rubs and super snazzy nuts.

We've been troughing (you know like pigs at a trough), through the Zataar which we bought at the market and also using their spices on meat and well, the nuts didn't last long but we loved them while we ate them. I like Sami's because they are local, a family business and they tick all the food snob boxes their products are..... just listen to this adorable description on the back of the spice mixes:

this product is free of Gluten, Wheat, Dairy, Fillers, Starches, MSG, Preservatives or Additives (except extra love). 

They are available online and I think they'd make a really great gift for a foodie lover or a nice alternative to chocolates for a teacher, tutor, coach type person in your life, also a lovely gift for a foodie who has foodie allergies.

Another foodie idea I love as a gift was one I received from Leonie last year in the Advent Swap. It's a brownie in a jar. This is a super easy idea that makes really good brownies - my waist line can attest! Simply load the ingredients into a jar, add the instructions and you are good to go. A fun idea would be to put a few together over an evening listening to Christmas carols.

Even better pair it with some of Sami's nuts and you'll be given the big tick. I really like consumable gifts when you know you don't have a lot to spend but you want to give something that will be genuinely enjoyed. Especially great when you are getting something for someone whose normal tastes and desires are way out of your budget.

So giveaway - 6 people (I know they are super generous!) will win some of Sami's loveliness of their own to try.

How can you win? 3 chances:
1. Visit Sami's and tell me what your favourite thing is
2. Link in a We Recommend post of your own
3. Leave me a comment telling me your favourite nut.... anyone seen 'Best in Show'? pinenut, peanut, pistachio nut.....comedy gold!

a comment for each please :o)

We Recommend for Christmas 

our posts about genuinely lovely things

instead of buying landfill let's make considered purchases that go the distance and are still being enjoyed next Christmas or gifts that are beautifully made and consumable

Thanks for your recommendations. Button code on the right.

Love you more than a chunk of fresh bread dunked in olive oil and zataar xxx
(oh, excuse me while I stop and dribble just for a moment here)

We Recommend - for the suit wearing man and giveaway

The Atlas and I have an unspoken arrangement when we go out - I am allowed to wear whatever crazy ensemble I feel like and he can wear whatever t-shirt and jeans ensemble he wants. He does not have my crazy taste. So, we pretty much never 'match' and we really don't care.

At heart The Atlas is a casual dresser. Jeans and a funky t-shirt are his non-work uniform. He wears a shirt to work every day, and from time to time (when required), a tie. So he doesn't really have need of ties for Christmas... so where does one go for small, practical (he likes practical) but still fun and funky?

shhh.... I'm going to slip in some super cute cufflinks into his stocking.

I bought him some R2D2 ones earlier in the year, when he was bemoaning the inability to wear his nice double cuff shirt, and they are right up his alley. Not too 'hipster' but not too 'gold with a small diamond to match my tie pin' either.

I bought these from Linkz and I was really impressed with the kind of range they have. Lots of heroes and villains and star wars and Lego... (and some sensible ones too if that's more your mans style). They came in a gift box and they were delivered quickly. And they have stayed in one piece... unlike a pair I bought him from somewhere else another time....

So when I asked them if they wanted to be part of the we recommend series they sent me a pair for you too :o) Is there a star wars lover you love that would like a set of storm trooper cufflinks? Course there is!!

Like some cufflinks to put in someones stocking? Here's 3 chances to enter:
1. Pop over and tell me which set you like best from their range
2. Link in your own recommendation post this week - linky is open for a week - please do I'd love your recommendations too!
3. Tell me a wardrobe fail you've had recently... in the interests of sharing, The Atlas came home the other night and I was standing at the stove cooking (I know, he is so lucky!) and he pointed out the fact I had 2 big tears right in the buttocks area of my dress. Not sure how many other people enjoyed that during the day.

Separate comment for each please. Winner drawn next week and I'll send them to you in time for Christmas.

We Recommend for Christmas 

our posts about genuinely lovely things

instead of buying landfill let's make considered purchases that go the distance 

Code on the right. Thanks for your company and for helping out with new ideas for me. :o)

Love you more than The Atlas loves Star Wars xxxx 

Electronic Delegation and a Giveaway

A while ago I was asked if I would review an alphabet/phonics app.

Whilst I used to be a teacher in a former life I've actually been pretty lazy relaxed when it comes to doing the prep work for school.

In 2 and half months my Bounce starts school, (I'm already pretty sad about it!) so I felt like this was a good idea for us. The app is called Eggy Phonics.

The premise of the app (at the beginning levels) is to recognise the picture and word together, then just the word when paired with 2 other familiar words (bat, cat, hat), to put the letters in the correct order, to pop the letter bubbles and then to write the word using your finger (over the top of the shape). There is lots of speaking so that a non-reader can still enjoy and play it. Points/badges/game time are earned for each completed activity.

Bounce (4), Flip(7) and I have all enjoyed playing with it. Here are some of the reasons I like it:
1. Choose your accent - although it doesn't have a kiwi accent choice it does have Aus, British and American.  This is super helpful when the point of the app is to teach children letter sounds.

2. Repetition - although as the adult you can get a bit like 'alright already we did that' repetition is a key to consolidating knowledge. By having to recognise or spell or order the letters more than once in each turn these things go in and stay in. Also, think how many times you have read that favourite story book (until you no longer like it any more, right?) turns out kids like repetition and anticipating.

3. Sounds - the letters are sounded out rather than named. By this I mean c.a.t is sounded out 'c -at - t' rather than naming the letters c(see),a(aye),t(tea). Does that make sense? Letters have a sound and a name. When learning to read although knowing the name of a letter is good it doesn't help you to attack the word and sound it out. Having the knowledge of what that letter sounds like is more important. If I know the letter m (said 'em') sounds like 'mm' is is easier for me to attempt 'mat'.

4. Writing - as part of the activity you have to use your finger to write the word. The letter must be shaped correctly -starting and finishing in the correct place. This is wonderful for school when the teacher will need to teach (or re-teach) your child to start and finish their letters in the correct places.

I have already recommended this app to a couple of new entrant teachers and I think it has a lot to offer if you want to do a bit more than just use your ipad for general play (or other app-tastic-thing-a-me-whatsit).

I have 2 codes to giveaway for the app too so if you'd like to try it let me know and I'll put you name in the hat. Closes this time next week. Winners notified by email :o)

Also winner of the awesome birthday candles of love is - Ange!