Lindsey's Blog

Twilight, True Love and You New Review and Alternative Covers

2011-11-18T05:35:00.000-08:00

I just came across this blog post about my mum's book - it's everything I wanted to say about it, if I could write as well as her.

I love the gorgeous alternative front covers, the white with red calligraphy is my favourite.

Inkymole: Twilight, True Love, And...The Truth.

Competition to win my mum's book, signed by Robert Pattinson

2011-06-22T11:50:00.000-07:00

The nice folks at UK Twilight have kindly set up a competition to help promote "Twilight, True Love and You," the guide to finding your own Edward (or Jacob).

They have 20 copies of the book so you're in with a good chance, and two of the copies are also signed by the great man himself, Robert Pattinson. Hurry though, the competition ends midday tomorrow!

UK Twilight Competition

Here's me reviewing the book:

Here's the video where he signs the book:

Digital Examples: Selling Stewart Lee with Social Media

2011-05-26T09:27:00.000-07:00

Digital Examples: Selling Stewart Lee with Social Media: "This is excellent. I'm sure a lot of us have been in meetings like this. For more about Stewart Lee see the main BBC page here , Stewar..."

Robert Pattinson at Water for Elephants London premiere

2011-05-03T15:49:00.000-07:00

Great news for Louise Deacon (my mum) and her marketing slaves (me and my aunt Nicky) - Louise went to the London premiere of Water For Elephants, and managed to get an autograph from Robert Pattinson himself, right onto a first edition copy of her new book!

Check out 'Twilight, True Love and You' here - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Twilight-True-Love-You-Finding/dp/1849531404

Twilight, True Love and You book launch

2011-04-08T15:30:00.001-07:00

Twilight, True Love and You book launch, a set on Flickr.

Divertimenti cookery school outing!

2011-04-06T15:29:00.000-07:00

Tonight I took a nice client along to cooking demonstration class held at the Divertimenti Cookery School in Marylebone (easy to get to even for a map-blind person like me, it's just 10 mins up the road from Bond St tube station).

We did the "Punishment Free Pulses," which was about learning to cook interesting, delicious meals from things like lentils, quinoa, spelt, broad beans and bulgar wheat. The format was quite different from any cooking classes I've done before, it was like a lecture with us pupils sitting in rows (about 30 of us) and the chef at the front, with a mirror over her head so we could see what she was doing, and a TV screen on the side which showed what she did on the chopping board.

As pulses take ages to cook and we were doing 5 dishes, she had to stop and start different dishes which got a little confusing in the second hour, and after the second glass of wine. Also sitting in the back row and with lots of pleasant chatty ladies in front it was slightly hard to hear everything that the chef said, but that didn't detract from the whole experience too much.

The class was £40 each - but because I booked online on a lastminute space, it was BOGOF. Well worth it for a fun, healthy night with good company, and I've definitely learned lots of things that could (could) make a real difference to my eating habits now I know how to cook nice things with weird healthy stuff.

We made (and got a small tasting dish of each):

Broad bean puree with chorizo
Braised brisket of beef with butterbean, horseradish an dbeetroot veloute
Beetroot and pomegranate spelt risotto
Spiced quinoa flatbread
Orange and sumac scented quinoa with seared salmon

Samsung 3D Pros Highlights video - my latest campaign

2011-03-10T05:12:00.000-08:00

I'm really happy to be seeding videos like this for Unruly Media. It's not just an advert, it's interesting content in it's own right, this video shows snippets from interviews with the manager of the IMAX, a game developer and a stereographer to talk about the impact of new 3DTV technology.

You can watch the fuller videos here: http://www.youtube.com/samsunguk

Sunrise over London from Crystal Place

2011-03-08T15:39:00.001-08:00

Crystal Palace sunrise with one bird a photo by opalpetal on Flickr.

I got up at 6.30am today to reach the Charlotte St Hotel in time for a pancake day breakfast meeting with some lovely folks in PHD. This was the view I woke up to.

Touch it and I'll break your paw! Then I'll break your face!

2011-03-04T09:25:00.000-08:00

A Night of Cadbury-tastic geek joy!

2011-02-18T16:11:00.000-08:00

I am scared. Oh so scared. I think I may have the dubious honour of holding the Guinness Book of World Records best time for 'fastest toilet paper unravelling.' How did this come about?

The nice people at Cadbury's invited me to an evening of Spots v. Stripes games and chocolate guzzling. Was I going to turn down that offer? Hell no! I made the pilgrimage to Cadbury World only a couple of years ago, and I am a very devout Cadbury's chocolate eater, and have been for years since the first time I got my teeth stuck on a Curly Wurly. (Actually it's still the kiddy chocolates I like best, I'm into Buttons and Easter eggs and chocolate Christmas tree decorations.) I paid good money for that Cadbury World day trip. And here I was being invited to eat more free chocolate and speak to Holy Cadbury Priests, and it didn't cost me a penny! I spoke to a Cadbury lady and after a couple of glasses of wine asked her to create a new product, based on a Christmas tree decoration but you can hang them from your computer monitor all year round. I eagerly await to see it hit the shelves.

When I got there I declared myself on the team of 'Stripes' and had to play such games as 'tea bag darts' and 'speed doodling,' while being recorded by an official Guinness Book of World Records judge. I was rubbish at all of them and it was beginning to feel like sports day when I would lose at everything and sulk... then we got to the 'one-handed toilet roll unravelling' and I kicked everyone's asses! Finally, a sport I'm good at!

Or maybe I just got lucky with my toilet roll.

I also excelled at the 'scrolling down a browser' game, coming second to someone with even thicker glasses and paler skin than mine.

I look forward to seeing my video reaching the 2 million view count on YouTube. My mum always told me I was destined for great things.

Ironically, when I got home I realised I had no toilet paper in the house.

Spring is here!

2011-02-16T04:08:00.000-08:00

I clocked an impressive display of snowdrops this weekend, proof that spring has sprung.

(February 13th, at the foot of the Malvern Hills)

Young adult? Want to be on TV?

2011-01-24T03:34:00.000-08:00

My mum sent me this, it's by the same producers who make Supernanny. I love Supernanny, it makes me cry most times I watch it, and I have a girl crush on Supernanny Jo because she's so lovely and helpful and nice to families, and voluptuously foxy in her strict nanny outfit and French twist.

NEW CHANNEL 4 TV SERIES...LOOKING FOR YOUNG ADULTS

• Does your sex life ever cause arguments at home? Feel like your parents don’t understand you and your world?
• Do your parents find it hard to discuss sex with you?
• Wish it wasn’t all so embarrassing?
• Like expert advice on how to solve sex & relationship problems, have the confidence to talk about it openly and learn how to better, safer sex?

We are looking for young adults and their parents to discuss attitudes towards sex and relationships for a new TV series. As well as helping families understand each other more, our expert will be solving individual sex and relationship issues.

If you or your parents are interested in finding out more or know anyone

else that is, please call Claire on

01273 224 800

Or email parentsandteens@ricochet.co.uk

Twilight, True Love and You - the Facebook page!

2011-01-23T05:28:00.000-08:00

I've set up a Facebook page for my mum's book, please llike the page now for Twilight updates!

Can someone please write "Life Admin for Dummies"

2011-01-13T10:22:00.000-08:00

How does everyone do it?

I'm not talking about writing epic award-winning literary novels (or even completing a single one of my trashy mysteries), running trendy techie start-ups that get snapped up by Google, inventing or discovering something that changes the world forever.

Nope - I'm talking about paying bills on time, keeping a house clean, and having enough socks.

I have no idea how I've managed to stumble along this far, and somehow get a degree, a career and a house on the way. (You can be sure that at each one of these milestones, I was wearing odd socks.)

So, 2011 is the year I change my life. It's surprising how few books there are on the subject - I suppose this is the kind of thing that comes naturally to most people. It's just living life. People who can't do it die off.

I need the Guide for Dummies, but there doesn't seem to be one yet.

So here's my plan. Step one, buy one of these:

Step two: populate my lovely clean new notebook (for some reason I always think buying a new notebook will change my life dramatically) with all this stuff:

Utilities
Gas
Electricity
TV licence
Virgin
Phone
Broadband (plus passwords)
Inventory of the big items we own, plus photos
Council tax

Food/Local
Taxi numbers
Takeaway menus
Restaurant numbers

Banking
Savings
Credit cards
Loans
Mortgage
Student loan

Contact details/Business cards
Plumber
Electrician
Cleaner
Mortgage advisor
Solicitor
Estate agent

Insurance
Buildings
Household
Pet
Mortgage payments/unemployment
Health

Stuff
Receipts
Guarantees
Instructions for household items/heating etc.
Store card details

Gadgets
Instructions, guarantees, serial numbers
ipod
phone
netbook
ebook reader
digital camera

Personal
Birthday calendar
Addresses

Holidays

House
Household budget
Annual cleaning planner
Year planner for paying bills
Household lease
Freeholder contact details
Log of correspondence/payments made to freeholder

Work
CV
Details on company benefits
What we're paying for travel
Work contract
Recruitment consultants who are also human beings
Career plan
Degree certificates
Any other certificates/qualifications

Wow. Maybe I'm not such a dumbass - that's a LOT of admin.

I'm off to a good start. I have a clear memory that some bills are scattered on a half-built shelf, my gas bill is lying on the wicker thingy in the bedroom. My council tax is with my socks, and I have two coats containg utility bills in pockets.

Pork belly at Fino

2010-12-23T08:17:00.001-08:00

Pork belly at Fino, originally uploaded by opalpetal.

As I went to Salt Yard only last week and my client specifically requested Fino, I thought it was time to give this place a try. They must get lots of digital media lunches as it's on Charlotte St, and when I called they said they were fully booked, but when I went online I was able to book a table within 30 seconds. I'd say that's a good thing, keeps all that non-digital media riff-raff OUT.

It's just round the corner from Roka, not very easy to find as it's invisible on Google Maps, but once you get there it's okay. The entrance is unimpressive, you have to go past some smelly bins then down a poky set of grubby stairs. At 12.30pm on a Wednesday it was desolately empty and I wondered if I had come to the right place at all.

Inside, it's much better. Bigger than Salt Yard, it has the bustling, tinkling glass feel that is slightly too canteeny for my taste. There's no 'wow' factor, but this doesn't bother me because food is my top priority and after the trauma of Archipelago last week, I wanted plain and simple.

The chorizo chips (as recommended by a Foursquare tipper) were not everything I had dreamed - basically a cross between a chip, a sausage and a spring roll, it was not crispy enough and a bit limp. Good novelty value though, and the boy of the table loved them.

For me, the true test of a good media lunch is how much of a dish I, as a salesperson, am willing to pinch from my client's plate. Well, I took a sizable chunk of the frittata, and I'm sure my gaze kept straying to the rest of it for impolite lengths of time. This dish, plus the amazing and huge pork belly (this is meant to be tapas?!) made the whole trip worthwhile.

Foursquare also informed me (via digital guru http://twitter.com/dancall1) that if you book in advance and eat at the bar, food is half price.

Another client since has said I was a FOOL not to try the espresso martini, so I may go back.

But Salt Yard - my heart belongs to you.

Twilight, True Love and You - NEW BOOK by my mum!

2010-12-12T17:38:00.000-08:00

I can't sleep. My clever mother is writing a book about Twilight, for all fans who are interested in the psychological aspects of The Twilight Saga, or for anyone who is a fan and wants to find their own Edward or Jacob. She's a clinical psychologist so she really knows her stuff.

I was lucky enough to be one of the test readers - all I can say is WOW.

I think this book could change women's lives as much as reading the original Twilight books did.

It will be published in April, and I'll be helping promote it, I have lots of cool ideas for videos - I just really hope I can do the book justice!

Here's the link to the book on Amazon.

Aftermath

2010-09-15T02:19:00.000-07:00

I have returned!

The urge to shop came on so strongly in April that I ended up buying a flat. Then in July by the time I actually had a flat, the urge to nest and spend every waking moment on eBay was irresistable too. I completed the OU course in psychology and I'm training for a marathon on October 3rd. My boyfriend is movng in with me on Friday, and work continues to be unbelievably busy.

So for the first time in 5 months, I have a small amount of time to breathe again, all my books and pens are out of their boxes, and I'm writing again. After Bristol's fantastic CrimeFest, which I barely made as I was sorting out a mortgage at the time, I spoke to 3 agents in the Pitch-An-Agent session and I have new fire in my belly. All of them had the same feedback about the subject - suicide is too depressing, but I can write.

The magic words. "You've definitely got it. There's no doubt you can write."

Two of them were very encouraging and told me to keep in touch with my next book, and one gave me her email address, gave me some tips as to what she'd like to see from me, and offered to look at any ideas I have before I write another book.

Woohoooo! That encouragement has given me new energy. I'm so excited again! I have taken all the agents' tips on board. I have a shiny new idea which is keeping me up at night.

Plus I have a lovely, quiet house with the bookshelves I've always dreamed of, and a little corner to myself just for writing - it has been worth it.

Personalised Infographics - Foursquare Check-ins

2010-08-25T02:46:00.000-07:00

Where I've been since March:

Lindsey Mountford's Foursquare by WeePlaces.com.

Clegg, Cameron and Brown race it out!

2010-05-06T10:03:00.000-07:00

Awesome that they managed to whip this video up in time... the race is on!

UK General Election 2010 videos

2010-04-23T02:26:00.000-07:00

We're doing some fun work right now for the Independent, with their video about the election:

As part of this, we've created a viral video chart devoted to videos about the election, there are some hilarious diamonds in there, take a look: Election Chart.

Gen Y and not sure how to vote in GE2010? Try this "fun quiz"

2010-04-14T10:12:00.000-07:00

You are reading this because your browser doesn't support Iframes.

Try this link instead.

Pepto-Bismol ice-cream

2010-04-10T18:30:00.000-07:00

You don't have to have diarrhoea to enjoy it....but it helps!

Recipe

Stolen shoe crime shock

2010-03-30T10:54:00.000-07:00

My boyfriend's shoes were stolen from outside his front door. In Kew.

Doing the girlfriendly duty, I tried to make him see the positive side, with these comforting words:

Darling, it was probably a homeless man and now he finally has some decent shoes he is able to go to that job interview to be a gardener/handyman for the council, and he will rebuild his life all thanks to you. Now he has a purpose in creating that garden, he can lay off the booze and come off the drugs for good. He probably feels terribly guilty.

Meanwhile, in that garden the children play and they see the beautiful flowers and the kindly old man, and they feel happy they no longer have to play in a gritty, muddy horrible piece of wasteland and cut themselves on the broken glass, getting tetanus from rusty wire and dying. The old man cleaned it up for them. You saved their lives.

Their mothers sometimes have nightmares, imagining a future where their precious child died... then they wake and little Timmy is smiling up at them. They wipe the sweat from their brows and laugh in relief, wondering where the dream could have come from...

That old man will probably never forget you, and when he's a millionaire he will come back to that place and leave you a cheque for a million pounds. In the meantime he will be your guardian angel, watching over you.

Then my boyfriend had to go shoe shopping, and the full horror of the crime came back to him. This was his reply:

It was probably a homeless man and now he finally has some decent shoes he is able to evade the police when chased for mugging a little old lady. The little old lady looks on forlornly as the ring given to her 50 years ago by her recently departed husband disappears into the distance, still clutched between the fingers of a thief assisted by springy all-terrain gripping boots. The failed policeman wheezes to a halt. His eyes lock on the old lady's expression. He probably feels terribly guilty.

Meanwhile a child runs into the street and is hit by a car. In an alternate reality the driver slowed down when he saw the police car driving its captive mugger to the station. In that reality little Jimmy still has both his legs.

Jimmy sits in his garden gazing at the beautiful flowers. Flowers he cannot reach from his wheelchair. His mother watches her son. She imagines Jimmy running around squirting her with water from the garden hose, his face smiling in that open unabashed way that only happy innocence can achieve. But of course Jimmy is no longer innocent to the horrors of life. He will never again run amongst the flowers.

That man will probably never forget me, and when he's a millionaire from his many crimes, he will come back to that place and return my shoes. The police of course will have been following him. On finding the shoes propped up against my door they find my DNA in the shoes, make the link to the crimes and I will be locked up forever.

You can follow the extremely amusing Paul Watford on Twitter here.

With these cheese videos, you are really spoiling us...

2010-03-16T10:31:00.000-07:00

Imagine my surprise and delight to learn I have been tasked with seeding videos about cheese. JOY!

French cheese adventure video 1:

I don't actually need any more ideas about how to incorporate French cheese into my daily life. Quite the opposite. What I love about this video is the knew knowledge that out there, there exists the job title "cheese ambassador."

I have no less than two appointments at speciality cheese places - one restaurant: Art du Fromage.

And one cheese shop which runs fornightly cheese tasting evenings: La Cave.

Vive le cheese!

Goat's cheese video with recipe: