Touretteshero at TEDxAlbertopolis

On 23rd September (Monday!) Jessica Thom, author of Welcome to Biscuit Land: A Year in the Life of Touretteshero will be speaking at TEDxAlbertopolis, an independently organised TED event, at the Royal Albert Hall.

The event runs from 2pm-7pm, and will be “an afternoon of inspiring, thought-provoking and entertaining talks exploring how art and science fit together in the modern world”, according to the TEDx website. Take a look at the full list of speakers who will be taking to the stage over the course of what promises to be a fascinating afternoon.

Take a look at Jessica Thom’s recent blog post giving a little more information on what she will be talking about on the day. Her talk, entitled ‘The Alchemy of Chaos’, begins the second session of the day: Making Things Happen.

Book tickets now, before it’s too late! Priced at £25.00 or £15.00 depending on where you’re seated, there is an unreserved seating system in place, encouraging visitors to move around during the breaks to discuss the talks they have been watching.

A video of the talk will be made available online via the TED website after the event.

Souvenir Press latest reviews

It is always wonderful to hear what readers think of our books, and there’s nothing we love more than being able to pass on some glowing reviews to our authors. So if you’ve written a review of any Souvenir Press book and want to share it with us, send it to us on Facebook, tweet us, or email me via our contact page and we’ll share it here on our blog. Or if you hear about one of our forthcoming titles and would like to review it on publication, get in touch too!

For now, though, take a look at what people have been saying about some great Souvenir Press titles around the web:

Welcome to Biscuit Land by Jessica Thom

“Welcome to Biscuitland left me feeling both grateful and protective all at once: grateful for brave women like Thom who aren’t afraid to fearlessly write about their experiences with severe T.S., but also protective of parents who are new to the confusing syndrome of this disorder… I adored this book – not just for Thom’s honesty, but for her humor.” – Happily Ticked Off blog

“Special Needs Book Review has an amazing book to recommend, Welcome to Biscuit Land by Jessica Thom… The witty but stirring memoir… will educate readers who know nothing about Tourette syndrome and will empower and encourage those with the condition.” – Special Needs Book Review

Where the Ghosts Walk by Peter Underwood

“Where the Ghosts Walk: The Gazetteer of Haunted Britain is testament to the amount of work carried out by Peter Underwood, one of the world’s longest serving paranormal researchers… This is the book that anyone with an interest in ghosts need to read.” – Hayley Is a Ghost blog

“In his ongoing search for the truth about ghosts… Peter Underwood has put together the ultimate book on where to go… The definitive handbook for the amateur ghost hunter.” – Drumbeat

“His definitive guide to the haunted places of Britain.” – Western Daily Press

HypnoBirthing by Marie Mongan

“Marie Mongan is one of the leading voices in the HypnoBirthing movement… HypnoBirthing offers an alternate perspective that may encourage you to look at childbirth with new eyes.” – Another Goldfish blog

Think Like a Maths Genius by Michael Shermer and Arthur Benjamin

“By the end of the first chapter I was doing additions and subtractions with three and four digit numbers with little effort. After you’ve read this book, you’ll wonder why their technique of doing sums isn’t taught at school… Keep adding up the reasons for buying this book. It’s an easy sum.” – SFcrowsnest

Latest reviews

What better way to end the working week than with a round-up of all the latest wonderful reviews and media attention that Souvenir Press titles have been attracting over the last week or so?

Have a read of the most recent reviews, and please do let us know if you see any on the web that we’ve missed!

Welcome to Biscuit Land by Jessica Thom

“Jess writes openly and honestly about living with Tourettes and about the ways in which it can and does affect her daily life. I found this an informative, honest and very moving account and found I learned a lot about Tourettes… I’m really glad to have read this book, to have had the opportunity to get to know Jess Thom a little through her words and to have discovered more about what Tourettes is like through her open, moving and brave first-hand account.” – The Little Reader Library blog (read the full review)

“Teaching the world about Tourette’s… celebrate the creativity and humour.” – The Daily Express (read the full article)

Telling Tales in Latin by Lorna Robinson

” I live in perpetual search of the perfect Latin textbook, and this book is very close indeed! … An excellent choice of text to teach children aged 9 and upwards the rudiments of Latin, and as the book has all the vocabulary needed for the OCR exam, it is a very versatile text.” – The Garden Window blog (read the full review)

She Comes First by Ian Kerner

“Before you give up on oral sex… if you yourself don’t know what the options are… get yourself a copy of Ian Kerner’s manifesto She Comes First: The Thinking Man’s Guide to Pleasuring a Woman and make sure your boyfriend reads it too… It is a veritable paean to the art of good oral sex, packed with instructive sentences… I cannot recommend it highly enough.” – Suzi Godson, The Times

Do Chocolate Lovers Have Sweeter Babies? by Jena Pincott

“In-depth, yet accessible, this is a great read for any info-craving mother (or father)-to-be.” – BBC Focus

“Pregnancy is a weird and wonderful time for your body… Jena Pincott reveals some of the quirkiest secrets of this fascinating experience.” – Prima Baby

Where the Ghosts Walk by Peter Underwood

“Britain’s number one ghost hunter… A monumental volume, destined to become one of the very best in the landscape of paranormal literature.” – Cornish Guardian

The FitMama Method by Marie Behenna

“So informative and written in such warm, friendly manor. It’s full of useful information on diet and fitness during pregnancy, breathing techniques and birthing positions.” – EverythingIsRosy blog (read the full blog post)

Have you written a review of a Souvenir Press title and want it to be included in our next review round-up here on the blog? Leave me a message in the comments, on Facebook, on Twitter, or by email using the address in the Contact Us page.

Reviews round-up

This week has got off to a flying start here at Souvenir Press as we arrived in to the office this gloomy Monday morning to a selection of wonderful reviews of our new and recent titles. Have you written a review of a Souvenir Press title and want it to be included in our next review round-up here on the blog? Send me a message in the comments, on Facebook, on Twitter, or by email using the address in the Contact Us page.

Telling Tales in Latin by Lorna Robinson

“Each chapter tells a story and draws the reader straight into Latin with stories, exercises and suggestions, cleverly set out to give the reader confidence that he can read and understand Latin. The colourful illustrations add greatly to the enjoyment of the book. It’s a very interesting approach which shows that Latin is still relevant and enjoyable today.” – Parents In Touch (read the full review)

“Telling Tales in Latin is an inviting, absorbing, and embracing learning experience. Young students new to the language will enjoy themselves, and love their learning, both of Latin and classical mythology, and be inspired to learn more. It’s a beautiful beginners’ book, the like of which most of us never had in the past, and I look forward to its success and the love that its students will have for it in years to come.” – The Classics Library (read the full review)

Where the Ghosts Walk by Peter Underwood

“‘Where the Ghosts Walk’ is set to become the handbook and must-read for every seasoned and every would-be paranormal investigator. … If I could give this book 12 out of 10 then I would. Excellent work Mr Underwood….excellent, excellent work.” – Ghost Investigators blog (read the full review)

Welcome to Biscuit Land by Jessica Thom

“An honest, moving account… This book is a valuable one for anyone who lives with Tourettes or knows someone who does. …  Jessica Thom is inspirational and her story will help, encourage and amuse millions of people around the globe who understand or want to learn what it’s like living with Tourettes.” – Blogcritics (read the full review)

Code Name Caesar by Jerome Preisler and Kenneth Sewell

“The only submarine in history to sink another submarine in underwater combat.” – Britain at War

Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain by Betty Edwards

“The standard work for artists, teachers and millions of students and amateur artists… It should be on every artist’s bookshelf.” – The Artist, June 2013 issue

Tintin in the New World by Frederic Tuten

“A playful and imaginative expansion of the boy reporter’s life experience; he loses his virginity and receives instruction from the main characters in Thomas Mann’s cerebral door-stopper The Magic Mountain.” – Times Literary Supplement (read the full blog)

Competitions and reviews galore!

It’s all go here at Souvenir HQ. With two new books published next week, and the London Book Fair the week after, I think it’s fair to say that we’re keeping busy in our Great Russell Street office. But somehow we’ve still found time to bring you info on a couple of exciting competitions happening at the minute, as well as a bumper round-up of reviews we’ve found on the web this week.

First up, it’s competition time!

If you’re into everything equine, we suggest you head over to NewRider.com where you can win copies of two of our horse training guides:

The Art and Science of Clicker Training for Horses by Ben Hart is a clear, concise and accessible guide that will help you develop a positive approach to horse training.

Talking with Horses by Henry Blake was the first book of its kind, and a pioneer in the field of horse communication. Learn to communicate with your horse in his own language and you will learn to work together with your horse, moving and thinking as one animal.

Or, if you or a close friend or relative is expecting, take a look at BabyWorld.co.uk. They are giving ten lucky mums (or dads)-to-be the chance to win a copy of Jena Pincott’s new book. The competition closes on 30th April:

Do Chocolate Lovers Have Sweeter Babies? answers a whole host of questions about pregnancy. Rather than being a how-to guide, this fascinating book covers the why, the QI of maternity books.

While we’re on the subject of Do Chocolate Lovers Have Sweeter Babies, this week brought us our first reader review over on The Garden Window blog:

“Clearly written in a lucid and highly engaging way, Jena Pincott has masterfully turned extremely complex scientific research into an easily understandable and always enjoyable book… this is an utterly absorbing book” – The Garden Window blog

Jena Pincott’s new book was also featured in the Daily Express this week, and you can read their extract from the book here.

We have also had a flurry of reviews arrive (with yesterday’s April snow, perhaps) for a variety of titles, old and new.

One of our Autumn 2012 titles, Jessica Thom’s wonderful Welcome To Biscuit Land, which features a foreword by Stephen Fry and which has done wonders raising awareness and understanding of Tourettes Syndrome, was reviewed by the wonderful Jo who runs the book blog Jaffareadstoo:

“Jessica has with great wit and charm completely overturned my thinking about Tourette’s syndrome, and those whose lives are affected bit it.” – Jaffareadstoo blog

We’ve had yet more praise for Brain Games for your Child by Robert Fisher, which top parent bloggers have been loving recently. You can read previous reviews here, and be sure to check out the whole review by Mummy Lion.

“If you’re sitting at home… wondering what you will do to entertain your children while they’re off school for two long cold weeks then I think I have found the solution… I thoroughly recommend this book and will be using it lots this snowy Easter of 2013 and beyond.” – Mummy Lion blog

I also found this very detailed, in-depth review of How Puzzles Improve Your Brain by Richard Restak and Scott Kim, over on SFcrowsnet.org:

“The more you read this book, the more you’ll become aware of the different memory aspects you have. Knowing what your strengths and weaknesses are with these, not to mention how to exercise them, should enhance your own memory.” – SFcrowsnest

Over the Easter weekend, How Puzzles Improve Your Brain was also featured in the Mail on Sunday, but the feature isn’t available online.

That’s all for this week. We’ll be back on Monday bringing you our latest newsletter (you can sign up here), and information on our new books.

Have a good weekend, everyone!

Disability History Month

We are currently in the middle of UK Disability History Month, an annual event that runs from 22nd November to 22nd December. Now in their third year, the theme for 2012 is “Changing Lives, Changing Times, Challenging the Ideas that Lead to Hate Crime”. In the UK, the popularity of the Paralympic Games in the summer really highlighted the change in people’s attitudes towards people with disabilities, but we are yet to see whether this has had any lasting legacy across the country.

In her inspiring book, WELCOME TO BISCUIT LAND, Jessica Thom writes eloquently and honestly about living with Tourettes Syndrome. From how it affects her daily life, to the reactions her tics provoke from strangers (positive and, unfortunately, negative) this enlightening book provides a new insight into living with a disability. Or, as Jess sees it, living.

This is a book that has already touched a lot of people – a quick skim of the reviews on Amazon shows that. 17 reviews, of which 16 are five-star, and the other is a 4-star, and common words include ‘inspiring’, ‘amazing’ and ‘brilliant’. WELCOME TO BISCUIT LAND is the perfect book to recommend for Disability History Month, because it’s already out there, changing people’s ideas about Tourettes, about living with disability.

Want to know more? Take a look.

The Road to Biscuit Land

This week we have a very special guest post on Take Home a Souvenir. Jessica Thom is the author of the acclaimed ‘Welcome to Biscuit Land’. Published last month to rave reviews, it is Jessica’s first book, based on her blog Touretteshero. The book features a foreword by Stephen Fry, who met Jessica when she appeared on his television show Fry’s Planet Word in 2011.

I have Tourettes Syndrome, which means I make movements and noises I can’t control. These are known as tics and my most prominent verbal tic is “Biscuit,’ a word I say involuntarily hundreds of times an hour.

Having Tourettes means only a small percentage of the words I say communicate what I’m thinking. Writing Welcome to Biscuit Land helped me to find a voice enriched by tics but not interrupted by them. It offered me something unique; a way of sharing my life without all the “Biscuits.”

Tourettes is a condition shrouded in myths and stereotypes. Most people in the UK have heard of it but very few have any clear understanding of what it really is. To help change this, three years ago I founded Touretteshero with my friend Matthew Pountney. Our aim is to challenge the misconceptions about Tourettes and share the humour and creativity that can arise from it with the widest possible audience.

Writing a daily blog about living with Tourettes has become a key part of my life, and it’s this blog that forms the basis of my book, Welcome to Biscuit Land – A Year in the Life of Touretteshero, which was published by Souvenir Press this autumn.

The journey to publication was full of memorable moments. Here are some of them:

Nervously climbing the stairs for our first meeting with Ernest Hecht at Great Russell Street

My surprise and joy at opening the email containing Stephen Fry’s wonderful, perfectly pitched, foreword to the book

My sudden sense of responsibility when I signed the contract

The light changing slowly outside my window as the hours passed putting the book together

Patiently drawing and re-drawing each illustration until I had a set that hadn’t been ruined by my sudden arm movements

The wave of relief as I sent off the final manuscript

The strange mix of exhaustion and satisfaction after our twelve-hour round trip to Devon for the front cover photo shoot

Nervously opening the padded envelope containing the proof copy

Sitting opposite Jane Garvey in the BBC Woman’s Hour studio explaining the tangible difference that people’s increased understanding of Tourettes makes to my life

The pleasure of seeing all my friends, family and supporters at our biscuit-fuelled launch party while I gave a tic-enhanced thank-you speech

The significance of signing a copy of Welcome to Biscuit Land for an eleven-year-old boy whose tics have been making his life very tough recently

Touretteshero has changed the way I view my tics and my experiences. I hope the book will give many other people the chance to share my unusual perspective as well. While not much can be done to prevent the physical effects of the condition, everyone can help to reduce its social impact.

I’d like Welcome to Biscuit Land to play a part in changing attitudes towards Tourettes and help me fulfil my mission to change the world, “One tic at a time.”

Welcome (Back) To Biscuit Land!

At the end of last month we saw our book WELCOME TO BISCUIT LAND featured in The Daily Mail (read our blog post about it) in a fantastic two-page spread prior to publication.

The book has now been featured in The Observer yesterday (Sunday 14th) – this time it was given four pages in the magazine, but if you missed it you can read the extract online here. The book is out now, and you can find it in most Waterstones stores, as well as online – Amazon, The Book Depository, and in e-book format for Kindle, iBooks, Kobo, Sony and more.

To celebrate the publication of WELCOME TO BISCUIT LAND, author Jessica Thom held a launch party on Friday evening, which was a roaring success. The book has also been reviewed in Ham & High:

“It was a joy and an eye-opener then, to read Jessica Thom’s new book, ‘Welcome to Biscuit Land’.”

With rave reviews also coming in from customers on Amazon (at time of posting there are five reviews on the site – all five stars), it is clear that WELCOME TO BISCUIT LAND is touching the hearts of everyone who reads it.

You can also like the book on Facebook, and read an interview that Jessica did with Disability Now. Welcome to Biscuit Land, everybody!

Welcome to Biscuit Land!

Published at the start of next month, WELCOME TO BISCUIT LAND by Jessica Thom is one of Souvenir Press’s big titles for this autumn. Jessica has Tourettes Syndrome, and the book follows a year in her life and all the ups and downs that go with it.

The book was featured in a huge double-page spread in yesterday’s Daily Mail, and the extract also appeared on their website (linked) – and that’s just for starters. No doubt you will be hearing much more from Jessica in the weeks to come. WELCOME TO BISCUIT LAND is published at the start of next month, but you can pre-order it now from Amazon at the discounted price of £7.00 (RRP £12.00).

One of this year’s most unusual stories, the book  features a glowing foreword from Stephen Fry, who met Jessica when she appeared on his television show, Stephen Fry’s Planet Word.

Jessica’s words are courageous and optimistic in the face of the major challenges she faces every day. Moving, entertaining and unique, but never anything short of inspiring.