Broadcast from Biscuit Land

It’s certainly a busy time for Jess Thom, author of the best-selling Welcome to Biscuitland, at the moment!

Just last week, Jess appeared on the Russell Howard Show to discuss all things Tourette’s Syndrome and her popular show, ‘Backstage in Biscuit Land’.

And this Sunday (15^th November), Jess will make her television debut, starring in ‘Broadcast from Biscuit Land’, a special version of ‘Backstage in Biscuit Land’.

It’s being filmed as part of a two-hour live broadcast, named ‘Live from Television Centre’, in association with Battersea Arts Centre and Arts Council England.

You can also read an interview with Jess about the broadcast on Disability Arts Online here.

In 2010, Jess set up Touretteshero, an organisation that celebrates the humour and creativity of Tourette’s without mocking or self-pity – it’s about reclaiming the most frequently misunderstood syndrome on the planet and changing the world one tic at a time.

Welcome to Biscuit Land follows a year in Jess’s life with all the ups and downs that go with having Tourette’s Syndrome. Educational and hugely entertaining, these excerpts from Jess’s personal blog show the whole spectrum of her experiences.

Moving, funny, shocking, tender, and inspiring, Jess’s words are courageous and optimistic in the face of the major challenges she faces.

“A role model for people across the country struggling to come to terms with the condition… Welcome to Biscuit Land has become an invaluable resource for families coping with Tourette’s.”
‘Evening Standard’

Don’t forget to tune into BBC4 at 9pm on Sunday!

Jess is also now taking ‘Backstage in Biscuit Land’ across the pond in 2016! Learn more here.

Welcome to Biscuit Land by Jess Thom (ISBN: 9780285641273, £12, available in eBook and paperback)

Jess Thom on the Future of Disability Arts at the Fringe

Author of the bestselling Welcome to Biscuit Land, Jess Thom, was featured in The Guardian this week, sharing her thoughts on access and representation at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

Jess, who’s currently performing at the Festival in her award-winning show Backstage in Biscuitland, has Tourette’s Syndrome. This means she makes sounds and movements over which she has no control. Jess swears – she’s one of about ten percent of people with Tourettes who do. She also says ‘biscuit’ a lot, up to 16,000 times per day, in fact.

On disability arts at the Fringe, Jess told The Guardian:

Last year was my first Edinburgh festival fringe and I saw more theatre in three weeks than in my whole life. I have Tourettes syndrome, a neurological condition that means I make movements and noises that I can’t control, called tics. In addition to saying “biscuit” thousands of times a day, having Tourettes affects my mobility, so I use a wheelchair to get around.

In the past I’ve found it difficult to access live performances because of my tics. Three years ago I vowed never to go to the theatre again after being asked to move from the auditorium to a sound booth halfway through a show.

Thankfully, this was a promise I wouldn’t keep. Instead it sparked the start of my journey to the stage (the only seat in the house I knew I wouldn’t be asked to leave) and led to my show, Backstage In Biscuit Land.

I was warned that Edinburgh’s steep hills, cobbled streets and old buildings made wheelchair access tricky. More frustrating was the lack of cohesive access information and some thoughtless planning. When collecting tickets at one accessible venue, for example, I discovered the temporary ticket hut had been built with steps!

Encouragingly, improving access is something the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society is taking seriously, highlighted by chief executive Kath Mainland’s comments earlier this year. But this is about more than physical access. Last year I was disappointed that disabled artists weren’t better represented. Audiences were missing out on the vibrant, high quality and gloriously diverse work the disability arts scene offers.

This year, with an increasing number of disabled performers, talks and events supported by Unlimited and initiatives such as the iF Platform, things are improving.

But there’s no time to be complacent. Disability isn’t a niche issue, with almost one-fifth of the UK population identifying as disabled, and the fringe sets an international arts agenda, so it’s vital that it become a world leader in showcasing disability arts and inclusivity.

Difference is brilliant, and I can’t wait to be part of a fringe where it’s visible, audible and celebrated in all its forms. It’s time for disability arts to take centre stage at the fringe.

You can read the full article, also featuring Jack Thorne and Cian Binchy, here.

In 2010, Jess set up Touretteshero, an organisation that celebrates the humour and creativity of Tourette’s without mocking or self-pity – it’s about reclaiming the most frequently misunderstood syndrome on the planet and changing the world one tic at a time.

Welcome to Biscuit Land follows a year in Jess’s life with all the ups and downs that go with having Tourette’s Syndrome. Educational and hugely entertaining, these excerpts from Jess’s personal blog show the whole spectrum of her experiences.

Moving, funny, shocking, tender, and inspiring, Jess’s words are courageous and optimistic in the face of the major challenges she faces.

“A role model for people across the country struggling to come to terms with the condition… Welcome to Biscuit Land has become an invaluable resource for families coping with Tourette’s.”
‘Evening Standard’

Backstage in Biscuit Land is at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe between 24th-30th August. Tickets are available here.

Welcome to Biscuit Land by Jess Thom (ISBN: 9780285641273, £12, available in eBook and paperback)

#SPgiveaway – Souvenir Press Celebrates World Book Day 2015

As we all know, it was World Book Day yesterday, and to live up to our independent name, we decided to do something a little bit different…

Lucky visitors to SP HQ were treated to free books of their own choice in our World Book Day giveaway on Thursday.

Our marketing team, Amy and Claire, curated the list of books from a variety of different genres, including fiction, non-fiction and poetry.

A wide range of readers expressed their pleasure in receiving a book gift, either for themselves or their family. See below for some of the lucky readers!

Marco, Roberta and Thomas chose Cecil Aldin’s Puppy Dogs’ Tales for Marco’s daughter.

Jay opted for Sol Yurick’s The Warriors, after recognising the title from the 1979 cult movie.

Mike chose Jess Thom’s Welcome to Biscuitland for his teenage daughter.

As a visitor to the UK, Luca chose cartoonist Rupert Besley’s Terribly English.

See the full list of recipents on our Pinterest page…

And Happy World Book Day!

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!

Today only: Bag a bargain!

For one day only, you can now pick up two very different Souvenir Press ebook titles for a fraction of their RRP as part of the 12 Days of Kindle sale.

Welcome to Biscuit Land by Jessica Thom is only £1.29 on Kindle. Since publication in October, it became one of our biggest-selling ebooks of 2012, and has garnered 19 five-star reviews on Amazon. Jessica Thom has Tourettes Syndrome, and WELCOME TO BISCUIT LAND follows a year in her life with all the ups and downs that go with it. Inspiring, educational and hugely entertaining.

The Sound of the City by Charlie Gillett is even more of a bargain, at only 99p on Kindle! This definitive history of rock ‘n’ roll music was originally published in 1970, and is now in its third updated edition and now available as an ebook. According to The Guardian, it has “never been bettered as the definitive history of rock”.

So what are you waiting for? Bag yourself a bargain today, before it’s too late!

2013 at Souvenir Press

Happy New Year!

Hello and welcome to 2013 with Souvenir Press. 2012 was a fantastic year for us, and we’ve got high hopes that 2013 will be even better! In the next few weeks details of our 2013 titles will be going up on our website, we will get our new season’s catalogues in, and the office will find itself in a flurry of new year activity.

But rather than throw that at you all, let’s ease ourselves gently into the new year with a run-down of our best-selling ebooks of 2012.

1) The Book – Alan Watts

By a huge margin, this was our best-selling ebook of 2012. Since a mention on BBC Radio 4’s ‘Desert Island Discs’ by John Lloyd in mid-November, we have reprinted the paperback edition three times, and the e-book has been selling just as well! John Lloyd described it as “the best book I’ve ever read on the nature of what actually is, what the world is about, and how you should behave” – why not take a look and see if you agree with him?

2) The Artist’s Way – Julia Cameron

One of our biggest selling ebooks last year was from our backlist – we originally published the hardback of ‘The Artist’s Way’ in the early 1990s. A comprehensive 12-week programme designed to help you unlock your creativity, why not start the new year by reading ‘The Artist’s Way’? Or maybe your novel will wait until next year…

3) Hypnobirthing – Marie Mongan

Marie Mongan is the founder of the HypnoBirthing (R) programme which has helped thousands of couples through its practice. This book details her breakthrough approach to safer, easier, comfortable birthing. Any normal, low-risk pregnancies can use the exercises outlined in this book, leading to a peaceful birth. So if you, or someone you know, is expecting a baby this year, point them towards ‘Hypnobirthing’ by Marie Mongan.

4) The Trachtenberg Speed System of Basic Mathematics – Jakow Trachtenberg

Jakow Trachtenberg believed that everyone is born with phenomenal abilities to calculate, he devised a set of rules that allows every child to make multiplication, division, addition, subtraction and square-root calculations with unerring accuracy and at remarkable speed. If you or your child struggles with mathematics, read this book and give it a go – it may just change your life!

5) The Hidden Science of Lost Civilisations – David Wilcock

One of our new titles for Spring 2012, ‘The Hidden Science of Lost Civilisations’ takes a look at the myth that the world would end in 2012. As the calendar has ticked over to 2013, it is clear this hasn’t been the case. Wilcock’s theory was that it would instead usher in a new golden age for mankind, and his book provides a blueprint for this golden age. A stunning synthesis of hidden science and lost prophecies, connecting science with ancient wisdom to predict what lies ahead for mankind.

6) The Artist’s Way Workbook – Julia Cameron

The workbook accompaniment to ‘The Artist’s Way’ (number 2 on our list), this helps you to follow the 12-week programme Cameron outlines, including space to work. Unlock your creativity and introduce it into your daily life.

7) The Elephant in the Classroom – Jo Boaler

Another best-selling mathematics title from Souvenir Press, this book was the subject of a huge article in the Telegraph in October. An indispensable guide for parents and teachers, this book offers concrete suggestions on ways to teach maths well, and ways to help children in the home, that will offer new and more effective ways of learning maths. This is a new approach that helps all children, even those who think that they could never enjoy maths. If your son or daughter is struggling, why not give this a go?

8) Undoing Depression – Richard O’Connor

Richard O’Connor writes from the perspective of one who has suffered two major episodes of depression during his lifetime, and also as someone who works as a psychotherapist, giving him a unique insight into the condition. ‘Undoing Depression’ examines how depression affects emotions, behavior, relationships, and self, and discusses healthier and more adaptive ways of thinking, feeling, and living happier lives.

9) Welcome to Biscuit Land – Jessica Thom

We only published this in October 2012, but already this is one of our biggest-selling ebooks of 2012! Jessica Thom has Tourettes Syndrome, and this inspiring book tells the story of a year in her life. Insightful, funny, sad and above all honest, this book has already touched the hearts of many. Through the book, and her blog as Touretteshero, Jessica Thom aims to raise awareness of living with Tourettes Syndrome. A must-read.

10) And the Band Played On – Randy Shilts

Not a book to be taken lightly, ‘And the Band Played On’ covers the origins and early years of the AIDS epidemic in the 1980s. A masterpiece of investigative reporting, this weaves together the personal stories of those in the gay community with reports from the medical and political establishments, exposing how AIDS was ignored, or denied, as a threat by many national institutions. A phenomenal book of immense social, medical and historical importance.