Meet Steven LaVey, Author

Steven LaVey is a writer from Newcastle upon Tyne in the North East of England. He writes autobiographical novels and surreal short stories. He has written three books: Three Leaves, Shorts, and The Ugly Spirit.

To learn more about Steven and his work, check out www.stevenlavey.com and visit his author page on Facebook.

1. Why did you choose autobiographical fiction rather than memoir in writing Three Leaves?

I've chosen to write autobiographical fiction over writing memoirs because I feel that the writing process of autobiographical fiction allows me to have more creativity over the structure, events, and characters involved. By that, I mean that instead of aiming for a direct, linear version of events, I can meld, merge, and amalgamate the timeline, characters, and scenes. It also allows me to exaggerate, and even make things up, if I feel that by doing so it will potentially improve the story.

2. Who are some authors of the past and present day whose work inspires you? Alan Bennett came to mind for me because of his autobiographical work in different genres, but it seems like your work has more of an edge to it. 

While there are many influences on my writing, the main influence, both philosophically and stylistically, would be Henry Miller. What Miller did was to make art out of his own life, to bend it, manipulate it, and turn it into a tall, amusing, sexual, and philosophical tale. However, it is not just the content or philosophy of Miller’s writing that I love; it is the rhythm, poetry, and language, which he uses to express his ideas. While he dips in and out of the Miller "voice," in my opinion he only really nails it consistently in his first published novel, Tropic of Cancer. What I love about TOC is the immediacy of the language Miller uses; it is the rawness, and the almost spiritual excitement at the situations he finds himself in. Coming back to the first question, I would add that the immediacy of Miller's work inspired me to write autobiographical fiction. It is why I wrote Three Leaves in such a way, transferring myself back into my nineteen (to twenty-three) year old frame of mind, and writing as if I were telling the narrative as it happened, instead of in a retrospective memoir.

3. In writing with so much honesty, do you ever come up against things you have to really fight to get onto the page? 

Absolutely, but not so much for the actions or words of my own character, but for anyone else who I have fictionalized. As I am attempting to use real individuals (albeit with fake names) as the basis for my characters, my concerns are that should any of those individuals read my work and discover that they are involved, they may think that I have not portrayed them correctly. This is a particular concern when it comes to family members.

4. What motivates you to keep writing? Do you maintain a schedule or do anything else that keeps you focused on your work?

For me, writing is like breathing, eating, or sleeping; it's natural and something I've always done. There is no motivation--I either write or die. However, when I plan to write something of a certain length, like I did with Three Leaves and The Ugly Spirit, I plan my work out scene-by-scene and then write the novel from the notes. Presently, I am working to a slightly different method (which I'm keeping secret) for my next book, which I hope to publish in late 2018 or early 2019.

5. What would you like readers to know about your latest book?

I felt like I went through an enormous metamorphosis while writing Three Leaves. The process of digging about in my brain to remember all the things that happened ultimately got me thinking (a lot more than usual) about my behavior at the time. What I would like anyone thinking of reading Three Leaves to know is that it is about a real individual; someone who is idiotic, insecure, hopeless, embarrassing, angry, sad, depressed, lost, addicted, manic, loving, kind, spiritual, honest, violent, and all the other endless traits that make people what they are; whole, complex, and not mere stereotypes of "good" and "evil."

Thanks, Steven!

Meet Chris Harrison, Online Office Furniture Retailer

Chris Harrison is a UK online retailer specializing in white office furniture. For the past couple of years, he was run the hugely popular Kima Office Furniture website which sells high-quality office furniture to businesses in the UK, including England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.

In this interview, he talks about how he launched the website, marketing tips, and future plans.

1. Could you tell us a little more about your business and how you got started?

Thanks for the interview opportunity! I started up Kima Office Furniture a couple of years ago with the aim of providing low cost white office furniture to the UK market. It's a purely online business, and I don't actually hold any stock. I work with manufacturers to simply sell their items online, and then get them to ship, but all the sales go via my website. It's a method called drop-shipping.

I got started because I previously worked in retail and saw an opportunity to leverage relationships I already have, in tandem with my existing knowledge of the office furniture market. White office furniture is a growing trend in the UK, so it made sense to specialize in this particular niche (but with plans to grow).

2. How did you go about the launch of website as it looks very user-friendly and well-designed?

Initially, we were on an eCommerce platform called Magento. It did us good for a few months, but to be honest I found it quite complex to manage. Someone then recommended a system called Shopify, and we've been running on that for the last 24 months or so.

It was really easy to set up, and it means we can manage orders of white office desks, white bench desks, drawers, pedestals, chairs, and everything else that we sell very easily. It handles all the billing, invoices, and management like an absolute dream. I can recommend it to anybody else thinking about selling office furniture online!

In terms of design, we looked at other suppliers, saw what they were doing well, and then tried to improve upon that. We invested a lot of time in user-experience testing and ensuring that all the potential conversion points on the website were working as best that they could do.

3. You spoke earlier about trends in white office furniture; are you able to expand on that a little?

Of course, I love talking about this stuff! Over the last five years, there has been a move towards more minimal, clean, and modern looking design--and that's now being seen in office workplace environments. If you have ever walked into an Apple store, you will know the type of look that I mean.

White office furniture is very trendy at the moment as it complements this style very well. When you have clean looking white office desks in your workplace, with nice brightly colored wall art, it can create a great impression with clients (and employees). In fact, there is some research that points towards this type of office design even helping with productivity. Visit our website to see the whole range including desks with drawers.

4. So with that in mind, what are your top-selling white office furniture items?

At the moment, we are selling a lot of white cantilever and panel leg office desks. They are modular by design, meaning companies can buy in bulk and then arrange them into cluster or working spaces. Open plan offices and call center environments are the types of businesses that we often supply to.

We also find that white office desks are also popular with home office users, in particular those who use Macs. I guess these are the types of people who appreciate the aesthetics of white and the types of furniture that we sell!

5. I can kind of see how that would be the case! So what are your plans for the rest of 2017?

Currently, we are liaising with some new manufacturers who are based abroad. There are some great designs coming out from Germany at the moment, so we are looking to set those office desks up for sale on our website.

We are also looking to expand out from white office furniture collections to also include more traditional colors such as maple, oak, and walnut. We understand that not everybody wants a white item, so we need to try and satisfy the demand of both existing clients and potential new ones!

6. And finally, do you have any advice for anybody looking to set up their own online business?

Apart from never give up? My main advice would be to be customer-focused. It's easy to set up an eCommerce website these days with software such as Shopify, but the real business will take off if you focus on customer service and retention.

We offer constant telephone support and advice to our customers, as well as follow-up emails to anybody who buys from our website. We know that one happy customer can potentially be a referral point for multiple new ones, so we make sure that we take care of everybody who visits our website as much as we can.

Thanks, Chris!

Meet Alexandra Francis, Artist

Alexandra Francis is a Leeds-based Fine Art artist, who experiments with creating artwork that is generated to promote world peace and equality. Promoting world peace and her career as an artist are especially important to Alexandra Francis, and so she has decided to combine the two, by promoting world peace through the artwork that Alexandra Francis creates.

Learn more about Alexandra and her work by following her on Facebook and Twitter.

1. What have been the challenges--and the pleasures--of building a career as a full-time visual artist?

Being a full-time visual artist offers you the opportunity to work with any type of material, art form or space, which is essential to individual growth, learning, and understanding of not only art, but also life in general. You learn how to see the world through a way that other people may not be able to do. You learn how to become the viewer, the curator, the set designer, and the reviewer as well as the artist of the artwork that you create. One of the main pleasures I find whilst creating and building a career as an artist is that you can imagine and fantasize to yourself about how an art sculpture, or piece of artwork will physically appear, before you create that particular piece, whilst everyone else other than yourself has to wait until the artwork has been physically created to see it. There is something nice about the time between imagining what the artwork will look like and having the artwork physically there before you. It's a quiet, peaceful time for me, much like the feeling you receive when you're about to fall asleep, when you are calm and your body is in a relaxed state. The idea of the artwork, I suppose is like a dream, in a sense that only you can have that dream whilst you sleep--it is not something you can share with the entire world unless you make it physical. You can express that dream through writing about that dream, or painting a scenery from that dream that you have had. There's something really satisfying about creating a piece of artwork from the way that you visualize the work in your head, from every detail, color, material. Creating the artwork so that it is a complete replica to how you imagined it to be.

It's like you're unlocking your mind with a key, and allowing all of your wildest dreams and ideas to appear to other people--maybe in hope that they will be able to understand your work the way that you do--for others to understand exactly how you felt in terms of the ideas, the thoughts, and the emotions that you had when creating that artwork. I guess that's what it is all about really as an artist, or for me at least.

A challenge I find as an artist is space. There is never enough space for the artwork that you create, and if you are an artist who is limited to space, you will understand what I mean when I say that it is sometimes difficult to enjoy making artwork when you only have a certain sized area to work in. That said, limiting yourself with space can also be a good thing, as you are always challenging yourself and your art practice through being limited.

2. What is your artistic process like when it comes to getting an idea for a piece and then creating the work over time?

Most pieces of artwork I create are created within a short amount of time. When I begin working on a new piece of artwork, I am often fixated on the completion of the work, and spend countless hours working on the artwork until it is finished. This does often mean that the work is completed within just a few days, or perhaps a few hours even. I do not often plan the artwork before it is created, as I simply enjoy to become hands-on with the work. I don't think this is a bad thing as it gives me no time to regret about the way I create a particular piece. Is that the right color that I should have used on the painting? Is this the right material for this sculpture? It does not matter. What I believe is most important when creating artwork is the concept behind the piece of art that you are creating. You could draw an X on your bedroom wall, and it could be a piece of art, but the interesting aspect of the artwork is why did you choose to draw an X? Is it from the idea that behind the X lies treasure? Or did you close your eyes and press a random key on your keyboard, to choose the letter to draw on your wall? Perhaps it is something more, the beginning of a word, or two drum sticks where one overlaps the other? I can't say I often have a story for each piece of artwork that I create, or a personal meaning behind the individual art sculptures or installations that I generate throughout my career as an artist, but that's not necessary a negative aspect of my career; it just offers my viewers and audience the opportunity to explore the artwork for themselves, without having my view of my artwork affecting how the viewers view the artwork that I create.

3. Would you tell us a little more about the connection between world peace and your role as an artist?

Peace can be promoted through word of mouth, through congregations and talks, through helping other people, and through artwork, music and books. What I'm trying to say is that there is no wrong way to promote peace or world peace--any way is a good way as long as you're promoting it. There's a lot of negative events happening in our world right now, and we don't often hear about the good parts that are happening in the world. Now is the time when we as the human population need to start promoting positivity and peace. We need to put our feet firmly on the ground, stamp and shout together, and show that we will not tolerate bullying, abuse, wars, neglect, and negativity in general. Sure, we may not be any better than those that have gone before us, but by not promoting peace and positivity, how can we expect wars and negative events to just end? I don't know about everyone else and their opinions on war and negativity, but I know that come fifty years down the line, I hope that wars will decrease and more people out there in this world will be supporting and promoting peace themselves. People often say that they want change to happen in this world, but yet, how will it happen if we do not do anything about it? I'm sure wherever you go, you will find bad people--that's inevitable, but by working together we can help prevent some of the negative actions that take place in this world on a daily basis. I am very passionate about promoting world peace and I am very passionate about creating artwork, so why not combine the two?

4. Are there any projects you're currently working on or have recently completed that you're especially excited about?

There is a new gallery opening up in Bradford in England, and it's due to open up at the end of October. It's being organized and opened by a lovely artist known as Lorain Be. I passed by the gallery recently, and painted a few of the panels in the gallery space, so that was very exciting. It's a wonderful place and has potential, so if there is anyone out there interested, then the gallery is called Boots Rebooted, and Lorain is very interested in artists showcasing work there in the future. I will also be showcasing my sculpture "Let"s Play!" at the gallery in the future, as the first group exhibition at Boots Rebooted.

I've just completed two pieces of artwork recently. One is called "Lick" and is of chocolates on a canvas. The idea initially came from the scene from the movie Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, where the characters are invited to lick the fruit wallpaper in the factory and physically taste the fruit. I wanted to capture that moment of magic, but of course, if I'd have drawn a strawberry with a red felt tip pen, visitors would be quite disappointed in the artwork not tasting like a strawberry! That's where the chocolate came in handy with the artwork. I made small incisions into the canvas and inserted small chocolates pieces into the material. That way you not only get to see the artwork, but taste it as well.

The other piece of work that I have only just created is of an art sculpture and known as "Fly Home Sweet Bird." It's quite difficult to explain how the artwork visually looks [see the photo of it below for an idea], but it's about the lifecycle of birds, from a young to an old age.

5. What is the arts community like in Leeds, and what are some things you enjoy doing there when not working on your art?

You know, it's as good as any other city or country, really. We have Art galleries, an Art Hostel, cafes and venues that exhibit artwork. It's interesting, because everywhere in the world is similar. You can visit any country and you'll find an art gallery. I'm not saying the arts community isn't individual and different from other places than Leeds; we do have events like Light Night every year, but then again, Liverpool has a Light Night event every year also. There is always something interesting in Leeds that relates to art, though, from annual events to new exhibitions in galleries all across the city. It is quite enjoyable, really. When I'm not creating artwork, I enjoy promoting peace and equality, spending time with nature, traveling, and socializing with people around my city, in England, and across the world.

Thanks, Alexandra!

Meet Reece Kenney, Creator of Present Finder

Reece Kenney is a software engineer from England and the creator of an iPhone app called Present Finder. The app helps you find the perfect gift for anyone by asking you a series of questions about your intended gift recipient. Reece operates a technology company called Cyber Shark Technology which specializes in websites, software, and logo design.

1. What gave you the idea for Present Finder?

Well, the inspiration for this app came from the fact that I'm awful at picking out gifts for people. No really, I am absolutely hopeless! Unless the recipient shares similar interests to me, you probably wouldn't be overly impressed with the gift I pick out! I would spend ages scrolling for the "gifts for him/her" pages of various websites, and 90% of the gifts I saw were either not relevant or not interesting... I wanted a list of gifts that were specific to the person I was buying for e.g. a 19 year old male student who likes sci-fi, doesn't drive, and doesn't care for sports. And so, Present Finder was born! 



2. How did you come up with the questions to help find the perfect gift?

It mostly came down to how the items were categorized. I wanted to cover as many areas as I could in as little questions as possible so that the user could get through them quickly. In order to keep the number of questions to a minimum, but still provide accurate suggestions, the algorithm has to make some assumptions based on answers given. For example, would a person who said that they dislike sports be interested in a desktop football game? It's not a sport, but it is a game based on a sport. Or would someone who said they dislike cars be interested in a remote control car toy? So I just thought of all the questions that would allow me to cover a large amount of categories. I am planning on introducing an "advanced" mode where the user will see more questions. This means the app will be able to provide even more accurate suggestions!



3. What are some examples of the gifts that the app suggests?

Oh there are tons of gifts in our database! We have everything from Bluetooth speakers, to emoji pillows, to funny novelty items. Our most popular item based on the number of clicks and favorites is actually an item called "Nothing." It is literally an empty box for people that when asked what they want for their birthday, responded with "oh, nothing."



4. What was your process like in building the app?

It was pretty tough, honestly. It actually ended up taking the best part of a year because I took a break halfway through. I started working on it during my final year of university as I had finished my class work early and had some free time. I was finding it difficult to create the algorithm and eventually put the project on hold once my next classes started. A couple of months later I revisited the project and figured out a way to get it all to work. Many months of programming later, the app was ready for release! 



5. In your own experience giving and receiving gifts, what do you think separates a great gift from a mediocre one?

If you had asked me this question when I was a child, I probably would have told you the larger the gift size the better! But now I find that it's not so much the size or price of the gift that makes a gift great, but if you can see that the person genuinely purchased it with you in mind (as opposed to just buying a generic gift for a 22 year old male, for example), that's what makes it great. Oh, unusual gifts are cool, too!

Thanks, Reece!

Meet Marc Heighway, Online Marketing Consultant

Marc Heighway is an online marketing consultant who lives and works on the south coast of the United Kingdom. He has worked in the industry for over 15 years and specializes in helping law firms generate more business online. He was worked abroad and for some large companies and in this interview offers his insights into the world of online marketing, strategies, and some of his own personal experiences.

1. Could you please give a brief introduction to who you are and what you do?

Thanks for giving me the opportunity! I am English and have worked in the online sector since the year 2000. I currently run a business that provides online marketing services and lead generation to the legal industry. This involves quite a few different disciplines including search engine optimization and in-bound marketing strategies.

2. I know that you worked abroad for a few years--what's your insight into that experience, and do you have any advice you can give to other people thinking about doing the same?

Sure. Before I ran my own business, I was the European online marketing manager for an American company called Garmin. They moved me over to Switzerland to manage all their online marketing, and I ended up living in the north of the country.

It was a fantastic experience for my wife and me. We would wake up and see the Swiss Alps from our bedroom window each morning, traveled extensively, and tasted a very different way of life. If any of your readers are given a similar opportunity, then I hope they grasp it with both hands.

3. Could you tell me a little more about your own business and what exactly it is that you do?

For the last few years, I have run SEO agencies serving a wide range of clients. Many of our clients have been personal injury lawyers and personal injury solicitors. It made sense to start specializing in that field, because I think that you can bring a lot more value as a specialist marketing agency to companies in a particular field.

So with that in mind, recently the parent company of my SEO agencies that I own, FIMA Digital, has started to exclusively work with personal injury firms, in particular the field of online lead generation. On the FIMA Digital website there's a lot more information about how this works.

We provide specialist solutions to them, and help generate millions of pounds of business into the industry each and every year.

This also involves aspects such as an affiliate program which you can read more about on our corporate website. That lets other suppliers jump on board with us and start monetizing their content to visitors which can then go into use the services of the UK solicitors and accident claims companies that we partner with.

4. What does a typical day involve in your offices?

Currently, it seems to involve a lot of phone calls from our clients. My role is really to be the main point of contact for the firms using our services, providing the specialist knowledge to them, whilst the employees of FIMA then action the strategies that I have helped to develop.

No one day is the same.

5. How it the world of online marketing changing, if at all?

Good question. I think that search engine optimization in particular is changing, and has undoubtedly become more difficult over the last two years. This has meant that a lot of the old agencies who didn't really understand it have started to drop off.

Consequently, there is a demand for more specialist support, which is how I view FIMA Digital and how our proposition fits with the aspirations of our clients.

6. One more question! Do you have any tips for aspiring online marketers and have any advice on what they could do?

I started out with SEO, building my own websites which I then ran through affiliate marketing channels. This is a great way to start if you want to dip your toes into the industry. I also think that it's very worthwhile now looking into paid search, because ultimately you don't want to have all your eggs in one basket as can often be the case when relying just on organic search traffic.

Thanks, Marc!

Meet Kate Morris of Personal Injury Solicitors of Bolton

Kate Morris is a marketing manager for a UK firm of personal injury lawyers. She is based in Bolton, which is near the larger city of Manchester, and has been involved in legal marketing for over a decade. In this interview, she tells us about how she got involved in working with lawyers, and what her aspirations are for the future.

1. Could you give us a quick introduction to your current role and what you typical day looks like?

Sure! I am currently the marketing manager for Personal Injury Solicitors of Bolton. For your American readers, a solicitor is the English term for a lawyer. In simple terms, the company and law firm offer legal advice to people who have been involved in accidents where they need legal representation.

We are a team of no win no fee solicitors in Bolton. You can find out more about the mechanics of the company on our corporate website. No win no fee essentially means that we work on a client's behalf for free until successful completion of a personal injury claim, at which point we take a fee from their final compensation payment.

As the marketing manager, it's my responsibility to implement and grow strategies that bring more clients to our door. The no win no fee and personal injury market in the UK is very competitive, kind of like the US market as far as I am aware, and as such you need to be on top of your game to stand out.

2. So how exactly do you differentiate yourselves from the competition? If the accident claims industry is so competitive, this must be quite a challenge.

You are absolutely right. But we try really hard to be different. From the moment we get a call from someone who has requested accident claims advice, we try to put them at ease, listen to them, and treat them like a person, not a number with a financial figure placed on it.

So many accident claims companies, not just in Bolton but around the UK, are all about the bottom line. In other words, profit and revenues. I like to think that we are a little bit different in our approach to our clients, and our no win no fee solicitors are all selected on their personality as well as their expertise.

The reviews that we frequently get online should bear that up to scrutiny, so I hope that we continue to grow our business based on our reputation. It certainly seems to be working in the Bolton area at the moment, so I hope to grow that further.

3. What is the process when someone in Bolton calls you for accident claims advice? I see from your website that you are open 24 hours a day.

That's right. An accident can happen anytime and anyplace, so we think it's imperative that we are always available on call, so to speak. I believe, and as far as I know, we are the only no win no fee personal injury lawyers open 24 hours a day and 7 days a week in Bolton.

In terms of the process, when a person calls us, they will at first talk to one of our phone operators, rather than an actual personal injury lawyer. One of our team take some details about their accident and the circumstances and can quickly ascertain whether or not there is a case for a personal injury claim for compensation.

If there is, we will then arrange an appointment with a local Bolton personal injury solicitor. It's worth pointing out that this whole process is free, and the consultation over the phone is absolutely no obligation and no strings attached. That's how we like to work, and all cases are run through the no win no fee agreements in this manner.

4. It sounds like you're having lots of success. What are your plans for the future with the company and marketing strategies?

For me, I still have so much in mind that I want to achieve in Bolton. I think I am a year off completing our initial targets. After those are hit, it would be nice to see if we can roll our services out to the rest of the UK. But that's going to take a huge amount of work. But, if you don't aim high....

In terms of marketing, I know we still have a lot to do with our social media marketing. We want to get more active on Facebook, Twitter, and Google Plus as so many people now look for personal services in this way. We might have to recruit soon for a social media manager, so watch this space!

Thanks, Kate!

Meet Oliver White, Barrister: A Commercial Barrister from London

Oliver White is a barrister based in London specializing in commercial litigation. In this interview he gives some background as to how he became a barrister, plus details on what a typical day could involve. If you would like to find out more about him, then please see his LinkedIn profile.

1. How did you first become interested in pursuing a career as a barrister?

My father spent his whole career in the practice of the law, albeit as a partner in a provincial but well-regarded solicitor's firm, in which he developed a specialty in commercial planning law. I remember attending a planning inquiry with him, only to discover that my father had instructed counsel to represent his client at the hearing.

Prior to this, I was unaware of the distinction in the profession between solicitor and counsel. I was fascinated about this division of labor, and by nature drawn towards the theatrical calling that is so often associated with a career at the bar. From that day, I cannot recall ever wanting to pursue a different career.

2. As a commercial barrister, what are some of the common types of cases you encounter in your practice?

The range of commercial disputes I have acted in or currently act in is unsurprisingly wide ranging, both in the legal problems and complexities each case discloses and also in terms of facts. However, as a general observation, many if not all commercial disputes contain certain underlying common themes, which in my experience are very human and flawed by nature in ways you might expect.

They include being motivated by greed, a hidden agenda which is driven by a belief in a need on some level to restore pride and exact revenge. Sadly, embarking on costly litigation is, I'm afraid to say, one of the least effective ways achieve any or all of the above.

3. What do you find most challenging about your work?

Every case presents its own unique set of challenges. Perhaps the most challenging is structuring the client's expectations of the likely outcome in a litigated dispute. Many clients only want to hear what they want to hear from their advisor, and I sometimes struggle to get through to an expectant and over-confident client the realistic strengths and weaknesses of their case.

As time goes on, I am improving my communication skills in relation to outcome prognosis, and hopefully this is increasingly helping my clients to be armed with a full and dispassionate overview of the merits of their case.

4. How do you envision your career path over the next five years?

At my age (37), I suppose it is just about realistic (albeit a trifle presumptuous) to be thinking of taking silk in five years time. It is certainly a target I would wish to set myself, and even if not achieved, it will hopefully provide a valuable motivational platform to increase the size and quality of my practice over the next five years.

If any potential clients are reading the interview, then they can find me on Google Maps by clicking on this custom map that I created: Oliver White Barrister on Google Maps.

Thanks, Oliver!

Introducing House Removals Surrey

Do you have a home or business in the greater Surrey area? Or maybe you're moving to the area soon? House Removals Surrey offers complete services for moving.

Removals Surrey can do home or office removals, and they have services to help you with packing and/or unpacking as well. They aim to offer affordable pricing, and your price will be based on the specific details of your job, including the size and amount of goods to be moved and the time and distance the move requires.

You can also get appointments at the times that are convenient to you, with no additional charge for weekend or after-hours appointment times.

I was impressed with reading that Removals Surrey takes pride in offering special care when it comes to taking care of breakable items, and that they make sure that their vans are impeccably clean. I like to know that a company pays close attention to details like these, and such details are what make you feel a sense of trust and security--and what could be more important when you are trusting someone to help you move the items that are most important to your home and/or business?

This is a company that has been in business for over ten years, so if you're living in or moving to Surrey, give their website a look!

Meet Jason Tweedy, Personal Injury Solicitor and Lawyer

Jason Tweedy is a personal injury solicitor and lawyer from London. He has recently set up a new legal firm in the city specializing in personal injury claims. He offers support to people who work and live in London that have had an accident and require compensation.

1. I think a lot of people aren't sure what is covered by "personal injury" law. Could you tell us some of the types of claims that you help your clients pursue?

We help people that have been injured in an accident that wasn't their fault. So for example, drivers who have been hit and have suffered an injury, or people that have slipped up in a store. Essentially, if a person has an accident and suffers as a result, either through changes to their lifestyle or potential loss of earning, then we can help them to claim compensation. As personal injury solicitors and lawyers it's our job to take as much pressure and stress from our clients as possible and to ensure that they receive recompense for an accident.

2. What are some common misconceptions people have about personal injury lawsuits?

Over the last couple of years, personal injury law has had a bit of a rough time. This is mainly due to the fact that there were a few charlatans in the industry who tried to push through personal injury and accident claims that probably should never even had seen the light of day. This is due to the large amounts of money that are involved. Thankfully, in the UK there is new legislation being pushed through and recommendations by the Ministry of Justice in order to clamp down on this type of behavior. At Personal Injury Solicitors London we are very transparent and ethical when it comes to personal injury claims which is why we have the reputation that we do.

3. If someone already has auto insurance or a similar policy that is covering injury-related treatment, how can a person know if he/she should also be considering a personal injury claim?

Having insurance is great, but most insurance companies will only cover an injured person for the very basics. A bad accident can have a huge impact on a person's life, and it's the job of a personal injury lawyer to evaluate the impact and explore all avenues possible in order to get the client the best support possible--whether that's financial or otherwise.

4. What is your advice for finding a reliable solicitor/lawyer to handle an injury claim?

Look for online reviews or speak to someone you know that has had the misfortune to need a personal injury solicitor. In London and the UK, there are various registers which hold details on the best qualified and reputable lawyers and solicitors, so these are also worth checking against. If you do meet with a personal injury lawyer and you don't feel comfortable working with them, walk away.

5. In your own legal career, what drew you to the personal injury field, and what are some aspects of your job that you especially enjoy?

At university I was involved in local charity work, whilst doing my legal degree. It seemed like the most "human" aspect to law for me to enter into. Plus at the time, personal injury law was becoming a hot topic, and it appeared like it could be a very rewarding niche of law to enter into. It's not been an easy process becoming an established personal injury solicitor in London, but was definitely worth it! I love meeting new clients and helping them come to a resolution with their cases. There's nothing better than seeing a happy face at the end of a case, and seeing how our services can actually improve someone's life and that of their family--especially after what has probably been a dark time in their life.

If any of your readers would like to find out more about me and my personal injury firm, then they can visit my website.

Thanks, Jason!

Meet Will and Mark, Commercial Photographers

Will and Mark are two commercial photographers from Dorset and Bournemouth based on the south coast of England. They offer a range of photography services including lifestyle, people, food and drink, interiors and architecture, plus products and pack-shots. Below they share with us about how they work and how they came to setting up their commercial photography business.

1. Why is it important for businesses to hire a commercial photographer?

Images are so important when it comes to first impressions, and also actually selling something. Our commercial photography services are predominantly for clients in the Dorset and Bournemouth area of the United Kingdom, although on many occasions we are required to travel throughout the country.

Our clients range from property developers, restaurants, watch manufacturers, and large retailers. All of them come to us because we manage to capture the moment which places their product or service in the best possible light--and that's our job at the end of the day as commercial photographers--you can see some examples on our commercial website.

2. How do you decide where to take photos for a shoot for a particular client? In other words, are there criteria that help you decide, for example, when to do interior photos and when to go outside on location?

Many of the clients we work with are retail businesses or are manufacturers. Because of that we need to take shots inside the studio. When we shoot in our studio, then the real trick is in the lighting. Any commercial photographer will tell you that you need to understand how light works in order to get the best photographic results. There's also a need to understand the composition and form so you can make the client's product look as good as it can be.

We also do need to go out on location, but this is primarily for clients where their product is used in an outdoor scenario, or our architectural clients. Many of them need great images of their property to help with the sale, so half of the shoot will naturally be outdoors, and the rest will typically be interior shots of the building.

If we can do a plug here, then please head on over to our website and check out the interiors and architectural page which has some of our most recent work examples.

3. What is your background in photography, and how did you decide to become a commercial photographer?

It's at university that we actually met around 10 years ago, but before then had both been keen photographers. Whilst we both had differing methods, styles, and types of photography equipment, we had a connection and thought that we would look at setting up a commercial photography company together.

Since then it's been a successful partnership for both of us and has turned into a solid commercial photography business and partnership that is creative and brings in a profit. We work hard to achieve that.

4. For someone who is looking to hire a photographer for a project, what advice do you have to help ensure a good partnership?

Make sure that it's someone you can get along with! We pride ourselves on our communication and two way approach. We listen to what the client wants from their photography project and take on board their requirements. It's then up to us to impart our professional opinion based on our years of experience as commercial photographers. Any prospective clients can check out a video we've just placed on our YouTube channel about how both of us work as commercial photographers in Dorset. Hope you like it and thanks for the interview!

Thanks, Will and Mark!

Introducing PDQ.name, A Card Machine Provider in the UK

PDQ.name is the website for Seymour Direct, a company which specializes in the rental of credit card machines for small and medium-size businesses in the United Kingdom. These machines are sometimes known as "PDQ Machines," hence the name of their website.

There are three main types of machines that businesses can use to allow their customers to pay with credit and debit cards.

First off, countertop machines are machines which have a specific, static location--generally on the counter at the checkout area of a store. It needs a continual power supply, and it transmits information through a phone line or internet connection.

Second, there are mobile machines; these can be used anywhere, similar to a mobile phone. They use a SIM card to transmit transaction information through a network provider. These machines are popular among people whose jobs take them out into the field, such as plumbers, electricians, caterers, and taxi drivers.

The last type of machine is a Bluetooth portable; it works like the mobile unit except that it must stay within ranges of its charging cradle in order to work. The cradle is then connected to the internet or a telephone line. This type of machine can be useful in environments like restaurants or retail stores where customers prefer to complete their transaction away from a central checkout counter.

At PDQ.name, you can find all three of these varieties of credit card machines, with detailed information about each and a useful comparison chart which helps business owners make a decision about which type of machine will best suit their business needs.

In addition to supplying businesses with a range of fixed, mobile, and Bluetooth card terminals, Seymour Direct also partners with three of the UK's top acquiring banks to get the business owner approved for a special merchant account. The merchant account is a secure account which also allows the business owner to withdraw their funds on a scheduled basis regardless of clearance times, which makes it the most convenient way to process transactions. The company also offers other merchant services including the latest "Contactless Payments" and online transactions.

For more information, visit http://www.pdq.name.

Introducing The Mumpreneurs Networking Club

You may not have heard the term, "Mumpreneurs" before, but you know the concept: a mother who is also an entrepreneur. The Mumpreneurs Networking Club is a group in Great Britain whose members coordinate business networking events meant "especially for mums and female entrepreneurs." The Mumpreneurs have a variety of meeting locations, and local mums can attend a meeting for free to decide if they'd like to join the club.

By attending networking events with other women in business, members of the MNC often see tangible results, such as new clients, friendly support and advice, and increased self-confidence. Lucy Ames, an artist who attends MNC meetings, described the group by saying, "There is such a diversity of knowledge on offer and so much energy in the group that it is quite unique."

By the way, dads and non-parents are also welcome at MNC events. To get a taste of the MNC, you can subscribe to their monthly newsletter; back issues are also posted online.

The mums of the MNC are currently engaged in a crowdfunding campaign on Indiegogo to raise money to continue growing their organization across the United Kingdom.

The motto MNC uses on its website and elsewhere is: "Never underestimate the power of a good gossip!" By utilizing word of mouth marketing and one-on-one personal connections, the group is proving that good news travels fast when it comes to local businesspeople finding work and support by forging relationships with other businesspeople in their communities.

Introducing Hidden Flame by Elizabeth Bailey

The author of Hidden Flame, Elizabeth Bailey grew up in Africa with unconventional parents, where she loved reading and drama. On returning to England, she developed her career in acting, theatre directing, and finally writing. Elizabeth has 18 novels published by Harlequin Mills & Boon and recently began a Georgian historical crime series of which the first two books were published by Berkley Books (Penguin US). But since she still loves romance, Elizabeth is delighted with the opportunity to publish her work independently.

In Hidden Flame, we meet Benedict Beckenham. Seeking shelter from a violent storm, he assists a woman as embarrassed in circumstance as he is himself. Weeks later, on visiting his godmother, he is astonished to find the damsel in distress in residence.

For her part, Theda is dismayed by the rise of passion between them which threatens to jeopardise her precarious position as companion to a dying woman. But when a shocking inheritance blasts their friendship apart, Theda is forced to confront the ghosts of her past.

Will the blistering scandals of yesteryear keep Theda and Benedict forever divided? Or will the flame of love triumph?

Below is the book trailer for Hidden Flame. The novel is available on Amazon, Amazon UK, and Smashwords.

And here is an excerpt from the novel...

*

With a liberal hand, he poured himself another glass. But as he raised it to his lips the windows flashed bright again, and the heavens gave forth another stream of rumbling abuse.

"God, what an accursed night," mumbled Mr Beckenham, and, sipping his liquor, he looked over the makeshift meal with revulsion. "Hell and damnation, to what am I reduced?"

As if in response to his cursing, the wild night struck back at him, flaring a double blow of brilliant whiteness that seemed to tear at him through the windows.

His head turned, eyes narrowing against the glare. As the room lit, an image crossed his vision--of a thin black figure seated in a corner, crouching witchlike in the gloom.

His heart lurched sickeningly. The devil! He was seeing things. Too much brandy.

But as the dark closed in again and his eyes began to adjust, the glimmering outline of a pale face encroached upon his senses.

The thunder rolled away as Mr Beckenham stared, leaving the place eerily silent, and his heart still. Was it a ghost? Or merely his imagination playing tricks? Cursing briefly, he closed his eyes, looking away.

As he opened them again, they flicked, almost out of his own control, to check. It was still there.

Mr Beckenham froze. His fingers about the stem of his glass tightened. There was a sharp crack, and the broken glass fell from his hand, tinkling on to the table and spilling its golden liquid on to the pristine white cloth.

"Hell and the devil!" he swore, starting forward.

There was a frightened gasp and the ghost rose, too, staring at him out of the two hollows that were its eyes.

"I--I beg your pardon," faltered the ghost. "I think I startled you."

"Dear God in heaven," ejaculated Mr Beckenham on a tide of relief. "You're real!"

A flicker at the window and a faint cackling echo of thunder laughed at him. The gods were enjoying their own cruel joke, Mr Beckenham decided savagely. Well, he would have his revenge.

He seized the candelabrum, and, lifting it high, moved towards the pale face. It shrank back against the wall, edging towards the door. As he neared, he could see that it belonged to a slight female form encased in dark garments, its hair entirely concealed by a white cap. Small wonder she looked like a ghost. No, a witch; a black witch, casting spells from her hiding-place in the corner.

Abruptly the woman speeded up, making a dash for the door. He strode forward to intercept her, grabbing one wrist as he reached her.

"Come here, witch! You don"t escape me so easily."

"Let me go," came in a harsh whisper from the pale face.

"By no means."

Tugging her away from the door, Mr Beckenham pulled her close, holding the candelabrum high. In its light was revealed a thin face, with skin so pale it was almost translucent, whose high cheekbones emphasised the hollows below and under her brows. From within these, a pair of deep-grey eyes looked up at him. There was fear in them, but more than fear—defiance, a little, and challenge.

"Why were you hiding there?" he demanded compellingly. "Spying on me?"

She shrank a little, the eyes dilating. Her voice was pitched low, the fear overlaid with edgy defiance.

"I didn't mean to spy. I couldn't help it. I came down for the fire, for it was cold in my room. Then I heard the door, and you came in, and--and I did not dare to reveal myself because--"

"Because I am a man, and because I am drunk?"

"Yes," she agreed, and a little of the fear seemed to leave her.

"My good girl, I am not in the least drunk," he told her on a haughty note. He saw her glance across at the table and followed her gaze to the brandy bottle. "Perhaps a trifle foxed, but that is all."

Then he recognised that her eyes had strayed to the food, glistening a little. The pink tip of a tongue touched her pale lips.

Mr Beckenham had hold of her wrist still, and all at once he felt how slim it was. His hand was closed loosely over it. Like a bracelet, he thought. The girl was a stick! Sudden pity softened him towards her, and he forgot his urge for revenge.

"Are you hungry?" he asked abruptly.

Her eyes flew back to his and she swallowed painfully. "Oh, no, I--I was just--I did not mean..."

Mr Beckenham let go her wrist and stepped back with a little bow, gesturing to the table.

"Pray share my supper, ma'am."

She shook her head. "Oh, no, I could not. I should leave you now."

"'Should,' not 'shall,'" he noted. She was hungry. He smiled, charmingly, and saw the grey eyes widen. But she did not smile in return.

"It would be a kindness on your part, ma'am. These good people have been to an enormous amount of trouble on my behalf, and I am sure I shall be quite unable to do justice to their generous provision."

Forgetting his earlier disgust at the food that had been set for him, he thought only that this girl would appreciate it, whatever its quality.

She hesitated, glancing again at the food, longing in her eyes, and back to him, uncertain. "I don't think it would be seemly."

"Who is to know?" he countered, and, setting a firm hand to her back, he began gently to propel her towards the table. "You need not fear me, ma'am. As you have so sapiently observed, I have consumed far too much brandy to be capable of any amatory advances."

"Yes, that is what I feared," she said, glancing up at him as they reached the table. "Not that you might attempt anything, perhaps, but in my situation, one is vulnerable to--to certain propositions."

He held the chair for her to sit. "You mean, I dare say, that, having given you supper, I might expect payment in kind."

There was no trace of a blush on her pallid cheek. Her attention was on the food. Her voice was vague as she responded. "Yes, that is usually the way of it."

She drew a breath as he offered her the platter of bread, and her fingers shook as she lifted a slice from among the pile. He sat down and watched her, fascinated, as she put the bread to her mouth, her eyes closing in a kind of ecstasy when she bit into it. It must be many hours since she had eaten.

Meet Jamie Doughty, Poet and Artist

Jamie Doughty is a poet, cartoonist and game designer based in Bristol, England. Over the last two years he has self-published four books and has performed to audiences in a number of towns and cities in England and Wales. His latest release, Memory Card, is the first of Jamie's projects to present new poems and artwork as a printed book and a web-based game.

1. How has self-publishing been a good avenue for you to share your work as a poet?

Choosing to self-publish in order to get my work to a wider audience really has been one of the best decisions I have made. With so many books being self-published every day and having only used free services and social media to advertise, it's not as easy to make an impact as some would have you believe, but I try to balance the big ideas with a sense of what is realistically possible and build on that. Having the freedom to publish what you want when you want is brilliant for me as I have a lot of ideas that I want to explore, and the more titles I get finished and out there the better. Otherwise they are just ideas and scribblings lying in a notebook or on a hard drive.

2. What are the differences you find in connecting with readers online and connecting with readers through the public readings you give?

I love reading to a live audience. The honest and mixed reactions on people's faces as you read something that you believe is worth hearing can be satisfying or disappointing (sometimes both at the same time). At open mic nights you also get that option to listen and talk to other performers and members of the audience straight away which is nice. Online interaction and feedback is just as valuable to me, and it's great reading responses from new readers or friends and relatives that due to the logistics of everyday life you don't often get the chance to meet in person.

3. What makes your latest book (and game!), Memory Card, a unique project for you?

For starters, it's the first poetry and picture book I have produced that has an accompanying short video game and vice versa. It's also the first collection of poems that I have presented that all have one common theme (playing video games). I looked at my first two books Leaving Present and What an Absolute Load of Not My Cup of Splosh and realized that there were a number of references to video games in both of them. Some were obvious and others more cryptic. Then I decided to write a collection of poems all about playing video games. I wrote a list of all the computers and consoles I had used over the years and wrote something for each of them. At that point I was also making a short flash game that would be accompanied by a picture book about two characters wandering around and just going about their business. I then fused the poems and the book/game together which is not something I have done before but it seemed to make sense to me. I just hope it does to some people who play the game, read the book, or hear the poems.

4. Did you have experience with making online games before Memory Card, or did you need to learn the process specifically to achieve your vision for the project?

I have played around with Flash since 2000, but most of the early stuff I did was promotional material for friends in bands or short cartoons that were not interactive. Immediately before making Memory Card I made a collection of 7 mini games based on poems from my first two books called Mundane Mini Games. The point of that project was to document how things developed as I was making these little games and learn a thing or two so that I could go on to make what became Memory Card. In 2012, it's a lot easier to make flash games thanks to programs like Stencyl which is fantastic because it has meant that I could focus on the visual/audio content in the project and not have to worry about the programming side becoming too daunting.

5. How does your work as a visual artist inform your work as a poet, and vice versa?

Many of the poems I write are scruffy, short, and often focused on the mundane. The visual art or should I say cartoons and games I produce are also simple and scruffy. There is also a nonsensical element to both aspects of my artistic practice. Writing poems really can be like painting a picture with words, and when I occasionally paint a picture, I often can't help painting a word somewhere.

Thanks, Jamie!