Here is a photo of my friend Jemma Forte receiving proof copies of her new book "From London with Love" which will be published by Penguin in July.

I was invited to join a table of gorgeous, intelligent women on World Book Day for a quiz event hosted by Waterstone's bookshop, in association with Grazia magazine. A number of authors attended, including: David Nicholls, author of the fantastic book and soon-to-be film "One Day"; the hilarious Adele Parks; Emma Kennedy and my good friend and brilliant writer, Jemma Forte, who hosted our table. I had been told it was an quiz evening of cupcakes and champagne - which it was - and being a prolific reader, I thought I might be able to answer the odd question. In fact, I think I probably only answered two. So it was amazing to discover that our champagne fuelled team "Beloved" (the title of the book by Toni Morrison) won the quiz and walked off with the prize of two cases of wine. When I say we won, we actually came second as the Grazia team did, in fact, come first. Before anyone started shouting "fixed", the team nobly stood down and - hey presto -

The courage of life is often a less dramatic spectacle than the courage of a final moment, but it is no less than a magnificent mixture of triumph and tragedy. People do what they must - in spite of personal consequences, in spite of obstacles and dangers and pressures - and that is the basis of all human morality. John F. Kennedy

Don’t compromise yourself. You are all you’ve got. Janis Joplin

When we speak, we are afraid our words will not be heard or welcomed. But when we are silent, we are still afraid. So it is better to speak. Audre Lorde

Feel the fear and do it anyway! Susan Jeffers

If there were ever a time to dare, to make a difference, to embark on something worth doing, it is now. Not for any grand cause, necessarily, but for something that tugs at your heart, something that's your aspiration, something that's your dream. You owe it to yourself to make your days here count. Have fun. Dig deep. Stretch. Dream big. Macintosh computer advert, 1991

Yoga Om 164 , originally uploaded by yogamama.co.uk . Chill out pose ... In my new Sweaty Betty yoga gear. -)

Leap, and the net will appear. John Burroughs, Naturalist

Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one's courage. Anais Nin