Reader, I caved. I lit my Pumpkin Soufflé candle. I ordered a Venti Pumpkin Spice Latte. I want to honour the seasons, but can we all agree that 1 September is the new Autumn? Especially with the whole going-back-to-Hogwarts ritual, I think this is acceptable.

SUNDAY SAMPLING SPONSOR

This sampling is brought to you by Carrot Top Paper Shop, an absolute must for a heroine curating her home gallery. Jenny illustrates portraits of literary heroines, which can be enjoyed as prints, in a literary heroine banner [see above!], or on literary bookmarks, as included in the Heroine Training Tea Party favour bags!

MY FAVOURITE READS LATELY

? Sometimes you have to decide to stay on board.

? On the importance of Taylor Swift’s lawsuit: “Andrea Swift put her finger on an important truth. We raise girls to be pretty, pliant and polite. We raise boys to be loud, demanding and confident.”

? Taking just a minute to arrange your food beautifully does makes it taste better!

? These 10 life lessons from a Southern Belle Pageant Queen are packed with real world wisdom.

? Fascinating: these women entrepreneurs created a fake male co-founder. Guess who was treated most professionally in their correspondences?

? If you, like I, are wondering WHY there’s going to be an all-female Lord of the Flies movie, read this list of 8 Lord of the Flies films we’d rather watch. It made me giggle at least.

? Plus on Heroine Training: How to keep in touch with long distance friends, and my new (free!) ebook, A Spell for Feeling Well