Recently Published
Claire is a journalist and freelance writer commended for her idea generation, alternative angles on a story and never missing a deadline. Has experience writing for print and digital publications in a variety of formats including essays, articles, listicles, product descriptions, website and advertising copy, opinion pieces, short stories and poetry. Is proficient compiling research and obtaining sources on a variety of subjects to form a piece of high quality copy in keeping with the editorial tone.
Recently Published
A steamy sapphic road trip romp with a stellar cast - is Ethan Coen's first solo offering worth the fuss? Yes, says Claire Hool, just don't take it too seriously.
Stop the scroll! Here's everything new and noteworthy hitting TV this week including Kristen Wiig's starry, Sixties set, Palm Royale.
Extra, extra! Read all about the hot new openings, celebrity sightings and local news happening in our 'hood right here.
Extra! Extra! Read all about Norfolk's hot new happenings here, from festival line-ups, new business openings, cool local collaborations and more.
Easter holiday incoming! Not made your plans yet? Hop to it with my bumper guide of things to do for kids of all ages in Norfolk, from egg hunts and animal magic to workshops and hot tickets.
It's a bumper movie month with Dune: Part Two, a Coen brother's Drive-Away Dolls and the new Ghostbusters all gracing cinema screens near you this March.
Film & TV
Avoid the grey January weather with a trip to the cinema to see any of these new blockbusters from Sofia Coppola's Priscilla to the new Mean Girls movie.
Pass the remote! 'Tis the season for some top TV, here's our picks of the best movies and shows hitting screens and streaming platforms this week.
A rainy week calls for a top TV line-up and you're in luck with JLO packing some serious punches, a deliciously twisty crime drama from the creators of Gossip Girl, and a brand new season of Queer Eye. 10 May 2023
Ben Affleck and Matt Damon reignite their bromance, Patricia Arquette finds a new calling, Barack Obama tries a normal job and six more reasons for a night in with the TV this week. 16 May 2023
The Iron Claw, Argylle and American Fiction are among the hot new movie picks for your next cinema date this month.
Get yourselves comfy as there's some great TV to catch this week - here's our hot picks of what to watch and when.
2024
Fill up your new diary with all the best theatre, music, festivals and comedy happening across the capital this year.
From pixie cuts to big blow outs to subtle reds here's the hair trends to know about for 2024 courtesy of a trio of stylists from John Frieda Salons.
Diaries out and pens poised! Here's your bumper guide to all the arts and cultural events happening across Norfolk this year.
Interviews
With more cooking creds than we can count (including two Michelin Green stars), Chef Chantelle Nicholson spills the (coffee) beans on her collab with illy, waste-free cooking and the ingenious chouxnut.
Andy Leek, the man behind Notes to Strangers, talks about his latest collaboration (a free, public art trail around Portman Marylebone).
Travel
Not your average B&B! Byfords is also a café, restaurant and store. Read on for my review of this much-loved gem in the heart of Holt.
Literature Reviews
Are you looking for your next character-driven novel? Then look no further than this list of books like The Dutch House, Ann Patchett’s 2020 Pulitzer nominated thoughtful, intuitive, compulsive, splendid novel.
Looking for more books like The Vanishing Half? Brit Bennett’s second novel has taken the world by storm, reaching number one on the New York Times fiction bestsellers list, it is a book I kept seeing all over social media and one I was looking forward to reading to see what all the hype was about – the verdict? Totally worth it!
Are you looking for your next exciting mystery novel? Then look no further than this list of books like The Guest List. A remote setting, a high profile wedding, lots of people forced to spend time together, stranded by a storm, all hiding secrets – Lucy Foley’s fifth novel has all the right ingredients for an intense narrative, and then a dead body is discovered amping up the mystery!
Creative
Inspired by my time in Cyprus, a modern take on the legend surrounding the rock of Aphrodite
This is a poem I wrote for an assignment at university it is a poem inspired by a vintage 'pre loved' kimono I own that got me thinking about how we are all in fact pre loved
A personal poem written during lockdown which was selected by Dare to Create and included in their poetry anthology entitled Lockdown Rhythms
My essay was Shortlisted for The Fountain Essay Contest 2019-20. The theme was facing challenges and I reflect on a particularly stressful period of my life where I would hide on the underground as a way of coping with work place anxiety.
A short story recently shortlisted for The WritersWeekly.com Summer, 2020 24-Hour Short Story Contest. We were provided with a prompt and then had 24 hours to write a short story which incorporated the prompt in someway. This is my shortlisted entry.
Wellness
From accepting your shortcomings and putting your phone to bed to making the last two minutes of your day count, local breathing expert, Jane Tarrant, will help you pump the brakes.
An exploration into the latest mental health buzzword and why medical practitioners are, now more than ever, most at risk of burning out
Though restrictions are lifting and we have already started navigating this ‘new normal’, the repercussions of the pandemic on mental health are yet to be fully realised. One area of concern is the apparent rise in people emerging from lockdown suffering from body dysmorphic disorder. Claire Hool explores the reasons for this rise and discusses the ways that aesthetic practitioners can help patients who are showing signs of this underdiagnosed disorder
The NHS defines mental illnesses, or mental health disorders, as various conditions that affect an individual's mood, behaviour, feelings, thoughts and how they interact with others. This can affect normal day-to-day functioning and can impact someone in both their personal and professional life. People's mental health issues and struggles manifest differently.
People reporting some form of gender incongruence has risen tenfold over the past few years, and the reasons why are not always clear. Whatever the reason, Claire Hool considers ways to transform your workplace into a more transgender-friendly space
Aesthetics
With the worldwide focus on keeping our planet and ourselves safe from harm, it is particularly pertinent, now more than ever, to look to the ways this can be achieved. Claire Hool explores the possibilities of becoming sustainable in aesthetics and whether doing so will compromise standards.
Many aesthetic practitioners come from a spa, salon or retail background, and bring with them a wealth of sales expertise. However, if not managed correctly, this kind of experience can be inappropriate for a medical environment. Claire Hool discusses ways clinic managers can adapt sales techniques to avoid being pushy, maximising not only patient results, but also the bottom line of your business
Are you looking at ways to improve your business so that it is more environmentally friendly and pleasing to an untapped market of conscious clientele, but are unsure where to start? Claire Hool breaks down the jargon and the buzzwords to help you make ethical decisions that are right for you, your business and your clients