Of Thorns, massages and bookstalls

Some good news on the book front! Goldenford are keen to publish Thorn in the Flesh early next year, possibly around February/March time so thanks very much, Golden Girls (or Golden Goddesses, as we now like to be known ...). It'll be lovely to get another book out in the public domain. It's also a quite unusual one for me as (a) my main character is a woman (b) she's bisexual and (c) there's only one - straight - sex scene in it. Well, poor Kate has so much else going that she doesn't have time for that kind of stuff. She's too busy trying to stay alive. Here's the working blurb:

"Kate Harris, a lecturer in her late thirties, is attacked in her Surrey home and left for dead. When she recovers, in order to face the threats she begins to receive, she is forced to journey into her past to search for the child she left behind. Can she overcome the demons of her own personal history and protect those she loves before it’s too late?"

And, before you ask, yes it is set in Godalming. Where else??! Well, somebody has to try to write the ultimate Godalming novel, and it might as well be me, eh!...

I've asked the wonderful Penelope Cline - also known under her writing name as Nell Grey - to see if she can come up with some ideas for a cover, as she did such a wonderful job with A Dangerous Man and some of the themes of Thorn are equally dark. So I'm looking forward to seeing what she comes up with - thanks, Nell!

This morning, I have spent two wonderful hours having a facial and massage with the new Clarins girl, Clare - who was very sweet and soooo relaxing. Just a shame I had to be in Guildford for 9am. Always something of a shock really. After that, I popped into the Magic Watchrepair Woman (that's not actually her title but it may as well be) at Ernest Jones with my rediscovered but still broken watch, but I fear she can do nothing for me as something is rotten in the state of Denmark, which she warns me will cost £70 to repair. Mmm. As the watch itself only cost me £25, then it really isn't worth it. However, MWW did say that, with Christmas coming up, perhaps it's time for Lord H to buy me a new one. Or words to that effect. Definitely a thought - especially as my new and working watch is too small to see clearly in the mornings. Now, there's an admission ...

Lunchtime was spent in the Guildford Institute watching over the unloved Goldenford stall with Irene while people studiously avoided us. No sales made, I fear. My Kiss Of Death status continues to grow ... However, we have come up with a Cunning Plan: we have decided that we're going to make a Goldenford puppet with pictures of all four of us Golden Goddesses on the top, like some kind of Indian god, and every time somebody buys something, we'll hold it up and perform a small but perfectly formed playlet in gratitude for the occasion. Surely the Guildford matrons will be unable to resist? I was also all for a lively rendition of "The Lonely Goatherd" as sung by Yours Truly, but for some reason Irene wasn't that keen.

On the way back home, I popped into see Gladys, but she's not having a very good day, I'm sorry to report, so I left quite soon with promises to be back for a proper chat next week. I think it's the change in the weather myself and the onset of the dark (goodness me, how poetic. Sometimes I even frighten myself ...). It gets to us all.

Tonight, I might do the odd bit of writing (you never know!), but my main focus will be almost entirely on catching up with TV. Which is after all where I get all my best ideas from. Oh, and I think it might be time to resurrect the sherry bottle.

Today's nice things:

1. Upcoming publication of Thorn in the Flesh
2. Clarins massage & facial - bliss!
3. Chatting with Irene at the Goldenford stall.

Anne Brooke
Anne's website