Tuesday, April 29, 2008

Rain, parcels and Bones

Gosh, more rain. What a surprise. Or possibly not. I'm not sure we'll ever know sun again. Anyway, have spent most of the day thinking about completely redoing our Personal Tutors’ handbook, which is severely showing its age now. Heck, aren’t we all. We’re hoping for something tighter and jazzier that people will actually use, rather than just admire for a while. Here’s hoping anyway. And actually I’m getting quite enthused about the whole project – at last, my chance to get my evil secretarial hands on a document and cut it to pieces, mwa ha ha! Still, perhaps I’ve been showing a tad too much enthusiasm – the boss was also making noises about me actually presenting the issues at the next meeting of the Personal Tutors’ group – Lordy, no! That would be awful beyond belief! So I’ve managed to negotiate him down to the concept that we both present things together. I couldn’t possibly do it on my own – I’m a secretary, for goodness’ sake, not a real person.

I’ve also posted a copy of Thorn in the Flesh to the British Library, as per their requirements. My, it does feel nice to parcel one up for sure! Ideal May holiday reading, you know, if you haven’t yet got your copy … I also made my way through the weather to town at lunchtime to post in a cheque (hurrah!) from Goldenford. And whilst in town, I actually found something highly suitable for my stepfather’s upcoming birthday in May in the gardening section of the Robert Dyas shop – but dammit not in his size. Curses, foiled again, Carruthers. Hey ho.

Tonight, I’m planning a few more scribbles to The Bones of Summer – and ye gods I might almost have a novel-full soon. You never know your luck. Once I’ve got the first draft done, I’m really beginning to look forward to the edit in order to knock it into some sort of shape. Famous last words, eh. I still think Craig has more hidden kicks I have yet to discover, dammit. Again. Still, that’s part of the fun of novel-writing really – you never know what will happen next. Double dammit.

And I've just read Nicci French's Losing You. Hmm, not one of her best, I fear (or, seeing as it's a husband/wife writing team, their best). All perfectly gripping, but the lack of chapters was frankly exhausting and ridiculous. It was just one long spiel. Please, writers, give us chapters - we need them! There seemed to be no time to develop either tension beyond it's Class A Panic status or character. Something of a one-trick pony and a lesson in churning out a lowest common denominator thriller then. Really, they can write better than that. And I do feel that Nina, the main character, deserved more.

Today’s nice things:

1. Sending out Thorn, even if not to a customer!
2. Paying in a cheque
3. Writing.

Anne Brooke
Anne's website
Goldenford Publishers

2 comments:

Lover of Books, Films and Good Coffee Shops Everywhere! said...

You do make me laugh Anne "I'm a secretary, not a real person" - I must use that line sometime with my boss! I do agree though - only managers should give presentations - that's why they get paid squillions and we get peanuts - the presentation humilation factor is built into their salaries.

You and I are 'mirroring' what books we are reading I think. I have just finished 'losing you' and loved it BUT I do agree with you about the chapters; because I read later in the day I want to set myself small chunks to read (ie chapters) and in this book that wasn't possible.

Anne Brooke said...

Exactly - x2!!!! Why did she do that?? - the lack of breaks in the read was totally exhausting!

:))

A
xxx