Rocks and a pair of wicked women

Now, there’s a title to conjure with, eh. Something of a mad rush to get to work today, but here’s this morning’s poem:

Meditation 124

Across the river
everything will be different

and heaven will live
on your skin.

Pour out
the blood you shed

like water
onto waiting ground

and listen.

On the subject of poetry, I’ve also written a poem about leaving the city. It’s nice to do a non-meditation piece every now and then. Just to see if I can. And I’m very happy to say that two of my stories have been published either yesterday evening or today. Firstly, there’s my Biblical short story, The Rock, which can be found here , and a comic piece of flash fiction about a rather wicked woman (or two), Woman on Top, can be found here. I hope you enjoy both the reads – they’re very different.

Oh and there’s strange news about Maloney’s Law on Amazon US and A Dangerous Man at Amazon UK – some kind reader appears to have bought a copy or two of each and for a brief period yesterday both actually had a bestseller list ranking. That’s not there now, mind you, but it was lovely while it lasted. So double gosh and thank you indeed to whoever bought them.

Meanwhile, at work, we’re settling into our new lives and even the printers are working, hurrah. Plus we have a lovely water machine in the new shared kitchen which provides filtered cold water at all times. Bliss. Mind you, on the negative side, I’ve had to return to those corrections to the long-running parental guidelines document. Not sure I’m making entire sense of them either, but I’m doing my best. UPDATE: I did them, ye gods and little fishes, and have now sent them out to various people for comments, so let’s see what comes back …

The office move means that my lunchtime walk around campus was slightly different, but I’m sure I shall get used to it in time. I’m nothing without my strict geographical routine, you know. Anyway, it was very relaxing to sit by the lake and admire the one and only duckling there appears to be (what happened to the others?? I fear the worst, Carruthers …). I’ve also thoroughly christened the new office by having my first decaff Starbucks here. Ah, it makes it a home from home, you know.

Tonight, I’ll pop into hospital to see the neighbour on the way home – I’m hoping he’s on the mend now, poor chap. And as far as my erotic short story goes, I’ve got the first draft written (hurrah!) and I need to start the edits tonight. I do like the ending I’ve given it – which is not what I anticipated when I started it off at all, but I think it works.

Today’s nice things:

1. Poetry
2. The publication of The Rock and Woman on Top
3. Brief Amazon bestseller rankings for Maloney and A Dangerous Man
4. The new office
5. Lunchtime walks, revisited
6. Starbucks
7. Short stories.

Anne Brooke
Race for Life - so nearly at the £250 aim for Cancer Research