Book tours and honey cake

Children's fantasy book The Origami Nun has been on tour this week and there's a giveaway which lasts until 30 September, so there's still lots of time to leave a comment on the tour and be in with a chance of winning. Here is a list of the tour stops for you:

An excerpt at Reading A Little Bit of Everything

A review at The Cover Reviews

A post about Lori's favourite children's authors at Reading Away The Days

A promotion at My Devotional Thoughts

A 5-star review at My Devotional Thoughts

A post about the background story behind the Nun and my own bullying experiences (together with some really lovely and thoughtful comments)

A review at Fire and Ice Reviews


Do feel free to pop in and leave a comment, and I'd like to say a VERY big thank you to the lovely Megan at Reading Away the Days for arranging the blog tour, and to all tour hosts and participants. It's very much appreciated.

Keeping to the subject of giveaways, though of a more adult nature in this case, you have until tomorrow (23 September) to enter the giveaway at Hearts On Fire Reviews. Good luck to all entrants there!

Other items of book news this week include:

Lesbian paranormal story The Girl in The Painting is at No 17 in the Amazon UK Lesbian stories chart.

My Sunday Haiku collection made it to No 8 in the Amazon UK Haiku charts, well gosh.

And gay BDSM story Give and Take gained a lovely review at KazzaK Book Reviews and Therapy (many thanks, Karen).

Meanwhile, over at Vulpes Libris, I revisited that long hot UK summer of 1976 with a review of Judith Allnatt's A Mile of River. A book that was flawed, in my opinion, but with heartening moments of genius. If she could hang on to the genius moments, I'd certainly be interested in reading more.

For the rest of this week, I've been falling asleep in front of the TV more times than I care to remember - though in my defence, I've apparently been working up to the bad cold I currently have (groan) - and which I'm desperately trying to kick into touch before I need to go in to the University tomorrow to help with Move In Weekend. Plus it's Freshers' Week next week and I really do need to be in for that!

Speaking of work, I've managed to take on more hours, which will be great for the household budget, so I'll be working 3.5 days (or 4 shorter days depending on work schedules) from the start of October, rather than the standard 3 days. Many thanks to the boss for letting me do that.

Oh, and I've really enjoyed the latest episode on TV of the documentary Vikings. At last - I've found my people ... I always knew we'd only come across for the shopping and social life. All that pillage stuff is just bad PR, hey ho.

And today I've made Devonshire Honey Cake, and I'm really rather pleased with it. I think that's about as energetic as it gets today as I need to conserve my strength (such as it is) for tomorrow and the rest of the week. Wish me luck.

Anne Brooke
Lori Olding Children's Author
The Gathandrian Fantasy Trilogy
Gay Reads UK
Biblical Fiction UK

Come to the cabaret, my friends ...

I'm just craftily sneaking in a preview of the glorious cover art for upcoming novel Number Two in the Gathandrian Trilogy, Hallsfoot's Battle. It's courtesy of the supremely talented Penelope Cline, and I love it. I'm on the proofing stage now so we're nearly at lift-off. Am beginning to get rather excited about it too.

Have had a great week - our 19th wedding anniversary was on September 11th, so we really feel grown-up now. Will we have to start being sensible? Heaven forbid! It's astonishing that K hasn't sent me back in despair to the Wife Shop really. Twenty years next year, and we don't feel a day over sixteen. Well, almost sixteen ... Anyway, we started the day with chocolate cake (the healthy breakfast, don't you know ...) and ended it with champagne, so a truly balanced diet all round. Hurrah for us!

It's also been a hugely exciting weekend for me, as I attended the UK GLBTQ Fiction Conference in Brighton as a small part of the presenting team for a couple of sessions ("First 150 words of a novel", and "Ideas - Where Can I Get Some?"), and also as a very enthusiastic participant. We had a wonderful night out on Saturday at a Burlesque cabaret at the Brighton Proud Ballroom, which was marvellous and gloriously cheesy, and I swear I will never see The Ugly Duckling in quite the same way again. Really, it's astonishing what women can do with a power drill and nipple tassels. Perhaps not one to try at home, people ... It was also wonderful to meet people I've only met online before, and catch up with those I've met in "real" life too, and the chance to chat with fellow-writers, readers, publishers and reviewers without having to explain why I write and love gay erotic/non-erotic fiction was really great also. I loved it. Can't wait for next year's meeting in July in Manchester. Bring it on ...

Other book-type news is that Untreed Reads have accepted my comic surreal short story about a dictionary, Candy and Catharsis, for publication next March, so I'm thrilled with that. And the book tour (plus prizes!) for The Origami Nun starts tomorrow, so that should be fun. Hope as many of you out there as possible will come and join me with my Lori Olding hat on - she's a great gal. Honest!...

Meanwhile, over at Vulpes Libris on Thursday, I reviewed the crazy but utterly charming novel, Jane Austen Ruined My Life by Beth Pattillo. Definitely worth a read, and a class ending to die for. Great stuff.

Finally, I broke my Star Trek mug last week - oh the trauma. There was weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth, I can tell you. Luckily SuperHusband came to the rescue and ordered me a new one, so has gained at least a thousand Husband Points in one easy move. What class that man has ... I am treating my bright, shiny Star Trek mug with great care, and I'm sure the coffee in it tastes much better. Cosmic almost ...

Anne Brooke
The Gathandrian Fantasy Trilogy
Gay Reads UK
Lori Olding Children's Author

The Truth About Butterflies and fantasy failure

I've just published my second book on the Kindle today - it's a lesbian erotic collection, The Truth About Butterflies, and consists of two stories about first-time experiences:

In Butterfly Girl, Abi’s marriage is happy enough but she’s bored. When she meets Tina online, they quickly become friends. Soon their virtual friendship becomes the mainstay of Abi’s life, and when Tina propositions her, Abi’s initial surprise gives way to an unexpected and overwhelming desire …
In Truth or Dare, Kate and Suzie have always been best friends, for as long as they can remember. However, one night at the pub away from their men leads them both to startling revelations as they resurrect their old childhood game of Truth or Dare. 

And it's just received a 4-star review at KazzaK Book Reviews and Therapy, so many thanks to Karen for that.

Meanwhile, my book tour for fantasy novel The Gifting has just finished, and well done to Trix for winning the 3 ebook prize! Sadly however, nobody entered the competition to win a Kindle so even though I'm told that the tour had plenty of hits, there were few commenters and, as far as I'm aware, no buyers - so something of a failure, alas. To be honest, that was my last-ditch attempt to raise any interest in the Gathandrian Trilogy, so I'm not entirely sure where that leaves it all now ...

Very kindly, Bluewood have agreed to publish the second in the trilogy, Hallsfoot's Battle, and there's a really fantastic (pun almost deliberate ...) cover for it, but I'm beginning to wonder if it will really be worth any of our time, ah well. Something for everyone to ponder on maybe.

Anyway, turning to happier moments, it was great to have breakfast on the patio this morning in glorious sunshine. How we do love an Indian summer - though it actually now appears to be over as it's raining, sigh ...

And I made cake yesterday - Seriously Rich Chocolate Cake which, even though it looked like soup when I put it in the oven, has turned out surprisingly well, and is tasty too, hurrah.

Finally, I'm planning more Kindle publishing over the next month or so, so watch this space for a collection of Biblical fiction just in time for Christmas (arrghh, the "C" word - sorry!)

Anne Brooke
Gay Reads UK

The Gifting Book Tour Final Day: Feisty Redheads 'R' Us

Today is the last day of the book tour for fantasy novel The Gifting, and I'm very happy indeed to be at the Fighting Monkey Press website, interviewing the irrepressible Annyeke Hallsfoot. It's a case of one redhead interviewing another, so absolutely anything could happen, and probably will ...

Don't say I didn't warn you!

While you're there, don't forget that a comment on the post or indeed any of the posts of this book tour, gives you a chance to win my THREE ebook giveaway, and there's also still just about time to enter the competition to win a Kindle ereader.

Good luck, and many thanks for accompanying me on this tour. I've had a great time!

Anne Brooke
The Gathandrian Trilogy

The Gifting Book Tour Day Nine: writing about writers

It had to happen one day, didn't it? When I started writing over twelve years ago now, I promised myself I'd never write about writers, as that was just odd and somehow incestuous, and I've been rather snooty about those who do ... Those of you who've read The Gifting will know that my main character, Simon Hartstongue, is a scribe, so with the Gathandrian Trilogy, I've had to eat my own words, along with a huge slice of humble pie. I'd best keep my big mouth shut and my preconceived ideas to myself next time, eh ...

Anyway, it's Day Nine of my book tour, and if you visit Christine Young's site, you can find out more about why I didn't follow my own writerly advice and exactly how that's changed the way I write. Don't forget to leave a comment to enter the free ebook giveaway, and there's a Kindle to be won too. Good luck!

Anne Brooke
The Gathandrian Trilogy

The Gifting Book Tour Day Eight: the artistry of canes

Day Eight of the book tour for The Gifting and you can find me at Long and Short Reviews talking about the quirkiness and art of canes. It may well be just me, but I think walking canes are fascinating and I'm always interested by the type people choose. It definitely says a lot about them - and is no doubt a large part of the reason why I chose a magical cane to be a key aspect of The Gathandrian Trilogy.

There's a walking cane for everyone! So click onto the post and let me know which you'd choose ... And don't forget any comments throughout the whole of the tour means you're automatically entered into the three ebooks giveaway competition - and there's a competition to win a Kindle too.

Happy reading!

Anne Brooke
The Gathandrian Trilogy

The Gifting Book Tour Day Seven: The Thrill of Flight

I've always been fascinated by birds and often dream of flying - which is odd as I really hate air travel. But if I was to have one superpower granted to me, I'd definitely opt for the ability to fly. It must be truly exciting.

So on Day 7 of the book tour for fantasy novel, The Gifting, I'm looking at the thrill of flight and the use of birds - particularly my magical snow-raven - in the first of my trilogy. And you can read an exclusive excerpt to whet your appetite, so pop along to Bunny's Book Reviews and let me know what your superpower might be!

Don't forget a comment gives you entry into a competition to win THREE of my ebook backlist, and you can also try your hand at the Free Kindle contest as well. Good luck!

Anne Brooke
The Gathandrian Fantasy Trilogy

The Gifting Book Tour Day Six: Gazing at the stars

Today, the book tour for The Gifting is at It's Raining Books and I'm looking at the star signs and astrology system of the people of the Lammas Lands. For someone like me who doesn't even believe in astrology, it's really quite detailed, and you get the added bonus of an excerpt involving a rather scared little boy, a dangerous Horseman and my scribe in reassuring mode ...

While you're there, don't forget to leave a comment in order to enter the three ebooks giveaway, and try your hand at the Win a Kindle competition also.

Happy reading!


Anne Brooke
The Gathandrian Trilogy

The Gifting Book Tour Day Five: the joys of Thomas Covenant

The latest stop on my book tour for The Gifting find me reliving happy memories of reading Stephen Donaldson's marvellous Earth Wars series, starring the wonderful leper and embittered writer Thomas Covenant. These books utterly gripped me through my teenage years, and were a very strong influence in my creation of murderous scribe Simon Hartstongue in the Gathandrian Trilogy.

So come along and pay a visit to the Fantasy Friday blog (albeit a little late) and see if you agree with me! Don't forget to leave a comment to enter the giveaway and to try your luck in the free Kindle competition.

Have a great and bookish weekend and the book tour recommences on Monday!

Anne Brooke
The Gathandrian Trilogy