Blog hops and bestsellers

Book News:

Just a quick reminder that I am taking part in the Scorching Blog Hop until 6 April, and there are loads of giveaways, as well as a grand prize. Leave a comment at my below blog and you'll be in with a chance to win a FREE ebook of gay romance Who Moved My Holepunch? Don't forget to visit all the other participants too. Good luck!

Indeed, already Who Moved My Holepunch? has received a lovely review from On Top Down Under Reviews, which included the following:

"I find Anne Brooke writes a mean short story … If you are looking for a witty, sexy, M/M office romp, then I highly recommend Who Moved My Holepunch? It is a great title and the content matches the cover, sexy and interesting." 

Thank you, Karen! Another review, this time a 4-star one, can also be found at MM Good Book Reviews, and this includes:

"It was a fascinating read. I laughed. I gasped. And I felt the exquisite chemistry this author achieved between her characters. The world they were put into was not something I anticipated, but even college administrative jobs can be fascinating with a creative mind. A lovely novella not to be missed."

Other reviews can be found at Goodreads, including a 4 star one and a 4.5 star one. Many thanks to all readers there for your comments. You can also now find this book at All Romance Ebooks, if that's your preferred shopping venue.

In addition, another prize giveaway that's running at the moment is for fantasy novel, Hallsfoot's Battle, the second in my critically acclaimed Gathandrian series.

At Goodreads, you have the chance to win one FREE paperback of this novel if you add your name to the list by 23 April. Whilst at LibraryThing, there are two FREE ebooks up for grabs (scroll down to view) if you request it by 7 April. Good luck to all!

I'm also happy to note that I was the No 5 bestselling author at Untreed Reads for 2012, well gosh. A BIG thank you to everyone who has bought a copy of my books there and put me in those charts.

Finally in this section, I'm thrilled to be included in an interview about gay romance and religion over at the Lambda Literary magazine. It's a pleasure to be there.


Life News:

Last week, I spent three fascinating days in snowy Edinburgh at a work conference, and got a heck of a lot out of it, I must say. Some very thought-provoking seminars indeed. The only down side was the pesky weather, but Edinburgh is of course still a beautiful city.

K and I also spent a day with Mother on Good Friday, accompanying her to the Hour of Remembrance as usual. And the Easter Service was of course packed and very enjoyable. I particularly appreciated the champagne and chocolate eggs after the service, but fear we're possibly not getting those every week, alas.

Over the last couple of days, K and I have visited Clandon Park, along with their lovely garden centre, where I succumbed to two gorgeous Senetti plants. And today we've visited Hatchlands, and come away with two very reasonably priced lupins. Sadly, though, both K and I are battling with a cold/flu-type thing, so haven't done as much gardening as we'd have liked. That said, I took out most of the wretched ground elder yesterday - a weed which I'm sure will survive a nuclear winter, should it ever come upon us. Hey ho.

Hope you're all having a glorious Easter week!

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

Champagne and cake

Book News:

It's Novel City here in the outback at the moment, I'm happy to say. I've now signed the contract for Musa Publishing to republish my chick lit novel Pink Champagne and Apple Juice, and that is scheduled in for 6 September. No cover yet, but I'm looking forward to seeing how that looks.

In the meantime, I do have a cover for bisexual thriller Thorn in The Flesh, which will be republished later this year by Untreed Reads. I'm really very pleased with it, I must say.

I've also signed off the proof version of fantasy novel Hallsfoot's Battle (Gathandria *2), so Bluewood Publishing should be advising a publication date in the near future. Watch this space.

There've also been a couple of very nice reviews of other work this week. Gay thriller A Dangerous Man received a 4-star review at Goodreads, which included the following:

"A Dangerous Man is not a gay romance with a traditional happy ending, but it is a compelling work of gay fiction and a real page-turner. Things to praise include the flawless writing and the subtlety with which Michael's tragic past is revealed. The London setting is vivid and three-dimensional, and the author has a perfect ear for dialogue."

And gay short story Where You Hurt The Most also gained a review at Goodreads. Part of that review said:

"Anne Brooke always impresses me. I quite literally love her writing. There’s a sophistication and refinement to the clean, sparse prose that sets her apart ... Overall I’m pretty pleased with this short story due to the excellent writing, drama without being overwhelmingly intense, and engaging characters. The themes of pain, need, and longing are woven into the story in many different ways and skilfully deployed to add depth and nuance to even this short length. I’m pretty impressed with the level of skill displayed, but honestly I know to expect that from this author. I’d easily recommend this to newcomers and fans alike."

Gosh, many thanks indeed to both reviewers for your comments!


Life News:

A rather snowy few days here recently, which meant my game of golf on Friday was one of the coldest I've ever experienced. Didn't do much for my play either, but really the least said, the better ... The weather certainly put paid to my weekend plans of getting out into the garden and seeing what it was up to, though I did manage to buy a couple of new house plants while we were out and about.

Plus we've also given the garden bridge a fresh lick of paint as it's been looking rather shabby lately. I fear it will need quite a few extra coats too before it's ready to take its place in the garden again. Next DIY stop: the love seat - but only when the weather's better, as it's too heavy to move.

This week's cake has been Carrot and Mascarpone cake, and we're very happy indeed with the results. How I love a recipe where you just throw all the ingredients into a big bowl and mix them. Saves all that faffing around, you know.

Finally over at The Angry Anglican, I discover women are really and truly the secret weapon after all.




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

The Gift of the Snow and last chance blogs

Book News:

Don't forget that the Blog Hop Against Homophobia is still running until tonight, and you can find my blog about it here. All comments are entered into a competition to win something from my ebook backlist so don't miss out!

In addition, the last stop of my blog tour for Where You Hurt The Most was at Amara's Place, and there's still time (just!) to enter that ebook competition also, but you'll have to hurray. This week, the story has received a 4-star review at Goodreads, so many thanks, Sadonna, for that.

And I'm happy to say that my literary paranormal short story The Gift of The Snow has now been published by Untreed Reads, and was briefly at No 67 in the Amazon UK horror charts (though more literary than horror, to my mind), so thank you to those of you who've bought it and I hope you enjoy the read.

Life News:

I've come somewhat under fire once more this week for being a Christian who fully supports same-sex marriage and GLBTQ inclusion in the church. People are very happy to tell me in detail how wrong and unChristian I am, which is interesting as I don't feel I have to take other people to task for believing in a different way to me. Actually it makes me even more determined to stand up for what I see as reasonable equality and to make it known as much as I can that Christianity is - or should be - as much for the GLBTQ community as it is for the straight one. In fact there should be no difference. We're all human and all fully equal in God's sight, and I'm more than happy to keep shouting that joyful fact. It's good news indeed. For this reason I can thoroughly recommend Changing Attitude who work in the UK helping to encourage churches to be more inclusive of GLBTQ people. Well done to them!

This weekend has been hugely busy. We had the meeting of the Jubilee Street Party Committee yesterday, and I think we're now on track to sorting out the final details of what we're all doing. Only two weeks to go now, goodness me. Also yesterday I made a pretty fine carrot cake with orange frosting which not only tastes good but also looks almost exactly as it does in the book. Golly gosh, that's a first for me, eh ...

And Saturday just wouldn't have been the same without the Elstead Rubber Duck races at lunchtime. So wonderfully English and strangely gripping, we loved it - though sadly our ducks Troilus and Cressida weren't anywhere to be seen in the winning heats. Maybe next year then.

It's also been a plant-filled weekend, which has been great. We bought a lilac phlox, a hebe, 4 cosmos and one broccoli at the church plant sale, plus a purple osteospermum and another sunflower from the village florist. Today, we've visited Rake Garden Centre, where we bought a huge trolley-load of flowers, including nine French marigolds, six salvias, an impatiens, six chrysanthemums, four large fuchsias, two lupins and a veronica. And a partridge in a pear tree (that last one's untrue, btw ...). All now safely planted up in back and front gardens, and very good they look too, hurrah!

Oh, and our azalea and one of the three rhododendrons are now doing pretty well too, as you can see ...

On the way back we also popped in to see Lowder Mill which was open today as part of the National Gardens Scheme. A totally amazing place and if you get a chance to go, I can really recommend it. Beautiful grounds, and so very quirky and peaceful, at the same time. Plus the cakes were magnificent. What could be nicer?

Here's this week's haiku:

On this soft morning
the garden dances in pink
while small birds flutter.


Anne Brooke
Hop Against Homophobia
Gay Reads UK
The Gathandrian Fantasy Trilogy
Biblical Fiction UK

Cake, bunting and a giveaway

Life News:

Yesterday's baking extravaganza was a brave attempt at Grasshopper Cake - i.e. chocolate cake with a peppermint fondant icing. As my cake mixture has been proving a little dry in the new oven, I added a dessert spoon of mayonnaise, and it's worked a treat. All perfectly moist now. Mind you, with one small success comes a little failure - the icing didn't really work, and what you see in the picture isn't at all how it looks in the book. Not sure what I did wrong - but at least it tastes okay. The peppermint gives a nice edge to the rich chocolate cake, which I like. Next week it's the turn of Boston Cream Pie, so watch this space ...

Other excitements of the week are that we're planning a Jubilee party in the road, so I've ordered a job-lot of Jubilee bunting for the occasion. Hey, maybe I should make a cake, but goodness knows what.

Yesterday, I was planning to attend a day's Introduction to Contemplative Prayer with the local church, but sadly that had to be cancelled, but I'm hoping we can still get to do it later on. Silence is so wonderful. Instead K and I visited the Festival of Tulips at Dunsborough Park Gardens. I don't think it was as good as the last time we went - I suspect the weather has held the poor tulips back, but some of them were out, at least.

On the way back we popped into the Wisley plant shop and bought two skimmias, four wallflowers, six chrysanthemums and one monkshood - which, dodging the raindrops, we've planted out this afternoon. I also took the opportunity to prune (i.e. hack down to manageable proportions) the forsythia against the front fence as it was utterly out of control. Much to our delight we found a plant underneath it we hadn't known was there as it was hidden in the forsythia branches. Goodness knows what it is, but at least it will get some sunlight now. Um, if there is some ...

And, oh joy and rapture unforeseen, the azalea in the shrubbery has a wonderful scattering of pink buds on it so can't wait for those to come out. It's going to be quite something, I think.

This morning, K and I attended our first Mattins at church and very nice it was too. I could have done with one or two fewer hymns, frankly, but chanting the psalms is really the perfect way to start any day. In my opinion.

Meanwhile, I've grasped the technological nettle and linked my Nectar card to my British Gas account. Mind you, the amount we appear to be paying British Gas, we should be able to earn enough Nectar points to get a Caribbean island any day now.

Book News:

Don't forget - today is the LAST day to enter the FREE giveaway LibraryThing competition for fantasy novel The Gifting. So far 67 people have entered, and I'm hoping that somehow we can get to 70 by the end of the competition. Only three people to go. All help with this is greatly appreciated!

This week, I've also sent back the first round of edits for gay menage short story The Delaneys at Home to Amber Allure. It's due out on 3 June, so not long to go now. At the same time, I'm working on an office-based gay short story I'm hoping to submit to Riptide Publishing by the summer. Trouble is it seems my main character, Alan, has a mind of his own - I wanted him to be dark and dangerous, but he's fighting back as he'd rather be quirky and wry. Goodness knows how I'm going to work that into my planned-for plot line, but I'd best go along with it for the moment and see where he takes me. Ah, the joys of writing, eh. The author is always the last person to know just what the heck is going on, dammit.

My most recent meditation poem is:




Meditation 647

This morning sun
and silence

are a setting
and a space

for the cuckoo’s
soft call:

the promise of spring
and its dying fall.


Which is cunningly linked with my Sunday haiku:

The cuckoo's soft song
drifts over these morning fields,
announcing the sun.


Anne Brooke
The Gathandrian Fantasy Trilogy
Gay Reads UK
Biblical Fiction UK

Nuns, pens and plants

Book News:

Great news today! My children's book, The Origami Nun, has been accepted by Scottish Press, Karabeth Publishing, and I've sent the contract back to them just now. I'm really pleased about that, and am very much looking forward to working with them.

At the same time, I've returned the final proofs of gay short story Where You Hurt The Most to Riptide Publishing, and ARCs (Advance Review Copies) will be sent out to a variety of places over the next few days. I hope people enjoy the read.

And don't forget it's the LAST FEW DAYS of the five ebook giveaway of fantasy novel The Gifting at LibraryThing. The final day is 29 April, so don't miss out. There are now 63 people entering - for which many thanks - and I wonder if we can make it to 65. That would be great. Thank you. Other nice news is that literary paranormal short story The Girl in The Painting was earlier this week at No 11 in the Amazon UK short story charts, so thank you for that as well.

Meanwhile, there is still 30% discount off ALL my Untreed Reads ebooks direct from the publisher - so shop early shop often. Because there's only ONE DAY left on that offer ...

At Vulpes Libris Reviews, I find little to keep my attention in P.D. James' mishmash of a novel, Death Comes to Pemberley. Sigh. It just doesn't work, and I was really rather hoping it would. Oh well.

This week's meditations are:


Meditation 644
All that we are and do
recorded in the unchanging
book of our lives,
written on the skin

when our greatest need
is an interpreter
to measure with grace
the truth which lies within.




Meditation 645
There are times
when the seduction
of sin

is more than enough
to tempt
the devil in

but when the joys
we grasped at
are no more

then we are left
in a far worse state
than before.




Meditation 646
The slow grace
of returning
to the place
we started

is a gift
to make the birds sing
and all the stars
take wing.


Life News:

Happy St George's Day for 23 April! I hope you all had a great day and were kind to the dragon. As it were. In celebration, here's a rather scary photo of me and my fluffy pens at the office. Always the professional, that's me, eh ... Well, maybe in my dreams.

Lots of nature news this week. I've spotted a couple of sparrows on our apple tree, which is wonderful - as they're the first sparrows I've seen in Elstead. I hope they come back.

Plus we've taken delivery of another set of plants for potting on and then getting into the garden as and when. This time, we have five cuphea ignea (which I love) and five opium poppies (which K loves). So the perfect combination for something - but who knows what!

Anne Brooke
The Gathandria Fantasy Trilogy
Gay Reads UK
Biblical Fiction UK

Further garden delights

Life News:

Our roof is now complete, and very lovely it looks too! The scaffolding and skip is due to be taken away early next week and then our house will be our own again, hurrah. Mind you, the roofers have been lovely, and I think I'm going to miss the company at the end of the week when I'm usually in the house on my own. They've been great fun. When they said goodbye yesterday and gave us the invoice, they also very sweetly handed us a bottle of wine for being such lovely customers. Ahh, I felt quite moved actually. Mind you, one of them said he'd miss being here as he never got cake at home, so I fear there might be domestic rumblings in his house in the very near future. Oh well ...

Yesterday, I donned my apron, got out my electric whisk (steady, people ...) and made a chocolate swirl cake with icing. I am indeed a genius. Which of course you already knew. I have to say it tastes marvellous and I am hugely proud of my efforts, as is K. The only slight set-back is it's so tall that it won't fit into the cake tin, so I've had to surround it with tinfoil and hope for the best. Anyone know anywhere that sells tall cake storage tins, please do let me know!

Also yesterday, K and I went to hear Guildford Choral Society sing Handel's Messiah at Guildford Cathedral - and very lovely it was too. It's one of my favourite choral works and you can't really go too wrong with it, but I thought the choir were magnificent last night. Well done to all. Plus we had a great time at the post-concert party, so thank you to L & J for hosting that. It was great to catch up with everyone.

So today we've had a much-needed lie in and then spent the rest of the day doing garden stuff. We visited a local garden centre and I have now joined The Gardening Club as the special offers and discounts are just so good that we couldn't resist them. Plus it's free to join so what could be better? Whilst there, we bought another shrub for the shrub garden which we've now planted. Plus we stocked up on manure (as you do) for potting and for the roses, and also added in a whole lot of plug plants for potting up for our hanging baskets and containers. These we have now put into the necessary pots. The kitchen's a mess, but what the heck, eh.

Not only that but we took a soft stem cutting from our new shrub so I've potted that up too and am hoping for the best. Oh, and the heuchera I planted last year has started to flower again and my potted silver birch is coming into bud. So not dead after all, well gosh!

Book News:

Not much going on really, except to say that I've drafted an article for one website and need to do a set of interview questions for another which I'm looking forward to getting my teeth into. In the meantime here's the Sunday haiku (written just after yesterday's concert):

I know only this:
music clarifies the soul
in the harshest storm.


Anne Brooke
The Gathandrian fantasy trilogy
Gay Reads UK
Biblical Fiction UK

Dates, blogs and bestsellers

Book News:

The fourth in the gay erotic Delaneys series of short stories, Dating the Delaneys, is now published by Amber Allure Press and available at a first week discount from them. I hope you enjoy the read!

Much to my amazement, literary lesbian short story, The Girl in the Painting, has now been in the Top 5 International Bestseller lists at Untreed Reads for a whole year, well gosh. Not only that, but today it reached No 7 in the Amazon UK short story lists, so that was a real boost too. Heck, maybe I should do a sequel at some point? Now there's a thought.

I've finally completed the first round of edits for the final part in my Gathandrian Trilogy, The Executioner's Cane. My, that felt like a real milestone, and I was more pleased with how it hangs together than I initially expected, phew. Now I need to draft a synopsis (my least favourite writing job ...) and unleash some outside editorial input on it. Still some way to go then. Speaking of the Gathandrian Trilogy, you can get the first in the series, the critically acclaimed The Gifting, for only about $2 (c£1) at Books on Board - so now's your chance to try my magnum opus Part 1 at a very decent price. Happy shopping to all!

During the week, I've also created two more blog posts (one about my favourite Christmas present ever, which will probably be a surprise to all ...) for my upcoming blog tour in December with Riptide Publishing. I'll let you know the schedule as soon as it's confirmed. And I've added a new blog post to The Thoughtful Corner, this time about people, communities and prejudice.

Yesterday, I recorded my third short story, The Singing Road, for Celtica Radio. I gather that two of my short stories will probably be broadcast on their monthly arts programme during December, and then another early next year.  They're hoping to get an hour's worth of short stories from me - which means about six or so - and then they'll see how it goes. Maybe I have the face for radio after all!...

I've also been rather heartened that the latest quarter's royalties from Amber Allure Press nicely dovetail with the costs of my cyst operation (see below for update ...) so I just about break even there, hurrah. God indeed works in mysterious ways his wonders to perform.

Meanwhile, you can find all my latest writing news on my website, updated for November.

The Sunday haiku is:

The long-tailed tits dance
across my bare apple tree:
flock of soft pink leaves.


Life News:

The aftermath of my cyst operation has, I admit, been a bit tricky, though it's been utter bliss to be able to move properly again and sleep without pain. But (squeamish alert!) I've had to lay in a supply of large plasters as so far it keeps bleeding now and again, depending on how much I've been moving around. The initial bandage change was gross, and this morning was a bit dodgy too - sorry! But so far today, I've kept as still as possible and it's been much improved. Let's hope that continues. It's also been something of a challenge to remember to take my various doses of antibiotics four times a day but I've kept up to speed more or less successfully, I think. Not being a mathematician, after two I lose count ... But certainly the beast is way better being off, that's for sure.

On Friday afternoon, I attended the monthly church healing service in the hope that some of the miracle of prayer for the sick in the parish might rub off on yours truly. Hell, there's a selfish motive, if ever I heard one! But, actually, it was a nice quiet and traditional short service and I really enjoyed it. I've kept the prayer list handed out and have put it in my prayer room so God can glance at it now and again. Just in case He might have forgotten the names, hey ho. But I'll certainly be back for the next one.

Yesterday, K and I spent a happy day wandering around The Savill Garden admiring the autumn planting, as you do. It's also a fabulous winter garden and is free in December, so well worth going next month if you're near. We also popped into the Wisley plant shop on the way back, and between them both bought hellebores, tulips and raspberries. Which K has planted in our garden today. Looking forward to that early spring colour, we hope!

Anne Brooke
The Thoughtful Corner

Reviews, loos and blogs

Book News:

I've just finished the second round of edits for gay erotic short story, Dating the Delaneys, which is due out from Amber Allure on Sunday 6 November. My editor, the lovely and extremely wise E.J., is a pure genius and I am very grateful indeed for her suggestions for improvements to the story - thank you! I think, as a result, there are a good couple of books to go in the series, rather than the original one I was intending, well gosh.

Much to my delight, gay thriller, A Dangerous Man, has reached Round Two in the Rainbow Awards Cover Contest 2011, and is even a jury finalist - so many thanks to the judges for that.

Meanwhile, it's all go at my new publisher, Riptide Publishing. For the first time ever, I'm becoming involved in pre-launch marketing, which is fabulous. So far, I've drafted one set of general interview questions and six blog posts for use in a blog tour. It's hugely exciting and I can't wait to see what happens next. And as they open for business on 30 October, it's certainly going to be a fabulous lead up to Christmas. You can find out more at a recent Riptide interview - enjoy the read.

And at Vulpes Libris, I remain in a state of deep disappointment at the standards of Anne O'Brien's Devil's Consort. Sigh. Will nobody rid the reading world of badly-written historical novels? I won't hold my breath, alas ...

Here are some recent meditation poems:




Meditation 580
To build his beloved temple
great King Solomon
puts all the foreigners to work

which proves beyond doubt
how wisdom is his
but justice eludes him.




Meditation 581
Every word we speak
seeps into our skin
like water

and covers our bones
with the oil
of our own invention.

Our words are a belt
keeping us whole
or constraining us

so we are clothed
in the variable colours
of thought.




Meditation 582
In the sacred temple,
of all the objects
to name

the two bronze columns
wouldn’t have been
my choice

but then again
to great Solomon’s
greater shame

this contemporary woman
wouldn’t have had
a voice.



Life News:

Annoyingly (look away now if you're squeamish - please!...), the cyst on my collarbone that I've had for a little while has decided to make itself more fully known, as it were, so I spent rather too much of last night waking up and going: ow, ow, ow while I tried to find a comfortable position again. It took a couple of Nurofen Plus this morning to beat it back into some kind of normality. I've stuck a plaster on the pesky beast but it's still giving me twinges when I laugh or ... um ... move my arms, dang it. Not a pretty situation all round really. I'd been saving up to have it removed privately with my usual clinic (cosmetic issue, blah, blah - doctor therefore can't refer, blah blah ...) but today I bit the proverbial bullet and booked an operation for next Thursday in the evening. They did offer me tonight, but K and I (well, K and I and Carlos the Cyst) are off to the theatre tonight to see Alan Ayckbourn's Season's Greetings, and Carlos is very keen to go ... Thank God I don't have to buy him his own seat, eh. Though, actually, if I laugh too much, it may well come to that, hey ho (sorry!) ...

Keeping to matters bodily for a while, I'm delighted to know that The Guardian is finally acknowledging the cultural importance of loo-reading. I come from a family of keen loo-readers (though K has never understood it) - heck, on the apple farm we had special loo books which had their own loo shelf. What could be nicer? One should always keep essential reading matter as well as a steady supply of crosswords and pens in both the guest room and the Smallest Room in the house - hospitality is all ...

Moving to higher matters (phew, I bet that's a relief - ha! - for you all), I've been keeping my poinsettia in the dark for 8 hours a day as the Internet advises me and, by gum, some of the leaves are indeed turning red. Will it be fully red by Christmas? I do hope so! Though, really, I'm astonished the plant has survived so long under my less than tender care as I've had it for nearly a year now. It even somehow bounced back when it lost all its leaves during the summer and we were considering throwing it out. How I do admire a hardy spirit.

During the week, I've enjoyed a session of Lectio Divina at the University Chaplaincy, which included a very nice soup and bread lunch. It's a new project for them, and I'm very keen to support it. The more meditations and times of silence there are, the merrier - though I did used to be oh so much better at them. I've also had a great time catching up with A at work over lunch in the Cathedral Refectory - I am hugely envious of her recent holiday in Spain and we really must revisit it one day. It's my favourite country.

Finally, I must sing the praises of James May's Man Lab on TV, and also the wonderful new and very quirky detective series, Death in Paradise. Really, you can't go wrong with Ben Miller. Whatever he does, he's just great, and surprising sexy too. Or is that really just me?... In any case Tuesday nights are television nights for the next few weeks, that's for sure.

Anne Brooke
The Thoughtful Corner

Plants, poems and pesky publishers

Book News:

NB THIS SECTION HAS BEEN REMOVED DUE TO LEGAL NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE PUBLISHER CONCERNED, AT THEIR REQUEST.

Anyway, back in the real world, I'm happy to say that Entertaining the Delaneys gained a fascinating review at Goodreads by Kassa (thanks, Kassa), and I've also settled enough into the new flat to get a meditation poem done, of a sort:




Meditation 534
Jedaiah, Jehoiarib, Jachin
have never been tempted to sin.
Their armour of “J”
keeps the devil away
and their vowels are an absolute win.


The Sunday haiku is:

Under quiet skies
I deadhead roses. Somewhere
a small bird chatters.


Life News:

As mentioned above, we're settling in nicely to the new flat. On Friday, the chimney sweep came round - which was somehow very quaint, even though we don't really need a fire right now. Yesterday, K and I took a leisurely stroll into Woking, bought a few bits and pieces (we live in a town now! It has shops with things you actually want to buy, well gosh!...) and had lunch and a cappuccino at one of the many Italian coffee shops that crowd the streets of Woking. Well, Woking is full of lovely Italians so it makes sense. I'm planning to try them all as soon as possible, you know (the coffee, not the Italians ...). We did have rather a Jane Austen moment before deciding to set out, as K said: "Mr Darcy suggested a walk into Woking during the morning, and the idea delighted Miss Bennett. The rest of the company were in general agreement and the expedition began ..." Do you think we've been reading too many novels?

Today, we've had lunch at Wisley and bought one or two display containers for the patio/path area - they look very colourful, I must say. My dears, we're gardeners, real gardeners at last! Plus I was thrilled when it rained on my washing as I've never been able to put washing out at all for 18 years, and so it's an utter delight when it gets wet. I suspect this feeling won't last long. And tonight we've had as many of the neighbours round as possible for drinks and nibbles, and it was great fun indeed - which explains the late blog entry. What a lovely bunch of people. They can definitely come again. Though if that pesky publisher keeps on demanding money with menaces, they may have to bring their own nibbles ...

Anne Brooke

Candles, quakers and lesbian romance

Book News:

I'm really pleased to say that A Dangerous Man gained a lovely 5-star review at Goodreads, so many thanks for that, Lisa. I was particularly touched by the comment at the end that:

"A Dangerous Man is a taut psychological thriller that one doesn’t necessarily consume as much as savor. It is too rich and satisfying to finish quickly."

That certainly made me smile. In the meantime, Creative Accountancy for Beginners briefly appeared at No 57 in the Amazon UK Kindle charts, so that was a nice boost too. And, after a month away from it, I have written an extra 2000 words of The Executioner's Cane - and my goodness what a horrendous struggle the first thousand words were. Like climbing a mountain with no oxygen mask and a broken leg. Though why a mountain would need an oxygen mask or indeed legs is anyone's guess, ho ho. Not a pleasant experience then ... Anyway, I'm not sure how good those newly written sections are but at least I have some glimmer of a notion as to where it's all going and as to how Annyeke and Simon might possibly make it all come right. I think the Great Library of Gathandria might even have a part to play, but at this stage nothing's set in stone.

I'm also thrilled to say that Untreed Reads has accepted my literary lesbian romance, A Woman Like The Sea, for publication early this year, so I'm very happy indeed about that. Strangely, it's a story that started out, a few years back, as a heterosexual story but there was something not quite right about it, I couldn't make it work and I've been dissatisfied with it ever since. Last month I looked at it again and thought maybe it would be a lot better, and certainly a lot crisper, if my lead character was a woman. I started rewriting it in that way and the whole thing came together in my head. Ah how astonishing it is when that happens with a story, especially one I feel I've been failing at for so long. Miracles do indeed occur! It's interesting too how I get more responses to announcements about my literary lesbian fiction than I do about all my other fiction put together - perhaps that's the way to go then? ... Certainly, at the moment anyway, I have a few ideas about a lesbian detective story once the Gathandrian Trilogy is finally completed (ye gods, will there ever be such a time?? Seems like a distant mirage, you know!), but we'll see.

Back at Vulpes Libris, you can see what's coming up this week, a mix that includes some interesting confessions, dating for book lovers, and the Beautiful People, so it'll be well worth a visit during your week - promise!

This post's meditations are:




Meditation 480
The feel of silver
between the fingers,
the glitter, the fizz
of it as it slides
seductive as sin
over the skin.

What you could do
with it, the men
you could manipulate,
the history you could change.




Meditation 481
A muddle of names,
dates and facts
bamboozles my memory.

I only hope
God is keeping count
somehow.


The Sunday haiku is:

In this quiet night
stars are messengers of time
and bright memory.


Life News:

I've had a happy dentist experience (hurrah!) when I went to get a filling done on Friday morning, as the usual receptionist and dentist were there, and they're just lovely, so made me feel human again, thank you both! I actually had a very enjoyable time - which is strange to say when you're getting a filling done, for sure - and my teeth are now perfect, hurrah. However, I missed the marvellous Margaret who also makes it all worthwhile but who wasn't working that day, alas, and will have to catch up properly next time. With or without a mouth full of dental implements ...

Yesterday, K and I had lunch at Secretts restaurant in Godalming, which was great and we then wandered around looking at plants. I bought a poinsettia and some extra treats for the orchid, eg orchid food spray and some nice-looking butterfly clips for its stem. Hmm, how girly I am today - is it the lack of drugs? .... However we couldn't find any Yankee Candles, which I was really wanting, but we popped in to another garden centre in Woking and I now have the four candles (or fork handles, though I suspect you have to be British to get that classic and glorious comedy reference ...) I was looking for, hurrah.

This morning, I've had a very enjoyable time being quiet with the Quakers in Godalming. It's a couple of years since I've been but there's something about it that keeps drawing me back, now and then. I think this year I'm going to try to go more often, maybe once a month or so. Talking with the rest of them afterwards was good too - something I thought I'd never say, seeing how much I hate the post-service coffee zone, but actually the conversation was interesting and meant something and wasn't the usual remarks about the weather or traffic that people seem to stay with. On the other hand, perhaps I was simply in the mood to listen more, rather than being stressed out by the concept of socialising - now there's a thought.

Mind you, the obstacles that arose during my attempts to get to the Meeting at all were fun, um not - my face powder somehow managed to explode all over the sink and bathroom tiles, and I had to get the bathroom cleaner out to make it look normal again. Then when I reached the car, running slightly late, someone had broken my wing mirror so I had to go back to the flat to get K's car keys and take his instead. Ah the joys of Sunday morning, eh. Still, K has mended the wing mirror now (what a hero!) and I'll pick up some more face powder during the week, so all is not entirely doom and gloom in the shires. Gosh, how calm I sound - must the be Quakers' influence - or have I been swopped for a nice, cheery alien? Who can tell ...

Anne Brooke

Books, plants and trains

Book News:

I'm happy to say that both Vulpes Libris and I have been shortlisted in two separate categories for the Book Blogger Book Awards, and there's still time to vote, so all support greatly appreciated! Vulpes is in the Best Literature Blogger category and you can find me in the Best Author's Blog section. The "submit" button appears at the very bottom of the lists once you've ticked some, just in case you're wondering, as we were. Nice to be in such good company for sure.

Much to my surprise and delight, The Girl in the Painting has received its first official review, with some very thoughtful 4-star comments appearing at Three Dollar Bill Reviews - many thanks indeed, Emily, and I will be writing more of these literary feminist shorts in the future, I hope. Not to be outdone, A Dangerous Man gained a brief 4-star review at Goodreads, so many thanks, Alli, for those comments also.

For today, and possibly tomorrow also, you can get 25% discount off all my Amber Allure books so there's still time for that essential New Year bargain shopping experience. Go on, you know you want to!... And I'm continuing with the publisher edits for The Gifting so hope to get that finished within the next week or so. All things being equal.

Today's meditation is:




Meditation 476
Surely this punishment
will not last
for long

and better days
will rise once more:
may this be

our song.


And the Sunday haiku is:

This winter morning
begin the year with haiku:
my seasonal vow.


Life News:

Frankly I'm very glad to see the back of 2010. The last section of it has on the whole been quite nasty and difficult, and good riddance to it is what I say. I hope 2011 is better, the main thing being getting out of the flat and away from our tricksy middle neighbours. That's my aim for this spring and I really want to be out of it all by Easter or I may well run mad. You have been warned. Anyway, I'm trying not to think of it too much as it just makes me really upset, angry and depressed, and I don't want to go there too ruddy often really, not so early on in the year. Deep sigh.

Nicer news for this week is that K and I enjoyed our trip to Kew Gardens, though the broccoli soup was rather overwhelming, I must say. We left half of it and consoled ourselves with cake. As you do. We've also bought an orchid, a hyacinth and an African violet so at least there's something nice in the flat apart from ourselves.

And today we've had a great time with Peter & Sue (hello, both!) trundling up and down the Watercress Line and indulging ourselves with ham, egg & chips (bliss ...). Great to catch up, though I'm not convinced the photos will show any degree of sanity amongst us. Ah, the slow pace of life is definitely the best one.

Anne Brooke