Back to school and divided reviews

Not a great day today, I must admit. I do so hate having to go back to work after the joys of being away and am consumed by envy for those people who do jobs because they love them rather than (like me) because they need the cash. It just makes retirement seem such a wonderful option – bring it on! Indeed I spent several minutes under the duvet this morning groaning at the thought of a whole day away from home and – more horrors! – having to do the shopping. Twice, dammit. Not only that, but it was raining and grey and ghastly. Finally Lord H had to drag me out into the open air and push me in the direction of the bathroom. Could it get any worse, I wondered …

Well, um, yes. In a way. There's both good and rather average reviews for Maloney’s Law, both of which can be found on Amazon US. The average one succeeds in damning the book with faint praise, poor Paul (ah, Carruthers, pass the smelling salts, do …). According to that reviewer, A Dangerous Man is the better book (pause while Michael smiles smugly ...). Hmm, wonderful how a statement can be apparently generous and yet cut to the quick also, goddammit. Hey ho. Best to move on swiftly from that one, I feel … Though something in me would at least have preferred the glamour of a one or two star rating rather than the appallingly dull three stars it was allocated. Lord preserve me from being dull! Sigh. However, I am much cheered by the fact that on the other hand award-winning author Jeffrey Round has also given me a good five star review for Maloney on Amazon US, which I include below:

"Paul Maloney has a lot on his plate. If he could just keep his mind on his job he'd be a lot better off. Fortunately for the reader, he doesn't. What's obvious right off the bat is that this novel is written by an accomplished stylist. As it turns out, Anne Brooke is also a poet, which makes for a charming read. But you may not have time to stop to appreciate that fact because the action sweeps you up from the word `Go!' The characters are compelling (there's nothing like a sexy, morally ambiguous, irresistible charmer to stir up the intrigue, which Brooke has ably created with Maloney's nemesis, his ex-lover Dominic, who practically spits sex) and the plot is razor-edge gripping. (Foreign intrigue!) There's one incredibly harrowing scene where Brooke's descriptive powers come to the fore, though with a little deep breathing you can make it through intact. A good read, a fun ride!"

Many thanks, Jeffrey - that's hugely appreciated indeed.

Meanwhile at work, I’m faced with a glut of emails and having to pretend that any of them might matter. Groan. Ah, the terrain of the first day back is always a rough and rocky one. Not only that, but I’m shopping at lunchtime and after work too. And facing looking at the draft new University website and working out where we are on it. Really, will the day’s working delights never end??

Bearing all these things in mind, here's a poem. Of sorts.

Being at work

seems to mean
you smile and smile and smile

and still wonder if one day
you'll punch someone

instead.



Thank goodness there’s leftover peach crumble and cream from yesterday to hoover up for dinner and it’s “New Tricks” on TV tonight – though I hear tell it’s a sad one. Lordy, just what I need, eh. Bugger. Though I was chuffed at lunchtime when I loaded the car after the first round of shopping and found I could actually drive out forwards rather than face the trauma of reversing, as the space in front was empty – it’s the little things that thrill the heart during a tricky day, you know …

Today’s nice things:

1. Getting to the end of the working day
2. Driving straight out of a car parking space
3. One good review
4. Crumble and cream
5. Poetry
6. TV.

Anne Brooke
Anne's website