Covers, crafts and queens

Book News:

I'm both surprised and happy that the cover art for critically acclaimed gay thriller A Dangerous Man has managed to get through to Round Five of the 2011 Rainbow Cover Awards - where you can now vote for it if you're feeling generous and if you scroll down in the poll itself to slot two. And if you do, many thanks indeed!

Meanwhile you can now buy fantasy novel The Gifting at the NEW discounted price of $2.99 (£1.90) at All Romance Ebooks - so grab yourself a bargain today. And there's very exciting news on the review front as Vulpes Libris Reviews had our one millionth visitor earlier this weekend, so huge thanks indeed to all those who read and enjoy our book blog. Here's to the next million!

In a brave attempt to work out what networking actually means, I have signed up to join the Writers, Agents and Editors Network, but they haven't yet approved my application so perhaps they're still reeling from the shock of it all. We'll wait and see what happens next week but so far there's been not much sign of interaction, hey ho.

Here's my most recent meditation poem:




Meditation 591
The queen of Sheba
travels many miles
and through many dangers

to ask the king
the most difficult questions
she can find.

All this should come
as no surprise
because it’s exactly

what women are for.


The Sunday haiku is:

My dreams are of wood:
curved bowls, beads and twisted trees
framed against the sun.


Life News:

Great excitement on the work front as we win the Queen's Anniversary Prize for the quality of our water research, hurrah! A huge honour indeed, but heck we're worth it, eh. And this week has seen the usual round (ha!) of golf and gardening - though I feel I've definitely done more good in the latter than in the former. I'd be better off using the shovel on the golf course, I think. I certainly couldn't be any worse ...

Yesterday, K and I visited craft fairs at Wisley and at Guildford Cathedral in order, ostensibly, to stock up on Christmas presents. But in the end, all I did was get stuff for the house, including three gorgeous miniature paintings from artist Iona Mackenzie Laycock, which look utterly stunning in our guest bathroom.

Speaking of churches (well, sort of ...), today's advent service was very enjoyable - advent hymns are top of my favourites list though I do feel that the last hymn, whilst magnificently complex, did rather outclass our abilities as a congregation to sing it. Ah well. Aim for the stars is what I say. And, in the spirit of the season, I have joined the Natwivity census, though I have no actual idea what it entails or what it's really about. Much like my relationship with the good Lord then ... A virtual adventure, I hope.

Ooh and it was lovely after church to catch up with local friend Denise (hello, Denise!), and to have coffee, tea & further chat back home afterwards, hurrah. Plus I finally returned the garden chairs she lent me ages ago, so at least she'll have something to sit on this Christmas.

Finally, I'm thrilled to say that another friend, Jane, was up at Strictly Come Dancing yesterday with her mother (hello, both!) and was apparently sitting next to Bruce & Tess, behind the judges - so if you catch a glimpse of two blonde glamorous gals lurking in the background, that'll be them. I'm planning to watch it on iplayer just as soon as it's up there.

Anne Brooke
The Thoughtful Corner