Gardens and Gifting

Book News:

I've sent back the second round of edits for Where You Hurt The Most to Riptide Publishing now, so I think we're nearly there, hurrah. I'm really pleased with the improvements made, that's for sure.

I'm also happy to say that Angels and Airheads received a nice 4-star review at Goodreads, (thank you, Cole!) and The Heart's Greater Silence has been my bestseller this week at Amazon UK.

Meanwhile, 45 people have so far signed up for a FREE copy of fantasy novel The Gifting. Five copies are available and the offer ends on 29 April, so don't forget to put your name down to be in with a chance of winning. Good luck!

The Sunday haiku is:

Past a certain age
it strikes me that more nights in
are the new nights out.


Life News:

Exciting news! I have baked my first real cake for a long time - from scratch, without the aid of any cake mixes, well gosh. There was a slight existential crisis with the amount of baking powder the recipe insisted on, but all worked out in the end, phew. So my Victoria sponge which, although not as light and fluffy as I would have liked, is going down a treat. Whatever next? I am indeed the Domestic Goddess of Elstead. Nigella: eat your heart out ... She just can't wear an apron like I can, you know.

There has also been a heck of a lot of gardening going on over the weekend. K has made a good start on his White Garden, and I have planted up some of the pots, added pansies to my Happy Corner, sowed a "quick flower" section for some late spring colour, sprinkled wildflower seeds in places I couldn't think what else to do with, and also sowed my Jubilee sweet peas (i.e. red, white and blue) at the front. Honestly, at this rate, we'll be starting our own TV programme. But, of course, the real question is: will anything grow? We can only hope ... Oh, and our strawberries are growing flowers, so that's a good sign. And I saw my first orange tip butterfly today, so that was wonderful too.

On Friday, I also had a very enjoyable morning with a good friend of mine at the Museum of Kent Life, so great to catch up and admire the donkeys and pigs, as you do.

Finally, we had a moment of drama in the downstairs bathroom today when I heard a fluttering sound, and then realised a starling had somehow worked its way into the loft, then down the disused flue and through the cupboard into the bathroom. Brought back happy memories of my life on the farm, that did - we were always having to sort birds out or send them quickly to the Great Nest in the Sky, depending on how lucky they were. K and I gave the starling every chance by leaving the window wide open and the door shut, but in the end - starlings being just too damn intelligent for their own good - I think it tried to go back the way it came in. So I expect that glorious smell of dead bird to be floating round the downstairs area at some point over the next few days. And how that will bring back those farmhouse memories too. There's just nothing on earth like the smell of dead bird! Ah well.

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