Happy Christmas!

Book News:

I'm very happy to say that I've now completed the final read through of the second in my fantasy trilogy, Hallsfoot's Battle, and sent it back to Bluewood Publishing. So it should be published in 2013 at some point, but I don't know a date yet. Watch this space!

From now up until Christmas Day, there's 25% discount on ALL my Dreamspinner Press books, so shop early shop often. If you need some encouragement, one of them, gay romance Two Christmases, has just received a 4-star review at Goodreads, plus a lovely review at On Top Down Under Reviews. Thank you, both readers! I particularly appreciated this section of Karen's review, which definitely fits the season:

"If you have the ability to enjoy a story where one person has done the wrong thing but sets about bettering themselves. And if you can understand why someone might just love a person enough to give them a second chance, then this is a nice Christmas short about the power of love and forgiveness. I think it's a great little Christmas read." 

Finally, I'm slowly stumbling on with completing the last of the gay menage Delaneys series, The Delaneys, My Parents and Me, and am now at c12,000 words. I've had to leave them in the middle of a sex scene to do other things, but heck I think they might enjoy that, ho hum ...

Life News:

This week, the boss and I have moved offices again and are now safely installed on the 6th floor of our building instead of the 5th. We're slowly climbing up the ladder to the top, don't you know, though soon we will run out of floors ... Our new location has a great kitchen and a fridge with space (hurrah!) so I hope we'll be staying for a while. Being the true genius that I am (coughs shyly ...) I had unpacked all my 50,000 crates in a day and now apparently look as if I've never been anywhere else. It's all done by smoke and mirrors, you know ...

Meanwhile, over at The Angry Anglican, I have (once again) been in defiant mood. Hang on to your hats, my dears.

I have also been preparing for Christmas by having a seasonal haircut and watching my husband as he nobly put up the Christmas tree and the lights. What a superhero. I absolutely can't bear doing it myself as I get seriously stressed when confronted with a bauble (careful, people, careful ...) of any description, but I'm fine when it's all done. Well, we do all have our little peculiarities, and I am definitely more peculiar than most.

Yesterday, K and I happily attended a lovely Christmas dinner party at our neighbours' house - many thanks for a fantastic time, L&J. But, sadly, I now seem to have come down with a nasty sore throat, sniffles and the inability to talk at all - a blessing, some would say, apart from the fact that the only way I can actually communicate is through the medium of liturgical dance. And no (Hilary, I'm looking at you!...), you can't buy tickets for it. I must needs save you from yourselves.

As a result I have unfortunately had to skip the planned get-together for Sunday lunch with K's family, and had to squeak my best wishes for the season down the phone like a helium balloon on speed. Ah well.

However, I've delighted in Lynne Truss's definitive answer to those dreadful Round Robin letters, and I'm still chortling over them, as much as I can with a throat like mine, that is.

It only remains for me to wish you all a very happy Christmas and I'll catch you on the other side.

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