The Origami Nun by Lori Olding

Children's novella The Origami Nun by Lori Olding is now available at Amazon for only 99p!

Seven-year old Ruth can't speak, but that doesn't mean she can't think. She knows her birthday is going to be good as her beloved great-aunt has exciting plans for her. What she doesn't expect is a magical paper nun, an encounter with a bully who may not be what she seems or a school day to remember. Because, before her special day is over, Ruth is in for some very big surprises.

Reviews:

"What a delightfully written book! This is one I plan to share with my daughter at some point because I think she would like it, too! I love the fact that the author featured a mute heroine, and magic is infused in such a wonderful way. In addition to that, it deals with a subject with which our youth are very familiar - bullying! … I connected with the character, the story, and I enjoyed the magical nature of the story … I hope the author writes several sequels!" [From a 5-star review at My Devotional Thoughts]

"I really enjoyed reading this shorter story. The author portrayed the characters well and had a great story line … This is a terrifically inspirational and uplifting story for children and adults alike." [From a review at The Cover Books]

"This is the most touching children's book I have read. I absolutely LOVED it … I highly recommend this book to children in the age range of 8+. However, I think adults would like this book too." [From a 5-star review at Goodreads]

"There is a wonderful life lesson in the story and I have read it to my own grandchildren with great enthusiasm. They adored it!" [From a 5-star review at Goodreads]

"Magic is in the air. Come see how Ruth and others learn the importance of respect for each other even though they are different and that each person has a different story or reason for being different. I recommend this book for ages 6 and up." [From a 4.5 star review at Fire and Ice Reviews]

Lori Olding Children's Author

Message to the Church of England: Stop bullying gay people!

Well, I’ve finally gone and put my 'money' where my mouth is and made a petition – will you sign it?

My petition: Make it illegal for the C of E to discriminate against gay non-celibate clergy

The Anglican Church insists that gay clergy with partners live a celibate life if they wish to continue working as priests or bishops. This is an unfair burden on gay clergy as well as being discriminatory within the 21st century workplace.

Click this link to sign the petition:
https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/166216/sponsors/RvCTVWTcWdwh8HHdmP

I was moved to make this petition as a result of today's news that the Bishop of Grantham has said publicly that he is gay - which is great news indeed. However, in order to continue being a bishop, he has to tell the Church of England authorities that he is also celibate, even though he has been with his partner for a very long time. He may or may not be celibate, but frankly I don't care and it doesn't matter. This is grossly unfair, and nobody should be made to divulge any of their sexual practices in order to continue in their job.

After all, I don't attend a job interview and expect to be asked about my sex life. If I was, I would immediately walk out of the interview and report the company to the relevant authorities. Why should having a job in the Church of England be treated any differently? Yes, it's a vocation, but in the eyes of God, all our jobs are vocations, so we should either all be asked about our sex lives to see if we're suitable for any job, or none of us should be!

This is the 21st century, and we should protest against such arcane practices. It is not a crime, nor a sin, to be gay, in love and in a relationship. The sooner the Church of England understand this, the better.

Thank you.

Anne Brooke

Sprinkle a little magic into your life with The Origami Nun!

Magical children's book, The Origami Nun, is published today! You can find it for only 77p or starting at 99c at Amazon US, Amazon UK and at Omnilit Books and at a variety of other ebook retailers too.

Seven-year old Ruth can't speak, but that doesn't mean she can't think. She knows her birthday is going to be good as her beloved great-aunt has exciting plans for her. What she doesn't expect is a magical paper nun, an encounter with a bully who may not be what she seems or a school day to remember. Because, before her special day is over, Ruth is in for some very big surprises.




Reviews:

"What a delightfully written book! This is one I plan to share with my daughter at some point because I think she would like it, too! I love the fact that the author featured a mute heroine, and magic is infused in such a wonderful way. In addition to that, it deals with a subject with which our youth are very familiar - bullying! … I connected with the character, the story, and I enjoyed the magical nature of the story … I hope the author writes several sequels!" [From a 5-star review at My Devotional Thoughts]

"I really enjoyed reading this shorter story. The author portrayed the characters well and had a great story line … This is a terrifically inspirational and uplifting story for children and adults alike." [From a review at The Cover Books]

"Magic is in the air. Come see how Ruth and others learn the importance of respect for each other even though they are different and that each person has a different story or reason for being different. I recommend this book for ages 6 and up." [From a 4.5 star review at Fire and Ice Reviews]

Happy reading!

Lori Olding Children's Books

FREE book and a pre-order offer

Fantasy novel, The Gifting, is FREE at Amazon for this weekend ONLY. You can find it at Amazon US and Amazon UK.

Simon Hartstongue is a mind-reader, and branded a coward and a murderer. When his overlord and lover Ralph Tregannon turns against him, he is forced to embark on a treacherous journey to the distant and magical land of Gathandria in order to save his country and his own soul. During a series of terrifying trials, Simon must encounter the trickery of the deadly Mind Executioner and the secret dealings of those he ought to trust. 

The Gifting is an Awesome Indies novel, and is showcased at the Awesome Indies website. 

Reviews: 

"The Gifting is a unique fantasy where mental and physical worlds merge in a flight of unrestrained imagination. Unlike much fantasy I've read lately, this book soars with hope. It's a story of redemption gained through a mystical journey through earth, air, fire and water that tests the deepest recesses of a man's soul." (Awesome Indies Reviews) 

"The Gifting is merely the introduction to the Gathandrian Trilogy; it's a big world, filled with intrigues and magic, loss and redemption. It's a fantastical place where almost anything is possible, where a coward can become a hero, where the promise for more excitement and enchantment are guaranteed, and I look forward to seeing where Anne Brooke will take us next, as well as discovering what Simon's future holds." (Top2Bottom Reviews)

Not only that, but you will now find anti-bullying childhood book, The Origami Nun, available for pre-order at Amazon US and Amazon UK for only 77p! Help your child to start their new school term with a fresh and magical perspective!

Happy reading

Anne Brooke Books
Lori Olding Books
The Gathandrian Fantasy Trilogy

The Origami Nun: now available for pre-order!

I'm happy to announce that children's book The Origami Nun will be published by Untreed Reads on 8 September and is now available for pre-order at Omnilit Books.

Seven-year old Ruth can't speak, but that doesn't mean she can't think. She knows her birthday is going to be good as her beloved great-aunt has exciting plans for her. What she doesn't expect is a magical paper nun, an encounter with a bully who may not be what she seems or a school day to remember. Because, before her special day is over, Ruth is in for some very big surprises.

Here are some early reviews:

"What a delightfully written book! This is one I plan to share with my daughter at some point because I think she would like it, too! I love the fact that the author featured a mute heroine, and magic is infused in such a wonderful way. In addition to that, it deals with a subject with which our youth are very familiar - bullying! … I connected with the character, the story, and I enjoyed the magical nature of the story … I hope the author writes several sequels!" [From a 5-star review at My Devotional Thoughts]

"I really enjoyed reading this shorter story. The author portrayed the characters well and had a great story line … This is a terrifically inspirational and uplifting story for children and adults alike." [From a review at The Cover Books]

"Magic is in the air. Come see how Ruth and others learn the importance of respect for each other even though they are different and that each person has a different story or reason for being different. I recommend this book for ages 6 and up." [From a 4.5 star review at Fire and Ice Reviews]

All best!

Lori Olding Books

A magical way of beating the bullies and it's FREE!

Great news! Children's book The Origami Nun is FREE on Amazon UK and Amazon US from today until Monday 6 August.

Here's the blurb:

Seven-year old Ruth can't speak, but that doesn't mean she can't think. She knows her birthday is going to be good as her beloved great-aunt has exciting plans for her. What she doesn't expect is a magical paper nun, an encounter with a bully who may not be what she seems or a school day to remember. Because, before her special day is over, Ruth is in for some very big surprises.



Here's a couple of recent reviews to whet your appetite:

"This is the most touching children's book I have read. I absolutely LOVED it ... I highly recommend this book to children in the age range of 8+. However, I think adults would like this book too."

"There is a wonderful life lesson in the story and I have read it to my own grandchildren with great enthusiasm. They adored it!"

Both these 5-star reviews can be found at Goodreads where you can also read more about what the reviewers thought.

So if you'd like a weekend filled with magic, the ups and downs of family life from a child's perspective and an unexpected friendship, pop over to Amazon UK or Amazon US to download your FREE copy!

Happy reading!

Lori Olding

Children's fiction, cake and art

Book News:

The new website for Lori Olding, that ... um ... lesser-known children's fiction author, is now up and running, and on it you can find out all about The Origami Nun, the secrets of origami and how to stop bullying.

At the other end of the book spectrum, gay short story Give and Take received a review at Goodreads, courtesy of Darien - many thanks indeed!

Meanwhile, I'm busy editing a gay short story set in an office which I'm hoping to submit to Riptide Publishing before July. It's rather off-the-wall and has no title as yet (dammit), but I think it's getting there, slowly ...

My most recent meditation poem is:


Meditation 667
It is not clarity
but puzzle
that charms us:

the truth as slippery
as a snake
in tall grasses

hissing a half-known tune
which tingles our ear
as it passes.


The Sunday haiku is:

My pink peony
holds the sun within its heart
to welcome the day.


Life News:

M and I decided to visit Rosemary Miller's art gallery as part of the Surrey Open Arts Weekend instead of golfing - and very enjoyable it was too. I loved her pictures, and bought a beautiful one of a sunflower. Gorgeous. It made up for the rather agonising session I had in the dentist's chair in the afternoon getting a filling redone. Nothing too problematic, to be honest, but for some reason I felt really rather ill and woozy afterwards, and then spent most of the rest of the afternoon sleeping. Very odd indeed. Thankfully I feel better now, hurrah.

Saturday morning's cake attempt was Lemon Drizzle cake, and very scrummy it's turned out to be too. Also surprisingly easy to make so will definitely be doing that one again.

In the evening, K and I had our first trip to Glyndebourne this year to see Janacek's The Cunning Little Vixen. Great scenery and wonderful concepts, but no plot to speak of really, and I'm usually a huge fan of Janacek. However, dinner was grand and the champagne wonderful, though for the first time ever I couldn't finish my glass. Shock! Horror! Must be my encroaching age ...

Much to our delight, our orange striped gazania is now in bloom in the front garden and is utterly beautiful in every way. We've got a pink one too, but that's not out yet. Watch this space!...








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

Blog Tour grand finale: sex, faith and bullying

The final day of my blog tour for The Heart's Greater Silence is here. Today (and indeed yesterday but I couldn't blog about it as I've not been well ...) you can find me at:

Riptide Ripples - where I talk about why Riptide Books and I are a perfect fit.
Bitch Factor 10 - where I reveal the close links between sex and faith in my fiction.
Jeff Erno's Blog - where I discuss my own experiences of bullying and how we can all support the vital anti-bullying campaign. It's a subject very close to my heart indeed, as you can probably tell.

I hope you gain something from these articles, and don't forget that if you leave a comment on any of them today, then you're still in with a chance of winning a variety of book prizes. Tomorrow, the winners will be picked. Good luck, all!

I'm also happy to announce that I now have an author page at QMO Books, so many thanks to the lovely Serena Yates for arranging that for me.

Finally, as above, I'm not terribly well at the moment - the usual nasty cold/catarrh attacks, so I didn't go into work yesterday, and I've not slept much over the last couple of days and certainly haven't been eating anything. However, today I think I'm slowly on the mend (hurrah!) as I've actually managed to have a bath and get dressed and clean my teeth - so jolly good news if anyone happens to call. Though I wouldn't recommend it, to be honest, as I still look like a reject from an old Hollywood horror film or, as a friend of mine once admitted: something that died ten years ago but hasn't yet realised it. Ah, such truthfulness is what friends are for, you know ...

Anne Brooke
The Gathandrian Trilogy
Gay Reads UK
Biblical Fiction UK

The Origami Nun goes live!

Book News:

I'm very pleased to say that my first ever children's book under the pseudonym of Lori Olding (actually, it's another version of my name so still me, just in different clothes) is now published and you can read all about The Origami Nun here. I do soooo love that cover art - it's perfect for the story. The blurb is:

Seven-year old Ruth can't speak, but that doesn't mean she can't think. She knows her birthday is going to be good as her beloved great-aunt has exciting plans for her. But what she doesn't expect is a magical paper nun, an encounter with a bully who may not be what she seems or a school day to remember. Because, before her special day is over, Ruth is is for some very big surprises.


The story has some themes that are very close to my heart, including bullying (arrghh, don't mention primary school or my first ever real job!!... though if the story or the link makes one child - or even adult - feel a little bit safer or decide not to bully someone, then I'll be a very happy woman indeed ...), blueberry muffins and lemon meringue pie. Not to mention origami! And The Origami Nun now even has her own special store where you can buy mugs, t-shirts, mousemats and postcards - so every opportunity to add colour and fun to your life. Enjoy!

Meanwhile, back with the somewhat wilder world of Anne Brooke (Lori's much more sensible and a thoroughly good woman, you know ...), I'm pleased to say that gay erotic short story Dating The Delaneys gained a lovely 5 star review at Top 2 Bottom Reviews (thank you, Lisa!), so I'm thrilled about that. And I'm very happy indeed with the cover for literary gay short story The Silence of The Heart, which will be out in January/February with Riptide Publishing - but it's under wraps at the moment, so I can't reveal anything. You'll have to be patient and wait ...

I'm also rather relieved that I've just now finished the first draft of another literary gay short story The Eye of The Beholder, which I need to go through and edit fairly soon. I'm hoping to pitch it to Riptide again, so we'll have to see if they like it.

Finally, I'm delighted to announce that Untreed Reads will be publishing my biblical short story A Little Death later in December - so I'm looking forward to that too. The end of this year is certainly proving very busy, but in a good way!

Recent meditations are:




Meditation 592
When cedar is more plentiful
than sycamore
and silver as common
as stone

then the historical world
of the bible
is as nothing
that we’ve ever known.




Meditation 593
The secrets of the past
are hidden in the subtle pages
of long-forgotten books.

Out of sight they wait for us,
whispering of a knowledge
we only half remember

or believe in.
The clouds of glory
we were born with

nothing but a mist
layering our skin.
A quiet lying in.


Life News:

Advent is finally upon us and the year is fast completing, hey ho. The church is holding 4 Advent meditation and compline (short evening service) services every Tuesday evening and the first one was this week. It was great. All done by candlelight and with just a short address, 15 minutes silent meditation and then the service. Lovely. And just soooo relaxing - can't wait till next week's.

Meanwhile, in utter contrast, I'm off to the bright lights big city tonight to catch up with Jane W (hello, Jane!) - I'm looking forward to our customary Indian, drinks and chat - and I'm praying it doesn't rain. Wish me luck with that one, eh!

Anne Brooke
The Thoughtful Corner