A kingly caper

Book News:

I'm delighted to be able to announce that gay thriller Maloney's Law will be republished by Amber Allure Press as an ebook on 7 April 2013, and then as a paperback in May 2013. I'm absolutely thrilled about it all as it's been a long dark tunnel of a journey with this particular book, and it's more than wonderful to be out in the light again. I can't wait till April!

I'm also very pleased indeed that out of the Top Bestselling Authors during 2012 at Untreed Reads, I'm at the No 5 position, well gosh. Thank you so much for buying a book last year - I'm very grateful.

Meanwhile, there's a 25% discount on all my books at Amber Allure during February, so if you fancy something to read that will get you through till March, now's the ideal shopping time.

Life News:

A very happy special birthday to my lovely husband for yesterday, and what a grand week we've had. I took him off to London for a birthday treat to see the new Man Ray exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery, and we also visited the Courtauld while we were up there. All wonderful stuff.

On Friday, I managed to rustle up a Chocolate Fudge birthday cake, which seems to be going down very well indeed, and in the evening we went for a birthday dinner over at our good friends, R&G, together with L&J. It was fantastic, and thank you very much to all for making a special weekend even better, and for providing an unexpected extra cake & champagne too - what could be nicer?...

K and I have also been continuing to sort out the garden and even plant some spring flowers, and we managed to pop across to Winkworth Arboretum yesterday, in spite of the rain. Great to see their new winter garden over there, and lots of winter daffodils too, hurrah.

Finally, the saga of the rediscovery of Richard III has been causing great excitement - I've always been rather fond of him actually, but anyone who dislikes children always gets my vote, eh ... Shows great sense, to my mind. So fabulous to know the rediscovered king is keen to pick up where he left off. I can't wait!...

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

Celebrations and snow

Some good news this week as I received the letter telling me my mammogram was clear and I don't have to go back for three years, hurrah. I don't come from a breast cancer type family, but it's still a great relief, so I do encourage all you women out there to go along if you've got the invite. At the very least, it's a trip out, eh.

Earlier on, before the snow arrived, I popped up to London after work and had a few drinks and an Indian with Jane W (hello, Jane!) - we'd missed our pre-Christmas get-together due to illness on both our parts, so it was great to catch up now.

Oh, and we've had snow (did I mention that already?) - which looks very pretty but is really rather deadly if you want to drive or walk anywhere, hey ho. I'm not a great fan of snow, and I fear there's more to come ...

To calm my snow-infested nerves, I've baked a coffee and walnut cake this week. I forgot to add my usual spoonful of mayonnaise to ensure moistness, but actually it's turned out fine, but possibly more by luck than judgement. K's certainly not complaining, anyway.

Today, I was going to go back to church for the first time since the start of December, but snow has stopped play, so instead I've started writing a new gay BDSM story tentatively called Training Thomas. I suspect that title will change later on when I've worked it out however. And always a fun thing to have church and BDSM in the same sentence. Live dangerously indeed.

Speaking of gay stories, I'm happy to announce that all my gay fiction is currently running at a 25% discount at Amber Allure Press until the end of January - do feel free to browse and see if anything takes your fancy. Um, as it were.

I'm also quietly pleased that lesbian short story The Girl in The Painting made it to No 24 in the Amazon UK short story charts this week. Goodness me.

Looking ahead to later in the year, the GLBTQ Fiction Conference 2013 now has a draft programme of events online, all of which look great fun. Can't wait for the summer! Ooh, and K has got a part in the Elstead play in April, which is An Eye For An Eye, Darling. He's playing Colin, the second detective, and rehearsals start this week, so it's all very exciting.

Finally, over at The Angry Anglican, I'm blogging this week about sex, submission and Christ - enjoy!

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

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

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

Going slow and a strange lack of magic

Book News:

The review for fantasy novel The Gifting is now up at Awesome Indies so I'm very pleased about that.

There've also been a couple of nice reviews of Where You Hurt The Most at Goodreads, one 5-star one, and one that certainly made me smile. Many thanks, both.

I'm also pleased to say that, with my children's author hat on, I'm going to be interviewed as Lori Olding over at Emma Walker's blog on 12 August. I'm very much looking forward to that one.

Meanwhile, over at Vulpes Libris today, I'm not really impressed with Jane Green's Spellbound. The magic just didn't happen, which is a shame as usually she's a very good author indeed. Oh well, I'm sure the next one will be better.

Recent meditation poems are:




Meditation 677
Where I least
expected it
is a clear voice
amongst the shadows –

a calm expression
of intent that lifts me
from my reality
back to a land

I’ve never known
in a time I cannot reach:
the miracle of connection
from the character of speech.




Meditation 678
Saying yes to God
is saying yes
to discomfort
where nothing seems to fit

but then again
the oyster never made
the pearl
without a little grit.


Life News:

Yesterday evening I was knocked for six by a really vicious if thankfully short bout of depression. Haven't had one like that since before I started taking the pills. It left me drained today, but I've now come down with some kind of flu/virus thing, so maybe it was just the start of that. So most of today, I've spent being asleep or curled up on the sofa with my Kindle or a crossword puzzle, and sipping lots of Lucozade. All those plans I had to get some writing done, ah well.

Nice things have happened in the week too though. I met up with Jane W in London on Tuesday night and that was great. There's nothing like a gin & tonic, or two, followed by an Indian to clear the head. And always wonderful to catch up also. Plus I had lunch with my lovely writing friend at work, A, who looks like she may have some very exciting news soon about her children's book, which is fantastic. Can't wait for the next update!

And things are moving on in the garden. K's sweet peas have finally produced two pale pink blooms, which is very heartening. And the nasturtiums I grew from seed myself have produced one lovely red flower. Bliss! I hope it gets some friends soon, but even if it doesn't I still feel very proud.

Anne Brooke
The Gathandrian Trilogy
Gay Reads UK
Biblical Fiction UK
Lori Olding - children's author

Flowers and discounts

Book News:

There've been a couple of nice reviews for psychological thriller A Dangerous Man this week, which have really cheered me. One 4 star review at Goodreads (thank you, Sungrave), and one at KazzaK Book Reviews and Therapy, who says, amongst other comments and much to my delight:

"I recommend this book to those that are interested in a well written book about fragile psychology, tenuous control, with real cause. It is an intense (LGBT) book where romance is not the all encompassing theme, rather individuals' complexities are, and how easily tragedy can collide with everyday life. A Dangerous Man is a very powerful and haunting book."

Many thanks, Karen!

Over at Amber Allure Press, throughout the whole of July there's 25% discount on all my books, so do pop over and choose some summer reading. At the very least, it will take your mind off the weather.

Plus if you leave a comment on my article about the power of dreams at Long and Short Reviews, then you're automatically entered in their monthly book competition - so don't miss out. And it will make me look less like Billy No-Mates, so thank you in advance!...

My most recent meditation poem is:




Meditation 676
Biblical lists
have a deadening force
that causes my head
to forget them.

There are so many names
and long ones of course –
I’d have looked like a fool
if I’d met them.


The Sunday haiku is:

In scented sunshine
bright flowers sparkle the air,
making me dance too.


Life News:

Lots more garden excitements this week. Our pink hydrangea is finally in bloom, my Inky Fingered coleus has tiny blue flowers at the top, and we have tiger-striped lilies in one of the beds, well gosh. Not only that but today's trip to the glorious Rake Garden Centre netted us a delphinium, a tray of dianthus, a tray of cosmos, some antirrhinums, a Vanilla Scent nemesia, two Iceland poppies and some blue bedding plants. All these are now in the garden, and it all looks lovely. Bliss. Really, one can never have too many flowers ...

This week's cake is Classic Cherry cake, and I have to say it's much tastier than it looks - what a relief! I think my cherries have sunk though (as it were), but I've never known anyone's cherries actually rise. Hey ho.

Friday was golf in spite of the rain, and I think I was better than last week, but only just. I blame the weather, myself. And yesterday was a big party day - as my lovely friend P came for the day and we had a good look round the Godalming Food Festival. She bought some fabulous soap in the shape of cupcakes, and I indulged in strawberries (now our own harvest is over, I don't want to miss out ...) and also a Japanese picture from the charity shop for K.

Then in the evening, we celebrated our vicar's 25 years of priesthood with a really very good service (where everyone read superbly, I must say) followed by champagne and nibbles. Personally I think every church service should be followed by champagne and nibbles, and perhaps we could even introduce them at the altar rail instead of the wine and wafers, but I appreciate that's probably a minority view, ah well ... Anyway, well done to J and his long-suffering wife V, and here's to the next twenty-five.

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

Sunflowers, sales and snow

Book News:

I'm happy to say that Where You Hurt The Most is still doing okay in reviews, which is lovely. It's recently received a review rated A- at Brief Encounter Reviews, one at the Well Read Book Blog, plus a 5-star review at Goodreads, and a 4-star review also at Goodreads, this latter from a reader who usually doesn't read contemporary fiction. Many thanks to all for picking up and reviewing the book.

Meanwhile my blog tour continues, with Day 5 taking place at the Book Wenches site where you can find out why I write m/m fiction. And let's not forget you can also enter the competition to win 3 ebooks from my backlist - good luck.

This week, you can also buy any of my books at All Romance Ebooks in their sale - so buy early buy often. After all, who can resist a bargain ... And at the same time, all my books at Dreamspinner Press have a 30% discount right now, so do feel free to have a browse in both of these stores and pick up anything that takes your fancy. As it were. Happy reading!

I've also sent back the proofed copy of my literary paranormal short story The Gift of The Snow to Untreed Reads, so watch this space in terms of a publication date for that one ...

Here's my most recent meditation poem:




Meditation 654
One fact people
so easily forget
is how much
God loves to laugh

for otherwise
He would have created
a far duller world
by half.


The Sunday haiku is:

In this summer hush
a barn owl floats through the trees:
messenger of dusk.


Life News:

We had a great night out on Friday, having dinner and chat with R&G, along with L&J, so many thanks to all for a wonderful time. The food was excellent too, and I had second helpings of everything available. Bad me ...

Yesterday's cake effort was the Swiss Roll - all went fairly well until it got to the rolling up stage, which was something of a nightmare. However I now have lots of great advice from Facebook friends (many thanks, all), and the joy of it all is it tastes pretty damn good, even though it looks rather weird. Phew ...

Last night was also the grand reopening of The Woolpack in Elstead, so we went along with J (L up in London) for our free buffet and champers. All very nice, and we'll definitely be back. The focus is going to be slightly more Italian, which is more than fine as far as I'm concerned. Apparently the coffee's going to be grand, so I can't wait to try it out. Strangely they'll also be open for breakfast from 6am, but that's rather too early even for me, I fear.

This weekend the weather has been glorious, my dears, glorious. So we've been out whenever possible mowing the lawn, finishing off our second gate (why make do with only one?...), getting more bedding plants in and, most importantly of all, getting our sunflower seeds planted. The big problem there was trying to find somewhere the Russian Giant (ooh err, missus) which can get to 4-5 metres tall would be happy, but hurrah that's where the second gate comes into its own. We hope. To encourage appropriate growth, I also bought a lovely sunflower plant from our local flower shop, Teasels, and that looks wonderful. You can't go wrong with a sunflower really.

And, talking of weather, I've been very impressed with Prince Charles' weather forecasting moment, which still makes me laugh even though I've watched it several times. I tell you, he's a natural ...

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

Book tours and happy pills

Book News:

The next month or two are going to be excitingly busy. The book tour for gay short story Where You Hurt The Most starts on Monday 7 May, and includes a competition giveaway for three of my backlist ebooks. So make a note of the date and do pop in - you'll be most welcome. You can also read an extract of the book now up at the Riptide Publishing website.

Then from 11 to 22 June, the anniversary book tour for fantasy novel The Gifting will take place, and you'll have a chance to win a FREE Kindle ereader, as well as other prizes, if you take part in the competition! Further details to follow, but do mark that date in your diaries too. It's going to be fun.

I'm also pleased to say that comic sci-fi story Creative Accountancy for Beginners has been purchased by Reading Library in Pennsylvania, so I hope borrowers there enjoy the read.

Meanwhile gay comic romance Angels and Airheads received a very lovely 4-star review at TWLIB Reviews - thanks for that, Nicci. And, not to be outdone, another gay romantic comedy The Hit List is now available at a 25% discount direct from Amber Allure Press. So the ideal moment to add this one to your shopping cart - thank you!

Over at Vulpes Libris Reviews, you can read all about Megan Taylor's rich and poetic novel The Lives of Ghosts. Another stormingly good book from Taylor and definitely one I can recommend.

My biggest excitement of the week though has been receiving my first piece of fan mail for 2012, well gosh - it really started off my day with a big smile this morning, and huge thanks to the couple who sent it. It's much appreciated.

Here are this week's meditation poems:




Meditation 648
Hidden in the stream
the white stone
calls to me

sings for me –
a voice for me alone
in my dancing dream.




Meditation 649
In our beginning
we know the echoes
of our end –

the flower
already blooming
from the smallest seed

and the bird’s flight
written on the sky’s
clear creed.




Meditation 650
Even the distant glimmer
of the furthest star
travels this far
to reach us

so the smallest hope
we cannot believe
can still weave
a pattern to warm us.


Life News:

This week is the week I move off my 20mg Citalopram happy pills and down to my 10mg ones. I've taken the last of the old stock this morning, so tomorrow I begin my new regime. I know it's good to be slowly coming off them after eighteen months or so, but I can't help being rather worried about how it will affect my state of mind. Honestly, things have been brilliant since I've been on them and I seriously don't want to go back to the horrible mental and emotional state I was in before. Ghastly for everyone really. Anyone, a heartfelt thank you for all the advice I've been receiving today - it's made a big difference. And yes the plan is to come off them slowly so the side-effects are kept to a minimum. I hope!

Anyway, earlier this week K and I actually had a moment or two after work when the sun was out (the sun?! What's that?...) and we could sit in the garden and have a mug of tea. Bliss. Sadly, it's not happened again, but we'll always have the memories, eh. Also, today I have had a lovely lunch with G, and it was great to catch up with her news, especially as we don't seem to have seen each other for ages. Where on earth is this year going?

Oh, and I must say how much we've enjoyed the latest series of Scott and Bailey (or Bott and Scaly as we call them, as it took us an age to work out which one was which, sad to say) - but must there be quite so much domestic trauma? Surely there are some nice men in Manchester ...? Anyway, it was all so traumatic on Monday that K and I had to work our way through a bag of giant chocolate buttons just in order to have the courage to keep watching. Really we need something jollier for a Monday night. I hope the TV schedulers are listening.

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

Rentboys, boardrooms and hope

Book News:

I was very happy to see that the upcoming Rentboys Anthology from Riptide Publishing,  which includes my own story Where You Hurt The Most, was mentioned on Top 2 Bottom Reviews this week - very exciting indeed.

I've also just caught sight of the book cover for gay short story The Delaneys At Home (Delaneys *5), which will be available on 3 June and very happy I am with it too. Just the right amount of humour and cheekiness that I hope people get from the series, ho ho.

In the midst of all this, I've started a gay short story/novella set in a boardroom battle scenario which I'm hoping to submit to Riptide Publishing over the summer. Very early days at the moment and definitely no title as yet, but hopefully that will turn up at some point ...

Meanwhile, you can find an interview about me and gay short story The Heart's Greater Silence over at Blak Rayne's Blog, where you can discover my favourite colour, my favourite film and who I'd really like to be. Could be in for a surprise then ...

And at Vulpes Libris Reviews, I find myself a little disappointed with Ken N Kamoche's short story collection, A Fragile Hope. Rather more fragility than hope there, in my opinion, ah well.


This week's meditation poems are:


Meditation 640
Following the party
the riot –
it’s the way
after far too much wine.

So stick to the safety
of bread
and beware
the fruit of the vine.




Meditation 641
In the face of disaster
and a vast sea
of enemies and fear

it’s a powerful act
to step back and trust
that somehow God is near.




Meditation 642
Every word we say
and decision we take
are ripples on the pond
of the whole world

for we cannot measure
by tongue or hand
the secret influence
of our life unfurled.


Life News:

Fabulous news from work this week! We've been shortlisted for the second year running for the Times Higher Education Student Services Awards, which is really thrilling. I'm hoping we'll win this year as the awards ceremony takes place on my birthday, and of course because the University of Surrey Student Support team is obviously the best there is, by a long chalk. Wish us luck!

At home, we've now spotted goldfinches in the garden (hurrah!) and now K and I have both heard the first cuckoo of the year, well gosh. I did actually hear it a few days ago on 12 April, along with several other people in Elstead, so it's arrived earlier than last year when (in case you're interested ...) you might like to know that the first cuckoo in 2011 arrived in our parts on 17 April. So a week early this year - must be the call of the countryside.

Had a great time last night catching up with some friends from the company I used to work for during dinner and chat in Guildford (many thanks, J, M & A!) - though much amusement arose from the fact that somehow A and I managed to miss J & M in the restaurant/bar, and we were only united by the fact that J could hear my voice from a whole room and a dividing wall away and eventually realised it wasn't some kind of auditory nightmare, but was in fact me ... Well, who ever said I needed a phone? I just open the window and shout.

Tonight, K and I are out at the theatre to see Wife Begins At Forty. Which is rather curious as we originally booked tickets for Two Into One, also by the same playwright. So we've been bamboozled for a while as to which alternative universe we are currently in, but the theatre have rescued us from our displacement anomaly by explaining they couldn't get the actors for the original one so had to replace it. Apparently the letter telling us all manner of thing would be well in spite of us having the incorrect tickets never arrived, alas. Good job I looked it up then (I usually don't) though whether we would actually have noticed is anyone's guess. Well, one farce is much like another, isn't it? Hush my mouth.

Finally, I've been impressed by the NHS's First Steps for Emotional Wellbeing site, which has been set up to help us all with our wellbeing. Some interesting stuff there, and as I'm facing scaling down my antidepressants over the next month or two, then I'm sure it will come in very useful indeed.

Anne Brooke
Gay Reads UK
Gathandria Fantasy Trilogy
Biblical Fiction UK

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

Angels and Airheads

Book News:

I'm happy to announce that my gay romantic short story Angels and Airheads has just been republished by Musa Publishing, and is available at Amazon UK for 77p and Amazon US for $1.22. You can also find out more at the Musa Erato blog, and I've already received two 4-star reviews, here and here. Many thanks to both commenters.

The blurb is:

Ricky has been secretly in love with his best friend Jez forever, but he's never dared confess his feelings because he thinks Jez is too high-class for him. One evening, while sharing a quiet evening with Jez, a mysterious angel, Madred, appears and tries to persuade Ricky to take a chance on love. Too bad Ricky doesn't believe in angels. Madred is forced to take desperate measures in an attempt to show the reluctant Ricky the truth. When the angel leaves, can Ricky find the courage to declare himself to Jez, and what will happen to their friendship if he does?

So if you're in the mood for a little light romance, then Angels and Airheads is the one for you - enjoy!

Gay erotic short story For One Night Only also received a 5-star review at Goodreads, so many thanks to Melissa for that.

This week, I've edited an upcoming interview and written two articles about male prostitutes, but from different angles. Um, as it were. I've also start a new gay short story about an unusual romance with a boardroom setting but it's very early days and there's certainly no title yet.

And, much to my delight, I've now signed the contract for literary short story The Gift of The Snow, which will be published later this year by Untreed Reads, hurrah.

The Sunday haiku is:

Sunlight and birdsong
infiltrate my sleepy eye.
The day begins. Soon ...


Life News:

Have had a mercifully short bout of the usual catarrh illness this week, but the mix of drugs recommended by people during my last session (for which many thanks), plus the early downing of a regular supply of Mucron tablets and Manukah honey, all seem to have meant it's not been either too bad or too long drawn-out. So I had to have two nights on the sofa but I did manage some sleep on both occasions, and I wasn't actually sick, hurrah.

Neither has it stopped me keeping busy on the domestic and garden front. We cleaned all the windows during the week so we can actually see out of them after the roofing work. The builders were supposed to do it, or so I believed, but have sadly disappeared, ah well ... but at least we can see out now. K and I have also weeded the garden thoroughly, planted the sweet peas, potted up some more plants and seeds, and put the chitted grass seed on the lawn. So nearly set for summer then. Oh, and the Paris heuchera now has three flowers on it, well gosh.

Yesterday, we spent a lovely day entertaining some old University friends and their tribe, which was great - though the weather could have been a tad better, I have to say. Obviously, the Universe didn't get my email about it ... I then spent most of the evening searching for where on earth I put the Vick's vapour rub (so good for the catarrh, don't you know), before giving up - and discovering it in my handbag this morning where I'd obviously put it for safekeeping. Sigh. I swear I looked TWICE in my handbag yesterday night and it definitely wasn't there. I blame the gremlins.

Today was the Palm Sunday service at church, and we even managed to process the entire way round the church building singing an appropriate hymn and keep so much in time with the organist who remained inside playing the tune that we were only half a note in front when we all came back in again. Gold stars to us, I believe! Hey, we rock.

Anne Brooke
The Gathandrian fantasy trilogy
Gay Reads UK
Biblical Fiction UK

Blog tours and beauty

Book News:

Well, it's almost here - as of tomorrow until 16 February, my literary gay short story The Heart's Greater Silence is going on tour and will be appearing at a variety of venues at a computer near you. Don't miss out! Especially as there's a big bag of goodies and other fun stuff to give away while we're travelling. Plus don't forget you only have till Monday 5am UK time to preorder and be in with a chance of winning a year's supply of books - happy shopping! Also because of the tour, I'll be posting a quick blog each day to update you as to where I am and what I'm up to (in the politest possible sense, naturally ...).

In addition, I'm pleased to say that I've received a few very nice reviews for The Heart's Greater Silence in the past couple of days: there have been three 5-star reviews at Goodreads, one from Nithu, one from Suzette, and one from Aija. Thank you so much to all of you, both for reading and commenting. Plus there's also a lovely 4.5 star review at TWLIB Reviews - many thanks indeed, Nicci.

Meanwhile, my Buy One Get One Free offer continues - so if you purchase a copy of my fantasy novel The Gifting in ebook OR paperback version, you get a FREE ebook from anything on my backlist as well. This offer absolutely has to end on 7 February so don't miss out on that one either!

Keeping to the subject of The Gathandrian Trilogy, I was thrilled to receive back the first impressions from my independent editor in response to the final part of the trilogy, The Executioner's Cane. She very kindly said it's a "powerful evocative final book for the trilogy." Gosh, thanks, Sarah! This was especially welcome as the so-far poor sales record of The Gifting has left me feeling rather down recently, and I was wondering if I had the ability to finish it properly at all. Well, maybe I have, and maybe it's not as awful as feared. I hope not anyway. I'll certainly be getting lots of edits and alterations from Sarah (I hope - as I really love getting my teeth into a good editing task), but now I feel there might be something there worth improving. You never know, eh.

Other book news is that there's a 20% discount on my Sunday Haiku collection direct from the publisher, so it's the ideal opportunity to slip some nature poetry into your shopping basket. Enjoy. Speaking of which, here's my latest Sunday haiku:

This golden evening
dreams away the honeyed time,
making winter warm.


Life News:

As both a traditional Christian and a staunch believer in LGBT equality, I'd like to draw your attention to this petition to allow vicars to bless the civil partnerships of gay and lesbian couples in church in the UK. It's something I believe in very strongly indeed and I've already signed it, so I hope some of you out there will consider signing it also. One day - surely! - the church has to show at least some understanding of equality and justice ...

On a more practical level, our roof problems continue. The third roofer chappie came round for a third time this week to discuss options, and he's coming round again next week with a scaffolding expert so he can begin to get together a proper quote for us. Really, it's all fun and games here in the shires. As always.

Plus there's wonderful local news: I've won a free MOT with our local garage in Elstead, so I'm looking forward to taking that up later in the year. And my neighbour and friend, L, and I sipped champagne on Friday afternoon at the reopening of our local beauty salon, hurrah, and hic! It looks marvellous, and we've both booked treatments for next week. I'm having the rebalancing facial and they're going to cut through my eyebrow hedge at the same time. Good luck to them on that front, eh ... Honestly, I'll be a new woman next week - you won't recognise me.

Astonishingly, I also managed to win our golf game on Friday morning - I can't remember the last time I beat Marian so we were both severely shocked. Perhaps I've been swopped with an alien? Who can tell ... I've also had a haircut which I'm very pleased with and can now see out (well, apart from the eyebrows problem), hurrah. And on Friday evening, we had L & J, and R & G round for dinner, which was fabulous. Our first dinner party at the house, dahlings - what fun! K really pushed the boat out, and we ate pate and crispbreads, followed by mushrooms in Yorkshire pudding with potato wedges and green beans, all finished off with pears roasted in honey and pine nuts with clotted cream. Oh and not forgetting the cheese & port course, and coffee and chocolates. Bliss .... That should keep us nicely going through this sudden onset of winter.

Because, arrggh, the snow! Horrid. Though thank goodness it appears to be melting. Let's hope that continues. After all, I don't want anything coming between me and my new eyebrows next week, ho ho ... Perish the thought.

Anne Brooke
The Gathandrian Trilogy - critically acclaimed but commercially sagging
Gay Reads UK - for intelligent kink (as it were)
Biblical Fiction UK - for a new look at those old stories

Crocuses and crime

Book News:

I'm pleased to say that crime does actually pay, hurrah: my most borrowed library book over this last year has apparently been psychological thriller Thorn in the Flesh, so that's very pleasing, I must say. Good for my heroine, Kate!

At the same time, gay crime thriller A Dangerous Man garnered a 4-star review at Goodreads this week - thank you, Suzette! I particularly enjoyed the phrase about "sifting through the darkness to find the light." Ah, as in writing, so in life, indeed ...

This week, I've written three more blog posts for my upcoming book tour, including articles on bullying and the call of the dark, and have reviewed Jane Gordon-Cumming's novel, A Proper Family Christmas, for Vulpes Libris. So, I've not been idle, you'll be pleased to hear.

At the same time, I've decided to bring to a close my experiment with thoughtful blogging at The Thoughtful Corner for a variety of reasons, not least because the year is set to continue to be busy in writing terms so I don't believe I can spare the time for it. But many thanks to those of you who did pop in for a visit, and I hope we can all keep up the rather slower approach to life in the months ahead. Thus making this paragraph something of a contradiction in terms, I know, but there you have it. As it were.

I've also been rather wickedly amused with a couple of recent articles about the state of publishing: one on the different approaches of the big publishers and Amazon; and one on how local independent bookstores aren't really local and don't do much to encourage reading. Do take a look and see what you think - when it comes to it and even though Amazon don't appear to be that keen (still!) on gay literature, my sympathy is actually with Amazon on both counts as I don't think much of the attitudes of the big publishers or agents, and I've long since given up on the concept of the local bookshop - even though I appreciate that's distinctly not what I'm supposed to say, it is when it comes to it what I really think. My writing and reading life has, after all, long since gone online and that's where my heart lies.

Recent meditations are:


Meditation 611
We live in the balance:
floating somewhere between
our wrong decisions
and the occasional good
we do

whilst far beyond
our understanding
the planets turn
and ancient stars
still shine.




Meditation 612
When the measured dance
and glance of time

meets the wild light
of bright eternity

then the strong harmony
we long for

will like a forgotten chord
finally be restored.




Meditation 613
In each life
there’s a time

for silence
and a time

to speak.
The wisdom

is finding
the difference.


Life News:

We now have a crocus that is actually in bloom in the front garden, well gosh! It's absolutely beautiful and I hope it manages to hang on in there somehow. Almost a miracle to find such a sign of spring in the middle of winter. We do indeed have to grasp the small hopes when we see them, eh.

And it's back to my normal working routine so that's a relief - I feel much more settled than I did last week anyway. Plus I had a lovely lunch with a writing friend of mine at the University, Ali, yesterday, so it was great to catch up there. Keeping to the socialising theme, I invited a couple of neighbours round for coffee and shortbread this afternoon after I'd finished writing my blog articles, so that's been fantastic too. Heck, I'm almost sounding like a normal member of the community - whatever next?...

Tonight, K and I are off on our first theatre trip of 2012 to see Alan Ayckbourn's new play, Neighbourhood Watch. It looks more sombre than his earlier offerings, so I'm interested to see how it goes. Recently I think he's been taking a more serious tone in his plays and I've really enjoyed it, so I have high hopes. But the best joy of the week is certainly the news that crime drama Whitechapel is coming back to our screen on 30 January for a series of 3 two-parters, hurrah! Bliss. I can't wait.

Anne Brooke
The Gathandrian Trilogy
Biblical Fiction UK
Gay Reads UK

Signs of Spring?

Book News:

Have been very industrious this weekend and written up 5 interviews/blog posts for the upcoming book tour for The Heart's Greater Silence and for other sites who've requested one too (thank you!), so feel I'm gradually getting on top of that. One more to go at the moment, and I must say I'm enjoying it. It's certainly making me think - which can surely only be a good thing.

Speaking of which, I'm delighted to see that the 5-star review for The Heart's Greater Silence is now up at Top 2 Bottom Reviews - so many thanks for that!

Life News:

Friday was a work day due to a big morning & lunchtime meeting involving all departmental staff - thankfully it seemed to come off well, and things went smoothly. The only thing was afterwards I was utterly shattered and my stomach was hellish, darn it, so I struggled through the afternoon. I think part of the issue is that, lovely though everyone is, I'm not my best with a lot of people, so I think I've probably done all my social inclusion for the next three months - at least. A nice quiet week ahead to recharge those batteries is what I need ...

Mind you, Saturday was great, as our good friends, Pauline, Tony & their son Darren came for the day, so we had a wonderful time catching up. As they're keen gardeners, that was pretty dang useful too - we now know the names of some of the plants we weren't sure about and, thanks to Pauline, we've noticed that there are actually mauve crocuses coming out into bloom in the garden. Gosh, indeed! A sign of Spring already, perhaps ... but it's the first ever Spring flowers we've had, so we're hugely chuffed indeed.

Whilst they were with us, we also paid a visit to Watts Gallery, which was great, and I picked up another couple of good but cheap pictures for the house, hurrah. The only thing is I need to sort out the frame for one of them, and buy a new frame for the other before I can actually hang them. Might have to wait until next weekend then.

This morning, we paid our first visit to church for 2012, and very nice it was too, though I was puzzled by the hymns and their tunes - I'm not sure I quite understood where some of the notes were going, my dears. I was also delighted to hear that the vicar has some further group workshop plans up his sleeve for Lent and beyond, so will be looking forward to that, for sure. Roll on Ash Wednesday (um, 22 Feb, since you're asking ...).

Afterwards, we strolled round the monthly Farmers' Market at Secretts Garden Centre and managed to pick up some essential organic and local provisions, as you do. The cakes were nice too, though I suspect they won't last long. And tonight, it's the utter joy of the glorious Sherlock on TV - I can't wait, though my happiness will be tinged with a bitter grief (as it were), seeing as it's the last one, sob ... When oh when will we see the like again?

The Sunday haiku is:

Morning's icy start.
The field outside my window
vanishes in mist.


Anne Brooke
Gay Reads UK
The Gathandrian Trilogy

More January sales and a new publisher

Book News:

Much to my delight, gay comic romance Angels and Airheads, which was originally published by Torquere Press but went out of print last year, is to be republished by Musa Publishing, so I'm really excited by that. I've just now sent the signed e-contract back so it's great to be part of their line-up.

At the same time, the January book sales are still here, so don't miss out! You can get 40% off ALL my Untreed Reads books, provided you enter the coupon code NEWYEAR at the checkout.

Plus you'll find 25% off ALL my Lulu Books, so long as you search for my name and enter the code LULUBOOKUK305 at the checkout. Hurrah!

In terms of books yet to be published, I've now uploaded the first chapter of children's book The Origami Nun onto the Biblical Fiction website, so I hope you enjoy the beginning of that story.

Over at Vulpes Libris Reviews, you can see my opinion on Nicci French's novel Complicit - a book which at the very least does tell us what not to do at a crime scene. You never know - this could come in useful one day ...


Here are meditation poems so far this week:


Meditation 608
That deadly correlation
between holiness
and possessions

makes those of us
who don’t quite
have enough

appear distinctly second-class
just for the lack
of brass.


Meditation 609
Truth is not found
in the great number
of people who tell you
a thing.

It is as small
and delicate
as a bird
about to take wing;

therefore be still
and wait, trusting
for its magic
to sing.


Meditation 610


Ahab

All day he waits
for death,
that single pointed fire
in the joints
singing him to darkness

and when it comes
at last
its accompaniment
is the flash and wild flame
of the fast fading sun.


Life News:

I'm working odd days this week due to an important meeting at work on Friday, so I do feel rather unsettled. Really, the only thing lying between me and complete lunacy is my familiar routine, ah well.

Still, it was utterly lovely to meet Jane H (hello, Jane!) at Costa Coffee in Godalming for a few drinks and a chat yesterday. Though we were both rather overcome by the sheer size of the large cappuccino I ordered - makes mental note to go for the medium sized one next time. Really, what with the amount of caffeine in my system, I didn't manage to scrape myself entirely off the ceiling for hours, hey ho.

Anne Brooke
The Gathandrian Trilogy
Biblical Fiction
Gay Reads UK

A Little Death publication day

Books:

Lovely news today: my literary biblical short story A Little Death has just been published by Untreed Reads, and is available from all good e-stores, as they say. Here's the blurb:

When Abigail marries Nabal in the time of the rebel king David, she quickly discovers her husband's bullying ways and cruelty. Trapped in a loveless relationship but determined to fight, she finds solace in her growing friendship with servant girl Anna. Soon the two women are plotting to kill Nabal, but the increasing attacks from David threaten to destroy all their hopes for happiness.

I do hope you enjoy the story! Keeping with Untreed Reads, I was very happy to receive this quarter's royalties from them today - another nice Christmas surprise, that's for sure.

For today only, you can also find lots of FREE giveaways of gay fiction at Jessewave Reviews, though sadly my offering of all four books of the erotic Delaneys Series has already been claimed (many congratulations to the winner!). But there's plenty more left to grab, as it were, so don't miss out ... And you can still win a copy of Dating the Delaneys at Brief Encounter Reviews on 26 December, so definitely worth getting up on Boxing Day, ho ho.

Meanwhile, gay romance The Hit List found itself briefly at No 99 in the Amazon UK charts this week, so that was very nice too. It's slipped down from this dizzy height now but hey it was fun while it lasted.

And I must also announce that my literary relationship with DWB Publishing has now come to a fairly amicable end, so my children's story The Origami Nun and my spiritual novella The Prayer Seeker are once more footless and fancy-free. Another learning curve for us all indeed. I'm sure that both sides wish each other all the best with our very different endeavours.

Ending on a very positive note, I'm slowly making changes to my website, which now includes a good-size extract from fantasy novel The Gifting and also from gay thriller A Dangerous Man, the latter including erotic content. Plus there's also an Events and Activities page which I'm planning to keep updated as news comes in. Ooh, and I'm also deep in editing literary gay short story The Heart's Greater Silence for Riptide Publishing, so keep an eye out for more news on that one too. Next year I'm planning to start seriously editing the third in my fantasy series, The Executioner's Cane, as well. No rest for the wicked, they say. And they'd be right!

This week's meditations have been:


Meditation 601
There is no love
so small,
no hope too weak
that God can’t see
and use it.

So if you judge
your cause
too poor
keep faith
and you’ll not lose it.




Meditation 602
A cold night
when the bitterness
of a long winter

freezes your bones
as you wait
almost impatient

for any sign
of warmth
in this unforgiving land.

Keep on waiting,
enduring the dark.
Learn to understand.




Meditation 603
When all the great arguments
in the world
are done

the truth
is God’s greatest talent
lies in being found.

His only request
is that we simply
and truly look.


Life News:

Those vicious rumours of me actually having a life have been greatly exaggerated, I fear, but here's what I've got up to in the non-book world this week:

I have nobly defrosted the work fridge and sent to the Great Bin in the Sky the yoghurt with a 2004 sell-by date on it, yuck. And no, I didn't open it first to check if it was still okay. Lord forbid. I also popped into town to attempt to get some last minute items before the holiday sets in, and was caught in some pretty heavy rain - which required me to divest myself of my shoes and socks when I got back to the office and attempt to dry them out with the fan heater. Whilst paying due care to Health & Safety issues, naturally ... The sight of my bony feet (I really hate my feet!) lolloping round the office seemed to keep any visitors away, and I can't say I blame them.

On Tuesday we had the last of our Advent compline services, which was as bliss as ever. Heck, but I'm going to miss those - so I hope the vicar puts something else in place for us silence junkies. We seriously need it. And yesterday, I had a lovely time up in London with Jane M and Jane S-D (hello, both) and playing catch-up on a grand scale. It's been over a year since we last saw each other and I must remember not to leave it quite so long again. Mind you, I'm sure the years fly by faster as age catches up with me, hey ho.

Anne Brooke
The Thoughtful Corner

Death, dinners and silence

Book News:

For the first time ever in my writing life, I actually have a book you can pre-order, well gosh. I'm delighted to say that literary gay short story The Heart's Greater Silence can now be pre-ordered from Riptide Publishing (and if you do so, then you also enter their giveaway competition!) and is also up at Goodreads. The cover's pretty classy too and it's due out on 6 February.

Here's the blurb:

Mark isn't sure he believes in love, especially when he's torn between two very different men: his reliable boyfriend, Craig, and his illicit lover and priest, Richard. Mark knows what he should do, but he can't bring himself to give Richard up. The sex with Richard is unlike anything he's ever known with Craig, and he hungers for it as much as - if not more than - the truer intimacy he finds in his boyfriend's arms. When Craig discovers his betrayal, Mark is forced to look at his life more closely, but the path to self-knowledge is never an easy one. Richard seeks the way back to God, but Mark finds no solace there. Can he ever discover the truth of his own soul, or is he too afraid of what he will - or won't - find inside his heart?


Keeping with Riptide Publishing, I'm also happy to say that another literary gay story, Where You Hurt the Most, has just been accepted by them, so I'm looking forward to working with them on that one also. You can also visit my author page with Riptide here.

Meanwhile, I've just sent back the final proofs for biblical short story A Little Death to Untreed Reads, so that should be available soon. Watch this space ...

Don't forget my newsletter competition is still running, so enter soon to be in with a chance of winning something from my backlist! And a big thank you to Elstead Writers' Group and the lovely Sue who hosts it for a wonderful Saturday morning talking about writing. Fabulous.

This week's meditations are:


Meditation 599
Whatever we may say
or secretly think
about God

He’s more merciful
a leader
than any mere man.


Meditation 600
A lifetime remembered
for the increase of power
and a passion
for all that is wrong

does not in the end
whatever we say
make for a very
meaningful song.


The Sunday haiku is:

Each ripe red berry
plucked one by one from my hedge
like vanishing stars.


Life News:

It's been an odd week this week, what with working on Thursday and Friday, and having Tuesday and Wednesday at home instead. Most disorientating. Still, we had the office Christmas lunch on Thursday, at All Bar One in Guildford, which was great as I could actually hear what people were saying (hurrah!) and the food was wonderful. We had a lovely time. On Friday we had the Managers' Away Day which was very worthwhile indeed, in spite of the fact that we saw our first snow of the season (yikes!). Thank goodness it didn't settle. How I hate snow ... And in the evening, K and I were at Marian's for dinner, during which - for some strange reason - we were nearly visited by the local youth group's Santa sledge, but he somehow escaped so we never actually saw him. Probably too busy trying to find where the good children are, ho hum.

Yesterday, we spent the afternoon gardening and in the evening we were at Liz's two doors down for her pre-Christmas dinner - great company, great food, including a home-made Yule log to die for, and possibly rather too much wine than was good for us. Hey ho, it's Christmas after all.

And today, we've spent a lovely day (though a chilly one!) with Peter and Sue at The Vyne, catching up and exchanging presents. Unfortunately, I seem to have bought poor Peter something he already has, but there are other gifts too, so all is - probably - not lost. I hope ...!

Anne Brooke
The Origami Nun