Book News: Gay romantic thriller The Bones of Summer

I have just republished gay romantic thriller The Bones of Summer on the Kindle for 99p only. It's the second in the Maloney crime series, but both books can be read as standalone stories.

Here's the blurb:

When Craig Robertson's religious fanatic father disappears, Craig is forced to return to the home he left behind after an underage affair in order to look for answers. He takes with him his new lover, private investigator Paul Maloney, who is more than willing to help solve the mystery. 

The search soon becomes an investigation into Craig's past, and, because of distressing gaps in his memory, he's terrified of the truths he might find. As Craig's obsession with uncovering clues grows, his fragile relationship with Paul begins to disintegrate. Haunted and stalked, Craig has to face down the horror of his memories if he wants to have any hope of a future at all. 

The Bones of Summer was awarded third place in the inaugural 2009 Rainbow Mystery Fiction Awards. 

Reviews: 

"All I can do is recommend that you read The Bones of Summer. Actually, this goes beyond recommendation to a plea - if you like mystery; if you like character driven books; if you like reading compulsively, unable to part with the story for even a short time; then you must read this book.” [From a 5+ star review at Jessewave Reviews] 

“The Bones of Summer by Anne Brooke is an exceptionally well written and thrilling mystery novel. This novel grabbed a hold of me almost immediately and would not let go. I found myself reading until the early morning hours. The last few chapters are especially chilling and will stay with me for a long time.” [From a 4.5 star review at Romance Junkies Reviews] 

"Well, Anne Brooke has done it to me again. I read the first book in the series (Maloney's Law) where Paul Maloney, a broken man, was the main character. At the end of the book, he met Craig Robertson and even though they didn't end up together, they established a connection. This is Craig's story. And what a story it is." [From a 4-star review at Mrs Condit Reviews]

Here's the buy link at Amazon for you: myBook.to/BonesBrooke

Every good wish for a great summer

Anne Brooke Books
Gay Reads UK

Free Book Friday: Angels and Apples

Welcome to Free Book Friday! Today's FREE books at Amazon are as follows:

Angels and Airheads

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? 

Download this book for FREE today only!


The Apple Picker's Daughter

Born in the 1960s on a UK apple farm, Clare Rivers is a girl out of time, living in a family and a world that makes little sense to her. Determined to carve out her place somehow, and with her deep love of her father to see her through, Clare begins a unique journey to discover the reasons for her own existence. If she can. However, accompanied by the oddities of family, school and the strange lyrical life of the apples, can Clare really find a place within herself to call home? 

This novel will appeal to lovers of rural life, recent history and a child's quirky but clear-sighted view of the adult world.

Download this book for FREE until Saturday!

Happy reading!

Anne Brooke Books
Gay Reads UK
The Gathandrian Trilogy

Happy New Year - gay fiction sale!

Until 3 January, my gay fiction at Amber Allure Press is HALF-PRICE - happy shopping and happy new year!

Anne Brooke Books
Gay Reads UK
Help conquer cancer - donate now!

Cyber Monday gay fiction sale at Riptide Books!

For today only, there's a 30% discount on my gay fiction at Riptide Books!

Where You Hurt The Most

Adrian is more than happy as high-class escort for a number of regular clients. When his boss and dear friend asks him to entertain his nephew, Adrian readily agrees, but meeting Dan challenges him in ways he'd never imagined.

Dan is scarred inside and out from an accident that destroyed a promising future. Despite Adrian’s loveless lifestyle and Dan’s withdrawal and anger, the two men forge a deep—if unnerving—connection. Soon they find themselves questioning the choices they’ve made and the futures they’ve mapped out for themselves.

Yet even bright young men like Adrian and Dan fear the unknown and take comfort in the familiar. Neither may be strong enough to step away from the life they know and toward the one they dare not hope for. But while it’s true that love can’t heal all wounds, it is the surest balm for where you hurt the most.

Reviews:

"Where You Hurt The Most isn't a literal retelling of the French fairy tale Beauty and the Beast, but whether Anne Brooke intended it or not, the connection is there in this story of patience and acceptance and understanding and compassion that completely alters the lives of these two men. This is a story of seeing and sensing the pain and the promise that lies beneath the surface of the fragile and imperfect skin, of going beyond the physical and delving into places where the strength of the man, the truth of him, resides, until, finally, he is changed for the better. This is a short but truly gorgeous story, rich with the hope found in something new." [From a 5-star review at The Novel Approach]

"Where You Hurt The Most demonstrates perfectly the harmony that emotional impact and intimate detail can have in well-done erotica. Brooke's story is only about fifty pages long, yet she manages to pack a larger punch in few words than many authors I've read of late who have failed to make me resonate with their characters after reading an entire series' worth of interactions … This is the type of writing I love, simple and sparse yet used to tenderly convey a connection of spirit that defies logic or explanation." [From a 5-star review at A Book and a Short Latte Reviews]

The Heart's Greater Silence

Mark isn’t sure he believes in love, especially when he finds himself 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?

Reviews:

"Anne Brooke has written a somber and beautiful story of a man who had everything and lost it all because he coveted two very different men. It is dark and solemn and resonates with a sense of conflict and despair that wove the ideal atmosphere. It was moving and played beautifully against the knowledge that sometimes free will and human nature simply don't leave room for happy endings." (From a 5-star review at The Novel Approach)

"I always talk about short stories being worthy of novel praise and this story is one of them. Anne Brooke is an excellent writer with a gift of portraying emotions on the page. Sometimes we don't always get what we want and we leave behind the things that we need. … This story with just a few pages was able to share that with me the reader, and if that isn't excellent writing I don't know what is!" (From a 4.5 star review at Pants Off Reviews)

Happy reading!

Anne Brooke Books
Gay Reads UK

Black Friday book sales and freebies!

To celebrate Black Friday, I have a good range of free books and sales to offer you today and over the weekend!

First off, dark fantasy Hallsfoot's Battle (Gathandria #2) is FREE for today and tomorrow ONLY at Amazon, so pick up your copy now!

This book is the second in the Gathandrian Fantasy series and is the sequel to The Gifting. 

The battle for survival has merely begun and the Mind Executioner's defeat is only temporary. Annyeke Hallsfoot, Acting Elder of Gathandria, must join forces with Simon the Scribe in a tenuous alliance to fight for their survival. However, Simon is distracted by his own personal demons, giving Annyeke no choice but to plot a desperate strategy to defeat the enemy. 

When the Mind Executioner kidnaps Simon and raises an army from the dead, all hope appears to be lost. Both Annyeke and Simon, with the help of the mysterious mind-cane and the magical snow-raven, are determined to stay alive and, if possible, to win.

Not only that, but two of my gay fiction publishers are offering some brilliant discounts for this weekend, hurrah!

For today and tomorrow ONLY, all my Amber Quill Press gay fiction is HALF-PRICE!

And, not to be outdone in any measure, my gay fiction at Riptide Publishing has a 30% discount ALL WEEKEND!

Gosh indeedy, treasures galore here for your Black Friday pleasure, so pop along while the offers last and happy reading to you!

Anne Brooke Books
Gay Reads UK
The Gathandrian Fantasy Trilogy

Riptide Publishing gay fiction discount: today only!

For today ONLY, both my Riptide Publishing gay short stories have a 25% discount direct from Omnilit Books. Here are the details and links:

Where You Hurt The Most

Adrian is more than happy as high-class escort for a number of regular clients. When his boss and dear friend asks him to entertain his nephew, Adrian readily agrees, but meeting Dan challenges him in ways he'd never imagined.

Dan is scarred inside and out from an accident that destroyed a promising future. Despite Adrian’s loveless lifestyle and Dan’s withdrawal and anger, the two men forge a deep—if unnerving—connection. Soon they find themselves questioning the choices they’ve made and the futures they’ve mapped out for themselves.

Yet even bright young men like Adrian and Dan fear the unknown and take comfort in the familiar. Neither may be strong enough to step away from the life they know and toward the one they dare not hope for. But while it’s true that love can’t heal all wounds, it is the surest balm for where you hurt the most.

The Heart's Greater Silence

Mark isn’t sure he believes in love, especially when he finds himself 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?

So stock up on your reading while the sale is on!

Anne Brooke Books
Gay Reads UK
The Gathandrian Fantasy Trilogy

FREE gay erotic romance: The Rain Maker

Gay erotic story The Rain Maker is now published as a FREE book from Amber Quill Press!

A man stands alone in a deserted pub courtyard. His boyfriend has left him and his relationship is truly over. But, in the midst of his loneliness, a stranger appears, a stranger who won’t allow himself to be seen, but who has a deep affinity with the rain and who offers irresistible comfort.

Can one night of passion change everything?

Here's an extract for you:

The stranger kept on stroking my backside as the warm rain fell, kissing me gently from time to time, but never once removing his fingers from my skin. Unexpectedly I groaned and leant against the wall for support. His hand and tongue came with me as I offered up my back for his use.

“That’s it,” he said. “That’s good. Let me have my way and neither of us will go far wrong. You’re the most beautiful man I’ve seen for a long time, and I couldn’t let the opportunity of enjoying each other’s company vanish. That would be a waste, and in Nature nothing is ever wasted.”

I had no real idea what he meant, but my body vibrated to his touch in a way it hadn’t for a long time.

“Who are you?” I asked him, my voice no more than a groan. “I mean really.”

“Does it matter?” he replied, oh so reasonably. “Your body already knows who I am.”

I thought it did, too, but again I didn’t understand it. Not one iota. I hadn’t seen the man’s face, and I didn’t recognize his voice, or anything else about him. But somehow I knew him; I knew who he was in a way I couldn’t fathom.

Meanwhile, he had reached the top of my jeans in his intent ministrations to my body. I hoped he might slip a finger beneath the cotton and down into the crack of my arse, but he didn’t. Instead, he began to work his way up again, this time taking in my arms and shoulders. Rather than the disappointment I thought I should be feeling, a warm glow began to spread from the depths of my belly upward through my chest and arms, and down into my cock and even my legs.

I swore I felt different. Even the rain was blending with the rising heat coming up from my skin, making the touch of the man’s fingers more heated and more deliberate. I felt washed—maybe even cleansed—rather than soaked through. My damp skin was an invitation for him to track his need across my body and, with it, to echo my own.

Nobody had ever touched me like this before...

Download the ebook in the format of your choice for FREE at Amber Quill Press. Happy reading!

Anne Brooke Books
Gay Reads UK
The Gathandrian Fantasy Trilogy

Brand new deals from Amber Quill Press!

Amber Quill Press has got some fabulous new deals at the moment so don't miss out!

First off, there's the Bulk Buyer Bonus Discount: for every $50.00 spent during a single shopping trip, you get a $5.00 cash-back gift certificate for future purchases.

PLUS, there's now a special $.99 Books & Bundles page - where you can get terrific stories at incredibly low prices. This page will be rotated on a regular basis, so check back often for new discoveries!

Meanwhile, don't forget that there are special offers going on at Amber Quill which are available to newsletter readers only so get your name on the list at the sign-up box at the bottom of each page or on the right-hand sidebar!

And while you're there, why not visit my page at Amber Quill and see if there's anything that might take your fancy? Happy reading!

Anne Brooke Books
Gay Reads UK
The Gathandrian Fantasy Trilogy

FREE book: gay fantasy The Executioner's Cane

Gay-themed fantasy novel The Executioner's Cane is FREE at Amazon UK and Amazon US this weekend only.

Simon Hartstongue, accompanied by the mind-cane and the snow-raven, must travel back to the land he came from to offer support to the people he once tried to kill. From Gathandria, Annyeke Hallsfoot endeavours to help him but her attentions are focused on rebuilding the city after the wars. 

Alone and faced with the anger of his people and hindered by the fragility of Ralph Tregannon's leadership, Simon has to find a way to bring healing to a dying country and to renew his relationship with Ralph. But the odds and time itself are stacked against him.

Reviews:

Here's someone who actually liked it:

This series was nothing as I expected. I was drawn deeper with each chapter til I couldn't wait to pick up the book at every spare moment. It was beautifully written and I hope there will be more. Thank you Ms Brooke. (5 star review at Amazon)

Alternatively, you might absolutely hate it like this person:

Could not finish the book…and I hate that. It made me create a "Boring Books" collection on my Kindle. The whole trilogy went in! (2 star review at Amazon)

The choice is yours, eh! And really I feel quite proud to be in someone's collection at all …

At the same time, it's Day Four of the special half-price sale of ALL my Amber Quill Press books so hurry along for your weekend treat! You can choose from a range of my gay fiction, including thrillers, romance, paranormal and comedy, so there's something for everyone there.

Happy reading. Try not to get too bored, tee hee ...

Anne Brooke Books
The Gathandrian Fantasy Trilogy
Gay Reads UK

Half-price book sale!

From today until 16 September, all my Amber Quill Press books are in the half-price book sale so don't miss out! 

You have a choice of gay thrillers:

Or you could try erotic comic menage (now, there's a genre to get your teeth into!):

Alternatively, you can go for the quirky romance option:

Or maybe you prefer a touch of the paranormal?

All that and more! What are you waiting for? Happy shopping and even happier reading.

Anne Brooke Books
Gay Reads UK
The Gathandrian Fantasy Trilogy

Omnilit Books: BIG discounts

There are currently BIG discounts on all my fiction at Omnilit Books, so don't miss out! You can choose from a range of gay and lesbian fiction, romantic fiction, erotic fiction, literary fiction, comedy, science fiction and thrillers. Happy reading!

Anne Brooke Books
Gay Reads UK
The Gathandrian Fantasy Trilogy

Sweltering intimacy with a dash of amusing romance

The Paranormal Detection Agency gains a 4.5 star review at Literary Nymph Reviews. Here's an extract:

"The Paranormal Detection Agency is an amusing promising romance highlighted by sweltering intimacy in addition to the presence of ghosts as well as otherworldly creatures. The characters are admirable … Anne Brooke has created a splendid short story that I enjoyed immensely."

Gosh, thank you!

Anne Brooke Books
Gay Reads UK
The Gathandrian Fantasy Trilogy (gay-themed)

Hallsfoot's Battle and the invisible woman

Life News:

Am taking some much-needed days off this coming week, and looking forward just to having nice pottering days in the garden and trips out with my loved one. It looks like this will coincide with our promised heat wave so that's good news. This weekend, it's been so good weather-wise that we've had breakfast out on the patio both days. Lovely.

Over the last couple of weeks or so, the lack of medicinal Happy Pills has really begun to kick in - I absolutely don't want to go back to how it was two or three years ago, which was utterly horrid, so have begun taking a Good Mood St John's Wort tablet in the mornings and two Quiet Life pills in the evenings. Not sure if this is making things any better or not, but I'll give it some time and see how it goes. I reckon if things don't improve much over the next couple of months, I'll try to go and see the doctor again, though I don't reckon she's going to be quite as understanding as my Godalming doctor was. Again, I'll just have to see.

So, with all this in mind, it did hugely irritate me during the week when I tuned in to the radio on the way home from work to hear a charming bisexual man talking to the Radio 4 presenter about how terrible it was that bisexuals were virtually invisible in society. I had to laugh (whilst shouting in disbelief at the pesky radio - not a good look on the A3 ...) - he should ruddy well try being an English woman above the age of 45, then he'd really know what being invisible damn well feels like. What a lightweight, harrumph!

Thankfully, this week's cake - Lemon Sponge - has turned out very well and makes up for last week's disaster. Phew.

And the October Elstead play has been chosen - a murder mystery - and the lovely K is going to be the policeman in it, hurrah. More lines than last time (always good!) and a step up from his first role with the drama group as a private investigator. Next stop: Chief Super!... Speaking of which, we had a lovely time at the Elstead drama group's summer BBQ yesterday - excellent food, excellent company and excellent weather. Thank you to Sue et al for organising it.



Book News:

I've decided to downplay the whole writing thing for a while - I don't think it's great for my mental health, frankly, and I've felt for a long time that I'm struggling to even be in the game. Plus a lot of wonderful new people are arriving in the gay fiction genre - which is great news for the market and readership - and I've really been around way too long (14 years now) for people to still be telling me that if I keep on going, I'll be sure to make it one day, ho hum. It's getting to be embarrassing!

So I've decided that, in terms of books I don't sell through my current gay fiction or literary fiction publishers, I'm simply going to make them free on the web. At the very least, people shouldn't complain   about the waste of money if they dislike the work as they shouldn't have paid for it, hey ho.

So, my current free books are:

The Gifting (Gathandria *1 - epic fantasy), Hallsfoot's Battle (Gathandria *2 - epic fantasy) and The Prayer Seeker (spiritual novella).

I hope some of you will take a chance, and maybe even enjoy the reads. You never know!

Meanwhile, over in my gay fiction corner, A Dangerous Man gained a 5 star review at Goodreads, which included the following comments:

"Honestly, this is one of the best books I have ever read. As an American who has visited London and has English friends, I found the descriptions of London to be, for lack of a better word, intoxicating. The harsh, realistic style Brooke writes is incredible, and the story she tells a modern day Crime and Punishment (my favorite book of all time)."

And The Beginning of Knowledge gained a 5-star review at Two Men Are Better Than One Reviews:

"This is dark erotica, a short and intense journey into one man’s self discovery, discovery of something dark and dangerous."

Many thanks, both, for reading.

Anne Brooke

Free Gifts and the Wilde Side

Book News

In order to celebrate my 49th birthday on 21 June, gay spiritual fantasy The Gifting is now available for FREE from Smashwords and Omnilit Books, and will be for the foreseeable future, so do pop along and download a birthday treat from me, with my compliments. Happy reading!

I was also pleased that the book was on the front page of the Kindle Book Review during the week, so that was great.

Over at Mrs Condit Reviews, gay thriller The Bones of Summer gained a 4-star review which was lovely:

"Well, Anne Brooke has done it to me again. I read the first book in the series (Maloney's Law) where Paul Maloney, a broken man, was the main character. At the end of the book, he met Craig Robertson and even though they didn't end up together, they established a connection. This is Craig's story. And what a story it is."

And FREE gay poetry collection Falling Awake gained a 5-star review from On Top Down Under Reviews:

"It has been a very long time since I sat down with a book of poetry … While I may be no expert, I do know what I like and I thoroughly enjoyed this collection of twenty individual pieces from Wilde City Press."

Not to be outdone, gay erotic romance The Heart's Greater Silence received a 5-star review at Goodreads, and is described as: "Emotionally raw and intense and beautifully written." 

Gosh, thank you! Meanwhile, don't forget that it's Pride Month (hurrah!) and all my lesbian fiction at Untreed Reads is discounted until 30 June - so do pop along and happy reading.

Carrying on my weekend birthday celebrations, there's an interview with me as part of Wilde City Week at The Novel Approach reviews. I hope you'll have time to pop by - I can promise you a decent slice of cake and a laugh or two. Ideal for a Sunday.

Oh and recently I've had a couple of queries about what is going on in Anne's Book World and what's in the pipeline (thank you for asking, Mother, and yes the cheque's in the post, honest ...), so I've updated my Latest News section on the website if you'd like to keep up to date. Thank you.


Life News:

For those of you who've not been paying attention (perish the thought!) it was my 49th birthday on 21 June (have I said that already?...), and I had a thoroughly good time. A day out at gorgeous Wisley, chocolate and champagne, and my world was perfect, hurrah. We managed to see the sheep-eating cactus plant which only blooms once every ten years or so, which was great. Apparently it entices the sheep towards it with the smell from the flowers, and then the sheep gets trapped on the spikes at the bottom of the cactus, dies slowly and provides the plant with enough fertiliser to carry on. Ah, nature: red of tooth and claw. How I love it!

I've also been enjoying our own garden which is joyfully coming into full bloom with the warmer weather, so here are some pics of alliums near the bench & shrubbery, a sunflower (now sadly blown off in the wind this morning, sob ...), Paris heuchera, a scented peony, a Manhattan Lights lupin (my favourite lupin) and our newest lilies. Enjoy!

And, to end, the Angry Ex-Anglican (as I'm now calling myself) ponders if the House of Bishops would be more accurately described as a veritable Brood of Vipers. You decide...

Anne Brooke
Gay Reads UK
The Gifting: FREE gay spiritual fantasy
Biblical Fiction UK

Glyndebourne and gardens

Book News:

I've finally given up hope of pesky Eternal Press/Damnation Press ever stirring themselves to give me back the rights to literary gay short story Painting from Life. So I've republished it myself with a lovely new cover (which is far better than their one, bitch bitch ...) on the Kindle.

Here's the blurb:

Painting from Life is a short story about an artist who discovers that his muse is not at all what he expected. Indeed, love is never what you think. When a painter goes beyond the degree of intimacy that provides the connection between him and the older man who is his newly-discovered muse, he is forced to undergo a re-evaluation of the true meaning of love.

There are a couple of reviews about the story you might find interesting:

“This short story is haunting, intense, and unlikely. At just about 15 pages, the author has delivered a stunningly gripping story about an artist and his obsessions ... the artist slowly and inevitably becomes the sole caretaker of an older man, Peter, while using the man as a model for his work that is only now gaining success. The author manages to use just a few words and descriptive phrases to convey intensity and emotion that is clearly felt ... The implications and subtle meaning go far beyond the obvious and continue to resonate well after the short story is done. Crisp, vivid prose works incredibly well with vibrant characters all uninhibited by the short length. For those that enjoy a fabulous short story that truly makes you think and leaves you wondering well after it’s done, I highly suggest Painting from Life. The themes of art, death, obsession, love, selfishness, and need are all played out beautifully in this complex and complicated story.” (Manic Readers)

and

"More emotions are evoked in this short, haunting story than many longer works I’ve read in recent months. It gets classified as a love story, or a GLBT piece in many places I’ve seen it discussed, but I’m reluctant to so easily define it. The relationship between the painter and Peter, the elderly man, isn’t nearly that cut and dry ... Nothing sexual ever occurs, but the narrator finds energy and passion in his work with Peter as he never has before. Peter, in turn, cannot bring himself to characterize their relationship as anything familial ... The give and take between the two satisfies needs in both of them ... The complexity of the relationships is served amazingly well by the lyrical, edgy prose. It offers just the right amount of clear, original detail to paint a picture with words, without getting excessive or too artsy, and intrigues me into pursuing more of the author’s work. Strong, original voices are like gold. This one pays off.” (Book Utopia Reviews)

If you fancy a short intense read, then do feel free to pick up a copy at Amazon UK or Amazon US. Many thanks indeed!

Other nice book news this week is that gay paranormal story Martin and The Wolf gained a review at ARe Cafe, which I'd not noticed before. They say:

"Martin and The Wolf by Anne Brooke is a gracefully written paranormal novelette that takes a fresh perspective on the werewolf legend … The story's appeal lies in those fascinating disconnects where Lucas's aggressive wolf personality causes him to stand out from the camouflage of his courteous but reserved British countrymen. Even better is the first-person narrator Martin's puzzled but unflappable acceptance of Lucas." 

Gay comedy Tommy's Blind Date gained a 4-star review at Goodreads, and another gay comedy, Who Moved My Holepunch?, was reviewed at Top 2 Bottom Reviews, who say:

"Who Moved My Holepunch? is an easy, fast paced story with fun characters and a good story line … Read the book! Recommended."

Many thanks indeed to all readers and reviewers who take the time to publish your comments - I'm very grateful, that's for sure.


Life News:

I've given up with my new village dentist rather, and this week went for a second opinion concerning my recurring toothache (really, my dears, crying at the dining table because eating is just so ruddy painful is not a healthy state of affairs, no matter how many times the first dentist said I needed to "let it settle down", ho hum). The Godalming dentist seems very nice and much more willing to actually take the pain away, rather than give me more, well gosh. Anyway, I'm now on a week's supply of strong antibiotics and I have to say it's truly amazing to have a mouth that's almost pain-free. It's like a minor miracle, I can tell you. I just hope it lasts once the drugs stop on Tuesday ...

This weekend, K and I have done a lot in the garden, planting at the back to fill in the current gaps we have there. So the sunflowers, zinnias, sweet williams, snapdragons, fuchsias, to name but a few, have all gone somewhere, and we've potted on the dahlias as well. There's more to be planted, but we need to wait for the late bluebells to die off before we plant on top of them. I don't want to rip out the bluebells just yet as they're all doing so well. The garden is really starting to come alive with flowers - oh and the early rhododendron is beginning to bloom, and the azalea is all but out, hurrah.

This week's cake is the one held over from last weekend when I was too ill to bake. So it's an Orange and Almond cake, and very nice it is too.

Last night, K and I attended the first night of Glyndebourne and had a very good time indeed. Ariadne auf Naxos was very well done, though it's an opera I suspect you only really need to see once, and was about ten minutes to long in reaching the very nice and well thought-out ending. Still, a good time was certainly had by all, as they say. Plus I have to say how utterly stunning the Glyndebourne tulips are looking. I don't recall ever seeing them before as they've usually been over by the time the opera season starts, but honestly they're just amazing. I particularly loved the raspberry-ripple type tulips, and the beds of yellow and dark mauve ones, as well as the combinations of pink and white mixtures. A feast for the eyes indeed.

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

Bestsellers and bargains galore

Book News:

Goodness me, lots going on this week. I'm pleased to say that gay thriller Maloney's Law is now available from Amazon UK, Amazon US and All Romance Ebooks, where it's already one of their bestsellers.

It's also received a couple of reviews, one from Rainbow Reviews, which comments:

"Maloney’s Law by Anne Brooke is a gay romance and mystery. It’s also a dark, deep, and poetic gay romance and mystery. I confess I love novels written in the first person and present tense, but I also know it’s quite difficult to write them well. But not, apparently, for Brooke. Her Maloney’s Law is exceptionally well-written."

And there's another re-released review from Well Read Reviews, so thank you to Jen for that.

Meanwhile, over at Brief Encounter Reviews, The Delaneys, My Parents and Me are also having their turn in the sun, where Jen says:

"If you haven’t started the series yet, and you like m/m/m stories then I would recommend that you read this series, as I’m sure you’ll love the Delaneys and Liam as much as I have."

Not to be outdone, Where You Hurt The Most also had a review from ARe Cafe Reviews which I've only just picked up on. They say:

"I am always glad to snap up the latest fiction from Anne Brooke because the writing is flawless – clean, crisp, minimalist, and elegant – and her insight into the interactions between people is profound. This story fulfills both expectations."

Gosh, that's nice. Thank you!

Over at Amber Allure Press, gay comic romance, Who Moved My Holepunch? appears, alongside The Delaneys, My Parents and Me, in the March bestsellers charts - so it's really lovely to have two in the charts at once. Many thanks to those people buying my books, and I hope you're enjoying them.

This week, my surreal comedy Candy and Catharsis - about the love-life of a dictionary - has also been published by Untreed Reads. Here's the blurb:

"Love is possible even in the most surprising of settings. When dictionary-dweller and word-about-town Catharsis falls madly in love with good-time-gal Candy, it changes everything he ever thought he knew about the literary life.

Helped by his closest word-friends and neighbours, Catharsis sets out, determined to meet the word-woman of his dreams and declare to her his undying passion. However, in a journey beset with difficulties and dangerous detours, will he ever find Candy? And, even if he does, can the course of true love ever really run smooth?"

And, at the moment, if you buy this book, then you get another one FREE. What could be nicer?... Not only that, but if you buy bisexual thriller Thorn in The Flesh direct from Untreed Reads, then you can pick another story up for FREE. Happy reading!

Life News:

During the week, I was sorry to hear about the death of Maggie Thatcher, one of the great women and great politicians of our time. You can read my reactions, written with a literary focus, here. RIP Our Maggie.

Closer to home, K has been involved with the Players of Elstead Theatrical Society, making his debut performance in their very funny farce, An Eye For An Eye, Darling. I went twice, and it was fantastic - a star is born, I'm sure! I can't wait for the next play, later this year. Though I have to admit it's nice to have our living room artwork home - as they were used for the set!

Meanwhile, the barn owl is back (hurrah!) and after five weeks of having the goldfinch food on the bird-feeder with nary a goldfinch, we finally have two goldfinches who are making regular visits, double hurrahs. It's lovely to see them here.

Over at The Angry Anglican, I achieve a full Anger Rating in my response to the Church of England telling me that Equal Marriage is the Work of The Devil, harrumph.

On a far nicer note, this week's baking endeavours were Maple Syrup and Pecan cupcakes which actually worked, and very tasty they are too.

And the dwarf tulips are coming up in the garden and look absolutely stunning. Spring has sprung at last!

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

Time, justice and love

Book News:

I'm delighted to announce that today my gay thriller Maloney's Law is republished by Amber Allure Press and available for the first time in ebook format. The blurb is:

Paul Maloney, a small-time private investigator from London, reluctantly accepts a case from his married ex-lover, Dominic Allen. Before he knows it, Paul finds himself embroiled in the dark dealings of big business and the sordid world of international crime. The deeper he pushes, the closer he comes to losing everything he holds dear.

Can he solve the mystery and protect those he loves before it's too late?

Maloney's Law was shortlisted for the Harry Bowling Prize 2006 (for novels set in London) and the Royal Literary Fund Scheme, and longlisted for the Betty Bolingbroke-Kent Novel Award.

Over at the Amber Allure blog, you can find out more about my borderline autistic Private Investigator and the major issues he has with time, justice and love, as well as enjoying an extract from the novel. And don't forget that Amber Allure will be discounting the book for the first week only, so it's the ideal time to buy! Thank you.

Meanwhile, gay comedy Who Moved My Holepunch? is now available at Amazon UK and Amazon US. During the week, it gained one review at Brief Encounters and another at Hearts On Fire. Many thanks to both reviewers for these.

Not to be outdone, gay erotic menage story The Delaneys, My Parents and Me was briefly in the Top 100 Erotic Gay Fiction charts at Amazon UK, so that gave me a nice little lift. As it were.

I've also completed a brief interview about my latest fantasy novel, Hallsfoot's Battle, and you can discover more about danger, destruction and mind-reading here. Enjoy!

Finally in this section, I'm very happy indeed to be one of the authors signed up with new gay fiction publisher, Wilde City Press, which launches later in April. Don't forget to sign up on their new website and be part of one of the best presses in town! And how I love their new Anne Brooke branding - hey I look almost fashionable, don't you know ...


Life News:

This weekend, spring has been out in almost full force, hurrah. Yesterday, I potted up cornflowers, marigolds and pinks, weeded everything and watered all the rest of the pots too. I even sat in the garden and read my book, well gosh. Today I've spotted two wagtails and a chaffinch, the crocuses are at last fully in bloom and the bees are humming around the heather as if it's the only food in the garden. Which, bearing in mind the apple blossom's not yet out, it probably is.

Also yesterday, I attempted to make Fudge Cupcakes, which was something of a disaster, my dears. Alas and alack. The cake part is fine - though I'm sure the inclusion of fudge in the mixture makes it stickier than it should be - but the icing is terrible. I followed all the instructions to the letter, but sadly it just looks like a cement mixture exploded on my buns (if I'm allowed to type that in public ...). Still, K assures me they taste nice - and as long as we remember to lift the icing off and tackle it as a side dish, all remains well. Ho hum.

This week, I've also played some exceptionally chilly golf where even the fairways (on the rare occasions I'm on them) had ice in places. But it was still wonderful to be out as I don't seem to have been able to get on the course for weeks. I do hope it's a tad warmer next time though.

Meanwhile, I'm under doctor's orders to cut down on my Happy Pills, so now I'm taking one every other day, rather than one a day. So far so good, though I must admit to being a bit nervous about it. I've got a telephone appointment with the doctor in two or three weeks' time, so hope things remain well for then.

Speaking of health, as I come from a family who are very prone to bowel cancer (we tend to die from either that or diabetes - but hey it's great to have a choice!...), may I draw your attention to the wonderful and very useful Beating Bowel Cancer website. April is Bowel Cancer Awareness month, so be sure to join the excellently named Bowel Movement to support the fight against what is one of the deadliest cancer in the UK, as well as being the least talked about. Thank you.

Turning finally to movements of a less physical and more spiritual nature, this week the Angry Anglican takes on Romance, Religion and Retirement - which is quite a mix really. Happy reading.

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