Conference Queen and the Radio Virgin

Goodness me, but what a long way it is to York. A jolly long way. And even further back - did they make the M1 longer while I was up there?? I wouldn't put it past them. Anyway I had a surprisingly good time at the AUA Conference - it might even have been, on a personal level, the most enjoyable one so far. Partly because hey, it's York. And in the sunshine, it's an amazing city. I also teamed up with Miv and the rest of the gang from Surrey wherever possible, which made networking less terrifying, frankly. Networking is much like DIY, I suppose - if you can't do it alone (and I can't - in both cases), then do it together. As they say. Also the food on the Gala Dinner tonight (Tuesday) was fabulous and (typical Yorkshire) there was lots of it. Hurrah! There's nothing worse than Nouvelle Cuisine, in my opinion, which is simply another way of saying Not Enough Food. I also sat at the table which won the champagne, so - hick! - we were all right, Jack.

Oh, and the seminars were good too - I even got quite inspired at the ideas for alternative media for reaching students. Goodness, somebody pass me the normality pills. Though I could have done with more content in the Humour at Work seminar. Hell, Miv and I could probably have taken it ourselves! I also managed to fit in visiting my aunt - though why must I always get the one taxi-driver who's been done for GBH, sigh? A fascinating tale indeed and one I shall, no doubt, use later, but I'm beginning to wonder if I wear an invisible sign saying Please tell me your GBH story while I'm in your cab - as I really want to hear it? Hmm, it would explain a lot.

Anyway, this morning, I was up whilst the owls were still hooting (and I know because I heard them) ready for my radio interview on BBC Southern Counties with the very kind Fred Marden. What with taking four calming pills and two Rescue Remedy sprays, I was relatively calm (shock!) and actually I really enjoyed it - which was mainly, I suspect, thanks to Fred for making me genuinely feel it was just a conversation between me and him. Quite a feat when there's a huge green microphone a millimetre away from my mouth, which would have gone with my eyes if they hadn't been red-rimmed and thoroughly bagged-up at the time. Well, it was early, you know. So I am no longer a Radio Virgin, hurrah! And when I got back Lord H said it sounded fine, so that's a relief. I always fear that my Essex twang will take over on these occasions and I will feel the urge to dance round my handbag - a scary thought indeed.

For the rest of the day, I have napped (ah, sleep - blissful!) and popped into see Gladys - though I didn't stay long as she was at the hospital this morning and was quite exhausted, poor thing. I've also managed to squeeze out 500 words to The Bones of Summer and it seems to be going off in a rather unusual direction. So I've decided to go with it and see what happens. I fear there'll be more traumas ahead, so I'd best fasten my seatbelt and take care on the bends. Good advice for life, indeed.

Today's nice things:

1. The radio interview
2. Napping
3. Writing.

Anne Brooke
Anne's website
Goldenford Publishers' site - for the moment ...

Reviews and the web

Delighted to see that Alex Beecroft, author of Captain's Surrender (a high-octane fun read!) has put a review of A Dangerous Man on the US Amazon site - and as they don't stock it, here's the review:

“A gorgeously written, tense and creepy book, combining a love story and an artist's passion for his work into a force that makes the narrator of the book a very dangerous man. Not for those who like their fiction fluffy, this is a real work of literature.”

Thanks, Alex! And I was trying so hard to be fluffy ... ah well.

And talking of Amazon, I gather that they're having a serious crackdown on small publishers who use POD (print-on-demand) technology - which probably explains why so few of our Goldenford books are ever in stock on Amazon these days, and also why Thorn in the Flesh has never been in stock there. Interestingly, my test request for a copy from Amazon UK is now over one month old and still shown as outstanding on my account - yet I've heard nothing from them. Even though they can get it within only a few days from Gardners UK (book stockists and distributors). I fear that the little people are once again about to be shafted by the big conglomerates. Honestly, it really pisses me off - so much for individual choice, eh. Buggers. UPDATE: Gosh how weird - Amazon have just emailed me saying they are still trying to obtain a copy of Thorn in the Flesh for me and do I still want it? Um, yes. Actually I do. Get off your arses and send an email to Gardners, you idjits!!! Ye gods, how thick can one company get??!

Anyway, for most of the day, I've been slogging away updating the old Goldenford site and I think that - with Lord H's valuable help - I am now almost there. I just need to sort one or two of the book covers out, upload the PayPal details, work out a transfer schedule and we're done. I hope! Actually, I've thoroughly enjoyed doing it - computer creativity is a marvellous thing - but it's utterly exhausting too.

I've also packed my bags for next week's AUA conference - that's the Association of University Administrators, for the 99.9% of you not in the know on that one. I'm off bright & early tomorrow to York and don't get back till Wednesday evening. Depending on the traffic. Am also hoping to go and see my aunt while I'm up there - when we will spend a lot of time not talking about my writing, as that part of the family find it so terribly unsettling. I think the poor thing is still in shock at having tried to read A Dangerous Man - so she's going to find Thorn in the Flesh even more startling, I'm sure!

Anyway, as I'm away for a few days, I hope the beginning of your weeks are all as good as possible, and I'll be back blogging on Thursday - if I recover from my breakfast radio interview in time, that is!

This week's haiku:

In the slate-grey day
the road is full of bridges.
They whisper secrets.


Today's nice things:

1. Alex's review of A Dangerous Man
2. Website creativity
3. Haikus.

Anne Brooke
Anne's website
The old Goldenford site

Radio date and the Web Mistress

I really have to say that yesterday's trip to the theatre to see Our Friends in the North was an utter disaster! It was dreadful. For a start it lasted nearly four hours with only one interval, all the characters were completely unappealing and we seemed to have the same short scene over and over again, only with different people in it. Um, yes, we caught on quite early that the theme was politics and corruption, but we didn't need to have that message drummed into us more than twice. And really there was no humanity in it. I do have to say that by the time we'd all dragged ourselves to the interval, we could take no more - so Lord H and I left in order to run, screaming, to the hills. We just couldn't face another two hours of it. There was one glorious moment though - when the woman in the scene just before half-time suddenly said, "Do you know? I think we've been here years. I'm terrified we'll never get to leave ..." and I don't really know whether that was scripted or not. Either way, I'm sure we all felt the same. Shakespeare it ain't.

Anyway, to this morning. I have arranged an interview on Southern Counties Radio and it's going to be on the Breakfast Show on Thursday 3 April at 6.50am. I'd better make sure my teeth are brushed in that case! And try to stop hyperventilating between now and then ... Hmm, I foresee a run on those calming pills.

For the rest of the day, I have started to create a new website for Goldenford. The old one is very creaky, and we just need something zappy and stylish to go with our zappy stylish novels. I'm pleased with what I've done so far, but feel that I need the guiding hand of Lord H in order to do anything complicated with it. With any luck, I might have got it sorted by the end of April, but don't hold your breath! I've also added another 500 words to The Bones of Summer and am well into the flashback scene now. So that's 65,000 words in total, hurrah!

Also managed to squeeze in some essential shopping in Godalming, but missed anyone coming up to me asking for a novel, tee hee. Mind you, my hair does look rather wild today (forgot to blow-dry it, you know), so perhaps they were all put off by my Wild Woman of Borneo look? One can only hope ...

Tonight, I'm planning to watch yesterday's video of "Ashes to Ashes" and then, oh joy, there's "Torchwood". Oh and Lord H has won the work quiz so we have wine, double hurrah! I may even treat myself to a glass or two. Lordy, but I'm such a wild child - must be the hair ...

Today's nice things:

1. Arranging a radio interview
2. Writing
3. TV.

Anne Brooke
Anne's website
Goldenford Publishers' site - for the next month anyway!

Thorn taster and the radio queen

If you're wanting a taster of Thorn in the Flesh, ie the first two chapters to whet your appetite, the lovely people at the Storytellers' Cafe have very kindly posted it here. Enjoy! Also huge thanks to Felicity who calls the excerpt "fantastic and compelling". Gosh, thanks, Felicity! That's certainly made my day.

Which, all in all, has been very nice really. I had a lovely two hour facial and back massage today at the Clarins salon at the Guildford House of Fraser. Wonderful. Honestly, I feel like a new woman afterwards. Lord H will be pleased. And my therapist even bought a copy of Pink Champagne and Apple Juice, so what a sweetie indeed. My cup runneth over ... Oh, sorry, that's just the way I'm dressed.

From there, I went straight to lunch in Godalming with Jane H and Ang - hello, both! On my way to get some money out in the High Street, I then met an old friend I haven't seen for ages, who congratulated me on my appearance in the Surrey Advertiser and even bought a copy of Thorn. Goodness me, I seem to have discovered the secret to marketing my books - all I have to do is stand in Godalming High Street with an armful of novels, look suitably pathetic and the customers will come to me ... Ho ho.

Back home, I discover that Fred Marden at Southern Counties Radio would like to interview me - at least I think that's why he rang. Or maybe he just likes redheads? It's hard to tell. Anyway, I have rung back and left a message, and he's going to ring again tomorrow morning after he's finished his breakfast programme. I've always said I have a good face for radio - hmm, maybe I should start trying to tone down my Essex accent? Once he hears that, no doubt he will be running to the hills, screaming ... Still, it's certainly nice to be asked! Bloody hell, let's be honest - I'm so excited that I'm frothing at the mouth and running to the loo every five minutes. My, I'm such a professional.

This afternoon, I have managed another 500 words to The Bones of Summer and am just about to get Craig into a rather traumatic flashback scene. As you do. Though it's not as traumatic as what's actually happening to the poor guy now. Ah, make 'em suffer is what I say.

Tonight, Lord H and I are off to the theatre in Guildford to see Our Friends in the North. All about corruption and power apparently (I never saw the TV series, I must admit ...) - so very like the home life of our own dear Queen. Allegedly. As my mother is a Geordie lass, I'll be checking to see they have the accent right. Stotty cake, miners and whippets - takes me back to my youth, you know.

Today's nice things (so many to note!):

1. The Thorn extract at the Storytellers' Cafe
2. Clarins treatments
3. Lunch with the gals
4. Being contacted by radio people(!)
5. Theatre.

Anne Brooke
Anne's website
Goldenford Publishers