Book News:
Well, I've now recorded my literary short story, The Drive Home, for Celtica Radio, and that should be broadcast in about a month's time so I'll keep you posted. The lovely Bill seemed happy with it and has asked me to record another one on Saturday evening via Skype. This time, I thought I'd go for something much quirkier and have chosen a rather jazzy story about the thrills and spills of life, love and desire in a dictionary. It's called Candy and Catharsis, and I've given it a couple of practice runs this morning. I'm hoping for the best, come the day.
I've at last started the editing process for the final part of my Gathandrian Trilogy, The Executioner's Cane, which I anticipate will take quite a while. But at least I've begun. That in itself feels like progress, though I fear there will be much to change about it. I'm also pleased to say that gay erotic short story, For One Night Only, gained a 5-star review at Goodreads - many thanks, Michele!
Meanwhile, I've completed the literary lesbian short story I was working on, The Gift of the Snow, and have begun the submission process for that one. Wish me luck. Heck, I always need it.
Across at Vulpes Libris, you can find my review of Harlan Coben's thriller, Caught. A very exciting book with some very interesting things to say about forgiveness, and I can definitely recommend it.
Here are the most recent meditation poems:
Meditation 574
The gift is not
what we have
but how we use
it.
True character
grows
in the giving.
To hold
something fast
when it needs
to be free
is to lose it
and true life
is found
in the living.
Meditation 575
We are at times
strangers
hiding
in the shadows
of night
scarcely aware
of those
thousand others
walking the
same path
out of sight
whilst beyond
our small
understanding
shines a
steadfast
unknowable
light.
Life News:
I was much bamboozled by the charming historical elements (Temperance Society hymns, anyone??) in last night's episode of Midsomer Murders, not to mention the tradition of the menfolk putting on stag horns and plighting their troth with the womenfolk in the neighbouring village. Goodness me, not at all like the home life of our own dear Queen, I can assure you ... Or indeed anyone else I know. And I speak as a village-dweller, my dears, so you can rely on me. Still, the one good thing is that the new, terse and irritable Barnaby has finally (thank the Lord) stopped bullying poor Sergeant Jones, and actually appears to like him, phew. As do we all. It's a relief that the two main characters are now beginning to get on as that's a large part of the series, for me. I must also say that much as I love Warren Clarke with a deep and abiding regard, stag horns aren't actually his look. Not only that, but as I'm seeing him in Three Days in May at the Guildford Theatre tonight, playing Winston Churchill, I fear that I will not be able to get that image out of my head as the Great Man is taking us through the start of the war ... Yikes indeed. Though, having said that, if Winston had decided to put on stag horns and tackle the Third Reich dressed in this fashion, then perhaps the war would have been won far earlier ... There's one to ponder on for you.
Today's excitements have included the washing machine breaking down once more. Deep sigh. According to the code flashing on its display panel, it can't find any water, so I fear I must wait for K to return home and solve the mystery for me. Perhaps it's objecting in some way to last week's flood? When it had more water than I've ever seen produced by one machine in a minute ... So, we have yet to get the water table balance right in Elstead, it seems.
I've also had my flu jab so that should ensure I maintain my usual high standards of health throughout the winter, ho ho. And our third tree surgeon has arrived and taken details of our tree and hedge plight, and will give us a quote over the next few days. Ah decisions, decisions.
Anne Brooke
The Thoughtful Corner
ANNE BROOKE BOOKS: Independent writer of modern fiction
Showing posts with label midsomer murders. Show all posts
Showing posts with label midsomer murders. Show all posts
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Max Factor, murder and men
Book News:
A sudden flurry of activity for A Dangerous Man this week, which has been very pleasing. It briefly turned up at No 62 in the Amazon US Kindle charts and at No 54 in the Amazon UK Kindle charts, so many thanks for buying. And it also achieved a 5-star review at Goodreads (thank you, Dlee) and some lovely comments at Reviews by Amos Lassen (many thanks, Amos).
Meditation poems this week so far are:
Meditation 510
When kidnapping great men
and workers
it’s key to remember
the blacksmiths
due to the value
of horses and iron
and more to the point
they’re not shirkers.
Meditation 511
When God seems always cross
you have no hope
of winning
so you may as well throw caution
to the winds
and keep on sinning.
Life News:
It's been quite a good week and a restful one which has been nice. Much to my joy they're restarted reflexology sessions at work so I spent a lovely lunch hour on Wednesday having my feet rubbed by the new reflexologist, Hilary. Bliss. I've booked again for next week and sod the expense, eh.
I also popped into the bible study last night (I missed last week as I didn't feel so good) - and so had all the drama and peculiarity of the ten plagues of Egypt. Marvellous. Just the sort of topic you need for Lent - and we did indeed have a great deal of fun with that one.
Other than that, it's been a week for TV, both good and bad. My, but I will miss the legal drama, Silk, whose last episode of the first season aired on Tuesday. I've loved it. Thankfully they're doing a second series but I will have to wait till 2012 to catch up with them all, sigh. And, also thankfully, Midsomer Murders was slightly better this week (well, nothing could be worse than last week, really ...) but I still don't like the way the relationships are being played within the team now. It's most unsettling and I do hope they start being more pleasant to each other soon - this kind of frustration and outright dislike is not what we watch Midsomer for!...
Meanwhile, I worry deeply for young teenager, India, in the increasingly bizarre and somehow grippingly shallow The Model Agency. India: you so nearly escaped from the evil bookers' clutches in an earlier episode - so don't let yourself be enticed back into their strange and secretive fold! Run, my gal, run for the hills ...
And is it just me, or is the woman in the Max Factor Makeover advert so much more alluring in her "before" shot than in the "after" one?? Before the wicked Max Factor people get their hands on her, she looks very pretty and a nice normal person I would probably chat to. After they've ruined (ruined, darlings, utterly ruined!) her hair and trowelled her with warpaint, she just looks like every other 20s blonde on the street and the personality is gone. Shocking! I'm all for the value of makeup (Lord knows I need it) but not when it covers up a character completely - there's a lesson for us all in there somewhere ...
Anne Brooke
A sudden flurry of activity for A Dangerous Man this week, which has been very pleasing. It briefly turned up at No 62 in the Amazon US Kindle charts and at No 54 in the Amazon UK Kindle charts, so many thanks for buying. And it also achieved a 5-star review at Goodreads (thank you, Dlee) and some lovely comments at Reviews by Amos Lassen (many thanks, Amos).
Meditation poems this week so far are:
Meditation 509
An army that never
goes to war
is one that wastes
its labours
but when all is said
and much is done
it surely gives peace
to the neighbours.
Meditation 510
When kidnapping great men
and workers
it’s key to remember
the blacksmiths
due to the value
of horses and iron
and more to the point
they’re not shirkers.
Meditation 511
When God seems always cross
you have no hope
of winning
so you may as well throw caution
to the winds
and keep on sinning.
Life News:
It's been quite a good week and a restful one which has been nice. Much to my joy they're restarted reflexology sessions at work so I spent a lovely lunch hour on Wednesday having my feet rubbed by the new reflexologist, Hilary. Bliss. I've booked again for next week and sod the expense, eh.
I also popped into the bible study last night (I missed last week as I didn't feel so good) - and so had all the drama and peculiarity of the ten plagues of Egypt. Marvellous. Just the sort of topic you need for Lent - and we did indeed have a great deal of fun with that one.
Other than that, it's been a week for TV, both good and bad. My, but I will miss the legal drama, Silk, whose last episode of the first season aired on Tuesday. I've loved it. Thankfully they're doing a second series but I will have to wait till 2012 to catch up with them all, sigh. And, also thankfully, Midsomer Murders was slightly better this week (well, nothing could be worse than last week, really ...) but I still don't like the way the relationships are being played within the team now. It's most unsettling and I do hope they start being more pleasant to each other soon - this kind of frustration and outright dislike is not what we watch Midsomer for!...
Meanwhile, I worry deeply for young teenager, India, in the increasingly bizarre and somehow grippingly shallow The Model Agency. India: you so nearly escaped from the evil bookers' clutches in an earlier episode - so don't let yourself be enticed back into their strange and secretive fold! Run, my gal, run for the hills ...
And is it just me, or is the woman in the Max Factor Makeover advert so much more alluring in her "before" shot than in the "after" one?? Before the wicked Max Factor people get their hands on her, she looks very pretty and a nice normal person I would probably chat to. After they've ruined (ruined, darlings, utterly ruined!) her hair and trowelled her with warpaint, she just looks like every other 20s blonde on the street and the personality is gone. Shocking! I'm all for the value of makeup (Lord knows I need it) but not when it covers up a character completely - there's a lesson for us all in there somewhere ...
Anne Brooke
Thursday, March 24, 2011
The British are here ...
Book News:
Be afraid, be very afraid!... British Fortnight at Brief Encounters is now in full and glorious swing, where you can discover all about my own royal wedding experience and where to get the best cream tea EVER - along with a whole host of other authors & goodies so do pop along and join in the party. Anyone for a cucumber sandwich?...
At the same time, you can find a review of Entertaining the Delaneys, and don't forget that both The Delaneys and Me and Entertaining the Delaneys are being offered as one of the British Fortnight prizes, along with many others, so it's definitely an offer not to be missed.
Also this week, I've been additionally lucky in being interviewed at the Book Wenches site, so you can read all about my current and future plans there.
Reviews this week have included an unexpected review of Maloney's Law at the Niciasus Book Blog and a 5-star review of Brady's Choice, also at Niciasus (thanks for both these, Nicci), and a 4-star review of The Delaneys and Me at Goodreads (thank you, Casey).
Recent meditation poems are:
Meditation 506
There’s not much truth,
but a great deal of silver
and gold:
a combination of factors
that never bodes well,
I’m told.
Meditation 507
If in doubt or under threat
create a tax to fleece ’em.
The enemy must be appeased
and as for friends – police ’em.
Meditation 508
The past has its own echoes
that enrich the mind
like a memory of God
or the scent of jasmine,
fragrant and kind.
Life News:
What can I say? Still we struggle on in the ongoing battle with the pesky middle neighbours and their really irritating solicitors. Our desperate attempts to make some kind of contact with the bloke buying the middle flat last week via the estate agents met with friendliness on the part of the estate agents and absolutely no action. Surprise, surprise. So first thing this morning, I ring up the middle flat estate agents again and they're all very friendly and promise to ring back as soon as possible - and so far (3pm) nothing. Hey ho. I don't expect anything either - but hey at least the woman I spoke to actually seemed to grasp the concept that if we sign their transfer document which has the incorrect address for the new middle neighbour on, then yes that does mean we can't sell our own flat to our buyer as we can't get the new middle neighbour to agree to the leasehold transfer as we don't know where he lives now, and the sale of our flat is therefore put into jeopardy. Deep deep sigh.
In the middle of all that it appears that our own solicitor has a Cunning Plan but has only this afternoon seen fit to reveal it to us. Bloody hell (sorry ...) but if she'd simply had the sense to talk to us two weeks ago, then we wouldn't have had to run around like the proverbial attempting to explain to the very deaf ears of the horrid middle neighbour solicitors why we'd love to sign their wretched transfer (we hate the current middle neighbours! We want them out, as indeed do most of the other neighbours too!) and why we can't (it means we can't then sell our flat, you ridiculous people, as you won't tell us where the new middle neighbour actually lives ...) Nor would I have had to - twice - attempt to contact the new middle neighbour's estate agents for this vital legal information, and nor would K and I have had even half of the amount of angst we've had to go through for the last two weeks. Ruddy solicitors ... (sorry).
Anyway, it is a Class One plan and may actually get us round the obstacles the middle neighbours and their solicitors are putting in our way, and with no legal prejudice to us and our sale - which is of course my only concern. I don't care two hoots about them and would like nothing more than to take their transfer document and shove it where the sun don't shine, my dears. Now there's a happy smiley thought that is cheering me mightily, ha!
But, hey, I'm not worried - it's Lent! And hopefully soon (please God) we'll have a lovely happy house in Woking with a garden all of our very own, and we will never ever have to think about shared leaseholds again - what bliss! There's always hope, eh.
Turning to the simpler joys (or possibly not) of TV, I must say I thought last night's episode of the new Midsomer Murders was very choppy to say the least. K did point out that there were indeed, as the recent media row has pointed out, no black people anywhere, not even in the city disco scene, though we did keep our eyes peeled just in case ... The main problem though was what the heck have they done with Sergeant Jones??!!?? Last time we saw him, he was the nice, bumbling, pleasant copper we all know and love, but yesterday he was a rude, angry, punch-the-witness-and-hold-him-down-till-he-confesses yob. What??!!?? Did I miss something? Is Jones so distraught that the original Barnaby (not to mention the nice police lady - where is she?) has gone that he has had a total personality transplant?? The Case of the Missing Sergeant: it's a plot worthy of Midsomer indeed ... Whatever next?
Anne Brooke
Be afraid, be very afraid!... British Fortnight at Brief Encounters is now in full and glorious swing, where you can discover all about my own royal wedding experience and where to get the best cream tea EVER - along with a whole host of other authors & goodies so do pop along and join in the party. Anyone for a cucumber sandwich?...
At the same time, you can find a review of Entertaining the Delaneys, and don't forget that both The Delaneys and Me and Entertaining the Delaneys are being offered as one of the British Fortnight prizes, along with many others, so it's definitely an offer not to be missed.
Also this week, I've been additionally lucky in being interviewed at the Book Wenches site, so you can read all about my current and future plans there.
Reviews this week have included an unexpected review of Maloney's Law at the Niciasus Book Blog and a 5-star review of Brady's Choice, also at Niciasus (thanks for both these, Nicci), and a 4-star review of The Delaneys and Me at Goodreads (thank you, Casey).
Recent meditation poems are:
Meditation 506
There’s not much truth,
but a great deal of silver
and gold:
a combination of factors
that never bodes well,
I’m told.
Meditation 507
If in doubt or under threat
create a tax to fleece ’em.
The enemy must be appeased
and as for friends – police ’em.
Meditation 508
The past has its own echoes
that enrich the mind
like a memory of God
or the scent of jasmine,
fragrant and kind.
Life News:
What can I say? Still we struggle on in the ongoing battle with the pesky middle neighbours and their really irritating solicitors. Our desperate attempts to make some kind of contact with the bloke buying the middle flat last week via the estate agents met with friendliness on the part of the estate agents and absolutely no action. Surprise, surprise. So first thing this morning, I ring up the middle flat estate agents again and they're all very friendly and promise to ring back as soon as possible - and so far (3pm) nothing. Hey ho. I don't expect anything either - but hey at least the woman I spoke to actually seemed to grasp the concept that if we sign their transfer document which has the incorrect address for the new middle neighbour on, then yes that does mean we can't sell our own flat to our buyer as we can't get the new middle neighbour to agree to the leasehold transfer as we don't know where he lives now, and the sale of our flat is therefore put into jeopardy. Deep deep sigh.
In the middle of all that it appears that our own solicitor has a Cunning Plan but has only this afternoon seen fit to reveal it to us. Bloody hell (sorry ...) but if she'd simply had the sense to talk to us two weeks ago, then we wouldn't have had to run around like the proverbial attempting to explain to the very deaf ears of the horrid middle neighbour solicitors why we'd love to sign their wretched transfer (we hate the current middle neighbours! We want them out, as indeed do most of the other neighbours too!) and why we can't (it means we can't then sell our flat, you ridiculous people, as you won't tell us where the new middle neighbour actually lives ...) Nor would I have had to - twice - attempt to contact the new middle neighbour's estate agents for this vital legal information, and nor would K and I have had even half of the amount of angst we've had to go through for the last two weeks. Ruddy solicitors ... (sorry).
Anyway, it is a Class One plan and may actually get us round the obstacles the middle neighbours and their solicitors are putting in our way, and with no legal prejudice to us and our sale - which is of course my only concern. I don't care two hoots about them and would like nothing more than to take their transfer document and shove it where the sun don't shine, my dears. Now there's a happy smiley thought that is cheering me mightily, ha!
But, hey, I'm not worried - it's Lent! And hopefully soon (please God) we'll have a lovely happy house in Woking with a garden all of our very own, and we will never ever have to think about shared leaseholds again - what bliss! There's always hope, eh.
Turning to the simpler joys (or possibly not) of TV, I must say I thought last night's episode of the new Midsomer Murders was very choppy to say the least. K did point out that there were indeed, as the recent media row has pointed out, no black people anywhere, not even in the city disco scene, though we did keep our eyes peeled just in case ... The main problem though was what the heck have they done with Sergeant Jones??!!?? Last time we saw him, he was the nice, bumbling, pleasant copper we all know and love, but yesterday he was a rude, angry, punch-the-witness-and-hold-him-down-till-he-confesses yob. What??!!?? Did I miss something? Is Jones so distraught that the original Barnaby (not to mention the nice police lady - where is she?) has gone that he has had a total personality transplant?? The Case of the Missing Sergeant: it's a plot worthy of Midsomer indeed ... Whatever next?
Anne Brooke
Thursday, February 03, 2011
A Woman like the Sea
Book News:
I'm happy to announce that my literary lesbian romance story, A Woman like the Sea, is published today and available at Untreed Reads (at a 25% discount), and at All Romance Ebooks, amongst other outlets. I'm also pleased to say that you can find all my Untreed Read books at discount prices at 1 Place for Romance bookshop - enjoy!
Other book news is that The Girl in the Painting was the 3rd highest bestseller at Untreed Reads during January, so that was a boost at the end of what has been a rather difficult month. Many thanks to those of you who've bought that one. And, in a brief (very brief) blaze of late glory, Pink Champagne and Apple Juice found itself at No 83 in the Amazon UK Kindle charts, well gosh.
Meanwhile, at Vulpes Libris, we have not been slack; on Monday, Moira was in conversation with Tim Bentinck who plays David Archer in The Archers, and today, you can take a closer look at my nasty and nice sides (ha!) in my review of Philippa Gregory's The Other Queen. Suffice it to say I was not greatly impressed with that one ...
Life News:
Life's still not that good, really, to be honest. Am feeling rather debilitated, to say the least, by last week's meltdown, but am busy taking a regular supply of happy pills in all shapes and sizes in order to attempt to keep things on some kind of even keel. Double ha, eh. If you shake me, I'll rattle.
Mind you, K and I were rather amused (after being really quite angry) with yesterday's estate agent who booked us in for three viewings of properties today when we'd only asked for one. We weren't interested in the other two, but the wretched man booked us for them without being asked. When he rang back to tell us, K sacked him on the spot and said we wouldn't bother viewing the one we actually wanted to see unless someone else from the agency escorted us round, and then put the phone down. That'll show 'em, eh. Sure enough five minutes later, another agent from the same firm rang up, apologised profusely and said he'd be showing us round said house, instead of the pushy agent. Fair enough, though I did rather worry that when we turned up this afternoon, he might actually have signed the contract for us and we'd be moving in tomorrow. It did give me some considerable pleasure that we didn't like the house anyway. Triple ha!
In any case, we have actually seen a house we like very much in Bisley though, which is hopeful, especially as we can afford it without having to sell this place, so that gives me much hope that I'll be able to leave the pesky flat and Godalming before I do indeed run mad. That said, we have a second viewing here tomorrow, so I think we'd like to see if that results in someone making an offer for our flat before we make any final decisions. Though I don't want to miss out on anything good ...
I'm also very excited by the advent of this England & Wales crime statistics site, where you can have great fun finding out where all the crime is, and where the dubious and not-so-dubious parts of your town are. All very jolly, and an excellent tool for house-hunting. I'm pleased to report there is absolutely no crime in our street so this flat is even more desirable as a purchase for someone indeed.
Other cheery news which put a more Schadenfreude-shaped smile on my face today was that earlier in the week the downstairs neighbours accidentally smoked out the nasty middle neighbours when they put their fire on, as the chimney was faulty, and said middle neighbours had to turn up and spend several hours cleaning up. My, how I laughed. I apologise for the huge meanness of this paragraph, but that's how I feel about things right now. I have good reason, but sorry. I used to be so nice when I was younger too. Ah well.
Last night, K and I were glued to the television watching the last ever episode of Midsomer Murders with Tom and Joyce Barnaby in it. A good farewell to a great series, I thought, though I will miss Tom and Joyce and the body count they inspired, sob. However, I'm pleased to see that Neil Dudgeon will be taking over the police office role as cousin John Barnaby, so I look forward to more Midsomer madness in the future, hurrah.
Finally, a big hello to Jane H whom I met for coffee in Godalming today, or rather hot chocolate with cream and marshmallows, if I'm honest - but we had the semi-skimmed milk so it was the healthy option, ho ho. Lovely to catch up with all the news and, really, we must do it again soon.
Anne Brooke
I'm happy to announce that my literary lesbian romance story, A Woman like the Sea, is published today and available at Untreed Reads (at a 25% discount), and at All Romance Ebooks, amongst other outlets. I'm also pleased to say that you can find all my Untreed Read books at discount prices at 1 Place for Romance bookshop - enjoy!
Other book news is that The Girl in the Painting was the 3rd highest bestseller at Untreed Reads during January, so that was a boost at the end of what has been a rather difficult month. Many thanks to those of you who've bought that one. And, in a brief (very brief) blaze of late glory, Pink Champagne and Apple Juice found itself at No 83 in the Amazon UK Kindle charts, well gosh.
Meanwhile, at Vulpes Libris, we have not been slack; on Monday, Moira was in conversation with Tim Bentinck who plays David Archer in The Archers, and today, you can take a closer look at my nasty and nice sides (ha!) in my review of Philippa Gregory's The Other Queen. Suffice it to say I was not greatly impressed with that one ...
Life News:
Life's still not that good, really, to be honest. Am feeling rather debilitated, to say the least, by last week's meltdown, but am busy taking a regular supply of happy pills in all shapes and sizes in order to attempt to keep things on some kind of even keel. Double ha, eh. If you shake me, I'll rattle.
Mind you, K and I were rather amused (after being really quite angry) with yesterday's estate agent who booked us in for three viewings of properties today when we'd only asked for one. We weren't interested in the other two, but the wretched man booked us for them without being asked. When he rang back to tell us, K sacked him on the spot and said we wouldn't bother viewing the one we actually wanted to see unless someone else from the agency escorted us round, and then put the phone down. That'll show 'em, eh. Sure enough five minutes later, another agent from the same firm rang up, apologised profusely and said he'd be showing us round said house, instead of the pushy agent. Fair enough, though I did rather worry that when we turned up this afternoon, he might actually have signed the contract for us and we'd be moving in tomorrow. It did give me some considerable pleasure that we didn't like the house anyway. Triple ha!
In any case, we have actually seen a house we like very much in Bisley though, which is hopeful, especially as we can afford it without having to sell this place, so that gives me much hope that I'll be able to leave the pesky flat and Godalming before I do indeed run mad. That said, we have a second viewing here tomorrow, so I think we'd like to see if that results in someone making an offer for our flat before we make any final decisions. Though I don't want to miss out on anything good ...
I'm also very excited by the advent of this England & Wales crime statistics site, where you can have great fun finding out where all the crime is, and where the dubious and not-so-dubious parts of your town are. All very jolly, and an excellent tool for house-hunting. I'm pleased to report there is absolutely no crime in our street so this flat is even more desirable as a purchase for someone indeed.
Other cheery news which put a more Schadenfreude-shaped smile on my face today was that earlier in the week the downstairs neighbours accidentally smoked out the nasty middle neighbours when they put their fire on, as the chimney was faulty, and said middle neighbours had to turn up and spend several hours cleaning up. My, how I laughed. I apologise for the huge meanness of this paragraph, but that's how I feel about things right now. I have good reason, but sorry. I used to be so nice when I was younger too. Ah well.
Last night, K and I were glued to the television watching the last ever episode of Midsomer Murders with Tom and Joyce Barnaby in it. A good farewell to a great series, I thought, though I will miss Tom and Joyce and the body count they inspired, sob. However, I'm pleased to see that Neil Dudgeon will be taking over the police office role as cousin John Barnaby, so I look forward to more Midsomer madness in the future, hurrah.
Finally, a big hello to Jane H whom I met for coffee in Godalming today, or rather hot chocolate with cream and marshmallows, if I'm honest - but we had the semi-skimmed milk so it was the healthy option, ho ho. Lovely to catch up with all the news and, really, we must do it again soon.
Anne Brooke
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Miracles and men
Life News:
Such miraculous news to know that at last the Chilean miners are safe - so many things that could have gone wrong and they just didn't, hurrah. Amazing news indeed! I just hope the world now leaves them alone to recover from such a terrible ordeal, but no doubt we won't. But it's seriously lovely to hear of something glorious rather than something grim for once.
From the sublime to the ridiculous, we're finally putting the flat on the market next week as three estate agents are coming round on Wednesday, so I hope there's at least one there who's confident about selling it. Great to be taking the next step in the process indeed. On the left you can see what the Victorian house itself looks like. We're the servants' quarters at the top. As it were. Because when it was built for one of the local schoolmasters in 1873, the servants would have lived where we do now. Plus ca change, eh ...
Turning to television matters, it's a serious delight to have the glorious Whitechapel back on our screens at last, though sadly for too swift a time. Though it's a serious disappointment that the otherwise extremely classy Downton Abbey took a turn for the worse last Sunday and included a very ridiculous Midsomer Murders plotline, sigh. Don't get me wrong: I love Midsomer Murders with a great and abiding passion, but not in the middle of Downton Abbey, per-lease. And it was doing so well too ...
Book News:
I'm thrilled that today my author's copies of A Dangerous Man have arrived and look lovely, hurrah. Publication day is tomorrow (Friday 15 October) so I'm really looking forward to that. Erastes has very kindly republished an original review from 2007, when the book was first published, so a big thank you for that! And I'm pleased to say that people do seem to be preordering the novel at Barnes & Noble, which is very nice indeed.
Also at Barnes & Noble (what great people they are!), you can find a copy of Sunday Haiku, which is a more meditative read. Meanwhile, Tommy's Blind Date gained a really enthusiastic 4-star review at Three Dollar Bill Reviews, so many thanks for that, Kassa - it's much appreciated. And The Delaneys and Me appeared briefly at No 58 in the Amazon charts, but has now slipped back onto the shelf once more.
Finally, I've reviewed Diana Wynne Jones' magical children's fantasy, Enchanted Glass at Vulpes Libris Reviews. It's pretty dang good for adults too.
These week's meditations are:
Meditation 442
A downbeat end,
the epitome of grim
when what one expected
was a rousing hymn.
Meditation 443
The first man
to fall off a balcony
didn’t make
particularly good choices
but he certainly
started a trend.
Meditation 444
A journey, an oath,
a cloak and divided water
show that a miracle
can also be
the beginning of grief.
Anne Brooke
Such miraculous news to know that at last the Chilean miners are safe - so many things that could have gone wrong and they just didn't, hurrah. Amazing news indeed! I just hope the world now leaves them alone to recover from such a terrible ordeal, but no doubt we won't. But it's seriously lovely to hear of something glorious rather than something grim for once.
Turning to television matters, it's a serious delight to have the glorious Whitechapel back on our screens at last, though sadly for too swift a time. Though it's a serious disappointment that the otherwise extremely classy Downton Abbey took a turn for the worse last Sunday and included a very ridiculous Midsomer Murders plotline, sigh. Don't get me wrong: I love Midsomer Murders with a great and abiding passion, but not in the middle of Downton Abbey, per-lease. And it was doing so well too ...
Book News:
Also at Barnes & Noble (what great people they are!), you can find a copy of Sunday Haiku, which is a more meditative read. Meanwhile, Tommy's Blind Date gained a really enthusiastic 4-star review at Three Dollar Bill Reviews, so many thanks for that, Kassa - it's much appreciated. And The Delaneys and Me appeared briefly at No 58 in the Amazon charts, but has now slipped back onto the shelf once more.
Finally, I've reviewed Diana Wynne Jones' magical children's fantasy, Enchanted Glass at Vulpes Libris Reviews. It's pretty dang good for adults too.
These week's meditations are:
Meditation 442
A downbeat end,
the epitome of grim
when what one expected
was a rousing hymn.
Meditation 443
The first man
to fall off a balcony
didn’t make
particularly good choices
but he certainly
started a trend.
Meditation 444
A journey, an oath,
a cloak and divided water
show that a miracle
can also be
the beginning of grief.
Anne Brooke
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