Life News:
Lordy, what a week. Some of it has been really, really nasty and some of it really nice. First off, we have sacked our estate agents, Mann Countrywide in Godalming. They deceived us in terms of not honouring their marketing promises, ie they didn't give us the formal weekly report during the four weeks we've been with them, and they don't, contrary to the brochure, pick you up for any viewings you arrange through them, in case you're wondering what those promises might have been. In addition they lied twice about putting our property in the Surrey Advertiser. When we complained about this, they didn't respond adequately, and apparently there's been a huge staff change-round between offices, and they have a new manager, James. Frankly, however, that's not our problem and we don't much care. We sent an official complaint last Friday, asking for the name of their Ombudsman. They ignored it. James rang on Saturday, apparently about something else, and we complained again. He asked for the email which he allegedly hadn't received and we sent it again. We made an arrangement for him to visit us last night with an explanation and details of who to complain to.
Last night, James arrived late, but not dishonourably so. I didn't offer him any drink, as I didn't want to. Why waste good coffee? He started to give a lot of marketing spiel about how it wasn't his fault and there'd been staff changes, but I stopped him saying I didn't want to hear any gubbins and he needed to get straight to the point. He didn't much like that. Tough. Interestingly he'd brought the last week's formal report for us to view - ie the only one we've ever seen. It was incorrect - it said that our flat had been in last week's Surrey Advertiser (it hadn't) and it said it had also been in this week's. How he knows that is anyone's guess as the Surrey Advertiser doesn't come out till tomorrow. I pointed out the factual errors. He began to bluster, again saying it wasn't his fault. He then accused me of lying about it not being in the Surrey Advertiser last week and asked if I'd apologise to him when I found out I was wrong. Understandably, neither I nor K took kindly to that. I don't appreciate being called a liar in my own home, or indeed anywhere else. He repeated his view that he was new in the role and it wasn't his fault. K pointed out that our first complaint had been sent on Friday (and ignored) and Friday was the start of his managerial watch at the firm, and he should therefore learn how to take responsibility, without excuses.
We repeated (for the third time of asking) our request that he provide us with the details of the property ombudsman so we could make an official complaint about Mann's actions. He refused to do so. We pointed out that, for all intents and purposes, our contract with Mann was over forthwith, as they had lied to us on at least two occasions and had not fulfilled their side of the contract. He refused to accept that, saying that we had signed a 10-week contract and we were therefore breaking it. The argument went on until he finally agreed that today (Thursday) he would send us an email by 12noon bringing the contract to an end. All the time, he was continuing to bluster and make excuses (not great customer service then ...), but when we'd agreed the contract was over, I asked him to leave and said we had no wish to have any further dealings with him. He left, slamming the door. Good manager then, um not ... Luckily the door appears unharmed, as otherwise we would have been adding the cost of any repair to our complaint also.
This morning, at 11.15am, James sends us a very high-handed email saying that he has decided to bring our contract to an end. So, the sad man, he still hasn't realised he's already broken it, and it's our decision to end it, and not his. And he still hasn't given us the details of who to complain to, even though it must be at least for the 6th time of asking. He can't be very good at (a) reading or (b) listening then ... However, the good news is that my lovely FB friends (thank you!) have sent me the link to the Property Ombudsman so I suspect I may well be forwarding those to James, as he obviously hasn't a clue who they are ... I also suspect he's going to find out pretty soon.
Meanwhile, the difficulties I've been having with AXA PPP and the Guildford Clinic - who basically seem to be using me as a go-between for their own financial disputes (not a great place for a patient to be in) - has gone some way to being resolved. I tweeted earlier in the week about how bad they were, and some Twitter AXA person got hold of it and has been sorting it out. Which just goes to show that the Internet does work, on occasion. The upshot is that they are going to pay the Guildford Clinic in spite of telling the Clinic they weren't (which resulted in my consultant's office sending me a very upsetting letter that I did not appreciate in any way), partly because they have on the phone twice promised me that they would pay the claim. Now it transpires that they're doing it ex-gratia, and will not cover me for similar necessary consultations again, as they say I have no symptoms. Bollocks, say I. As the medical profession has already noted, my symptoms are depression, hormonal imbalances and endometriosis - I'm not sure how any of them aren't a symptom, so I am distinctly not happy about how AXA are interpreting the rules, and I don't accept it. Watch this space ... I must say K's previous medical insurers were a million times better and far more pleasant to deal with than this. I only wish his firm hadn't changed them.
Anyway, seeing as I'm in the middle of getting rid of the rubbish in my life, I have terminated my MySpace account, as MySpace is now so dull as to be virtually comatose. Yawn. It's a relief to be rid of it. But, really, no wonder I'm back on the gin ...
And, tonight, K and I are off to the theatre to see Richard III, so am hoping for dark drama and angst. Hell, it's what I'm used to here in the twilight zone. But I bet bloody Richard hasn't had the bloody week I've had - his life is a walk in the park compared to mine!...
Book News:
Ooh look, we've got to the 'something nice' section, hurrah! I was thrilled to hear that the reason that the edits for The Gifting have apparently been a little delayed (though to be honest I hadn't even noticed) was that the editor was enjoying the story too much. Gosh! Glorious words for a writer to hear, I can tell you. Also, the lovely people at Bluewood Publishing have accepted my lyrical short story, Dido's Tale, for publication so I have been busy signing the contract and thinking about blurbs and cover art today. What fun!
Other excitements are that there's a one-day Thanksgiving sale on FRIDAY 26th at Untreed Reads so don't forget to pick up a bargain or two there tomorrow. And for November only there's 20% off the first 2 orders at Dreamspinner Press with the code HolidayDreams, so go on - make this stressed-out and potentially homeless writer's weekend a happier one. You know you want to ...
Meanwhile, at Vulpes Libris, you can read my review of Barbara Pym's A Glass of Blessings, which is a beautifully understated novel of quietness and kindness. Which I really could have done with this week - note to self: must read more Pym ... Anyway, I can very much recommend the read.
This week's meditations are:
Meditation 466
Murder being once done,
you may as well
make a strange habit of it
ensuring that in all journeys
you’ll at least
get a seat in the carriage.
Meditation 467
Beneath apparent love,
instead of silence or prayer
the politics of destruction appear
so sword and fire,
blood and weeping
dwell here.
Meditation 468
It all boils down
to the politics of land:
who possesses it
and who doesn’t.
Nobody imagines
that the skies,
the earth, the air
might actually be God’s.
Anne Brooke
ANNE BROOKE BOOKS: Independent writer of modern fiction
Showing posts with label myspace. Show all posts
Showing posts with label myspace. Show all posts
Thursday, November 25, 2010
Saturday, April 12, 2008
Bones, Goldenford and the mysteries of chestnut hair
A very quiet day today. We haven't done very much. Good Lord, I haven't even left the flat, though Lord H has done a spot of shopping and brought back lunch and a paper, hurrah. I've been attempting to get to grips more with Facebook, which continues to remain more of a mystery than MySpace is. Perhaps it's an age thing, I don't know, but I do prefer MySpace as a networking tool. Too many applications on FB really.
That said, I have started up a Goldenford page on Facebook which you can find here. It's very lonely being the only fan of a publisher which produces the best books in the south, so if you are a Facebooker at all, please do come and join me. I promise not to bite. Well, not for the first few days anyway. I've even set up an event for our forthcoming Goldenford talk on Writing from our Roots on Wednesday 14 May at 2.30pm in the Guildford Institute in North Street, to which one person has already suggested they might come (thank you, Julia!). Gosh! Indeed I am so modern. Ho ho.
In the middle of all that virtual excitement, I've also managed to add another 1,000 words to The Bones of Summer, which brings it up to just over 70,000 words. Double gosh. Almost a novel-ful then. I also have Craig discovering the bitter truth about his past, so the aftermath of that is going to be fun to write, I can tell you. Suspect I'll leave it to another day though - he needs to mull it over for a bit first. As do I.
And, responding to the Golden Girls' suggestions, I have tweaked the Goldenford website in one or two places, so I at least feel that my new title of Webmistress Extraordinaire is not a courtesy one.
Tonight, I'm planning to watch "Dr Who" and hope that it's better than last week's clunker of an episode, and then it's the great decision of whether to watch (a) the golf; (b) "Pushing up Daisies"; or (c) "My Big Fat Greek Wedding". And once that's decided, I can then work out what to video. Ah decisions, decisions.
Ooh, and I am officially Shocked of Godalming. The latest discussions on the Vulpes Libris review site have strayed into the area of whether chestnut hair only actually exists in fiction. Well! Really! Rosy B, what can I say?!? One look here will indicate all too well that chestnut hair is alive and kicking and living in sunny Godalming, m'dears! As if the question even needed to be asked!
Today's nice things:
1. Writing more to Bones
2. Creating a Goldenford Facebook page
3. Validating the existence of my hair colour!
Anne Brooke
Anne's website
Goldenford Publishers
That said, I have started up a Goldenford page on Facebook which you can find here. It's very lonely being the only fan of a publisher which produces the best books in the south, so if you are a Facebooker at all, please do come and join me. I promise not to bite. Well, not for the first few days anyway. I've even set up an event for our forthcoming Goldenford talk on Writing from our Roots on Wednesday 14 May at 2.30pm in the Guildford Institute in North Street, to which one person has already suggested they might come (thank you, Julia!). Gosh! Indeed I am so modern. Ho ho.
In the middle of all that virtual excitement, I've also managed to add another 1,000 words to The Bones of Summer, which brings it up to just over 70,000 words. Double gosh. Almost a novel-ful then. I also have Craig discovering the bitter truth about his past, so the aftermath of that is going to be fun to write, I can tell you. Suspect I'll leave it to another day though - he needs to mull it over for a bit first. As do I.
And, responding to the Golden Girls' suggestions, I have tweaked the Goldenford website in one or two places, so I at least feel that my new title of Webmistress Extraordinaire is not a courtesy one.
Tonight, I'm planning to watch "Dr Who" and hope that it's better than last week's clunker of an episode, and then it's the great decision of whether to watch (a) the golf; (b) "Pushing up Daisies"; or (c) "My Big Fat Greek Wedding". And once that's decided, I can then work out what to video. Ah decisions, decisions.
Ooh, and I am officially Shocked of Godalming. The latest discussions on the Vulpes Libris review site have strayed into the area of whether chestnut hair only actually exists in fiction. Well! Really! Rosy B, what can I say?!? One look here will indicate all too well that chestnut hair is alive and kicking and living in sunny Godalming, m'dears! As if the question even needed to be asked!
Today's nice things:
1. Writing more to Bones
2. Creating a Goldenford Facebook page
3. Validating the existence of my hair colour!
Anne Brooke
Anne's website
Goldenford Publishers
Monday, June 18, 2007
Anger management and a big welcome to The Gawain Quest
Woke up feeling really tense and bad-tempered today. Must be the after-effects of having such a nice weekend. Mind you, I’m still cheered by the fact that Lord H rescued me from a bathroom spider last night – he wrapped it in kitchen towel, squashed it and then placed the kitchen towel plus dead spider on the floor. When I asked him why he didn’t just put it in the bin, his answer was that we still needed to have the fun of jumping up and down on the darn thing, whilst yelling. Which we duly did. And, yes, it is very cathartic. Though possibly not very good for the neighbours. Spiders? Bah! Death to the enemy, I say!
This morning, I have fiddled around with emails and a thousand and one minutes (again!), and attempted to look professional and concerned when asked anything to do with work, but frankly, m’dear, right now I just don’t give a damn. Must be Monday – can you tell? Oh Lord, when oh when will retirement arrive?? How I long for the day! It’s also rather dull here at the coalface without Ruth – she’s doing her accountancy exams this week, so I’m unlikely to see her. Or at least not for long. So it’s very quiet. Sigh.
But today’s Good News by a long chalk is that our next Goldenford (http://www.goldenford.co.uk) book, The Gawain Quest by Jay Margrave, is now available from our website to purchase. It’s a medieval thriller about a charismatic hitman who goes on a royal mission to find the author of a very rebellious poem. Can he complete his mission in one piece? And what exactly is the mystery of the castle?? Find out more at http://www.goldenford.co.uk! Go on – you know you want to … After all, it’s this year’s big summer read! And a very classy novel to boot. And I should know – as I had the pleasure of editing it. Besides of which, I know a good book when I see it. Buy early! Buy often!
Thank goodness for reflexology at lunchtime though – it really helped the tension thing, and I feel much more relaxed now. I think I fell asleep several times, so I must have needed it. Took me an age to get back to the office afterwards though – as the builders have blocked off even more paths – but am I bovvered? Um, no … And if the builders go on in similar vein over the next few days, we shall be cut off entirely from the outside world and forced to scale over barbed-wire fences and scaffolding in order to reach our desks at all. Please send food parcels. Groan.
Tonight, Lord H is at theology – doing the 19th century and the Oxford Movement, which is one of his favourite eras of the church history. All those bells & smells – it brings out his inner Drama Queen, you know! And I intend to stare at my computer screen and work out what on earth Craig is going to do next in The Bones of Summer. He’s just had one shock, and now he has to work out what to do about it. Poor guy. And where on earth does that leave Paul?? Ah, the plot thickens … Or it would if I had the faintest idea what I was doing.
Oh, and I also need to draft some questions about gay fiction for the very talented M L Rhodes (http://www.myspace.com/mlrhodeswriting) to answer – as she’s kindly agreed to help me with my article. Many thanks, ML – it’s very much appreciated!
The bad news is that the relaxed feeling has worn off and I now feel as riled as hell. Again. Bloody hormones - bollocks to them is what I say. Could really do with punching someone or taking a boxing class, but that's not possible, so I had to be content with mashing the potatoes really really hard, until even Lord H began to look worried. I suspect he'll be glad to be out of the flat tonight. God, it's like having a very angry little person in my stomach and I can feel the waves of tension radiating outwards from said person even as I type. Damn and bloody damn. No bloody wonder I don't write much feelgood stuff.
And I've just finished Carol Shields' Unless. I suppose it's probably a work of genius, but frankly I found it all rather tiresome, and I have retitled it Unless I'm not Mistaken, This isn't Really a Novel but just a Series of Vignettes Linked Randomly Together. Though even I realise that's not the catchiest of titles. Anyway, it's a shame as, normally, I quite enjoy Shields' novels - though I think her short stories are where she really seriously rocks. But there you go: can't win 'em all. And I do think it's a shame that the MC's husband, Tom, was such a shadowy, meaningless figure. And yes I do know it's a subtly feminist work, blah blah, and all the men in it are therefore prats, blah blah but really all that's a bit old hat, isn't it?
Hmm, time for some more Pimm's, I think?
Today’s nice things:
1. The publication of The Gawain Quest
2. Reflexology
3. Writing.
Anne Brooke
http://www.annebrooke.com
http://www.pinkchampagneandapplejuice.com
This morning, I have fiddled around with emails and a thousand and one minutes (again!), and attempted to look professional and concerned when asked anything to do with work, but frankly, m’dear, right now I just don’t give a damn. Must be Monday – can you tell? Oh Lord, when oh when will retirement arrive?? How I long for the day! It’s also rather dull here at the coalface without Ruth – she’s doing her accountancy exams this week, so I’m unlikely to see her. Or at least not for long. So it’s very quiet. Sigh.
But today’s Good News by a long chalk is that our next Goldenford (http://www.goldenford.co.uk) book, The Gawain Quest by Jay Margrave, is now available from our website to purchase. It’s a medieval thriller about a charismatic hitman who goes on a royal mission to find the author of a very rebellious poem. Can he complete his mission in one piece? And what exactly is the mystery of the castle?? Find out more at http://www.goldenford.co.uk! Go on – you know you want to … After all, it’s this year’s big summer read! And a very classy novel to boot. And I should know – as I had the pleasure of editing it. Besides of which, I know a good book when I see it. Buy early! Buy often!
Thank goodness for reflexology at lunchtime though – it really helped the tension thing, and I feel much more relaxed now. I think I fell asleep several times, so I must have needed it. Took me an age to get back to the office afterwards though – as the builders have blocked off even more paths – but am I bovvered? Um, no … And if the builders go on in similar vein over the next few days, we shall be cut off entirely from the outside world and forced to scale over barbed-wire fences and scaffolding in order to reach our desks at all. Please send food parcels. Groan.
Tonight, Lord H is at theology – doing the 19th century and the Oxford Movement, which is one of his favourite eras of the church history. All those bells & smells – it brings out his inner Drama Queen, you know! And I intend to stare at my computer screen and work out what on earth Craig is going to do next in The Bones of Summer. He’s just had one shock, and now he has to work out what to do about it. Poor guy. And where on earth does that leave Paul?? Ah, the plot thickens … Or it would if I had the faintest idea what I was doing.
Oh, and I also need to draft some questions about gay fiction for the very talented M L Rhodes (http://www.myspace.com/mlrhodeswriting) to answer – as she’s kindly agreed to help me with my article. Many thanks, ML – it’s very much appreciated!
The bad news is that the relaxed feeling has worn off and I now feel as riled as hell. Again. Bloody hormones - bollocks to them is what I say. Could really do with punching someone or taking a boxing class, but that's not possible, so I had to be content with mashing the potatoes really really hard, until even Lord H began to look worried. I suspect he'll be glad to be out of the flat tonight. God, it's like having a very angry little person in my stomach and I can feel the waves of tension radiating outwards from said person even as I type. Damn and bloody damn. No bloody wonder I don't write much feelgood stuff.
And I've just finished Carol Shields' Unless. I suppose it's probably a work of genius, but frankly I found it all rather tiresome, and I have retitled it Unless I'm not Mistaken, This isn't Really a Novel but just a Series of Vignettes Linked Randomly Together. Though even I realise that's not the catchiest of titles. Anyway, it's a shame as, normally, I quite enjoy Shields' novels - though I think her short stories are where she really seriously rocks. But there you go: can't win 'em all. And I do think it's a shame that the MC's husband, Tom, was such a shadowy, meaningless figure. And yes I do know it's a subtly feminist work, blah blah, and all the men in it are therefore prats, blah blah but really all that's a bit old hat, isn't it?
Hmm, time for some more Pimm's, I think?
Today’s nice things:
1. The publication of The Gawain Quest
2. Reflexology
3. Writing.
Anne Brooke
http://www.annebrooke.com
http://www.pinkchampagneandapplejuice.com
Thursday, June 14, 2007
The definitive Z-list feeling
Ye gods, but I'm feeling pretty Z-list today. It's the subtitle on the Blogger version of this journal (if you're reading that one) - someone once complained about it, but I kept it as it does seem to fit. Anyway, today, I am surrounded by writers who have already done it all, or are about to do it all, and are having utterly marvellous fulfilling times. And frankly, it's shit. Sorry, but it is. I know I'm supposed to rejoice in the wonderful success of others, but hell it's bloody hard sometimes. I honestly think that the older and more worn round the edges (and indeed the centre) that I get, the more invisible I become.
Anyway, bloody hard graft morning today - did the Goldenford (http://www.goldenford.co.uk) minutes, sent them out, and the first response I got was a distinctly stiff command (not, I suspect, from any of the directors themselves, but from one of their administrators ...) not to send them to the address I was sending to as my email was Not Office Business. Well, sorry, but I'm doing my best, people. And the director concerned did actually ask me to use that address, so I was only doing what I was told. For once ...
I've also practised my Writewords (http://www.writewords.org.uk) poetry reading for the July event, and put together a few well-chosen (I hope) words for introducing The Gawain Quest (http://www.goldenford.co.uk) at the 23 June launch. And practised them too. Not only that, but Flame (http://www.flamebooks.com) have encouraged me to write an article on why straight women write gay fiction, so I've done a skeleton outline for that and made a couple of enquiries to possible article buyers. Ooh, and asked those women I know who write in that genre for any points they might want to include. However, I'm told that several pieces already exist in the same vein, so will probably change it to more of an opinion piece. We'll see. But it's a bloody hard slog - I'm not a natural at this game at all, I fear. Still, I'll do my best.
Then, lunch with Robin - which was lovely, as ever, but I was sooo hoping that she might say something about A Dangerous Man (which I know she's read now). However, there was nothing, and I was way too scared to ask. Yes, I know that shows how needy and desperate I am - but bloody hell, live with it! I am needy and desperate! After all, I always make some kind of comment on her concerts that I attend - even if I haven't enjoyed them (I'm not a great fan of requiems, though Lord H enjoys them), I can find something positive to say. Sigh! Still, we had a good time nonetheless
Just off to counselling now - Kunu couldn't see me this morning, so I'm popping in at 5.15 instead. How I hate the change in routine, but suspect I need the session. God, how I need the session! And after that, I'll be going straight to the Guildford theatre to see Ayckbourn's "Bedroom Farce", so hope that'll cheer me up. We'll eat at the theatre too. Salmon - yummy!
Oh, and poor Mother is having another cancer scare - bit of a bummer really, as she was so looking forward to her July holiday, which she'll now have to cancel. But I'm encouraging her to rebook for later in the year, as it'll be something to look forward to. Must admit we've been here before in terms of operations etc - being Mother, she's more pissed off by the fact that this time all the young doctors appear to be female, and she was so hoping for a nice young man - as ever, eh ... But we'll hold our breath and hope for the best. The good news is that they've caught it earlier than the last bout - thank God. Must rush and do my own essential checking then - groan! What a family indeed ...
And I do so wonder when Myspace (http://www.myspace.com) are going to allow me my blog comments facility back. Double sigh - was it something I said??
Today's nice things:
1. Lunch with Robin
2. Writing the launch party introduction
3. The theatre.
Anne Brooke
http://www.annebrooke.com
http://www.pinkchampagneandapplejuice.com
Anyway, bloody hard graft morning today - did the Goldenford (http://www.goldenford.co.uk) minutes, sent them out, and the first response I got was a distinctly stiff command (not, I suspect, from any of the directors themselves, but from one of their administrators ...) not to send them to the address I was sending to as my email was Not Office Business. Well, sorry, but I'm doing my best, people. And the director concerned did actually ask me to use that address, so I was only doing what I was told. For once ...
I've also practised my Writewords (http://www.writewords.org.uk) poetry reading for the July event, and put together a few well-chosen (I hope) words for introducing The Gawain Quest (http://www.goldenford.co.uk) at the 23 June launch. And practised them too. Not only that, but Flame (http://www.flamebooks.com) have encouraged me to write an article on why straight women write gay fiction, so I've done a skeleton outline for that and made a couple of enquiries to possible article buyers. Ooh, and asked those women I know who write in that genre for any points they might want to include. However, I'm told that several pieces already exist in the same vein, so will probably change it to more of an opinion piece. We'll see. But it's a bloody hard slog - I'm not a natural at this game at all, I fear. Still, I'll do my best.
Then, lunch with Robin - which was lovely, as ever, but I was sooo hoping that she might say something about A Dangerous Man (which I know she's read now). However, there was nothing, and I was way too scared to ask. Yes, I know that shows how needy and desperate I am - but bloody hell, live with it! I am needy and desperate! After all, I always make some kind of comment on her concerts that I attend - even if I haven't enjoyed them (I'm not a great fan of requiems, though Lord H enjoys them), I can find something positive to say. Sigh! Still, we had a good time nonetheless
Just off to counselling now - Kunu couldn't see me this morning, so I'm popping in at 5.15 instead. How I hate the change in routine, but suspect I need the session. God, how I need the session! And after that, I'll be going straight to the Guildford theatre to see Ayckbourn's "Bedroom Farce", so hope that'll cheer me up. We'll eat at the theatre too. Salmon - yummy!
Oh, and poor Mother is having another cancer scare - bit of a bummer really, as she was so looking forward to her July holiday, which she'll now have to cancel. But I'm encouraging her to rebook for later in the year, as it'll be something to look forward to. Must admit we've been here before in terms of operations etc - being Mother, she's more pissed off by the fact that this time all the young doctors appear to be female, and she was so hoping for a nice young man - as ever, eh ... But we'll hold our breath and hope for the best. The good news is that they've caught it earlier than the last bout - thank God. Must rush and do my own essential checking then - groan! What a family indeed ...
And I do so wonder when Myspace (http://www.myspace.com) are going to allow me my blog comments facility back. Double sigh - was it something I said??
Today's nice things:
1. Lunch with Robin
2. Writing the launch party introduction
3. The theatre.
Anne Brooke
http://www.annebrooke.com
http://www.pinkchampagneandapplejuice.com
Saturday, May 12, 2007
Naked men and cocktails ...
... as it were. Nice lie-in today, brought on by yesterday's social whirl. I must say how lovely it was to meet Clayton (http://www.myspace.com/dwbsoho) at last and to be able to have such an inspirational in-depth chat about writing and this strange world of books we find ourselves in. Thanks, Clayton - enjoyed it very much! Also lovely to meet Bryony and catch up on the last year over pizza and wine. Bliss.
Lord H very kindly picked me up from Woking station last night (I missed the train to Godalming by 3 minutes, darn it!...) and over the course of yesterday and today, I find out that he has been storing away Husband Points like nobody's business. While I'm out gallivanting and meeting nice people, Lord H has (a) cleaned the whole flat and done the hoovering (b) bought me the latest Joanne Harris book (c) glued down the broken tile in the bathroom (d) sorted out the recycling boxes (e) videod "My Family" and "Have I Got News for You? without being asked (f) done the rest of the shopping (g) solved the problem of Iraq and (h) instigated World Peace. It's astonishing what we can get up to here in the shires. So I am now married to a Husband with a Very Smug Smile. And I have absolutely no Wife Points to speak of. What a SuperHero indeed. Perhaps I should go to London more often ...!?
This morning, I have typed up more to The Gifting (119,500 words now, and onto the very last scene ...) and popped into Godalming for papers etc. We have then motored into Guildford to see "Dead Funny" at the Guildford Theatre this afternoon. Which included tasteful (the worst sort really!) male nudity, with bits concealed (sigh!) and a very funny rerun of a classic Morecambe and Wise sketch. However, the play itself wasn't great, and really lasted for 15 minutes too long, in our opinion.
Straight afterwards, we've been to a cocktail party in Godalming for an old American friend & poet - lovely to see you again, Gordon, and I still miss our Monday night poetry group ... But I have to say Gordon does have some very strange friends. One of the local rich folk was there, whom Lord H and I can't stand, but we managed to avoid him successfully, hurrah! But, just as I thought it was safe, I was cornered by a drunk old geezer with an attitude problem and a lurid green jacket who just wouldn't go away (the man and the jacket, believe me). I eventually ditched him by telling him I was a street ballet dancer and I needed to get to my next performance. Bizarrely this seemed to work, though I suspect I shan't be going into Godalming for a while ...
Some nice writing news - Crimeficreader (http://itsacrime.typepad.com) has reviewed "A Dangerous Man" (http://www.flamebooks.com) with an interesting political slant, and the full review can be found here:
http://itsacrime.typepad.com/its_a_crime_or_a_mystery/2007/05/a_dangerous_man.html#more
Thanks, Rhian - I'm very happy to be included on your blog. As is Michael! And one of my poems has been shortlisted in this month's Writing Magazine, so that's a boost for sure. And Jackie (http://freespace.virgin.net/jackie.luben/) has also been shortlisted for the Writers' News short story competition, so well done, Jackie! Guildford Writers (http://www.guildfordwriters.net) are back on form then! Ooh, and I've received my book prize for being Readers' Choice in the 55 word fiction competition in http://www.birdandmoon.com/55words/ site, so shall look forward to reading those. Thanks, guys! And thanks also to everyone who voted - I'm really grateful.
Tonight, it's the great Eurovision blitz, with the adorable cynicism of Terry Wogan, which I shall pop into now and again. What could be nicer?
Today's nice things:
1. Crimeficreader's review
2. The shortlistings
3. Writing.
Anne Brooke
http://www.annebrooke.com
http://www.pinkchampagneandapplejuice.com
http://www.goldenford.co.uk
Lord H very kindly picked me up from Woking station last night (I missed the train to Godalming by 3 minutes, darn it!...) and over the course of yesterday and today, I find out that he has been storing away Husband Points like nobody's business. While I'm out gallivanting and meeting nice people, Lord H has (a) cleaned the whole flat and done the hoovering (b) bought me the latest Joanne Harris book (c) glued down the broken tile in the bathroom (d) sorted out the recycling boxes (e) videod "My Family" and "Have I Got News for You? without being asked (f) done the rest of the shopping (g) solved the problem of Iraq and (h) instigated World Peace. It's astonishing what we can get up to here in the shires. So I am now married to a Husband with a Very Smug Smile. And I have absolutely no Wife Points to speak of. What a SuperHero indeed. Perhaps I should go to London more often ...!?
This morning, I have typed up more to The Gifting (119,500 words now, and onto the very last scene ...) and popped into Godalming for papers etc. We have then motored into Guildford to see "Dead Funny" at the Guildford Theatre this afternoon. Which included tasteful (the worst sort really!) male nudity, with bits concealed (sigh!) and a very funny rerun of a classic Morecambe and Wise sketch. However, the play itself wasn't great, and really lasted for 15 minutes too long, in our opinion.
Straight afterwards, we've been to a cocktail party in Godalming for an old American friend & poet - lovely to see you again, Gordon, and I still miss our Monday night poetry group ... But I have to say Gordon does have some very strange friends. One of the local rich folk was there, whom Lord H and I can't stand, but we managed to avoid him successfully, hurrah! But, just as I thought it was safe, I was cornered by a drunk old geezer with an attitude problem and a lurid green jacket who just wouldn't go away (the man and the jacket, believe me). I eventually ditched him by telling him I was a street ballet dancer and I needed to get to my next performance. Bizarrely this seemed to work, though I suspect I shan't be going into Godalming for a while ...
Some nice writing news - Crimeficreader (http://itsacrime.typepad.com) has reviewed "A Dangerous Man" (http://www.flamebooks.com) with an interesting political slant, and the full review can be found here:
http://itsacrime.typepad.com/its_a_crime_or_a_mystery/2007/05/a_dangerous_man.html#more
Thanks, Rhian - I'm very happy to be included on your blog. As is Michael! And one of my poems has been shortlisted in this month's Writing Magazine, so that's a boost for sure. And Jackie (http://freespace.virgin.net/jackie.luben/) has also been shortlisted for the Writers' News short story competition, so well done, Jackie! Guildford Writers (http://www.guildfordwriters.net) are back on form then! Ooh, and I've received my book prize for being Readers' Choice in the 55 word fiction competition in http://www.birdandmoon.com/55words/ site, so shall look forward to reading those. Thanks, guys! And thanks also to everyone who voted - I'm really grateful.
Tonight, it's the great Eurovision blitz, with the adorable cynicism of Terry Wogan, which I shall pop into now and again. What could be nicer?
Today's nice things:
1. Crimeficreader's review
2. The shortlistings
3. Writing.
Anne Brooke
http://www.annebrooke.com
http://www.pinkchampagneandapplejuice.com
http://www.goldenford.co.uk
Friday, May 11, 2007
Of humility and excellence
Was working through the personal strength questions in my "Authentic Happiness" book this morning whilst on the exercise bike (and, yes, I was peddling ...) and have found out that my humility score is excessively low (no surprises there then) but my appreciation of beauty & excellence score is rather high, thank you very much. Pause for bowing and self-congratulatory applause ... Lord H attempted to cheer me up about my appalling lack of humility by suggesting that perhaps having a low humility score is, in fact, a good thing as a high humility score would mean you could be proud about it, and then the whole point would be lost. He looked suitably smug when I told him about the beauty/excellence result and said that of course I would get a high score for that as I had been married to excellence for thirteen glorious years. Hmm. Nice to know that our humility scores may well be similar indeed.
This morning, I have played golf with Marian. Now there's a game where humility and excellence go side by side, and are sometimes experienced in the same breath. Well, in theory anyway - haven't had much of the golf excellence quota for a while now. Surely it's time for our luck to turn?
I attempted a little bit of writing, but am really fiddling around the edges of it today - am spooked by my super-active weekend and the need to keep upright and look friendly at all times. But, hey, maybe this is what Widening Participation is all about? - even sociopaths are allowed into the outside world on occasion. And I do have some fun things to look forward to: today I'm off up to London shortly to chew the writing cud over coffee with Clayton (http://www.myspace.com/dwbsoho) - and I'm sure Clayton's shop will be excellent, and I will be suitably humbled by the experience. Though I am trying to look neat (fashionable is only a distant dream, I fear ...) and comb my post-golf wild hair into some kind of control. I don't want to let you down, Clayton! It will also be nice to revisit some of Michael's (http://www.flamebooks.com) old hunting ground; I'm sure his voice is stronger today, and suspect he knows he's off to the big city soon. Characters are like that - they know more than you think, dammit ...
And, after that, I'm meeting Bryony (an old schoolfriend) for pizza and catch-up. My mother is very pleased about this, as she's always loved Bryony (ah, such a nice girl, dear - why can't you be more like her? ...). I am also pleased, as we can talk without having to chat, hurrah! If you see what I mean.
Oh, and I've had some communication with my agent (http://www.johnjarrold.co.uk/about.html) today. We've decided (I think) that the only way to squeeze me into any major publishers' schedules is to rename me so I sound like dubious minor royalty (is there any other kind?). So goodbye Brooke and hello Baron Blackthornton-Smythe. Ah, the Baron - a fine old gent, you know, and a dab hand at croquet. Strangely, I can picture him already - tall and lean, 50s, silvering hair, piercing green eyes, and a butler who is secretly in love with him. Bloody hell, somebody pass me the anti-psychosis pills - I think I feel a plot coming on ...
And welcome back to Wayne (http://www.myspace.com/wblackhurst) who has been missing from Myspace for way too long due to Orange problems. Welcome back, Wayne - we've missed you!
Today's nice things:
1. Golf
2. Meeting Clayton ...
3. ... and meeting Bryony.
Anne Brooke (AKA The Baron)
http://www.annebrooke.com
http://www.pinkchampagneandapplejuice.com
http://www.goldenford.co.uk
This morning, I have played golf with Marian. Now there's a game where humility and excellence go side by side, and are sometimes experienced in the same breath. Well, in theory anyway - haven't had much of the golf excellence quota for a while now. Surely it's time for our luck to turn?
I attempted a little bit of writing, but am really fiddling around the edges of it today - am spooked by my super-active weekend and the need to keep upright and look friendly at all times. But, hey, maybe this is what Widening Participation is all about? - even sociopaths are allowed into the outside world on occasion. And I do have some fun things to look forward to: today I'm off up to London shortly to chew the writing cud over coffee with Clayton (http://www.myspace.com/dwbsoho) - and I'm sure Clayton's shop will be excellent, and I will be suitably humbled by the experience. Though I am trying to look neat (fashionable is only a distant dream, I fear ...) and comb my post-golf wild hair into some kind of control. I don't want to let you down, Clayton! It will also be nice to revisit some of Michael's (http://www.flamebooks.com) old hunting ground; I'm sure his voice is stronger today, and suspect he knows he's off to the big city soon. Characters are like that - they know more than you think, dammit ...
And, after that, I'm meeting Bryony (an old schoolfriend) for pizza and catch-up. My mother is very pleased about this, as she's always loved Bryony (ah, such a nice girl, dear - why can't you be more like her? ...). I am also pleased, as we can talk without having to chat, hurrah! If you see what I mean.
Oh, and I've had some communication with my agent (http://www.johnjarrold.co.uk/about.html) today. We've decided (I think) that the only way to squeeze me into any major publishers' schedules is to rename me so I sound like dubious minor royalty (is there any other kind?). So goodbye Brooke and hello Baron Blackthornton-Smythe. Ah, the Baron - a fine old gent, you know, and a dab hand at croquet. Strangely, I can picture him already - tall and lean, 50s, silvering hair, piercing green eyes, and a butler who is secretly in love with him. Bloody hell, somebody pass me the anti-psychosis pills - I think I feel a plot coming on ...
And welcome back to Wayne (http://www.myspace.com/wblackhurst) who has been missing from Myspace for way too long due to Orange problems. Welcome back, Wayne - we've missed you!
Today's nice things:
1. Golf
2. Meeting Clayton ...
3. ... and meeting Bryony.
Anne Brooke (AKA The Baron)
http://www.annebrooke.com
http://www.pinkchampagneandapplejuice.com
http://www.goldenford.co.uk
Tuesday, May 08, 2007
Summer Schools and treasure hunts
Ruth was back at work today, which was great as I’d missed her last week. It was rather quiet. She brought with her tales of gorgeous weather in Mull, peculiar fishing trips and chocolate ginger biscuits. Hmm. Lovely. Good for my circulation and my hormones – what more could one want?
This morning, I have made more phone calls from work than I normally do in a year. I rang Marian (golfing partner) to give her the name of the new National Trust property that Lord H and I visited last month as she was wanting to know it; I rang Jennifer at Goldenford (http://www.goldenford.co.uk/) to confirm whether this Thursday’s meeting is on or not. Answer – it is. So I’d better do an agenda then. And I think in that case I won’t go to Guildford Writers (http://www.guildfordwriters.net/) tonight as otherwise there’ll not be an evening in till the weekend. And I can’t do that any more. Not now I’m in my Executive Years. I also rang Guildford Museum as Lord H and I are keen to go to their showing of “A Night at the Museum” plus treasure hunt in a couple of weeks’ time. Yes, we’re just 7 year olds at heart … And it gives me an excuse to get my big torch (careful!...) out and do a lot of screaming, so what could be nicer?
In the middle of all that, I’ve sorted out various Professors, their Secretaries and all my outstanding meetings, by the simple approach of putting everything which should have been in May to the end of June instead. So they can’t go on holiday, ha! Oh. Darn it – neither can I then. Ah well. It will make June top-heavy to the point of implosion with minuting, but I’m hoping the joy of my birthday will carry me through the pain of having to work.
And it looks like I can do some of the courses on at the Diocesan Summer School this year – as the boss is okay with me taking those days off. I’m particularly keen on “Finding God’s Hidden Presence” (though the cynic in me says: well, if it’s hidden, how can you find it then?), “Renewing the Bodymind” (the same tutor did a great meditation day last year – really inspirational), “Transformation: Our Work or God’s” (heck, I would say his surely – he has to have something to do in the quiet times, doesn’t he??), and “Growing Together – an Accompanied Journey” – which is about spiritual direction. Something I’ve always been very much drawn to but have never had the courage to take that step. Hmm, funny how there’s a course on it the moment I leave church. Perhaps God does have a sense of humour after all? It wouldn’t surprise me.
This lunchtime, I walked round the lake. Windy but warm enough to sit for a while. Fresh air – it’s a marvellous thing – in moderation.
And in response to the Writewords (http://www.writewords.org.uk/) Flash Fiction II challenge – theme: anything mobile – I have written this:
On the move
Algernon Culverly-Smythe had always lived his adult life on the move. He never stayed in one town more than three months. And he liked to move countries after six months. He’d discovered the value of this since being chased by his father from the family estate in the Chilterns at the age of fifteen for selling drugs to his younger brother’s friends. His father then had told him never to darken his door again, but instead of being traumatised, Algernon had actually been rather pleased. After all, he’d run out of people to corrupt and he’d needed to try new pastures. And new pastures was what he’d tried: Morocco; Africa; Canada; the Alps; Mauritius; China; and Taiwan. Oh yes, Algie had made several fortunes with his nefarious activities. And spent them too.
Funny how he’d ended up here, back in the Chilterns. Back at the old homestead. Well, he was nearing his nineties now, and a man liked to die beside his own hearth, didn’t he? And after seventy-four years, surely all his sins would have been forgotten.
He knocked at the old oak door, using the brass imp knocker which brought back so many memories. Happy and otherwise. After a long time, the door swung open. A pair of eyes glinted at him through the gloom. He recognised his brother.
‘Arthur!’ he cried out, arms open wide. ‘It’s me: Algernon. I’m back!’
His brother harrumphed. ‘Never mind that,’ he grunted. ‘Where’s them drugs you promised me?’
Oh, and Laura Wilkinson from Myspace (http://www.myspace.com/lauracwilkinson) and also from http://www.hagsharlotsheroines.com/ has sent me my interview questions for her June magazine, so I’m going to get my teeth into that fairly soon. Thanks, Laura!
Big sigh though - I've just finished Tracy Chevalier's "Burning Bright", which in my opinion should probably be retitled "Burning Dim". I couldn't really raise any interest in it, which made me feel very guilty as it was a present from Lord H. I just didn't like the plot, the characters or the style. Sorry. It strikes me that she's a writer who seems to produce one masterpiece followed by a dud followed by another masterpiece, etc etc, and this was a Dud Moment. Um, I'm looking forward to the next one then ...
Tonight, in between interview thoughts, I’m planning an evening with Lord H in front of “Midsomer Murders”. Will have to video the new crime drama, “Holby Blue”, on the other side too – as it looks surprisingly good.
Today’s nice things:
1. Thinking about interview questions
2. Planning my social/spiritual life for the summer
3. TV.
Anne Brooke
http://www.annebrooke.com/
http://www.pinkchampagneandapplejuice.com/
This morning, I have made more phone calls from work than I normally do in a year. I rang Marian (golfing partner) to give her the name of the new National Trust property that Lord H and I visited last month as she was wanting to know it; I rang Jennifer at Goldenford (http://www.goldenford.co.uk/) to confirm whether this Thursday’s meeting is on or not. Answer – it is. So I’d better do an agenda then. And I think in that case I won’t go to Guildford Writers (http://www.guildfordwriters.net/) tonight as otherwise there’ll not be an evening in till the weekend. And I can’t do that any more. Not now I’m in my Executive Years. I also rang Guildford Museum as Lord H and I are keen to go to their showing of “A Night at the Museum” plus treasure hunt in a couple of weeks’ time. Yes, we’re just 7 year olds at heart … And it gives me an excuse to get my big torch (careful!...) out and do a lot of screaming, so what could be nicer?
In the middle of all that, I’ve sorted out various Professors, their Secretaries and all my outstanding meetings, by the simple approach of putting everything which should have been in May to the end of June instead. So they can’t go on holiday, ha! Oh. Darn it – neither can I then. Ah well. It will make June top-heavy to the point of implosion with minuting, but I’m hoping the joy of my birthday will carry me through the pain of having to work.
And it looks like I can do some of the courses on at the Diocesan Summer School this year – as the boss is okay with me taking those days off. I’m particularly keen on “Finding God’s Hidden Presence” (though the cynic in me says: well, if it’s hidden, how can you find it then?), “Renewing the Bodymind” (the same tutor did a great meditation day last year – really inspirational), “Transformation: Our Work or God’s” (heck, I would say his surely – he has to have something to do in the quiet times, doesn’t he??), and “Growing Together – an Accompanied Journey” – which is about spiritual direction. Something I’ve always been very much drawn to but have never had the courage to take that step. Hmm, funny how there’s a course on it the moment I leave church. Perhaps God does have a sense of humour after all? It wouldn’t surprise me.
This lunchtime, I walked round the lake. Windy but warm enough to sit for a while. Fresh air – it’s a marvellous thing – in moderation.
And in response to the Writewords (http://www.writewords.org.uk/) Flash Fiction II challenge – theme: anything mobile – I have written this:
On the move
Algernon Culverly-Smythe had always lived his adult life on the move. He never stayed in one town more than three months. And he liked to move countries after six months. He’d discovered the value of this since being chased by his father from the family estate in the Chilterns at the age of fifteen for selling drugs to his younger brother’s friends. His father then had told him never to darken his door again, but instead of being traumatised, Algernon had actually been rather pleased. After all, he’d run out of people to corrupt and he’d needed to try new pastures. And new pastures was what he’d tried: Morocco; Africa; Canada; the Alps; Mauritius; China; and Taiwan. Oh yes, Algie had made several fortunes with his nefarious activities. And spent them too.
Funny how he’d ended up here, back in the Chilterns. Back at the old homestead. Well, he was nearing his nineties now, and a man liked to die beside his own hearth, didn’t he? And after seventy-four years, surely all his sins would have been forgotten.
He knocked at the old oak door, using the brass imp knocker which brought back so many memories. Happy and otherwise. After a long time, the door swung open. A pair of eyes glinted at him through the gloom. He recognised his brother.
‘Arthur!’ he cried out, arms open wide. ‘It’s me: Algernon. I’m back!’
His brother harrumphed. ‘Never mind that,’ he grunted. ‘Where’s them drugs you promised me?’
Oh, and Laura Wilkinson from Myspace (http://www.myspace.com/lauracwilkinson) and also from http://www.hagsharlotsheroines.com/ has sent me my interview questions for her June magazine, so I’m going to get my teeth into that fairly soon. Thanks, Laura!
Big sigh though - I've just finished Tracy Chevalier's "Burning Bright", which in my opinion should probably be retitled "Burning Dim". I couldn't really raise any interest in it, which made me feel very guilty as it was a present from Lord H. I just didn't like the plot, the characters or the style. Sorry. It strikes me that she's a writer who seems to produce one masterpiece followed by a dud followed by another masterpiece, etc etc, and this was a Dud Moment. Um, I'm looking forward to the next one then ...
Tonight, in between interview thoughts, I’m planning an evening with Lord H in front of “Midsomer Murders”. Will have to video the new crime drama, “Holby Blue”, on the other side too – as it looks surprisingly good.
Today’s nice things:
1. Thinking about interview questions
2. Planning my social/spiritual life for the summer
3. TV.
Anne Brooke
http://www.annebrooke.com/
http://www.pinkchampagneandapplejuice.com/
Tuesday, May 01, 2007
Pessimism and the search for happiness
Gosh, great title, eh? That'll have 'em lining the bookshops ... Anyway, after last night’s book club joy, I came down to earth very rapidly at getting yet another rejection for Maloney’s Law. Deep sigh. Admittedly, it was from a publisher I assumed had already rejected it, but there you go. So, it’s now only out with one US publisher – if they say no, I’m throwing in the towel on the commercial front, I think, as it’s coming up to two years in the market for that one now. Shame really, as it’s been shortlisted for the most awards of all my novels. But I am heartened by the hope that perhaps it might find its way into Goldenford’s (http://www.goldenford.co.uk/) lists at some stage over the next year or so, depending on what my fellow directors say. Mind you, our future publication list is getting longer (which is great!) so I don’t know when that might be.
I had a long chat with Lord H last night when he came back from theology class about why it is that we both admit to being a lot happier and more optimistic about life ‘n’ stuff in our late twenties and throughout our thirties, but now we’re in our forties, all that seems to be slipping away. Is it age? A growing cynicism? Or something more sinister? It’s a mystery really. But I do tend to stare out of my office window whilst at the university and watch all those young 20s walking by and I envy them utterly. Not that I’d want to be that age again – I wouldn’t; it was horrendous. But I envy the sense of optimism I had then and which they must have now about life being hopeful and being able to do anything you might want. One day. That’s the feeling I have less and less these days. And my moments of pure happiness are fewer too. I remember feeling happy whilst at the Japanese Garden in Kew, or at the National Trust house we went to recently, or looking at the blossom on the trees, but it doesn’t stay long and doesn’t come often. And I’m sure I used to have those happy, hopeful moments far more often when younger – even when I was going through hell. Weird really. I don’t know the answer to it.
All this has been sparked off by my reading of Authentic Happiness, my current self-help book. It’s really making me think – I’ve done the Optimism/Pessimism tests and was shocked to find that (far from being optimistic, which I’d hoped to be at heart – somewhere …?), I’m actually a Moderate Pessimist. I’m sure I wouldn’t have been that in my 20s … I was so worried that I actually mentioned this to the boss today, thinking he might express surprise, but he didn’t, darn it. Though he did try to reassure me by saying he didn’t think I was an Extreme Pessimist. Ah well.
Either way, Lord H and I have decided that, although we like being together and couldn’t imagine the alternative, we don’t actually like life that much. Not as a concept anyway. And actually God isn’t proving a barrel of laughs at the moment either. So we’ve decided we should try being outdoors more as, at the very least, if we’re still unhappy, then we’ll be outside being unhappy, rather than inside being miserable. If you see what I mean. We might even draw up a list of what we like doing and try doing more of those sorts of things to cheer ourselves up. (Steady there, at the back ...!)
Hey ho. Life in sunny Godalming is a laugh a minute, I can tell you!
Anyway, I’ve busied myself with catching up at work, and looking at the Health Centre website again, with a view to changing it. At last! And we’ve finally got notification through that the Lead Doctor has resigned. Heck, he was on sabbatical last year and never came back, but nobody would talk about it. I sooo hate that when that happens – honestly, the educational world is getting more like the commercial one every day – much to its detriment in some ways. It's inhumane, as far as I can see. But I for one would have liked to say a proper goodbye to the Good Doctor and am sad – and disappointed – that the powers that be have chosen to do this. Sticks in the gullet rather. Anyway, I’ve sent our former colleague a goodbye and good luck email – hope he gets it somehow.
Had my next reflexology session at lunchtime. Bliss – as ever. I felt really calm afterwards. Where would I be without it? Goodness knows. Next time – which, due to diaries, turns out to be in early June, dammit! – I’m going to try some Reiki, as I am hoping to achieve a new sense of balance and harmony. Pause for cynical comment – but I won’t make one this time, as I’m too pessimistic already, ha!
However, my day has been cheered by a rare sighting of two very hot men on campus - one who opened a door for me this morning (delicious sigh ...) and another, with glorious red hair, this afternoon. More delicious sighing and joy! It's so rare that totty is sighted at work and it's a pleasure to see it now and again. They're obviously raising the standards of meeting attenders in educational circles. Hurrah! Hell, maybe it is the menopause after all ...
Oh, and Laura Wilkinson from Myspace (http://www.myspace.com/lauracwilkinson) – who works with the HagsHarlotsHeroines site (http://www.hagsharlotsheroines.com/) is thoroughly enjoying A Dangerous Man (http://www.flamebooks.com/) and would like to do an interview with me for the HHH site. Thank you hugely, Laura – looking forward to that for sure!
Tonight, I’m off to the pub seeing Jane H and Tanya, which I’m looking forward to. A girls’ night out, but locally and with only two people. Bliss!
Today’s nice things:
1. Reflexology
2. Laura W’s enthusiasm for ADM
3. Seeing the gals.
Anne Brooke
http://www.annebrooke.com/
I had a long chat with Lord H last night when he came back from theology class about why it is that we both admit to being a lot happier and more optimistic about life ‘n’ stuff in our late twenties and throughout our thirties, but now we’re in our forties, all that seems to be slipping away. Is it age? A growing cynicism? Or something more sinister? It’s a mystery really. But I do tend to stare out of my office window whilst at the university and watch all those young 20s walking by and I envy them utterly. Not that I’d want to be that age again – I wouldn’t; it was horrendous. But I envy the sense of optimism I had then and which they must have now about life being hopeful and being able to do anything you might want. One day. That’s the feeling I have less and less these days. And my moments of pure happiness are fewer too. I remember feeling happy whilst at the Japanese Garden in Kew, or at the National Trust house we went to recently, or looking at the blossom on the trees, but it doesn’t stay long and doesn’t come often. And I’m sure I used to have those happy, hopeful moments far more often when younger – even when I was going through hell. Weird really. I don’t know the answer to it.
All this has been sparked off by my reading of Authentic Happiness, my current self-help book. It’s really making me think – I’ve done the Optimism/Pessimism tests and was shocked to find that (far from being optimistic, which I’d hoped to be at heart – somewhere …?), I’m actually a Moderate Pessimist. I’m sure I wouldn’t have been that in my 20s … I was so worried that I actually mentioned this to the boss today, thinking he might express surprise, but he didn’t, darn it. Though he did try to reassure me by saying he didn’t think I was an Extreme Pessimist. Ah well.
Either way, Lord H and I have decided that, although we like being together and couldn’t imagine the alternative, we don’t actually like life that much. Not as a concept anyway. And actually God isn’t proving a barrel of laughs at the moment either. So we’ve decided we should try being outdoors more as, at the very least, if we’re still unhappy, then we’ll be outside being unhappy, rather than inside being miserable. If you see what I mean. We might even draw up a list of what we like doing and try doing more of those sorts of things to cheer ourselves up. (Steady there, at the back ...!)
Hey ho. Life in sunny Godalming is a laugh a minute, I can tell you!
Anyway, I’ve busied myself with catching up at work, and looking at the Health Centre website again, with a view to changing it. At last! And we’ve finally got notification through that the Lead Doctor has resigned. Heck, he was on sabbatical last year and never came back, but nobody would talk about it. I sooo hate that when that happens – honestly, the educational world is getting more like the commercial one every day – much to its detriment in some ways. It's inhumane, as far as I can see. But I for one would have liked to say a proper goodbye to the Good Doctor and am sad – and disappointed – that the powers that be have chosen to do this. Sticks in the gullet rather. Anyway, I’ve sent our former colleague a goodbye and good luck email – hope he gets it somehow.
Had my next reflexology session at lunchtime. Bliss – as ever. I felt really calm afterwards. Where would I be without it? Goodness knows. Next time – which, due to diaries, turns out to be in early June, dammit! – I’m going to try some Reiki, as I am hoping to achieve a new sense of balance and harmony. Pause for cynical comment – but I won’t make one this time, as I’m too pessimistic already, ha!
However, my day has been cheered by a rare sighting of two very hot men on campus - one who opened a door for me this morning (delicious sigh ...) and another, with glorious red hair, this afternoon. More delicious sighing and joy! It's so rare that totty is sighted at work and it's a pleasure to see it now and again. They're obviously raising the standards of meeting attenders in educational circles. Hurrah! Hell, maybe it is the menopause after all ...
Oh, and Laura Wilkinson from Myspace (http://www.myspace.com/lauracwilkinson) – who works with the HagsHarlotsHeroines site (http://www.hagsharlotsheroines.com/) is thoroughly enjoying A Dangerous Man (http://www.flamebooks.com/) and would like to do an interview with me for the HHH site. Thank you hugely, Laura – looking forward to that for sure!
Tonight, I’m off to the pub seeing Jane H and Tanya, which I’m looking forward to. A girls’ night out, but locally and with only two people. Bliss!
Today’s nice things:
1. Reflexology
2. Laura W’s enthusiasm for ADM
3. Seeing the gals.
Anne Brooke
http://www.annebrooke.com/
Monday, April 30, 2007
Steering Group and Book Circle
Was it just me or was last night's offering of "Kingdom" on TV slightly better than the week before? More jokes and sharpness, thank God. If they could only shake off the trappings of ruddy "Heartbeat", they'd be laughing. Oh and get rid of the irritating sister - a waste of space in my opinion. There, rant over. Phew
Have taken my calming pills to work today due to this evening’s University book circle discussion of A Dangerous Man (http://www.flamebooks.com). Am being good so far though and have only taken two. Am definitely saving two for later though – plus the Rescue Remedy spray. Oh, I’ve already taken one of those, darnit. And it’s only 11.45am. Ah well. Our family isn’t known for personal courage, you know. We always hide or indulge in dubious black market activities during war time. It’s in the genes. Anyway, thank you to all who’ve sent messages of support and good thoughts through the airwaves (and some funny ones too – thanks, Clayton – http://www.myspace.com/dwbsoho) – all very much appreciated. And, talking of which, I see the University Arts Office website has misspelt my name, so goodness knows how anyone’s going to be able to buy the book afterwards, should they wish to. Still, I’m used to that by now – sometimes my own mother misspells my name, so I’m lucky to have an identity at all really.
This morning, I have tidied up my emails, even dealing with some of them, and also updated parts of the website. So I’m not a complete quivering wreck, aha! It’s the Steering Group meeting at lunchtime, so I shall have to look knowledgeable about all sorts of stuff about which I know nothing. No change there then. But at least it will be something to do – and also nice to get back into some kind of work routine. Hurrah!
Spent the afternoon attempting to write the minutes up and hyperventilating. Maybe I’ll take one of my fluffy pens (possibly more!) with me tonight. I fear I may get stuck with Author’s Block – which is when you can remember absolutely nothing at all about a book you’re supposed to have written. Or is that just me? Or heck, I might even enjoy it – we’ll see. So maybe I should just stop moaning. For once. Ha! But then what would I blog about, eh??
Oh, and last night I hit 115,000 (exactly! Which appeals to my OCD tendencies sooo much!) words of The Gifting, with more plot to come. So there’s life in the old dog yet. Was even thinking about possible sequels – but whoah there! Let’s not run before I can walk. Have to edit the darn thing and then sell it yet. So at least four years’ work there, m’dears!
Sigh - we've got an email from the new vicar - addressed only to Lord H (hello? I've been leaving church for 18 months piece by piece, and not a single damn one of you has noticed??...) saying how sorry they are to lose him and if there's anything they can do to bring him back to St Peter's. Bloody hell, how about addressing a missive to Mrs Lord H? That might have bloody done it. Too late now though - and it's a shame, as the new vicar was human to me the only time I met him. Hmm, that trait must have been removed by now ... Ah well.
Anyway, I shall endeavour not to be bitter & twisted (though if you hear a scraping sound, it's probably the gnashing of my teeth ...), as there is good news below and I don't want to spoil it ...
Stop Press! Have just come back from the book circle. It was bloody brilliant!!! I utterly, utterly loved it and I utterly, utterly had a fantastic time!! So you all have full permission to beat me to a pulp with your keyboards until I beg for mercy for being a complete wimp. (I promise not to enjoy it). The group were lovely, they'd read the book, they'd got really into it, they couldn't stop talking and they asked loads of really interesting questions. Hurrah!! I even managed to sell one more copy, plus a copy of A Stranger's Table (http://www.poetrymonthly.com), so I am just soooo happy!
Today’s nice things:
1. Kind comments from nice blog readers – thank you!
2. Hitting the 115k word marker – precisely!
3. The book circle – hurrah!
Anne Brooke
http://www.annebrooke.com
http://www.goldenford.co.uk
Have taken my calming pills to work today due to this evening’s University book circle discussion of A Dangerous Man (http://www.flamebooks.com). Am being good so far though and have only taken two. Am definitely saving two for later though – plus the Rescue Remedy spray. Oh, I’ve already taken one of those, darnit. And it’s only 11.45am. Ah well. Our family isn’t known for personal courage, you know. We always hide or indulge in dubious black market activities during war time. It’s in the genes. Anyway, thank you to all who’ve sent messages of support and good thoughts through the airwaves (and some funny ones too – thanks, Clayton – http://www.myspace.com/dwbsoho) – all very much appreciated. And, talking of which, I see the University Arts Office website has misspelt my name, so goodness knows how anyone’s going to be able to buy the book afterwards, should they wish to. Still, I’m used to that by now – sometimes my own mother misspells my name, so I’m lucky to have an identity at all really.
This morning, I have tidied up my emails, even dealing with some of them, and also updated parts of the website. So I’m not a complete quivering wreck, aha! It’s the Steering Group meeting at lunchtime, so I shall have to look knowledgeable about all sorts of stuff about which I know nothing. No change there then. But at least it will be something to do – and also nice to get back into some kind of work routine. Hurrah!
Spent the afternoon attempting to write the minutes up and hyperventilating. Maybe I’ll take one of my fluffy pens (possibly more!) with me tonight. I fear I may get stuck with Author’s Block – which is when you can remember absolutely nothing at all about a book you’re supposed to have written. Or is that just me? Or heck, I might even enjoy it – we’ll see. So maybe I should just stop moaning. For once. Ha! But then what would I blog about, eh??
Oh, and last night I hit 115,000 (exactly! Which appeals to my OCD tendencies sooo much!) words of The Gifting, with more plot to come. So there’s life in the old dog yet. Was even thinking about possible sequels – but whoah there! Let’s not run before I can walk. Have to edit the darn thing and then sell it yet. So at least four years’ work there, m’dears!
Sigh - we've got an email from the new vicar - addressed only to Lord H (hello? I've been leaving church for 18 months piece by piece, and not a single damn one of you has noticed??...) saying how sorry they are to lose him and if there's anything they can do to bring him back to St Peter's. Bloody hell, how about addressing a missive to Mrs Lord H? That might have bloody done it. Too late now though - and it's a shame, as the new vicar was human to me the only time I met him. Hmm, that trait must have been removed by now ... Ah well.
Anyway, I shall endeavour not to be bitter & twisted (though if you hear a scraping sound, it's probably the gnashing of my teeth ...), as there is good news below and I don't want to spoil it ...
Stop Press! Have just come back from the book circle. It was bloody brilliant!!! I utterly, utterly loved it and I utterly, utterly had a fantastic time!! So you all have full permission to beat me to a pulp with your keyboards until I beg for mercy for being a complete wimp. (I promise not to enjoy it). The group were lovely, they'd read the book, they'd got really into it, they couldn't stop talking and they asked loads of really interesting questions. Hurrah!! I even managed to sell one more copy, plus a copy of A Stranger's Table (http://www.poetrymonthly.com), so I am just soooo happy!
Today’s nice things:
1. Kind comments from nice blog readers – thank you!
2. Hitting the 115k word marker – precisely!
3. The book circle – hurrah!
Anne Brooke
http://www.annebrooke.com
http://www.goldenford.co.uk
Monday, April 16, 2007
Back to the grindstone
First day back at work - argghh!!! Though actually it hasn't been as horrific as I'd feared. I even got all my emails cleared by about 11.30am, which was nice. A ruddy miracle too! And the blessed Ruth had saved me some small chocolate eggs from Easter and left them on my desk as a welcome back, so I could have married her and had her babies there and then. Not only that but she'd left a large chocolate egg in the fridge, so it's like heaven in Student Care Services at the moment. Chocolate heaven.
I spent lunchtime wandering round the lake and sitting watching it. The trees on the walk to the public carpark are absolutely stunning (and I'm not usually a great nature fan. Nature? Bah! Red of tooth and claw ...) - a riot of pink blossom. I felt quite happy looking at that, and indeed at the lake. Two moments of happiness in one day? And at work? What in the world is happening to me??
This afternoon, we didn't get a great deal done. It was Penny's birthday so we went over to Student Advice (where she works) and had chocolate (surprise!) cake and an hour's chat. You can tell the boss isn't in ... It was great. Penny's actually leaving in two weeks' time and I shall miss her like crazy though. She's the voice of cynicism in a world of niceness. And how we need those!
Ooh, I've just finished reading Paul Burston's (http://www.myspace.com/paulburston) new novel, Lovers and Losers. I really enjoyed it - I loved the characters, and it's a warm-hearted and fun tale. Must admit to thinking that the book cover doesn't do justice to the book, which is far warmer and more humane than the plastic-looking front cover would have you believe. So don't be put off - buy it anyway! It's great!
And the lovely Gillian (http://www.myspace.com/gillian75) has emailed me to say how much she enjoyed A Dangerous Man (http://www.flamebooks.com) and that she's in love with Michael. So thanks, Gillian - much appreciated - and that makes 3 of us now! Michael will be pleased. He never thought that, apart from me, he'd have much of an ardent fan club ... Gillian has also been kind enough (thanks again, Gillian ...) to leave a comment on the Flame Books Myspace site (http://www.myspace.com/flamebooks) so I hope that means they will smile upon me for a while. I can be Good Author sometimes, you know!
Tonight, once Lord H (now happier again and standing at the edge of his cave, phew ...!) returns from the shops, I shall chill with a capital C, maybe with a well-deserved G&T in my hands, and look forward to "New Tricks" on TV. Just the thing to do the ironing to. Dammit.
Today's nice things:
1. Lovers and Losers
2. Chocolate eggs at work
3. TV
Anne Brooke
http://www.annebrooke.com
http://www.goldenford.co.uk
I spent lunchtime wandering round the lake and sitting watching it. The trees on the walk to the public carpark are absolutely stunning (and I'm not usually a great nature fan. Nature? Bah! Red of tooth and claw ...) - a riot of pink blossom. I felt quite happy looking at that, and indeed at the lake. Two moments of happiness in one day? And at work? What in the world is happening to me??
This afternoon, we didn't get a great deal done. It was Penny's birthday so we went over to Student Advice (where she works) and had chocolate (surprise!) cake and an hour's chat. You can tell the boss isn't in ... It was great. Penny's actually leaving in two weeks' time and I shall miss her like crazy though. She's the voice of cynicism in a world of niceness. And how we need those!
Ooh, I've just finished reading Paul Burston's (http://www.myspace.com/paulburston) new novel, Lovers and Losers. I really enjoyed it - I loved the characters, and it's a warm-hearted and fun tale. Must admit to thinking that the book cover doesn't do justice to the book, which is far warmer and more humane than the plastic-looking front cover would have you believe. So don't be put off - buy it anyway! It's great!
And the lovely Gillian (http://www.myspace.com/gillian75) has emailed me to say how much she enjoyed A Dangerous Man (http://www.flamebooks.com) and that she's in love with Michael. So thanks, Gillian - much appreciated - and that makes 3 of us now! Michael will be pleased. He never thought that, apart from me, he'd have much of an ardent fan club ... Gillian has also been kind enough (thanks again, Gillian ...) to leave a comment on the Flame Books Myspace site (http://www.myspace.com/flamebooks) so I hope that means they will smile upon me for a while. I can be Good Author sometimes, you know!
Tonight, once Lord H (now happier again and standing at the edge of his cave, phew ...!) returns from the shops, I shall chill with a capital C, maybe with a well-deserved G&T in my hands, and look forward to "New Tricks" on TV. Just the thing to do the ironing to. Dammit.
Today's nice things:
1. Lovers and Losers
2. Chocolate eggs at work
3. TV
Anne Brooke
http://www.annebrooke.com
http://www.goldenford.co.uk
Thursday, April 12, 2007
Counselling, virtual worlds and a wasp battle
Had to get up at a non-writers time today (ie before 9am - ye gods, how will I survive the length of the day?...) in order to get to my Counselling appointment this morning. We talked about families and church. So no change there then. But I have now got to the point when I realise that, for the moment, I'm not going to go back to St Peter's. And I'm not looking for another CofE church to replace them either. Hell, it feels like a decision, and it also feels as if I'm finally - at least in one small part of life - attempting to be me and make my own choices. Rather than attempting to please everyone else and do what is expected. I may well go to the local Quaker meeting in Godalming this Sunday, but it will depend on how I feel on the day. We'll see. It is interesting though that last week I did finally get round to opening the bumph the Quakers sent me a couple of months ago. The envelope has been lurking at the side of the sofa for so long that I was starting to forget about it entirely. But it's open now, and even partially read. Again, we'll see.
Kunu's parting shot this morning was to say that I should look into enjoying more in life, rather than being hung up with achieving lots. She's said it before, I know, but it doesn't come easily. Maybe my achievement conveyor-belt lifestyle is what's stopping me being me, properly at least. Hmm, another thought to ponder a while. I fear. Anyway, whilst in town, I mooched around Marks & Spencer for a while, wondering where all the lovely things they show us on TV are actually kept, and failing to find them. Asking an assistant is way too much commitment. But I did find some nice t-shirts for £5, and in a 3-for-2 offer, so may well pop back in on Saturday to make real-live purchases. If it comes under my new enjoyment quota, that is.
At home, I've typed up more of the current scene from The Gifting onto the computer. And I know where that part of the book is going now, so that's clarified things for me. Just have to write the ruddy stuff really. Once again, a slower writing day today, but it's - hell - enjoyable.
I've also broken my one last connection with St Peter's; I've cancelled my standing order to them, emailed the church treasurer to tell him this (though I don't expect any reply, as these days it seems that neither church people nor my old university set have the courtesy to answer any of my missives any more. At least not in ways I can understand, bitch bitch!...). In its place, I've sent off a form to give regular payments to the Yvonne Arnaud theatre (http://www.yvonne-arnaud.co.uk) in Guildford. Well, I've worked out that I get far more enjoyment from the theatre than I do from the church, so what the hell, eh.
This afternoon, I paid Gladys a short visit - she was worrying about dandelions in the garden and a small fallen tree, but has a man coming on Monday to sort it out. I'm always a great approver of men who come to sort things out. A wonderful and dying breed. Sadly. Also, I was incredibly brave (for me) as there was a nasty looking wasp in her living room whilst we were talking, and I managed to (a) not scream and run sobbing from her house, and (b) get rid of it through the window for her. Really, I'm astonished at myself. It's probably my Courage Quota for the month. Maybe even the year. And please God don't let there be the swarms of wasps there were last year - I really can't stand it! It's like being invaded. In my own home too. Damn it.
Ooh, and Flame Books (http://www.flamebooks.com) have joined Myspace (http://www.myspace.com/flamebooks) and sent me a Friends invite. Thanks, Sean! Much appreciated, and welcome to the strange virtual world we all dwell in these days. Sadly though, so far I seem to be Sean's only friend, so I hope his social calendar fills up soon. If Michael had a Myspace profile, I'd send him round at once, of course.
Talking of virtual worlds, I must admit that I have times of getting really fed up with the Writewords (http://www.writewords.org.uk) world these days. It is (or it was) a good site, and the Groups are great, but I think the forums are getting way too cumbersome and sometimes downright unfriendly these days. Possibly it might be a victim of its own success, which is a shame. Recently I've found myself trying not to get involved with it quite so much, and I definitely feel far less supported on there than I used to be. There's just too many people, and the personal touch has gone, to my mind. Though I really don't want to leave it entirely, especially as parts of the site are incredibly useful, actually I feel far happier on Myspace, to be honest.
And I've just finished reading Jed Rubenfeld's The Interpretation of Murder. Marvellous novel - a pleasure to read, although I do think it was rather too convoluted, especially towards the end. But that doesn't matter, as the characters are just so hot, and it's got some top-notch one liners. A delight really. Go out and read it before they make the film.
Tonight, I'm planning some more scribbling, and it's Catherine Tate on TV later. Bliss. I love her. We redheads must stick together. I always admire a woman with attitude. Bliss.
Today's nice things:
1. Writing
2. Winning a battle with a wasp - for once
3. The pleasures of Rubenfeld's book.
Anne Brooke
http://www.annebrooke.com
http://www.goldenford.co.uk
Kunu's parting shot this morning was to say that I should look into enjoying more in life, rather than being hung up with achieving lots. She's said it before, I know, but it doesn't come easily. Maybe my achievement conveyor-belt lifestyle is what's stopping me being me, properly at least. Hmm, another thought to ponder a while. I fear. Anyway, whilst in town, I mooched around Marks & Spencer for a while, wondering where all the lovely things they show us on TV are actually kept, and failing to find them. Asking an assistant is way too much commitment. But I did find some nice t-shirts for £5, and in a 3-for-2 offer, so may well pop back in on Saturday to make real-live purchases. If it comes under my new enjoyment quota, that is.
At home, I've typed up more of the current scene from The Gifting onto the computer. And I know where that part of the book is going now, so that's clarified things for me. Just have to write the ruddy stuff really. Once again, a slower writing day today, but it's - hell - enjoyable.
I've also broken my one last connection with St Peter's; I've cancelled my standing order to them, emailed the church treasurer to tell him this (though I don't expect any reply, as these days it seems that neither church people nor my old university set have the courtesy to answer any of my missives any more. At least not in ways I can understand, bitch bitch!...). In its place, I've sent off a form to give regular payments to the Yvonne Arnaud theatre (http://www.yvonne-arnaud.co.uk) in Guildford. Well, I've worked out that I get far more enjoyment from the theatre than I do from the church, so what the hell, eh.
This afternoon, I paid Gladys a short visit - she was worrying about dandelions in the garden and a small fallen tree, but has a man coming on Monday to sort it out. I'm always a great approver of men who come to sort things out. A wonderful and dying breed. Sadly. Also, I was incredibly brave (for me) as there was a nasty looking wasp in her living room whilst we were talking, and I managed to (a) not scream and run sobbing from her house, and (b) get rid of it through the window for her. Really, I'm astonished at myself. It's probably my Courage Quota for the month. Maybe even the year. And please God don't let there be the swarms of wasps there were last year - I really can't stand it! It's like being invaded. In my own home too. Damn it.
Ooh, and Flame Books (http://www.flamebooks.com) have joined Myspace (http://www.myspace.com/flamebooks) and sent me a Friends invite. Thanks, Sean! Much appreciated, and welcome to the strange virtual world we all dwell in these days. Sadly though, so far I seem to be Sean's only friend, so I hope his social calendar fills up soon. If Michael had a Myspace profile, I'd send him round at once, of course.
Talking of virtual worlds, I must admit that I have times of getting really fed up with the Writewords (http://www.writewords.org.uk) world these days. It is (or it was) a good site, and the Groups are great, but I think the forums are getting way too cumbersome and sometimes downright unfriendly these days. Possibly it might be a victim of its own success, which is a shame. Recently I've found myself trying not to get involved with it quite so much, and I definitely feel far less supported on there than I used to be. There's just too many people, and the personal touch has gone, to my mind. Though I really don't want to leave it entirely, especially as parts of the site are incredibly useful, actually I feel far happier on Myspace, to be honest.
And I've just finished reading Jed Rubenfeld's The Interpretation of Murder. Marvellous novel - a pleasure to read, although I do think it was rather too convoluted, especially towards the end. But that doesn't matter, as the characters are just so hot, and it's got some top-notch one liners. A delight really. Go out and read it before they make the film.
Tonight, I'm planning some more scribbling, and it's Catherine Tate on TV later. Bliss. I love her. We redheads must stick together. I always admire a woman with attitude. Bliss.
Today's nice things:
1. Writing
2. Winning a battle with a wasp - for once
3. The pleasures of Rubenfeld's book.
Anne Brooke
http://www.annebrooke.com
http://www.goldenford.co.uk
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
Amazon review and a better writing day
Was thrilled yesterday to get an email from an old school friend whom I haven't heard from for ages - it really made my evening, and my morning today indeed as she replied to my reply, hurrah! We're currently trying to make a date for catch-up, now we're both over our 2006-ish traumas (God, what a year that was ...), so hope I'll be able to see her soon. Not only that but the thrice-blessed woman has actually gone and ordered my books through Amazon - for which huge thanks indeed. This means that for the first time in a long time my Pink Champagne and Apple Juice (http://www.goldenford.co.uk) Amazon rating has gone up to 5 figures instead of the usual 6, and A Dangerous Man (http://www.flamebooks.com) and A Stranger's Table (http://www.poetrymonthly.com) have both received their first rating entirely. Doubt any of them will remain at the 5 figure marker for long though, but it's nice to see for today at least.
And talking of Amazon, Michael has received his first review!! A five-star one at that. My cup indeed runneth over. The link (but be warned - it does carry some spoilers so look away from the next paragraph now if you haven't read it yet!) is: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Dangerous-Man-Anne-Brooke/dp/0954594568/ref=sr_1_4/202-0915331-5590251?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1176304434&sr=8-4 and the actual text is:
“I read this book in two sittings. My first thoughts were God! I wish I felt as passionate about anything as Michael does about his art … 'Fingers, hand, pencil even thought are one ... as the glow burns ... explodes like a shock of water'. The whole time I was thinking this is how a writer feels, an artist feels … For me he became a man obsessed with his need to understand and to try to express the dichotomy existing within him. To understand how to make sense of existing in an alien external world full of darkness and acute, cutting edges so at odds with his gentler sensuous vulnerable interior life. Jack, the urbane, the sophisticated, symbolised all he aspired to. As I read on I felt this was the nub of the real tragedy, a man torn between two such potent desires and that there wasn't going to be an easy answer. But I was totally unprepared for the final part. This novel reaches the height of true tragedy. I couldn't bear for Michael to destroy the man he loved, the gentle, the sensuous, loving part of himself. I found it more grievous to bear than anything I've ever read, at least Othello was torn by motives of jealousy. But the final pages of ADM revealed the horrific dilemma of a young man programmed by his abusive background and in the last resort unable to escape it. I wept for Michael, I wept for the pity of it all. This is a far greater book than the much acclaimed 'Line of Beauty' which lacks the driving energy of your theme. It just has to do well.”
End of Spoiler Alert! And huge thanks to Megsl who gave me that review. I really appreciate it. I'm glad too that you think it's better than Line of Beauty - especially as that was a book I couldn't stand, even though it won the Booker. Lord knows why - a load of twaddle to my mind, and dull twaddle at that. And nothing at all like the 80s. Michael, bless him, wouldn't have got on with any of them.
The rest of my day has been spent scribbling more of the childhood escape scene in The Gifting. It's flowing a lot easier today - again, Lord knows why - and I'm feeling quite enthused about it. So much so that I suspect the scene will be longer than I anticipated at the outset and will take on something of its own life and length. Which is good news for me if that happens as really, m'dears, I don't have a fecking clue most of the ruddy time what I'm supposed to be doing. And also good news for Simon, as it's a key scene which unlocks much of what has happened. Again, I hope. But honestly who can tell? If bloody LOB won the bloody Booker, ye gods, none of us is safe from disappearing up our own arses. And, yes, you can quote me on that.
By the way, did I mention Michael got a five-star review on Amazon?
And I really must say how utterly marvellous last night's final episode of Life on Mars was. It had me gripped all the way through, and the ending was full of wonderful twists and turns which we just soooo right. The final scenes were perfect. In every sense. Which, as I mentioned to Laura on MySpace (http://www.myspace.com/lauracwilkinson) earlier just goes to show that we have every right to kick the buggers who say that TV is not an art form into permanent touch. From last night's viewing (and indeed other programmes) it most certainly is. But, hell, I'm going to miss Sam & Gene and the gang. Pass me the ruddy tissues ...
Speaking of which, there's not a ruddy thing on TV tonight, as far as I can see, so I may have to watch a mindless video (an art form in its own right, surely) or scribble some more of the novel. We'll see.
Oh, and did I say that Michael got a five-star Amazon review? He's really so pleased.
Today's nice things:
1. Michael got a five-star ... hell, you can guess the rest
2. Hearing from my old schoolfriend
3. Having a day when the writing seemed to work - hurrah!
Anne Brooke
http://www.annebrooke.com
And talking of Amazon, Michael has received his first review!! A five-star one at that. My cup indeed runneth over. The link (but be warned - it does carry some spoilers so look away from the next paragraph now if you haven't read it yet!) is: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Dangerous-Man-Anne-Brooke/dp/0954594568/ref=sr_1_4/202-0915331-5590251?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1176304434&sr=8-4 and the actual text is:
“I read this book in two sittings. My first thoughts were God! I wish I felt as passionate about anything as Michael does about his art … 'Fingers, hand, pencil even thought are one ... as the glow burns ... explodes like a shock of water'. The whole time I was thinking this is how a writer feels, an artist feels … For me he became a man obsessed with his need to understand and to try to express the dichotomy existing within him. To understand how to make sense of existing in an alien external world full of darkness and acute, cutting edges so at odds with his gentler sensuous vulnerable interior life. Jack, the urbane, the sophisticated, symbolised all he aspired to. As I read on I felt this was the nub of the real tragedy, a man torn between two such potent desires and that there wasn't going to be an easy answer. But I was totally unprepared for the final part. This novel reaches the height of true tragedy. I couldn't bear for Michael to destroy the man he loved, the gentle, the sensuous, loving part of himself. I found it more grievous to bear than anything I've ever read, at least Othello was torn by motives of jealousy. But the final pages of ADM revealed the horrific dilemma of a young man programmed by his abusive background and in the last resort unable to escape it. I wept for Michael, I wept for the pity of it all. This is a far greater book than the much acclaimed 'Line of Beauty' which lacks the driving energy of your theme. It just has to do well.”
End of Spoiler Alert! And huge thanks to Megsl who gave me that review. I really appreciate it. I'm glad too that you think it's better than Line of Beauty - especially as that was a book I couldn't stand, even though it won the Booker. Lord knows why - a load of twaddle to my mind, and dull twaddle at that. And nothing at all like the 80s. Michael, bless him, wouldn't have got on with any of them.
The rest of my day has been spent scribbling more of the childhood escape scene in The Gifting. It's flowing a lot easier today - again, Lord knows why - and I'm feeling quite enthused about it. So much so that I suspect the scene will be longer than I anticipated at the outset and will take on something of its own life and length. Which is good news for me if that happens as really, m'dears, I don't have a fecking clue most of the ruddy time what I'm supposed to be doing. And also good news for Simon, as it's a key scene which unlocks much of what has happened. Again, I hope. But honestly who can tell? If bloody LOB won the bloody Booker, ye gods, none of us is safe from disappearing up our own arses. And, yes, you can quote me on that.
By the way, did I mention Michael got a five-star review on Amazon?
And I really must say how utterly marvellous last night's final episode of Life on Mars was. It had me gripped all the way through, and the ending was full of wonderful twists and turns which we just soooo right. The final scenes were perfect. In every sense. Which, as I mentioned to Laura on MySpace (http://www.myspace.com/lauracwilkinson) earlier just goes to show that we have every right to kick the buggers who say that TV is not an art form into permanent touch. From last night's viewing (and indeed other programmes) it most certainly is. But, hell, I'm going to miss Sam & Gene and the gang. Pass me the ruddy tissues ...
Speaking of which, there's not a ruddy thing on TV tonight, as far as I can see, so I may have to watch a mindless video (an art form in its own right, surely) or scribble some more of the novel. We'll see.
Oh, and did I say that Michael got a five-star Amazon review? He's really so pleased.
Today's nice things:
1. Michael got a five-star ... hell, you can guess the rest
2. Hearing from my old schoolfriend
3. Having a day when the writing seemed to work - hurrah!
Anne Brooke
http://www.annebrooke.com
Monday, April 09, 2007
A review, a lot of laziness and some scribbling
Hell, that's what Bank Holidays are for, surely? I've been soooo lazy today that I haven't even been out of the flat, and I've spent a glorious two hours this afternoon napping on the sofa. Bliss. I am well up there for the shortlistings for the Lydia Languish Lethargy Awards. If they make it an Olympic sport, I'm going for Gold.
I've also been much cheered by a very kind and also very balanced review from Erastes (http://www.myspace.com/erastesdotcom), the author of the marvellous Standish (available from http://www.amazon.co.uk) and Director of the Erotic Authors Association (http://www.eroticauthorsassociation.com) about A Dangerous Man (http://www.flamebooks.com), which I reproduce below (as for some reason I can't persuade it to upload to my website at the moment, sigh!):
“It's taken me a day or two to mull over this book, because I wanted to think about how it made me feel. It's unlike anything I've read before, because mainly I've read gay historical stories, other than short stories – and contemporary is kind of beyond my ken. I don't know how the modern gay man in London feels or what the scene is. (Ok I don't know that for 1800 either but then neither does anyone else so that's ok). I enjoyed it. Let me say that at the first. It's well written by someone who obviously knows how to write, who knows how to use the language to describe place with what seems an effortless grace so you always have a sense of your surroundings, whether it be a seedy bar in Hackney, or a graceful house in Islington. You can smell the leather, feel the heavy crystal, feel the grit under your shoes. Michael (don't call me Mikey) is an artist, struggling to make ends meet, and is not averse to a little part-time prostitution to help those ends meet. He lives with Joe and Paul, Joe owns a gallery but won't hang his paintings – Paul knocks money off the rent for a little sexual action. Then one day Michael gets the chance of a commission in a City firm and falls head over heels in love with Jack, his potential new patron. And this is where it all kicks off. The plot moves swiftly on from this point, never leaving the reader bored. It's a first person novel, but although Michael does spend a lot of time in introspection it’s rarely repetitive, not over angsty, and gradually as the book moves on and Michael is "forced" from one position to another, you slowly get the feel that all is not quite well with Michael and the title becomes clear. The choice of first person for this book is very clever, because you don't really get into Michael's head at all- and that's because he doesn't even allow himself in there. Characterisation: Each character is well done, and it's interesting from my point of view that the one character that we don't actually get a full picture of is Paul, but that's probably because Michael has no interest in describing him more fully for us. I particularly liked Jack's family because Jack's mother reminded me very forcibly of my own, with her motherly concern. I also liked the landlord of the pub that Michael pulls tricks in. I was a little annoyed at Michael's inability to work – he's a bit of a sponger – and immediately turns tricks when he needs £500 when it's not explained why he couldn't just get a job. Artistic temperament, I suppose. But he's not meant – or that's how I read it – to be an attractive character. He's an opportunist and he knows what he wants and that's how he gets to be where he is by the end – by reacting to external stimuli and not thinking first. The artistic pieces were particularly well done; Anne Brooke thanks a friend for help with these and I would never have known that Anne wasn't an artist herself, she seems to get right under Michael's skin when he draws – if we can't understand the feeling ourselves, she describes it so well that we feel what he's feeling as he does it. I loved the section when Michael was explaining (to Jack's father) how he draws, and it's totally unintelligible to everyone except Michael. I could just see their blank faces, but to Michael it makes perfect sense. This book could easily have gone the typical romance route, and that's actually what I was expecting, it even lulled me into a false sense of security at one point. But it's not, so don't go looking for happy ever afters. The ending is raw and bleak and wonderful, and I can't say any more really without spoiling it, but there's a lot of room for reader conjecture as to what actually happens – or at least that's how I read it. I ended up, as I'm sure I was supposed to, feeling desperately sorry for Michael, when he'd annoyed me so much throughout. On a personal note, for a contemporary gay story, I would have liked the sex scenes to be more explicit. It was a very grown-up story, and the sex scenes were handled with a fade out or "We made love and it was very good", perhaps not in every scene, as Michael does do it a lot, but I'd have liked some of the (no pun intended) seminal scenes to be more graphically described, particularly as the sexual aspect of Michael's nature is so important to the book. But that's just me and my dirty mind. But all in all a good book. If you are looking for a predictable tale of love, then this isn't for you, but if you like a book that gets under your skin and makes you think long after you've closed the last page, like it has for me, then try “A Dangerous Man”. I'll certainly be looking out for more of Ms Brooke's work.”
Thanks, Erastes! Much appreciated. But I must admit I'm not even going to try for more sex content in my next one - I simply don't have the skills to be an erotic author, I'm afraid. Must be something to do with living in Surrey ...
So, fired up with enthusiasm, I've made a start on Simon's big story-telling scene in The Gifting - not much done, but at least it's a beginning. And, hey, it's a bank holiday so I'm not pushing it. That's tomorrow's job. And I've also done some sudokus and the odd crossword, so my brain is now too tired for anything more.
Tonight, it's sausages, chips 'n' beans, plus beer and ice cream. Oh and we've had chocolate too - so this is the ultimate anti-health zone right now. Though I did do some exercise this morning, plus stare at my Brite Light, so I am keeping flab and depression at bay. Sort of. And later it's a new series of "New Tricks" on tv, so that'll be bliss. Must remember to video the programme on Jackie magazine on the other side though - heck, everything I learnt about life I learnt from that magazine! If only I'd kept all my copies, I'd be worth a fortune now ...
Today's nice things:
1. Erastes' review
2. Writing more of The Gifting
3. TV.
Anne Brooke
http://www.annebrooke.com
http://www.goldenford.co.uk
I've also been much cheered by a very kind and also very balanced review from Erastes (http://www.myspace.com/erastesdotcom), the author of the marvellous Standish (available from http://www.amazon.co.uk) and Director of the Erotic Authors Association (http://www.eroticauthorsassociation.com) about A Dangerous Man (http://www.flamebooks.com), which I reproduce below (as for some reason I can't persuade it to upload to my website at the moment, sigh!):
“It's taken me a day or two to mull over this book, because I wanted to think about how it made me feel. It's unlike anything I've read before, because mainly I've read gay historical stories, other than short stories – and contemporary is kind of beyond my ken. I don't know how the modern gay man in London feels or what the scene is. (Ok I don't know that for 1800 either but then neither does anyone else so that's ok). I enjoyed it. Let me say that at the first. It's well written by someone who obviously knows how to write, who knows how to use the language to describe place with what seems an effortless grace so you always have a sense of your surroundings, whether it be a seedy bar in Hackney, or a graceful house in Islington. You can smell the leather, feel the heavy crystal, feel the grit under your shoes. Michael (don't call me Mikey) is an artist, struggling to make ends meet, and is not averse to a little part-time prostitution to help those ends meet. He lives with Joe and Paul, Joe owns a gallery but won't hang his paintings – Paul knocks money off the rent for a little sexual action. Then one day Michael gets the chance of a commission in a City firm and falls head over heels in love with Jack, his potential new patron. And this is where it all kicks off. The plot moves swiftly on from this point, never leaving the reader bored. It's a first person novel, but although Michael does spend a lot of time in introspection it’s rarely repetitive, not over angsty, and gradually as the book moves on and Michael is "forced" from one position to another, you slowly get the feel that all is not quite well with Michael and the title becomes clear. The choice of first person for this book is very clever, because you don't really get into Michael's head at all- and that's because he doesn't even allow himself in there. Characterisation: Each character is well done, and it's interesting from my point of view that the one character that we don't actually get a full picture of is Paul, but that's probably because Michael has no interest in describing him more fully for us. I particularly liked Jack's family because Jack's mother reminded me very forcibly of my own, with her motherly concern. I also liked the landlord of the pub that Michael pulls tricks in. I was a little annoyed at Michael's inability to work – he's a bit of a sponger – and immediately turns tricks when he needs £500 when it's not explained why he couldn't just get a job. Artistic temperament, I suppose. But he's not meant – or that's how I read it – to be an attractive character. He's an opportunist and he knows what he wants and that's how he gets to be where he is by the end – by reacting to external stimuli and not thinking first. The artistic pieces were particularly well done; Anne Brooke thanks a friend for help with these and I would never have known that Anne wasn't an artist herself, she seems to get right under Michael's skin when he draws – if we can't understand the feeling ourselves, she describes it so well that we feel what he's feeling as he does it. I loved the section when Michael was explaining (to Jack's father) how he draws, and it's totally unintelligible to everyone except Michael. I could just see their blank faces, but to Michael it makes perfect sense. This book could easily have gone the typical romance route, and that's actually what I was expecting, it even lulled me into a false sense of security at one point. But it's not, so don't go looking for happy ever afters. The ending is raw and bleak and wonderful, and I can't say any more really without spoiling it, but there's a lot of room for reader conjecture as to what actually happens – or at least that's how I read it. I ended up, as I'm sure I was supposed to, feeling desperately sorry for Michael, when he'd annoyed me so much throughout. On a personal note, for a contemporary gay story, I would have liked the sex scenes to be more explicit. It was a very grown-up story, and the sex scenes were handled with a fade out or "We made love and it was very good", perhaps not in every scene, as Michael does do it a lot, but I'd have liked some of the (no pun intended) seminal scenes to be more graphically described, particularly as the sexual aspect of Michael's nature is so important to the book. But that's just me and my dirty mind. But all in all a good book. If you are looking for a predictable tale of love, then this isn't for you, but if you like a book that gets under your skin and makes you think long after you've closed the last page, like it has for me, then try “A Dangerous Man”. I'll certainly be looking out for more of Ms Brooke's work.”
Thanks, Erastes! Much appreciated. But I must admit I'm not even going to try for more sex content in my next one - I simply don't have the skills to be an erotic author, I'm afraid. Must be something to do with living in Surrey ...
So, fired up with enthusiasm, I've made a start on Simon's big story-telling scene in The Gifting - not much done, but at least it's a beginning. And, hey, it's a bank holiday so I'm not pushing it. That's tomorrow's job. And I've also done some sudokus and the odd crossword, so my brain is now too tired for anything more.
Tonight, it's sausages, chips 'n' beans, plus beer and ice cream. Oh and we've had chocolate too - so this is the ultimate anti-health zone right now. Though I did do some exercise this morning, plus stare at my Brite Light, so I am keeping flab and depression at bay. Sort of. And later it's a new series of "New Tricks" on tv, so that'll be bliss. Must remember to video the programme on Jackie magazine on the other side though - heck, everything I learnt about life I learnt from that magazine! If only I'd kept all my copies, I'd be worth a fortune now ...
Today's nice things:
1. Erastes' review
2. Writing more of The Gifting
3. TV.
Anne Brooke
http://www.annebrooke.com
http://www.goldenford.co.uk
Thursday, April 05, 2007
Michael reaches the Amazon ...
Rather cold-ridden today, I'm afraid, so have been lolling on the sofa with smelling salts pressed to my nose and a wet flannel clutched to my forehead. How charming. I like to think I'm a modern-day Lydia Languish, but fear the true image is more prosaic than that. Ah well. Never put your daughter on the stage.
I was going to do lots of writing, and leap into Godalming to stock up on essential oils and the Surrey Advertiser, not to mention visiting Gladys, but I have done none of the above. Well, I have done some writing, though as the stuff I put into The Gifting balanced more or less with the stuff I took out, the wordcount remains similar, alas. Ha! I've always wanted to use "alas" in a sentence and now I have. Hurrah. That said, I now have Simon almost at the end of his water experiences, which means I only have two big scenes to go and then the first draft is done. Ye gods indeed. The penultimate scene is his final story-telling one, which will be - I hope - the key to everything. I'm not starting it today though. I need a fresh morning for that. And a less snotty nose. But I might well do another poem on art - there's one lurking somewhere in the ether so I'll have to see whether I can entice it out. It'll be something to do while Lord H is at the Maundy Thursday service tonight doing his server duties and keeping the priest in order.
Which brings me to Michael (somehow!) who has finally made it into the clutches of Amazon and can be found here: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Dangerous-Man-Anne-Brooke/dp/0954594568/ref=sr_1_4/202-0915331-5590251?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1175785414&sr=8-4
No cover picture yet, though I have queried this with Flame (http://www.flamebooks.com), and no ratings of course, but at least he's there. So if anyone out there has read A Dangerous Man and feels able to put a few comments up on Amazon at anytime, please feel free to do so! I'd be very grateful (as long as you're not too rude!...). Talking of which, the lovely Erastes (http://www.myspace.com/erastesdotcom) has just started reading ADM and has already reached the one night stand scene. Ah, but it becomes so much more ... and glad you're enjoying it, Erastes!
Tonight, I've cancelled my counselling session with Kunu (it was moved from this morning), but I'm glad not to be going anywhere, to be honest. Instead, I'll be watching my video of "Life on Mars" from Tuesday, and working my way through my secret store of Lucozade bottles. Oh, and there's chocolate in the house ... chocolate, hmm ...
Today's nice things:
1. Michael being on Amazon
2. Life on Mars
3. Getting Simon to the start of his two ending scenes.
Anne Brooke
http://www.annebrooke.com
http://www.goldenford.co.uk
I was going to do lots of writing, and leap into Godalming to stock up on essential oils and the Surrey Advertiser, not to mention visiting Gladys, but I have done none of the above. Well, I have done some writing, though as the stuff I put into The Gifting balanced more or less with the stuff I took out, the wordcount remains similar, alas. Ha! I've always wanted to use "alas" in a sentence and now I have. Hurrah. That said, I now have Simon almost at the end of his water experiences, which means I only have two big scenes to go and then the first draft is done. Ye gods indeed. The penultimate scene is his final story-telling one, which will be - I hope - the key to everything. I'm not starting it today though. I need a fresh morning for that. And a less snotty nose. But I might well do another poem on art - there's one lurking somewhere in the ether so I'll have to see whether I can entice it out. It'll be something to do while Lord H is at the Maundy Thursday service tonight doing his server duties and keeping the priest in order.
Which brings me to Michael (somehow!) who has finally made it into the clutches of Amazon and can be found here: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Dangerous-Man-Anne-Brooke/dp/0954594568/ref=sr_1_4/202-0915331-5590251?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1175785414&sr=8-4
No cover picture yet, though I have queried this with Flame (http://www.flamebooks.com), and no ratings of course, but at least he's there. So if anyone out there has read A Dangerous Man and feels able to put a few comments up on Amazon at anytime, please feel free to do so! I'd be very grateful (as long as you're not too rude!...). Talking of which, the lovely Erastes (http://www.myspace.com/erastesdotcom) has just started reading ADM and has already reached the one night stand scene. Ah, but it becomes so much more ... and glad you're enjoying it, Erastes!
Tonight, I've cancelled my counselling session with Kunu (it was moved from this morning), but I'm glad not to be going anywhere, to be honest. Instead, I'll be watching my video of "Life on Mars" from Tuesday, and working my way through my secret store of Lucozade bottles. Oh, and there's chocolate in the house ... chocolate, hmm ...
Today's nice things:
1. Michael being on Amazon
2. Life on Mars
3. Getting Simon to the start of his two ending scenes.
Anne Brooke
http://www.annebrooke.com
http://www.goldenford.co.uk
Friday, March 30, 2007
Soggy golf and drunken art
Had a real thrill this morning when Paul Burston (http://www.myspace.com/paulburston) who edits the Gay Section in Time Out emailed me to say how much he'd enjoyed A Dangerous Man (http://www.flamebooks.com), as below:
"I finished off A Dangerous Man and I have to say I loved it. Michael is a wonderful character. An artist and part time prostitute - where on earth did you find the inspiration for him? And the story had me gripped. Everyone go out and buy this book! And please let me know in advance when the next one is coming out so I can find you review space in Time Out."
I particularly enjoyed the "Everyone go out and buy this book!" comment - that would make Flame love me, for sure! Many thanks indeed, Paul. Much appreciated. And I'm looking forward to your "Lovers and Losers" being published next week too!
This morning, Marian and I played golf in spite of a steadily increasing rainfall and, actually, we did very well - for us. We even did a few really good shots when a family playing waved us through (an action normally guaranteed to make us lose any poor skills we might have thought we had ...) and looked like real golfers for a while. Result! I ended up utterly soaked through however, so hope I don't catch something nasty.
I also gave up any ideas of going into Godalming to get shopping done and have also failed to do any writing or housework. So not the most productive day on record, I have to say. Sigh. No doubt I shall wallow in guilt later on in suitable Sad Person fashion. However, I have been thinking of writing - and it struck me yesterday that perhaps the reason why I seem to have changed my writing habits with "The Gifting" (in that I am now scribbling first and typing up on the computer later, rather than doing it straight onto the computer as usual) is that of course part of Simon's job description is his role as scribe. He writes everything down - on parchment. Far-fetched perhaps, but it's made me feel that much closer to him, which can only be a good thing.
Tonight, I'm up in London with Jane W to see the "Citizens and Kings" exhibition at the Royal Academy (http://www.royalacademy.org.uk). I must say the picture advertising the exhibition looks much like myself after a hard day's scribbling but I suspect I'd probably wrap something green around my head in preference. Afterwards we will, I hope, soothe our artistic brows with a nice curry, so everything will seem fine. And I can drink to my heart's content as the noble Lord H is picking me up from the station. As long as I get off at the right station. You do, I think, always need to drink wine when looking at art - which reminds me of a friend of mine who once said she loved "King Lear" and indeed the rest of Shakespeare, but could never really get through a whole one without a choc ice in the middle. I could only agree ...
Oh, and I was jesting (not itself a word you hear often nowadays - am I in a time loop?) with Lord H yesterday, wondering why the Iranians won't give us our sailors back as, after all, God knows we have so few and they can't be needing them - to which Lord H's answer was the Iranians will have to wait their turn for being invaded, as that seems to be what we do these days, and they'll just have to be patient. Hmm. Let's hope that doesn't turn out to be prophetic, and let's hope the poor buggers are allowed home soon. Perhaps we can do a swop. Anyone for Blair?...
Today's nice things:
1. Paul's lovely comments about "A Dangerous Man"
2. Thinking about writing
3. Art.
Anne Brooke
http://www.annebrooke.com
http://www.goldenford.co.uk
"I finished off A Dangerous Man and I have to say I loved it. Michael is a wonderful character. An artist and part time prostitute - where on earth did you find the inspiration for him? And the story had me gripped. Everyone go out and buy this book! And please let me know in advance when the next one is coming out so I can find you review space in Time Out."
I particularly enjoyed the "Everyone go out and buy this book!" comment - that would make Flame love me, for sure! Many thanks indeed, Paul. Much appreciated. And I'm looking forward to your "Lovers and Losers" being published next week too!
This morning, Marian and I played golf in spite of a steadily increasing rainfall and, actually, we did very well - for us. We even did a few really good shots when a family playing waved us through (an action normally guaranteed to make us lose any poor skills we might have thought we had ...) and looked like real golfers for a while. Result! I ended up utterly soaked through however, so hope I don't catch something nasty.
I also gave up any ideas of going into Godalming to get shopping done and have also failed to do any writing or housework. So not the most productive day on record, I have to say. Sigh. No doubt I shall wallow in guilt later on in suitable Sad Person fashion. However, I have been thinking of writing - and it struck me yesterday that perhaps the reason why I seem to have changed my writing habits with "The Gifting" (in that I am now scribbling first and typing up on the computer later, rather than doing it straight onto the computer as usual) is that of course part of Simon's job description is his role as scribe. He writes everything down - on parchment. Far-fetched perhaps, but it's made me feel that much closer to him, which can only be a good thing.
Tonight, I'm up in London with Jane W to see the "Citizens and Kings" exhibition at the Royal Academy (http://www.royalacademy.org.uk). I must say the picture advertising the exhibition looks much like myself after a hard day's scribbling but I suspect I'd probably wrap something green around my head in preference. Afterwards we will, I hope, soothe our artistic brows with a nice curry, so everything will seem fine. And I can drink to my heart's content as the noble Lord H is picking me up from the station. As long as I get off at the right station. You do, I think, always need to drink wine when looking at art - which reminds me of a friend of mine who once said she loved "King Lear" and indeed the rest of Shakespeare, but could never really get through a whole one without a choc ice in the middle. I could only agree ...
Oh, and I was jesting (not itself a word you hear often nowadays - am I in a time loop?) with Lord H yesterday, wondering why the Iranians won't give us our sailors back as, after all, God knows we have so few and they can't be needing them - to which Lord H's answer was the Iranians will have to wait their turn for being invaded, as that seems to be what we do these days, and they'll just have to be patient. Hmm. Let's hope that doesn't turn out to be prophetic, and let's hope the poor buggers are allowed home soon. Perhaps we can do a swop. Anyone for Blair?...
Today's nice things:
1. Paul's lovely comments about "A Dangerous Man"
2. Thinking about writing
3. Art.
Anne Brooke
http://www.annebrooke.com
http://www.goldenford.co.uk
Thursday, March 29, 2007
Counselling and reviews
This morning's counselling session felt very thoughtful. Or rather I was doing a lot of thinking about how things had been in the past, and how they are now. Kunu seemed keen to get me onto the subject of religion and church, which I suppose had to happen sometime or other. I hadn't been sure how I'd feel about that but, in the event, it was okay. We talked about how and why I'd originally become a Christian, how it had been then and how it was now. Short answer: very bloody different. But then having been wrung out and mangled by the evangelical church, and spewed out, shattered but generally intact, at the other end, I suppose I should have anticipated that. Hey ho.
It was interesting though how Kunu picked up on my problems with organised communities in general. And she also asked questions about why it is I try (or have tried in the past) so hard to conform. Maybe I'm not sure whether the church per se has ever really "fitted" - it's simply that I thought that was the only way to express my faith. And of course it's (at least on my mother's side) the family tradition I've been brought up in. At heart, I don't think I've ever been a team player. Ye gods, even the phrase "family service" is enough to bring me out in a rash, "family" being one of my key stress words. Much like "religion" itself, or even "community". We did have an interesting chat about the parable of the lost sheep though - and I thought for the first time that maybe the ruddy thing didn't want to be found and brought back to the ruddy flock. Maybe it was actually in possession of a perfectly good map and a compass and had been trying to find its true home. Maybe it didn't want to be returned to its fellow sheep, but was perfectly happy on its own. Bugger, eh.
Which, if I could only connect in true EM Forster fashion, would lead me to think that if the church did suddenly turn up at the doorstep demanding to know what's wrong with me and begging me to return, I would probably flee to the Surrey Hills and beg them to leave me alone to make my own decision. Which of course rather puts the dampener on last week's blog accusing them all of cruelty and desertion. Double bugger. And of course it all goes to show how little I know my own mind and how easily I can swing from one strongly-held opinion to another in a matter of minutes without so much as a flare or a phone call. As Kunu said, we will need at some stage to explore the reasons behind my apparently desperate desire to be part of a community and my apparently equally desperate desire to avoid it. Hell, it's always good to have something to look forward to, I suppose. In the meantime, just stick a label on me and call me a hypocrite. I'll ring my own "unclean" bell ...
Back at the ranch, I have had delicious fun writing another 1000 words of "The Gifting". God, but it's like coming home. Or journeying towards it. One of the two. Possibly because I've been writing the flashback sex scene between Simon & Ralph, and I've been having to think laterally about what's he's sensing in his mind as well as physically, what with Simon being telepathic. And it's been fun to write things slightly differently in that way. Actually, no, being honest, I always love doing the sex scenes and the violence scenes. No matter what. They're where I really feel I'm buzzing. It's the sections between that cause the angst ...
Oh and the lovely Jackie from Goldenford (http://www.goldenford.co.uk) has put a few very kind comments about A Dangerous Man (http://www.flamebooks.com) on her blog at http://jackieluben.blogspot.com under yesterday's date, which I include below also:
"I finished Anne Brooke’s A Dangerous Man yesterday night. (It was very different from anything I’ve read before and quite difficult putting myself into the mind of a disturbed young gay man.) Anne’s hero, Michael, takes you on a journey into a twilight world and into an environment that most of us won’t have encountered. Nevertheless, any creative person can empathise with Michael’s desperate desire for success in his chosen field, and most readers will understand his longing for love and recognition. Anne has shown great insight in stepping into the shoes of this dark and obsessive character, and in leading us through highs and lows to the book’s compelling climax."
Thanks hugely, Jackie - that means a great deal (though I'm not sure about the "great insight" - as you can probably tell from Sentence Four of your own review, Michael is pretty much me ...), especially as dark crime isn't a genre you warm to and your own books are so very life-affirming. Talking of which, if you haven't come across Jacquelynn Luben's books, then you really should - The Fruit of the Tree (http://www.amazon.co.uk) is a very moving autobiography about Jackie's experiences of cot death and her own journey through and beyond that, and of course Goldenford's own A Bottle of Plonk is a very witty and wise series of interconnected stories focusing on the travels of one very unique bottle. Now if only I could get Goldenford's hot, sticky hands on her next novel, The Tainted Tree, my life as a fulfilled editor would be complete!...
Oh, and the lovely Clayton (http://www.myspace.com/dwbsoho) has also just finished A Dangerous Man too and has emailed me to say how much he loved it, and that he thinks I'm a "fantastic writer". Gosh. Thanks, Clayton - that means a great deal too. Because, as I said, Michael had been worried about what you might think of him. My, how that boy does fret. And each time I tried to reassure him you'd be very sweet as that is your nature, he'd just mutter something unmentionable at me and go back to his drawing. Sigh.
This afternoon, I've popped in to see Gladys. She's not having so good a week this week, I have to say, so it was quite tricky to get her smiling again. But we did agree that she must keep breathing until Tony Blair has been beaten into submission and left the leadership, as otherwise she'd never forgive herself for not seeing him out of office. My, how she hates that man. Still, it gives her an aim (of sorts!) and that's only to the good. And we also talked about holidays and her travels through Denmark just after the war. Apparently, her long-deceased husband, Charlie, had a German penfriend (well, he lived in Denmark but was German, I believe) arranged through school which he kept up with through the war. Astonishing. And bloody good for him too - why ruin a perfectly good friendship just because some crazed madman is in charge of Germany? Unfortunately, the penfriend was killed during the war at some stage, but Gladys & Charlie went over to visit the parents afterwards. Marvellous stuff. And a lesson to us all in how lucky we are now indeed.
And I have at last let drop to Gladys that I am attending church less often (for less often, read not at all ...) and that therefore I only know what's happening via Lord H. It felt more honest to say it as, off-line, I've rather been keeping this under wraps. If anything can be under wraps for an obsessional blogger like me, of course. Anyway, she was fine about it, and we moved on. Phew.
Tonight, I think I'm going to do some more scribbling to "The Gifting", as it'll be interesting to see how Johan reacts to Simon's very strong memories of Ralph. Aha! I feel a major row coming on. Hmm. It'll be difficult to have a blazing row in the middle of a small boat on a vast ocean, I must admit, but I'll see what I can do. Ah, the power, the cruelty - I love it!
Oh, and Lord H has nearly finished his divorce essay for Theology class - which, as it should be handed in on Saturday, is actually pretty much advance planning for him. Mr Last-Minute-dot-Com is indeed his middle name.
Today's nice things:
1. Counselling
2. The two reviews of A Dangerous Man
3. Remembering the war years with Gladys.
Anne Brooke
http://www.annebrooke.com
It was interesting though how Kunu picked up on my problems with organised communities in general. And she also asked questions about why it is I try (or have tried in the past) so hard to conform. Maybe I'm not sure whether the church per se has ever really "fitted" - it's simply that I thought that was the only way to express my faith. And of course it's (at least on my mother's side) the family tradition I've been brought up in. At heart, I don't think I've ever been a team player. Ye gods, even the phrase "family service" is enough to bring me out in a rash, "family" being one of my key stress words. Much like "religion" itself, or even "community". We did have an interesting chat about the parable of the lost sheep though - and I thought for the first time that maybe the ruddy thing didn't want to be found and brought back to the ruddy flock. Maybe it was actually in possession of a perfectly good map and a compass and had been trying to find its true home. Maybe it didn't want to be returned to its fellow sheep, but was perfectly happy on its own. Bugger, eh.
Which, if I could only connect in true EM Forster fashion, would lead me to think that if the church did suddenly turn up at the doorstep demanding to know what's wrong with me and begging me to return, I would probably flee to the Surrey Hills and beg them to leave me alone to make my own decision. Which of course rather puts the dampener on last week's blog accusing them all of cruelty and desertion. Double bugger. And of course it all goes to show how little I know my own mind and how easily I can swing from one strongly-held opinion to another in a matter of minutes without so much as a flare or a phone call. As Kunu said, we will need at some stage to explore the reasons behind my apparently desperate desire to be part of a community and my apparently equally desperate desire to avoid it. Hell, it's always good to have something to look forward to, I suppose. In the meantime, just stick a label on me and call me a hypocrite. I'll ring my own "unclean" bell ...
Back at the ranch, I have had delicious fun writing another 1000 words of "The Gifting". God, but it's like coming home. Or journeying towards it. One of the two. Possibly because I've been writing the flashback sex scene between Simon & Ralph, and I've been having to think laterally about what's he's sensing in his mind as well as physically, what with Simon being telepathic. And it's been fun to write things slightly differently in that way. Actually, no, being honest, I always love doing the sex scenes and the violence scenes. No matter what. They're where I really feel I'm buzzing. It's the sections between that cause the angst ...
Oh and the lovely Jackie from Goldenford (http://www.goldenford.co.uk) has put a few very kind comments about A Dangerous Man (http://www.flamebooks.com) on her blog at http://jackieluben.blogspot.com under yesterday's date, which I include below also:
"I finished Anne Brooke’s A Dangerous Man yesterday night. (It was very different from anything I’ve read before and quite difficult putting myself into the mind of a disturbed young gay man.) Anne’s hero, Michael, takes you on a journey into a twilight world and into an environment that most of us won’t have encountered. Nevertheless, any creative person can empathise with Michael’s desperate desire for success in his chosen field, and most readers will understand his longing for love and recognition. Anne has shown great insight in stepping into the shoes of this dark and obsessive character, and in leading us through highs and lows to the book’s compelling climax."
Thanks hugely, Jackie - that means a great deal (though I'm not sure about the "great insight" - as you can probably tell from Sentence Four of your own review, Michael is pretty much me ...), especially as dark crime isn't a genre you warm to and your own books are so very life-affirming. Talking of which, if you haven't come across Jacquelynn Luben's books, then you really should - The Fruit of the Tree (http://www.amazon.co.uk) is a very moving autobiography about Jackie's experiences of cot death and her own journey through and beyond that, and of course Goldenford's own A Bottle of Plonk is a very witty and wise series of interconnected stories focusing on the travels of one very unique bottle. Now if only I could get Goldenford's hot, sticky hands on her next novel, The Tainted Tree, my life as a fulfilled editor would be complete!...
Oh, and the lovely Clayton (http://www.myspace.com/dwbsoho) has also just finished A Dangerous Man too and has emailed me to say how much he loved it, and that he thinks I'm a "fantastic writer". Gosh. Thanks, Clayton - that means a great deal too. Because, as I said, Michael had been worried about what you might think of him. My, how that boy does fret. And each time I tried to reassure him you'd be very sweet as that is your nature, he'd just mutter something unmentionable at me and go back to his drawing. Sigh.
This afternoon, I've popped in to see Gladys. She's not having so good a week this week, I have to say, so it was quite tricky to get her smiling again. But we did agree that she must keep breathing until Tony Blair has been beaten into submission and left the leadership, as otherwise she'd never forgive herself for not seeing him out of office. My, how she hates that man. Still, it gives her an aim (of sorts!) and that's only to the good. And we also talked about holidays and her travels through Denmark just after the war. Apparently, her long-deceased husband, Charlie, had a German penfriend (well, he lived in Denmark but was German, I believe) arranged through school which he kept up with through the war. Astonishing. And bloody good for him too - why ruin a perfectly good friendship just because some crazed madman is in charge of Germany? Unfortunately, the penfriend was killed during the war at some stage, but Gladys & Charlie went over to visit the parents afterwards. Marvellous stuff. And a lesson to us all in how lucky we are now indeed.
And I have at last let drop to Gladys that I am attending church less often (for less often, read not at all ...) and that therefore I only know what's happening via Lord H. It felt more honest to say it as, off-line, I've rather been keeping this under wraps. If anything can be under wraps for an obsessional blogger like me, of course. Anyway, she was fine about it, and we moved on. Phew.
Tonight, I think I'm going to do some more scribbling to "The Gifting", as it'll be interesting to see how Johan reacts to Simon's very strong memories of Ralph. Aha! I feel a major row coming on. Hmm. It'll be difficult to have a blazing row in the middle of a small boat on a vast ocean, I must admit, but I'll see what I can do. Ah, the power, the cruelty - I love it!
Oh, and Lord H has nearly finished his divorce essay for Theology class - which, as it should be handed in on Saturday, is actually pretty much advance planning for him. Mr Last-Minute-dot-Com is indeed his middle name.
Today's nice things:
1. Counselling
2. The two reviews of A Dangerous Man
3. Remembering the war years with Gladys.
Anne Brooke
http://www.annebrooke.com
Monday, March 26, 2007
The red-lipped phone
Lord H’s alarm failed to go off this morning, but I was only ten minutes late from my planned getting up time, so it could have been far worse. Heck, we probably needed the extra time anyway. Oh, and I must say that last night’s TV production of “Northanger Abbey” was marvellous – a perfect lead and a great interpretation. It really cheered me up. Naturally, that hasn’t stopped the Monday morning post-holiday blues though, but hey there you go.
However, Ruth has cheered me up by swopping my standard work phone for one made up of an enormous pair of red lips – I absolutely loved it and wish it could be mine for ever, but apparently it (the phone, not the pair of lips …) belongs to Ruth’s mother and has to go home. Shame … it’s just the sort of thing to ring Lord H on!
I spent the rest of the morning catching up on emails and actually getting level with myself on the work front. Hurrah! And the usual bliss when 12noon came and went appeared too – it’s like a weight lifting off my shoulders when Monday afternoon arrives. I minuted the Student Care Services Steering Group at lunchtime – the boss had half a ton of tabled papers, which is always a bit of a pain as it means I actually have to scrabble round for internal envelopes and post them to non-attenders, rather than rely on the simplicity of an email. Almost like being a real secretary then …
And this feeling was compounded by spending the afternoon typing up the minutes. With the bliss of a 5pm finish today, as it’s outside term-time for the students. How we love our vacation hours indeed. It’s that extra half-hour between 5 and 5.30pm that’s always so killing to the soul.
Ooh, and the lovely Caroline on Myspace (http://www.myspace.com/caroline_biesse) loves "A Dangerous Man" (http://www.flamebooks.com) so much that she's advertising it on the book section of her profile. Thanks, Caroline! Michael and I both appreciate it very much. And he loves your new photo by the way (as do I!), though we do miss the hat ...
Tonight, Lord H is finishing off his divorce essay, which he’s much happier with now. He’s apparently learnt that the Bible tells him that husbands need to provide wives with food and clothing – don’t ask me for the reference though! Aha, I have a lot to catch up on then (pause for evil wife laughter …). Luckily, the same reference doesn’t give any particular duties for wives. Sound of more evil wife laughter then. And while he’s doing that, I’m planning to watch my video of last week’s “Life on Mars” and wait for my luggage to turn up. Ho ho. I live in hope, don’t I? …
Today’s nice things:
1. The red-lipped phone
2. Passing the noontide hour relatively unscathed
3. Caroline's profile page!
Anne Brooke
http://www.annebrooke.com/
http://www.goldenford.co.uk/
However, Ruth has cheered me up by swopping my standard work phone for one made up of an enormous pair of red lips – I absolutely loved it and wish it could be mine for ever, but apparently it (the phone, not the pair of lips …) belongs to Ruth’s mother and has to go home. Shame … it’s just the sort of thing to ring Lord H on!
I spent the rest of the morning catching up on emails and actually getting level with myself on the work front. Hurrah! And the usual bliss when 12noon came and went appeared too – it’s like a weight lifting off my shoulders when Monday afternoon arrives. I minuted the Student Care Services Steering Group at lunchtime – the boss had half a ton of tabled papers, which is always a bit of a pain as it means I actually have to scrabble round for internal envelopes and post them to non-attenders, rather than rely on the simplicity of an email. Almost like being a real secretary then …
And this feeling was compounded by spending the afternoon typing up the minutes. With the bliss of a 5pm finish today, as it’s outside term-time for the students. How we love our vacation hours indeed. It’s that extra half-hour between 5 and 5.30pm that’s always so killing to the soul.
Ooh, and the lovely Caroline on Myspace (http://www.myspace.com/caroline_biesse) loves "A Dangerous Man" (http://www.flamebooks.com) so much that she's advertising it on the book section of her profile. Thanks, Caroline! Michael and I both appreciate it very much. And he loves your new photo by the way (as do I!), though we do miss the hat ...
Tonight, Lord H is finishing off his divorce essay, which he’s much happier with now. He’s apparently learnt that the Bible tells him that husbands need to provide wives with food and clothing – don’t ask me for the reference though! Aha, I have a lot to catch up on then (pause for evil wife laughter …). Luckily, the same reference doesn’t give any particular duties for wives. Sound of more evil wife laughter then. And while he’s doing that, I’m planning to watch my video of last week’s “Life on Mars” and wait for my luggage to turn up. Ho ho. I live in hope, don’t I? …
Today’s nice things:
1. The red-lipped phone
2. Passing the noontide hour relatively unscathed
3. Caroline's profile page!
Anne Brooke
http://www.annebrooke.com/
http://www.goldenford.co.uk/
Saturday, March 17, 2007
Tea, Pinter and my first reading group invite
Oh, the .... Pinter last .... night was so .... full of .... pauses that at times I think I may have lost the will to live. I have no real idea what it might have been trying to say either and I even may have got to the point where I didn't much care. Which is odd as I've seen some quite sharp Pinters. This ("Old Times") is not one. It even managed to make the glorious Neil Pearson appear dull, which is quite a feat. Only an hour and a half (including a 20 minute interval), but I've never been so glad to see the lights come up and the applause begin. Though I think we might have been applauding the return of the lights rather than acknowledging the actors. Mind you, I did get the giggles when Lord H leaned over to me while we were nibbling our ice creams in the interval and said (in classic stage whisper) that, all in all, he thought there was less to it than met the eye. Well said, sir, indeed. In fact if we'd got rid of ... the ... pauses, we could probably have rattled through it in 10 mins and been home in time for "Ugly Betty". Which I'm sorry I missed.
However, fear not, as Lord H has once again come up with the correct dramatic solution. (It never ceases to amaze me how dramatically sensitive my husband actually is - he really should have been a playwright or a drama critic, at the very least, as he does this all the time). Anyway, his solution would be to take the script, add in the old school friend's husband, thus making it a four-hander, rather than a three-hander. Then he'd split the set so we could see the living room and the bedroom at the same time, and watch people go in and out of same - thus adding action and a sense of movement where there was none. He'd then give the whole thing to Alan Ayckbourn who knows a thing or two about drama, and end up with a respectable, and no doubt more popular, comedy of manners. Result! Remember: you heard it here first ...
And there's exciting news! "A Dangerous Man" (http://www.flamebooks.com) will be discussed at the university's reading group at the end of April, and I've been invited to go along and introduce it, etc etc. Hurrah! Michael actually gets to go out. For once. I'd best make sure he nobbles some of Jack's aftershave and buys himself a decent tee-shirt and at least tries to look respectable. Both of us are very excited! - but nervous too, as we're Reading Group Virgins. Much to our shame ... So if anyone out there has any useful tips, please let us know! I did ask Lord H if he could come along and be "Author's Husband", and he suggested that, bearing in mind the psychotic subject matter, perhaps Kunu could also come along, so I could be flanked by "Author's Husband" on one side and "Author's Therapist" on the other. I suspect that may be slightly too weird for the university though ... And he wasn't that keen on the idea of me dressing up as Michael and him dressing up as Jack either - though the idea of having sex in the office did perk him up. As it were. Ho hum.
Oh, and the lovely Devon on MySpace (http://www.myspace.com - sorry, Devon, but I can't find your page URL, darn it!) has very kindly added me to his profile as an author he likes. Hey, thanks, Devon - that's a first for me, I think. Much appreciated.
This afternoon, Lord H and I have been to Kent and back to celebrate a friend's 60th birthday and to eat lots of very naughty food. Bliss. And we were very good, as it was held in a vineyard and we didn't buy any of the local wine. How noble we are indeed. This probably means we can be extra naughty at the next available wine shop. Hurrah. Tonight, I'll be glued to "Primeval" on TV, getting more ironing done and probably not doing the cleaning. Hell, it's a plan.
Today's nice things:
1. Being invited to a reading group
2. Tea in Kent
3. Being a favourite author of Devon's!
Anne Brooke
http://www.annebrooke.com
http://www.goldenford.co.uk
However, fear not, as Lord H has once again come up with the correct dramatic solution. (It never ceases to amaze me how dramatically sensitive my husband actually is - he really should have been a playwright or a drama critic, at the very least, as he does this all the time). Anyway, his solution would be to take the script, add in the old school friend's husband, thus making it a four-hander, rather than a three-hander. Then he'd split the set so we could see the living room and the bedroom at the same time, and watch people go in and out of same - thus adding action and a sense of movement where there was none. He'd then give the whole thing to Alan Ayckbourn who knows a thing or two about drama, and end up with a respectable, and no doubt more popular, comedy of manners. Result! Remember: you heard it here first ...
And there's exciting news! "A Dangerous Man" (http://www.flamebooks.com) will be discussed at the university's reading group at the end of April, and I've been invited to go along and introduce it, etc etc. Hurrah! Michael actually gets to go out. For once. I'd best make sure he nobbles some of Jack's aftershave and buys himself a decent tee-shirt and at least tries to look respectable. Both of us are very excited! - but nervous too, as we're Reading Group Virgins. Much to our shame ... So if anyone out there has any useful tips, please let us know! I did ask Lord H if he could come along and be "Author's Husband", and he suggested that, bearing in mind the psychotic subject matter, perhaps Kunu could also come along, so I could be flanked by "Author's Husband" on one side and "Author's Therapist" on the other. I suspect that may be slightly too weird for the university though ... And he wasn't that keen on the idea of me dressing up as Michael and him dressing up as Jack either - though the idea of having sex in the office did perk him up. As it were. Ho hum.
Oh, and the lovely Devon on MySpace (http://www.myspace.com - sorry, Devon, but I can't find your page URL, darn it!) has very kindly added me to his profile as an author he likes. Hey, thanks, Devon - that's a first for me, I think. Much appreciated.
This afternoon, Lord H and I have been to Kent and back to celebrate a friend's 60th birthday and to eat lots of very naughty food. Bliss. And we were very good, as it was held in a vineyard and we didn't buy any of the local wine. How noble we are indeed. This probably means we can be extra naughty at the next available wine shop. Hurrah. Tonight, I'll be glued to "Primeval" on TV, getting more ironing done and probably not doing the cleaning. Hell, it's a plan.
Today's nice things:
1. Being invited to a reading group
2. Tea in Kent
3. Being a favourite author of Devon's!
Anne Brooke
http://www.annebrooke.com
http://www.goldenford.co.uk
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
UniSWriters, Goldenford & reviews
Had another nice review of “A Dangerous Man” (http://www.flamebooks.com) last night – from Julie Lewthwaite, author of Negotiate to Succeed, who emailed me to say the following:
“I loved A Dangerous Man. Nagged at me while I was reading it and stayed with me after I'd finished. Can't ask for much more than that. Nice work!”
Hey, thanks, Julie! I appreciate that. Very much. Not only that but Clayton from MySpace (http://www.myspace.com/dwbsoho) tells me that reading it is curtailing his love life, as he’s too busy reading to do anything naughty. Sorry, Clayton – hope things pick up (as it were) soon. But thanks for telling me, tee hee! And I’ve had some very positive comments from the Writewords (http://www.writewords.org.uk) Flash Fiction II group on yesterday’s uploaded work, so that feels good too. Thanks, gang.
And you’ll also be pleased to hear that Lord H’s theology presentation went well last night – they had lots of discussion on it, though he wasn’t so happy with his summing up. Though I would have thought that was impossible to do anyway whilst you’re in the middle of something! Anyway, the group seem to have decided that they definitely don’t want GM crops, even though not having them puts the orang-utan under threat as it means the tropical rain forest will continue to be depleted. Lord, but life is so complex sometimes. Thank goodness it was only an exercise (though, sadly, one based on fact). But Lord H is at least pleased it’s over though he’ll have to wait to see what the assessors say. Oh, and the whole group are ruddy tongue-rollers, apparently. Damn it!! Is there no end to the horror?
Lunch-hour was our next UniSWriters meeting, with a focus on writing about furniture. We had a jolly good time too, with a fair number of manuscripts to look at, and a fun writing game which gave rise to a lot of good stuff. It was great! Have decided that the theme for the next set of homework should be water and/or thirst, so I’ll see what they come up with for that one. And I’d better have a bash too, of course … Oh, here it is:
River
It’s already too hot.
Pick up the bottle,
unprick the seal, take a slug.
It will ease the dryness
in your throat.
It won’t be enough though.
The heat from the bazaar rises,
engulfs you.
In its blistering touch,
you can taste
noise, narrow streets, saffron,
bread, whisky, camel dung.
All the customs and language
of a people you do not know.
Unlock the bottle again.
Raise it to your lips,
pour it like a blessing
over your head:
a talisman against the dark.
See how the water floods
your hair, your eyes, your mouth.
The shock of coolness on your skin
makes you shiver.
It’s a river, rushing, roaring,
carving lines of cleanness
through dirt,
sweeping all your past
away.
Other than that, I have to say that I’ve spent most of the day feeling absolutely shattered – I really do need my holiday next week (Lord H and I are off to Madeira for four days, and I’m really really hoping I might get some rest – it’s been a hectic few weeks, all in all). That said, I don’t feel as low as yesterday, which can only be a good thing, hurrah.
Oh, and I've joined Crimespace (http://crimespace.ning.com) and now have a page on there - they seem like a nice bunch of crime writers & readers. So possibly they're all mad - it's hard to say just now ...
Tonight, it’s the next Goldenford (http://www.goldenford.co.uk) meeting, so I’d best get my minute head at the ready.
Today’s nice things:
1. The responses to “A Dangerous Man”
2. The reaction to my flash fiction piece
3. UniSWriters.
Anne Brooke
http://www.annebrooke.com
“I loved A Dangerous Man. Nagged at me while I was reading it and stayed with me after I'd finished. Can't ask for much more than that. Nice work!”
Hey, thanks, Julie! I appreciate that. Very much. Not only that but Clayton from MySpace (http://www.myspace.com/dwbsoho) tells me that reading it is curtailing his love life, as he’s too busy reading to do anything naughty. Sorry, Clayton – hope things pick up (as it were) soon. But thanks for telling me, tee hee! And I’ve had some very positive comments from the Writewords (http://www.writewords.org.uk) Flash Fiction II group on yesterday’s uploaded work, so that feels good too. Thanks, gang.
And you’ll also be pleased to hear that Lord H’s theology presentation went well last night – they had lots of discussion on it, though he wasn’t so happy with his summing up. Though I would have thought that was impossible to do anyway whilst you’re in the middle of something! Anyway, the group seem to have decided that they definitely don’t want GM crops, even though not having them puts the orang-utan under threat as it means the tropical rain forest will continue to be depleted. Lord, but life is so complex sometimes. Thank goodness it was only an exercise (though, sadly, one based on fact). But Lord H is at least pleased it’s over though he’ll have to wait to see what the assessors say. Oh, and the whole group are ruddy tongue-rollers, apparently. Damn it!! Is there no end to the horror?
Lunch-hour was our next UniSWriters meeting, with a focus on writing about furniture. We had a jolly good time too, with a fair number of manuscripts to look at, and a fun writing game which gave rise to a lot of good stuff. It was great! Have decided that the theme for the next set of homework should be water and/or thirst, so I’ll see what they come up with for that one. And I’d better have a bash too, of course … Oh, here it is:
River
It’s already too hot.
Pick up the bottle,
unprick the seal, take a slug.
It will ease the dryness
in your throat.
It won’t be enough though.
The heat from the bazaar rises,
engulfs you.
In its blistering touch,
you can taste
noise, narrow streets, saffron,
bread, whisky, camel dung.
All the customs and language
of a people you do not know.
Unlock the bottle again.
Raise it to your lips,
pour it like a blessing
over your head:
a talisman against the dark.
See how the water floods
your hair, your eyes, your mouth.
The shock of coolness on your skin
makes you shiver.
It’s a river, rushing, roaring,
carving lines of cleanness
through dirt,
sweeping all your past
away.
Other than that, I have to say that I’ve spent most of the day feeling absolutely shattered – I really do need my holiday next week (Lord H and I are off to Madeira for four days, and I’m really really hoping I might get some rest – it’s been a hectic few weeks, all in all). That said, I don’t feel as low as yesterday, which can only be a good thing, hurrah.
Oh, and I've joined Crimespace (http://crimespace.ning.com) and now have a page on there - they seem like a nice bunch of crime writers & readers. So possibly they're all mad - it's hard to say just now ...
Tonight, it’s the next Goldenford (http://www.goldenford.co.uk) meeting, so I’d best get my minute head at the ready.
Today’s nice things:
1. The responses to “A Dangerous Man”
2. The reaction to my flash fiction piece
3. UniSWriters.
Anne Brooke
http://www.annebrooke.com
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