Life News:
Great news - I survived Freshers' Week! As, I think so far and on the whole, have the Freshers themselves, so good news all round really. It was as exhausting and sometimes exhilarating as usual, but to my mind we paced ourselves better this year and that's made all the difference. Also we knew what we were doing more, as we'd had the first bite at the new system last year so it felt familiar this time round. The biggest help of all though has been that instead of having two Information Point tables (that we're responsible for), we've had one, so it's meant that Ruth and I don't have to be there all the time on our separate tables but we've been doing about two hours on and two hours off on a rota system during the day so we each get a chance to regroup and stop the work piling up in the office. As I've said before, being at the Information Point is much like performing on stage, so I reckon two hours is just about right before the need for an interval comes upon us.
Naturally, there've been some emergencies and last-minute changes, including three lecture theatres being unexpectedly out-of-action so a lot of our time has been spent directing confused people (staff and students alike) to the correct rooms and apologising, though most people have been lovely about it. And, of course, there's been the odd talk overrunning, with the need for a bit of creative redistribution of stock. As it were. Still, I don't think anyone saw the join ...
Anyway, frankly, it's been my best Freshers' Week so far, so a big thank you to Clare W who's organised it all once again. And an equally big and rather more than slightly tearful farewell to the aforementioned Clare, who's leaving us this week for better and closer-to-home things ... Really, it's all change in the office, as not only that but Lauren from the Mentoring team is leaving as well (further sobbing, but there's still time to change your minds, girls!) so last night we all had a farewell early dinner at Ask in Guildford, which was I hope a good send-off for both. And already we have replacements for our disappearing staff, as Steve has been with us for a week in the Mentoring office, and Jon arrives full-time on Monday to sit in Clare's place. Boys in the office, eh - well, whatever next!...
All this rushing about and preparing for change this week has utterly wiped me out though and I have had a 2.5 hour nap this afternoon, well really and it must be my age ... I think it's done the trick though as I'm ready to continue our mammoth DIY project once K gets home. This morning, I've painted half the ceiling in the spare room and put a first coat of gloss on the window alcove skirting board and window ledge. Once the 2nd coat is on, we reckon that the alcove will be done and we can move things back into it, thus creating space in the non-decorated part of the room so we can start having a go at that too. The good news is that the hallway and front door is now finished and looks very nice indeed, hurrah.
The other big excitement is we've found out that if you attach the electric sander to the Hoover then there's virtually no dust, double hurrahs and break out the Bolly. Sanding with a Hoover is therefore our new hobby, so be warned ...
Books News:
I'm pleased to say that Tommy's Blind Date is now available as a Kindle book at Amazon US and Amazon UK, and a copy or two has already been purchased at both stores - which is surprising as Amazon UK Kindle has a lot of catching up to do with its American cousin in these early days of its existence.
Meanwhile, The Hit List received a lovely 4.5 star review at Goodreads, so thank you, Jo, for your comments. And The Delaneys and Me made a brief visit to the Amazon Top 100 charts, but has disappeared once more, alas. Publishers have been busy too, and you can now find all my Untreed Reads books in one convenient location (thanks, Jay!) so if you want to know about dancing, nature, fruit, art or accountancy, or perhaps all of these, you know where to go.
Looking forward to October, I'm delighted that A Dangerous Man, which is due out on 15 October, now has its own page at Cheyenne Publishing - a perfect read for those dark autumnal days indeed.
Meditations so far this week are:
Meditation 434
When engrossed
in your daily chores
do not neglect
the subtle gestures
of God
and see how everything
changes.
Meditation 435
It says something
about a man
when he’d rather give away
his women and children
than his valuables
if he can.
Anne Brooke
ANNE BROOKE BOOKS: Independent writer of modern fiction
Showing posts with label napping. Show all posts
Showing posts with label napping. Show all posts
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Sunday, September 27, 2009
Wisley, sculpture and chilling
Am making the most of the day before the onslaught of Freshers' Week next week. Honestly it's been really great today that I haven't had to talk to anyone apart from Lord H. Bliss. Here's today's poem:
Meditation 229
Water and prayer
quench the dry land’s thirst
and wash sin away.
If only
you could bottle both.
So we've had a delightful amble through the joys of Wisley, which included the excitements of the Sculpture Trail that was today's special event. I particularly thrilled to the glorious sculpture of different sized fish on bicycles. Called Cycling School, it was utterly delightful and a work of genius perfectly placed. Wonderful. Here's a link to a photograph of it. Ain't that magical?... And here's a link to the sculptor - some fabulous pieces there too. Anyway, we had lunch out at the Wisley cafe, which was very pleasant though it did appear that the staff were on a go-slow in terms of collecting up dirty plates. We suspect the scary manager isn't on today - every other time we've been there, the clearing up has been astonishingly good and the moment a table is vacated, it's cleared and wiped down for the next people. As it should be really. Today, the system was something of a mess. Ah well.
This afternoon, I've had a much-needed nap - heck, I need all the strength I can get for the week to come, I fear. Later, we'll be looking at holidays (hurrah!) and I'll probably do some more editing to The Hit List. Robert is looking sultry and mysterious. Always get your characters to play to their strengths, eh. And there's sod-all on TV, sigh.
I've also enjoyed Mary Beard's Pompeii, which is a non-fiction study of that tragic town. Very interesting indeed, though I did feel it was rather too heavy in places. But a highly useful manual if you're intending to visit, which we are, at some point.
Here's this week's rather sparse haiku:
Nothing in my head
this week is worth the paper
I scribble it on.
Today's nice things:
1. Poetry
2. Wisley
3. Sculptures
4. Napping
5. Editing The Hit List
6. Books
7. Haikus.
Anne Brooke - something of a fish on a bicycle herself
Pink Champagne and Apple Juice - ideal Sunday drinking
Meditation 229
Water and prayer
quench the dry land’s thirst
and wash sin away.
If only
you could bottle both.
So we've had a delightful amble through the joys of Wisley, which included the excitements of the Sculpture Trail that was today's special event. I particularly thrilled to the glorious sculpture of different sized fish on bicycles. Called Cycling School, it was utterly delightful and a work of genius perfectly placed. Wonderful. Here's a link to a photograph of it. Ain't that magical?... And here's a link to the sculptor - some fabulous pieces there too. Anyway, we had lunch out at the Wisley cafe, which was very pleasant though it did appear that the staff were on a go-slow in terms of collecting up dirty plates. We suspect the scary manager isn't on today - every other time we've been there, the clearing up has been astonishingly good and the moment a table is vacated, it's cleared and wiped down for the next people. As it should be really. Today, the system was something of a mess. Ah well.
This afternoon, I've had a much-needed nap - heck, I need all the strength I can get for the week to come, I fear. Later, we'll be looking at holidays (hurrah!) and I'll probably do some more editing to The Hit List. Robert is looking sultry and mysterious. Always get your characters to play to their strengths, eh. And there's sod-all on TV, sigh.
I've also enjoyed Mary Beard's Pompeii, which is a non-fiction study of that tragic town. Very interesting indeed, though I did feel it was rather too heavy in places. But a highly useful manual if you're intending to visit, which we are, at some point.
Here's this week's rather sparse haiku:
Nothing in my head
this week is worth the paper
I scribble it on.
Today's nice things:
1. Poetry
2. Wisley
3. Sculptures
4. Napping
5. Editing The Hit List
6. Books
7. Haikus.
Anne Brooke - something of a fish on a bicycle herself
Pink Champagne and Apple Juice - ideal Sunday drinking
Friday, August 28, 2009
Editing, sleep and the big night skies
Well, we thoroughly enjoyed Walking with Dinosaurs last night - a magnificent show indeed and very well done. Stars of the show were the great beasts themselves of course, but the way the plant life burst out of the stage at various points was grand too. The only big down-side was the fact that we were over half an hour late due to the fact that the M25 was shut and everything in the south came to a sympathetic standstill. Which made an hour's journey into a grand 2.5 hours and was extremely dull. Not to mention frustrating. On the way we passed no less than four accidents and were passed in turn by a very very slow-moving fire engine. One hopes it got there before the fire gave up. All of which probably made it into National Traffic Queueing Day, and the country will be celebrating its anniversary for years to come. Anyway, people were arriving late all the way through the show (which matters very little due to the nature of Wembley Arena). But the people I was really sorry for were the young family who finally crawled into their seats in front of us looking thoroughly bedraggled and traffic-beaten about 10 minutes before it actually ... um ... ended. Tough explaining that one to the young children in tow ...
Anyway, to today. And there's a poem, and it's the first day of reading Acts:
Meditation 209
Sometimes
it is necessary
to advance,
pour forth
the needs
of the moment,
demand satisfaction.
At other times
there is nothing
to do
but wait
under empty skies,
trusting in a promise
you no longer see.
For most of the day I've been editing Hallsfoot's Battle and am quite pleased with progress. I've now come to a section of more complicated editing so I'll leave it until I feel fresher, I think. After that and worn out from all the excitement of the past few days, I've managed to fit in a much-needed nap. Which turned out to be a whole two hours, so Lordy but I must have needed it.
Tonight, Lord H and I are out at the University's Great Look Up event, as he's something of a fan of the night sky and I think it should be interesting. Mind you, I'll try and avoid the barbecue, I think - I'm not a great fan of raw meat in the open air. If I want to eat badly-cooked food, I'd prefer to do it indoors ...
Today's nice things:
1. Poetry
2. Editing progress
3. Napping
4. The night sky.
Anne Brooke: head in the clouds as usual
Thorn in the Flesh: a definitive night-time read
Anyway, to today. And there's a poem, and it's the first day of reading Acts:
Meditation 209
Sometimes
it is necessary
to advance,
pour forth
the needs
of the moment,
demand satisfaction.
At other times
there is nothing
to do
but wait
under empty skies,
trusting in a promise
you no longer see.
For most of the day I've been editing Hallsfoot's Battle and am quite pleased with progress. I've now come to a section of more complicated editing so I'll leave it until I feel fresher, I think. After that and worn out from all the excitement of the past few days, I've managed to fit in a much-needed nap. Which turned out to be a whole two hours, so Lordy but I must have needed it.
Tonight, Lord H and I are out at the University's Great Look Up event, as he's something of a fan of the night sky and I think it should be interesting. Mind you, I'll try and avoid the barbecue, I think - I'm not a great fan of raw meat in the open air. If I want to eat badly-cooked food, I'd prefer to do it indoors ...
Today's nice things:
1. Poetry
2. Editing progress
3. Napping
4. The night sky.
Anne Brooke: head in the clouds as usual
Thorn in the Flesh: a definitive night-time read
Sunday, August 16, 2009
Sunflowers and sleep
Goodness me, but what a sunshiny day today. We are being lucky in terms of weekend weather these days. Are we still in Britain at all? Anyway, here's today's poem:
Meditation 199
Buried in a list
of impossible towns –
Dibon, Kedemoth,
Zereth-Shahar –
lies the death
of Balaam,
devious teller
of fortunes
and beater of donkeys
and I find that,
for his faults,
I’ll miss him.
Today, Lord H and I have spent a very pleasant few hours wandering around Wisley and particularly admiring the sunflowers. I do so love sunflowers. Such a happy plant. We also had a very good lunch and watched as Queen Victoria and her entourage (no less) greeted her subjects. She looks surprisingly well for a dead woman, I must say.
Once back home, I braved medical opinion by taking a (I think) well-earned nap, and am now feeling like I could start my day all over again. I might well add a few more sentences to my short story later on, but we'll see. There's also a programme on TV about God (well, it is Sunday ...) later which we may well catch, even though it looks rather too worthy for the weekend.
Here's this week's haiku:
Railway men dressed as
orange flamingoes punch soil
on the railway track.
Today's nice things:
1. Sunshine
2. Poetry
3. Wisley
4. Napping
5. Haikus.
Anne Brooke - lapping up the sun
Vulpes Libris: shining a light on the secret life of erotic fiction
Meditation 199
Buried in a list
of impossible towns –
Dibon, Kedemoth,
Zereth-Shahar –
lies the death
of Balaam,
devious teller
of fortunes
and beater of donkeys
and I find that,
for his faults,
I’ll miss him.
Today, Lord H and I have spent a very pleasant few hours wandering around Wisley and particularly admiring the sunflowers. I do so love sunflowers. Such a happy plant. We also had a very good lunch and watched as Queen Victoria and her entourage (no less) greeted her subjects. She looks surprisingly well for a dead woman, I must say.
Once back home, I braved medical opinion by taking a (I think) well-earned nap, and am now feeling like I could start my day all over again. I might well add a few more sentences to my short story later on, but we'll see. There's also a programme on TV about God (well, it is Sunday ...) later which we may well catch, even though it looks rather too worthy for the weekend.
Here's this week's haiku:
Railway men dressed as
orange flamingoes punch soil
on the railway track.
Today's nice things:
1. Sunshine
2. Poetry
3. Wisley
4. Napping
5. Haikus.
Anne Brooke - lapping up the sun
Vulpes Libris: shining a light on the secret life of erotic fiction
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Poetry, sex and napping
Back to a more normal routine today, so here's this morning's poem:
Meditation 197
Old age
brings the knowledge
of all the noble acts
you have not done:
people unfought,
lands unconquered.
Sometimes you wish
you’d died young.
Keeping to the subject of poetry, I'm pleased to say that Callused Hands Journal have accepted two of my poems for future publication - thanks, Ivan! Always good to have something to look forward to indeed.
Anyway for the rest of the day I've been writing up my review of Ian Kelly's Casanova for Vulpes Libris. I've thoroughly enjoyed it too - what a great book and what a fascinating man! As I'm sure I'll say again, and probably again, when the review date comes up (as it were).
I've also been continuing my long-running and rather fraught emails with the CoolReader people. I've discovered that the best (or indeed the only) thing to do to get them to respond (for anyone else out there who has similar problems) is to send them private messages on Twitter. After several messages today, we finally have the following situation: they have told me that the information on my broken machine will be deleted. This is the information I asked them for last week and frankly it's astonishing it's taken them so long to reply. It's what I wanted to know - particularly as my own completed novels and one or two published short stories are stored on there. With that in mind, I've asked them to give me a date on which my old machine can be collected and my new one given to me - bearing in mind that it's taken a week to get here, I'm not convinced that will be soon, but we'll see. They've also offered me a voucher for spending on CoolerBooks, but as there's nothing on there I want to buy, that's not particularly great and I told them so. And really, I don't want a voucher - I want good, swift, intelligent service and a machine that works. So, I'm pleased I've finally got an answer, but we're not out of those pesky trees yet ...
And I've also been incredibly brave and had a nap. Apparently, according to today's news, this is a very dangerous thing to do as it brings on Alzheimer's and Diabetes. Hopefully not at the same time. Lordy, but is anything at all deemed to be safe??
Tonight, I'm looking forward to New Tricks, which is my comfort TV for that almost-midweek zone. Bring it on.
Today's nice things:
1. Poetry
2. Poems acceptances
3. Writing my review of Casanova
4. Napping - goodness how brave!
5. TV.
Anne Brooke - living on the wild side
Vulpes Libris: getting to grips with the man behind Ghosts and Lightning
Meditation 197
Old age
brings the knowledge
of all the noble acts
you have not done:
people unfought,
lands unconquered.
Sometimes you wish
you’d died young.
Keeping to the subject of poetry, I'm pleased to say that Callused Hands Journal have accepted two of my poems for future publication - thanks, Ivan! Always good to have something to look forward to indeed.
Anyway for the rest of the day I've been writing up my review of Ian Kelly's Casanova for Vulpes Libris. I've thoroughly enjoyed it too - what a great book and what a fascinating man! As I'm sure I'll say again, and probably again, when the review date comes up (as it were).
I've also been continuing my long-running and rather fraught emails with the CoolReader people. I've discovered that the best (or indeed the only) thing to do to get them to respond (for anyone else out there who has similar problems) is to send them private messages on Twitter. After several messages today, we finally have the following situation: they have told me that the information on my broken machine will be deleted. This is the information I asked them for last week and frankly it's astonishing it's taken them so long to reply. It's what I wanted to know - particularly as my own completed novels and one or two published short stories are stored on there. With that in mind, I've asked them to give me a date on which my old machine can be collected and my new one given to me - bearing in mind that it's taken a week to get here, I'm not convinced that will be soon, but we'll see. They've also offered me a voucher for spending on CoolerBooks, but as there's nothing on there I want to buy, that's not particularly great and I told them so. And really, I don't want a voucher - I want good, swift, intelligent service and a machine that works. So, I'm pleased I've finally got an answer, but we're not out of those pesky trees yet ...
And I've also been incredibly brave and had a nap. Apparently, according to today's news, this is a very dangerous thing to do as it brings on Alzheimer's and Diabetes. Hopefully not at the same time. Lordy, but is anything at all deemed to be safe??
Tonight, I'm looking forward to New Tricks, which is my comfort TV for that almost-midweek zone. Bring it on.
Today's nice things:
1. Poetry
2. Poems acceptances
3. Writing my review of Casanova
4. Napping - goodness how brave!
5. TV.
Anne Brooke - living on the wild side
Vulpes Libris: getting to grips with the man behind Ghosts and Lightning
Thursday, July 16, 2009
The serial napper and the speed-dial doctor
Goodness me but I am the Queen of the Naps today. And yesterday even - the moment I got in from work, I fell asleep, then this morning I was asleep until Lord H left for work, and this lunchtime I've had to have another hour's nap just in order to feel capable of facing the day. Obviously I need it then! I'm not eating very much either and don't feel at all hungry, though I'm drinking lots. But apart from that and a slight achiness and stomach trouble, everything's fine. Ho ho. Actually I think it's payback time from the stresses and strains of this week and last. When oh when will I learn not to panic and to try to chill out more?? Hmm, don't wait up is my advice ...
Anyway, here's this morning's meditation:
Meditation 173
What it all
comes down to
is this:
one slight
terrified man
facing agonising
death
for the sake
of a truth
he thinks
worth dying for.
I've been working away on the Hallsfoot's Battle edits today and actually quite enjoying the leisurely manner in which I'm doing it. I'm adding in a few pointers towards the things I made up later in the book and discovering other facts I'd entirely forgotten about, so that's good news. In many ways, I find the editing stage the most enjoyable - actually creating the pesky story can be like tearing the skin off a cat without the aid of anaesthetic (not that I've ever done that, I hasten to add, but the image seems right), whereas editing is more like smoothing it back on again. I think I'm at my calmest at this stage too. Good news for Lord H then!
Other good news is that our holiday to Italy has been confirmed, hurrah. Sadly, it's not Pompeii (though I'm making plans to go in the spring instead - watch this space ...), but a trip to Umbria, north of Rome. Bliss, I can't wait.
Later this afternoon, if I feel up to it, I'm hoping to go on a car hunt at the local showrooms. My aim: a new second-hand Ford Fiesta that isn't black (well, Rupert's black and I fancy a change - but, for goodness sake, don't tell him that!), has five doors, petrol, a manual gearbox and aircon. Surely that can't be too hard? Well, we'll see ...
After that, I'm supposed to be meeting up with work friends for a quick drink and some supper, but I'm going to see how I am before I get there. I don't think I'll be infecting them with anything if I do turn up (whatever I've got is just me, I feel), and in any case it's certainly not swine flu - I've checked the symptoms online and it's a definite "no, go away, and stop bothering us". But, again, we'll see - I may make a miraculous recovery if I see a car I like and then the entire thing will have been only in my head after all. As ever, eh. Do you think I might be a hypochondriac? Surely not. Doesn't everyone have their GP's number on speed-dial?...
Today's nice things:
1. Napping, a lot
2. Poetry
3. Editing
4. Holidays
5. Car-hunting
6. Drinks & supper with friends.
Anne Brooke - napping for Britain, again
Anyway, here's this morning's meditation:
Meditation 173
What it all
comes down to
is this:
one slight
terrified man
facing agonising
death
for the sake
of a truth
he thinks
worth dying for.
I've been working away on the Hallsfoot's Battle edits today and actually quite enjoying the leisurely manner in which I'm doing it. I'm adding in a few pointers towards the things I made up later in the book and discovering other facts I'd entirely forgotten about, so that's good news. In many ways, I find the editing stage the most enjoyable - actually creating the pesky story can be like tearing the skin off a cat without the aid of anaesthetic (not that I've ever done that, I hasten to add, but the image seems right), whereas editing is more like smoothing it back on again. I think I'm at my calmest at this stage too. Good news for Lord H then!
Other good news is that our holiday to Italy has been confirmed, hurrah. Sadly, it's not Pompeii (though I'm making plans to go in the spring instead - watch this space ...), but a trip to Umbria, north of Rome. Bliss, I can't wait.
Later this afternoon, if I feel up to it, I'm hoping to go on a car hunt at the local showrooms. My aim: a new second-hand Ford Fiesta that isn't black (well, Rupert's black and I fancy a change - but, for goodness sake, don't tell him that!), has five doors, petrol, a manual gearbox and aircon. Surely that can't be too hard? Well, we'll see ...
After that, I'm supposed to be meeting up with work friends for a quick drink and some supper, but I'm going to see how I am before I get there. I don't think I'll be infecting them with anything if I do turn up (whatever I've got is just me, I feel), and in any case it's certainly not swine flu - I've checked the symptoms online and it's a definite "no, go away, and stop bothering us". But, again, we'll see - I may make a miraculous recovery if I see a car I like and then the entire thing will have been only in my head after all. As ever, eh. Do you think I might be a hypochondriac? Surely not. Doesn't everyone have their GP's number on speed-dial?...
Today's nice things:
1. Napping, a lot
2. Poetry
3. Editing
4. Holidays
5. Car-hunting
6. Drinks & supper with friends.
Anne Brooke - napping for Britain, again
Friday, April 10, 2009
Old Prayers and long naps
Am happy to say that I actually managed a whole night asleep last night and lying down in the bedroom, hurrah. Mind you, when I woke up I spent about two hours coughing and snorting, but hey it's progress. So I for one am certainly not complaining.
Other happy news is that my Good Friday poem, Old Prayers, is now published at Every Day Poets and can be found here. I hope you like it.
This morning, Lord H and I have pottered around slowly cleaning the flat, and so we are now decent for the first time in two weeks. It's amazing how much difference a bit of spit (not literally, I hasten to add ...) and polish can make you feel. And at lunch we celebrated the solemnity of the occasion with hot cross buns (Lord H's utter favourite food item, apart from chocolate) and lashings of butter. Lordy, but I think on reading back that last sentence that I may have been taken over by the spirit of Enid Blyton. Tally ho, and anyone for ginger beer?...
I've then spent about 3 or 4 hours this afternoon napping - well, cleaning and eating can be so exhausting, you know. So I'm suitably refreshed for spending the rest of the day collapsed in Couch Potato Position 1 in front of the TV. Might even do some reading. Talking of which, I enjoyed Henning Mankell's collection of Wallander short stories and novella, The Pyramid. Lovely to find out more about that most complex of foreign detectives and his mysterious past, plus keep up-to-date with the ebbs and flows of the Swedish weather system. Well worth a read for sure.
Today's nice things:
1. Sleeping
2. Old Prayers being published
3. Having a clean flat
4. Hot cross buns
5. TV
6. Books.
Anne Brooke
Anne's website - do not disturb, zzz ...
Other happy news is that my Good Friday poem, Old Prayers, is now published at Every Day Poets and can be found here. I hope you like it.
This morning, Lord H and I have pottered around slowly cleaning the flat, and so we are now decent for the first time in two weeks. It's amazing how much difference a bit of spit (not literally, I hasten to add ...) and polish can make you feel. And at lunch we celebrated the solemnity of the occasion with hot cross buns (Lord H's utter favourite food item, apart from chocolate) and lashings of butter. Lordy, but I think on reading back that last sentence that I may have been taken over by the spirit of Enid Blyton. Tally ho, and anyone for ginger beer?...
I've then spent about 3 or 4 hours this afternoon napping - well, cleaning and eating can be so exhausting, you know. So I'm suitably refreshed for spending the rest of the day collapsed in Couch Potato Position 1 in front of the TV. Might even do some reading. Talking of which, I enjoyed Henning Mankell's collection of Wallander short stories and novella, The Pyramid. Lovely to find out more about that most complex of foreign detectives and his mysterious past, plus keep up-to-date with the ebbs and flows of the Swedish weather system. Well worth a read for sure.
Today's nice things:
1. Sleeping
2. Old Prayers being published
3. Having a clean flat
4. Hot cross buns
5. TV
6. Books.
Anne Brooke
Anne's website - do not disturb, zzz ...
Thursday, April 09, 2009
First Edition focus and the Coughing Queen
Goodness me, but I am doing a heck of a lot of coughing. In fact I was coughing so hard last night that I actually woke myself up, then had to get up (lying down seems to be a key trigger ...) and sit upright for a while until I was able to stop. Really, my life is so hugely exciting. Then later, in the bathroom and at a more normal morning hour, I was coughing in such a wonderfully hacky way that I had to close the bathroom window so as not to cause the neighbours any undue concern. It probably sounded like I was dying or being strangled by a particularly determined serial killer, and I didn't really want them ringing the police for no reason. Still, at least I am well enough to enjoy the experience. As it were. And I am spending huge amounts of time being in a different room to my sick bowl and not worrying about it, as I don't seem to need it any more, hurrah. Today I've even had fruit for breakfast and cheese on toast for lunch, which is somehow a wonderful combination of the US and UK cultures. Or possibly continental and UK - who can tell? Not only that, but the thought of chocolate doesn't seem quite as horrifying as it's been for the past week, so it looks like there's hope, Carruthers, hope ...
And I have been deliciously and gloriously lazy - all I've done is read and watch TV and generally droop around in a leisurely fashion, so I am feeling very "Surrey chic" - if indeed such a concept even exists. I might even have a nap later, if I can summon the energy. Though I suspect I'm going to have to think about some kind of cleaning at some point, as nothing got done last week and soon the mess will be demanding its own room and front door key, sigh. In the meantime however, I am being so amazingly lazy that - to coin a phrase - you could probably put a tail on me and call me a sloth.
Ooh, and there's some great interview news! The May edition of First Edition magazine is now available from WH Smith's in the UK and it includes an interview with me - three pages, with pictures (decent ones, people, please ...), no less! Not only that but it contains a world exclusive about the real link between Lord H and my writing life which you may not have realised before and which may well surprise you. Oh and of course my mother is mentioned, but it's no show without Punch, eh ... So it's worth investing in a copy if you can and is also, of course, ideal reading to accompany your Easter chocolate fest, ho ho.
Today's nice things:
1. Getting better
2. Being lazy
3. The magazine interview.
Anne Brooke
Anne's website - enjoying her five minutes of glossy fame
And I have been deliciously and gloriously lazy - all I've done is read and watch TV and generally droop around in a leisurely fashion, so I am feeling very "Surrey chic" - if indeed such a concept even exists. I might even have a nap later, if I can summon the energy. Though I suspect I'm going to have to think about some kind of cleaning at some point, as nothing got done last week and soon the mess will be demanding its own room and front door key, sigh. In the meantime however, I am being so amazingly lazy that - to coin a phrase - you could probably put a tail on me and call me a sloth.
Ooh, and there's some great interview news! The May edition of First Edition magazine is now available from WH Smith's in the UK and it includes an interview with me - three pages, with pictures (decent ones, people, please ...), no less! Not only that but it contains a world exclusive about the real link between Lord H and my writing life which you may not have realised before and which may well surprise you. Oh and of course my mother is mentioned, but it's no show without Punch, eh ... So it's worth investing in a copy if you can and is also, of course, ideal reading to accompany your Easter chocolate fest, ho ho.
Today's nice things:
1. Getting better
2. Being lazy
3. The magazine interview.
Anne Brooke
Anne's website - enjoying her five minutes of glossy fame
Monday, April 06, 2009
Lying low and the pirate life
The unwellness continues (but hell I'm used to it by now). I've pulled out of my attendance at the Exeter work conference and have let work know, though to be honest if I'm going into the office instead, then I suspect it won't be till at least Wednesday. There's no way I'm going anywhere, even close at hand, today.
Mind you, there is hope. I've eaten a few mouthfuls of cereals for breakfast and even had a few more mouthfuls of the stuff for lunch. Plus some cheese and crisps (ah, the healthy option always appeals, don't you know) as I had a wave of absolutely shivering hunger and just had to have some salt. Any salt. That's the most balanced and regular meal plan I've had for a ruddy week. And hey it's stayed down! Not that you probably wanted to know that, but still it was big news for me ...
Plus I managed two hours' sleep from 6.30 to 8.30am this morning, and another hour from 3-4pm, double hurrahs and put out the bunting. And in each case I was actually lying down on the bed. Well, gosh. That hasn't been able to happen for a while. Interestingly however, my left eye is very sore and rather bloodshot - Lord knows why, but obviously my body isn't used to the faint concept of "well" so is trying to catch me elsewhere - so I've rubbed it with my wedding ring (gold does work on the eye, strangely), put on some eye gel and have been wearing my eye patch so I look like a pirate. Yes, I do really have an eye patch - it was recommended when years ago I had an attack of iritis (nasty - and if you ever do get iritis, DO NOT BELIEVE the doctor who comes towards you smiling with the orange high-strength eyedrops that he says won't hurt a bit. He will be lying) to give the eye an enforced rest and it also works. Equally strangely. Lordy but all I need is a parrot and a limp and the image will be complete.
Anyway, I'm looking forward to Lord H coming home, though I know he has the shopping to do so will be late, and I've already had two phone calls from Mother (who loves nothing more than the concept of a sick child - she's never really forgiven any of us for daring to grow up and sending her essential nursing skills into retirement). Still, it could be worse - at least she hasn't (yet) asked me if my bowels are all right, which is something she always used to do regularly and in public when I was young. Ah the shame ...
Today's nice things:
1. Feeling ever so slightly more human
2. Being able to eat something
3. Napping.
Anne Brooke
Anne's website - just give me a treasure map and a ship and all will be well ...
Mind you, there is hope. I've eaten a few mouthfuls of cereals for breakfast and even had a few more mouthfuls of the stuff for lunch. Plus some cheese and crisps (ah, the healthy option always appeals, don't you know) as I had a wave of absolutely shivering hunger and just had to have some salt. Any salt. That's the most balanced and regular meal plan I've had for a ruddy week. And hey it's stayed down! Not that you probably wanted to know that, but still it was big news for me ...
Plus I managed two hours' sleep from 6.30 to 8.30am this morning, and another hour from 3-4pm, double hurrahs and put out the bunting. And in each case I was actually lying down on the bed. Well, gosh. That hasn't been able to happen for a while. Interestingly however, my left eye is very sore and rather bloodshot - Lord knows why, but obviously my body isn't used to the faint concept of "well" so is trying to catch me elsewhere - so I've rubbed it with my wedding ring (gold does work on the eye, strangely), put on some eye gel and have been wearing my eye patch so I look like a pirate. Yes, I do really have an eye patch - it was recommended when years ago I had an attack of iritis (nasty - and if you ever do get iritis, DO NOT BELIEVE the doctor who comes towards you smiling with the orange high-strength eyedrops that he says won't hurt a bit. He will be lying) to give the eye an enforced rest and it also works. Equally strangely. Lordy but all I need is a parrot and a limp and the image will be complete.
Anyway, I'm looking forward to Lord H coming home, though I know he has the shopping to do so will be late, and I've already had two phone calls from Mother (who loves nothing more than the concept of a sick child - she's never really forgiven any of us for daring to grow up and sending her essential nursing skills into retirement). Still, it could be worse - at least she hasn't (yet) asked me if my bowels are all right, which is something she always used to do regularly and in public when I was young. Ah the shame ...
Today's nice things:
1. Feeling ever so slightly more human
2. Being able to eat something
3. Napping.
Anne Brooke
Anne's website - just give me a treasure map and a ship and all will be well ...
Sunday, April 05, 2009
Still sick ...
... so much so that I'm afraid I've had to pull out of tonight's fantasy reading event in Brighton. I'm really disappointed about that, but the organisers (Short Fuse - thanks, Tara ...) have been incredibly sweet. I do so hate letting people down. But I have no voice and have moved into a new (look away now if you're sensitive!!) actually-being-sick phase and it ain't pleasant.
I suspect that next week's work conference in Exeter is a no-no too. There's no way I can travel for three/four hours or face their usually very intensive (though worthwhile) programme. The office aren't going to be happy, as unfortunately I don't reckon we'll get any money back at this stage. Understandably enough, sigh. I also think that, if I'm still feeling like this on Tuesday, I'll try for another doctor's appointment.
However, some positive facts about today are that I keep managing to snatch an hour's sleep here and there, which is helping. Also Lord H and I have discovered we have some Sudafed in the medicine chest which seems to be better for the catarrh than the Sinutab is. And we've discovered a chesty cough mixture - which is gross but just stops me coughing for a minute or so, which appears to be enough to reduce the sick thing.
And I don't know, but there's a faint possibility that whatever it is that I have might have performed a very very slight shift away from the "this is the worst and most debilitating virus I've had since the terrifying Christmas stomach flu year (never to be spoken of again ..) when my then-lodger proved her sainthood beyond doubt" to "this is a horribly bad and exhausting head cold with stomach implications and there is an outside chance you may just survive it" feeling. I hope so. Still not eating though. Lordy, but I seriously wouldn't wish any of this on my worst enemy (well, maybe my very worst enemy, but hell that's another story ...).
Meanwhile, this week's haiku (which stems from my Tuesday night/Wednesday morning Learn French programme experience):
I have to admit
that colours sound much better
when spoken in French.
Today's nice things (such as they are):
1. The occasional blessed hour of sleep
2. Sudafed
3. Chesty cough mixture
4. Haikus.
Anne Brooke
Anne's website - is that a light or an oncoming train?...
I suspect that next week's work conference in Exeter is a no-no too. There's no way I can travel for three/four hours or face their usually very intensive (though worthwhile) programme. The office aren't going to be happy, as unfortunately I don't reckon we'll get any money back at this stage. Understandably enough, sigh. I also think that, if I'm still feeling like this on Tuesday, I'll try for another doctor's appointment.
However, some positive facts about today are that I keep managing to snatch an hour's sleep here and there, which is helping. Also Lord H and I have discovered we have some Sudafed in the medicine chest which seems to be better for the catarrh than the Sinutab is. And we've discovered a chesty cough mixture - which is gross but just stops me coughing for a minute or so, which appears to be enough to reduce the sick thing.
And I don't know, but there's a faint possibility that whatever it is that I have might have performed a very very slight shift away from the "this is the worst and most debilitating virus I've had since the terrifying Christmas stomach flu year (never to be spoken of again ..) when my then-lodger proved her sainthood beyond doubt" to "this is a horribly bad and exhausting head cold with stomach implications and there is an outside chance you may just survive it" feeling. I hope so. Still not eating though. Lordy, but I seriously wouldn't wish any of this on my worst enemy (well, maybe my very worst enemy, but hell that's another story ...).
Meanwhile, this week's haiku (which stems from my Tuesday night/Wednesday morning Learn French programme experience):
I have to admit
that colours sound much better
when spoken in French.
Today's nice things (such as they are):
1. The occasional blessed hour of sleep
2. Sudafed
3. Chesty cough mixture
4. Haikus.
Anne Brooke
Anne's website - is that a light or an oncoming train?...
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Wildernesses, tractors and poetry
Have had rather a peculiar day today - it feels most unsettling, though perhaps I'm just overtired? As it were. Or maybe it's the existential shock (if shock can be existential) of having to go to work tomorrow. Heck, I'd only just got used to being off. Anyway, the lovely news is that All Things Girl webzine have accepted my short story, The Wilderness Room, for publication in April, so that's cheering me greatly through it all. I'm especially pleased as it is rather off-the-wall as a story, so I wasn't sure they'd like it - I'm so glad they do! I'll let you know when it's up on their site, and would love to know your thoughts. And, of course it rather helps to make up for the two rejections I've had over the weekend for other stories, which I've turned round and sent off into the ether once more. While I was in the mood, I've also submitted some more poetry to a new magazine, so we'll see how that fares.
Talking of matters literary, here's this morning's meditation piece:
Meditation 97
Something about snakes:
dark poison seeping
through the blood,
swallowing life
piece by piece,
the onward fragile journey
of us all.
And then the bronze
serpent glinting in gold light
high on its distant branch
as evening drifts in.
Think how its empty eyes
echo the healing moon.
Bizarrely, Lord H and I actually saw a grass snake when we ventured out for a little pre-lunch stroll this morning, so obviously it's a day for snakes. In all shapes and sizes. It's also a day for tractors - I've written my third ever haibun and it's about ... um ... tractors. I'm not entirely convinced about it, but hell it's there. And sometimes that's all you can really say about a piece of writing. I suspect I'll have to think about it again later. But not today.
I've also managed to write another 500 words or so of Hallsfoot's Battle and am beginning to work on end scenes. That's not actually because I'm there in real-time (so no need to cheer) but because I'm leaving the very difficult and wide-ranging (well, one hopes, eh ...) battle scenes and jumping over them until the end. Ah the joy of not having to write in linear time - sometimes that's a lifesaver for cowards like me who haven't got the nerve to face the tricky sections yet. I think I'm going to have to feel strong in order to do them. Ah well, don't wait up, eh.
This afternoon, I can feel the siren song of a nap calling me, and I also feel an urge to do a puzzle or two. Though I do have to prepare my homework for next week's Bible study or I won't have a clue what's going on. Not that that's ever stopped me having an opinion, of course, and the right opinion at that. Ho ho.
Tonight, it's the return of the glorious Lewis on TV, and I'm so looking forward to two hours of murder, charm and gentle wit to round off my Sunday. What more could you ask for?
This week's haiku:
The calm morning brings
a day of gardens and song
drifting through the skin.
Today's nice things:
1. Short story acceptance
2. Poetry
3. Hallsfoot end scenes
4. Napping
5. TV.
Anne Brooke
Anne's website - a snake in the grass is worth two in the bush ...
Talking of matters literary, here's this morning's meditation piece:
Meditation 97
Something about snakes:
dark poison seeping
through the blood,
swallowing life
piece by piece,
the onward fragile journey
of us all.
And then the bronze
serpent glinting in gold light
high on its distant branch
as evening drifts in.
Think how its empty eyes
echo the healing moon.
Bizarrely, Lord H and I actually saw a grass snake when we ventured out for a little pre-lunch stroll this morning, so obviously it's a day for snakes. In all shapes and sizes. It's also a day for tractors - I've written my third ever haibun and it's about ... um ... tractors. I'm not entirely convinced about it, but hell it's there. And sometimes that's all you can really say about a piece of writing. I suspect I'll have to think about it again later. But not today.
I've also managed to write another 500 words or so of Hallsfoot's Battle and am beginning to work on end scenes. That's not actually because I'm there in real-time (so no need to cheer) but because I'm leaving the very difficult and wide-ranging (well, one hopes, eh ...) battle scenes and jumping over them until the end. Ah the joy of not having to write in linear time - sometimes that's a lifesaver for cowards like me who haven't got the nerve to face the tricky sections yet. I think I'm going to have to feel strong in order to do them. Ah well, don't wait up, eh.
This afternoon, I can feel the siren song of a nap calling me, and I also feel an urge to do a puzzle or two. Though I do have to prepare my homework for next week's Bible study or I won't have a clue what's going on. Not that that's ever stopped me having an opinion, of course, and the right opinion at that. Ho ho.
Tonight, it's the return of the glorious Lewis on TV, and I'm so looking forward to two hours of murder, charm and gentle wit to round off my Sunday. What more could you ask for?
This week's haiku:
The calm morning brings
a day of gardens and song
drifting through the skin.
Today's nice things:
1. Short story acceptance
2. Poetry
3. Hallsfoot end scenes
4. Napping
5. TV.
Anne Brooke
Anne's website - a snake in the grass is worth two in the bush ...
Wednesday, March 04, 2009
Bright lights, big city
Lord H is back at work today (groan, moan) but I've got an extra day off for good behaviour - should I ever exhibit any. So I took the opportunity to get myself up to London and sort out my US tax situation at last (should royalties for any of my US books ever materialise of course - I am indeed the eternal yet frazzled optimist) as if I don't do it, then I'm taxed twice - once in the US and once in the UK. I must at this point offer huge and grateful thanks to fellow authors, Clare London and Sharon Maria Bidwell for sending me detailed and helpful instructions about the whole process - thank you, thank you, thank you. Adding to their wisdom, I've found out that the drop-in service for puzzled authors (no, really, that's not what they called it ...) only operates between 9am and 4pm on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, so avoid going up at the start and end of the week if you're ever in this position. The reasons for my actual attendance include (a) my reluctance to give my passport into the hands of the post office, and (b) the vast expense of notarising official passport copies if you don't take it to the embassy yourself. Best to spend £14 or so and have a trip out is what I say. In the end, it went very smoothly and door-to-door I was only out for about four hours. The security guards at the US Embassy in Grosvenor Square are very jolly indeed, there was no queue and I was in and out (as it were) in about 20 minutes or so. And I only had to remove my watch and give up my keys and mobile phone into their safekeeping. I also - rather amusingly - had to drink from my bottle of water in their presence to ensure it wasn't anything dubious. I was dealt with in the Inland Revenue Service office (also no queue, hurrah!) very efficiently and the lovely old gent there not only helped me complete my W7 form (for getting my US tax benefit number) but also filled in the parts I didn't understand on my W8 form (for notifying the US publishers that I don't pay US tax) too. What a hero. I also managed to remember to buy a lovely tuna mayo sandwich at the Godalming Station cafe which I ate on the train home, feeling as if I'd survived a rather tricky school trip. As you do. Anyway, now I have to wait for my actual US tax number to arrive, which should take about four months or so. Always good to have something to look forward to over the summer ...
Anyway, here's this morning's meditation:
Meditation 80
There shall always be bread
on the table.
The trouble comes
in the intricate pattern
of packaging:
which man carries the blue cloth,
who is in charge
of the red
and who lays the purple
over the altar.
It’s a holy mystery of course
but I’m betting
it’s the women
who deal with the ashes.
For the rest of the day, I've been sending my rejected short stories of yesterday out into the virtual marketplace again in the hope of finding a good home. Ho ho. And I've sent out two more submissions of The Gifting. Never say I'm not a tryer, eh. And really I think it's about time for a nap. I'm developing a gentle headache that hasn't really gone away since this morning and I'd like to see the back of it soon. I'm probably overtired - as they say.
Ooh, and due to Lord H's photos, we've found out that the skua-like birds we saw on the Bosphorus are in fact Mediterranean shearwaters (of the Yelkouan race), who also get as far as Turkey - so another new bird, hurrah.
Tonight, I hope to catch up on some of the TV I've missed while we were away, and do absolutely no writing - or worrying about it - at all. Ha!
Today's nice things:
1. Writing friends
2. A smooth London trip
3. Tuna mayo sarnies
4. Poetry
5. TV.
Anne Brooke
Anne's website - keeping the home fires burning, dimly ...
Anyway, here's this morning's meditation:
Meditation 80
There shall always be bread
on the table.
The trouble comes
in the intricate pattern
of packaging:
which man carries the blue cloth,
who is in charge
of the red
and who lays the purple
over the altar.
It’s a holy mystery of course
but I’m betting
it’s the women
who deal with the ashes.
For the rest of the day, I've been sending my rejected short stories of yesterday out into the virtual marketplace again in the hope of finding a good home. Ho ho. And I've sent out two more submissions of The Gifting. Never say I'm not a tryer, eh. And really I think it's about time for a nap. I'm developing a gentle headache that hasn't really gone away since this morning and I'd like to see the back of it soon. I'm probably overtired - as they say.
Ooh, and due to Lord H's photos, we've found out that the skua-like birds we saw on the Bosphorus are in fact Mediterranean shearwaters (of the Yelkouan race), who also get as far as Turkey - so another new bird, hurrah.
Tonight, I hope to catch up on some of the TV I've missed while we were away, and do absolutely no writing - or worrying about it - at all. Ha!
Today's nice things:
1. Writing friends
2. A smooth London trip
3. Tuna mayo sarnies
4. Poetry
5. TV.
Anne Brooke
Anne's website - keeping the home fires burning, dimly ...
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Submissions Sunday and the killer sudoku
A day focused on words today, or at least writing or thinking about them. Which has to be a good thing. First off, I've written a poem about magpies and coathangers today - always a challenging combination, but I think I've managed to say approximately what I wanted to. One hopes. Plus I've managed the morning's meditation piece:
Meditation 76
Silver can set you free,
its seductive glitter
whispering liberty
over your skin.
Wait for your measure
to be taken
according to the ability
to pay,
the measure you make
of yourself
being only your prayer’s
deep secret.
This morning, I've also added more to Hallsfoot's Battle and thank goodness it's proved rather more amenable to being written than it was yesterday. I'm now at well over 94,000 words and I've finally got Simon, Ralph and the mind-executioner all in the same place at the same time. About time really then. In this novel at least. Lord only knows what I'm going to do with them now, but I'm hoping it will prove explosive. In some measure or other ...
I've also added to my regular submissions file, and have sent off five more poems and a short story into the Great Beyond. They may well return to me unloved and (like Noah's dove) unable to find a place to set their feet, but at least I'll have tried, eh. After all that, I think I may well deserve a nap - I have to have something to prepare me for the week indeed.
Oh and there's good sudoku news, hurrah! For the first time ever and of course under Lord H's watchful eye, I have completed a diabolical killer sudoku in the Telegraph. And there weren't that many tears or bleatings (mine ...) either, so I feel I've done well there, Carruthers. Definitely time for a lie-down then - I don't want to strain something. Not so near to our holiday at least.
Tonight, we have a range of exciting programmes to look forward to on TV - what with The History of Christianity (though I can't say I'm much taken with the whole science/religion subject - it's so achingly last century ...), then Lark Rise for a spot of light relief, rounded off nicely with Jeremy Paxman's hearty helping of The Victorians. I'll be a better woman after all that, I can guarantee it.
And, talking of better women, I saw the first couple of hours of Love on a Branch Line yesterday - it's all very quaint and cute but rather dated. And I must admit that, being a country gal born and bred, it does bring on a large and irritated yawn when I see a programme based solely on the concept of a young man going to stay for a while in the country and having all the squire's three daughters stripping their clothes off and throwing themselves at him. Well, yawn and pass me the cliche monitor ... Obviously written by a heterosexual man with not much imagination then. Sigh. Speaking as someone who was born in the countryside - and worse than that, the Essex countryside! - it would be far more realistic if the daughters had simply torn him limb from limb and fed him to the pigs. After all, they'll eat anything, and a well-rounded pig will fetch a good sum at the market, thus allowing you to attract a suitable gentleman farmer with a large estate and several nubile young employees to pass your time with while your loved one is off fiddling his EU quotas. Which at least is a better cliche than the Branch Line one.
This week's haiku (inspired by yesterday's National Trust visit):
The winter garden:
a dazzle of crocuses
and lilting snowdrops.
Today's nice things:
1. Poetry
2. Writing Hallsfoot
3. Submissions
4. Napping
5. Sudokus
6. TV.
Anne Brooke
Anne's website - a killer instinct all of its own
Meditation 76
Silver can set you free,
its seductive glitter
whispering liberty
over your skin.
Wait for your measure
to be taken
according to the ability
to pay,
the measure you make
of yourself
being only your prayer’s
deep secret.
This morning, I've also added more to Hallsfoot's Battle and thank goodness it's proved rather more amenable to being written than it was yesterday. I'm now at well over 94,000 words and I've finally got Simon, Ralph and the mind-executioner all in the same place at the same time. About time really then. In this novel at least. Lord only knows what I'm going to do with them now, but I'm hoping it will prove explosive. In some measure or other ...
I've also added to my regular submissions file, and have sent off five more poems and a short story into the Great Beyond. They may well return to me unloved and (like Noah's dove) unable to find a place to set their feet, but at least I'll have tried, eh. After all that, I think I may well deserve a nap - I have to have something to prepare me for the week indeed.
Oh and there's good sudoku news, hurrah! For the first time ever and of course under Lord H's watchful eye, I have completed a diabolical killer sudoku in the Telegraph. And there weren't that many tears or bleatings (mine ...) either, so I feel I've done well there, Carruthers. Definitely time for a lie-down then - I don't want to strain something. Not so near to our holiday at least.
Tonight, we have a range of exciting programmes to look forward to on TV - what with The History of Christianity (though I can't say I'm much taken with the whole science/religion subject - it's so achingly last century ...), then Lark Rise for a spot of light relief, rounded off nicely with Jeremy Paxman's hearty helping of The Victorians. I'll be a better woman after all that, I can guarantee it.
And, talking of better women, I saw the first couple of hours of Love on a Branch Line yesterday - it's all very quaint and cute but rather dated. And I must admit that, being a country gal born and bred, it does bring on a large and irritated yawn when I see a programme based solely on the concept of a young man going to stay for a while in the country and having all the squire's three daughters stripping their clothes off and throwing themselves at him. Well, yawn and pass me the cliche monitor ... Obviously written by a heterosexual man with not much imagination then. Sigh. Speaking as someone who was born in the countryside - and worse than that, the Essex countryside! - it would be far more realistic if the daughters had simply torn him limb from limb and fed him to the pigs. After all, they'll eat anything, and a well-rounded pig will fetch a good sum at the market, thus allowing you to attract a suitable gentleman farmer with a large estate and several nubile young employees to pass your time with while your loved one is off fiddling his EU quotas. Which at least is a better cliche than the Branch Line one.
This week's haiku (inspired by yesterday's National Trust visit):
The winter garden:
a dazzle of crocuses
and lilting snowdrops.
Today's nice things:
1. Poetry
2. Writing Hallsfoot
3. Submissions
4. Napping
5. Sudokus
6. TV.
Anne Brooke
Anne's website - a killer instinct all of its own
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Medical lies, wildernesses and chat
A slight relapse on the health front this morning, I fear - my nose has a mind of its own, alas (and how I've always wanted to use "alas" in a blog, so that's hugely cheering ...). And I feel as if my head is full of mud. Could I have caught the cold a second time from Lord H - who is now feeling better? An image of the future stretches ahead in which the cold becomes something that never leaves us, scary thought ...
Anyway, I was determined that today we would have our holiday jabs, come what may - as we're off next week and are taking it to the wire. As it were. So when the lovely nurse prepared her syringe and asked if I was feeling well enough, I looked her straight in the eyes and lied for Britain. Well, sometimes it's best for the medical profession not to know entirely everything - if only for the stress levels of the patient.
But thank goodness I have a day off today - I don't think I could have coped with being at work, as whatever it is - the cold, the jab, me - I feel as if I could sleep for a week. And some. Despite that, however, I have bravely faced down my half-finished short story, The Wilderness Room, and I have actually finished it, hurrah! It's turned out roughly similar to what I envisaged too, so that's a miracle in itself. It feels nice to have got it down - I do so hate things floating around half-done.
I've also managed to cobble together a morning meditation:
Meditation 72
In the middle of the parties,
the poor are a shadow
at the corner of your field,
at the edge of your eye.
You remember them
when the last of the grain
is gathered, the last
of the crop cut.
Do not keep what you do not need
and let your hand be open
to the song of the wind,
to the sky’s wideness.
Exhausted by all this excitement, I then collapsed on the bed and have spent a whole three hours asleep. Three hours! What a waste of an afternoon, my grandma would say ... Still, as she's dead, I don't need to worry about her opinion, hurrah, and I so definitely needed the nap. I'd even go so far as to say I feel a little better now.
Which can only be a good thing, as tonight I'm out with some old workmates (old as in former - we're all young and glamorous, naturally ...) for dinner and chat at a local restaurant, so I'm looking forward to catching up for sure. Just hope I don't fall asleep over the pasta - that wouldn't be very Surrey.
Today's nice things:
1. Getting the jabs sorted at last
2. A day off
3. Finishing my short story
4. Poetry
5. Napping - big-time!
6. Dinner out.
Anne Brooke
Anne's website - just about keeping its eyes open
Anyway, I was determined that today we would have our holiday jabs, come what may - as we're off next week and are taking it to the wire. As it were. So when the lovely nurse prepared her syringe and asked if I was feeling well enough, I looked her straight in the eyes and lied for Britain. Well, sometimes it's best for the medical profession not to know entirely everything - if only for the stress levels of the patient.
But thank goodness I have a day off today - I don't think I could have coped with being at work, as whatever it is - the cold, the jab, me - I feel as if I could sleep for a week. And some. Despite that, however, I have bravely faced down my half-finished short story, The Wilderness Room, and I have actually finished it, hurrah! It's turned out roughly similar to what I envisaged too, so that's a miracle in itself. It feels nice to have got it down - I do so hate things floating around half-done.
I've also managed to cobble together a morning meditation:
Meditation 72
In the middle of the parties,
the poor are a shadow
at the corner of your field,
at the edge of your eye.
You remember them
when the last of the grain
is gathered, the last
of the crop cut.
Do not keep what you do not need
and let your hand be open
to the song of the wind,
to the sky’s wideness.
Exhausted by all this excitement, I then collapsed on the bed and have spent a whole three hours asleep. Three hours! What a waste of an afternoon, my grandma would say ... Still, as she's dead, I don't need to worry about her opinion, hurrah, and I so definitely needed the nap. I'd even go so far as to say I feel a little better now.
Which can only be a good thing, as tonight I'm out with some old workmates (old as in former - we're all young and glamorous, naturally ...) for dinner and chat at a local restaurant, so I'm looking forward to catching up for sure. Just hope I don't fall asleep over the pasta - that wouldn't be very Surrey.
Today's nice things:
1. Getting the jabs sorted at last
2. A day off
3. Finishing my short story
4. Poetry
5. Napping - big-time!
6. Dinner out.
Anne Brooke
Anne's website - just about keeping its eyes open
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Illness, angels and a new short story site
Still sick, my dears, dammit - not a great way to spend Valentine's Day really - though between Lord H and myself, we have gathered together a satisfying collection of books, chocolates, flowers and cards, so we are doing our bit to support the great saint (who apparently is buried in Birmingham, according to the Church Times, and they're never wrong - so there's still time to rush there and pay your respects ...).
And I'm smiling as one of my outstanding publishers has requested the full manuscript for The Bones of Summer, so I've formatted that in the way they specify and sent that off to them last night. Well, gosh - something that isn't a rejection (yet) is always good news. It would be so lovely if I could get the second (and final) part of Paul & Craig's story out into the public domain. I think it deserves an airing and, if I got lucky, it would be my first ever sequel - so a new string to the bow for me.
For most of today (which we had planned to spend worshipping at the Chocolate Festival in Polesdon Lacey, but sadly that's off the menu) I've stared at the television (Friends was fun this morning - how I do love Chandler and Monica; they're so made for each other), done some sudokus and slept. Well, getting up and getting dressed is just sooo exhausting, you know.
I've also uploaded my supernatural short story, Miss Dobson's Angel, to the new Shortbread Short Stories site and you can read it here. You may have to join up but it's free and you get such stalwarts as Alexander McCall Smith strutting his literary wares there, so it has class. Although having me on it as well is probably moving from the sublime to the ridiculous, but hey ho.
Ooh, and I've eaten a small lunch of some sushi, so am just about keeping body and soul together (possibly unlike poor Miss Dobson ...). Plus in a fit of confidence, I've added champagne to the fridge in case I feel up to alcohol tonight. Bloody hell, I'd better do - no Essex Girl has ever refused alcohol except under duress, so I don't want to buck the trend now.
So, whatever you're doing, have a good Valentine's Day and don't forget the most important person to love is yourself. Hell, where did that come from???!! Somebody pass me the bucket - my personality has obviously been swopped ...
Today's nice things:
1. Presents
2. A request for the full MS of Bones
3. TV
4. Sudokus
5. A new short story being available
6. Champagne (whatever my state of health).
Anne Brooke
Anne's Website - has a few tales to tell of its own ...
And I'm smiling as one of my outstanding publishers has requested the full manuscript for The Bones of Summer, so I've formatted that in the way they specify and sent that off to them last night. Well, gosh - something that isn't a rejection (yet) is always good news. It would be so lovely if I could get the second (and final) part of Paul & Craig's story out into the public domain. I think it deserves an airing and, if I got lucky, it would be my first ever sequel - so a new string to the bow for me.
For most of today (which we had planned to spend worshipping at the Chocolate Festival in Polesdon Lacey, but sadly that's off the menu) I've stared at the television (Friends was fun this morning - how I do love Chandler and Monica; they're so made for each other), done some sudokus and slept. Well, getting up and getting dressed is just sooo exhausting, you know.
I've also uploaded my supernatural short story, Miss Dobson's Angel, to the new Shortbread Short Stories site and you can read it here. You may have to join up but it's free and you get such stalwarts as Alexander McCall Smith strutting his literary wares there, so it has class. Although having me on it as well is probably moving from the sublime to the ridiculous, but hey ho.
Ooh, and I've eaten a small lunch of some sushi, so am just about keeping body and soul together (possibly unlike poor Miss Dobson ...). Plus in a fit of confidence, I've added champagne to the fridge in case I feel up to alcohol tonight. Bloody hell, I'd better do - no Essex Girl has ever refused alcohol except under duress, so I don't want to buck the trend now.
So, whatever you're doing, have a good Valentine's Day and don't forget the most important person to love is yourself. Hell, where did that come from???!! Somebody pass me the bucket - my personality has obviously been swopped ...
Today's nice things:
1. Presents
2. A request for the full MS of Bones
3. TV
4. Sudokus
5. A new short story being available
6. Champagne (whatever my state of health).
Anne Brooke
Anne's Website - has a few tales to tell of its own ...
Friday, February 13, 2009
A slight relapse and a novel milestone
Had a great sleep last night, but bizarrely I seem to be suffering from a slight relapse. I'm not as good as yesterday, but thankfully not as bad as the day before. Something in between then - ah, as in writing, so in life, eh. I should be used to falling between two camps by now, ho ho. And I'm drinking so much Lucozade that it's likely I'm going to be awake for months to come due to the influx of e-numbers into my system, sigh. In illness terms, I also wish I was doing more sneezing (which is at least fun and you can jump up and down and squeak a lot while you're doing it - or is that just me?...) and less coughing. What I need, my dears, is a spittoon. There's something to be said for the Wild West after all.
Anyway, as a result, I've cancelled golf with Marian and also my Alexander Technique lesson, and have spent the day drooping round the flat and staring in a puzzled fashion at the computer. So no real change there then. I haven't been entirely lazy however - I've sent out The Bones of Summer to another publisher who might like it, so that's two live submissions on that front then. Which always makes me feel somewhat happier than the existential terror of having only one submission in the field - probably something to do with the fact that it's very rare (or vastly unlucky) to get two rejections back at the same time, so if one publisher says no, then at least there's an alternative still out there. Honestly, in this game, you have to build in all the mental support tricks you can think of - as otherwise you'll go under.
I've also managed to do quite well on my planned Johan scene in Hallsfoot's Battle which has veered off in an unexpected but somehow logical direction. Lordy how I love it when that happens. And - hurrah and put out the bunting! - I've reached the milestone of 90,000 words about two weeks before my deadline of doing so. Double hurrahs and crack open the champers. Only another 30,000 or so words to go and I might even have a quivery first draft of a fantasy novel on my hands. Admittedly, one that'll need countless changes and a whole lot of remixing, but hey that's the way it is in Brooke Towers.
So, this afternoon, I'm planning a nap and a hell of a lot of sudokus - and I really ought to think about food at some point as I still haven't eaten anything since I struggled with breakfast this morning (it defeated me) so am obviously on the Food Go Slow Conveyor Belt once more. Lordy only knows what I'm going to do with the pizza I got out of the freezer for tonight. Sigh. I feel Lord H might be on his own at the dining table again. Somebody pass me the gruel and those smelling salts ...
Today's nice things:
1. Submitting Bones to another publisher - hope springs eternal, eh!
2. Getting to the 90,000 mark with Hallsfoot, hurrah
3. Napping
4. Sudokus.
Anne Brooke
Anne's website - anyone seen that pesky spittoon?...
Anyway, as a result, I've cancelled golf with Marian and also my Alexander Technique lesson, and have spent the day drooping round the flat and staring in a puzzled fashion at the computer. So no real change there then. I haven't been entirely lazy however - I've sent out The Bones of Summer to another publisher who might like it, so that's two live submissions on that front then. Which always makes me feel somewhat happier than the existential terror of having only one submission in the field - probably something to do with the fact that it's very rare (or vastly unlucky) to get two rejections back at the same time, so if one publisher says no, then at least there's an alternative still out there. Honestly, in this game, you have to build in all the mental support tricks you can think of - as otherwise you'll go under.
I've also managed to do quite well on my planned Johan scene in Hallsfoot's Battle which has veered off in an unexpected but somehow logical direction. Lordy how I love it when that happens. And - hurrah and put out the bunting! - I've reached the milestone of 90,000 words about two weeks before my deadline of doing so. Double hurrahs and crack open the champers. Only another 30,000 or so words to go and I might even have a quivery first draft of a fantasy novel on my hands. Admittedly, one that'll need countless changes and a whole lot of remixing, but hey that's the way it is in Brooke Towers.
So, this afternoon, I'm planning a nap and a hell of a lot of sudokus - and I really ought to think about food at some point as I still haven't eaten anything since I struggled with breakfast this morning (it defeated me) so am obviously on the Food Go Slow Conveyor Belt once more. Lordy only knows what I'm going to do with the pizza I got out of the freezer for tonight. Sigh. I feel Lord H might be on his own at the dining table again. Somebody pass me the gruel and those smelling salts ...
Today's nice things:
1. Submitting Bones to another publisher - hope springs eternal, eh!
2. Getting to the 90,000 mark with Hallsfoot, hurrah
3. Napping
4. Sudokus.
Anne Brooke
Anne's website - anyone seen that pesky spittoon?...
Tuesday, February 03, 2009
Poems, leaves and Sadomasochism
Now there's a title I've always wanted to use. Soooo satisfying that I can at last, hurrah. Anyway, some good poetry news today as eMuse webzine have accepted six of my meditation poems for publication in March. Well gosh. Talking of which, here's the latest:
Meditation 64
In the midst of blood,
sex, semen
you find
one small silver coin.
It glitters
like a tiny moon.
Lift it up
and press it close,
a talisman for good
while you wait
for healing.
Ah, the Bible readings are getting a little hot under the collar now, as you can see. Whoever said the Good Book was all sweetness and light? Not the chapters I'm reading for sure ...
And it's been another day at home today while the University waits to open. Which it intends to do tomorrow. Sadly though, Lord H has managed to get into work, though it took him a good hour. But that's not much compared to other people's journeys, I gather. Commiserations to all is what I say. Whilst at home, I've taken the opportunity to finish my short story on branches, which I've now retitled to be The Simple Fact of Leaves. Much more poetic, to my mind. This story has a touch of magic realism also, so that's twice I've used a hint of that genre in 44 years. Goodness me, whatever next, Carruthers.
There are also two pieces of pleasing review news. Not mine, but other people's. First off, my review of Tania Hershman's The White Road and Other Stories now appears on the HagsHarlotsHeroines website and you can read it here. In addition, the marvellous Vulpes Libris review site has posted my review of Rosy Barnes' lively and naughty novel Sadomasochism for Accountants and you can have fun with that here. Enjoy! And extra magical bonus points to Vulpes for publishing my piece the day after I submitted it - that's the quickest turnaround for a piece of writing I've ever had! Now if only novel publishers would be more like that, eh ... Dream on.
After all that excitement, I've even had time for a much-needed nap and feel hugely more rested now. Well, all this writerly activity is so exhausting, my dears. I'm not strong, you know ... Somebody pass me my smelling salts and the TV remote. Talking of which, there's a nice smattering of TV on this evening. I'm catching up with Who Do You Think You Are?, then it's the continuation of Oz & James's drunken tour, and I'm also planning to see yesterday's video of Moses Jones. Ooh, and I have to say that the new, very adult crime drama, Whitechapel, is utterly wonderful. I loved it. I loved the very spiky but gripping relationship between the posh, OCD cop and his down-to-earth & cynical sidekick, I loved the dark, grimy London setting and I loved the dark, grimy plot. More please. Much more. How I hope they make it into an ongoing series - Lord H and I would be glued.
Today's nice things:
1. Poetry acceptances
2. Poetry
3. Another bonus day off
4. Finishing my short story
5. Two reviews
6. Napping
7. TV.
Anne Brooke
Anne's website - enjoying a rather satisfying day
Meditation 64
In the midst of blood,
sex, semen
you find
one small silver coin.
It glitters
like a tiny moon.
Lift it up
and press it close,
a talisman for good
while you wait
for healing.
Ah, the Bible readings are getting a little hot under the collar now, as you can see. Whoever said the Good Book was all sweetness and light? Not the chapters I'm reading for sure ...
And it's been another day at home today while the University waits to open. Which it intends to do tomorrow. Sadly though, Lord H has managed to get into work, though it took him a good hour. But that's not much compared to other people's journeys, I gather. Commiserations to all is what I say. Whilst at home, I've taken the opportunity to finish my short story on branches, which I've now retitled to be The Simple Fact of Leaves. Much more poetic, to my mind. This story has a touch of magic realism also, so that's twice I've used a hint of that genre in 44 years. Goodness me, whatever next, Carruthers.
There are also two pieces of pleasing review news. Not mine, but other people's. First off, my review of Tania Hershman's The White Road and Other Stories now appears on the HagsHarlotsHeroines website and you can read it here. In addition, the marvellous Vulpes Libris review site has posted my review of Rosy Barnes' lively and naughty novel Sadomasochism for Accountants and you can have fun with that here. Enjoy! And extra magical bonus points to Vulpes for publishing my piece the day after I submitted it - that's the quickest turnaround for a piece of writing I've ever had! Now if only novel publishers would be more like that, eh ... Dream on.
After all that excitement, I've even had time for a much-needed nap and feel hugely more rested now. Well, all this writerly activity is so exhausting, my dears. I'm not strong, you know ... Somebody pass me my smelling salts and the TV remote. Talking of which, there's a nice smattering of TV on this evening. I'm catching up with Who Do You Think You Are?, then it's the continuation of Oz & James's drunken tour, and I'm also planning to see yesterday's video of Moses Jones. Ooh, and I have to say that the new, very adult crime drama, Whitechapel, is utterly wonderful. I loved it. I loved the very spiky but gripping relationship between the posh, OCD cop and his down-to-earth & cynical sidekick, I loved the dark, grimy London setting and I loved the dark, grimy plot. More please. Much more. How I hope they make it into an ongoing series - Lord H and I would be glued.
Today's nice things:
1. Poetry acceptances
2. Poetry
3. Another bonus day off
4. Finishing my short story
5. Two reviews
6. Napping
7. TV.
Anne Brooke
Anne's website - enjoying a rather satisfying day
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Extra holiday, a monster of a book and poetry success
An extra day off today, hurrah! No particular reason, except that I never use my full quota of holiday during the year so I always end up having to use it before I lose it. I'm allowed to take 5 days over into the next holiday year (which starts in April), so I still have two more of these to go before March is over. Not that I'm complaining - extra short working weeks are always welcome, naturally.
Here's this morning's meditation:
Meditation 59
You hold your grief
in silence,
letting only the dying fire
speak.
Sometimes words
say nothing,
cannot match
the heart.
Imprison the truth
in your mouth’s bitterness
and taste it
to the full.
For most of the day, I've been struggling with Hallsfoot's Battle. Lordy but it's been a huge effort, I can tell you. Each ruddy word dragged out with the aid of only a rather raggedy rope and a lot of grunting. Hmm, not much change there then. Why is writing sometimes so bloody hard??? My dears, it's quite exhausting. Anyway, I've managed to drag myself, kicking and screaming, to 83,000 words, and I've got to the end of a scene. Thank the Lord. I think tomorrow I'll return to see what Ralph is doing. At least I might possibly have some ideas for him. But let's not count on it yet, eh ...
Mind you, my own particular writing battle has driven me to fit in a totally delicious late afternoon nap, so at least that's one good thing. And it's meant that the slow grumbling headache that's been nagging at me all day has faded away, so that's a relief for sure.
Talking of monsters of books (which we were, sort of), I've just finished Christopher Rush's mammoth tome, Will. That's been something of a struggle too, even though it's a fascinating book. Which doesn't quite succeed, in my opinion. Still, it's a brave effort and Rush certainly needs points for courage. It's supposed to be about Shakespeare's retelling of his life story on his deathbed to his lawyer. A wonderful premise for sure, and the writing is very poetic on occasion. But maybe that premise is where the trouble starts. First off, there's no real plot, as such. It's simply one man telling another about his life, and you're never allowed to forget that fact. This means that the action and emotion is unfortunately very distanced from the reader and you're told everything rather than being directly shown it through the text. It would have been much better if you'd had a prologue setting up the scene and an epilogue drawing it back again, with the rest of the book being allowed to sing unaccompanied. In a strange way also, it's slightly easier to read if you try to forget it's supposed to be a novel at all, and take it as a long - very long! - prose poem. Slightly easier anyway. It would definitely be interesting to see what Rush's poetry is like. I must also admit that the man Shakespeare as portrayed here rapidly became very wearisome and my sympathies were for those poor unfortunates he rubbed up against, such as Anne Hathaway and the long-suffering lawyer (just let the poor man eat his pie without carping on about it, for goodness sake!). So, as I imagine the real Shakespeare must have been quite fascinating, I suppose in making me dislike him so, Rush must at least be performing some kind of literary miracle. In a negative way. That said, the historical details are very vibrant and obviously well researched. Perhaps it would be better rewritten as a non-fiction study of the age? And it certainly needs an editor who's not afraid to cut - it outstays its welcome hugely in terms of length. So, a brave attempt at something different by an author who can obviously write (but needs much much tighter control), but in the end a magnificent failure, I fear.
On a far more minimalist front, I'm pleased to say that Faith Hope and Fiction webzine has been kind enough to accept three of my meditation poems for publication in March. Hurrah! And the lovely Tricia (thanks, Tricia!) must surely get a special prize for sending me the acceptance email only a few minutes after I submitted the work. I've never had such a speedy response! The good news (bearing in mind today's book review) is all together the three poems only come to 113 words, so nobody can accuse me of wordiness ...
Tonight, there's not much on TV so it looks like the sudoku pile calls to Lord H and myself. And ah I see he's left the tough killer one blank. Dammit. Cover your ears, people - there will probably be screaming ...
Today's nice things:
1. Holiday
2. Poetry
3. Getting to the end of a difficult writing session
4. Napping
5. Doing battle with an interpretation of Shakespeare (strangely ...)
6. More poetry success.
Anne Brooke
Anne's website - having monster-like tendencies itself
Here's this morning's meditation:
Meditation 59
You hold your grief
in silence,
letting only the dying fire
speak.
Sometimes words
say nothing,
cannot match
the heart.
Imprison the truth
in your mouth’s bitterness
and taste it
to the full.
For most of the day, I've been struggling with Hallsfoot's Battle. Lordy but it's been a huge effort, I can tell you. Each ruddy word dragged out with the aid of only a rather raggedy rope and a lot of grunting. Hmm, not much change there then. Why is writing sometimes so bloody hard??? My dears, it's quite exhausting. Anyway, I've managed to drag myself, kicking and screaming, to 83,000 words, and I've got to the end of a scene. Thank the Lord. I think tomorrow I'll return to see what Ralph is doing. At least I might possibly have some ideas for him. But let's not count on it yet, eh ...
Mind you, my own particular writing battle has driven me to fit in a totally delicious late afternoon nap, so at least that's one good thing. And it's meant that the slow grumbling headache that's been nagging at me all day has faded away, so that's a relief for sure.
Talking of monsters of books (which we were, sort of), I've just finished Christopher Rush's mammoth tome, Will. That's been something of a struggle too, even though it's a fascinating book. Which doesn't quite succeed, in my opinion. Still, it's a brave effort and Rush certainly needs points for courage. It's supposed to be about Shakespeare's retelling of his life story on his deathbed to his lawyer. A wonderful premise for sure, and the writing is very poetic on occasion. But maybe that premise is where the trouble starts. First off, there's no real plot, as such. It's simply one man telling another about his life, and you're never allowed to forget that fact. This means that the action and emotion is unfortunately very distanced from the reader and you're told everything rather than being directly shown it through the text. It would have been much better if you'd had a prologue setting up the scene and an epilogue drawing it back again, with the rest of the book being allowed to sing unaccompanied. In a strange way also, it's slightly easier to read if you try to forget it's supposed to be a novel at all, and take it as a long - very long! - prose poem. Slightly easier anyway. It would definitely be interesting to see what Rush's poetry is like. I must also admit that the man Shakespeare as portrayed here rapidly became very wearisome and my sympathies were for those poor unfortunates he rubbed up against, such as Anne Hathaway and the long-suffering lawyer (just let the poor man eat his pie without carping on about it, for goodness sake!). So, as I imagine the real Shakespeare must have been quite fascinating, I suppose in making me dislike him so, Rush must at least be performing some kind of literary miracle. In a negative way. That said, the historical details are very vibrant and obviously well researched. Perhaps it would be better rewritten as a non-fiction study of the age? And it certainly needs an editor who's not afraid to cut - it outstays its welcome hugely in terms of length. So, a brave attempt at something different by an author who can obviously write (but needs much much tighter control), but in the end a magnificent failure, I fear.
On a far more minimalist front, I'm pleased to say that Faith Hope and Fiction webzine has been kind enough to accept three of my meditation poems for publication in March. Hurrah! And the lovely Tricia (thanks, Tricia!) must surely get a special prize for sending me the acceptance email only a few minutes after I submitted the work. I've never had such a speedy response! The good news (bearing in mind today's book review) is all together the three poems only come to 113 words, so nobody can accuse me of wordiness ...
Tonight, there's not much on TV so it looks like the sudoku pile calls to Lord H and myself. And ah I see he's left the tough killer one blank. Dammit. Cover your ears, people - there will probably be screaming ...
Today's nice things:
1. Holiday
2. Poetry
3. Getting to the end of a difficult writing session
4. Napping
5. Doing battle with an interpretation of Shakespeare (strangely ...)
6. More poetry success.
Anne Brooke
Anne's website - having monster-like tendencies itself
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Poetry success, Hallsfoot and chilling
Was very pleased to discover today that Eat A Peach webzine will be publishing my poem, Surrender, later in the year. Always good to have something to look forward to indeed. The good news has encouraged me to submit five more poems to another online magazine, so we'll see how those fare at some point too.
Today, I've also managed to take Hallsfoot's Battle up to over 82,000 words and have another idea for a plot development. So that's a relief. I might even get the required 120,000 words that fantasy fiction seems to need these days out of it. You never know. At the very least, all my characters are now up in the air with their own story lines and it's going to take a lot of spit, polish and elbow grease to get them down again. Maybe it'll be even longer? Who knows ...
And here's this morning's meditation:
Meditation 56
The desert expands
as far as the eye
can stretch.
But the door
you seek
is so small
it falls between words.
How can you find
one speck of gold
amongst so many?
Listen to the secret pattern
of your thoughts:
let your slow feet
follow.
We haven't done that much for the rest of the day really. After yesterday's excitements, I'm trying to chill. Big-time. Mind you, with Lord H's help, I've managed to battle my way, kicking and screaming, to the end of a killer sudoku (gentle version). So I hope that my efforts will stave off losing my mind entirely for another day or so. No pain, no gain indeed. I'm also planning a nap before the thrills and spills of tonight's TV viewing. We will be glued to the latest Christianity programme, especially as it's looking at the Medieval period this time - one of my favourite historical eras. And of course Sunday isn't Sunday without Lark Rise to Candleford. Bliss.
As a special treat, this week there are two unrelated haikus (well, gosh):
In alloted space
let the small gold seed flourish:
shadow, stillness, breath.
Playing here tonight:
an orchestra of bitterns.
Booming marvellous
Sorry! Couldn't resist that last one, though I suspect it will only mean something if you know what bitterns sound like!...
Today's nice things:
1. Another poetry success
2. Getting on with Hallsfoot
3. Poetry
4. TV
5. Haikus.
Anne Brooke
Anne's website - not so bad, considering ...
Today, I've also managed to take Hallsfoot's Battle up to over 82,000 words and have another idea for a plot development. So that's a relief. I might even get the required 120,000 words that fantasy fiction seems to need these days out of it. You never know. At the very least, all my characters are now up in the air with their own story lines and it's going to take a lot of spit, polish and elbow grease to get them down again. Maybe it'll be even longer? Who knows ...
And here's this morning's meditation:
Meditation 56
The desert expands
as far as the eye
can stretch.
But the door
you seek
is so small
it falls between words.
How can you find
one speck of gold
amongst so many?
Listen to the secret pattern
of your thoughts:
let your slow feet
follow.
We haven't done that much for the rest of the day really. After yesterday's excitements, I'm trying to chill. Big-time. Mind you, with Lord H's help, I've managed to battle my way, kicking and screaming, to the end of a killer sudoku (gentle version). So I hope that my efforts will stave off losing my mind entirely for another day or so. No pain, no gain indeed. I'm also planning a nap before the thrills and spills of tonight's TV viewing. We will be glued to the latest Christianity programme, especially as it's looking at the Medieval period this time - one of my favourite historical eras. And of course Sunday isn't Sunday without Lark Rise to Candleford. Bliss.
As a special treat, this week there are two unrelated haikus (well, gosh):
In alloted space
let the small gold seed flourish:
shadow, stillness, breath.
Playing here tonight:
an orchestra of bitterns.
Booming marvellous
Sorry! Couldn't resist that last one, though I suspect it will only mean something if you know what bitterns sound like!...
Today's nice things:
1. Another poetry success
2. Getting on with Hallsfoot
3. Poetry
4. TV
5. Haikus.
Anne Brooke
Anne's website - not so bad, considering ...
Thursday, January 22, 2009
A wonderful desert of a day
Today has been bliss. A day when I didn't need to leave the flat once and I have so far seen nobody but Lord H. This is like heaven. Yes, I am indeed a hermit. It's a gloriously empty, expansive, energising day and I love it. It prepares me for the horrifying busyness of tomorrow and I shall endeavour to hang onto it whilst neck-deep in social activity then. I fear I shall need it.
Here's this morning's meditation:
Meditation 54
Keep your vows safe
in the secret earth
of your skin.
Use them only
when you are sure.
Soon you can plant
their yellowed grains
in dark soil
and wait for the light
to rise.
I've been working on Hallsfoot's Battle for the wonderful majority of the day and I've got to the end of a key encounter between Simon and Gelahn, in which some of the truths about the mind-cane become clear. I've written more than usual, to my surprise - about 1,500 words today which is beyond my upper limit for sure. So I'm now at 80,700 words, which is very pleasing indeed, especially as I doubt I'll manage the full 1000 tomorrow.
There's also been time for an afternoon nap and for submitting another piece of flash fiction and four more poems into the great melting pot of literary life. So I have not, after all, been indulging in too much virtual frittering. Well, no more than usual then ...
Tonight Lord H and I are at the theatre seeing the new Alan Ayckbourn play, Life & Beth, so that should be interesting. He's always a playwright you can get your teeth into, as it were. And we'll also have the joy of looking at the seats with our name plaques on for the first time so, as you can imagine, I am hyperventilating with excitement at that. Fame at last, people, fame at last! The only trouble is we made a slight miscalculation when booking our tickets for this season and we'll only actually be occupying one of them, dammit. We will have to adjust our demands for the next run of bookings ... In the meantime, we'll have to see which of us we'll be sitting on tonight. As it were. The excitement is already mounting, you know.
Today's nice things:
1. A beautifully empty unsociable day, bliss ...
2. Poetry
3. Getting stuck into Hallsfoot
4. Submissions
5. Napping
6. Theatre
7. The thrill of Our Seats.
Anne Brooke
Anne's website - sitting down is really her favourite hobby after all
Here's this morning's meditation:
Meditation 54
Keep your vows safe
in the secret earth
of your skin.
Use them only
when you are sure.
Soon you can plant
their yellowed grains
in dark soil
and wait for the light
to rise.
I've been working on Hallsfoot's Battle for the wonderful majority of the day and I've got to the end of a key encounter between Simon and Gelahn, in which some of the truths about the mind-cane become clear. I've written more than usual, to my surprise - about 1,500 words today which is beyond my upper limit for sure. So I'm now at 80,700 words, which is very pleasing indeed, especially as I doubt I'll manage the full 1000 tomorrow.
There's also been time for an afternoon nap and for submitting another piece of flash fiction and four more poems into the great melting pot of literary life. So I have not, after all, been indulging in too much virtual frittering. Well, no more than usual then ...
Tonight Lord H and I are at the theatre seeing the new Alan Ayckbourn play, Life & Beth, so that should be interesting. He's always a playwright you can get your teeth into, as it were. And we'll also have the joy of looking at the seats with our name plaques on for the first time so, as you can imagine, I am hyperventilating with excitement at that. Fame at last, people, fame at last! The only trouble is we made a slight miscalculation when booking our tickets for this season and we'll only actually be occupying one of them, dammit. We will have to adjust our demands for the next run of bookings ... In the meantime, we'll have to see which of us we'll be sitting on tonight. As it were. The excitement is already mounting, you know.
Today's nice things:
1. A beautifully empty unsociable day, bliss ...
2. Poetry
3. Getting stuck into Hallsfoot
4. Submissions
5. Napping
6. Theatre
7. The thrill of Our Seats.
Anne Brooke
Anne's website - sitting down is really her favourite hobby after all
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