The nameless blogger and other literary matters

Book News:

What a week, eh. I think we've all come through it slightly dusty and wide-eyed but relatively unbowed, so well done us! In case you're wondering if I've finally slipped over the edge into madness (ah, a long long time ago,  my dears ...), on Monday I was mentioned though not by name (until I outed myself in the comments section, that is!) in this article by author Chris Cleave in The Guardian who was a little upset about a review I wrote about one of his books for Vulpes Libris. Yes, I am indeed the cold-hearted and spidery blogger who dare not show her face. Well, if you had a nose like mine, would you?... Joking apart though, I have to say it's a dang good article and (if I may be so bold), if he'd used even half that passion, poetry and precision, not to mention ease of expression, throughout the novel itself, all might have been rather better.

Anyway, the very lovely Book Foxes (thank you, all) were inspired to come up with a response to the Guardian article which, we hope, sets out our aims for our review site in terms of fair, honest and very committed reviewing. Enough said. And actually, when all's said and done, it's the books that count, so I hope Chris Cleave and I can give each other a virtual handshake and a wry smile (because everything passes ...), and then we can all move on.

As for my own far less significant book world, it's been quite a busy week too so far, so here's what's been going on since Monday:

1. The Delaneys and Me came in, briefly, at No 91 in the Amazon UK Kindle charts so someone must have bought a copy - thank you.

2. Entertaining the Delaneys gained two 4-star reviews at Goodreads, one here and one here. It also gained a 3-star review at Goodreads with some lovely comments, so thank you to all three readers for sharing their thoughts on the story.

3. A Woman Like the Sea gained another 5-star review at Amazon so thank you, Victor, for that - I really appreciate it.

4. Finally, in this section, Brady's Choice gained a B+ review at Brief Encounters, and a 5-star review at Jessewave Reviews - a big thank you to both reviewers for that.

On a slightly different tack, I'm sneaking in a quick reminder that all my Untreed Reads books are at discount prices in February and one of them is free! That includes A Woman like The Sea so, bearing in mind the reviews it's gained recently, it might well be worth a punt ...

And, astonishingly, I'm struggling back into writing my meditation poems again. Feel a bit shaky about it as I'm not really very sure about God at the moment and there's nothing like prayer remotely on the horizon at all right now, but for what it's worth here they are:




Meditation 491
There’s a cleansing note
about sackcloth and grief

but letting them go
must be a relief.




Meditation 492
In all the long bible
there’s nothing that moves me so much
as King Hezekiah’s simple taking of the letter
containing his enemy’s
bitter and bloodthirsty threat,

laying it out in front
of the throne of God
and praying in despair
and a kind of trust:
see my agony, help me.


Life News:

I slipped into the bible study group this week and tried to keep relatively quiet (ho ho). I was rather jazzed up about it but in the end it was okay. Nothing too demanding, and actually the history behind the story of Joseph and his brothers is interesting. I had no idea it was made up of three different literary approaches cobbled together later by an editor which explains the little anomalies such as Joseph's status which changes throughout, and the different ways of referring to God, and what that means. Fascinating. I do always find that the more I see the very human mistakes and oddities in the bible, the more I actually believe in what it's trying to convey. It's only when you think a book is the unalterable word of God (whatever that may mean!) that it becomes so much less likely. There speaks the inveterate reviewer, eh ... Give me the mistakes and I'll ferret out the truth for myself.

Meanwhile I've been having fun with TV. I did rather enjoy South Riding on Sunday night, but I could have done with more jokes. I'm told by friends who've read the book (I haven't - ah, the shame of it) that it gets grimmer so I'm preparing myself with boxes of tissues and a whippet. Hey, I can be rude about the north - my mother's a Geordie ... though God knows what the whippet will do. I am also strangely gripped and guffawing in amazed laughter at the false crocodile tears produced by The Model Agency. Lordy! I was more than relieved that the rather sweet India managed to escape from the profit-crazed hands of her band of agents in order to live a normal life at school. Isn't there some kind of charity to free these poor gals? There should be questions in Parliament, I feel - particularly about the very odd father who included the opportunity to make more money for the family as a reason for encouraging his daughter to join the slave - ahem - I mean model trade. Run, my dear, run! I foresee several nail-biting evenings ahead in front of the TV over the next few weeks ...

Anyway, today, I have had two removal firms round to give a quote for getting us to our next home - please God let us have an exchange date soon! - they were both very lovely and seemed happy to cope with our oddities, so we'll have to wait and see what figures they come up with. They both include the option to have everything packed for you, which we are so definitely taking up - having always moved ourselves with great trauma and angst in the past. I'm really not going through that again. Ever.

This afternoon, I've had the last session of my physiotherapy for the frozen shoulder and all looks good, hurrah. I'm managing to remember not to carry heavy things, eg shopping or golf clubs, so I think that's definitely helping. And if I forget, I certainly know soon enough! Tonight, K and I are off to Woking to indulge ourselves in the joys of the National Theatre tour of Hamlet, so I am preparing myself for an evening of misplaced love and family angst. Just like a normal night out in Essex really, hey ho.

Anne Brooke

Fame and physio

Book News:

A Dangerous Man gained a 4-star review at Goodreads so many thanks, Tizi, for that. You can also now listen to the radio review of A Dangerous Man at Venture Radio UK - the recording is towards the top of the page, so I hope you enjoy the listen!

Much to my delight, The Bones of Summer rose rapidly up and found itself at Number 2 in the Amazon UK gay & lesbian charts, so that was very heartening really.

And at Vulpes Libris you can find my review of Graham Sclater's We're Gonna Be Famous, a lively and enjoyable children's book which shows beyond all doubt that music really can save a life.

Meditations today are:




Meditation 486
The object you love
is the object
you become:

a fine truth,
if it weren’t the same
for the object you hate.




Meditation 487
The gods of each land
may be silent

but they still remain
whispering in the leaves

or basking in the sunlight
of a lion’s roar.


Life News:

I was up in London last night having drinks and a really wonderful curry with Jane W, so it was great to catch up after Christmas and New Year. But, my goodness, the Big City was rather busy, or at least the train back certainly was - I had to stand all the way to Woking, which was highly unusual. Don't these people have homes to go to?...

This morning, I've popped in to see my former neighbour also now in Woking (all roads do indeed lead to that vast metropolis of culture this week), and we had a good chat about all the other neighbours (as you do), travel and tea. The ideal combination indeed.

And the physio's going well. I can now do everything with my arm (hurrah!) though it does ache fairly continuously at a relatively low level so it's bearable enough. Only two more sessions to go, and we'll see how it is then. That Helen is a miracle worker indeed.

Anne Brooke

Radio fame and a riot of reviews

Book News:

I was bowled over last night with a review of A Dangerous Man which was broadcast on Venture Radio UK as part of their John Peters Show, which has a monthly book review slot. Honestly I was sobbing with delight whilst huddled with K round my computer listening in. Never say I'm not professional, eh ... Ho ho.  Really it's almost like being a proper writer. Anyway, huge thanks to the lovely Graham Sclater who was kind enough to give the book such a positive review - many thanks indeed, Graham! I'm told that I'll get the link to the review over the next couple of weeks or thereabouts so will post it here when I can. Gosh indeedy.

Other news on A Dangerous Man is that it's gained a 4-star review at Goodreads (thank you, Erin) and in addition shortened versions of both Erin's and Graham's reviews can be found at the Amazon Kindle entry.

Not to be outdone, The Delaneys and Me gained a 5-star review at Goodreads, so thank you, Sidney, for your comments.

Meanwhile, I'm carrying on with The Executioner's Cane and have, much to my surprise, found a new plot twist which I think will help carry me through to the end. Here's hoping anyhow. And I've sent back the final galley proofs for Brady's Choice to Amber Allure Press, and the first edits for Rosie By Name to Bluewood Publishing, so I'm keeping busy, hurrah. We don't like any slacking here in the shires. So much so that I've spent some time fighting womanfully with the computer and attempting to reorganise the website listing of my GLBT Stories into some kind of order and I hope it lasts for a while. Because goodness me but that was a late night ...

Today at Vulpes Libris, you can find my review of E Lynn Harris' In My Father's House, in which I do battle with the Beautiful People and live to tell the tale - possibly ...

Meditations so far this week are:




Meditation 482
Men plot and plan,
lay siege to cities,
imprison and kill

whilst women wait
silently in the shadows,
enduring war still.




Meditation 483
When all is finished
amongst the dead,
a whisper of hope
remains as shadow,
unsaid.




Meditation 484
All the silver and gold
in the land

cannot wipe away
the blood and shadows

staining the earth
and for him

there is no road
to rebirth.


Life News:

I have a life? Who'd have thought it ... Anyway, it was the first complete week of work after Christmas this week and I think I survived well enough, hurrah. Actually it is nice to get back into a routine - there's safety in structure, don't you know. And I think we're reaching slowly towards the final few of my physio sessions to get my arm back to full and functioning form (hmm, nice alliteration there, methinks ...). It's been aching more in general this week, which is probably due to getting back to work properly, but nothing too bad, thank goodness. It will be interesting to see how it is if I get to play golf tomorrow - that will be a real test for sure.

The marvellous news of the week though is that Ruth at work got her Accountancy exam results back and got 68%, well gosh and yes we all knew she would do well even though she wasn't confident! I am so pleased about it that I spent several minutes screaming with joy at the email which she kindly sent me today, and then just had to ring her up at work and do some more screaming. All rather startling for the neighbours, and certainly for Ruth. But huge congratulations anyway. It's a fabulous achievement.

Anne Brooke