Eternal nuisance and flowers galore

Book News:

Still no news from the elusive Eternal Press/Damnation Press about the rights recovery letter they owe me. Not that it surprises me much as it took them 5 months to respond to my first email, so I'm not holding my breath. I do, however, take note that when I posted yet another query, this time on Facebook, and linked my plea to their CEO, the equally elusive Kim Richards, it didn't take her long at all to block me and remove my post from my page. So at least we know Kim is still alive out there somewhere, hey ho.

No matter, as I added the message to my fan page instead, and now just on 900 people have seen it. Might have been easier for the lovely Kim to simply send me the rights recovery letter in the first place, rather than to have all this extra publicity, but people should certainly be allowed to respond as they wish, naturally. In the meantime, I've now posted a comment on her blog (which, astonishingly is still there at the moment of typing, but for how long - who knows!), just to see if I can make any kind of contact with "the other side". Go on, Kim - write that letter! You know you want to, really, and at least it'll mean you'll get rid of me. Besides, I'm not actually that scary, so you don't have to hide, as you've done on Facebook ...

However, more positive news about this situation is that Preditors and Editors have added my unfortunate and continuing experience to their apparently growing database on problems associated with this particular publisher, so will continue to advise writers against them. Hurrah indeed.

Meanwhile, gay thriller The Bones of Summer (Maloney *2) is due out from Amber Allure Press on 2 June, so I'm very much looking forward to that.

And, speaking of Maloney, the first in the series, Maloney's Law, is now out in paperback at Amazon US, so do feel free to pop a copy in your online basket when you're next shopping. Thank you.

I'm also happy to say that this week, I've received two reviews for gay comedy, Who Moved My Holepunch? The first is from Rainbow Book Reviews, who comment:

"If you're wondering how moving a holepunch can possibly lead to an exciting story, you're not the only one. When I saw this book for the first time, I thought the same thing. So, I picked up the book, so to speak, and read with great interest what wonderfully quirky characters Anne Brooke has come up with now. With that title the situation was promising from the very start. And, let me tell you, I wasn't disappointed … If you like stories with a touch of humor, if you enjoy reading about quirky, somewhat unusual characters, and if you're looking for a hot read that contains just a touch of kink and a lot of office sex, you will probably like this book."

And the second review is from Joyfully Jay Reviews, who says:

"Who Moved My Holepunch? First of all, what a great title for a book. I'm not sure if I would've been so compelled to read it had I not seen the catchy title and cover. For this, I must say thank you, Anne Brooke. I figured, if anything, I'd be getting a story outside of the norm and I have to say that was true. Who Moved My Holepunch? was a quirky little madcap adventure within the framework of a budding workplace romance."

Many thanks, both, for reading and reviewing!

Finally in this section, I'm thrilled to announce that my gay erotic short story The Beginning of Knowledge, as endorsed by actor and model Charlie Harding, will be published by Wilde City Press on 1 May. Here's the blurb:

When University administrator Alan Castleton meets temporary worker and talented pianist Luke Milton, he doesn’t expect to become obsessed with the handsome young blond. But soon he is heavily involved in a passionate and angry affair, and exploring the dark shadows of his own personality in a way he’s never encountered before.

The more Alan tries to break free from his obsession, the deeper it entangles him. The dangerous split between his reason and his sexual desires threatens his peace of mind and, when the crisis point comes, he must decide once and for all the kind of life he should lead.

I for one can't wait. The week ahead is certainly going to be fun, that's for sure.


Life News:

Lots of excitement in the garden this week, as spring really settles in. I've planted out our Mrs Bradshaw geums, and the spare heucheras we had lurking in the vegetable patch so at least they all have a home now. Plus our camellia is also fully in bloom, as are our gorgeous red tulips in the back garden. Fabulous.

I've also been busy in the kitchen (I'm such a Domestic Goddess, you know ...) and made a Cappuccino Coffee Cake. Which tastes pretty good, I have to say, though I appear to have broken my electric food mixer in the process (how? How?!) and had to resort to the faithful standby of Husband Food Mixer in the last ten minutes. What a hero, eh.

K and I have also booked our 3D (3D!!! How alluring we will look ...) Star Trek Into Darkness tickets for the first time, and I'm wondering if I can take my Klingon Guide to Tourism dictionary ("Buy or die") along for an airing. Hmm, probably not, but a girl can dream.

I also have to say I was really disappointed by the ending of Broadchurch - what rot, we say. All highly unlikely, so a plot with more holes in than a Swiss cheese, but the acting was spot-on and deeply alluring, and made the whole laughable journey somehow worthwhile. Hey ho.

And, over at The Angry Anglican, I take a much needed break from Anglican Leadership Homophobia World (AKA The Church of England) and find respite (phew!) with the local URC church ...

Anne Brooke
Gay Reads UK
The Gathandrian Fantasy Trilogy
Biblical Fiction UK
Lori Olding Children's Author

Naughty publishers and happy pills

Book News:

Sigh. Here we go again. I'm having enormous trouble getting the Rights Recovery letter for my literary short story Painting from Life back from Eternal Press/Damnation Books. Last year they removed it from their website without telling me, and then when I asked for the return of copyright in October 2012, they either ignored me or emailed back saying they were "working on it". They've been "working on it" ever since and in March I actually received an email from Kim Richards, the CEO, saying she was planning to send me the RR letter in two weeks' time. Well, two weeks came and went, and still nothing.

So it gives me great and heartfelt pleasure to see that Eternal Press and Damnation Books are both mentioned on Preditors and Editors as a Publisher To Avoid. Heck, wish I'd known that a while back - might at least have saved myself all those emails I've been sending. Still, I've sent more information to Preditors and Editors so they can add my sorry tale to their information on this particular company. Are you out there, Kim? I quite understand your organisation is noted as being rather dodgy but if you need something to draft a letter on in the midst of your troubles, I'm happy to send you a typewriter ... Fellow writers out there - be warned!

Turning to more cheerful writing matters, I've found a review of gay science fiction story Tuluscan Six and the Time Circle at ARe Cafe Reviews. It included the following:

"Tuluscan Six and the Time Circle by Anne Brooke is a short story with a light comic touch that may appeal to many readers, even those who tend to avoid science-fiction. The fast pace, comical details, and the single viewpoint from an appealing hero make for an immediately engaging reading experience."

Also at ARe Cafe was a lovely 4-star review of gay thriller A Dangerous Man, which included the following:

A Dangerous Man is not a gay romance with a traditional happy ending, but it is a compelling work of gay fiction and a real page-turner. Things to praise include the flawless writing and the subtlety with which Michael's tragic past is revealed. The London setting is vivid and three-dimensional, and the author has a perfect ear for dialogue.

I'm also very happy to announce that my author page is now up at new gay fiction publisher Wilde City Press. While you're there, have a good look round the site, and I hope you enjoy the visit. My story with them will be published in May and I hope to let you know the details very soon.

Meanwhile, the FREE giveaway of fantasy novel Hallsfoot's Battle is still on over at Goodreads until 23 April, so don't miss out. As a reminder, here's the blurb for you:

"In the second book in The Gathandrian Trilogy, Gelahn the mind-executioner begins his campaign. His powers are sublime, unmatched – even without the mind-cane in his possession. Using fear and pain he enslaves his victims, but next he will break and possess the Lammas Overlord.

Recently appointed Acting Elder and left in sole charge of her people, Annyeke Hallsfoot draws on all her mind-skills and courage as the fight for Gathandria rages. The precious ancient Legends are her bedrock and she begins teaching their wisdom to the scribe, Simon Hartstongue, who must quickly learn to work with the mind-cane’s strange powers. But Simon is distracted by his own demons and only fears the artefact. Supported by Johan and Talus, her young charge, Annyeke plots a desperate strategy to defeat the enemy.

As the Gathandrians rally behind their new leader, Gelahn strikes at the heart of the city."

It includes one rather tricky gay couple, a feisty redhead and an obstinate raven, so what more can you want? Good luck with the competition.

On another writing tack, children's fantasy story The Origami Nun now has its own video on YouTube, so do pop along and enjoy at any time.


Life News:

This week, the reduction of my Happy Pills has hit home for the first time, and it's all proving harder than I thought. Felt very depressed mid-week and couldn't seem to do or think anything at my usual speeds. Possibly that may be a good thing, however, as I tend to live life at full throttle. So have spent a lot of spare time napping and am feeling a bit more normal now, phew.

Also in the week, I watched my recording of Maggie Thatcher's funeral, which made me both rather sad and also immensely pleased at how well done it was. It was also good to see so many people out supporting and sending her on her last great journey - rather than the national bitchiness and downright misogyny that's been taking over our social networking and media for the last week or so. I have to say that hearing so many times about how Maggie was so terrible because she was so divisive has made me smile though. Um, isn't being divisive what good leadership is all about?? It was that terrible consensus and trying to agree with everyone that got us into the s**t in 1979 anyway, for those of us who remember those dreadful days prior to Maggie turning up and sorting out the mess. She was simply the right woman for the right time, and I'll not forget it.

This weekend, spring has also really sprung, hurrah. We heard our first cuckoo of the year, and our apple blossom and dwarf tulips are now in all their full glory.

I've also made Double Chocolate Mint Sponge cake, which was terribly easy and tastes divine. Will definitely be making this one again.

And yesterday we had a glorious day at Petworth House, followed by a trip to Rake Garden Centre - which is always worth a visit and where they had a sale of tulips so we went a bit mad really. But you can never have too many tulips, to my mind. So a lot of planting has been done in the glorious sunshine we've had.

Meanwhile, over at The Angry Anglican, I put the case to you, folks, that despite what the Church of England would have us believe, gay marriage is actually God's great plan after all. Is the CofE listening though? Hmm, I doubt it ...

So, because of the fact that K and I are fed up to the back teeth with Anglican Leadership Homophobia World, we took a week off from battling the beast, albeit quietly, and attended our local United Reformed Church service instead. Very nice it was too - we'll be going again for sure.

Anne Brooke
Gay Reads UK
The Gathandrian Fantasy Trilogy
Biblical Fiction UK
Lori Olding Children's Author

Creeping back slowly

Sorry I've not been around for a while. After having been ill, I thought I'd take a little break from blogging, and maybe just dip in when I was in the mood. This morning seems to be one of those moments, so here I am, albeit briefly.

I've fully recovered from the nasty illness that just kept on giving for those two weeks, and am feeling (relatively) normal again, hurrah.

Am making my way slowly through the Olympic zone - and trying to avoid it as I'm not a fan of any sport other than golf. It did occur to me at one point that it would be the ultimate in style for the UK not to win any gold medals at all during the games, but sadly that lifestyle statement has been dashed yesterday by our double win. Ah well.

The garden's looking lovely and my Russian sunflowers are now taller than the gate they're next to, and nearly as tall as the canes they're attached to as well. They might even have the beginnings of flowers. You never know. That would be amazing, as they're the ones I planted as seeds. Anyway, here are some garden pics to keep you going. The one with the tall gate is the back garden, with the sunflowers when they were smaller. The bench one is part of the front garden, with the sweet peas in the pot on the right. They're now in flower and smell amazing. The last one is our unexpected hibiscus flower. I love it!

In terms of my book world, I'm busy writing up interviews and a blog post for Riptide Publishing's one-year anniversary later this year, and also have just sorted out my giveaways for the upcoming UK GLBTQ Conference in September. I'm also working away on a short story for Amber Allure, and am giving some small time to a new Lori Olding children's story, Queen of the Fluffy Pens. Talking of Lori, The Origami Nun will be free at Amazon US and Amazon UK from tomorrow (Friday) until Monday, so a good chance to sample the nun's magic, if you've a mind to.

As a result, work on my gay fantasy novella The Taming of The Hawk has slowed down to virtually nothing, but I hope I can pick it up later on. Also I'm very pleased that my upcoming anniversary blog tour for fantasy novel The Gifting only has two empty slots left to fill - result!

Hope you have a great weekend, and I'll pop in again at some point.

Anne

Anne Brooke
The Gathandrian Trilogy
Gay Reads UK
Lori Olding Children's Fiction

Nuns, pens and plants

Book News:

Great news today! My children's book, The Origami Nun, has been accepted by Scottish Press, Karabeth Publishing, and I've sent the contract back to them just now. I'm really pleased about that, and am very much looking forward to working with them.

At the same time, I've returned the final proofs of gay short story Where You Hurt The Most to Riptide Publishing, and ARCs (Advance Review Copies) will be sent out to a variety of places over the next few days. I hope people enjoy the read.

And don't forget it's the LAST FEW DAYS of the five ebook giveaway of fantasy novel The Gifting at LibraryThing. The final day is 29 April, so don't miss out. There are now 63 people entering - for which many thanks - and I wonder if we can make it to 65. That would be great. Thank you. Other nice news is that literary paranormal short story The Girl in The Painting was earlier this week at No 11 in the Amazon UK short story charts, so thank you for that as well.

Meanwhile, there is still 30% discount off ALL my Untreed Reads ebooks direct from the publisher - so shop early shop often. Because there's only ONE DAY left on that offer ...

At Vulpes Libris Reviews, I find little to keep my attention in P.D. James' mishmash of a novel, Death Comes to Pemberley. Sigh. It just doesn't work, and I was really rather hoping it would. Oh well.

This week's meditations are:


Meditation 644
All that we are and do
recorded in the unchanging
book of our lives,
written on the skin

when our greatest need
is an interpreter
to measure with grace
the truth which lies within.




Meditation 645
There are times
when the seduction
of sin

is more than enough
to tempt
the devil in

but when the joys
we grasped at
are no more

then we are left
in a far worse state
than before.




Meditation 646
The slow grace
of returning
to the place
we started

is a gift
to make the birds sing
and all the stars
take wing.


Life News:

Happy St George's Day for 23 April! I hope you all had a great day and were kind to the dragon. As it were. In celebration, here's a rather scary photo of me and my fluffy pens at the office. Always the professional, that's me, eh ... Well, maybe in my dreams.

Lots of nature news this week. I've spotted a couple of sparrows on our apple tree, which is wonderful - as they're the first sparrows I've seen in Elstead. I hope they come back.

Plus we've taken delivery of another set of plants for potting on and then getting into the garden as and when. This time, we have five cuphea ignea (which I love) and five opium poppies (which K loves). So the perfect combination for something - but who knows what!

Anne Brooke
The Gathandria Fantasy Trilogy
Gay Reads UK
Biblical Fiction UK

Film Friday and Garden Delights

Book News:

My gay comic romance Angels and Airheads is due to be published on 30 March and is now available for pre-ordering at Musa Publishing. Shop early shop often, as they say! I do so love the cover.

Over at Amazon US, gay thriller A Dangerous Man was my most popular book this week, so that was very heartening. And literary gay short story The Heart's Greater Silence gained a 4-star review at Goodreads (thank you, Zaa).

Plus there's exciting news about the 5th in the Delaneys series - The Delaneys At Home will be published by Amber Allure Press on 3 June, so I'm looking forward very much to that. Only one more story to go and the series will be done, well gosh.

And don't forget that the majority of my Untreed Reads books are discounted by 30% for the whole of March - enjoy!

Oh, and I thoroughly enjoyed Day Two of my filming experience with Milletti Films - which involved playing golf, going to church, and another interview, amongst other items. Many thanks to Sam, Roxanne, Randy & Christine for making it such great fun, and I hope the project goes very well for you!

On a more serious note, the problem with the new Paypal literary censorship approach is causing me and indeed all writers of erotic fiction grave concerns. You can find out more about the issue and what can be done about it at the Internet Censorship Petition site and the Stop Censorship site. I've signed both petitions, and I hope some of you will also feel moved to do so. Many thanks.

The Sunday Haiku is:

Your car's steady hum.
Tall masts against a grey sky,
the sea drifting by.


Life News:

K and I had a lovely time down in Kent yesterday celebrating the 65th birthday of our good friend, Tony. It was fabulous to catch up with everyone, and the cake was stupendously good. Many thanks indeed to P for arranging it!

The rest of our time has been spent working in and thoroughly enjoying the garden, hurrah. I've kept the weeds down today, and K has mulched the roses. Much to our joy we spotted our first butterfly - a yellow brimstone - in our very own garden, so that was truly magical. Plus the forsythia we didn't know we had at the front is starting to bloom, the apple tree and our dogwood hedge are both in bud, and there are general signs of spring ahead. I can't wait to see what other surprises the garden holds for us.

Anne Brooke
The Gathandria Fantasy Trilogy
Gay Reads UK
Biblical Fiction UK

Blog Tour grand finale: sex, faith and bullying

The final day of my blog tour for The Heart's Greater Silence is here. Today (and indeed yesterday but I couldn't blog about it as I've not been well ...) you can find me at:

Riptide Ripples - where I talk about why Riptide Books and I are a perfect fit.
Bitch Factor 10 - where I reveal the close links between sex and faith in my fiction.
Jeff Erno's Blog - where I discuss my own experiences of bullying and how we can all support the vital anti-bullying campaign. It's a subject very close to my heart indeed, as you can probably tell.

I hope you gain something from these articles, and don't forget that if you leave a comment on any of them today, then you're still in with a chance of winning a variety of book prizes. Tomorrow, the winners will be picked. Good luck, all!

I'm also happy to announce that I now have an author page at QMO Books, so many thanks to the lovely Serena Yates for arranging that for me.

Finally, as above, I'm not terribly well at the moment - the usual nasty cold/catarrh attacks, so I didn't go into work yesterday, and I've not slept much over the last couple of days and certainly haven't been eating anything. However, today I think I'm slowly on the mend (hurrah!) as I've actually managed to have a bath and get dressed and clean my teeth - so jolly good news if anyone happens to call. Though I wouldn't recommend it, to be honest, as I still look like a reject from an old Hollywood horror film or, as a friend of mine once admitted: something that died ten years ago but hasn't yet realised it. Ah, such truthfulness is what friends are for, you know ...

Anne Brooke
The Gathandrian Trilogy
Gay Reads UK
Biblical Fiction UK

Blog Tour Day One

Book News:

Yes, it's here at last, hurrah. My literary gay short story The Heart's Greater Silence has been published today and you can find it at Riptide Publishing, All Romance Ebooks, Amazon US and Amazon UK, alongside other major ebook stores. Happy reading to all.

At the same time, today is the first day of my blog tour which will last until 16 February. There are loads of prizes and giveaways, so do pop in and leave a comment or enter the competition for a chance to win THREE ebooks from my backlist - there's nothing to lose and everything to gain. Today you will find me at Top 2 Bottom Reviews where you can find out 10 very strange things about me; and Long and Short Reviews where you can discover what 5 items I'd take to my own desert island.

Today's other book news is that it's Day 6 of the Buy One Get One Free offer on The Gifting - so there's still time to pop a copy into your shopping basket and get a FREE ebook from my backlist. Don't delay, as the offer only lasts till Tuesday 7th Feb ...

Meanwhile, literary gay short story Brady's Choice received a 4-star review at Goodreads - so thank you to Meggie for that.

And, speaking of Amber Allure Press, I will be their Spotlight Author on Friday 10 February and this event will include a FREE giveaway of a backlist ebook, so please do pop along to that and join in the fun there too. You'll be more than welcome.

Finally, here's today's meditation poem:




Meditation 621
So many voices
in the world
pushing at my ear’s
tender skin
in an attempt
to be heard

when only one voice
is needed
and its final arrival
makes the harsh demands
of every other whisper
faintly absurd.


Life News:

Not a great deal has happened today which isn't writing-related, except the snow appears to be melting - so a cause of great celebration indeed. Oh, and I am enjoying a week off to use up my holiday days before the end of March, which is the end of our holiday year. So that's lovely.

Plus, in a less lovely way, I did get an email from British Gas asking me to give them a meter reading online. Bearing in mind the series of disasters which took place the last time I attempted to do this - including an inability of their website to recognise me as a customer at all, several abortive attempts to contact them by telephone, and the fact their engineer eventually turned up to read the meter - I've told them I won't do this but to simply send the engineer instead to avoid customer disappointment. No response yet, but we won't wait up, eh ...

Anne Brooke
The Gathandrian Trilogy - still time for a free book!
Gay Reads UK - naughty but nice
Biblical Fiction UK - because faith turns up when you least expect it

Hearts and minds

Book News:

Heck, it's been busy over the Christmas period, but great fun too. First off there's good news about my literary gay short story The Heart's Greater Silence which is now being sent off to reviewers prior to publication, so I'm looking forward to seeing what people think. You can read a short extract from the beginning at Riptide Publishing's site. Don't forget that if you pre-order, you're also in with a chance of winning a year's supply of Riptide books, so order early to avoid disappointment.

Meanwhile, I've also developed a website devoted to my fantasy series The Gathandrian Trilogy. There you can find out everything you need to know about The Gifting, Hallsfoot's Battle and The Executioner's Cane, as well as getting to discover the ins and outs of the characters in the story, including feisty red-haired women, magical mind-canes and mysterious snow-ravens. There are also extracts from The Gifting and Hallsfoot's Battle, so you can try before you buy. Have fun exploring!

Until tomorrow, you can also win a copy of gay erotic short story Dating the Delaneys at Brief Encounter Reviews. Ideal for keeping you extra warm at New Year. Failing that, you can still get 20% off all my books at Rainbow Ebooks, so don't miss out.

And a BIG thank you to everyone at Amber Allure Press and also Riptide Publishing for the lovely Christmas cards I received from them both. It's really very much appreciated!

Life News:

Christmas has been great this year - really lovely and quiet. Just me and my loved one, which is how I like it, hurrah. Talking of which, K bought me a new Kindle and therefore takes possession of my old one. Plus he was kind enough to buy me the whole of the first series of Blake's 7 on DVD so I can drool over the glorious Avon whenever I like. Mmm, bliss ... Other joys of Christmas were the Christmas Day service at church where the vicar asked the children in the congregation what presents they'd received. Cue one small boy: "I got a toothbrush, and toothpaste!" Well, there's nothing you can say to that really, except to rejoice in how delighted the little chap sounded. Treat 'em mean, keep 'em keen is obviously the way to go, though even I do hope he received rather more than that!

It's also been a time to sort things out in the garden. Together K and I have radically pruned the roses, put up some more trellis (which is looking fantastic, I must say) and sanded down the gate ready for repainting. Having fun outdoors has kept my mind well away from the utter disaster of attempting to change from my MobileMe account to the new so-called improved iCloud. Lordy, it's the worst ever IT change we've had to try (and we must do it as otherwise all our emails and websites disappear next summer without a trace) and I think Apple have done exceedingly badly in making up such a hugely complex set of steps to go through. It actually took us three whole days, one and off, and we're not done yet. The extra pain is that all my MobileMe websites have to find other hosts as iCloud doesn't do websites. Stupid iCloud, eh. I am distinctly not impressed with the whole palaver, deep sigh. And apparently I'm not the only one complaining either.

Still, we've had a couple of great trips out, one to Wisley where I bought a lovely apple-shaped doorstop which can now replace the piece of cardboard which has been holding the living-room door open for three months, phew. Plus we had a fantastic day out at The Hillier Gardens, which has the largest winter garden in Europe. It's amazing, I must say, and the food is to die for too, so we'll definitely be back.

Anne Brooke

The Gathandria Trilogy: for the best in fantasy fiction

Riptide, prayer and the joy of naked farmers

Book News:

Things at Riptide Books are getting very exciting indeed. I've just seen the raw draft of my cover art for upcoming literary gay story, The Heart's Greater Silence, and I'm very happy indeed. A wonderful bleak and autumnal feel which is just perfect, to my mind. Further details to follow shortly ... Not only that but today they've just made their first acquisition of another publisher, so that's very good news for all. Many congratulations!

Keeping with the subject of publisher news, I'm also thrilled to say that all my ebooks at Bluewood Publishing are now being sold at a new discounted price. So you can pick up fantasy novel The Gifting for $2.99 or £1.90, literary short story Dido's Tale, for $1.29 or 80p, and naughty comedy Rosie by Name also for $1.29 or 80p. So do pop along and get some good reads at a definitely decent price. You'll need to sign in first but it only takes 30 seconds and the rewards are more than worth it. Enjoy!

Over at Untreed Reads, you will find 30% off all mystery stories for this week only plus a whole host of other bargains as well. And at Dreamspinner Press,  you can find 20% off all my books until the end of November, hurrah!

I'm also pleased to see that comedy sf story Creative Accountancy for Beginners achieved a 4-star review over at Drive Thru Fiction Reviews - so many thanks, Megan, for that.

And I've reviewed Cocktails for Three by Madeleine Wickham (AKA Sophie Kinsella) over at Vulpes Libris Reviews today. Rather a bland concoction, I thought, and not at all up to previous Wickham novels I've read. Sigh ... I hope the next one will be somewhat better.

This week's meditation poems are:




Meditation 588
The greatest
astonishment

when involved
in praise

or prayer

is when
God responds

almost as if
there’s actually

somebody there.




Meditation 589
Behind the rain’s whispered threat
and the rattle and hum
of the locusts’ destructive dance

lies the hope of kinder skies
and the sure knowledge
that everything passes.




Meditation 590
Solomon takes his wife
from the holy city
in case she taints it.

Today’s church women
strongly suspect they know
how she felt.



Life News:

An irritating moment or two with the car this week, I fear. I've been thinking it's been sounding rather dodgy lately when attempting to fire it up (as it were), and then on Tuesday night I stopped off at the village shop on the way home from work and it just wouldn't start again, dang it. Naturally I rang the RAC (Gawd bless 'em) and then left a message for K, who wasn't home yet, and waited. The woman on the line had said it was likely to be an hour and a half, but I might get quicker service as I was a woman on her own (we're very dangerous, you know, and they need to protect the innocent public from our fearful machinations ...) so I had a drink and some rather gorgeous salted cashews at The Woolpack to while away the hours. It's the first time I've been in since the change of ownership after the previous change of ownership (and we've only been here a couple of months!) and I rather enjoyed it. I also felt hugely brave going into a pub on my own (something I've never done before, being the shy, retiring type) but actually it was fine and I had a nice chat with the barman about the traumas of cars. Indeed I'd only just got myself settled in when the RAC man phoned me to say he was on his way. I must be scarier than most women on their own in a car then ...

Anyway, he arrived at my side at about the same time as the lovely K, who'd been home, got my message and then dashed to my rescue (what a hero!), and everything was sorted out in a reasonable timescale, thank goodness. It's the age-old problem of only doing short drives in Miranda (the car) and therefore her battery getting confused. But the RAC were once again to the rescue for the long-term as well as the short-term and I am now the proud owner of a smart battery recharger (only c£55, which I thought was a bargain) which seems so far to be doing the trick. Early days though!

We're also the proud owners of a brand-new Canon printer, which also scans and photocopies, and in colour, hurrah! It doesn't quite know how to clean the house yet, but I'm working on it. And it's soooo fast too - bliss. I love it.

Today I've gone for my second follow-up appointment post the cyst operation and I don't have to take a third tranche of antibiotics, so that's a relief. The surgeon was very happy with progress and doesn't want to see me again or do another operation (hurrah!) unless it flares up unexpectedly. So I'll have to keep a careful eye on it as it continues to heal, but I'm hoping for the best. Good news indeed.

Tonight, K and I are at the theatre to see Star Quality, so will have to look as glamorous as possible, whilst seeming suitably and deliciously theatrical, simply in order to keep up. Hmm, could be quite a challenge then ...

Meanwhile, as Christmas approaches, I'm very happy to see that the Naked Farmers' Calendar is once more on sale for the season. Naturally I've ordered my (and my mother's) copies and shall look forward to seeing if there's anyone we recognise, having been brought up in the farming community, hey ho. No, don't laugh - two years ago, we did actually know someone indirectly, but no, I couldn't possibly say who it was ... And the proceeds go to a worthwhile cause, so what could be nicer!

But, to end, it just has to be this week's top quote, courtesy of my boss - which really says it all:

"There's no problem in life that can't be solved by a hot bath, a large whisky and the Book of Common Prayer."

Wise words indeed ...

Anne Brooke
The Thoughtful Corner

Contracts, covers and children's books

Book News:

Great news on the book front! My first (and so far only) children's story has been accepted for publication by DWB Children's Books, so I've sent back the contract, the final edits and the cover art form to them today. Well, goodness me - who'd have thought it? It's a story about a girl who can't speak, a tricky confrontation with a school bully and a very magical nun. I've considered the options long and hard, and have decided (though I've always promised myself it was something I'd never do - but, hey, gals are entitled to change their minds, you know) to publish the story under a pseudonym, particularly bearing in mind the subject matter of my more adult fiction. Choosing the name today felt very strange, and rather displacing, but now I've got more used to it, it actually feels rather liberating. And, in many ways, it's not too far from who I actually am - just a different emphasis on it. Gosh, a whole new name I can write under! Maybe there's a sequel in me yet ...

Ooh and I've just seen that the cover art for gay thriller A Dangerous Man has made it to Round 3 of the 2011 Rainbow Awards Cover Contest and is currently lying at joint 3rd place in the Jury Vote. It probably won't make it through to the next round then, but it's been lovely being up there for a while, that's for sure.

This week's meditation poems are:




Meditation 584

Everything finds its place
from the highest hill
to the smallest blade
of grass.

It will come to pass
when all things fade
that we are bound still
by grace.




Meditation 585
The music of linen
encompasses the skin
with notes and crotchets
and quavers

so every movement
sings a story out
to the listening air:
a breath one savours.




Meditation 586
When a greater light lives
in our darkness and cloud

everything shifts
to what it should not be

so a measured silence is found
in the bomb’s cruel blast,

the tongue’s sweet luxury
in the strictest fast

and the aroma of hope
in rank despondency.

And all we dream of
becomes what is allowed.


Life News:

We've been attempting to sort out our finances more sensibly over the last couple of weeks, which has proved tricky in some ways. I think we're getting there though, and are even trying to squirrel away a tiny amount of savings in the midst of all this spending here and there. Hmm, best wish us luck then!

Today the tree men have been round (which has given me a few enjoyable Diet Coke break moments, I must say - maybe it's my age?...) and removed our two monstrosity hedges, two of our overgrown trees and two elderly yews from our front and back gardens. What incredibly polite young men they were too. So now the garden looks utterly fantastic - it's really opened up the space and gives us a heck of a lot more to work with. And it's made my lovely neighbour very happy also, as he gets rid of that terrible hedge as well. A win-win scenario indeed.

Tonight, K and I are off to the theatre to see The Holly and the Ivy - so that should be good. One vicar, two irritable aunts and an errant daughter? Sounds so me, dahlings, and in oh so many ways ...

Anne Brooke
The Thoughtful Corner

Riptide, recording and writing

Book News:

Success! I have, at my second try, sold a story to exciting new publisher, Riptide Publishing. It's a literary gay short story about the end of an affair which is now called The Heart's Greater Silence. It should be available in January or February 2012, so I'm thrilled about that and very much looking forward to being a Riptide author.

I've also recorded my second short story for Celtica Radio. This one is called Candy and Catharsis, and is about life, love and desire in a dictionary. Well, you just don't know what those words get up to when you're not looking, you see. I'm lined up to record another story next Saturday, which looks set to be the new routine for a little while, at least.

Meanwhile, you can find my latest writing news at my website, and I'm also happy to say that all my Amber Quill books are now discounted until the end of October at All Romance Ebooks - so even more reason to shop as the autumnal nights draw in.

Much to my amazement, literary lesbian short story, The Girl in the Painting, was at No 36 in the Amazon UK short story charts for a while, so that was very heartening, while it lasted. And I'm happy to announce that Untreed Reads horror books are discounted at Kobo Books, especially for the season. Enjoy!

The latest meditation poem is:


Meditation 576
From beginning
to end
every thought,
act, fear
and dream understood;

his only protection
that quiet
belief
in a God
who is ultimately good.


The Sunday haiku is:

When the work is done
we sit drinking tea: sunshine,
quietness, shadow.


Life News:

Lots of domestic shenanigans this week. Some of our electric sockets failed on Friday, and the phone was dodgy as well, so we had to use lots of cable to plug stuff into other, more distant sockets that did appear to be working. Then last night, we realised there was no hot water or heating as well. Much gnashing of teeth, etc etc, but this morning K has solved everything, hurrah! Apparently we have an RCD system on the electrics (which sadly doesn't stand for Royal Chocolate Dispensary, but something far more technical ...), and when I foolishly spilt water on my Mac keyboard on Friday, the slight change in electricity current caused it to trip and cut off nearby sockets, and the telephone (which did start whining its alarm a second or so after I spilt the water, I have to admit). Goodness, what a sensitive beastie. Lucky it wasn't whisky, eh. I wish. When we tried to sort it out last night by turning all the electrics off, it then stopped the water/heat system which didn't reset afterwards, which we hadn't realised. What drama, eh. So today we are now fully functional in every way and life is warm, cosy and bright again. I'm being extra careful with the water glass too ...

At the same time, K - now fully into his role as Super Husband and Saviour of the Universe - has bought a new cold water pipe for the washing machine as the old one was rather kinked which meant the water couldn't get to it, hence the lack of washing. Mind you, we did have rather a lot of fun in the kitchen (steady, people, steady ...) with the new pipe by using it as a trumpet for a while and yodelling through it (as you do - the sound is fabulous!...) before actually fixing it to the washing machine. Thank goodness for the enormous hedge outside that stops the neighbours looking in. Hmm, perhaps there's a reason for said hedge after all then, and we're wanting to get rid of it too. Hey ho.

Yesterday, I was in work (shock! horror!) in the morning to help staff the Student Support table at the University's open day. We had lots of business and loads of questions about finances understandably, but I have to say the admin was rather traumatic. I'd requested a selection of brochures/info about 4 times and they simply weren't there, groan. So I was actually rather angry and extremely frustrated, as I had to spend half my time frantically photocopying vital information parents need to know and rushing back and forth from the office to do so, and then sourcing other brochures to make up for the gaps we had. So not the best open day experience I've ever had - especially as the w/e ones are organised by me, so the buck stops here. As you might expect, tomorrow I'm going to make every effort to make sure that next week's open day goes rather better. Harrumph.

However, to balance the universal angst, I had a great game of golf with Marian on Friday, and actually won the game, goodness me and put out the bunting. That hasn't happened in a while. Perhaps I've been swopped for a good golfer? The club cafe cook was also super kind as I mentioned there weren't any cupcakes on display while I was paying at the beginning - and when I went back afterwards, she'd made a fresh batch, what a lovely woman! I took four. Mmm, they were amazing - and I even allowed K to have some, so gained essential Wife Points.

This morning we popped into church, and met the actual vicar for the first time. Each time we've been, he's been elsewhere so we've had the stand-in vicar. Conveniently both are called John so it's easy to remember. I enjoyed the service - they factor in quiet moments, which I appreciate so there's time to think or just be still. That said, the tunes for a couple of the hymns had me fooled, but at least they were traditional, which is a relief. One does prefer an organ, as they say ...

This weekend, K and I have been busy in the garden once again, tidying the shrubbery and pruning plants back so the gravel paths are more visible. It does open it out much more so we're quietly pleased with our efforts. We've also planted 3 buddleias in the spaces now available in the shrubbery and I have replanted one of our pots at the front to give it some autumn colour. Lilacs and soft pinks are the way to go. Funny how time flies when you're in the garden - you go out there just to do a couple of small jobs and it's like an addiction so you're actually out there for hours. Bliss.

Anne Brooke
The Thoughtful Corner

Houses and Harrogate

A bullet-point blog today as we're just back from a wonderful weekend away with the totally lovely and utterly glamorous Egypt Group (hello, all!).

Life News:

1. It's been great to catch up with Mike & Miriam (who have a matching pair of very wonderful dogs, btw!), and Mike & Chris. I think we have now, between us, terrified Harrogate into submission. We stayed at the extremely good and very charming Ascot House Hotel. I think we can all recommend it wholeheartedly.

2. Skipton Castle makes for a very good day out.

3. Betty's Tea Rooms, Harrogate are excellent and everyone should go there too, mmmm ....

4. We completed on our flat at 9.10am on Friday, so that burden is gone, hurrah! On the other side of the equation, over the weekend, we lost out on the Woking house, which went to the higher bidder, but the Elstead house is still in play and we should hear something next week.


Book News:


1. The first part of my interview with Reasons To Be Beautiful Magazine is now online here (many thanks, Stephanie & Madel) so I hope you enjoy browsing through that.

2. There's 30% off all my Untreed Reads books until tomorrow (4 July), so do feel free to pick yourself up a bargain.

3. Writing Magazine have asked for a copy of my article so I have sent that off to them.

4. The more helpful UK lawyer has suggested she link me up with their US counterparts next week so I've said yes to that - though I'm not convinced anything entirely helpful will come out of it, it will be good to get the US legal view.

5. The next lines of the prologue of The Gifting are:

Beside him, his sister is dressed only in black. Her fair hair catches the light from the two torches mounted on the wall.

6. And, finally, the Sunday haiku is:

After two hundred
miles, the only reviver:
a Yorkshire cream tea.

Anne Brooke

The birthday girl and a week of firsts

Book News:

NB THIS SECTION HAS BEEN REMOVED DUE TO LEGAL NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE PUBLISHER CONCERNED, AT THEIR REQUEST.

Anyway, keeping to the publisher theme, I'm very happy indeed with the 2nd quarter royalties from Untreed Reads, so evidently some of my books do sell somewhere. And I've been lucky enough to be asked for an interview by Reasons To Be Beautiful Magazine - many thanks, Stephanie and Madel. The questions certainly made me think!

Meanwhile, at Vulpes Libris, I've reviewed I Love The 80s by Megan Crane, which is very much a book of two halves, but it does warm up, so worth a read.

And here are two recent meditations:




Meditation 539
These hills swallow up
the dead where even the swords
are silent:

all the noise and smell
of battle stilled
by evening air

and the sure approach
of night.




Meditation 540
David destroys
a good many cities

simply in order
to rebuild them again.

It’s a shame
he can’t do likewise

with all the people,
their memories and pain.


Life News:

It was my birthday on 21 June, hurrah! So a big thank you to everyone who sent their good wishes and/or cards as both were very much appreciated. K bought me a lovely jewellery box so I don't have to push my earrings in a tiny drawer where I can't see anything properly, and also a wonderful SatNav system - which I absolutely love and which is my new best friend. I'm hoping this means no more panicking and getting hopelessly lost, but you never know. Anyway, it's nice to have someone else in the car sharing the pain, if only a disembodied voice.

Other birthday amusements were the utter mystery of why my mother had bought me a box of contact lens solution when I don't actually wear contact lenses. Is she going senile at last?? Is it a subtle hint to tell me she's never liked my glasses?... We puzzled over it for some time until the mystery was solved - when I opened the box there was a bottle of my favourite peppermint foot cream. Aha! There's method in the old gal's madness, and Mother is not as strange as we thought she was for a while. Though, possibly, I am. In addition, in the evening, after my first glass of champagne (only one, mind you - honest!), I heard the neighbours outside chatting to the house gardener and so went outside to say hello. K joined me to be sociable and it was then that the wind caught the front door and slammed it shut. Arrggh! Naturally, neither of us had our keys, and so Steve from one of the other flats very sweetly went to see if he had a spare key. Sadly, he had all the keys to all the flats in the known universe, but not ours. There was therefore no option but for K to pick me up, lift me over the thankfully open window in the living room and push. My, how all the neighbours loved that - and are still talking about it ... K appeared at one point to be paying a great deal of attention to my bottom, which was most definitely not stuck in any way, but he maintains he was only trying to help. Hmmm ... Still, I broke in to our own flat successfully and the problem was solved, hurrah. Mind you, K is very happy to claim that in our 18 years of marriage, he has lifted me over the threshold of both the flats we've lived in in some way or other (the first time upon return from our honeymoon, ah bless) and is limbering up to do the same again for our next house. I'd best lay off the chocolate then ...

Plus there's wonderful news on our flat sale - we've exchanged at last, triple hurrahs and put out the bunting, big-time!! Completion date is 1 July. It's so unbelievable that I can hardly believe it myself. I think I might even have cried, goodness me - tell no-one. As a result, we're seriously back on the house hunt again. Today we have 2, possibly 3, houses to see, and another 3 tomorrow. It's all hotting up here in the outback of Woking, I can tell you.

Really, it's been a veritable Week of Firsts. I've shopped online for the first time, and our order was successfully delivered by Tesco on Monday night. They gave me exactly what I asked for - so I have made a mental note that ice cream cartons are larger than I think (we ended up with the miniscule versions) and I don't really need enough cheese to feed the Roman army, should they wish to pop by. K resigning himself to weeks and weeks of cheese sandwich lunches ahead ...

The dishwasher is proving a truly wonderful invention too - though yesterday I spent the whole afternoon puzzling over why it should eat a tupperware pot lid and searching through the kitchen to try and find it. At one point I was even chatting to the dishwasher asking it to give the lid back, but I appreciate that's probably not something I should admit, at least not in normal society. However, that mystery too was solved when K came back home and pointed out the lid was in the cutlery drawer. Goodness knows why, but at least my lunchtime rice is no longer likely to spill everywhere on my way to work. Result.

Last night we went to see The Pitmen Painters at the theatre, which is absolutely marvellous and everyone should see it. The only thing was the ending rather faded out, and K and I think it would have been much better with simply a quiet scene between George and Oliver as they prepare for another day in the mines - it would have been stronger like that, but it's still one you should see. The interesting thing, for me, was that it's set in the North-East where my mother's family come from - and the moment they started talking, I was right back there in my childhood with the menfolk in my family talking about the mines in those glorious accents. The playwright is also spot on with the phrases they use and the ways of saying things, as it could easily have been my uncle/cousins/grandfather speaking. Great stuff.

Anne Brooke

More excitement from a publisher

Book News:

NB THIS RATHER LONG SECTION HAS BEEN REMOVED DUE TO LEGAL NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE PUBLISHER CONCERNED, AT THEIR REQUEST.

Other, and more positive, book news is I've sent out eight review requests for The Gifting, so am hoping one or two reviewers might show interest from that.

The most recent meditation poem is:




Meditation 538
Somewhere in this long list
of names and histories –
Abdon, Gedor, Pithon, Zimri –

God is hiding.
I just can’t quite
see him yet.


The Sunday haiku is:

The song-thrush flutters
past my window, her bright eye
intent on her nest.


Life News:

After a dodgy houses week, the rumour has it that our tricky neighbours might (just might, mind you) have sent back some documentation which may possibly arrive at their solicitors on Monday. Who knows, really, and I'm not believing it until I see it ... Watch this space - you'll hear the screams (either for good or bad). Oh and if Seymours in Woking ask me one more time what our house buying budget is, I swear I will not be responsible for my actions - don't these people ever listen??!? Words fail me - which will be a first, I can tell you. Arrgghh!

Anyway, Marian and I had a very wet and very enjoyable game of golf on Friday - it's amazing how much nicer it all is (even with the rain) when, because "rain stopped play", the competitive menfolk aren't breathing down our necks because we're too slow - and yes, we do always let them through nonetheless. I can be nice, well, occasionally ...

And yesterday was my pre-birthday opera treat at Glyndebourne - we saw Wagner's Meistersinger which was fascinating but I wouldn't really want to go again. Typical of Wagner, parts of it were extraordinarily long drawn-out but, heck, he does know how to nail an ending. The man playing Hans Sachs was great too, which made the second half - where things actually happen, good Lord - very enjoyable indeed.

Oh, and the champagne was glorious, hurrah!

Anne Brooke

A very expensive lesson ...

Book News:

NB THIS SECTION HAS BEEN REMOVED DUE TO LEGAL NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE PUBLISHER CONCERNED.


Other book news is that the Delaneys series had a rather lovely mention here (thanks, Tracy) and I've chosen the reading for the upcoming launch of The Gifting - it's nice to get that one sorted out. Now all I have to do is practise it and hope people will come along.


Meanwhile, along at Vulpes Libris, my fellow Book Fox Lisa and I have been chatting about Trilby Kent's Smoke Portrait, so do pop along and join in the conversation. It's definitely a fascinating read.


This week's meditation poem is:




Meditation 537
Amongst all the temple’s
sacred equipment – flour, wine,
oil, incense, spices –


it’s the cutlery
that’s mentioned first
proving that people


can’t really face God
without the essential defence
of knives, ladles, spoons.


Life News:


The long-drawn-out agony of our flat sale meanders on, though really K and I have by now entirely discounted the idea of its success, sad to say. This week, our conveyancer (yes, she of the ridiculous questions and no idea what our position is ...) got very excited on Tuesday and was convinced that exchange was about to happen. My, how we laughed. As if. Today, I rang up our tricky neighbours' solicitors again, who admit that documentation is being sent back to them by said neighbours, but they neatly sidestepped the question of whether it was signed or not. Later on, additional information from our conveyancer informed us that the tricky neighbours were questioning the validity of the latest documentation, which they themselves had asked for, ho hum. So, my dears, we pootle on into the abyss. As a result, I sent a snotty email to everyone I could think of asking them not to taunt our poor buyer with ideas of exchange when it is obvious to anyone who has the wit to ask sensible questions that we are still a long way from such a glittering goal. I also asked them not to assume that the tricky neighbours' solicitors are in any way telling the truth about anything and to wait until they can see the whites of their eyes and the black of the signatures before they believe a word that is said. K very pleased with my communication skills ...


This week, nice things have happened too, hurrah! I met the lovely Kirsty of the Book Foxes for dinner in London which was fab-u-lous and we set the world to rights in a very snazzy Italian Restaurant in Store Street. Bliss indeed. Plus I've had a very relaxing session of reflexology at the Uni and dozed off at the end of it all, so I was obviously chilled beyond belief.


Ooh, and we've planted a nemesia in the garden, and harvested our first four strawberries, which tasted like nectar, I can tell you. So enthused were we by this unexpected treat that we have planted (probably too late, but hey what do we know?...) some more strawberry plants in the spaces in the beds and are keeping a close eye to see how they behave themselves. We are indeed Garden Heroes.


Today's excitement was the dental hygienist this morning - please admire my sparkly teeth - and we've gone to two house viewings this afternoon. The first one in Pyrford which was interesting, but would need a heck of a lot of work; and the second in Normandy which was stunning inside, but the garden was smaller than we'd thought. Still, definitely one to bear in mind.


NB THIS SECTION HAS BEEN REMOVED DUE TO LEGAL NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE PUBLISHER CONCERNED.


Anne Brooke

Houses and haikus

Life News:

Well, we've finally made our decision: we've withdrawn our offer on the Woking house because of the general incompetence of our vendors' solicitors who in the last 3.5 months have been amongst the most inefficient people I've ever known. However, our own conveyancer has not been far behind: when we withdrew our offer formally on Friday, we were both annoyed but not at all surprised when the vendors' solicitors and estate agent both asked us what the point was of our decision when we couldn't buy their house anyway without selling ours - as of course we'd told them both about 7 times that the purchase was not at all dependent on the sale of our flat, so we were used to the fact that nobody was listening to us. We were rather more surprised when our own conveyancer emailed us to say she couldn't understand either as surely we "couldn't buy without selling, could we?..." I've never known K be quite so cross and indeed I felt very much like ringing the silly bint up, telling her she was a useless pile of shite and kicking her arse to kingdom come and beyond. But, being the calm and loving person that I am (ha!), I left it to K to send a snippety email saying we'd told her about 5 times that the purchase wasn't in any way dependent on the sale. Oh, and by the way, she was now sacked as our purchase conveyancer, we were making a formal complaint and she'd have to whistle for her fees. Put that in your pipe, love, and smoke it ...

Lordy, what fun we're having right now, eh! Who indeed will rid me of these troublesome conveyancers, and are there any good ones in the whole of Surrey?? Alas, I believe not ... In the meantime, we continue to be utterly bemused that it seems so incredibly difficult for people to accept that we have (a) no chain; (b) savings enough and a decent mortgage to buy a house; and (c) the desperate desire to give vendors money. Why won't the buggers take it?!?

So, back to the house viewing, and we've one lined up to see on Thursday, and 2 more I'm intending to get appointments for this week. Let's hope someone out there starts to take us seriously or I'm going to build my own bloody house in the middle of our former conveyancer's garden. Ha!

However, there is good news! The lovely Brucie finally gets a knighthood and we had a fabulous (and house/publisher crises-free) time wandering round the gardens and enjoying a cream tea at Nymans, and then wandering round yet more gardens at Wakehurst Place - both are definitely recommended.

Today we have got round to visiting our nearest high Anglican church in the area - All Saints Woodham - and, if trying out high church offerings, it's always best to go on Pentecost (today) - ah, the bells, the smells, the ritual, the bling. Bliss. All served (sorry) up with a hint of informality and laughter. We loved it. Plus the coffee they serve is real. Real ground coffee after a church service - we've never had that before! We'll definitely be back ...

And, this afternoon, we have done something we haven't done since our honeymoon nearly 18 years ago (steady, people, steady ...) - we have used the dishwasher that comes with the flat. Gosh! Isn't it lovely. Everything's sooo clean and we didn't have to do it ourselves. How very grown-up we are becoming. Will definitely be doing that again too.

Book News:

NB THIS SECTION HAS BEEN REMOVED DUE TO LEGAL NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE PUBLISHER CONCERNED, AT THEIR REQUEST.

On a happier literary note, The Art of The Delaneys is now available at Amazon UK and Amazon US. And I'm really delighted to say that my Sunday Haiku collection gained a 5-star review at Goodreads, so many thanks to Vicki for that.

This week's meditation poem is:




Meditation 536
It takes 212 men
to guard the temple gates

which just goes to show
women are more dangerous
than you think.


And the Sunday haiku is:

A slow-falling note
soothes this melodious air:
the greenfinch's song.

Anne Brooke