My review on Thomas Keneally's The People's Train (he also wrote Schindler's Ark) is now up at Vulpes Libris. A challenging journey indeed ...
In other writing news, I'm pleased to say that the lovely people on my online writing course seemed to have enjoyed my attempt at the sonnet form, though I fear it carries a hint of desperation in its innards. Here it is:
The Struggling Sonneteer
All through breakfast I try to rhyme
but cereals are not known for verse.
The sonnet mountain’s too hard to climb
and this first stanza could not be worse.
At lunch a sandwich fires the brain –
there’s much that is soothing in tuna and bread
but nothing inspires this second quatrain
and my poetic heart is full of dread.
Finally dinner arrives on the table;
pizza and ice cream’s a culinary bliss.
But the poem befits neither fact nor fable
and a glug of wine simply tells me this:
that the sonnet form is not my friend,
but look! At last we’ve reached the end.
Ah well. I fear it's not Shakespeare, but then nothing ever is, eh. I also see that the Poetry School are doing another online course starting in January which looks very interesting, so I might well sign up for that if there's space, even though it's on a Monday. And, as you know, Mondays are Not My Best Day.
I'm also pleased to say that my contract for A Stranger's Touch from Amber Quill Press arrived yesterday, so I've signed a copy and sent it back to them today (or at least Lord H is doing the actual sending, Gawd bless him). And I've even remembered to include a copy of my US tax form details in the package - Lordy, how efficient I am, ho ho. I must also say I'm hugely impressed with their professionalism and efficiency - they even included an addressed envelope for me to use, which has never happened before. I felt bizarrely touched by that. Which probably just goes to show what a Sad Desperate Writer I really am. But, hell, you knew that.
Other hot news is that I've written the first 1000 words of The Executioner's Cane (Part Three in the Gathandrian Trilogy, for those at the back not paying attention) and am happy with the current direction it's travelling in. So far. I think this one's going to have a fair amount about fathers in it - both Ralph and Simon have difficult relationships with their absent fathers. Of course I can sympathise with that issue (though one cannot blame one's parent for dying, I suppose), which is why I imagine quite a few of my novels have fathers in them. There you go. I am just writing myself over and over again. Dammit.
Oh, and the big excitement of the day is that I scored 10 out of 10 in the Strictly Come Dancing quiz. 10 out of 10!!! I can't believe how very very happy I am about it. It's the best thing that's happened all week! Lordy but I'm sad.
Anne's sad life can be found in all its glory here
ANNE BROOKE BOOKS: Independent writer of modern fiction
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Fashionable, sporty or chilled?
Amidst a rather better day at work today (and at least no-one was bitchy to me, well hurrah, captain, and put out the ruddy bunting, eh ...), I have been trying to arrange my annual eye appointment. Since last year it's all gone more modern and now the Godalming optician circles appear to be bookable via the internet. Naturally, given the chance to avoid speaking to anyone at all, I will choose that route, so I spent a relatively happy ten minutes finding my store and picking a time. However, I fear it's not that simple, oh no. Gone are the days when you could just admit your name and select a slot. Now, my dears, you have to answer questions on your lifestyle and the lifestyle of your glasses before you even get to the calendar questions. However, none of the choices relate to me at all, and I fear I had to make a decision between whether I and my specs are (a) fashionable, (b) sporty, or (c) chilled. Strangely there's no option for bag-lady with an attitude problem - so much for widening participation then. I also find it strange that the glasses have a section of their own, so you can be sporty and they can be fashionable, and so on. Perhaps it's a way of separating the misfits amongst us?
Anyway, after much consideration, my glasses and I decided we are both chilled, even though it's fairly obvious that I am probably the most strung-out person in the universe, as the other options were even more ridiculous. I wait to see now whether my appointment will be confirmed. In the meantime, Lord H wonders whether this new approach will also affect the eye test itself and whether I will have to stare myopically at smaller and smaller pictures of beer bottles, sofas and televisions and see if I recognise them (substitute Armani and Farhi designs for the Fashionable set, and football club managers for the Sporty people) until my brain explodes ... We wait and see.
In the meantime, here's a calming poetry book with a pleasingly large font (ideal for Christmas): Salt and Gold.
Anne
Anyway, after much consideration, my glasses and I decided we are both chilled, even though it's fairly obvious that I am probably the most strung-out person in the universe, as the other options were even more ridiculous. I wait to see now whether my appointment will be confirmed. In the meantime, Lord H wonders whether this new approach will also affect the eye test itself and whether I will have to stare myopically at smaller and smaller pictures of beer bottles, sofas and televisions and see if I recognise them (substitute Armani and Farhi designs for the Fashionable set, and football club managers for the Sporty people) until my brain explodes ... We wait and see.
In the meantime, here's a calming poetry book with a pleasingly large font (ideal for Christmas): Salt and Gold.
Anne
Saturday, November 14, 2009
Speaking Her Mind and other matters
Goodness me, what a stormy day it is here in southern England - I hope you're all surviving the experience and keeping dry. I was foolish enough to venture out this morning for a paper and some lunch, and everyone seemed very bad-tempered. Must be the wind. As it were. I came home all peculiar and had to have chocolate to cheer up. Not much change there then.
Anyway, to provide a moment of warmth and cheer in the midst of all this weather gloom, I'm pleased to say that my romantic short story, Speaking Her Mind, can now be read at the Chick Lit Review. Which just goes to show that I do have lighter moods on occasions.
Also, much to my surprise, I've written the first 500 words (including an ending I might even be happy with when I finally arrive there ...) of the final part in my Gathandrian trilogy. The working title is The Executioner's Cane, but I'll have to see if that stays or not. It's hard to tell at this stage. Anyway, it's a surprise to have started as I was planning not to even touch the beast until January, but Simon and Ralph have been snipping away at my head and I have finally given in to them. Never say I'm in control of the writing game, because I am most definitely not.
Anne.
Anyway, to provide a moment of warmth and cheer in the midst of all this weather gloom, I'm pleased to say that my romantic short story, Speaking Her Mind, can now be read at the Chick Lit Review. Which just goes to show that I do have lighter moods on occasions.
Also, much to my surprise, I've written the first 500 words (including an ending I might even be happy with when I finally arrive there ...) of the final part in my Gathandrian trilogy. The working title is The Executioner's Cane, but I'll have to see if that stays or not. It's hard to tell at this stage. Anyway, it's a surprise to have started as I was planning not to even touch the beast until January, but Simon and Ralph have been snipping away at my head and I have finally given in to them. Never say I'm in control of the writing game, because I am most definitely not.
Anne.
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Holiday delights and sandpiper porn
The holiday was great - the weather was kind and I loved it. The only slight problem was that for some reason I was sick as a dog the first night so was up for most of it. Unfamiliar bathrooms are never pleasant when you're ill. Still, at least I got a lot of the puzzles in my Puzzler magazine done. How I love puzzles.
We also managed to see several new birds including a glorious great white egret which was absolutely stunning, twite, Dartford warblers (which we've been chasing for a while) and bearded tits (firsts for this year only). Ooh, and today we popped over to Staines and caught a brief glimpse of the brown shrike currently staying there, so that was fun. Less fun was the appalling amounts of mud there is all over the place - thank the Lord for Wellington boots, eh ...
Quirky thing of the week: Lord H was reading through the latest copy of one of the birding magazines, who are having a big focus on encouraging sandpipers to breed more effectively. Husband is therefore now musing on what, exactly, sandpiper porn might be. Best not to go there really.
And on my return, I see that my short story, Speaking Her Mind, has been accepted for publication by the Chick Lit Review, and new e-publisher, Untreed Reads, is very interested in my literary short, How to Eat Fruit. So that all looks hopeful. Less hopeful is I've had my first rejection for the much-revised version of The Hit List, from a publisher who says my hero Jamie isn't terribly nice at the start. Well, he's a hell of a lot nicer than he was in the original, I can tell you, and with the amount of personal stress he's under at the beginning, I'm rather surprised he hasn't lost his temper with a lot more people, really. Is it just me or are GLBT heroes getting way too wimpy for words these days?? Anyone who'd like a kick-ass but basically kind-hearted GLBT hero with balls (as it were), please apply here. In the meantime, I've submitted it to a couple of other places, and we wait and see.
Anne
We also managed to see several new birds including a glorious great white egret which was absolutely stunning, twite, Dartford warblers (which we've been chasing for a while) and bearded tits (firsts for this year only). Ooh, and today we popped over to Staines and caught a brief glimpse of the brown shrike currently staying there, so that was fun. Less fun was the appalling amounts of mud there is all over the place - thank the Lord for Wellington boots, eh ...
Quirky thing of the week: Lord H was reading through the latest copy of one of the birding magazines, who are having a big focus on encouraging sandpipers to breed more effectively. Husband is therefore now musing on what, exactly, sandpiper porn might be. Best not to go there really.
And on my return, I see that my short story, Speaking Her Mind, has been accepted for publication by the Chick Lit Review, and new e-publisher, Untreed Reads, is very interested in my literary short, How to Eat Fruit. So that all looks hopeful. Less hopeful is I've had my first rejection for the much-revised version of The Hit List, from a publisher who says my hero Jamie isn't terribly nice at the start. Well, he's a hell of a lot nicer than he was in the original, I can tell you, and with the amount of personal stress he's under at the beginning, I'm rather surprised he hasn't lost his temper with a lot more people, really. Is it just me or are GLBT heroes getting way too wimpy for words these days?? Anyone who'd like a kick-ass but basically kind-hearted GLBT hero with balls (as it were), please apply here. In the meantime, I've submitted it to a couple of other places, and we wait and see.
Anne
Friday, November 06, 2009
Champagne and Gold
I'm really pleased to say that Pink Champagne and Apple Juice is now available with its brand-new cover at Lulu Books. It should fairly shortly be available at Amazon and other online book stores too, so I'll let you know when that happens.In the meantime, I'm also very happy to say that Salt and Gold - which is a collection of the first forty of my meditation poems - is now available at Amazon US as well as at Lulu Books. Ideal Christmas presents for all the family indeed ...
I've also finished the final read-through of Thorn in the Flesh, ready for Lulu Books, but I'll worry about that when we're back from our holiday, I think. No point getting over-excited now.
Other news for these last few days is that Lord H and I thoroughly enjoyed a wonderful production of Jenufa at Woking last night. It's a veritable plum of an opera, and includes dead babies, domestic violence, murder, love, hate and an incredible scene of forgiveness and hope at the end which gets me every single time I see it. Plus it has the dream role of Laca, the unloved brother who's in love with Jenufa and has this astonishing journey of growth and maturity to take during the performance. He's the man in the photo in the link. He was bloody good in the role, I must say too. Wonderful. Honestly, I could see that opera every single day and there'd always be something gut-punchingly good about it.
The only problem was attempting to get out of the car park in Woking afterwards. They have this new system that means you can prepay so you don't have to queue with a million other opera-goers after the performance to get your ticket stamped. We've done this once before with no problems, but what we hadn't realised is that there are 2 pay bands depending on whether you get there before or after 7pm. It doesn't say anything on the machines about this, dammit, and neither does it give you a choice of payment. So, you've guessed it - we arrived before 7pm, and then at the barriers at 10.30pm the bloody things wouldn't let us out. There were about 12 cars behind us getting angrier and angrier, but nowhere to reverse to as there were no gaps. Groan. Added to this the fact that we were in 2 cars, so once we'd contacted the little man at the end of the Help button and persuaded him to let Lord H out, we then had to go through the whole ruddy rigmarole again in order for me to make my escape. I swear, I was within seconds of being torn limb from limb by angry car parkers. It puts poor Jenufa's problems entirely into perspective, though of course I would have been more than happy to throw a few dead babies into the baying crowds to fend them off, I can tell you ...
Oh, and some lovely person has knocked my driver's side wing mirror console off - though thankfully the glass is still intact, so that's another job to do for after the hols. £100 is what it's going to cost me - hell, I'm in the wrong business for sure. So currently, I have a car with a limp, poor thing. But hey ho and never mind - Lord H and I will be at the Westleton Crown in Suffolk for the next few days, so frankly my dears, right now, I don't give a damn. Bring on the rain and the birds! Hope you all have a fabulous weekend.
Anne
Tuesday, November 03, 2009
Unexpected Recommendation and Amazon difficulties
I was delighted to see yesterday that A Dangerous Man is one of the Recommended Reads for November on the Jessewave Review site – thank you so much. That’s cheered me greatly! Mind you, I’m rather miffed that Amazon UK are still insisting that the book is temporarily out of stock even though my publisher tells me that’s not true. Is it because it’s GLBT fiction and from a British publisher, I ask myself??... Heck, let’s not go there again, Amazon, eh. Not if we can help it … So if you do want to purchase a copy, or even find out more information, then at the moment it’s best to buy directly from Flame Books. Deep Amazon sigh.
I’m also pleased to say that Maloney’s Law and The Bones of Summer have both been given a five-star rating on Goodreads by a reader called Pushubuu. Thank you indeed!
In the meantime, I’m mulling over ideas for a review on Thomas Keneally’s new novel, The People’s Train, for Vulpes Libris. All I’ll say at the moment is goodness me, but it’s a heck of a long train journey and I’m really not sure about the quality of the stock it’s using. At the same time, I’m giving a final read through to Thorn in the Flesh to get it ready for going through the Lulu self-publication process, and the proof copy of the new Pink Champagne and Apple Juice is apparently winging its way to me even as I type. UK postal service willing, eh …
Anyway, in case you thought my life was now being consumed by books and writing (as if ...), I must say I really enjoyed yesterday’s drama on TV about Winston Churchill, “Into the Storm”. Great stuff about a great, but difficult man – which is of course the best sort of man really.
Anne
I’m also pleased to say that Maloney’s Law and The Bones of Summer have both been given a five-star rating on Goodreads by a reader called Pushubuu. Thank you indeed!
In the meantime, I’m mulling over ideas for a review on Thomas Keneally’s new novel, The People’s Train, for Vulpes Libris. All I’ll say at the moment is goodness me, but it’s a heck of a long train journey and I’m really not sure about the quality of the stock it’s using. At the same time, I’m giving a final read through to Thorn in the Flesh to get it ready for going through the Lulu self-publication process, and the proof copy of the new Pink Champagne and Apple Juice is apparently winging its way to me even as I type. UK postal service willing, eh …
Anyway, in case you thought my life was now being consumed by books and writing (as if ...), I must say I really enjoyed yesterday’s drama on TV about Winston Churchill, “Into the Storm”. Great stuff about a great, but difficult man – which is of course the best sort of man really.
Anne
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Surreal thoughts on death and other matters
Well, it's finally happened and Gladys died yesterday. An event waiting to happen for a long, long time, in my opinion. More shocking to note, possibly, is that all I can feel about it is a mild relief and the thought that I won't have to schedule in my weekly twenty minute silent visit to her any more. Which, I have to say, is more than anything a scathing revelation of my sadly lacking sense of humanity. I've been told already by well-meaning friends what a shame it was for "poor Gladys". Yes, well, it's a pitiful end to a life - I don't think dying in a nursing home in the grip of a terrible depression is anyone's idea of a good ending - but I have to say I'm glad it's over. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't.
What's focusing my mind most of all is (a) the nagging worry that in forty years' time (assuming I get that long), it's going to be me. Well, like Gladys, I'm child-free from choice and with very distant family - though in my case that's emotionally and not necessarily geographically. Frankly, I can't imagine anything worse than dying with my blood relatives around me. God forbid. I haven't been that greatly impressed with the sum of them during life, so what on earth would I want with them in the dying process? Oh, and (b) no matter how much I try to reassure myself from a Christian perspective, I have to admit I'm not at all enamoured of the thought of the afterlife. Really, I just don't want to go there. I don't like change and Heaven, should it exist, seems crowded with people - two of my worse-case scenarios indeed. I'd far rather - if I have to think about death at all - be somewhere nice and quiet with Lord H and not have to worry about anyone else. That would be Heaven indeed. Much like being at home then.
Anyway, things I remember best about Gladys and I think are important to note, both bad and good, are: (a) I have to admit I didn't like her that much, though in some respects I admired her and was also, at times, sorry for her; (b) she could be quite cutting about aspects of my appearance (never great at the best of times) when she wanted to be (hence the (a) note); (c) she and her late husband Charlie stole the frogspawn from their landlord's garden when they left the flat they were in to move to Godalming, and I thought that was hellishly stylish - it always made me smile; (d) she and Charlie used to go on a lot of serious walking holidays all over Europe when they were young and once had a sing-song with Benjamin Britten and Peter Pears on a cruise ship round the ship's piano. Totally magical indeed. Oh, and (e) she generally disliked children - which, naturally, I thought was wonderful.
Anne
What's focusing my mind most of all is (a) the nagging worry that in forty years' time (assuming I get that long), it's going to be me. Well, like Gladys, I'm child-free from choice and with very distant family - though in my case that's emotionally and not necessarily geographically. Frankly, I can't imagine anything worse than dying with my blood relatives around me. God forbid. I haven't been that greatly impressed with the sum of them during life, so what on earth would I want with them in the dying process? Oh, and (b) no matter how much I try to reassure myself from a Christian perspective, I have to admit I'm not at all enamoured of the thought of the afterlife. Really, I just don't want to go there. I don't like change and Heaven, should it exist, seems crowded with people - two of my worse-case scenarios indeed. I'd far rather - if I have to think about death at all - be somewhere nice and quiet with Lord H and not have to worry about anyone else. That would be Heaven indeed. Much like being at home then.
Anyway, things I remember best about Gladys and I think are important to note, both bad and good, are: (a) I have to admit I didn't like her that much, though in some respects I admired her and was also, at times, sorry for her; (b) she could be quite cutting about aspects of my appearance (never great at the best of times) when she wanted to be (hence the (a) note); (c) she and her late husband Charlie stole the frogspawn from their landlord's garden when they left the flat they were in to move to Godalming, and I thought that was hellishly stylish - it always made me smile; (d) she and Charlie used to go on a lot of serious walking holidays all over Europe when they were young and once had a sing-song with Benjamin Britten and Peter Pears on a cruise ship round the ship's piano. Totally magical indeed. Oh, and (e) she generally disliked children - which, naturally, I thought was wonderful.
Anne
Friday, October 30, 2009
GLBT Rainbow fiction award
Just a quick note to say that, much to my astonishment, The Bones of Summer is a Jury's Choice finalist in the Mystery/Thriller section of the new GLBT fiction Rainbow awards and you can see me on the list here.
Well, gosh, eh! That's certainly put a smile on this screwed-up, mood-swing obsessed author's face ...
I've also managed to complete my latest GLBT short story, Airheads and Angels, and send it off to Dreamspinner Press for consideration for their upcoming A Brush of Wings anthology. Unusually, it's a comedy. I'd almost forgotten I could even do comedy. And heck, I know I'm hugely early with submissions, but that's what a secretarial background does for you. Hey ho.
Anne
Well, gosh, eh! That's certainly put a smile on this screwed-up, mood-swing obsessed author's face ...
I've also managed to complete my latest GLBT short story, Airheads and Angels, and send it off to Dreamspinner Press for consideration for their upcoming A Brush of Wings anthology. Unusually, it's a comedy. I'd almost forgotten I could even do comedy. And heck, I know I'm hugely early with submissions, but that's what a secretarial background does for you. Hey ho.
Anne
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Amber Quill author and a hundred uses for a milk frother
I'm very happy to say that my GLBT erotic short story, A Stranger's Touch, has been accepted for publication by Amber Quill Press, and is lined up in their schedules for next January or February, at the moment of typing. I'm hugely pleased to be a new member of the Amber Quill team, as it's so nice to have another avenue for submissions, and also lovely to get that particular story out there. It's one I'm actually quite happy with.
Other exciting news for today is that I have a brand-new milk frother, which (hurrah! hurrah!) gives me access to cappuccinos whenever I want them. And ... um ... looks fairly rude too, I have to say. Do I feel another story idea coming on?? God forbid ...
Anne Brooke
Other exciting news for today is that I have a brand-new milk frother, which (hurrah! hurrah!) gives me access to cappuccinos whenever I want them. And ... um ... looks fairly rude too, I have to say. Do I feel another story idea coming on?? God forbid ...
Anne Brooke
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
New Champers cover
Here's a sneak preview of the new Pink Champagne and Apple Juice cover:
I hope you like it. I certainly do. Huge thanks to artist Penelope Cline who created it, as she also created the covers for A Dangerous Man and Thorn in the Flesh. So a very talented woman indeed!
Anne Brooke
I hope you like it. I certainly do. Huge thanks to artist Penelope Cline who created it, as she also created the covers for A Dangerous Man and Thorn in the Flesh. So a very talented woman indeed!
Anne Brooke
Thursday, October 22, 2009
India 2010 Charity Biking Event
A couple of our local Surrey businessmen are strapping their leathers on (oo-err, missus ...) and biking in India in order to raise money for charity. You can find out more about the whole enterprise here, and you can also see what Flavia of Strictly Come Dancing has donated to the 12 November Charity Auction! Will she be able to dance again, I wonder?...
Anne
Thursday, October 15, 2009
New historical fiction: A Small Betrayal
Just popping in to say that the first edition of new historical fiction journal, Lacuna, includes my story A Small Betrayal.
I do hope you enjoy the read.
On a personal note, I think I'm slowly getting back to something approaching normal (ho ho) after the horrors of early October, but I'm attempting to take it easy (as if ...).
Hope all well with everyone in the virtual world!
Anne
Tuesday, October 06, 2009
Taking a break ...
A quick blog tonight to say that I'm taking a short break from blogging. Well, it's been very busy, and the year so far has been sometimes great and sometimes very difficult, so I thought I deserved a rest!
Hope you all continue well, and will catch up with you later.
Anne's Website
Hope you all continue well, and will catch up with you later.
Anne's Website
Monday, October 05, 2009
Information Point revisited
Up early again today as we were staffing the last Information Point for the morning as it’s the first day of term. Lots of confusion about timetables, where rooms were and also where people could get water. It’s a good question. To be honest, I didn’t feel that good, and was rather overwhelmed and shaky with it all. I’m not sure I was coping as well as last week really – the adrenalin wasn’t seeing me through, and it all felt rather hopeless and exhausting.
I was also looking forward to a much-needed reflexology appointment at lunchtime, but poor Emily’s car broke down so we’ve rearranged for next week. I just worked through lunch instead – dealing with the 53 emails in my inbox since Thursday and finally (at last!) getting the first draft of the minutes out for a meeting I had on 9 September. Which must surely be the longest ever time between a meeting and its corresponding notes. At least in Anne's World.
Still, I felt I managed to sort out some actual student queries, including taking two lovely students down to the Security office for their car permits as they’d been sent all round the houses and had been wandering about for hours, poor things. I think if I’d simply pointed and sent them away again, they might well have torn me limb from limb, and who can blame them? Thankfully, they’re now on their way to getting a permit, hurrah. And were smiling when I left them. My job here is done, Carruthers …
And now we’re also plunging into the arrangements for the poetry reading event on 27 October with Charles Christian (hello, Charles!), so I must remember to get my Literature Head on at some point. Hopefully soon. Oh, and book a restaurant for that evening – provided that the English Department can work out how many people will be going, that is. Apart from me and Charles. In which case my advice is: Run, Charles, run for the hills …
Tonight, I’m shopping at Tesco so will miss Claudia on It Takes Two, groan. (Update: Lord H videoed it for me - what a hero!). And I’m hoping to see yesterday’s video of Part One of Emma at some point. Lordy, but I deserve it. I’m not sure I’m up to any editing though. Not tonight. Oh and I've cancelled a social arrangement with Pauline on Sunday as I'm doing the Open Day on Saturday and I just need to not see anyone for a day (sorry, Pauline ...) - hope to reschedule soon.
Today’s nice things:
1. Making two students happy (Lordy, but I’m good)
2. Still having a Literature Head at all, after last week
3. TV.
Anne's Website
Sexy Scavengers Book Competition
I was also looking forward to a much-needed reflexology appointment at lunchtime, but poor Emily’s car broke down so we’ve rearranged for next week. I just worked through lunch instead – dealing with the 53 emails in my inbox since Thursday and finally (at last!) getting the first draft of the minutes out for a meeting I had on 9 September. Which must surely be the longest ever time between a meeting and its corresponding notes. At least in Anne's World.
Still, I felt I managed to sort out some actual student queries, including taking two lovely students down to the Security office for their car permits as they’d been sent all round the houses and had been wandering about for hours, poor things. I think if I’d simply pointed and sent them away again, they might well have torn me limb from limb, and who can blame them? Thankfully, they’re now on their way to getting a permit, hurrah. And were smiling when I left them. My job here is done, Carruthers …
And now we’re also plunging into the arrangements for the poetry reading event on 27 October with Charles Christian (hello, Charles!), so I must remember to get my Literature Head on at some point. Hopefully soon. Oh, and book a restaurant for that evening – provided that the English Department can work out how many people will be going, that is. Apart from me and Charles. In which case my advice is: Run, Charles, run for the hills …
Tonight, I’m shopping at Tesco so will miss Claudia on It Takes Two, groan. (Update: Lord H videoed it for me - what a hero!). And I’m hoping to see yesterday’s video of Part One of Emma at some point. Lordy, but I deserve it. I’m not sure I’m up to any editing though. Not tonight. Oh and I've cancelled a social arrangement with Pauline on Sunday as I'm doing the Open Day on Saturday and I just need to not see anyone for a day (sorry, Pauline ...) - hope to reschedule soon.
Today’s nice things:
1. Making two students happy (Lordy, but I’m good)
2. Still having a Literature Head at all, after last week
3. TV.
Anne's Website
Sexy Scavengers Book Competition
Sunday, October 04, 2009
Church, chilling and Champers
Here's today's poem:
Meditation 232
There’s an awful lot
of travel
in the early church
so it’s obvious
that sainthood
would never have suited me
at all.
Church today was okay - quite a good sermon about relationships really - but we had one of those horrid dirge-like hymns I can't stand for the third hymn. Groan. Way too many verses in "Lord Jesus Christ, You have come to us" for my liking and there's no plotline to it, Carruthers. Dull, dull, dull - as Craig Revel-Horwood would say. Mind you, I had fun watching the server attempting to subtly fish a fly out of the communion cup with his special holy napkin before we all queued up for the extra protein today. Never mind swine flu - what about fly flu, eh? When it was my turn, I made a quick inspection to see if it was still there and took a sip between terrifyingly closed lips just in case. Ah, the pains and perils of church indeed. Talking of which, I have cracked and put Lord H's and my names down for coffee rota duties towards the end of November. I hope it won't be the slippery slope of commitment. Lord knows I don't want to go there again. Though I'm determined to start the Cake Wars - our cake offering will have to set a new standard that the following rota person won't be able to keep up with, and then with any luck they won't ask us again. Aha!
Oh and further communion confusion has sadly arisen as our female vicar decided to say everyone's names while giving us the bread today. Now, the First Thing they should teach you in Vicar School is never to do that, as a terrible error will no doubt ensue. Which it did - as the server who was following on with the wine (plus dead fly ...) didn't quite hear what she called Lord H and so decided to say in ringing tones, "The Blood of Christ, Peter" when Lord H came to the wine. Lord H (whose name isn't Peter, by the way) wonders if he is now taking communion on behalf of another person called Peter along the lines of ancient orthodox tradition, or if he is simply doomed always to be known as Peter in this particular church. He's also wondering whether he should take Mexican nationality and change his name to Jesus, because then the server could say with confidence and some theological accuracy, "The Blood of Christ, Jesus". Ah, decisions, decisions. Really, I'd much rather be known as Algernon and Fatima, as I've always wanted to hear the words, "The Blood of Christ, Fatima" said in church. Alas, I may have to wait some time.
Meanwhile, I'm getting on with the edits for The Hit List, which is turning out to be more strongly romantic and with less described sex than I'd anticipated. Something of a surprise then, but I have to do what the characters say and they know best. If only I'd listened to them both in the first place, The Hit List might have been rather better rather sooner. Still, at least there's some hope now that I'll get it to where I want it to be. One day.
I've also asked the lovely Penelope Cline for a new cover for Pink Champagne and Apple Juice in preparation for self-publishing it in paperback via Lulu. Penelope did the fantastic covers for A Dangerous Man and Thorn in the Flesh - so I'm very much looking forward to seeing what she will come up with. Thanks, Penelope!
Finally on the book front, I'm pleased to say that The Bones of Summer appears in the lists for the new Rainbow Awards for Mystery/Thriller Fiction - under List 4, and might even have garnered one or two votes already - so thank you for that indeed! There are some good books there so do pop along and have a browse. You can even add your own choices if you can't find anything you like.
Tonight, I'll be videoing the first part of Emma on TV, as there's something on about Pompeii on the other side, so we really must watch that. Ooh, and I caught up with a double bill of Ugly Betty this afternoon, hurrah! Here's this week's haiku:
Trio of balloons
sets the sky afloat: blue-grey
messengers of dusk.
Today's nice things:
1. Poetry
2. Church
3. Editing The Hit List
4. New Champers cover
5. The Bones of Summer award listing
6. TV
7. Haikus.
Anne's website
Sexy Scavengers October book competition
Meditation 232
There’s an awful lot
of travel
in the early church
so it’s obvious
that sainthood
would never have suited me
at all.
Church today was okay - quite a good sermon about relationships really - but we had one of those horrid dirge-like hymns I can't stand for the third hymn. Groan. Way too many verses in "Lord Jesus Christ, You have come to us" for my liking and there's no plotline to it, Carruthers. Dull, dull, dull - as Craig Revel-Horwood would say. Mind you, I had fun watching the server attempting to subtly fish a fly out of the communion cup with his special holy napkin before we all queued up for the extra protein today. Never mind swine flu - what about fly flu, eh? When it was my turn, I made a quick inspection to see if it was still there and took a sip between terrifyingly closed lips just in case. Ah, the pains and perils of church indeed. Talking of which, I have cracked and put Lord H's and my names down for coffee rota duties towards the end of November. I hope it won't be the slippery slope of commitment. Lord knows I don't want to go there again. Though I'm determined to start the Cake Wars - our cake offering will have to set a new standard that the following rota person won't be able to keep up with, and then with any luck they won't ask us again. Aha!
Oh and further communion confusion has sadly arisen as our female vicar decided to say everyone's names while giving us the bread today. Now, the First Thing they should teach you in Vicar School is never to do that, as a terrible error will no doubt ensue. Which it did - as the server who was following on with the wine (plus dead fly ...) didn't quite hear what she called Lord H and so decided to say in ringing tones, "The Blood of Christ, Peter" when Lord H came to the wine. Lord H (whose name isn't Peter, by the way) wonders if he is now taking communion on behalf of another person called Peter along the lines of ancient orthodox tradition, or if he is simply doomed always to be known as Peter in this particular church. He's also wondering whether he should take Mexican nationality and change his name to Jesus, because then the server could say with confidence and some theological accuracy, "The Blood of Christ, Jesus". Ah, decisions, decisions. Really, I'd much rather be known as Algernon and Fatima, as I've always wanted to hear the words, "The Blood of Christ, Fatima" said in church. Alas, I may have to wait some time.
Meanwhile, I'm getting on with the edits for The Hit List, which is turning out to be more strongly romantic and with less described sex than I'd anticipated. Something of a surprise then, but I have to do what the characters say and they know best. If only I'd listened to them both in the first place, The Hit List might have been rather better rather sooner. Still, at least there's some hope now that I'll get it to where I want it to be. One day.
I've also asked the lovely Penelope Cline for a new cover for Pink Champagne and Apple Juice in preparation for self-publishing it in paperback via Lulu. Penelope did the fantastic covers for A Dangerous Man and Thorn in the Flesh - so I'm very much looking forward to seeing what she will come up with. Thanks, Penelope!
Finally on the book front, I'm pleased to say that The Bones of Summer appears in the lists for the new Rainbow Awards for Mystery/Thriller Fiction - under List 4, and might even have garnered one or two votes already - so thank you for that indeed! There are some good books there so do pop along and have a browse. You can even add your own choices if you can't find anything you like.
Tonight, I'll be videoing the first part of Emma on TV, as there's something on about Pompeii on the other side, so we really must watch that. Ooh, and I caught up with a double bill of Ugly Betty this afternoon, hurrah! Here's this week's haiku:
Trio of balloons
sets the sky afloat: blue-grey
messengers of dusk.
Today's nice things:
1. Poetry
2. Church
3. Editing The Hit List
4. New Champers cover
5. The Bones of Summer award listing
6. TV
7. Haikus.
Anne's website
Sexy Scavengers October book competition
Saturday, October 03, 2009
On the trail of the glossy ibis ...
Up at the crack of dawn today (lucky dawn ...) as Lord H and I were on the trail of the glossy ibis. Five of which had been spotted during the week in Dungeness RSPB reserve. We didn't manage to spot any at first, though we were compensated somewhat by a marsh harrier, black-tailed godwits and sanderlings, as well as a host of coots. Towards the end of our day, Lord H checked his iphone and apparently the ibises were being seen at the hide we'd first been into. So we hot-footed it back and were just in time to see them before they flew off. Caught in the nick of time, eh. We then attempted to follow them but the views we had the second time were much more distant. Here's a lovely view of one of them anyway. Ain't that just gorgeous?
Back home, we are preparing ourselves for the delights of Strictly Come Dancing, and I can't wait (sadly ...) for tonight's show. Ah, the glitter and the glam - we Essex Gals just can't get enough of that sort of thing.
On literary matters though, I was pleased to see that A Dangerous Man had a brief flurry of interest earlier this morning at Amazon UK and was low down in the GLBT bestsellers stakes for a while - which I think meant someone bought a copy. So thank you hugely, Mr/Ms Someone, and I do hope you enjoy the read. Since then, however, I've drifted back to the bottom of the barrel again - in oh so many ways.
I've also had a lovely email from a lady called Denise from the Philippines (hello, Denise!) saying she's been interested in my books since reading the reviews of Maloney's Law, and has now bought The Bones of Summer in eBook version, and hopes to buy the eBook of Thorn in the Flesh soon. Thanks so much, Denise - that's really made my day. Interestingly, however (and actually I'm beginning to get several similar requests from a variety of sources), she was keen for Maloney's Law and A Dangerous Man to be out in eBook as it's easier to read them in that format where she lives. I'm certainly keen for both these books to be electronically available too, and am working on it as best I can, with the help of one of my publishers. Watch this space ...
Today's nice things:
1. Birds
2. Glossy ibises
3. TV
4. Readers interested in my books - thank you!
Anne Brooke
Sexy Scavengers competition Day Three
Back home, we are preparing ourselves for the delights of Strictly Come Dancing, and I can't wait (sadly ...) for tonight's show. Ah, the glitter and the glam - we Essex Gals just can't get enough of that sort of thing.
On literary matters though, I was pleased to see that A Dangerous Man had a brief flurry of interest earlier this morning at Amazon UK and was low down in the GLBT bestsellers stakes for a while - which I think meant someone bought a copy. So thank you hugely, Mr/Ms Someone, and I do hope you enjoy the read. Since then, however, I've drifted back to the bottom of the barrel again - in oh so many ways.
I've also had a lovely email from a lady called Denise from the Philippines (hello, Denise!) saying she's been interested in my books since reading the reviews of Maloney's Law, and has now bought The Bones of Summer in eBook version, and hopes to buy the eBook of Thorn in the Flesh soon. Thanks so much, Denise - that's really made my day. Interestingly, however (and actually I'm beginning to get several similar requests from a variety of sources), she was keen for Maloney's Law and A Dangerous Man to be out in eBook as it's easier to read them in that format where she lives. I'm certainly keen for both these books to be electronically available too, and am working on it as best I can, with the help of one of my publishers. Watch this space ...
Today's nice things:
1. Birds
2. Glossy ibises
3. TV
4. Readers interested in my books - thank you!
Anne Brooke
Sexy Scavengers competition Day Three
Friday, October 02, 2009
Golf, haircuts and Hit Lists
Is it Friday already? Well golly gosh indeed. Here's today's poem:
Meditation 231
While one man
betrays his town
to a bloody death,
another is lowered
from a city wall
in a basket
and creeps away
into night.
Perhaps it’s better
to be a woman after all.
Managed to play some pretty dire golf again today, but thankfully it wasn't as bad as last week. If I could only try to remember to hit the ball with the clubhead rather than with that funny sticky thing, I think everything would be a damn sight better. Ho hum. Mind you, both Marian and I ended on a rather triumphant par, so honour was satisfied. Partially.
And there's good news on the hair length front: my hairdresser has been trying to get my hair to be the same length all the way round rather than in layers for months and months and today we feel we've finally arrived at those dizzy heights, hurrah! Right now, I look quite presentable, though I fear it will not last. Experience dictates this ...
Meanwhile, I attempted to release some of the tension I've gathered during the week at my Alexander Technique lesson - really, I do make the tutor work for the wages. This week coming I have to focus on having a floaty head and breathing with my back. Ye gods, anything could happen, but it makes some sort of sense. Honest.
And I've been busy with the edits to The Hit List. And still enjoying it too. It's odd how that novel has been the one I hate to remember, but when I actually look at it seriously it's not that bad. Yes, I need to kick the crime section into touch, and bring out the romance which is, in my opinion, what the book is really about - but in some ways it feels as if it's always been there. Waiting for me to get down to this edit, I suppose. Maybe I just didn't have the confidence before.
Today's nice things:
1. Poetry
2. Golf
3. Haircuts
4. Alexander Technique
5. Editing The Hit List.
Anne Brooke
Sexy Scavengers Competition - book prizes galore!
Meditation 231
While one man
betrays his town
to a bloody death,
another is lowered
from a city wall
in a basket
and creeps away
into night.
Perhaps it’s better
to be a woman after all.
Managed to play some pretty dire golf again today, but thankfully it wasn't as bad as last week. If I could only try to remember to hit the ball with the clubhead rather than with that funny sticky thing, I think everything would be a damn sight better. Ho hum. Mind you, both Marian and I ended on a rather triumphant par, so honour was satisfied. Partially.
And there's good news on the hair length front: my hairdresser has been trying to get my hair to be the same length all the way round rather than in layers for months and months and today we feel we've finally arrived at those dizzy heights, hurrah! Right now, I look quite presentable, though I fear it will not last. Experience dictates this ...
Meanwhile, I attempted to release some of the tension I've gathered during the week at my Alexander Technique lesson - really, I do make the tutor work for the wages. This week coming I have to focus on having a floaty head and breathing with my back. Ye gods, anything could happen, but it makes some sort of sense. Honest.
And I've been busy with the edits to The Hit List. And still enjoying it too. It's odd how that novel has been the one I hate to remember, but when I actually look at it seriously it's not that bad. Yes, I need to kick the crime section into touch, and bring out the romance which is, in my opinion, what the book is really about - but in some ways it feels as if it's always been there. Waiting for me to get down to this edit, I suppose. Maybe I just didn't have the confidence before.
Today's nice things:
1. Poetry
2. Golf
3. Haircuts
4. Alexander Technique
5. Editing The Hit List.
Anne Brooke
Sexy Scavengers Competition - book prizes galore!
Thursday, October 01, 2009
Salt, Gold and Sexy Scavengers
I'm pleased to say that the revised version of Salt and Gold is now available from the Lulu store at a very reasonable price, if anyone is so tempted. I'm hoping it will also be available on Amazon at some point, but I'll let you know when that transpires. And if they allow it.Speaking of which, here's today's poem:
Meditation 230
Sometimes blindness
leads to sight
and palm trees
to iron chariots.
Everything that is
contains its opposite
twin and is as fluid
as the ungraspable air.
Have had a lovely morning today - my first port of call was a glorious back and facial massage with Alice, the Clarins gal. My, how I've needed that this week - the thought of it has been keeping me going through the start of the week for sure. After that I also met Jane H (hello, Jane!) for lunch and a catch-up, which was totally lovely. Really, I should do more of this Lady of Leisure stuff - I think it suits me.
On the way back, I popped into the doctor's to pick up my latest prescriptions, but only one of them was in store - so I have a fresh supply of nasal spray (hurrah! Breathing is sooo useful ...), but have to go back tomorrow for my HRT packages. And it's such a nightmare to park at the surgery at the moment too as they appear to be rebuilding it from scratch. The poor pharmacy lady has to ply her trade from what is little more than a Portaloo.
Anyway, this afternoon, I have been updating my website with the latest poetry news, and creating mini-sites for Salt and Gold - as above - and also for A Stranger's Table. I'm pleased that both my extant poetry collections now have their own separate worlds, however tiny.
I've also been continuing the edit to The Hit List, and am now on page 200, which is about two-thirds through. It's a real slow-burn romance, that one, but I like it and it seems right for the angsts and uncertainties of the two men involved. They'll get there. They're just taking their time.
Tonight, I'm looking forward to It Takes Two, with Claudia, and - are the rumours true? - is Boris Johnson in EastEnders?? Now there's something I really have to watch. But, my goodness, soon we won't be able to tell real life and fantasy life apart at all ...
Finally, and very excitingly, I've been included in the Dark Divas Sexy Scavengers October competition and there are a multitude of book prizes to win (including one of my own books). So do pop along and enter. The deadline is (of course!) Halloween. Good luck!
Today's nice things:
1. The revised Salt and Gold collection
2. Poetry
3. Clarins massage
4. Lunch with Jane
5. Website
6. A Stranger's Table having its own small page
7. Editing The Hit List
8. TV
9. The Sexy Scavengers competition.
Anne Brooke
Sexy Scavengers - the place to be
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Freshers' Week Day Three
Shattered today, and I can't really form a reasonable sentence, so here are today's notable things in no noticeable order:
1. It was busier at the Information Point than yesterday, but not as busy as Monday (thank the Lord)
2. I should have got to bed earlier last night and I would have coped better
3. One of the students thought the Students' Union event planner was a boardgame - but he might have an idea there. Why isn't it a boardgame?
4. Halfway through the day, some of the female dance students (at least one assumes it was them ...) began to walk in very peculiar ways in very high heels in front of us. Presumably as part of their training? It was ever so slightly spooky ... Are we in the Twilight Zone?
5. We shut up shop early afternoon as Freshers' Fayre was on and nobody was interested in facts any more
6. The boss bought chocolate cake and Ruth made chocolate brownies for an afternoon party
7. The campus water supply went terribly terribly wrong and there was no water for most of the afternoon. At all.
8. One of my postgraduate talk presenters didn't turn up to a talk I'd scheduled for them as they "hadn't realised it was important". Gaarrgghh. The PG department concerned wasn't happy, understandably. I was upset as that particular department is very nice and we let them down. Groan.
9. The boss has had a promotion (well done hugely, David!) and is now Director of Student Care Services, rather than just Head of same. We are all therefore more important by proxy, hurrah. Well, one can hope, eh ...
10. I was so tired that I fell asleep the moment I got home and am now feeling extremely disorientated.
11. I'm glad my Freshers' Week is over, but I think we've done some worthwhile work.
12. I'm feeling disheartened by writing, but same old, same old, really.
Anne Brooke
1. It was busier at the Information Point than yesterday, but not as busy as Monday (thank the Lord)
2. I should have got to bed earlier last night and I would have coped better
3. One of the students thought the Students' Union event planner was a boardgame - but he might have an idea there. Why isn't it a boardgame?
4. Halfway through the day, some of the female dance students (at least one assumes it was them ...) began to walk in very peculiar ways in very high heels in front of us. Presumably as part of their training? It was ever so slightly spooky ... Are we in the Twilight Zone?
5. We shut up shop early afternoon as Freshers' Fayre was on and nobody was interested in facts any more
6. The boss bought chocolate cake and Ruth made chocolate brownies for an afternoon party
7. The campus water supply went terribly terribly wrong and there was no water for most of the afternoon. At all.
8. One of my postgraduate talk presenters didn't turn up to a talk I'd scheduled for them as they "hadn't realised it was important". Gaarrgghh. The PG department concerned wasn't happy, understandably. I was upset as that particular department is very nice and we let them down. Groan.
9. The boss has had a promotion (well done hugely, David!) and is now Director of Student Care Services, rather than just Head of same. We are all therefore more important by proxy, hurrah. Well, one can hope, eh ...
10. I was so tired that I fell asleep the moment I got home and am now feeling extremely disorientated.
11. I'm glad my Freshers' Week is over, but I think we've done some worthwhile work.
12. I'm feeling disheartened by writing, but same old, same old, really.
Anne Brooke
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Day Two of Freshers' Week
Slightly better today, though still busy, and questions asked at my Information Point table tended to come in waves rather than full on as yesterday. I even managed to get back to the office for an hour during the day to catch up with email, while my team of voluntary staff held the fort which was good. And the day was shorter too - in at 8.15am and ending at 5.30pm, hurrah.
Also am more able to carry on conversations with people who aren't students today as well - I had so many Fresher questions yesterday that the ability to communicate with or even think about anyone else utterly left me. Ruth found the same on her Information Point table too (in another building). Plus I fitted in two Starbucks runs for my little team, so that cheered us all greatly.
Today there were lots and lots of questions about where the University Hall was (where registration takes place) and also where the big Lecture Theatre was (known as the Griffiths Theatre), as there was a lot going on there today. I felt like an air stewardess saying over and over again (whilst pointing): to get to the University Hall, you go here, then here and then here, or to get to the Griffiths Theatre you go here and here. In case of difficulty, your oxygen masks will fall from the ceiling. Try to breathe normally. No, I didn't actually say that last one. Honest. After a while, those of us behind the IP table got into a routine of pointing and chanting, depending on which direction people wanted, and at one stage I got a wave of hysteria and collapsed into giggles whilst pointing. I think the student got the message though as they headed off in the right direction. Phew.
At home, I was explaining that my whole day had basically consisted of lots of smiling and saying: Turn left for the University Hall; right for the Griffiths Theatre; turn right for the Griffiths Theatre; turn left for the University Hall; turn right into the Griffiths Hall; don't be left behind in the University Theatre; have you found the Theatre Hall?; keep an eye out for the University Griffin. And so on and so on. Lord H suggested that I should have added: when you return to your room, the University Griffin will be waiting for you. Prepare to die. But I feel he might not have fully grasped the niceties of customer service. Ah well.
Anyway, it's good to be home. I popped in to see Gladys on the way but she was very tired, so I just sat with her for a while. Managed to catch It Takes Two with Claudia on TV, which makes me feel as if I'm more into a normal routine again, hurrah. And later on it's The Fixer. I might just manage to keep awake for it. You never know.
Today's nice things:
1. Two Starbucks runs
2. Air stewardess training
3. The unexpected birth of the University Griffin
4. TV.
Anne Brooke - feeling more human today
Thorn in the Flesh - for the darker secrets of University staff ...
Also am more able to carry on conversations with people who aren't students today as well - I had so many Fresher questions yesterday that the ability to communicate with or even think about anyone else utterly left me. Ruth found the same on her Information Point table too (in another building). Plus I fitted in two Starbucks runs for my little team, so that cheered us all greatly.
Today there were lots and lots of questions about where the University Hall was (where registration takes place) and also where the big Lecture Theatre was (known as the Griffiths Theatre), as there was a lot going on there today. I felt like an air stewardess saying over and over again (whilst pointing): to get to the University Hall, you go here, then here and then here, or to get to the Griffiths Theatre you go here and here. In case of difficulty, your oxygen masks will fall from the ceiling. Try to breathe normally. No, I didn't actually say that last one. Honest. After a while, those of us behind the IP table got into a routine of pointing and chanting, depending on which direction people wanted, and at one stage I got a wave of hysteria and collapsed into giggles whilst pointing. I think the student got the message though as they headed off in the right direction. Phew.
At home, I was explaining that my whole day had basically consisted of lots of smiling and saying: Turn left for the University Hall; right for the Griffiths Theatre; turn right for the Griffiths Theatre; turn left for the University Hall; turn right into the Griffiths Hall; don't be left behind in the University Theatre; have you found the Theatre Hall?; keep an eye out for the University Griffin. And so on and so on. Lord H suggested that I should have added: when you return to your room, the University Griffin will be waiting for you. Prepare to die. But I feel he might not have fully grasped the niceties of customer service. Ah well.
Anyway, it's good to be home. I popped in to see Gladys on the way but she was very tired, so I just sat with her for a while. Managed to catch It Takes Two with Claudia on TV, which makes me feel as if I'm more into a normal routine again, hurrah. And later on it's The Fixer. I might just manage to keep awake for it. You never know.
Today's nice things:
1. Two Starbucks runs
2. Air stewardess training
3. The unexpected birth of the University Griffin
4. TV.
Anne Brooke - feeling more human today
Thorn in the Flesh - for the darker secrets of University staff ...
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