Give and Take reviews and a bit of a spat

Writing News:

I'm happy to say that The Hit List is now available in paperback at Amazon US and it's received two 5-star reviews at Goodreads here and here. Thanks to both readers!

I'm also pleased to tell you that Give and Take has today received a thought-provoking 4.5 star review at Michelenjeff Reviews and another 4 star review at Rainbow Reviews. Many thanks to both reviewers for that. Give and Take is also now available for purchase at All Romance eBooks, so lovely to be there too.

There's also an interview with me which you can find at Michelenjeff Reviews Site, and a special thank you to Jeff for making me sound almost normal. That must have been very hard work indeed, Jeff!

Meanwhile, A Stranger's Touch received a 4 star review and a 5 star review, both at Goodreads, so thank you again to both reviewers for your comments.

And, if you'd like to try some of my Dreamspinner Press books, they're all at 20% discount for TODAY only so there's still time to buy The Bones of Summer or Two Christmases, or maybe even the pair!

In other book news, the latest chapter of The Prayer Seeker's Journal can now be found here - in which Michael begins to deal with his ex-wife. And I've reached the 30,000 word marker of The Executioner's Cane, hurrah!

There's also been a small but interesting disagreement by commenters responding to one of my Vulpes Libris reviews, which does at least prove that books can raise great passion in us all. A result always to be admired indeed ...

Finally in this section, I'm pleased to say that my poem, Meditation 37, is to be included in the upcoming Short Story Library Best of 2009 collection, which should be published early summer. Lovely to have that to look forward to.

Oh, and here's this week's haiku:

A woman in pink
walks slowly past cool water,
trailing dreams of spring.


Other News:

Marian and I played some pretty reasonable golf on Friday and even managed to produce two good tee-shots just behind the club pro as he was taking a playing lesson. Dammit but he didn't notice, and we certainly couldn't produce them again! And Lord H and I spent a lovely afternoon yesterday wandering around Wintershall Gardens as part of their Open Afternoon, and I have to say the grounds are very attractive indeed. And the staff do particularly wonderful cream teas, mmm ... What could be nicer? Even in spite of the rain.

Yesterday, we spent an exhilarating evening having supper at Liz & John's (hello, both!) and I think I was even relatively well behaved. Well, for me anyway. But this morning, I certainly felt my missing hour, what with the clocks going forward. I won't catch up till the autumn, I tell you.

This coming week, I'm away on the University Administrators' Conference in Warwick from Monday to Wednesday, so will have to look both intelligent and professional for three days. Not much hope there then ... Mind you, I've managed to book myself on to the Learn to Juggle seminar, and apparently you get to keep the balls! Gosh. I can't wait.

Anne Brooke - evil but interesting
The Prayer Seeker's Journal - dealing with the ex ...

Second novels and The Ministry of Fear

Book News:

I've had a fascinating review of GLBT short story, Give and Take, which you can read at Jessewave Reviews. I'm more than happy with the 4 star rating, but fascinated by the reviewer's comments on the bleakness and realism of the story. Actually I'd thought it was fairly upbeat, and had even made the ending far more hopeful for the future than my first ending had been. Amazing how many different takes can be found in a story - it's certainly opened my eyes! Perhaps my view of life is grimmer (more grim?) than I'd realised ... In the meantime, it's received both a 4-star rating at Goodreads and a 5-star review also at Goodreads, with a slightly different take on it in the latter link, I believe.

Another review received this week has been for Two Christmases which gained a 4-star review at Goodreads. Many thanks to all reviewers/raters - it's much appreciated.

Meanwhile, at Vulpes Libris, you can read my disappointment at Maria McCann's Orange Prize longlisted novel, The Wilding. Oh dear. I'd been so looking forward to it too as I absolutely loved her first novel, As Meat Loves Salt. Is it the dreaded Second Novel Syndrome??...

And I fear I missed offering you last week's haiku in my Sunday posting (shame on me!), so here it is. Late, but still relevant, alas:

Rain drives away plans,
makes the umbrellas blossom,
quietens the world.


Other News:

I have chilled out this morning with a lovely Clarins massage from Romana - it was so relaxing that I actually fell asleep. Still I needed the down-time as I've been working like the proverbial all week. Both on book stuff and University stuff. Heck, I deserve a break - roll on Easter.

And Lord H and I have had a wonderful time at the Aldershot production of Fiddler on the Roof. To my shame (again!), we'd never seen it before, and what a marvellous musical it is. Such a brave ending and all those tunes. Fabulous. I loved it. Tonight we're off to the Guildford Theatre to see The Ministry of Fear so I suspect all my relaxation points might well disappear sooner than I'd anticipated. Note to self: arrange massages for after thrillers, not before ...

Oh, and a new car radio has been delivered today, so I'm hoping Lord H might do his magic and put it into the car so I don't have to listen to the sound of my own voice singing for too long. Believe me, it's not been pleasant. The neighbours would no doubt agree.

I'm also proud to say that Lord H now has official superpowers - he has perfected the technique of standing next to a dysfunctional computer until it operates properly again. Without even touching it. Honestly, it works every time! And at the office as well as at home, apparently. Really, it's a pleasure to watch a superhero at the top of his game, though he does confess to rather preferring the ability to fly or be invisible - but superheroes must accept and work with the powers they're given ... Tomorrow: the world!

Anne Brooke - pondering what her own superhero status might be ...
The Prayer Seeker's Journal - rarely seen but somehow vital

Give and Take

I'm happy to say that my GLBT erotic short story, Give and Take, is now published by Amber Allure Press and you can find buying information, together with an erotic extract, here. You can also find out more details, and read another, non-erotic, extract at my website. For your added pleasure, there's also a book trailer. Enjoy!

Keeping to the book news (there's been a fair amount of this over the last couple of days, so bear with me!), Thorn in the Flesh can now be found in paperback at both Amazon UK and Amazon US so it's great to feel that particular project is now complete. I'm also happy to see that the new all-singing all-dancing version of The Hit List is now up at Amazon US though not yet in stock. A piece of good news still to come indeed!

In the meantime, I've finished the first full round of edits to Hallsfoot's Battle and will let that breathe a while before going on to the second phase of editing. The final edits for short story, The Delaneys and Me, are now also complete and I've sent them back to Amber Allure ready for publication date on 21 April.

In terms of reviews, I'm very happy with Sharon Maria Bidwell's review of A Stranger's Touch - much appreciated, Sharon, so thank you! And I'm over the moon to see that Maloney's Law is in the lovely Clare London's list of her Top 10 GLBT books - Paul Maloney is at Number 5, and he and I are both very grateful. Thanks, Clare!

In my other life, Lord H and I thoroughly enjoyed Guildford Choral Society's concert yesterday - you can't really go wrong with Copland and Carmina Burana though those pesky Cathedral seats leave much to be desired. Is it my age? And today I have spent a fun time with the RAC trying to fix my car. The upshot is that the radio display won't turn off so is draining the battery - so the man had to disconnect the radio to make the battery happy. So I now have a car that starts but must rely on my own voice for entertainment. That'll frighten the neighbours for sure ...

Tonight, we're off to hear Marian (golf partner) sing in a rock choir in Guildford, so we are preparing to rock around the clock and watch great balls of fire whizzing by - lordy, does that show my age way too much once more? I fear so ...

Anne Brooke - where a little give and take can work wonders
The Prayer Seeker's Journal - quiet but not entirely forgotten

The Girl in the Painting

I'm pleased to say that my literary feminist story, The Girl in the Painting, has now been published and more information can be found at my website. You can purchase a copy at Amazon US and at Smashwords, in a variety of formats, hurrah! There's also a book trailer for your enjoyment. Never say I don't look after your essential reading needs.

Keeping to the topic of short stories, I was astonished to see that for a very brief period Dancing with Lions was number 94 in the Amazon US Biblical fiction charts. Heck, I've never been there before, and I'm not there now, but ah the memory is sweet.

I'm also pleased to note that during last week's Read an Ebook Week, my short stories, How to Eat Fruit and Dancing with Lions were downloaded over 90 times. Well, gosh. I hope those readers enjoyed the experience.

My final piece of short story news is that A Stranger's Touch is available as a Kindle ebook and now even has its first five-star Amazon review there, well double gosh and crack open the champers! Thank you very much, Sirius11214 - that's made my day big-time. And yes, that is exactly what I intended the story to mean - I'm so glad it worked for you, thank you.

Meanwhile, back at Hallsfoot's Battle (anyone remember that??), I've now received the edits back from my ex-agent editor who commented: this is very good, much better than even the revised version of The Gifting. Which to me means a heck of a lot, as I've been worrying desperately about mid-series droop and whether any of it was remotely interesting at all. Thank you, John. Maybe I might just be a fantasy author after all, if the wind's in the right direction and there's a R in the month. Anyway, I'm going through his edits which are very very useful indeed and whipping the thing further into shape.

I've also uploaded my review of Megan Taylor's wonderfully dark literary novel, The Dawning at Vulpes Libris, and can thoroughly recommend the book. Great stuff, Megan!

In my other life, I've finished my online poetry course. I must admit I haven't enjoyed it as much as last term's and I don't think I'll be doing another for a while, but it's helped with the poetry. Always a good thing. I've also had my annual cholesterol blood test at the doctors - oh the fasting, the lack of breakfast and the desperate whimpering. I'm not known for my courage, ah well. We've endured a really weird day at work yesterday when everything went wrong that could go wrong - was it the feng shui lines?? Thank God there was chocolate cake around - we'd never have survived without it. And I've had a wonderfully relaxing hour at reflexology today. Bliss. Whatever would I do without my reflexologist?

Tonight, Lord H and I are out at the theatre to see The Secret of Sherlock Holmes with the gorgeous Peter Egan. When I was young, I was so in love with him, you know (don't tell Lord H - though actually he already knows this, and may well wonder if I'm going to throw my knickers on the stage in the manner of Essex Gals tonight ...), but I suspect we've all moved on since those glory days. Still, if you do hear tell of an arrest in the Guildford theatre, then no doubt it will be me. I hope you'll all vouch for my good character. Hey ho.

Anne Brooke - scrubs up well, if given enough time
The Prayer Seeker's Journal - getting distracted by life

Videos, poetry and some sad news

Let's start with the sad news. Which is that, unfortunately, our middle neighbour in our block of 3 flats died of heart troubles earlier this week. He'd been waiting for a heart operation in hospital and we've visited a couple of times, but he never made it to have the actual op. I'll miss him - he could be an archetypal crusty old gent of the old school, but he was always, always fascinating. He could also be extraordinarily generous. When we moved in 17 years ago, he left a bottle of very good champagne and two rather posh glasses at our front door to help us celebrate - a gesture that always makes me smile, even today. He loved high-class wine, birds (of both varieties, in spite of his age!), poetry and Spain - and who can argue with that? It leaves a big gap in our little house, which feels much emptier today. You can find two of his marvellous books (and he wrote just as he spoke, so was always a writer who was very much in touch with his voice) on Spain and flamenco dancing here and here. Both come highly recommended.

Keeping on the subject of death and what we remember, and indeed poetry, here's this week's poem (about my father) from my poetry course:

September 1977

We live
only four minutes’ walk
from school

and my mother’s car waits
in the car park
so I know my father is dead.

Hair blows across my face
and in the distance
I hear laughter.

The sky is so blue
and my schoolbag weighs heavy
across my shoulders.

When I take it off,
the fabric drags along the ground.
Without looking, I can name the books

that spill from it:
a Latin grammar;
Voltaire’s Candide.

They smell new.
The way spines snap
when first opened

is a memory
that prickles my skin.
I am so close to the car now.

I reach out,
take hold of the handle.
Breathe.


Turning to book news, I'm happy to say that Thorn in the Flesh is now available at Amazon US and Amazon UK. And I have uploaded the book trailer at YouTube.

Similarly, Pink Champagne and Apple Juice is now available with free worldwide delivery at The Book Depository. It too comes with its own book trailer - which is proving extraordinarily popular with 82 views since I uploaded it only a couple of days ago. Which just goes to show that the viewing public love comedy, jolly music and a pretty blonde girl. Must remember that for next time I write something new then!

And, finally, the latest chapter of The Prayer Seeker is now available for reading - it's on anger, as Michael finds he has much to work through. As do we all, really.

But, to end (or almost ...) with very exciting bird news, Lord H and I spent the day in Arne in Dorset yesterday - we saw some stunning sika deer, really close to, plus seven (yes, seven!!!) spoonbills, a couple of blackcaps, a few red-breasted mergansers - all of which were firsts for this year. Plus - the crowning glory and a lifetime first - a firecrest. Hurrah!

So, there are two haikus this Sunday for you:

The first signs of spring:
men on yellow bicycles;
a pink Fiesta.


It's a conundrum:
how to persuade daffodils
to unfurl their blooms.


Heck, I bet Wordsworth never had those problems, on either count ...

Anne Brooke - in fairly thoughtful mood
The Prayer Seeker's Journal - where anger finds a voice

The Gifting - news!

News! I have news! As I'm sure someone in a Jane Austen novel once said. Or should have done. Anyway, much to my astonishment and joy, I'm happy to announce that my fantasy novel, The Gifting has been accepted for publication by Bluewood Publishing. Hurrah! And I'm really so thrilled that, to be honest, I can't even speak. A blessing for those of you who have to deal with me face-to-face indeed. Though I suspect it won't last ... Anyway, many thanks to Paulette & David of Bluewood for saying yes, and I'm looking forward to working with you towards the publication date. It's lovely to think that Simon the Scribe is going to have a voice. Gosh indeedy.

As you can imagine, this news has rather overpowered the rest of the week and I am still floating delicately amongst the clouds - though for that I blame the champagne Lord H insisted we open on Tuesday night. It's a tough life, eh, but someone has to drink it ...

But other writing projects are also happily bubbling away (note the nice blending with the champagne image there, please!). I'm also delighted to say that two of my poems will be included in the first Every Day Poets anthology, so thank you to Oonah Joslin for her work on that.

In addition, Give and Take is now up at the Amber Allure Press site, though it's not published until 21 March. NB: That AAP link does take you to an erotic extract, so please be warned! I'm also very pleased that Untreed Reads have accepted my literary feminist short story, The Girl in the Painting (formerly known as Girl Undecided) for future publication, so I'm looking forward to working with Jay again on that one - thanks, Jay!

In terms of reviews, I was happy to see Painting from Life gained a 4 star rating at Goodreads - thanks, Kassa! And, at the same time, A Stranger's Touch gained another 4 star Goodreads rating - thank you, Deanna, for that also.

Keeping to the subject of reviews, Vulpes Libris now has my review of Ali Smith's novel, The Accidental and it's an astonishing and exciting book, so do pop in and be inspired.

Finally, in this writing life, I was heartened to hear that on the first day of Read An Ebook Week, my short stories, How to Eat Fruit and Dancing with Lions were downloaded for free 40 times. Gosh! I do hope people have enjoyed the reads. And if you do want a free ebook to enjoy, pop along to Smashwords here or here and take advantage of the offer. It ends on 13 March so there's still time!

And I think that's about it really. I'm just off now to have a glorious Hot Stone Therapy massage (hurrah!) so will no doubt be out for the count for the rest of the day. Bliss. Hell, but I think I deserve it.

Anne Brooke - full of sparkle and fizz this week!
The Prayer Seeker's Journal - keeping things grounded

Read An Ebook Week!

Good news for ebook lovers and ebook enquirers this week, as it's Read An Ebook Week. As part of this exciting prospect, two of my short stories published by Untreed Reads will be free for one week only at Smashwords.

So, you can find my literary love story How To Eat Fruit at Smashwords here.

And you can find my rewrite of a biblical story Dancing with Lions also at Smashwords here.

You need to put the code RFREE in at the checkout stage - though it explains that on site. The offer ends 13 March. Enjoy!

In other writing news, The Hit List is now available for purchase from All Romance Ebooks, and was for a brief moment of glory actually on their front New Books page, well gosh. Not so now, I fear - the world of eBooks moves on apace ...

Speaking of moments of glory, The Bones of Summer managed to make No 48 in the Amazon UK gay romance charts, though it has slipped down somewhat now and will probably be out of the charts altogether by the time you read this. Still, it was nice that someone bought a copy, and I do hope they enjoy it.

Meanwhile, I've uploaded the next chapter of The Prayer Seeker's Journal, where Michael begins to set up a schedule of prayer. And, on an entirely different note, my Hot Gay Fiction Tip for March is now up at Queer Magazine Online. And it's a book that contains the best scene of sex with a piano that I've ever read - dammit but I wish I'd written it. If only I could play the piano, eh ...

And, sadly, my lovely almost-week away from work ends today (groan ...), but we did manage to see an Egyptian Goose at Wisley yesterday, so something to hang on to when the Monday Morning Blues rears its ugly head once more. And we also saw some gorgeous spring flowers, which has inspired this week's haiku:

In the rose garden
a pruning. Snowdrops whisper
and crocuses glow.

Anne Brooke - classy and free, always
The Prayer Seeker's Journal - getting to grips with The Beyond

Bars, birds and wolves

Have had great fun today with the edits for Give and Take, and have now sent these back to my lovely editor at Amber Allure Press. It's due to be published on 21 March so I'm looking forward to that. How I love a good-hearted barman indeed.

Meanwhile, my first ever gay werewolf story, entitled (with that customary leap of imagination for which I am no doubt renowned) Martin and The Wolf, has been accepted by Amber Allure and has a tentative publication date of 13 June. Well gosh. Really, it's amazing what English lecturers (of which Martin is one) get up to.

Other book news is that How to Eat Fruit and Dancing with Lions are now both available at the Untreed Reads bookshop. Please bear in mind that Untreed Reads sells them only in ePub versions, but on that purchase page you can also see where you can find these stories in a wide variety of other e-versions also. Many apologies to those readers who have been confused by this (sorry, Sharon!...), and I hope that now you've got your books you'll be able to enjoy them.

I've also been pleased with a 5-star rating of Maloney's Law at Goodreads, and I have finally managed to get back to writing The Executioner's Cane after a too-long hiatus, and this now stands at the 25,000 word marker. Hurrah. So about one-fifth through then. Possibly. But who the heck can tell, eh? I think I'm getting slightly sidetracked by The Chairmaker's Tale therein (I've always wanted to use the word therein in something - are you impressed?), but I'll see where it goes.

Finally, my review of Chris Killen's The Bird Room is now up at Vulpes Libris. It's a wonderfully haiku-y and very surreal novel so well worth the rather bizarre read.

Lord H and I have also popped along to the University this week to hear the Archbishop of Canterbury in conversation with one of our TV profs, which was highly popular and actually rather enjoyable. I still find the whole Church thing sits with increasing unease on my shoulders these days due to their "official" view of (a) women and (b) gay people. But he's a nice enough chap really, though I became utterly muddled as to what his views on Creationism actually were. For or Against? Who can say?

Tonight, I'm off to see Jane H & Ang (hello, both!) for dinner in Godalming so I am attempting to look presentable amongst the Glamour of the Parish. Is the town really ready for the three of us??

Anne's Website - puzzling over chairmakers ...
The Prayer Seeker's Journal - treading water but looking to the shore

The Hit List - publication day

I'm very happy to announce that my latest novel, m/m romantic comedy The Hit List, is now published by Amber Allure, where you can also read a brief extract.

The blurb is:

Jamie Chadwick is straight. Determinedly straight. Or so he keeps telling himself. His small conference business is doing okay and, even though he looks after his ailing father, he loves living in the countryside and life is good. Sort of. But the arrival of old college friend, David Fenchurch, who’s just come out on the distinctly camp side of camp, together with Lucy Reid, his father’s sexy new physiotherapist, sets Jamie on a path he’d never dreamed of taking. On top of all that, the unexpected return of long-lost family friend, Robert Trevelyan, himself openly gay, means that Jamie can no longer ignore the past he’s kept hidden for six years. When Robert and David get together, Jamie’s feelings begin to surface in surprising ways. Who, amongst the crowd of people set to blow his life apart, will make it onto his fantasy hit list? And in the midst of Jamie’s own emotional battlefield, how can he keep things together at all?


I'm really happy with this one, as it's taken me six years to get it right - which, coincidentally is roughly the amount of time it takes Jamie & Robert to get their very rocky relationship sorted out too. All of which proves that writers do indeed grow to be like their characters, in time. I'm also happy to say it's a very different beast in tone from its distant self-published beginnings, and it's great to feel I can finally let it go, having got it to where I wanted it to be, probably all along.

Anyway, at heart, it's a modern, gay retelling of Jane Austen's Emma, so I hope you might take a chance on it and enjoy the read! The ebook is available now, with the paperback being published in mid-March. There's also a book trailer, featuring some rather good-looking young men, so what could be nicer on a Sunday?

Meanwhile, in other news, Lord H and I saw a chiffchaff yesterday (hurrah!) so another bird to be added to this year's list. And here's this week's haiku:

Words batter like rain.
They soak my skin, infiltrate
blood and aching bone.


Anne Brooke - in romantic and humorous mood
The Prayer Seeker's Journal

Dancing with Lions

I'm pleased to say that my biblical short story, Dancing with Lions, is published today and you can pick up a copy here - though I'm afraid you'll have to be patient as, for some reason, the links to Smashwords take an age to click through.

While you're waiting, you can read an extract from the beginning of the story and also enjoy the book trailer. Never say I'm not kind to you, and have a truly fabulous Friday!

Anne Brooke

Books, terror and song

I'm very happy to say that my GLBT erotic short story, The Delaneys and Me now has a hot-off-the-press book cover. As you can see. I'm hugely pleased as it has exactly the right amount of quirkiness and humour that (I hope!) is also in the story. You can read an extract here and it will be published by Amber Allure Press on 18 April 2010. Hurrah!

I've also managed to finish and return the galley proofs for The Hit List so am looking forward to the publication date for that one on 28 February, ie this Sunday. It will come out in eBook first, with the paperback following a few weeks later.

Before that however, I'm equally happy to say that my biblical short story, Dancing with Lions will be published by Untreed Reads Press on 26 February, ie tomorrow! So it's going to be one huge party all weekend, I can tell you!

And I also have some rather nice banners now for How to Eat Fruit, courtesy of Jay at Untreed Reads - thanks, Jay! Aren't they great? Haven't quite worked out how to get them onto the website or how to link them to anything yet, but we're working on it. I am indeed a Banner Virgin ...



and



In the midst of all this excitement, I am pleased also to say that The Bones of Summer received a 4-star rating from Jonathan at Goodreads - thanks, Jonathan!

Meanwhile, at Vulpes Libris I've uploaded my review of Linwood Barclay's thriller, Too Close to Home - he's a great crime author and I can thoroughly recommend his work.

In my other life (yes, I do still have one, just ...) I've been building up the tension by attending a presentation skills course at work yesterday. Which basically meant 2 whole days of feeling sick beforehand, having an enormous headache and not being able to eat properly and then that blessed feeling of relief now I've got the course over with. Yes, as you can tell, I am not a natural at giving presentations, and tend to try to avoid them at all costs. I live in fear that I have nothing of any interest whatsoever to say to anyone and will be found out to be a fraud and utterly inadequate in every sense. Ah well, same old, same old, eh. Anyway, the course itself wasn't too bad and the trainer was incredibly good. I got through my presentation and actually a part of me enjoyed it - more so when it was over, of course. I told them about the house I live in and its rather peculiar history, how we found it, the disasters of moving in and how much we love it now. So it's true what they say - content, and the passion for the content, is all.

I then treated myself and Lord H by taking him to Opera South in Haslemere to see La Perichole. If you scroll down to the list of altos in the chorus details on that last page, you can see Ruth McLeod (from my office) and Beryl Northam (honorary member of our Student Advice team) in all their glory! Anyway, in spite of having a stomach like a dead sheep from the traumas of the day, it was absolutely fantastic - wonderful opera, wonderful singers, fantastic costumes and a great production all round. The highlight of my week indeed, and I sooo loved Ruth's posh hat.

Anne's website - so well accustomed to bouts of terror and song
The Prayer Seeker's Journal - for those essential moments of quietness

This crazed writing life

Something of a bullet-point blog tonight, I'm afraid, as I've been hugely busy all weekend - in an exciting way, mainly, hurrah:

First off, I've done the final edits to The Hit List which is due out on 28 February, and am now going through the galley proofs. Making the final tweaks, as it were. And I was sooo thrilled that my editor said this about it: This is an excellent story, Anne!! I thoroughly enjoyed it and really fell in love with Jamie and Robert! I totally felt Jamie's struggles...both with his father's illness, his family in general, and with his feelings about Robert. Well done, my friend!! Thank you so much, Karin - that means such a lot that you wouldn't believe it.

I've also been surprised that a couple of publishers have expressed interest in The Gifting - one would like me to make partial changes to Isabella's sections in the novel, which I'm happy to do, whilst another has said they will look at it in late summer to consider it for their 2011 lists. Well, gosh, on both counts. Perhaps Simon the Scribe's time is finally on its way? You never know.

And for a brief moment of glory, The Bones of Summer found itself at No 53 in the UK Amazon gay romance charts, so good to know Paul & Craig are still out there somewhere, doing their stuff. As it were. I do have a soft spot for those two.

Meanwhile, Michael is telling us how he first became a Christian over at The Prayer Seeker's Journal - a story which may well surprise you. And which is basically how it happened to me - except that his mother honeymooned in France, whilst mine honeymooned in Ireland. So never say I'm not truthful - or as near as darn it - in what I'm trying to write there!

Here's a poem that came from my free writing exercise yesterday:

Rain

Clagged earth clings
to my boot

and grey clouds
cover the sky

but I still feel
the air’s deep sparkle:

all I need
to know.


And this week's haiku is this:

Today I set free
the world in my head: vibrant,
magical and strange.

Anne's website - just about keeping up with it all!
The Prayer Seeker's Journal - for some quiet revelation

Lions and Redheads

Don't trust either is what I say ... As you can see though, I now have some glorious cover art for Dancing with Lions, my next short story from Untreed Reads. Which is due out on 1 March, if not earlier. Thanks, Jay! You can also read an extract from the beginning of it here. Enjoy! I've completed a book trailer for it and will upload that nearer the time. Good news indeed.

Keeping briefly to matters Godly (ho ho), my review of Lucy Winkett's Our Sound is Our Wound is now up at Vulpes Libris, in the 17 February slot, ie yesterday. It's a fabulous book and Winkett is one of the few church people I take note of. Being one of the few who makes sense. Besides, how can anyone resist a woman who trained as a professional singer yet sets such great store by silence?

And I've now received my contract for GLBT short story, The Delaneys and Me, for Amber Allure, so have signed that and will get it sent back to them soonest. It's due out on 18 April.

I haven't been deserting the poetry though - here's this week's poetry course offering, which takes a personal view of my own special people:

Redheads

are fragile
like onions.
You can peel us
down to the heart
if you know how
though we won’t let you
see us cry.

We always carry suncream –
factor 50 – even in winter
but no need for you
to draw our attention
to this:
we already know it.

No, our hair
doesn’t come from a bottle
and yes it is real.
Please don’t pull it.
That applies to the hair
down below too. Why ever
would you expect it not to?

No and, again, no,
we really aren’t ill.
We’re always this pale.
It’s a matter of suncream

and onions.


I was also scribbling around last night with some free writing and came up with this one, in honour of the lovely day we had yesterday:

Aroma

The first good day
of the year:

bright skies
and somewhere

the almost scent
of blossom.


Off to London tonight to catch up with Jane W (hello, Jane!) and celebrate our good working news. Jane's got a lovely new job (hurrah!) and I now have the grand title of Executive Assistant to the Director of Student Care. Well, gosh - you'd better all start minding your manners. I'm important, at last!

Anne's website - proving you can't put a good redhead down
The Prayer Seeker's Journal - proving there's life in religion after all

Shrikes and Fruit

Great bird news this week! We've finally - after about four or five attempts and many miles covered - spotted a Great Grey Shrike on our trip to the New Forest yesterday, hurrah. Such a beautiful bird and a real pleasure to see. Especially as we'd just given up and were returning to the car when suddenly there it was. Bliss. A lifetime first. Two other lifetime firsts yesterday were the black-throated diver and the scaup. Triple huzzahs then! And we also added to our year bird count with a Dartford warbler, a little grebe, grey plovers, curlews, a Brent goose, sanderlings (hundreds of them) and a ringed plover. Big results all round indeed.

Other nice news is that How to Eat Fruit is now available at Amazon US in Kindle version. Ideal Valentine weekend reading, I'd say.

I'm also very pleased with a 4-star rating of Two Christmases on Goodreads - thanks, Jonathan. Very much appreciated, and so glad you enjoyed the read.

Finally, in Book World, Chapter Six of The Prayer Seeker's Journal is now uploaded and can be found here. In which Michael has his first experience of spiritual direction, which isn't entirely what he was expecting.

And here's this week's haiku:

Hidden amongst trees
crocus shoots point to the skies.
Deep green and slender.

Anne's website - always a fruitful place to be
The Prayer Seeker's Journal - finding its own direction

Books and birthdays

I'm pleased to say that my review of Lenore Black's GLBT comedy romance, All's Fair in Love and Advertising is now up at Vulpes Libris. A witty, warm and wonderful read, I can thoroughly recommend it for this Valentine Week.

Speaking of reviews, a big thank you to Stephanie for her five-star rating of Pink Champagne and Apple Juice on Goodreads - which is nicely balanced by the one-star review of Champers at Amazon US. I must say I was rather impressed that the reader there called it "horrible" and couldn't even bear to keep the book in her home. Now that's the epitome of cool! After all, you know what they say, when they hate your work with a vengeance, that's when you've truly made it ...

Meanwhile, I've been pleased with a four-star review of Maloney's Law and a four-star review of The Bones of Summer. Thank you, Deanna, for those! Plus I'm also more than happy with Sara Bell's four-star review of A Stranger's Touch - thank you, Sara.

And here's this week's poetry course offering, with special thanks to Clare at the office for the inspiration:

Clare eating an orange in the office

Her slender fingers
break mottled skin
while her eyes focus
on the world’s angled mirror.

A flare of clear droplets
laces the air.
Spangles and sunlight,
crystal and glitter.

She separates each segment
as if lancing a wound.
Slow, steady.

Curved gold pieces
in a silver web
disappear on her tongue.

One
by one.


But the highlight of these last few days has been Lord H's birthday, which we celebrated with style and champagne, naturally, earlier in the week. Happy birthday to Lord H! What a superstar indeed. And, am I mistaken, but do I detect crocus shoots pushing their way into the light across the county? Spring must at last be on its way ...

Anne's website - truly horrible but strangely stylish
The Prayer Seeker's Journal - celebrating the journey

Sex and religion

At last! Those two great influences in life have finally arrived at roughly the same time (as it were). I'm very happy to say that my gay erotic menage story, The Delaneys and Me, has been accepted for publication on 17 April by Amber Allure Press. It's the first menage story I've ever written and I like to think I've given it a rather interesting twist of dark comedy, but time and readers will have to judge. I'm also equally pleased to say that my literary bible story, Dancing with Lions, has been accepted for publication by Untreed Reads in March, so I'm looking forward to that one as well. Nice, if rather strange, to have two so very different stories accepted in the same week. I'll create web pages for both once the cover art is decided.

Keeping to a spiritual note, I've uploaded the next section of The Prayer Seeker's Journal, in which Michael finds a whole new direction to his search. That completes Chapter Five and we're slowly stepping along.

Yesterday, Lord H and I had an utterly fabulous day at Dungeness RSPB Reserve and managed (hurrah!) to spot the following: red-legged partridges, stonechats, Slavonian grebes, a marsh harrier, smews, a bittern, a little egret and a goldeneye. All of which adds nicely to this year's bird count. The bittern was definitely THE bird of the day, and probably the year - you so rarely see them. Well, this one took off from the water and flew lazily past the bird hide so everyone could get a really close and good view of it. Fantastic! I was very good though and didn't scream and jump up and down whilst hyperventilating with excitement (though I desperately wanted to) - this sort of thing doesn't go down too well with the birding fraternity. It tends to scare the birds ...

So, that brings me to the end of a very lovely week off, and I am attempting to turn my head back to the working world again for tomorrow, sigh. I really love these weeks off where I can just stay at home, chill and write. It's lovely.

I've written a couple of haikus this week and here they are:

Strange dogs haunt my dreams
hunting in the night's shadows.
Dark blood and silence.


Over distant blue,
lapwings spin a cloud of lace
and pearls. Glittering.

Anne's website - with a foot in so many camps ...
The Prayer Seeker - where a spiritual search takes an unexpected direction

Reviews and poems

I'm pleased to say that my review of Anita Shreve's Testimony is now up at Vulpes Libris. Sex and fragility in school - what more could you want?

Speaking of reviews, I'm also happy to say that A Stranger's Touch has received its latest review at Three Dollar Bill reviews and is also - much to my amazement and utter delight - Number 8 in the January bestsellers list at Amber Allure, well gosh! Thank you to everyone who's bought it and put it there.

Meanwhile, two of my poems have been accepted for the Spring edition of The Mayo Review so that's something to look forward to. It's also interesting as they're the last ever poems I've submitted anywhere, or indeed intend to submit, for the foreseeable future. The rest of my poems I'm simply putting up here as and when I write them or at my Facebook page as part of my meditation series. I'm into the 300s of the meditation pieces now, so quite a body of work, I feel. Can't comment on the quality however - one never can. Talking of poetry, here's this week's poem from my poetry course:

My father’s shirt

hangs large and shabby
in the blue section
of my wardrobe.
I wear it
as an overshirt
at parties
though the neck
is worn
and the sleeves
are too long

You wore it
for the last time
the day before you left
for hospital.

Your gardening shirt:
you were pruning
your beloved roses,
fingers scattering
stray petals
to the earth.


And, if I dare sneak in such a thing, I am frankly astounded that one of the small publishers I sent The Gifting to (sorry about the grammar, but who cares?...) has actually requested the full MS after seeing the first three chapters. Yes, I know nothing will come of it (nothing ever does), but this is the first time this has happened with this book, so I'm having my own private moment of pleasure (as it were). And enjoying it while it lasts ...

Finally, on the writing front, that lovely young man, Jason Shaw, has uploaded a precis version of my interview at Best Gay Blogs, so if you didn't catch it before, now's your chance. Some readers have already enquired (taking the picture at the bottom of the link into account) whether Jason was naked when he interviewed me - but out of professional courtesy, I couldn't possibly say. Jason, your secret is safe with me ...

And, today, I've had a wonderful morning of tea and chat with Jane H (hello, Jane - wonderful to catch up at last!), and an afternoon of utterly blissful reflexology. Plus, I've finished a short story which I hope is suitably spicy as well as being comic, and hope to pitch it to one of my publishers at some point. Ooh, hark at her. One of my publishers!!... Whatever next?

Anne's website - celebrating her small successes
The Prayer Seeker's Journal - getting in touch with the inner man, slowly

Gifts, Fruit and luvvies

Big excitement this week as my literary short story, How to Eat Fruit, is now published and you can find out more information here. You can also see the book trailer, which gives a good feel for the story, I think. I'm also very pleased that I've already had my first 5-star review from Sarah Black, who kindly calls it "a lovely, lyrical story". Thank you, Sarah. And an equally big thank you to Jay Hartman of Untreed Reads who is responsible for publishing it.

Still on the book front, I'm very pleased that A Stranger's Touch has received a 4-star review from Rainbow Reviews, and a 4-star review from Diane at Goodreads - thank you, both, for that. And another equal thank you for the 3-star review from Kassa, who's obviously taken a lot of time to think through the story, even though they found it puzzling. In some ways, I find I actually don't mind so much whether people like my work or not (many don't!) just as long as they think about it. Is that a sign I'm coming more to terms with what I do and where I want to go with it? Hell, who knows ...

Other hugely exciting news for me is that the lovely Penelope Cline has come up with yet another stonkingly good cover - this time for The Gifting. Needless to say, I'm utterly delighted with it and think Penelope is a total genius. Am hoping to self-publish this one in late spring or early summer, if nothing else more enticing turns up, so it's good to have something to look forward to for later in the year, hurrah! And thank you, Penelope - again.

Finally, on the writing front, I've uploaded another episode of The Prayer Seeker's Journal where Michael is beginning to take steps to further his religious quest. You also get a cunning picture of my local vicar here in Surrey and his rather nice and bookish house. Write what you know, eh ...

In my other world, Lord H and I have been to see not one, but two astonishingly good plays this week and I can thoroughly recommend them both to you. First up was a rather exciting offering from Alan Ayckbourn in his subtle, witty and very clever play, My Wonderful Day. Something of a slow-burn but oh yes it's worth it. The last half is a corker with a fantastic and beautifully paced ending. The actress who plays the 9-year old child is astonishingly good for a woman who's apparently 28 years old, and I had no problem believing her stage age. The gestures and awkwardness of a child are spot-on. I thought she was a young teenager. And, as a local review mentioned, she can convey whole sentences with her eyes. Fabulous. But panic not - it's not a child's play at all. Simply a very clever take on how adults can seem to children. I also loved the soon to be ex-wife. She was great. Maybe she could have come into the play earlier, but that's my only caveat.

We've also seen the deeply moving and sharply acted Hanging Hooke, a new play about lost 17th century genius, Robert Hooke. Bloody good acting, bloody good play. If you get even a quarter of a chance to catch it, go. You won't regret it. Actor Chris Barnes give a tour de force performance. It was a pleasure to see it.

Oh, and I at last have a second pair of glasses which work for seeing the computer, hurrah! So I can actually see what I'm typing - hell, that might make a difference to my future output indeed. And, okay, it means two pairs of glasses instead of one but if it means I can see to read and write and don't get headaches, then I'm laughing. Ho ho.

And today, Lord H has taken me out to a lovely lunch at The Squirrel in Hurtmore. A pub we love, so here's hoping it doesn't go downhill soon - as seems to happen to all of the pubs we've loved round here. The incredible excitement however was that also having lunch at a table a few down from us, with his young family, was actor and comedian Hugh Dennis. Well, gosh! Luckily Lord H didn't tell me till later on, otherwise I would have been hyperventilating and begging for an autograph all through the meal. I think he's amazing! Still, when I finally got to see him in the corner, I behaved with appropriate style and charm - ie I ignored him, giggled in a fan-girl manner and ran out of the pub, um, hyperventilating. God, but I'm cool. Not. Ah well.

This week's haiku:

Frost glitters the air
and the gardens are sifted
with snow. Bitterly.

Anne's website - always stylish in the face of stardom, as if ...
The Prayer Seeker's Journal - getting to grips with matters of faith, slowly

Marmite meanderings

A brief blog as I'm having an odd day off and tomorrow will be super-busy. Plus I'm just off to my Clarins massage (ah, bliss ...) followed almost immediately by the Bible group. Romans 9 - St Paul in full flow. What could be trickier? Hmm ...

Today at Vulpes Libris, I'm reviewing Kal Bonner's Climbing a Ladder Backwards. Another hmmm ... And a rather disappointing attempt to create a Bridget Jones for the new decade. Additionally disappointing, as I'm utterly convinced that this is not the novel Bonner should have written. It could have been oh so much more. If given a chance to breathe ...

Talking of reviews, I find myself unexpectedly heartened by a negative but incredibly thoughtful review of A Stranger's Touch on Goodreads by Winterjade. Whilst I'm obviously sorry she didn't like the story, I'm much chuffed by the fact that she recognised its ethereal and mystical qualities. That's exactly the effect I was aiming for, and it's marvellous that it's come across - all the more so to someone who disliked the story. Perhaps, as another writing friend has pointed out, it's simply because I've written a "marmite story" (at last! At last!), and people either warm to it or they don't. Either way, it's making me feel quite pleased. Or maybe I am just weird after all? That wouldn't surprise me ...

Earlier in the week, the lovely Clare London was kind enough to showcase me on her Livejournal site and there you can find out a little more about my reasons for writing that marmite story mentioned above(!) and read an extract of it (WARNING: it's erotic). Thank you for the opportunity, Clare, and I hope your birthday month is proving truly bright and bubbly for you!

Finally, here's this week's poetry course offering:

Treasures and traps

The night found me
glooming, at the edge
of a past
not yet explored,
rare dominion
of dreams, sparse country
of flight –

this coloured
storm of the sea,
this history
churning me, yearning me,
onward, downward
and I’m spiralling
somewhere between

earth and sky,
uncaught.


A little strange perhaps but, hey, you should be used to that by now ...

Anne's website - an acquired taste, but harmless really
The Prayer Seeker's Blog - walking on the light side, possibly

A question of identity

I'm pleased to say that Queer Magazine has just published my short article on GLBT fiction: a question of identity, which takes a look at the prejudices surrounding gay fiction and the women who write some of it. I'd love to know what you think - either through the comments section under the article or indeed here. Let me know.

Meanwhile, A Stranger's Touch has received its first official review which you can find at the Jessewave Review Site. I'm thrilled with the in-depth look Jen has given it - thanks, Jen! - and also by the 4.5 rating, well gosh.

However, at the same time, I'm struggling to place my GLBT fantasy romance short story, Angels and Airheads. It's not what Dreamspinner Press want for their angels anthology (um, again - I'm obviously just not doing it for Dreamspinner at the moment, sigh ...) and it's too short at just under 5000 words for Amber Allure. It's a quirky comedy tale, so if anyone has any ideas about who might like such a beast, I'll be over the moon to hear any suggestions. Thank you.

Turning back to reviews, I'm delighted to say that my review of Lynda Louise Mangoro's inspirational YA novel, Awakening of the Dream Riders, is now at Vulpes Libris so do have a read. It's a great book.

Finally, in the wonderful world of fiction, I've uploaded the latest chapter of The Prayer Seeker's Blog, in which Michael remembers his first experiences of meditation. Not as calming as you might imagine, and certainly not as fictional. But at least it does go to show that God can be quite overwhelmingly scary too, which is something I've always tried to convey, but not many people take notice. Ah well.

And this week's poetry is this:

Iridescence

Red for passion, white
for purity,
black for

possibility.
Take these colours,
blend them

with your own
and wait
for your skies to expand.


While this week's haiku is:

The day dawns with clouds
and birdsong. We make coffee,
promise to begin.

Anne's website - puzzling over its identity again
The Prayer Seeker's Blog - just when you thought God might be safe, he's ... um ... not