Storms and ghosts

Book News:

Much to my delight, gay thriller A Dangerous Man is no 9 in the Amber Allure bestseller chart for September - which is welcome news indeed after its Goodreads thrashing, hurrah. Perhaps - perish the thought - it's not actually as bad as its new readers think? You never know, tee hee ...

Meanwhile, gay-based fantasy The Gifting (Gathandria *1) found itself at No 91 in the Amazon UK gay fiction charts, whilst The Executioner's Cane (Gathandria *3) was at No 87 in the Amazon US gay fiction charts. The faint glimmer of glory was brief, alas, but welcome.

As a reminder, over at Untreed Reads, all my short stories can be purchased at the bargain price of 50c or 20p, so do feel free to browse. A story a day keeps boredom away, so they say.

One poem this week - the goldfinches are back! -

Goldfinch

A late goldfinch

flutters at the bird feeder:

a splash of gold

on a cloudy day.

And I think next year

a brighter summer

might even now
pass our way.

And here's my mini review of Kate Mosse's Winter Ghosts:

I'd expected more from this, given Mosse's reputation - I've not read any of her work before so this was my introduction. It's a very well written ghost story, but the plot is the same as many other ghost stories, so I kept thinking I'd read it before somewhere. No surprises at all really. However, the times and settings are very good indeed, but it still feels like a slight novel to me.


Life News:

This week we've been putting the garden to bed for the winter, so I've pulled up the dead plants or those which won't come back next year, and given stuff (there's a technical gardening phrase for you) a light winter prune where needed. I've not planted the tulips yet, but I'll do those in November. I also refreshed the hanging baskets with winter greenery - though I've brought them all inside today, along with other vulnerable pots, because of the storm heading our way.

Other plants brought inside include my two surviving cannas - one of which bloomed for the first time today. So our Durban canna has one gorgeous orange flower on it, with more to come, and is spending its first day of existence in our dining room with its canna friend.

On Thursday, K and I saw the world premiere (go, us!) of political comedy The Duck House, starring Ben Miller, in Guildford. My verdict is:

OK, but far more farcical and therefore not as satirical or witty as we'd hoped. The second half is much better (and ruder!) than the first half, but they really need to dampen down the level of hysteria in the first half in order to build up the tension more effectively. Still, it's good to see that decent farce is at least still being written for the stage.

And Saturday's cake was a St Clement's (orange and lemon) sponge. Very tasty it is too, and so easy to make, hurrah.

Have a great Sunday, and if you're in the UK, I hope the coming storm isn't as bad as the 1987 one, hey ho.

Anne Brooke
Gay Reads UK
The Gathandrian Fantasy Trilogy
Free Fiction UK
Biblical Fiction UK

Illness, rudeness and cake

Book News:

I've just completed my gay paranormal short story, The Paranormal Detection Agency, and have submitted it to Amber Allure Press. It's due to be published as part of their ghost/haunting collection next spring, so plenty of time for edits. I'm quite pleased with how it's turned out and suspect there might be a series in the offing in there too, once I can get my act together. Hmm, don't wait up, eh.

This week, I've quite honestly had enough of internet - and particularly Goodreads - vitriol so have cancelled my account there, for the sake of my own sanity. I've also cancelled my Twitter account - as I've never really known what it was for - and begun the process of taking down my Facebook fan pages, as they weren't very popular anyway. I'll leave my personal FB account intact. At least all this internet rationalisation will save me some valuable time, hurrah. And get the Goodreads ghouls off my back, double hurrah and put out the bunting.

A couple of poems this week, which I hope you enjoy:

Spell casting

Outside in the dark

starlight sparkles,

exposes the room’s soft comfort.

The witching hour.

The knife’s blade gleams

a deeper silver

as it unsheathes

the apple’s white flesh

held in the palm

of my hand.

Scent of autumn hedgerows.

Keep the fingers steady,

watch the smooth paring

of skin unfold

its secret spell.

One length,

then two

before the deed is done.

Close the eyes tight

and release

the magic today:

apple rind thrown on the fire

reveals your true love’s name,

they say.

Jump

Sometimes

you just have to

let go the things

that taste of safety

and launch out

into the hereafter;

so may the dancing air

and sunlight

carry your weight

while the seagulls’ song

salts your skin

with laughter.

Life News:

I've been ill with a bad cold and catarrh this week. This resulted in me attempting to drive to work on Wednesday (foolish decision ...), feeling horribly sick on the way, slamming to a halt in one of the Senate House car park disabled spaces, and running across the university main reception area whilst gagging. Not my finest hour really. So all kudos and grateful thanks to the lovely Reception gals who sprang at once to my aide, and the equally lovely A. who sorted out telling my boss and colleagues I was going home without actually quite managing to get to my desk. I did feel a fool, I can tell you.

So I've been off sick the rest of the week but I do feel a lot better this weekend, thank goodness. I trust I will be able to get to work unscathed tomorrow, without the drama. Here's hoping.

Yesterday, a salesman from a local paving company (who should perhaps remain nameless!) turned up on a door-to-door visit, to ask on the off-chance if we wanted our driveway done. When I told him no thank you, he got very nasty and started swearing at me, saying (and I quote): "Jesus Christ, I don't like your attitude." I told him to stop swearing and then shut the door on him, but honestly I felt really quite shaky. Is this the new sales technique they're teaching people these days?? Ye gods, I can't say I like it. I certainly won't be getting a driveway from them (though actually we had considered them in the past) - or maybe I should and then bury the pesky swearing man under it. Ah, tempting thought ...

Yesterday's cake was chocolate brownies, and they've turned out very well indeed. More than enough chocolate in there to cheer me up after Goodreads and swearing salesmen horrors. Thank goodness.

And we've had a lovely dinner out with our neighbours L&J, at R&G's new home, so that was great too. Excellent food, excellent conversation and a wonderful new home to admire. Bliss indeed.






Anne Brooke
Gay Fiction UK
The Gathandrian Fantasy Trilogy
Biblical Fiction UK

Execution, film and a church mystery

Book News:

This week, gay-themed fantasy novel The Gifting found itself at No 90 in the Amazon UK Fantasy charts, while the last in the Gathandrian Trilogy, The Executioner's Cane, was at No 78 in the Amazon US Gay Fiction Charts and No 56 in the Amazon UK Gay Fiction Charts. And don't forget the whole Gathandrian fantasy trilogy is FREE so there's nothing to lose, hey ho.

Not to be outdone, the 2nd in the trilogy, Hallsfoot's Battle, found itself briefly at No 76 in the Amazon UK Epic Fantasy chart, so that was a bit of a boost to the struggling writer too, hurrah.

Meanwhile, gay erotic romance The Art of The Delaneys gained a 4-star review at Goodreads, which commented that the whole of the series was "pure entertaining smut." Exactly what I intended, so I was very chuffed by that!

I'm also very pleased indeed to note that romantic short story Dido's Tale has now had over 50 downloads at Smashwords, and that's a FREE book too.  Never say I'm not generous with my fiction, eh ...

This week's poetry is about Wasps and Sunlight, and can be found at my poetry site, as usual. Happy reading.


Life News:

A very busy end of week here in the Surrey outback and, indeed, I seem to have shoehorned all my social activities, not to mention church dramas (see below), for the month into two days. Heck, no wonder I'm exhausted. On Thursday night, there was an extra rehearsal of the upcoming Elstead play at ours to try to iron out one or two problem sections. This ended up with me playing all the characters who couldn't be there on the night, in order to give everyone else a good chance at some practice. Heavens above, I should be granted my Equity card on merit alone, my dears. My performance was a tour de force, naturally, ho ho.

On Friday, M and I managed to squeeze in a round of golf in between the rain showers (or maybe deluge is a more accurate word), and I also had another fabulous haircut at the Elstead salon (many thanks once more, Steff). In the evening, K and I went to see Lincoln at the Elstead cinema, and really enjoyed the experience - lovely to have all those local adverts during the interval, including one for the upcoming play. No mention of my valuable support, however - I must have been left on the cutting room floor, oh the shame!

Goodness, though, but the first half of Lincoln is very wordy. And tough if, like me, you don't know US history and wonder who the heck these people are. Lincoln had children? Who knew! I was also confused because I didn't know Lincoln was the same time period as the US Civil War, but I accept I might have been getting him muddled up with George Washington, who apparently was earlier. However the second half was much better, with more actual excitement and less talking. The decision scene was superb. I loved the 3 Stooges, and the guy who was all for racial equality and had a relationship with his black housekeeper which was very sweet (Stevens, possibly?). I also loved all those wonderful beards and moustaches, and of course Daniel Day-Lewis nailed it. As ever with Spielberg though, he went on and indulged in cringe-making sentimentality after the film's natural end. It should have finished when Lincoln walks out into the night to go to the fateful theatre performance where he was shot. We didn't need the bit with the crying sons and the equality speech - way too tacky. But hey, that's Spielberg for you - he's never recognised The End when it arrives, oh well.

Yesterday, I baked Devonshire Honey Cake - it wasn't as good as the last time I baked it, as I managed to burn it a little, but the honey glaze has covered up a multitude of sins and it tastes fine, phew. We also popped along to the Elstead book sale, and managed to get six books for £2, go us. A real bargain indeed.

I'm rather bamboozled by a telephone conversation I had with one of the church ladies, however, which went something like this:

Church Lady (CL): Please could I speak to K?
Me: Of course. Can I tell him what it's about?
CL: We need to know where you live.
Me: (I give her our address, assuming this is for the church records: they're always asking us where we live, then losing the information and asking again, sigh): OK, no problem, is that all?
CL: No, not really. I can't tell you, but Mrs X (another church lady) needs to talk to him about something and wonders if she can come round to discuss it today. Now we have your address.
Me: I'm not sure if we'll be in (a lie actually, but a Visitation by Church Ladies is always a Moment of Horror and To Be Avoided ...). If you tell me what it's about, I can ask him though.
CL: Um, I don't really know, I can't say. I'll ask Mrs X. (Sound of CL asking Mrs X, who is actually in the same room as CL but for some reason won't speak to me on the phone.) Mrs X - Anne asks what it's about - can you tell me?
Pause and murmured conversation away from the phone
CL: Mrs X can't talk about it on the phone, but needs to come round and see K and you face to face. Can she come round now?
Me (still lying for Britain): I think we'll be out. Can Mrs X give me a guide as to what it's about, please?
More muttered conversation.
CL: I'm afraid she can't. It's a face-to-face matter. She's going to come round now. Will you be in?
Me: It's unlikely (making plans to flee the country and hoping the passport is still valid). We may be out. Are you sure you can't talk about it on the phone, or ask Mrs X to tell me, so I can tell K?
CL: No, that's definitely  not possible. Mrs X will come round. But if you're out, what will Mrs X do?
Me (now laughing hysterically): She'll probably have to wait a long time, but at least it's not raining.
Puts phone down.

Church ladies - really, they're a puzzle wrapped in an enigma, bless 'em. My dears, it's a mystery. Anyway, the upshot was that Mrs X never came round - though she might well have done while we were out. But K and I are having great fun wondering what it might have been about that makes her want to talk to K face to face, but not me on the phone. Has she discovered some terrible secret about me that she must tell K before it's too late? Goodness, I do hope so, as that would be amazing! K wonders idly if Mrs X has discovered my secret affair with the vicar's wife, which would certainly be something for the November edition of the parish magazine, eh. Ha! I was too busy dealing with tea coming out of my nose at that suggestion to comment. The plot, however, thickens ...

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

Poetry, potatoes and prayer

Book News:

Gay thriller A Dangerous Man is now available as a Kindle at Amazon UK and Amazon US. For a brief moment of glory, it was actually at No 16 in the Amazon UK Gay Books chart, but has dropped somewhat since then. It might be to do with the small backlash against the book currently taking place on Goodreads, but I am trying to lie low on that score - especially as Goodreads is rather in uproar at the moment, oh well.

However, gay thriller Maloney's Law gained a 4-star review at Goodreads, so perhaps all is not lost on that site yet, hurrah. Elsewhere, Christian novella The Prayer Seeker gained a 5-star review at Amazon UK, which cheered me greatly.

There's further good news this week, as my gay fiction at Riptide Publishing now has a 40% discount until next weekend - so the ideal time to pick up either gay romance The Heart's Greater Silence or gay erotic romance Where You Hurt The Most. Happy reading.

Finally, I've created a new poetry website and this week there are three new poems up there: Like Chocolate; October; and Written. I hope you enjoy them.


Life News:

I've managed to survive the ups and downs of Welcome Week at the University for a ninth year (go me!), though I have certainly been struggling with a cold all week - probably the stress, as it seems much better now. I think the students have had a good time though - which is the main thing for sure - they're certainly a very keen year, all in all. A big welcome to them all from me.

Something of a trauma in the cooking department when I rushed back after a long, hard day at work, and saw my husband had kindly peeled the potatoes and left them in a bowl in the kitchen for me to sort out. So I put them on to boil for dinner and about twenty minutes later he came strolling in, looked extremely puzzled and then asked me where I'd put the last of our apple harvest. Whoops! My dears, by that time they were mush - but we did at least manage to make them into compote for dessert, phew. I am of course far too important to know the difference between potatoes and apples, but I fear I might - as an apple farmer's daughter - take some time to live that one down ...

This week's cake is Rocky Road Cupcakes, which are surely the messiest cake known to humankind, and look extremely odd - though thankfully they taste great, hurrah. A riot of chocolate indeed.

This morning at church, I was sure there was something odd floating in the Communion wine, but I attempted to avoid it and look holy, so I think I've survived the experience. I'm relying on the alcohol content and the miracle of prayer to get us through the day, hey ho.

Mind you, I was rather irritated by the line in one of the hymns which tells us that "the church's teaching is wholly supported by God and we must all agree with it" or some such nonsensical baloney. K told me afterwards he thought I was about to spontaneously combust at having to sing such a downright lie, so I have surely gained essential God Points by remaining calm. That said, a lot of the church stalwarts were away on the Parish Weekend, so at least the oldies left behind did choose some good old-fashioned hymns - with decent tunes! -  to sing, rather than anything too modern or scarily Kendrick-y. Maybe we should send the usual hymn-pickers away again?...

Sadly, at the church door, I was asked if I wanted to do a church job. God forbid! I'm rather fond of the lovely chap who asked me, but my answer is as it's always been, no matter how nice you are: Not until you've had a real conversation with me about non-church stuff at least 5 times, and certainly not until the Church of England stops being anti-women leaders and anti-equal marriage. Hmmm, I won't wait up then, eh.

Anyway, to calm us all down from church idiocies and the traumas of the internet, here are some wonderful pictures of one of our acers getting in autumnal mode.

Have a great week.

Anne Brooke
Poetry for Redheads
Free Fiction UK
Gay Fiction UK
The Gathandrian Fantasy Trilogy
Biblical Fiction UK

Free books and freshers

Book News:

Romantic short story, Dido's Tale, is now FREE at Smashwords and All Romance Ebooks, and also available at Amazon. Here's the blurb:

When shipwreck brings the legendary Lord Aeneas to her shores, Queen Dido finds herself first puzzled and then enchanted by the mysterious stranger. Enchantment turns inevitably to a passionate love which Aeneas returns in full, and the two different nations begin to merge into one as she teaches him the ways of her people.

When the gods demand Aeneas' return to his mission, how will he respond, and what price is Dido willing to pay to change fate?

There's already a 5-star review at Goodreads (many thanks, Fred) which includes the following:

"What emerges is a remarkable portrait of a woman with a will and sense of duty as strong as any man's, and the complexity of sexual identities and gender roles."

In other news, gay thriller A Dangerous Man is now available as a paperback at Amazon US, and Maloney's Law has become a bestseller at All Romance Ebooks, well gosh.

Gay-themed fantasy, The Executioner's Cane, has also just passed its 100 downloads marker at Free Ebooks, so that's nice news.

Here are some poems of the week:

Webs

The morning hums

with spiders,

thick white webs

casting shadows

on damp earth

and I am again

entangled by autumn’s

quiet expectation,

quivering

in the air’s soft thrum.

Desk-bound

The brush and shuffle

of the working day

dance around me

as I sit and sway

my fingers to the sound

of the keyboard’s call

to make something of nothing

or nothing at all.

Horses

The horses returned

just when we thought

they wouldn’t:

galloping hooves

sparked light,

startling butterflies

and flashes of green

from the waiting earth.

They dance

in the sun,

framed by sky

and autumn glow.

Life News:

It's Move In Weekend at the University, so I spent yesterday answering a variety of questions in the Student Services Centre. My colleague Ruth and I are also helping out with the Information Point during Welcome Week from tomorrow, so it's going to be hugely busy. Nice to have a new set of students in though - from yesterday's influx, they seem very keen indeed.

As a result, I didn't have time to make any cake this weekend, but K nobly stepped into the breach and made Victoria Sponge cake, and home-made tomato chutney. What a super-hero!

Have a great week.

Anne Brooke
Gay Reads UK
Free Fiction
The Gathandrian Trilogy
Biblical Fiction UK

Danger: Giveaways!

Book News:

Literary gay thriller A Dangerous Man is now available at All Romance Ebooks. You can find out more about its dark and dangerous London setting at the Amber Allure blog. There are also a couple of FREE giveaways of the book currently under way at:

1. The Sid Love Blog - where getting what you want isn't always the best thing ... 16 people have already entered this one, and I'd love to get to 20!

2. The Booklikes giveaway - which is proving surprisingly popular. 17 people have already requested a copy (3 are available). I wonder if I can reach 25? You never know ...

Over at my struggling fantasy series, I was delighted to see that - very briefly - The Executioner's Cane reached No 18 in the Amazon US free gay and lesbian fiction charts. Down a lot more today to a position of no ranking, sadly, but I fear that's the way it's going with those three books. Ah well.

In other news, I've decided to try to focus on a little more poetry again, after having written nothing for about a year or so. Here is a selection, only one of which is new:

Leaves

The crunch under my boot, 
remnants of a faraway summer
golden, brown and crimson
already disappearing
as I kick my way along
in this autumn chill.

Crackle and drag
of blistered sound
while I walk towards winter
is as addictive to my feet
as bubble wrap to my fingers: 
deliciously futile thrill. 


Returning

The silence has wrapped me
so long that I forgot
how to make words
dance in the sky

and all I’m left with
is the certain faith
that once I knew
how to fly. 


Scarlet Joy

The rose I find
written in red
beneath the lattice
knows its own glory

and radiates the strength
of this dying sun
into a different life, 
another story. 


TV Heaven

Sunday nights
are for murder, 
something cosy
with a hint of spice
to get your teeth into, 

not gory enough to put you off
your cocoa and cake
but with enough blood
and interesting corpses
to give a certain zest
to the cheese and biscuits.

It’s an essential bridge
from the deep deep peace of the weekend
to the frantic hurly-burly
of the working week

so sit down, switch on
and don’t speak. 


Life News:

A lovely surprise when I returned to work on Monday after a week away to find that my former colleagues in Student Services had bought me a gift of flowers and chocolates to say thank you for my nine years in their team. I was really touched! Many thanks indeed to all of you - the chocolates were lovely, and the flowers look beautiful and are lasting well. On to my new life in the Registry now, which certainly looks set to be an interesting experience - in the best possible sense, of course.

In the garden, we harvested our first home-grown apple, a James Grieve - and it was really tasty. English apples are indeed the best in the world, and I speak as an apple farmer's daughter, so I know it's true. As it's a very small baby tree, there are only 2 more apples left on it, but K and I are looking forward to finishing the harvest soon. It's quality, not quantity, after all ...

Not only that, but last year's hibiscus which didn't flower has now decided to grace us with its glorious presence. And the Harlow Carr roses are having a second autumnal flush. As it were.

Yesterday's cake was Coffee Cake, and I used up the last of the Smarties as the decoration - it's a rather tasty combination, I must admit.

K and I visited the lovely Hinton Ampner yesterday - where the dahlias look stunning - and picked up some more shade plants and autumn bedding (pansies and violas) as we were out. We also restocked on the essential compost as we were running frighteningly low, yikes. Not a good position to be in as garden lovers, believe me.

Today, I'm taking it easy as yesterday was a rather rough night (women's problems - no, don't ask ...) - so I hope to drift around all day with my smelling salts. Hey ho.

Have a great Sunday.

Anne Brooke

Gay Reads UK

The Gathandrian Fantasy Trilogy

Biblical Fiction UK

Danger: Men, Cakes and GLBTQ Christianity

Book News:

Gay thriller A Dangerous Man is republished today with a special First Week Discount at Amber Allure Press. Here's the blurb:

Michael Jones, a young gay artist and part-time hooker, will do anything to stage his first exhibition. When he falls in love with rich financier Jack Hutchinson, he seems set to achieve his goal. But as Michael becomes caught between the unforgiving territory of smoky-bar Hackney and the green-garden luxury of upper class London, the consequences of his uncompromising pursuit leave him having to fight for all he holds dear, and in the only way he knows how.

You can read a review at On Top Down Under Book Reviews (thank you, Karen!), which includes the following:

"I recommend this book to those who are interested in a well written book about fragile psychology, tenuous control, with real cause. It is an intense (LGBT) book where romance is not the all encompassing theme, rather an individual’s complexities are ... A Dangerous Man is not an easy read, but it is an incredibly powerful and haunting book."

Meanwhile, over at Amazon US (although the new version isn't yet published there), one reader says:

"The complexity of his [Michael's] character fascinated me. He is multi-layered, intense, a brilliant artist desperately trying to pursue his dream. Along the way he meets the love of his life and achieves his dream. Once that happens his life unravels and we the reader unravel along with him. At least, this reader did because by then I had bought into Michael's world and his soul. I hated his moments of self-sabotage but I had come to love him and was rooting for him. I really don't understand why Anne Brooke is not a better known author ... I have used this word before to describe her writing style: luminous."

Many thanks, Gloriamarie - much appreciated indeed.

Meanwhile, in other book news, gay-themed FREE fantasy The Gifting has been downloaded 515 times at Smashwords, so that's nice. This week it's also been showcased at the Awesome Trilogies website, but I'm not sure how much traffic I'm getting from that, to be honest. It's always very hard to say.

Lesbian romance A Woman Like The Sea gained a 5-star review at Amazon UK, from a reader who "discovered" me after reading one of my free novels, so that's lovely to know:

"Anne cleverly uses descriptive prose to help the reader visualise both the physical context of the story and to allow them into the deep, emotional heart of the characters."

And Christian novella The Prayer Seeker also gained a 5-star review at Amazon, with the reader commenting that the book is: "Worth taking the time to read and reflect on."

Many thanks indeed to all reviewers.

Life News:

Many congratulations to K and me as we celebrated our 20th wedding anniversary on 11 September this week, go us! We had a lovely trip out to The Savill Garden, and then the following day to Wakehurst Place, where I have to say I ate the best chocolate brownie I have ever had in my life. Total bliss.

Speaking of cake, this week's is Death by Chocolate Cake, which is scarily large and hugely rich and is surely cutting several years off our lifespans just by looking at it. Still, what a way to go, eh, and I can vouch for its sheer tastiness. Heck, there's nearly 1 lb of pure chocolate in the icing alone, goodness me.

Yesterday, we spent a day with Mother, and everyone survived the experience, phew. Though I did have to have a double gin when I got home, but hey that's usually the case. I made sure to make it a strong one.

This week I have also made a video in support of NALT Christians - which is a group of Christians keen to demonstrate that we're actually entirely welcoming of GLBTQ people and very enthusiastic supporters of equal marriage. I'm not the greatest film maker in the world, I freely admit, but the more GLBTQ-friendly Christians make a video, the more the general assumption that Christianity and homosexuality are enemies can be shown to be the utter baloney that it is. So if you are a Christian supporter of GLBTQ rights, may I encourage you also to put your support online for all to see. Thank you.

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

Danger in sight and the work of the devil

Book News

I've now finished the final edits for upcoming gay thriller A Dangerous Man, due out from Amber Allure on 15 September, and just have the proofs to come this week.

Meanwhile, Christian novella The Prayer Seeker managed to get a 4-star review from a reader who still considered it to be the Work of The Devil (which makes me feel doubly proud indeed!). And it also gained a 1-star review from another reader who dislikes my homosexual agenda, so I'm even prouder than I was before (hurrah!) as I love my homosexual agenda and will flaunt it with huge pride wherever and however I can (see below for further explanation of same).

Just so you know and to avoid further confusion and horror on the part of the Christian traditional evangelical reader: the gift of being GLBTQ is just as great a blessing from God as the gift of being straight, so if you are about to read The Prayer Seeker, which features a bisexual man setting out to seek God, please do bear my Christian beliefs in mind. Thank you.

Continuing with the subject of gay-themed fiction, fantasy novel The Gifting was briefly at No 1 in the Amazon France Foreign Epic Fantasy charts, well double gosh and put out le bunting. I've never been No 1 in anything, apart from the person at work (in my old job, I hasten to add) most likely to turn out to be a serial killer and a member of the Townswomen's Guild - there's a happy combination indeed.

And, joy of joys, fantasy novel The Executioner's Cane gained its first reader review, for which I am very grateful indeed:

"An interesting novel that makes us rethink many of our prejudices and ideas. Reading recommended for its depth and seriousness." (in translation)

The Executioner's Cane also turned up at No 20 in the Omnilit Books Free Fiction chart, so many thanks to those readers downloading the book.

Life News:

Much to my delight, I have found out this week exactly what that mysterious beast, the Homosexual Agenda, actually is (see also above!), which I am frequently accused of having. The placard in the picture sounds marvellous to me and I am happy to offer this agenda to all indeed.

I have at the same time been delighted to discover a new website dedicated to those of us who are Christian and believe (because of, not in spite of, our Christianity) in equal rights for all. It's called Not All Like That - as most of the media seem to believe Christians hate homosexuality and we're frankly fed up with that image - so please do visit and find out what it's all about. You can also find a very helpful Facebook page about it as well.

Which leads me to this totally delightful image, which again says it all. Perfect!

This week, I've had fun at the dentist with a filling (groan), so thank goodness that's over. At least this dentist seems rather more competent than my original one, hurrah - she takes pain away, rather than creating it, so that has to be a step forward. I also squeezed in a visit to the doctor to try to cure my deaf right ear (what's that you say? Sorry, must have missed it ...) and now have some sodium bicarbonate drops which is supposed to solve the problem. I hope this will do the trick.

In the garden, we've been planting out autumn bedding, including violas, pansies and some late chrysanthemums, which has cheered everything up for sure. And we've also visited the Wisley Flower Show, and the Crocus Nursery open day event, where I picked up a few more heucheras to put in our shady areas, and a couple of packets of narcissi for the spring. Oh, and much to our delight, we spotted a Speckled Wood butterfly in the garden today, so that was lovely.

I'm in my Lemon Phase (like Picasso's Blue Period, but sunnier) at the moment as this week's cake is Lemon Sponge, and very tasty it is too. How I do love a recipe where you can just shove everything in, mix and bake. Simplicity is all.

Finally, I've said a sad farewell to my wonderful boss, D, who left the University this week for a new and very exciting job elsewhere. I've worked for him for over 9 years, so I do feel very sad indeed, but we gave him a very good send-off on Thursday afternoon and evening and he seemed to enjoy it all, which was great. And K showed his usual Star Husband Quality by being utterly sympathetic and lovely when I came home (having been really strong and totally together all week!) on Thursday night and wept on his shoulder over ... um ... how much I'll miss another man. Hey ho. Good luck to D in his new career, and a big Gold Star to K.

Happy Sunday to all!

Anne Brooke
Gay Reads UK
Free Fiction
The Gathandrian Fantasy Trilogy
Biblical Fiction UK

Prayer and Chances

Book News:

Christian novella The Prayer Seeker gained some 5-star reviews this week, which was most welcome. First off, at Amazon UK, where it was "absorbing and moving"; then at Amazon US where it was "an unexpected delight"; and, last but by no means least, at Goodreads (thank you, Karen!):

"The Prayer Seeker had me glued to the Kindle from the first page and I read it in one sitting. A lovely gentle Christian read for those who believe in a loving all encompassing God."

Gay-themed epic fantasy, The Gifting, has continued to be popular at Amazon US, with another 1000+ downloads in August (similar to July's downloads). It also passed its 1000 downloads marker at Free Ebooks, so that was a nice boost.

Over at Untreed Reads, there's a 40% discount on all my books until Monday 2 September, and in addition if you buy bisexual literary thriller Thorn in the Flesh, you can get another book for free. Happy shopping!

I've also finally finished the first draft of gay fantasy The Taming of The Hawk (hurrah! It's certainly taken me long enough ...) but there's a fair amount of editing to do, but I'm going to have a break before I get started on it, I think.

And I'm happy to say that gay erotic BDSM romance Taking a Chance will be published at Wilde City Press on 25 September. No final cover art as yet, but I love the mock-up I've seen. Am looking forward to doing the edits with my new editor there over the next couple of weeks.

Finally in this section, there's a new interview with me over at Smashwords, so do pop by and have a read to see what I'm up to - all visitors welcome, of course.

Life News:

This week, I attended my last staff meeting as a member of Student Support before I move across to the Registry next week. I'll miss Student Support as I've worked there for over 9 years now, but it will certainly be interesting to see the University from a different perspective. I was very touched at the meeting too as they actually gave me a round of applause which was lovely. Thank you, all! Though whether that meant they were sorry to see me go or overjoyed to get rid of me has yet to be ascertained ... Mind you, K said that when they started clapping, I should have told them to just throw money instead - ah, think of the fortune I might have made!

On Friday I have to say I played a stonkingly good game of golf - and actually won, which is very rare! I even got a par on the last hole, which was astonishing. Honestly, I have no idea why I was playing so well - and it definitely won't last till the next time - but I felt I could have spat at the ball and it would have gone in the hole. I shall bask in the glory while I can, hey ho ...

Yesterday's cake was Limoncello Cupcakes, which are very nice indeed and surprisingly light - but surely with the amount of cream and alcohol in them they are probably taking at least 5 years off our lives. Still, what a way to go, eh. I shall be making them again in the not too distant future, that much is certain.

And yesterday afternoon, K and I popped into Guildford to see a Peter Shaffer double bill at the theatre. We didn't think much of the first offering - A Private Ear - as there wasn't much to it and it was something of a one-trick pony. But the second offering - A Public Eye - was just brilliant and well worth the money. Witty and wise and zany, it was Shaffer at his best.

Happy Sunday!

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