Feeling the heat, a Bones review and a symphonic novel

It’s going to be a scorcher today, I fear. Here’s this morning’s meditation before we reach for our Pimm’s and ice:

Meditation 160

In early sunlight
the slats of the gate
glitter, pulsate
with shining cobwebs,
the day’s harbingers.

Beyond, the field
and distant mountains
shimmer with a promise
you can’t yet taste:
tantalising, dangerous.

Keeping to books, I am utterly thrilled with my first (five-star) review of The Bones of Summer which can be found at Amazon US (scroll down to the review section to read). Thanks so much to Amos Lassen for such kind words – I particularly liked “Brooke is a terrific writer and if you have not read her, you are really missing something.” I think I might even put that in my Christmas cards if you’re very unlucky!…

At work, I am considering the year’s Steering Group meetings and seeing how we can improve them. Yes, well, rather too much of a managerial task for me (I really only wanted to do the typing, you know …) but I’ll have to try to think of something. A blank page response doesn’t look good. At the same time, the office is drumming up more enthusiasm for our plans for Freshers’ Week – all very worthwhile and necessary of course, but as the whole concept is as usual filling me with dread and existential terror, my smile is, I admit, a little on the fixed side …

I decided against my lunchtime walk round campus today as it’s way too hot, but I did sit by the lake for a while and read. While I was there, in the heat and anger of the day, I finished Rose Tremain’s The Road Home – which I’ve been reading for the University Book Group meeting in July. What a novel. It’s the literary equivalent of listening to a great symphony. Possibly Beethoven but I’m not a musical expert. The characters are rich and vibrant with colour, and some of the turns of phrase are gripping. What puzzled me is that the review quote on the front of the book calls it “wild and beautiful.” Actually it’s anything but wild. It’s the most measured piece of writing I’ve read for a long time. “Measured and beautiful” would be far more accurate. That said, the symphony isn’t perfect. Some of the protagonist’s (Lev) actions are, I think, out of character. I don’t think he’s a man who succumbs to bouts of rage, but he does so in the novel a couple of times. This doesn’t work. I was also worried about two characters, our main man Lev and his short-term girlfriend Sophie, who seemed happy to take money from people in an old people’s home now and again without so much as sparing a thought for the morality of such actions. And I speak as one who used to work in an old people’s home, if on a voluntary basis. They’re always offering money – it’s part of dementia or the general vulnerability of old age. You either laugh it off or take any cheques to the home manager who can dispose of them as he/she thinks fit. So I did find that part of the book rather shocking and it felt as if Tremain hadn’t done her research properly here. Although of course I can’t judge a novelist for that – I’m Mrs Research Light after all. On a more serious note, however, I also think the novel is a good fifty pages or so too long. Maybe more. Reading the end of The Road Home felt like listening to a piece of music where the composer didn’t quite know how to end it and then it eventually fizzled out somewhat. Also the ending doesn’t work – it’s too neat and too happy, on a surface level. I think the power of the book required more angst at the end. That would have been better. However it’s nice that Sophie comes from Godalming – I of course did appreciate that! So, negative points aside, this is a novel well worth reading, if you haven’t already.

Meanwhile, I’ve written a poem about clocks. As you do. And I’ve got the second part of my advance cheque from Dreamspinner Press, so that’s put a spring in my step, thank you, Elizabeth!

Oh and I forgot to say yesterday that I tried to convince the boss that I may have a prickly exterior but that inside I am as soft and malleable as marshmallows melted in the sun. Or words to that effect. His response was actually he thought it was really the other way round, and I was pricklier on the inside than out. Well, harrumph, we say. That’s him off my Christmas card list then …!

Tonight, I’ll continue with my read through of The Gifting whilst sticking as closely as possible to our one and one fan. There’s still more ironing to do too, but I don’t really know if I can face it. The good thing though is that Lord H brought home loads of salad things, plus choc ices, from the shops yesterday which should keep us going for another few days, so we don’t have to turn the oven on at all, hurrah!

Today’s nice things:

1. Poetry
2. Reading
3. Being lazy
4. Books
5. Royalty cheques
6. The continuing pre-edit
7. Not having to turn the oven on.

Anne Brooke – wondering if she’s reached the day’s prickle quota yet

Meetings, editing and novel ideas

Here’s today’s meditation:

Meditation 159

The removal of sandals
signifies something:

a setting aside, 
an end

to whatever came before.
The air ceases

its slow rhythmic pulse,
streams still their flow

and somewhere in the desert
a wild bird cries.

Keeping on literary matters, I’m thrilled to see that the paperback version of The Bones of Summer is now available at Amazon US. No picture though, which somehow lessens the excitement, but it’s nice to see it slowly getting out there.

Meanwhile, at work, I’m tidying up last week’s emails which, thankfully, are getting fewer, now the vacation is in full swing. I also had one of those more … um … challenging meetings to minute at work over the lunch hour. Much to my relief however, it was all fairly straightforward and over in half the time. Wonderful. Now that’s the kind of meeting I really go for …

This week’s heroes are Chaplaincy Ruth’s dog for not killing a rabbit but letting it go; Sarah Connolly, who took the part of Giulio Cesare in yesterday’s opera (as indeed she did in the original) and who is an utter utter marvel; Ruth’s campervan, Minty; and the much-missed Farrah, poor lass.

After work, I popped in to see Gladys and renewed her bird-table provisions. Really, I’m not even sure she sees it any more, but it feels like the only thing I can do as she seems to hate talking to me so much these days. Correction – she even hates looking at me, sigh.

Tonight, I’m planning to carry on with the read-through and note-taking of The Gifting, and then I think there’s a repeat of Have I Got New for You? later so I can do some ironing while I’m watching that. My, what an exciting life I lead.

Mind you, I have had an idea for the next (non-Gathandria) GLBT novel which I feel might well have legs. As it were, and possibly. So I’ll wait and see how that pans out. But, hey, an idea – ye gods!

Today’s nice things:

1. Poetry
2. The Amazon US paperback edition of Bones
3. Heroes’ list
4. Making notes on The Gifting
5. TV
6. A possible novel idea.

Anne Brooke – pondering novel ideas

Poetry, review and song

An early and rather short blog today as we’re out for most of the day and won’t be back till late. Here’s this morning’s meditation, which is more religious than I’m used to, but hey it’s Sunday after all:

Meditation 158

A long questioning,
edged, as it must be,
with the threat

of rejection.
Then from a cloud
of curses

one clear truth:
once I was blind
and now I see.

Sometimes
the smallest arrow,
if you grasp it,

may pierce
the darkest night.

And I’m thrilled to say that I’ve had another review of Painting From Life by Kassa at Manic Readers who says the following:

“While on a vacation to rejuvenate a failing marriage, an artist encounters an unlikely muse in the form of an older man. An obsession quickly develops as the differing needs of the artist, his wife, and the object of his attention collide. This short story is haunting, intense, and unlikely. At just about 15 pages, the author has delivered a stunningly gripping story about an artist and his obsessions. From the hints of the past such as the history between the artist and his wife and the wife’s caustic comments, the author suggests that the unnamed artist may often find these unlikely muses and devote more time than is healthy to them. Similarly, the artist slowly and inevitably becomes the sole caretaker of an older man, Peter, while using the man as a model for his work that is only now gaining success. The author manages to use just a few words and descriptive phrases to convey intensity and emotion that is clearly felt. The impact of the artist’s need for Peter is surprising yet chilling in phrases such as, “There’s no need for him [Peter] to see or speak to anyone else but me.” The artist realizes that Peter fatigues easily while sitting for him, but the rush the artist feels is too addictive, too much to let go. He counters this by taking care of Peter yet knows he will paint the older man to his death. The implications and subtle meaning go far beyond the obvious and continue to resonate well after the short story is done. Crisp, vivid prose works incredibly well with vibrant characters all uninhibited by the short length. For those that enjoy a fabulous short story that truly makes you think and leaves you wondering well after it’s done, I highly suggest Painting from Life. The themes of art, death, obsession, love, selfishness, and need are all played out beautifully in this complex and complicated story.”

Gosh, thank you hugely, Kassa – much appreciated indeed! That’s put a big smile on my face today for sure.

Keeping to the literary theme, I’m also delighted to say that two of my tankas have just been published at Ink Sweat & Tears webzine, so I hope you enjoy the read. And thank you, Charles, for that!

All of which jollity will lead us nicely into a lovely summer afternoon spent at Glyndebourne where we’ve ordered a picnic, furniture and staff (staff, dahhlings, really!…) to set it up for us, so we can just sit back and enjoy the sunshine. Hey ho and lift a glass to the empire spirit indeed … And let’s not forget the song of course, which today is the glorious Giulio Cesare which we’ve seen before and loved, so I’m looking forward to the rerun. To my mind, you can’t ever go wrong with anything by Handel.

Here’s this week’s haiku. Or rather haikus – as I wrote one yesterday, got all smug that I’d done it and then another one (this time inspired by my continued and very enjoyable reading of Sara Maitland’s amazing “A Book of Silence”) suddenly popped by as well. Honestly, sometimes the pesky things are like buses.

First Haiku:

Outside: sun, laughter.
Inside: computer battles
and a web of words.

Second Haiku:

Silence unskins me.
It takes my heart’s full measure,
offers a strange grace.

Today’s nice things:

1. Poetry
2. The review of Painting from Life
3. Tankas publication
4. Glyndebourne
5. A double helping of haikus.

Anne Brooke – limbering up her voice once more …

Book discounts and distances

Here’s this morning’s meditation, which is longer than usual but I think it’s what I wanted to say:

Meditation 157

Bound in flesh
you ask your question

but the answer you get
rips through skin
and bone, blood,
marrow, limbs
and even your hidden heart,

sending all you’ve known
and trusted in
spinning outwards
to a place
no man but one
has ever seen.

Earth, saliva
and that strange sparkle
of a possible truth
you can but guess at
will draw you on
unprepared, still unsung.

Yes, well, there’s one to conjure with, eh. So this morning, we popped out to Godalming and I’ve posted my copies of The Bones of Summer out to those who wanted them, so thank you for that. It should be with you early next week, assuming the post office keeps on trucking. And on this totally glorious day, I’ve been continuing to scribble away with those notes on the pre-edit for Hallsfoot’s Battle. I’m now on Page 300 of The Gifting, with 12 pages of notes. Only 167 pages to go before I can get to the actual edit then … Don’t wait up.

Mind you, it’s not been so much of a battle as struggling to the end of Fiona Sampson’s poetry collection, The Distance Between Us. I was so looking forward to this as I did enjoy her Common Prayer hugely. But I’m afraid this one left me cold. And deeply deeply confused. I think a large part of its problem was that it was way too personal and muddled. The poems obviously mean a lot to Sampson herself but were far too closed-off and with too many references I didn’t get for this particular reader to feel enlightened. No doubt that shows what an intellectual idiot I am, but I do think that poetry shouldn’t be this obscure. Yes, I understand the need for difficult poems that the reader has to work with to understand and I’m not against that concept, within limits – but this seemed to be taking that to ridiculous extremes. Poetry shouldn’t be this impossible! That said, I did enjoy some of the shorter offerings, like The Orpheus Variation (for its tenderness) and In The Early Evening, As Now (for its clarity and the relationship between man and nature). And some of the individual lines in the longer poems were very powerful indeed, but I’m afraid this collection as a whole didn’t work for me.

In other literary news, I’m taking part in the GLBT themed excerpts day at Love Romances Cafe so have posted an excerpt from the middle of The Bones of Summer. Not only that but if you buy any book (including mine!) in any format from Dreamspinner PressTODAY only then you get 15% off. Definitely an incentive to visit then …

I’ve also done another round of poetry submissions and – in a last brave but probably totally desperate attempt to spread the anguish – I have finally submitted the first three chapters of The Gifting to the publisher that requested it two years ago, and which I asked the agent to do at the time, but I don’t think he ever got round to as he hoped a bigger publisher might take it (ho ho). And of course I’m now way too humiliated to ask him about it. Naturally by now everyone will have moved on and it’s a situation without hope, but really I’ve got nothing to lose by trying. Just this once, eh.

Today’s nice things:

1. Poetry
2. Pre-editing
3. Marketing Bones (and the discount!)
4. Poetry submissions
5. The temporary triumph of hope over experience re The Gifting.

Anne Brooke – having a literary day and staring out at sunshine

Sandy golf, paperback Bones and GLBT fiction

What a peculiar day it’s been today, I must say. I haven’t really been able to get much of a grip on it. Anyway, here’s this morning’s meditation:

Meditation 156

A simple sheet of paper
and another’s command

cast you out
from all you have known:

voices; the pattern
of a room; the schedule

of days. What once
has been lost

cannot be found again.

That sense of being lost has followed me throughout but it hasn’t been a bad day. Just strange. My golf was ridiculous really. I managed to get two very beautiful (though I say it myself, I know) pars but then was completed and utterly fettled and lambasted by two really appalling holes where I went into those great deep bunkers of despair. Twice. Ye gods and little fishes, what a disaster. My first attempt at getting out of the bunker resulted in a score of twelve. Twelve!!! The shame is almost overwhelming, my dears. My second attempt at getting out of a new bunker they appear to have added to the last hole (the beasts! – how could they??) then resulted in a score of eleven. Oh for the rivers of Hades to rise up and swallow me down. All of which meant that, in spite of my two pars, Marian won by a massive ten shots. The only positive thing to come out of this sad debacle is that while we were playing I had the carwash people wash my car inside and out – so it’s all lovely and clean now. All the better for weeping in …

Perhaps I should revisit my bunker-play?…

Back home however, there has been the wonderful moment of joy when I opened the post to find that my authors’ copies of The Bones of Summer have arrived. Joy abounding indeed! I have tried not to spend too long stroking them and licking their nice shiny covers, but it was hard to resist. But panic not, you people who are expecting copies – I made sure not to lick yours (as it were) … And they will be in the post to you tomorrow. I have to say the books all look so wonderful - Dreamspinner Press have done a truly amazing job with production and it is classy beyond belief. I am soooooo pleased. A huge thank you to them.

Oh and I have a new published article, about the importance of settings in books, which can be found at the You Gotta Read review site. Thanks, Tami, for having me as guest writer for the day – much appreciated!

Talking of GLBT literature, a brand new Wiki GLBT bookshelf is now open for business and easily browsable for all your GLBT reading requirements, and there is a rising number of authors, reviewers and publishers on there. You can also find my bookshelf there, and can browse for my books under title, categories or publishers, as you wish. It’s a great idea and well done to Mel Keegan who has organised it all and particularly helped me overcome my fear of Wiki. Thank you, Mel.

This afternoon, I’ve continued working on the read-through of The Gifting and am now on Page 200 with about 9 pages of notes. So about halfway through now. And I have to say it’s a pretty damn good story too (though again I say it myself and shouldn’t – still, dammit, I will, and sod the consequences, eh …) – I’d forgotten most of what happened since I last opened it up last summer and it’s nice to be reminded. I am already thinking of additions and depths I can add to the edit of Hallsfoot’s Battle once I get into that for real.

And tonight we really must do some cleaning before the Domestic Police turn up again, groan. They do go on so … What joy.

Today’s nice things:

1. Poetry
2. Two pars in golf (let us not speak of the rest of my game again, alas …)
3. A nice clean car
4. Authors’ copies of Bones, hurrah!
5. Published article
6. A new GLBT bookshelf
7. Reading through The Gifting.

Anne Brooke – just don’t mention those pesky bunkers …

Review writing, theatre and fan mail

Something about today’s meditation made me feel as if I was being held in place somewhere, in a measured kind of a sense, so here it is:

Meditation 155

May the purple sun
stain your fingers
and tongue

from the grapes
you feed on
along the path,

and when you cross
the humming cornfield
may its ripened light

brush over your skin
for just as long
as you walk there.

It is the moment,
not its holding,
that shapes you.

The great joy of this morning is that I’ve actually had an email from a reader who’s just finished The Bones of Summer and who says the following:

Just finished “Bones of Summer”. All I can say is ‘wow’. I’m going to have to find your other books which I gather are published, not e-books. I’m very glad this one was so I could be ‘introduced’ to your writing. 

Well, gosh! Thank you so much, Edward – that’s so incredibly encouraging and has put a smile on my face all day. Which has been widened still further by one of my writing friends emailing me saying how much she’s enjoyed the novel as well, so thank you also, Sarah – very much appreciated!

For the rest of the day I’ve been working on my review of John Wray’s novel Lowboy (Canongate) for Vulpes Libris and that’s due to be up on site on Friday 10 July. Wray’s work has raised a lot of questions in my mind, some of which might not sit too well with the generally glowing and highly enthused reviews this novel has been receiving elsewhere – but hell it’s certainly making me think. Which can only be a good thing. And there’s no gainsaying the man can write, but … but … Ah well, the end of that sentence will have to wait until July, I fear!…

I’ve also sent off more short story submissions to various places and was intending to send some poetry submissions off too, but I think the combination of a low-grade headache and submission overload means it must wait until I’m feeling stronger.

And I’m back to thinking about the edits for Hallsfoot’s Battle. Hell, does anyone remember that? This time round there’s rather a lot of work I have to do before I even pick up my virtual red pen however, so I’ve started reading through The Gifting and making notes about the people and the settings and the traditions as I go. So far I have about 5 pages of notes and I’m about a quarter of the way through the read. But at least it’s getting me back into the feel of the Lammas Lands and Gathandria, of Simon and that pesky mind-executioner, all of which I need to have fresh and deep in my mind when I come to editing Hallsfoot in reality. There’s still a feeling of sadness though as of course The Gifting no longer has the hint of an interested publisher attached to it, so I’m very much working without commercial hope in my fantasy career at the moment. It’s a difficult space to inhabit.

Anyway, no matter. We hobble onwards. And I have fan mail, hurrah! And yes, sadly, I have actually started a Fan Mail File, so I do understand that I have no shame and an ego the size of Manhattan. A difficult combination at the best of times … The file itself is small but perfectly formed, of course. Meanwhile, tonight, Lord H and I will be off to see Ruth’s husband, Douglas, in Much Ado About Nothing. Which apparently now has scenery (double hurrahs!) and people aren’t falling over it. It’s such a wonderful play too – one of my favourites of Shakespeare’s comedies.

Today’s nice things:

1. Poetry
2. Fan mail for Bones (did I mention that?)!
3. Review writing
4. Short story submissions
5. The pre-edits for Hallsfoot
6. Much Ado.

Anne Brooke – glad to be able to provide the ‘Wow’ factor, at least once!…

Heroes, theatrical traumas and review writing

Back to a more normal routine today, thank goodness. Here’s this morning’s meditation:

Meditation 154

Sex and war
should not mix;

keep your wild dreams
hidden.

Towards evening
you long for the clean spaces,

the reassurance
of water,

but at sunset
the boundaries of flesh

contain you again.

At work, I’m scrabbling away at those dang minutes and there might well be an end in view at some point. One hopes. We also have a new list of Heroes of the Week (hurrah!) which includes Chaplaincy Ruth’s mother (for being a generally Good Person with some marvellous news that I probably can’t talk about yet – but well done to her). Also on the list is John Donne (for being another Good Egg and writing an absolutely stunning prayer which I revisited yesterday), Karen from Flight Centre (for helping Carol get a decent holiday booked) and the whole cast of Much Ado About Nothing (Ruth M’s husband is in it and they’ve had to battle their way through sackings, illness, artistic traumas and the existential pain of no set at all – still – in order to get to tonight’s first night so well done to them …). Apparently yesterday’s dress rehearsal was stunningly good though and they might even do the whole thing without the set – which may possibly arrive today but who knows … Lord H and I are going to see it tomorrow so we wait with baited breath to see if we need to bring our own scenery.

Walked into town at lunchtime to pay in a cheque (gosh – how rare!) and to attempt to look for clothes. I had some hopes of getting a new dress for our second Glyndebourne outing on Sunday, but sadly nothing sprang out at me. Is there nothing at all out there for a slightly bizarrely shaped mid-forties red-head who prefers sleeves and a not-too-low neckline but doesn’t want to look like a sack???? Surely there must be something? But obviously not in Guildford – I shall have to wear the dress I wore last year and the year before that and for several years before that on Sunday, I see. Really, I despair … Anyway I also posted off a copy of Pink Champagne and Apple Juice to Charles Christian – so thank you for asking and I hope it gets to you safely, Charles. It’s a summer read for sure. Which meant my walk into town wasn’t entirely wasted (the post office on campus being closed for refurbishment …), hurrah.

Tonight, I’m hoping to continue working on my review of John Wray’s Lowboy (Canongate) for Vulpes Libris. Oh, and there’s a new series of Ugly Betty on TV – at last, double hurrahs. Meanwhile, talking of Vulpes, the lovely Elise Valmorbida has sent me a hugely kind personal email saying how much she appreciated my review of The Winding Stick – so thank you once more for that, Elise. It was a pleasure considering your gloriously humane book and I shall look forward to reading more of your fiction for sure.

Talking of books and reviews, I’m pleased to say that one of my own reviewers for The Bones of Summer has already finished it and says she enjoyed it a lot. She’ll be putting up her thoughts at some point on the Unique Logophilos site, so I’m looking to seeing what she thinks. How strange though to be on both sides of the review equation in the space of a day or so – my feet are certainly standing in both worlds at the moment. I’d best not look down …

Today’s nice things:

1. Poetry
2. Heroes of the Week
3. Paying in a cheque
4. Posting off a copy of Champers
5. Review writing
6. Kind-hearted authors
7. A reviewer enjoying Bones.

Anne Brooke – pondering heroes …

Stories, publisher misunderstandings and train pain

Am slowly coming down from the excitements of The Bones of Summer publication date yesterday and the good news is that it’s now available at All Romance Ebooks and on Amazon Kindle too, so lots of options for your summer read, hurrah. And I even seem to have sold a couple of copies, so that’s nice – thank you, kind people, thank you!

Other nice news is that my short story, The Last Morning, has been accepted by Foundling Review for future publication, so I’m chuffed about that too. And my review of Elise Valmorbida’s novel, The Winding Stick, is now available to read at the Vulpes Libris review site. I think the publisher might have got rather confused and thinks that I’m a person who only reads bouncy, shallow kind of books (you who know me know better!), as some of their comments on their blog were really rather snippety which has upset me, I must admit – surely a simple thank you for taking the time to review our novel would have been sufficient?… – but, in compensation I had an absolutely lovely comment from the author herself about the review which indicated that she’d actually read and understood what I was trying to convey. So a huge thank you, Elise, for that. All this aside, The Winding Stick is definitely a book I can recommend. A fascinating read.

Meanwhile, at work, I’m struggling with yesterday’s minutes and not getting very far at all. Too much else going on really. And I’ve spent a long and thankless time battling with the online trainline people to try and work out ticket prices for getting the boss to Leeds in July. And back. It’s impossible to ring for help as you don’t get a real person and the automated system is agonisingly slow, sigh, and obviously doesn’t understand my Essex accent. Plus the customer service email chaps gave me one price, whereas the online one is one hundred pounds more expensive. Deep and heartfelt sigh. Frankly, I’d rather be back in Wales. I did look at flights to Leeds too, but you have to fly via Glasgow (!) and it’s nearly a thousand pounds. Ridiculous. Perhaps the boss would be better off hitchhiking to ruddy Leeds? That option remains … UPDATE – we finally booked the tickets, thank the Lord – but I will not celebrate too soon before I actually have them in my hot little hand. Ah the tension is mounting …

At lunchtime, I chaired the University Writers’ group – not as many there with the summer vacation, but we still had a fun time. At least I enjoyed it. In spite of my underlying headache. And the lovely news there is that a member of our group has also been accepted for the forthcoming University of Maine short fiction anthology, hurrah! So that’s cheered me hugely.

Tonight, I’m popping to Tesco (groan) for another week’s shopping and, ye gods, but my list seems huge today, dammit. Once back in my Home Zone of Safety, I must think about my next review for Vulpes, which is on John Wray’s Lowboy. I think it’ll be a mixed one, particularly as there are literary issues that make me ponder there. Best gird my loins then!… Plus I’ll try to do some more marketing ofThe Bones of Summer. Whilst basking in the sure knowledge that at least those slightly bemused publishers (see earlier comment) can’t accuse that of being too bouncy and shallow, ho ho. At least one hopes not.

Today’s nice things:

1. A couple of sales of Bones
2. Short story acceptance
3. The Vulpes Libris review (mainly!)
4. Writers’ Group success

Anne Brooke – paddling in her hidden shallows, tee hee …

The Bones of Summer – here at last!

It’s here at last, hurrah! I’m very happy to say that The Bones of Summer is now available in eBook and paperback fromDreamspinner Press, where you can also enjoy a full (and rather adult) excerpt of the whole of the first chapter and admire the book trailer once more. Triple hurrahs indeed and crack open the champagne – again! I hope you enjoy the read as much as I enjoyed writing it. I’ll always have a soft spot for Paul and Craig, I feel.

Anyway, this morning I have bravely struggled into work, bearing cakes and cookies to celebrate my birthday of yesterday and my publication date of today. I’ve had to do some actual work too (shock! groan!) and minute the Steering Group meeting, where a heck of a lot of talking was done, so I have pages and pages of notes to attempt to write up tomorrow. Mind you, I was sensible enough to take this afternoon off to get some marketing done on The Bones of Summer, so I have updated various websites and journals, notified Yahoo Groups and considered where to send reviews etc etc over the last three hours or so. It’s really astonishing what a lot there is to do when 99% of my sales come via the Internet. People have been responding fairly positively too, so that’s encouraging. It would be so nice if it did okay.

Oh, and I forgot to add my week’s haiku on Saturday when I last posted so here it is:

Over windswept grass
kites form speech marks in the sky.
Words never spoken.

Today’s nice things:

1. The Bones of Summer being published, hurrah!
2. Cakes & cookies
3. Haikus.

Anne Brooke – rattling her Bones big-time!…

Romance and song all the way to the finale

Am very pleased to say that All Romance Ebooks are now stocking both Pink Champagne and Apple Juice and Thorn in the Flesh, and Thorn in the Flesh even (at the moment of typing …) appears on the front page of All Romance Ebooks, so that’s been a bit of a thrill. And a special thank you to Leslie of Bristlecone Pine Press for sorting it all out. What a star!

Also today, my review of Erin Pringle’s short story collection, The Floating Order is now up at the Vulpes Libris review site. The collection – and I hope (!) the review – is well worth a read, all the more so as I’m disagreeing with literary review giant Scott Pack in my response to Pringle’s work …

And here’s this morning’s meditation:

Meditation 153

What turns curse
to blessing
is love;

let the light
wash through you
and pray

to one day know
where you came from
and where you go.

This afternoon, Lord H and I are at our first Glyndebourne event of the season and will be enjoying all the romance and song of Purcell’s The Fairy Queen, plus there’s a bottle of champagne with my name on it, hurrah! I’m getting my glad rags dusted down even now.

All of which is highly appropriate as tomorrow will be my 45th birthday (hurrah!! So young, and so unspoiled, I hear you cry – or maybe not …) so the chances of any kind of journal entry are shamefully low and I’ll be spending most of my day admiring the roses and (I hope) sunshine of Wisley.

Have a great weekend, everyone, and I’ll catch up with you on Monday – which will of course be publication date for The Bones of Summer. Well, gosh!

Today’s nice things:

1. A new buying home for Champers and Thorn
2. The Vulpes Libris review
3. Poetry
4. Glyndebourne
5. Champagne!
6. My upcoming birthday
7. The roses of Wisley
8. Only two days to the Bones publication date, hurrah!

Anne Brooke – enjoying days of wine and roses …