Slogging away, with a small glass of Champagne

[Anne Brooke]

I'm delighted to say that there's now only about one week (give or take) to go before the Pink Champagne and Apple Juice website (http://www.pinkchampagneandapplejuice.com) is launched, courtesy of the wonderful Sue Haywood and her equally wonderful husband, Frank (http://www.teafriendsandchocolate.com/sue/). It's not up there yet in all its glory but, having had access to the offline version, I can tell you it's great fun! You'll be able to read about the author (um, that'll be me then ...), the book (still available from http://www.goldenford.co.uk by the way), the characters and indeed which actors might play them best in a film. And I have to say there are some pretty hot people in there - especially in the Philippe section (ooo-err, missus!). Not to mention the ability to make your own choices, download a chapter or two and mix your own cocktail to accompany your reading matter. All good fun, and I'm extremely grateful to Sue & Frank for dreaming it up. Many thanks, both!
The rest of you can of course tell all three of us what you think when the site goes live next week. The (pink) plot thickens ...

And, due to the site launch preparations, I have been discovering how to send large pictures by FTP. At least, I think that's what I've been doing - one can only hope it worked. And it was fun watching it do its stuff, I have to say. I'll be dragged into 21st century technology yet. Just you wait and see.

The rest of the morning was spent struggling round Sainsbury's, attempting to shop sensibly. Goodness, it seems far more expensive than good old Tesco's. And the woman at the till was distinctly stroppy and kept flinging school vouchers over my head to the lady at the next till, as well as throwing my vegetables in all directions. I am now a dab hand at fielding a courgette. Must be the post-Easter return to work crisis. Which thankfully I won't have to face till next Monday, so you're all more than welcome to hate me till then. Ye gods, I would.

I've also been slogging away - and it's been a real slog today; I don't think my creative juices are functioning fully, if at all - on The Gifting. With little result - I've barely moved Simon on from the bed where he was standing when I left him to the door where he is now. Hell, sometimes it's like that. But it's not pleasant. If I can get the poor bloke out into the fresh air by tomorrow, I think I'll be lucky.

Oh, and talking of my menfolk not moving on in their lives, I've sent Maloney's Law out to yet another small publisher yesterday, in the rapidly decreasing hope that someone out there might be interested in Paul. Poor old chap - he's my most feted character in terms of the awards he's won or been placed in, and still no-one will give him the time of day. Which is something of an irony as he is himself a time obsessive and will probably be able to tell you the exact number of minutes between me finishing him in ... um ... 2005 and where we are now. And will no doubt have a double shot of good whisky while doing it. He's just that kind of a guy. Vulnerable, but cute. Just the way I like my literary men. Sigh. Oh and, Erastes (http://www.myspace.com/erastesdotcom), if you're reading, Paul's sex scenes may not be as frequent as Michael's, but they are more graphic! Well, he's more direct about himself, so I thought he'd earned it, tee hee.

Tonight, I'm planning to scrawl some more pen over the page in Simon's story - if only to see if I can actually form any words at all - and then everything stops for the last episode of Life on Mars on TV. Oh Lord, but I'm longing to see it and dreading it at the same time. Without it, my Tuesday nights will be empty and meaningless, for sure. I just can't believe that they're not doing any more, but I do admire the ability to stop something when the ending is right. Ah the joy, the pain of being a crime TV addict ...

Today's nice things:

1. Looking through the Pink Champagne website
2. The struggle with The Gifting - somehow!
3. TV.

Anne Brooke
http://www.annebrooke.com
http://www.goldenford.co.uk