A booky sort of day

Current work: PM job (second proofs); pics and notes for new nonfiction

Listening to: Mozart Piano Concerto no 20

Reading: Kate Harrison's The Self-Preservation Society (finished it last night and thoroughly enjoyed it)

Lovely day yesterday. Into town to take some more pics; then moseyed back via bookshops. Started with Jarrold’s – firstly because I wanted to pick up a copy of ‘A Historical Atlas of Norfolk’ (expensive but good reference book), and secondly to introduce myself to the book buyer because I’m supposed to be sorting out a signing. I may be doing the signing at their November shopping evening (depends if he can get bigger names than me, obviously); but then he asked for my details and things sort of changed. ‘You’re Pam Brooks? Oh, I’m so pleased to meet you.’ Apparently my books are doing well. (Even better, he named ALL my history books. I was quite impressed.) And I am on the shortlist for the four authors, so fingers crossed.

Then we moseyed into Smith’s (more stationery – let’s just say pink sparkly stuff and kittens were involved - and discovered The Italian GP’s Bride has nearly sold out - and I signed Disasters and Streets while I was there, because customers love books with ‘signed by author’ stickers on…). Then we had to stop in the M&S café before doing the uniform shop (chocolate cake was consumed but NOT by me, and I didn’t get my biscuit with my skinny latte either because vulture daughter swooped on it); and finally did the weekly shop.


And by then I was in naughty mode, because I think it’s time I introduced the kids to some of the books I loved at their age – especially son, as he likes fantasy/SF (hmm… I bet daughter would like Joyce Stranger, Elyne Mitchell’s ‘Silver Brumby’ books and Ruby Ferguson’s ‘Jill’ books – how I loved them, and most are OOP. Can I be trusted in a second-hand bookshop?). So I’ve ordered the complete The Dark is Rising sequence by Susan Cooper (replacement copy for me, actually, but I’m planning to read to the kids) and My Friend Flicka (because I think Madam will like it… and this one comes with a little pony necklace so that will make me Top Mummy). Also ordered a copy of Cheryl Reavis’s Blackberry Winter as Liz Fielding was so taken by it and I liked the sound of it too (wasn’t in Smith’s or Border’s), and a couple more research books, and discovered that Amazon is listing The Pregnancy Ultimatum (aka ‘In The Gardener’s Bed’ - except they’ve listed the release date as Jan 07 instead of Jan 08, which needs correcting)… yep, it was a booky sort of day. The kind of day I like.

I also REALLY have to tidy my office. And I have a definite deadline now as the Eastern Daily Press is interviewing me next Wednesday and, with my journo hat on, I know my office is going to come into the interview at some point…

Guitar lesson yesterday evening – how I’ve missed my Tuesday morning setting the world to rights with Jim. My playing… um. Let’s just say I haven’t touched my guitar since my last lesson, and it showed. A lot. He even commented as such. Sigh. So now I have two difficult Sor pieces to do, and I’m going to try to practise every day. I was going to whine for some Mozart… and on the way home, what happened? Mozart’s piano concerto no 20. Gorgeous. (I like his D minor stuff because it’s so dark and edgy – the Requiem being a case in point, but I can’t drive to that because it makes me cry.) So I added that to my little binge, along with a Mark Knopfler CD that was a bargain and a really early Neil Young one just because (and hey, I haven’t bought any CDs for a week – well, I bought some a week ago but they’re taking a Very Long Time to be delivered).

Actually, I’ve got the title of this post wrong. Should be a booky and musicky kind of day :o)

And with nice emails from publishers in my in-box as well… all’s very well on Planet Kate.


Especially as I had a really exciting pic from my friend and fellow Medicals author Lynne Marshall in my inbox this morning - my book ON SHELVES IN AMERICA! (Thank you, Lynne.)