How to become a Best Seller

Folks, I have a really good read here between the covers (illustrated). Promise you will find it moving and funny! Make you think, hopefully. But not tell you what to think.

Problem is, I apparently need some character called a book promoter: "real" bookstores demand this so they "have someone we can have an account with".

Yes, all the books you see piled in windows are there because their publisher paid for the space ... (I knew that... - though the manager at Waterstones tried to look pityingly at me, "you're several moves behind in publishing" I looked him in the eye right back. After all, he's half my age, and trained to be hard-nosed. I am a little old lady, in his eyes, a Granny who should be home drinking tea.)

Anyhow, anyone got any contacts who'd do me a review for a magazine/newspaper/on their blog/anywhere else? (Twitter it?) It's all about getting heard of. If people want to read it & hate it, that is still publicity, as long as they don't hate AND slate.

Bookmark

Out this week!

Order your copy now! (But who is Mari Howard? And is this book worth the money?)

Answers lie between the covers...

Epiphany

Epiphany 2010 On Easter morning, Mary remembers…

Magi – wise men?

Odd, the gifts they brought. Gold we couldn’t make a use of,

A family like ours, artisans, respectable of course …

Sell it? Where’d we have obtained that sort of thing, they’d ask,

(inferring reception of goods no doubt

obtained in some less than honest way…)

Expensive spices?

No…I kept them, though,

Wrapped in a carpet rather too good to use on ordinary occasions,

Wedding present from my cousin, Elizabeth, and Zechariah,

Older parents - whose boy was, himself, rather odd…a visionary…

When we go up to the Feast – Passover, I mean –

We have to take them along with us, those gifts,

Can’t have someone see them in the house, or in the workshop,

What’d be said?

So… as I was saying, about to tell you… I came back that day,

Black it was, the sun veiled, the clouds tearing their clothes,

And took a look at them, the gifts for a king…

Saw it again, the spear in his side, shuddering, and remembered Simeon –

A sword will pierce your heart as well…

Yes…

And wrapped them up again, quick,

Except for the myrrh – which I gave to Mary Magdalene –

She’s a good girl, caring, unafraid, she’d take it to the tomb

Come the morning…

Well, back she came, Mary, laughing,

Crying, laughing … the golden sun illuminating her tears –

I saw him,

We talked,

In the garden…

Magi?

Wise men?

I suppose it’s possible…

Spike in the snow

I took these last week when the snow was exciting (at least for cats)

That shut-in feeling!

More of this? It's not looking pretty any more... it's just a pest: views from my windows

Coldest WInter for 30 years?

Selection of photos taken between 10.00am and 11.30am today, showing the hoar frost. Supposedly this the coldest winter for 30 years ...