Finally, after a hectic time, back in our happy place (Crete)!!! While even the sausage dogs (left behind with musician house-sitters, no less) are enjoying a London heatwave!!!

In the meantime, I learned yesterday that Marianne’s shortlisted for three awards at the moment, two of these mega, so I need the view in order to chill. And no, there isn’t going to be a film of my Marianne despite fourteen spammers a day pretending to be Netflix (in one case, brilliantly, “Netflicks”.) This last week alone – it’s a thing – I had “Hilary Mantel” emailing me – as a “longterm admirer” (They got that backwards, for a start!!! And wouldn’t you think that even an AI-mad spammer would check that the author they’re impersonating isn’t, um, dead? 

Heard a fantastic Peter Grimes in the Royal Opera House the week before leaving London – we were sitting in what we Brits call “the gods” –  nearly the last row – but the sound still scintillated.

We also caught the new play at the Haymarket, with Ralph Fiennes and Miranda Raison. Though I think Grace Pervades a rubbish title, David Hare brilliantly explores the curious relationship/love affair between two Victorian acting superstars, Henry Irving and Ellen Terry. To see Ralph Fiennes in person was mindblowing, and Raison was just as good.

The audiobook of Marianne will be available shortly as performed – and I do mean performed, Ralph Fiennes would love it – by fellow Londoner, Elizabeth Grace. It’s wide – not only with Audible. You can hear a sample here.

Please let me know if you'd be interested in a free audiobook, for reviewing purposes, on astmcveigh@gmail.com!  I'm not sure how many I'll receive, so will accept readers in order of applying...

I just did something only one in 100 readers will do… I left a review on Amazon for a novel. Wow, was I ever brave and daring. This is how I accomplished this superhuman feat:

• I clicked on amazon.co.uk
• I entered the name of the book in ‘search’: The Rest of Our Lives by Ben Markovits, as it happened
• I scrolled down
• I clicked on five stars, I never go lower than 3, not being a louse
• I excerpted by fav. line as “title of your review”
• I copied and pasted my Bookbub review: ‘"Getting out of hospital is like getting out of a casino... They don't make it easy for you." The protagonist of The Rest of Our Lives is pretty droll, when he isn't being original, cantankerous or ironic. I greatly admired this book, for its understated insightfulness into the human condition, its easy style, and its very human reality. Every character feels real, every inch of dialogue convinces. I read it on a plane in three hours. Highly recommended by me.’

In short, in about thirty seconds – ok, I admit I cheated, having scribbled the review in Bookbub in about three minutes – I had:

• Redressed the balance a little in favour of an ace book, one shortlisted for the Booker Prize, no less (3.7 on the Richter scale? Crazy.)
• Made a fine author’s day
• Given myself a feeling of self-satisfaction and (possibly, even…)
• Convinced a fellow reader to buy it

I can’t recommend this course of action too highly. Next time you finish a book – doesn’t have to be one of mine, why not give it a try?😉