Unrequited didn’t make the shortlist at the Lambda Literary Awards (US) but I have to say the nomination came as an unexpected surprised anyway, so I’m not too fussed. Good luck to whoever wins!

In other news, I’ve just reached the home strait of the WiP. I mean, there is still quite a bit to write, but I’m definitely at the endgame, which is, of course, the most exciting part to write! I’ve had so much fun with this novel, it will almost be a shame to finish it...

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A very quiet day today. We haven't done very much. Good Lord, I haven't even left the flat, though Lord H has done a spot of shopping and brought back lunch and a paper, hurrah. I've been attempting to get to grips more with Facebook, which continues to remain more of a mystery than MySpace is. Perhaps it's an age thing, I don't know, but I do prefer MySpace as a networking tool. Too many applications on FB really.

That said, I have started up a Goldenford page on Facebook which you can find here (see full post for links). It's very lonely being the only fan of a publisher which produces the best books in the south, so if you are a Facebooker at all, please do come and join me. I promise not to bite. Well, not for the first few days anyway. I've even set up an event for our forthcoming Goldenford talk on Writing from our Roots on Wednesday 14 May at 2.30pm in the Guildford Institute in North Street, to which one person has already suggested they might come (thank you, Julia!). Gosh! Indeed I am so modern. Ho ho ...

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Dear Kitty

Why does my penis hate me?

I met this wonderful girl and things were going really well and then, in the middle of having sex, I couldn’t keep it up. I’m not talking about my witty repartee.

We tried again the next day. Nothing. She’s being all, “honey, it’s not a problem”, but I’ve seen that look in her eye. The one that says ‘fuck me now or it’s goodnight Vienna.’

But I can’t! My penis won’t let me. Now when we get in the bedroom it practically crawls back in on itself. Conversely, my blood pressure is through the roof.

What am I going to do?
Peter, Southport



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We have two copies of Tommy Sullivan is a Freak by Meg Cabot to give away!

For a chance of winning one, please email us at chicklish @ googlemail.com (take out the spaces) with TOMMY in the subject line. We'll contact you in two weeks' time (23rd April 2008) if you're a winner.

"Katie Ellison can't believe it. Just when she's having the most outstanding summer of her life, Tommy Sullivan arrives back in town. Why's that so bad? Because just about everyone hates Tommy for what he did four years ago. And Katie's boyfriend, Seth, has the biggest reason of all to hate him. Even being seen around Tom Sullivan would make Katie a social pariah - so falling in love with him would be the like the kiss of death."

You can read an extract here.

This giveaway is only open to UK residents, but don't worry if you live in another country. There will definitely be more giveaways open to all! We're aiming for a different prize book every two weeks now on Chicklish.

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Another fascinating point that Linda Grant made in her Guardian piece, which I mentioned in Rogues and Vagabonds, is that

"The writer sits alone in a room, writing. The reader sits alone in a room, reading. Neither is ever likely to meet the other. Literature is an act of solitude and privacy. Never mind if it's about me; is it about you?" [my italics]

And though I know in the abstract that a novel is as much something that a reader puts together, from black marks on a page, as it is something a writer has made by setting black marks on a different page, I've never thought of it quite like that.

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An early golf session with Marian today - before which I was greatly thrilled by the reaction of the club receptionist to Thorn in the Flesh: which was "Fantastic! I loved it! Can I have another one?" Hey, that's the kind of reader response which makes me smile! So I have promised to pop in with Pink Champagne and Apple Juice, signed naturally, when she's next in. Fabulous - it's honestly made my day ...

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I couldn't get my wifi to work this morning and went off in a huff, thinking, I'm not staying in here with no internet! I took myself up town to buy wool. Oooooh, it's lovely. I've got three blankets on the go in work right now; I was trying to use up the old stuff that's been lying around for ages - that means that they are interesting!

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Sound the trumpets and raise huzzahs! The Goldenford site is now uploaded! Phew! Do pop in and have a browse around (see full post for links) - we hope you like the new site. And with May bank holidays and summer coming swiftly upon us, now's the ideal time to stock up on all your perfect summer reading! Go on - you know you want to ...

Today, I finished off my office encounter short story - and very short it is too, but that's okay as I think it works. I've uploaded it to the Writewords Novel Group (somewhat cheekily but I did say I hoped it was okay), and people seem to like it. One or two do think it might be part of something longer - but I'm not sure I can cope with thinking about another novel at the moment!...

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I've just signed the petition over at www.britishkidstv.com and would urge you all to, at least, have a look at the site. (Though I should say that I think the language, um, 'issue' is not the most important one; children, and the rest of us, should, I think, be exposed to different things. I suppose that's the point...)

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Had great fun seeing Bryony last night in London – in the end we ate Turkish instead of pizza, which was great. I’ll do anything for lamb’s kidneys and hey the lamb had even died first, so no problem. We chatted for ages, so thanks for that, Bryony. I was rather amused though as she’d like me to give a talk to the children at her school (she’s deputy head) about writing – I was thrilled to be asked, just as long as she doesn’t leave me alone with the children (arggh! scary aliens, you know …) and just as long as I avoid actually telling them about the books, ho ho. Heck I don’t want to be arrested.

Meanwhile, the lovely Rosy from Vulpes Libris has given me loads of other ideas for my self-publishing article, so I’m all fired up to do those – so that’s tonight nicely sewn up. My, how I love a plan. I’ve written down a set of bullet points and I’m all ready to go. UPDATE: Second draft done, so I'll see what Rosy has to say about it. I certainly like it better ...

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