tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-81576837906849150552024-02-21T09:11:57.234+00:00Manifold PressAiming for excellence in gay fictionManifold Presshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08421355188502553877noreply@blogger.comBlogger338125truetag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8157683790684915055.post-57583633548977045412016-03-01T07:33:00.006+00:002016-03-01T07:33:42.183+00:00We're moving to the "Coffee House"!Good morning, all!
Manifold Press will be going through some exciting changes between now and May. One of the earliest changes aims to consolidate our blogging efforts and integrate them with our website.<br />
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As you know, we have been running our blog on Live Journal and Blogger concurrently. <b>These two journals will remain as they are, but we will no longer be posting to them.</b> We now have a shiny new WordPress blog instead, that we dubbed <b>the "Coffee House"</b>!<br />
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We have imported all our old posts and the (unscreened) comments there.
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<ul>
<li>Please do visit and bookmark the new blog: <a href="http://manifoldblog.co.uk/">http://manifoldblog.co.uk/</a></li>
<li>If you don't want to miss anything, you might subscribe to the blog's RSS feed: <a href="http://manifoldblog.co.uk/feed/" target="_blank">http://manifoldblog.co.uk/feed/</a></li>
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Meanwhile, to help celebrate, we will be holding <b>book giveaways</b> over the coming week.<br />
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Thank you so much for being a lovely part of our presence here on Blogger. We certainly do hope that you'll make the move with us.Manifold Presshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08421355188502553877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8157683790684915055.post-48405827050738107772016-02-28T11:53:00.002+00:002016-02-28T11:53:50.609+00:00New review of THE 'TRUE LOVE' SOLUTIONEvery now and then we get a review that's really difficult to quote from, because basically the book and the reviewer just weren't an ideal fit. This is the case today with a review of Julie's new book <a href="http://manifoldpress.co.uk/2016/01/the-true-love-solution/" target="_blank"><b>THE 'TRUE LOVE' SOLUTION</b></a> published by reviewer Tamika on the blog 'Oh My Shelves'. We're very grateful for Tamika's time and her comments, but sadly it appears she wasn't completely wowed by the book. You can read her review in full <a href="http://ohmyshelves.com/the-true-love-solution-by-julie-bozza/" target="_blank"><b>here</b></a>.Manifold Presshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08421355188502553877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8157683790684915055.post-33243853399322366412016-02-27T11:35:00.004+00:002016-02-27T11:35:48.990+00:00Saturday Historical Novelist Interview re A PRIDE OF POPPIESThe historical author <b>Christoph Fischer</b> reviewed our WWI charity anthology <a href="http://manifoldpress.co.uk/2015/04/a-pride-of-poppies/" target="_blank"><b>A PRIDE OF POPPIES</b></a> for the Historical Novel Society, and we are absolutely chuffed that the title has since been shortlisted for the <b>HNS Indie Award 2016</b>.<br />
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Today Christoph has posted an interview with POPPIES editor and author Julie Bozza. If you would like to read more about Julie herself, the Press and the POPPIES project, please follow the link:<br />
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<a href="https://writerchristophfischer.wordpress.com/2016/02/27/saturday-historical-novelist-interview-with-julie-bozza/" target="_blank"><b>Saturday Historical Novelist Interview with Julie Bozza</b></a><br />
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And thank you very kindly indeed to Christoph for the opportunity!Manifold Presshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08421355188502553877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8157683790684915055.post-89691741181873263782016-02-14T11:25:00.000+00:002016-02-14T11:25:39.822+00:00Better late than never ...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3fIO-wNU3RJYO6sS76_9NzydVmQqVDlzBZrzhOYeVkhdEePSckP6FYnG-p9jwvMpRAJ_N4NmuvNK_R1uZMr_tpklj-nIS4o2Z7XXu3mgfyHTbTHX8781QTQKR-jM0Acya0O-fdmO34lXh/s1600/valentine.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3fIO-wNU3RJYO6sS76_9NzydVmQqVDlzBZrzhOYeVkhdEePSckP6FYnG-p9jwvMpRAJ_N4NmuvNK_R1uZMr_tpklj-nIS4o2Z7XXu3mgfyHTbTHX8781QTQKR-jM0Acya0O-fdmO34lXh/s400/valentine.jpg" /></a></div>Manifold Presshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08421355188502553877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8157683790684915055.post-44760466882594289192016-02-09T15:49:00.000+00:002016-02-09T15:49:06.426+00:00New review of THE 'TRUE LOVE' SOLUTIONOver at <b>Mortal Words</b>, Narrelle M Harris has once more kindly reviewed one of our new titles - this time, Julie Bozza's <a href="http://manifoldpress.co.uk/2016/01/the-true-love-solution/" target="_blank"><b>THE 'TRUE LOVE' SOLUTION</b></a>.<br><br>
<a href="https://narrellemharris.wordpress.com/2016/02/08/the-books-of-love-the-true-love-solution-by-julie-bozza/" target="_blank"><i>"All up, <b>The ‘True Love’ Solution</b> is a light, fun, gentle, sweet read that dances its sprightly way to a lovely and satisfying conclusion. It’s a perfect pick-me-up if life has seemed a bit dark lately, and a cheerful confection if life’s good and you want to celebrate True Love, even if it does wobble off course sometimes."</i></a><br><br>
What author wouldn't give their right arm - or any other insignificant portion of their anatomy - for a similar review? Congratulations, Julie - and thank you again, Narrelle - you've really made our day!Manifold Presshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08421355188502553877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8157683790684915055.post-80797526188434969912016-02-08T07:08:00.001+00:002016-02-08T07:08:48.117+00:00New review of CARLYLE'S CROSSINGOver at Sinfully Gay Romance Book Reviews, Freya has been reading Chris Quinton's revised version of <b><a href="http://manifoldpress.co.uk/2016/01/carlyles-crossing/" target="_blank">CARLYLE'S CROSSING</a></b>. Whilst it's clear that the book didn't entirely hit the spot with this reviewer, it obviously wasn't a total 'miss' either - and some of the comments are truly treasurable!<br><br>
<a href="http://sinfullymmbookreviews.blogspot.de/2016/02/book-brief-carlyles-crossing-by-chris.html" target="_blank"><i>Carlyles Crossing is an engaging tale. It didn’t give my emotions a huge workout, but I found it easy to follow, entertaining and it had a quiet intensity to it. The story has a subtle charm and believability that took me along on a sweetheart of a ride.</i></a><br><br>
Thank you for your review, Freya - we're sorry you weren't completely wowed, but very glad you felt the book had merit; maybe we'll find something that suits you a little better next time!Manifold Presshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08421355188502553877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8157683790684915055.post-60839063612000638382016-02-02T08:49:00.001+00:002016-02-02T08:49:44.557+00:00New review of CARLYLE'S CROSSINGNo sooner had we posted news of the previous two reviews when in came an e-mail about another - a review of Chris Quinton's re-release of <a href="http://manifoldpress.co.uk/2016/01/carlyles-crossing/"><b>CARLYLE'S CROSSING</b></a> - which we thought we had better bring to you as quickly as possible, before we lose the plot completely!<br><br>
Our friends at the Prism Book Alliance are, as always, very quick off the mark; we were particularly pleased with reviewer Josie Goodreads's comment that:<br><br>
<a href="http://www.prismbookalliance.com/2016/02/carlyles-crossing-by-chris-quinton-book-review-by-josie-goodreads/"><i>Chris Quinton is not the most prolific of authors but with her books you know quality rules over quantity, she never fails to produce wonderful stories and Carlyle’s Crossing is no exception.</i></a><br><br>
This would be praise enough in itself, but when she goes on to add '<i>[t]o say I was captivated by the story is an understatement</i>' we know for certain that the book has found its way to an appreciative reader. Thank you for your review, Josie - and congratulations again, Chris; you're clearly doing something right!Manifold Presshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08421355188502553877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8157683790684915055.post-27638810484920107562016-02-02T08:39:00.000+00:002016-02-02T08:39:25.410+00:00New reviews of THE 'TRUE LOVE' SOLUTION, ALOESMark at Sinfully Sexy is first out of the gate this time with a release-day review of Julie Bozza's new title <a href="http://manifoldpress.co.uk/2016/01/the-true-love-solution/" target="_blank"><b>THE 'TRUE LOVE' SOLUTION</b></a>, which he seems really enthusiastic about! After a quick trot through the plot <b>[spoiler alert if you click!]</b>, he comes to the following conclusion:<br><br>
<a href="http://sinfullymmbookreviews.blogspot.de/2016/02/release-day-review-true-love-solution.html" target="_blank"><i>This book has no big angst factor, no biting your nails, no heart breaking break-ups, big tear jerking making up or reunion scenes and no broken characters. It is light on the erotic but thoroughly entertaining as it focuses more on the characters, and what wonderful characters they are too. I was in immersed in this book from the beginning and thanks to Julie’s wonderful writing was introduced to another set of vibrant, lovable characters. </i></a><br><br>
To which we can only say "Yes!"<br><br>
At the same time we were delighted to see one of our older titles receiving another airing - also on Sinfully Sexy - where reviewer Sally mentioned Chris Quinton's <a href="http://manifoldpress.co.uk/2010/05/aloes/" target="_blank"><b>ALOES</b></a> in the 'Quick Bites' section. This is the whole review:<br><br>
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<a href="http://sinfullymmbookreviews.blogspot.co.uk/2016/02/mondays-quick-bites-and-giveaway.html" target="_blank">One of the things I like best about Chris Quinton’s books is that you always get a bit extra. What could have been a fairly routine story of a new romance blossoming in difficult circumstances was made all the more exciting by the inclusion of the neat little paranormal twist brought about by Perry’s injury. There are some super secondary characters too, some of whom cloud the romance issue making it less cut and dried who Perry’s eventual partner will be and the story ends with challenges still to face but that just SUCH a nice change from roses round the gate and a baby on the way that I actually gave a little cheer. Thanks Chris.</a></i><br><br>
I think it would be fair to describe that as 'small but perfectly-formed'!<br><br>
Congratulations to both authors - and thank you, too, to both reviewers; we really appreciate you helping to spread the word about our books, and introducing them to a whole new group of friends out there in the big wide world!
Manifold Presshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08421355188502553877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8157683790684915055.post-32308770318854812462016-02-01T07:38:00.002+00:002016-02-01T07:38:54.746+00:00Two new titles released this morning!Good morning everybody, from a dark and soggy corner of the UK. Here, to brighten up your Monday, are details of the two new titles released today by <b>Manifold Press</b>.<br><br>
<a href="http://manifoldpress.co.uk/2016/01/the-true-love-solution/" target="_blank"><b>THE 'TRUE LOVE' SOLUTION</b> by Julie Bozza</a> is the story of Jules, a devoted fan of author Ewan Byge, who grabs at the opportunity of purchasing a significant item of memorabilia only to learn that he's fallen victim to a fraud. In trying to extricate himself from this predicament he meets his hero in real life, and that's when things start to get <i>really</i> complicated...<br><br>
<a href="http://manifoldpress.co.uk/2016/01/carlyles-crossing/" target="_blank"><b>CARLYLE'S CROSSING</b> by Chris Quinton</a> introduces us to Jubal, who - along with his best friend Sal - is reluctantly drawn the whole width of the USA to attend to family business and reconnect with his Abenaki heritage; it's the start of a sequence of mysterious events that seem well beyond his power to influence, but it seems his ancestors have other opinions! [NB: this title was previously published elsewhere, but has recently been revised and re-edited by the author.]<br><br>
Because our titles are out on a Monday this time, we'll be holding our regular 'new book' Twitter chat next weekend instead - watch this space for further information - and, in the meantime, we hope you'll have a great week and enjoy reading our two new books!
Manifold Presshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08421355188502553877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8157683790684915055.post-41120251616330800612016-01-27T15:57:00.001+00:002016-01-27T15:57:37.878+00:00New review of IN THE PRIVACY OF THEIR HOMEThe timing of reviews is a continuing mystery to us, but nonetheless we're always very pleased when a new one pops up out of the blue. In this case, we're especially pleased to report that Divine Magazine, through a reviewer named Cat Clontz, seems to have been very impressed with <a href="http://manifoldpress.co.uk/2015/10/in-the-privacy-of-their-home/" target="_blank"><b>IN THE PRIVACY OF THEIR HOME</b></a>, the most recent title from our good friend R.A. Padmos.<br><br>
As it's quite a short review we'll resist the temptation to quote too much of it, but we were particularly glad to see the following comments:<br><br>
<a href="http://divinemagazine.net/privacy-home-r-a-padmos/" target="_blank"><i>"This is a well written, sweet story that readily defines the attitudes, dangers, and scheming required to successfully navigate life as a gay man in the 1960s. ... [O]nce it gets going, it is a lovely book with engaging characters that I am thankful to have been able to read."</i> </a><br><br>
That's exactly the sort of feedback every author dreams of, so thank you Cat Clontz - and congratulations R.A.!Manifold Presshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08421355188502553877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8157683790684915055.post-47129475609059868922016-01-17T11:59:00.001+00:002016-01-17T11:59:11.363+00:00Catch the early bird rate for Queer Company!There's still 293 sleeps to go until our <b><a href="http://manifoldevents.co.uk/" target="_blank">QUEER COMPANY 2</a></b> event on <b>Saturday 5 November</b> - but there's only a couple of weeks left to take advantage of our early bird rate.<br />
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Delegates can currently secure their place for the fee of <b>£40</b>. This will go up to <b>£50 from 1 February</b>.<br />
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The event is strictly limited in terms of size. We are planning for a happy yet relaxed sense of being among a small group of friends. We have chosen the venue accordingly - and even though we are booking out the entire place this time, our numbers are still limited to 50.<br />
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If you'd like to discover which other cool people are already registered, check out the <a href="http://manifoldevents.co.uk/registration/whos-coming/" target="_blank"><b>WHO'S COMING?</b></a> page on the event website!<br />
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Please do come and join us. We'll have a ball!Manifold Presshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08421355188502553877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8157683790684915055.post-78293531749436725782016-01-15T07:30:00.000+00:002016-01-15T07:30:06.492+00:00AUTHOR GUEST BLOG NUMBER TWENTY-TWO - Adam FitzroyThis is another post in the sequence where authors revisit earlier <b>MANIFOLD PRESS</b> titles; this time, Adam Fitzroy talks about <b><a href="http://manifoldpress.co.uk/2011/05/stage-whispers/" target="_blank">STAGE WHISPERS</a></b>:<br><br>
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<div style="text-align: center;"><u><b>The little white lie that many authors tell</b></u></div><br><br>
When I was young I never harboured any desire at all to act - although I actually did so a few times at school - and nor was I exposed to very much in the way of theatre. About twenty years ago, however, I was bitten rather savagely by the live drama bug, and for a while after that I hung around Stratford and the Barbican soaking up virtually everything the Royal Shakespeare Company had to offer. I delved enthusiastically into Shakespeare then, and also started expanding my horizons with the work of other playwrights of virtually every type and from every possible period of dramatic history. I've seen some wonderful productions, and some absolute turkeys; I've seen great actors and bad ones who should never have been allowed on a professional stage; I've seen triumphs and disasters, popular stuff and plays I didn't always understand, and I've sat in auditoria ranging from the Maddermarket in Norwich to the Sydney Opera House. Each of those experiences has taught me something new and interesting about the theatre, and I've absorbed and processed every single one.<br><br>
I love everything about the theatre. I love being front of house with the velvet curtains, the plush carpets, the excited chatter and the fanning of programmes, but I also love the mechanical stuff - the way the scenery works, the lighting, the sound cues. I love the costumes, the performances, the production design, the props (even when they can't be seen, like the giant invisible phallus toted around the stage by Sir Toby Belch and Sir Andrew Aguecheek in one production of 'Twelfth Night'), the bits of comedy business, the lot. I've grabbed every opportunity I was offered to take backstage tours of theatres and to examine the way things worked. I've always enjoyed going behind the scenes in places anyway - exploring out-of-the-way corners and forgotten cupboards - and backstage tours are a particular delight; props and weapons politely labelled with the name of the actor using them ("Mr Allam"), black-curtained quick-change booths set up in odd corners where a dresser waits with costume, wig, boots all set out on a chair … and if you accidentally find yourself in certain seats at certain theatres it's also possible, sometimes, to see actors making their quick changes in the wings and to marvel at the composed and methodical way they go about it.<br><br>
Most of all, I think, I love the way actors can be anything at all the script or the director requires them to be - a clown one week, a villain the next - and the people surrounding them have to behave accordingly. When you're solemnly addressing someone as a mighty monarch, for example, it's no use remembering that he cuts his toenails in the sink or never washes his coffee cup; there is a distinct mental discipline required, and the inside of an actor's mind, with its watertight compartments, must be a fascinating place.<br><br>
Multiply this by the number of actors in a given company, plus understudies and backstage personnel, and you already have an almost endless variety of permutations. Add in the actors who gain and lose weight for roles, grow beards or moustaches, shave their eyebrows or their body hair; multiply by their personal lives and interrelationships, who they love and who they fear, how well or how badly they behave to one another, and you begin to see a complex and intriguing picture without any clearly-defined borders. And then there are actors who are household-name famous, who would be recognised in the checkout queue at Tesco's or if they happened to pop into the public library; there must be times when they just like to be ordinary, to stay below the radar, to have a quiet meal out or an evening with friends and remind themselves who they are when they're not being Captain This, Inspector That, or the Duke of Whatever. All this adds up to explaining why the theatre rapidly became a world which - as an author - I just couldn't wait to jump into and explore.<br><br>
But you have to have a place to start. You need a picture in your mind of your main protagonist; who is he (or indeed she), who are his friends, and if he's an actor what parts does he play? How well known is he? How successful? That's where the little white lie comes in - if that's what it is - because as far as I'm concerned every character ever written is at the very least 'inspired by' someone and probably shares a few of the more publicly-recognisable traits of their personality, and in my case this is particularly so with <b>STAGE WHISPERS</b>. Every copy has a disclaimer at the beginning: 'Characters and situations in this book are fictional and not intended to portray real persons or situations whatsoever; any resemblances to living individuals are entirely coincidental.' That's both true - because once we get the characters into our hot little hands whatever happens to them has very little bearing on the real world - and untrue, because characters are often inspired by something or somebody who already exists.<br><br>
I'm not suggesting <b>STAGE WHISPERS</b> is packed with thinly-concealed portraits of real-life actors, but in my mind's eye I know who they all are and I can also hear their voices - which is true of many other authors I've talked to as well. It's not unprecedented, obviously; Jane Austen and the Brontës based characters in their books on people they knew, and no doubt so has every other author since the dawn of time - simply because it's easier to remember than to invent from scratch, and this is anyway a rare case in which mis-remembering something can be positively constructive!<br><br>
So although it may amuse people to try to identify originals for some of my characters, I'm probably not going to confirm or deny anything. One friend of mine, having read STAGE WHISPERS at an early stage, confidently said that Actor X definitely wasn't in it - whereas he definitely is, large as life and every bit as unlikeable. If you had a list of every film, play and TV show I've seen since the 1990s you might be in with a chance of identifying people, but that really isn't the point. The point is that - no matter where characters have their origins - once they find their way onto the page they are altered so irrevocably that they are no longer the people they were. Bolted together Frankenstein-like, from bits and pieces of other people, they assume a life of their own; they go off and wreak havoc in their world, and there is little or nothing an author can do to control them.<br><br>
Fiction writing is a form of role-playing, a chance to be somebody one isn't in the real world. I don't suppose I would ever have made a professional actor - or even a decent amateur - but in writing about the theatre I had a wonderful chance to immerse myself in it completely and live in that world for the best part of a year; that's all the role-playing I need. Writing is hard work, and it's absolutely vital to be able to write about a subject one enjoys exploring; that was very much the case for me with <b>STAGE WHISPERS</b>, and I can only hope it shows in the end result!<br><br>
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*</div>Manifold Presshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08421355188502553877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8157683790684915055.post-77161629500138044492016-01-13T21:13:00.002+00:002016-01-13T21:13:23.633+00:00Catching up ...In the mayhem surrounding the Rainbow Awards and the preparations for Christmas we somehow missed a review of Jay Lewis Taylor's <a href="http://manifoldpress.co.uk/2015/04/the-peacocks-eye/" target="_blank"><b>THE PEACOCK'S EYE </b></a>which was posted on Elisa's Reviews and Ramblings website and has since also appeared on Goodreads:<br><br>
<i><a href="http://reviews-and-ramblings.dreamwidth.org/4684267.html" target="_blank">One of the best historical novels I've read in a while. The author captured late Elizabethan London perfectly. I could almost smell the ambience. Research has been flawless as far as I could tell. The tale was little rambling and diverting from its main storyline, but it was forgiveable to explore the reality of the MC's 16th-century England. Interesting plot line.</a></i><br><br>
We couldn't possible disagree with that, and indeed we certainly wouldn't want to!<br><br>
We'd like to apologise to Jay for the oversight, which just goes to prove - as Holly says in <i><b>Red Dwarf</b></i> - that nobody's infullible.Manifold Presshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08421355188502553877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8157683790684915055.post-581692421963568742016-01-01T17:37:00.003+00:002016-01-01T17:37:59.816+00:00More kudos for A PRIDE OF POPPIES!The Manifold Press team certainly has plenty to celebrate on this, the first day of 2016!<br />
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It has just been announced that our charity anthology, <b><a href="http://manifoldpress.co.uk/2015/04/a-pride-of-poppies/" target="_blank">A PRIDE OF POPPIES</a>, Modern GLBTQI fiction of the Great War</b>, has been <b><i>short-listed</i></b> for the <b><a href="https://historicalnovelsociety.org/hns-awards/2016-hns-indie-award-shortlisted-titles/" target="_blank">Historical Novel Society (HNS) Indie Award 2016</a></b>!
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To progress so far in these awards is a terrific achievement for an anthology focusing on characters who have been seen historically as belonging on the fringes of society. It is beyond heartening to know that our stories are welcome to stand on their own merits in the 'mainstream' fold.
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Congratulations to all the Poppies authors and editors! You've done us all proud.Manifold Presshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08421355188502553877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8157683790684915055.post-66534062175803519912016-01-01T08:39:00.000+00:002016-01-01T08:39:11.891+00:00Price reductions on old favourites2016 is going to be a year of changes throughout <b>MANIFOLD PRESS</b> - which we'll explain in more detail as we go along. However we thought we'd start out gently with permanent price reductions on a handful of our classic titles.<br><br>
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<a href="http://manifoldpress.co.uk/2010/05/aloes/" target="_blank"><b>ALOES by Chris Quinton - now $4.95!</b></a><br><br>
A fluke accident puts Perry in a coma. When he awakes, his scrambled synapses have given him a talent; he can tell truth from lies simply by their flavour. This, plus the new client who is far too attractive for Perry’s peace of mind, the client’s contentious family and the dilapidated old mansion Perry has to restore for him – not to mention anonymous threats which escalate to attempted murder – all ensure that Perry’s life will never be the same again!<br><br>
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<a href="http://manifoldpress.co.uk/2013/04/always-with-us/" target="_blank"><b>ALWAYS WITH US by Morgan Cheshire - now $5.95!</b></a><br><br>
<i>Liverpool, 1896:</i> Wealthy Harrison Calderwood has never given much thought to the poor of the bustling city until he accidentally runs into firebrand Daniel Harper. Through Daniel’s eyes he begins to see how much more could be done to improve the lot of the working people, and at the same time he begins to feel a very strong attraction towards Daniel himself. However this is the Victorian era, Daniel is believed to be a troublemaker, and Harrison has a position to maintain and a family who are expecting him to marry a well-to-do young woman and settle down to a conventional life …<br><br>
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<a href="http://manifoldpress.co.uk/2010/11/homosapien/" target="_blank"><b>HOMOSAPIEN by Julie Bozza - now $4.95</b></a><br><br>
Patrick and David are friends who run a gay bookstore, and life seems simple and safe enough until the day when unexpectedly he walks in – six feet tall, gorgeous and built like a dream. But Homosapien isn’t welcome in their world; he’s a professional wrestler, and everything he does is fake. So he can’t really be gay, can he, or interested in either one of them? Can they even trust a single word he says … ?<br><br>
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<a href="http://manifoldpress.co.uk/2010/05/sea-change/" target="_blank"><b>SEA CHANGE by Chris Quinton - now $6.95!</b></a><br><br>
Injured on duty and no longer fit for active service, soon-to-be-ex-Coast Guard Bran Kaulana is drifting, filling his days helping out at the Wai Ola Rescue Center, one of Honolulu’s wildlife charities. He’s working with the new veterinary, Steve, a man drawn to O’ahu by his fascination with dolphins. As their friendship slowly deepens into love, the two men are caught up in the mystery of injured seals and dolphins, a ruthless gang of smugglers and a not-so-dormant undersea lava vent.<br><br>
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<a href="http://manifoldpress.co.uk/2011/10/the-valley-of-the-shadow-of-death/" target="_blank"><b>THE VALLEY OF THE SHADOW OF DEATH by Julie Bozza - now $4.95!</b></a><br><br>
Joshua Delaney and Carmine Angelo Trezini, cop and mobster, should have absolutely nothing in common; yet, accidentally brought together, they rapidly became both lovers and allies against important crime figure Matthew Picano. Of course, taking down a man like that was never going to be easy – but Josh has no idea of the scale of the sacrifice he will eventually be called upon to make.<br><br>
<div style="text-align: center;">- - - - -</div><br><br>
If you missed any of these diverse and fascinating titles earlier in their illustrious careers, this would be a wonderful opportunity of making their acquaintance!
Manifold Presshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08421355188502553877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8157683790684915055.post-10709972067896077252016-01-01T07:42:00.000+00:002016-01-01T07:42:11.319+00:00HAPPY NEW YEAR FROM MANIFOLD PRESS<div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" src="http://ic.pics.livejournal.com/manifold_press/20335047/18294/18294_600.png" title="" /></div>
<p align="justify">Once again, we’re delighted to be entering a New Year by giving you news of two titles which are due to be published on 1 February:</p>
<p align="justify">A new <a href="http://manifoldpress.co.uk/2015/01/julie-bozza/" target="_blank"><strong>Julie Bozza</strong></a> book is always an event, and this time she brings us the story of Jules who – as a devoted fan of celebrity author Ewan Byge – splashes out on buying a souvenir of his idol which brings him closer to the man himself than he could ever have imagined in <a href="http://manifoldpress.co.uk/2016/01/the-true-love-solution/" target="_blank"><strong>THE ‘TRUE LOVE’ SOLUTION</strong></a>.</p>
<p align="justify">Alongside that, we’re very pleased to have a revised reprint of <a href="http://manifoldpress.co.uk/2014/10/chris-quinton/" target="_blank"><strong>Chris Quinton’s</strong></a> book <a href="http://manifoldpress.co.uk/2016/01/carlyles-crossing/" target="_blank"><strong>CARLYLE’S CROSSING</strong></a>, which was previously available elsewhere. Jubal is reluctantly drawn into a mystery from his family’s past, which takes him and staunch buddy Sal the whole width of the USA and plunges them both into some very murky waters indeed.</p>
<p align="justify">Along the way, in each of the books, there are some unexpected twists which we’re sure will keep you glued to the page – or should that be the screen? – until the very last word, and we’re very glad to have this opportunity of offering them to you.
</p>
<p align="justify">Look out, too, for permanent discounts on some beloved old favourites, which we'll be announcing very soon - and if all of that doesn't take you into 2016 in an optimistic frame of mind, with our Jane Austen anthology <a href="http://manifoldpress.co.uk/2015/08/call-for-submissions-2/" target="_blank"><b>A CERTAIN PERSUASION</b></a> and our second <a href="http://manifoldevents.co.uk/" target="_blank"><b>Queer Company</b></a> event in Oxford also to look forward to, then we don't know what will!</p>
<p align="justify">Thank you for your company in 2015, and we look forward to having many more adventures together with you in the New Year!</p>Manifold Presshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08421355188502553877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8157683790684915055.post-67106316786471913972015-12-24T12:17:00.000+00:002015-12-24T12:17:22.647+00:00'Tis the season ...<div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" src="http://ic.pics.livejournal.com/manifold_press/20335047/18005/18005_600.png" title="" /></div>Manifold Presshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08421355188502553877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8157683790684915055.post-49097147955333349822015-12-19T12:28:00.005+00:002015-12-19T12:28:44.998+00:00Kudos for A PRIDE OF POPPIESWe have to admit to being rather proud of our charity anthology <a href="http://manifoldpress.co.uk/2015/04/a-pride-of-poppies/" target="_blank"><b>A PRIDE OF POPPIES</b></a>, which features modern GLBTQI fiction of the Great War. So we've been tickled pink to find the anthology mentioned in end-of-year dispatches.<br />
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<b>Kazza</b> of <b>On Top Down Under</b> reviews listed the anthology as one of her Books of the Year for 2015.<br />
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<a href="http://ontopdownunderbookreviews.com/kazza-ks-books-of-the-year-2015/" target="_blank"><i>One of the best anthologies I've had the pleasure of reading. Every single story is well crafted, well edited, and fascinating. Some stories were so good I’d love to see them longer but there is not one story that misses a beat. ... If you like a good LGBT historical, you like queer fiction of a literary quality, then this anthology covers all the letters and is beautifully written. Oh yes, the proceeds of sales go to The Royal British Legion.</i></a><br />
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(We were also pleased to note that one of the POPPIES contributors, <b>Barry Brennessel</b>, came equal first in Kazza's list with his SIDEWAYS DOWN THE SKY.)<br />
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Meanwhile, the indefatigable <b>Elisa Rolle</b> asked her friends to name their favourite LGBT books of 2015. POPPIES was nominated by not one but two people: Manifold Press stalwart <b>Chris Quinton</b> and POPPIES contributor <b>Charlie Cochrane</b>.<br />
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Charlie: <i><a href="https://reviews-and-ramblings.dreamwidth.org/4771647.html" target="_blank">At the Gate (Jay Lewis Taylor) ... In my reading notes I used one word for it: stunning. It's the sort of story that made me think, "Well, I might as well give up writing because I could never produce anything this good". You can almost smell the sea and feel the roll of the ship as you read it.</a></i><br />
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Chris: <i><a href="https://reviews-and-ramblings.dreamwidth.org/4771647.html" target="_blank">Quite apart from the sheer quality of the writing across all the entries, and the eye-catching cover, every one of the stories brought something memorable to the reading. Poignant, gut-wrenching, uplifting, all of them wonderful portrayals of the human spirit, of people not only coping with the ravages of the First World War, but also the difficult life of homosexuals in the early 20th century.</a></i><br />
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Thank you so much, Kazza, Elisa, Charlie and Chris! We're delighted that you enjoyed this volume - and we hope that you, Dear Reader, will enjoy it likewise.Manifold Presshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08421355188502553877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8157683790684915055.post-39234657032534339572015-12-16T07:59:00.000+00:002015-12-16T07:59:25.028+00:00AUTHOR GUEST BLOG NUMBER TWENTY ONE - Chris Quinton<div style="text-align: justify;">
Continuing the series of blog posts in which our authors revisit their previous <b>Manifold Press</b> titles, we asked Chris Quinton to talk to us about the inspiration behind <a href="http://manifoldpress.co.uk/2010/05/aloes/" target="_blank"><b>ALOES</b></a> - and the result was the following fascinating article!</div>
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ALOES - by Chris Quinton</b></div>
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Aloes was one of my first books with Manifold Press, released on May 1st, 2010. How did Aloes happen? Well, some years ago, and prior to the birth of Manifold Press, one of my other publishers was in the habit of holding competitions on their private authors-only Yahoo group, and one of the once a month challenges was to write a three hundred word story on a three word prompt. I usually did fairly well on them, and they sometimes triggered an idea for a longer tale. On one particular occasion, the prompt was zinnias, scrapbook, and couch. I think. My memory isn't all it could be. Anyhow, I wrote three hundred words in the first person, featuring this poor guy who walked in on his boyfriend cheating on him, and, if I remember rightly, I won that month (no prizes, just a pat on the back). However, Perry, the hero of my triple drabble, sort of stayed with me. He hung around in the back of my brain cell, every now and then politely clearing his throat to remind me he was there.</div>
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I knew I'd tell his story sooner or later, but expected it to be later rather than sooner. Then I read an article on synaesthesia, and Perry pricked up his ears. And stuck out his elbows. I can take a hint, so I started researching.</div>
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Synaesthesia is a fascinating condition, and has many variables. At least ten forms are known, the most common being Chromesthesia where a sound is perceived as a colour, and Grapheme-colour synaesthesia where numbers and each letter of the alphabet are seen as a colour. </div>
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Something I found particularly interesting is that a lot of synaesthetes don't see their condition as an affliction, but a gift that can enhance their lives. Nor is synaesthesia a modern phenomenon. As a mind-boggling coincidence, while I was writing this blog a godsend of an article appeared [thank you, Fiona Pickles] showing that Vincent Van Gogh was almost certainly a synaesthete, specifically under the Chromesthesia heading. In a letter he describes seeing colours as sounds in a matter of fact way that shows he was clearly comfortable with it.</div>
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From a letter to his brother Theo [the italics are mine]: "Some time ago you rightly said that every colourist has his own characteristic scale of colours. This is also the case with Black and White (sic), it is the same after all — one must be able to go from the highest light to the deepest shadow, and this with only a few simple ingredients. <i>Some artists have a nervous hand at drawing, which gives their technique something of the sound peculiar to a violin, for instance, Lemud, Daumier, Lançon — others, for example, Gavarni and Bodmer, remind one more of piano playing. Do you feel this too? Millet is perhaps a stately organ.</i>"</div>
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Okay, so Perry is a synaesthete. But how? He wasn't born with the condition. The logical possibilities were either an illness that affected the brain, such as meningitis, or a blow to the head. The latter being the more dramatic, that's the one I chose to run with, especially as I had remembered some books and articles I'd read so many years ago, it isn't funny. They featured one Peter Hurkos, born 1911, a Dutchman who'd had a severe head wound after a fall from a ladder in 1941, and had a metal plate fitted over the resulting hole in his skull [that last detail is from my memory]. From then on he began to experience psychic phenomenon.</div>
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Hurkos had a long career as a professional psychic, specialising as a psychic detective. He moved to the USA in 1958, and by 1969 he claimed he had solved an impressive twenty-seven successful murder cases around the world, including the Boston Strangler serial killer, and the Sharon Tate Murders. Sadly, that resume turned out to be pretty much bogus. But despite the great Randi and others proving Hurkos was a fake, he retained a loyal following for many years. He remained in the USA until his death in 1988, having wrongly predicted the date of his demise...</div>
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Perry's is a version of the more rare lexical-gustatory synaesthesia that I've given a paranormal twist. Normally, synaesthetes with that form experience a particular word as a taste or a smell. In Perry's case, he can taste the intent behind the word, whether it is a lie or a truth, but it isn't a talent he was born with. In his case, I decided it resulted from a combination of some dodgy out of date medication and a blow to the head that dropped him into a coma.</div>
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The human brain is an amazingly complex organ. Head trauma has been known to cause some strange and heartbreaking after-effects for the sufferer's family and friends, amnesia being the least of it. Personality changes, speech pattern and accent changes, have all been recorded. There have even been cases where the patient has awoken with the ability to speak a foreign language with a fluency they'd never shown previously. Hurkos' claim to have gained a psychic talent isn't such a great stretch, and Perry's new talent is only a few steps farther on.</div>
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Perry's new talent isn't static. Over the course of the story, it expands from the taste of bitter aloes for the spoken lie or crisp fresh apples for truth, and it has the potential to be a curse as well as a blessing.</div>
Manifold Presshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08421355188502553877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8157683790684915055.post-30282398355009417922015-12-16T07:43:00.002+00:002015-12-16T07:43:55.648+00:00CORRECTION AND APOLOGY: Jay Lewis TaylorA few hours after posting about the Goodreads Members Choice Awards nominations yesterday we were informed that we'd accidentally been sent the wrong badge for Jay Lewis Taylor's <a href="http://manifoldpress.co.uk/2014/04/dance-of-stone/" target="_blank"><b>DANCE OF STONE</b></a>, which was not nominated for the 'Hall of Fame' after all but in the 'Favourite All Time M/M Romance' category. We've made the correction on our website now, and would like to apologise to Jay for inadvertently perpetuating this error. (OTOH, we're sure it's only a matter of time ... !)<br><br>
<div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" src="http://ic.pics.livejournal.com/manifold_press/20335047/17603/17603_300.png" title="" /><br>
<b>DANCE OF STONE</b></div>Manifold Presshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08421355188502553877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8157683790684915055.post-2577365793673364702015-12-15T08:50:00.000+00:002015-12-15T08:50:37.281+00:00Goodreads Members' Choice AwardsWe're honoured to have been nominated in three categories this year!<br><br>
<div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" src="http://ic.pics.livejournal.com/manifold_press/20335047/16720/16720_300.png" title="" /><br>
<a href="http://manifoldpress.co.uk/2015/04/a-pride-of-poppies/" target="_blank"><b>A PRIDE OF POPPIES</b></a><br><br>
<img alt="" src="http://ic.pics.livejournal.com/manifold_press/20335047/17063/17063_300.png" title="" /><br>
<a href="http://manifoldpress.co.uk/2015/04/the-peacocks-eye/" target="_blank"><b>THE PEACOCK'S EYE</b></a><br><br>
<img alt="" src="http://ic.pics.livejournal.com/manifold_press/20335047/17375/17375_300.png" title="" /><br>
<b><a href="http://manifoldpress.co.uk/2014/04/dance-of-stone/" target="_blank">DANCE OF STONE</a></b></div><div><br>
Congratulations to all the authors involved - and particularly, this time, to our good friend Jay Lewis Taylor who wrote two of these books and contributed very strongly to the third - and thank you kindly to the person or persons who nominated us; we really appreciate your confidence!</div>Manifold Presshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08421355188502553877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8157683790684915055.post-67050673173852581012015-12-15T08:47:00.002+00:002015-12-15T08:47:26.926+00:00New review of IN DEEPSorry to say that once again a review of one of our books has sneaked out without us being aware of it, and we've only belatedly caught up. This time it's a review of Adam Fitzroy's <b><a href="http://manifoldpress.co.uk/2015/10/in-deep/" target="_blank">IN DEEP</a></b> by our good friend Feliz over at the Prism Book Alliance:<br><br>
<a href="http://www.prismbookalliance.com/2015/12/in-deep-by-adam-fitzroy-book-review-by-feliz/" target="_blank"><i>This is a quiet read, not at all depressing but nothing light and fluffy either. If you love mysteries – especially the classic whodunnit – and if you don’t mind the undertones in terms of physical affection, you can’t go wrong with this book.</i></a><br><br>
We're pretty sure this review - and the rating of 4.75 out of 5 - will delight the author; thank you, Feliz, for your time and your very welcome comments.Manifold Presshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08421355188502553877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8157683790684915055.post-91376604955746609032015-12-08T21:12:00.003+00:002015-12-08T21:12:56.064+00:00Rainbow Awards 2015 - the final verdict<div style="text-align: center;">
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It's been a pretty enthralling 24 hours, but the results are now public at last -
and it's congratulations to
Jay Lewis Taylor who achieved a Runner-Up (2nd)<br />
place in the Gay Historical Fiction category with
<a href="http://manifoldpress.co.uk/2015/04/the-peacocks-eye/" target="_blank"><b>THE PEACOCK'S EYE</b></a>,<br />
and to Chris Quinton who achieved a Runner-Up (3rd)<br />
in the Gay Historical Romance category with
<a href="http://manifoldpress.co.uk/2014/10/undercover-blues/" target="_blank"><b>UNDERCOVER BLUES.</b></a><br />
We're seriously proud of both of you, and of our other authors who received Honourable Mentions
and were also finalists:<br />
it was a really impressive success all round,<br />
and we couldn't be happier for you all!<br />
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Manifold Presshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08421355188502553877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8157683790684915055.post-20594904817486836542015-12-01T21:49:00.003+00:002015-12-01T21:49:24.907+00:00Queer Company event and 'A Certain Persuasion' anthology<b>QUEER COMPANY</b><br />
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We are all a tad overexcited about our <b><a href="http://manifoldevents.co.uk/" target="_blank">QUEER COMPANY 2</a></b> event, even though there's still something like 340 sleeps to go until <b>Saturday 5 November</b>!<br />
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The event is strictly limited in terms of size. We are planning for a happy yet relaxed sense of being among a small group of friends. We have chosen the venue accordingly - and even though we are booking out the entire place this time, our numbers are still limited to 50.<br />
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We have already received over 20 registrations, so if you can plan ahead for next November, it might be worth securing your place. Also, you might like to take advantage of our <b>early bird rate for the delegate's fee of £40</b>. This will go up to <b>£50 from 1 February</b>.<br />
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We are utterly delighted to welcome <b>Sue Brown</b> and <b><a href="http://ukgayromance.co.uk/" target="_blank">UK GAY ROMANCE</a></b> as our first sponsors. It's terrific to be partnered up with this blog which does so much to promote British authors, British characters and British settings in our global genre.<br />
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If you'd like to discover which other cool people are already registered, check out the <a href="http://manifoldevents.co.uk/registration/whos-coming/" target="_blank"><b>WHO'S COMING?</b></a> page on the event website!<br />
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<b>A CERTAIN PERSUASION</b><br />
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Many of us are re-reading our Jane Austen novels - and some of us are even writing our stories already - for this anthology which will feature LGBTQIA fiction based in the Austenverse.<br />
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The new release date is <b>1 November</b>, to tie in with <b>QUEER COMPANY</b>. The deadline has been shifted accordingly, to <b>1 May 2016</b>. So, maybe that makes it possible for you to contribute as well ... ? You'd be very welcome.<br />
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Check the <b><a href="http://manifoldpress.co.uk/2015/08/call-for-submissions-2/" target="_blank">CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS</a></b> page for details!<br />
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Wishing you all well, no matter how / whether you celebrate this festive season.Manifold Presshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08421355188502553877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8157683790684915055.post-35727145142130073042015-11-18T07:16:00.000+00:002015-11-18T07:16:13.494+00:00New review of A PRIDE OF POPPIESWe don't usually flag up informal reader reviews on 'Goodreads' or other similar sites, simply because there are so many of them and it would be impossible to keep track, but we've just been made aware of one which is really too wonderful not to share - so hopefully we can be forgiven just this once!<br><br>
'Ije the Devourer of Books' seems to have consumed the entire anthology in a single sitting - what about sleep? we ask - and to have been delighted with it:<br><br>
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1444832545" target="_blank"><i>I thought the stories were brilliant in the way they depicted the lives touched by the war, the strength of love and the challenge of hidden love at a time of war. I enjoyed reading these and it is another volume of top quality gay literature from Manifold Press.</i></a><br><br>
We can't help being thrilled to received such a lovely review. Sometimes the independent publishing world can be a lonely place, but knowing that our books are out there making friends is all the consolation we need; thank you, Ije!Manifold Presshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08421355188502553877noreply@blogger.com0