In Anne’s words, “I live and work in Surrey in the UK, though I’m an Essex Girl at heart. I write energetic novels, punchy short stories and fairly dark poetry, and I am a regular book reviewer for the Vulpes Libris review site. I also keep a lively blog, mainly on writing.”
1. If I was coming to the UK on vacation, tell me one place I MUST visit?
Exeter Cathedral in Devon – it’s magnificent and I’ve always loved it. Plus the cafe there does the best cream teas in England (no contest!) so what could be nicer?
2. Rolling hills and sleepy villages or fast paced city life?
Definitely rolling hills and sleepy villages! The fast pace of city life (and I lived in London in my 20s so I know all about that!) just wires me up way too much these days.
3. Do you really drink tea all the time? How do you take it?
I don’t drink tea hugely often, I’m sorry to say. But when I do, I like it milky, no sugar. It’s best when it’s lovingly prepared by my husband at weekends just after I’ve got out of bed in the morning 
) But I must admit I’ve a real obsession about cappuccinos and long for my own cappuccino machine one day …
4. Have you ever met (or seen up close) a member of the Royal Family? Share the details.
I’ve never met one, but I did come all the way down from Durham to London (300 miles) the day before Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson got married in 1986 with a group of totally mad friends. We had a fantastic time, slept on the Mall all night and generally joined in the party all day. It was amazing. I’m not sure I’ll do the same for William & Kate this year but I’ll definitely be glued to the TV waiting for the first glimpse of That Dress …
5. Who is your favourite British author/book (outside of your genre)?
I must say I do love George Eliot, and “Middlemarch” is one of my favourite all-time British books. More recently, I’m a big fan of poet Neil Rollinson as he’s so edgy and deep. Great stuff. I’ve seen him perform his poems too and he’s gripping.
6. Corontation Street or East Enders? Your favourite character?
I used to be really seriously hooked on EastEnders – I loved Den & Ang so much!!! It just wasn’t the same when they left (sob) so I must admit I haven’t watched for ages. My grandmother was a real fan of Coronation Street though – everything stopped for that when she was visiting. )
7. Who is your favourite British actor or actress?
I think Kenneth Branagh is one of the great actors of our generation, and much underrated still. I saw him perform Hamlet in Stratford-upon-Avon once and it was electric. I loved it even though I was ill at the time! He’s also done some amazing TV work. I wish he was on our screens much much more. He’s an auto-watch for me.
8. What was your first published story?
Goodness, that’s a tricky one. I’ve been around for a while! My first published novel was “A Dangerous Man” , which has now recently been republished by Cheyenne Publishing. It’s a novel about a male prostitute who dreams of being an artist and who will do anything to fulfill his dreams. From memory my first published short story was “Painting from Life“, which is about what happens when a male artist becomes obsessed with the old man who serves as his model. It’s a cross between the literary and the homoerotic, I think.
9. I’m coming to your house for a traditional English meal (your choice from breakfast to midnight snack). What are you going to serve?
A cream tea! It won’t be as good as Exeter Cathedral can produce but I’ll do my best. ) You can have cucumber sandwiches, scones, cream & jam, plus Victoria sponge and elegant conversation. All washed down with lashings and lashings of tea, with maybe just a glass or two of champagne. Well, champagne may not be English, but you can’t go wrong with it!
10. Who is your favourite British musical artist?
Ooh, can I go really seriously off-piste here and say Handel? I know he was German but he lived in Britain for so long, became a naturalised Brit, and changed British classical music so profoundly that surely he must count! Honestly, I could listen to any piece of Handel music over and over again and never get bored. I love him, especially the operas, which are like poetry in song. Great stuff.
website – http://www.annebrooke.com
Thanks so much Anne. You can find info about Anne and her books at the link above. Your musical choice is, umm, not quite the hottie of some others, but we’ll let it go given the style of the times. I’m sure he was a catch in his day.
Good morning Anne, great to see you here! And what a treat to visit Exeter Cathedral too, as my hubby comes from Exeter and many’s a cream tea we’ve had there
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Evening now, Clare! Sorry, have been at work all day
Lucky husband, and lucky you for all those yummy cream teas!
Anne
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Lovely interview Anne..I have not yet read A Dangerous Man but looking forward to it..
I read Maloney’s Law awhile ago and it still reamians my favourite of your work…
Continue enjoying that beautiful cathedral… it look wonderful..
E.H>
Thanks so much, EH – Paul from M’s L sends his love, of course … And the cathedral is totally lovely
Anne
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Morning, Anne,
Your cream tea sounds delicious. I could happily partake of that (as long as no chimps were present at the tea party)
I believe it was the English who actually invented champagne, or at least sparkling wine, in the seventeenth century.
My favourite George Eliot story is Silas Marner, I love that book.
Have fun!
Hi, Fabian! I’ll hide the chimps, promise …! Did we really invent sparkling wine? I never knew that. This fortnight is going to be educational, I can see
Yes, Silas Marner is lovely too
Anne
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Exeter cathedral is amazing and the city is beautiful, too. It’s been a while so I can’t remember the cream tea, but most cathedral cafes are a good bet for decent cream teas! I remember the one at Salisbury, that was yummy.
Den and Ang, those were the days…
Hello, Kate! Salisbury – I’ve been there too, but I can’t remember the cream tea – will have to go back and test it out now!
You’re right – those were the days, eh
Anne
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I’m so jealous you got to see a royal wedding. Well, sort of.
I too will eagerly be waiting to see the dress. I think it will be drastically different than the last couple of high ranking royals. I hope so anyway. Looking back? Ugh. LOL
Thanks for joining us this week.
Yes, I hope so too, Tam! We definitely need something different.
Lovely to be here – thanks so much for asking!
Anne
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Great interview Anne
Your cream tea sounds good, I have always wondered about cucumber sandwiches. Are they just bread and cucumber?
Thanks, Amanda! And bizarrely yes – though you are allowed a scraping of butter too. And the sandwiches have to be white bread with no crusts
Anne
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Hi, Anne!
I really need to bump A Dangerous Man up my to-read list.
Hello, Chris! Lovely to see you here
I hope you enjoy ADM – it’s rather strong stuff – I’m really normal underneath, you know! Honest … 
Anne
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I’m also jealous you saw a royal wedding. Work is all in a tizzy with the upcoming wedding and everyone’s talking about taking the day off to watch.
I almost want to say I’m so incredibly impressed that A Dangerous Man was your first ever published book. That’s such an intense and amazing book. A lot of authors claim their first books were not so good (or actually DONT claim their first books at all). Both your first novel and short story are stunning. Bravo.
grrr.. edit to say *I also want to say
Thanks, Kassa! That’s really lovely of you to say. I’ll let you in to a secret – I rewrote about 90% of ADM as I’d been too afraid of what I was trying to say when I wrote it first – and had Michael as a cleaner instead of an artist first time round. I only had the courage to make him an artist in the final version – glad I decided to go for it in the end!
Hugs and thanks again
Anne
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A Devon clotted cream tea……… yummy.
Great questions Tam
And thanks Ann for answering them
I know, Ingrid! I wish there was one around now
Anne
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Hi, Anne! Great interview.
I’m with Kassa — I’m very impressed that A Dangerous Man was your first novel. I also remember Painting from Life very clearly — very vivid, haunting story. Now … I’m trying to visualize what a cream tea is … is that just black tea with cream dumped into it, or is it more complicated than that? 
Thanks, Val! So glad you liked those stories
And a cream tea is:
Scones split in half (can be plain or sultana scones, but I prefer plain ones), jam (has to be strawberry, to my mind, though many disagree …), thick and glorious clotted cream (which is the best thing on the planet), and a good cup or two of tea to wash it all down. Tea can be with milk or without – I always have milk.
There are HUGE arguments, depending if you’re from Devon or Cornwall, about whether you should put the cream or the jam on first (I can never remember which way round it is for Devon or Cornwall …) but I ALWAYS put the jam on first and then a huge dollop of clotted cream on top. Though I do always make sure I have cream left over afterwards for a teaspoon or two of pure pleasure to round everything off. Mmmmm ….
Anne
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I like the cream first and then then jam
You wild thing, you, Ingrid!
Hi Anne,
I remember working just down the road from Westminster Cathedral when Andrew and Sarah got married. We could hear the cheers and then hear them on the TV.
Cream teas – yummy.
Hello, Sue! Lucky you, working near – must have been so exciting too!
Anne
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A lovely interview indeed.
Thanks, Stevie!
Anne
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Hi Anne
Lovely to read all these interesting things about you, and get to know you a little better
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My favourite place for a cream tea is the Orchard Tea Gardens at Grantchester. Yummy! The jam has to come first, I think, otherwise you can’t put such a huge dollop of cream on
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Hello, Jen, and thank you!
Mmm, must add Grantchester Tea Gardens to my cream tea list! Tea & gardens – the perfect combination …
Anne
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The cream tea explanation makes it sound delicious!
Great interview, Anne. I really enjoyed learning a bit about you.
I’ve always wanted to visit England but haven’t been able to yet. I’m jealous too that you saw a royal wedding. The closest I’ve been to royals was when I called out sick to watch Charles and Diana’s wedding. I’m looking forward to watching William and Kate’s although this time around I’ll be good and not call out.
Thanks, Lily! And yes, I’m going to be glued to the TV all day on 29 April – can’t wait!
Anne
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Hey, amiga – just found this. I’ve never had a cream tea but it sounds delicious. However, I’m fond of cucumber sandwiches. Never been to Brighton, either. My one visit to the UK was many years ago and I somehow managed to arrive when everyone was on strike, so it was hard to get around. After a couple of days, we jumped ship. Wish I could be there again.
Victor
Hello, Victor! You’d be more than welcome! Cream teas ‘r’ us!
Anne
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Thank you very much for sharing with all some of your “facts”
I´m really enjoying this interview series
Thanks, Helena! I’m enjoying it too – it’s a great idea.
Anne
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Hi Anne – I’ve never been to Exeter cathedral but it sounds worth checking out – even if only for the cream teas
Your taste in literature, actors and music is far classier than mine… I’m going to feel like a real peasant on my day!
Jo x
Hello, Josephine! Definitely go if you can! And I think my choices are just the signs of never being able to have a misspent youth – there are no buses to get to one in the country! Hugely looking forward to your day, my dear
Hugs galore!
Anne
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