Today is Anna's Day in Scandinavia (specifically Sweden), which recognises everyone named Anna. The name means "favour" or "grace" or "beautiful". 10 famous Annas:
- Anna the Prophetess: an elderly woman of the Tribe of Asher mentioned in the Gospel of Luke. She prophesied about Jesus at the Temple of Jerusalem and appears during the presentation of Jesus at the Temple.
- Anna Massey: English actress. She won a BAFTA Award for the role of Edith Hope in the 1986 TV adaptation of Anita Brookner's novel Hotel du Lac.
- Anna Karenina: Protagonist in the novel by Tolstoy.
- Anna Pavlova: Russian prima ballerina of the late 19th and the early 20th centuries. She is most famous for her creation of the role of The Dying Swan and, with her own company, became the first ballerina to tour around the world, including performances in South America, India and Australia.
- Anna, Princess of Arendelle: Character in the Disney movie Frozen.
- Anna, king of East Anglia: Yes, a bloke called Anna! He was a member of the Wuffingas family, one of the three sons of Eni who ruled the kingdom of East Anglia. Anna was praised by Bede for his devotion to Christianity and was renowned for the saintliness of his family: his son and all his daughters were saints.
- Anna Mae Bullock: American singer, better known as Tina Turner.
- Anna Paquin: New Zealand-Canadian actress. She made her acting debut portraying Flora McGrath in the romantic drama film The Piano, for which she won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress at the age of 11, making her the second-youngest winner in Oscar history.
- Anna Poliatova: Soviet spy and assassin in the 2019 film Anna.
- Anna Wintour: British-American journalist, who has served as Editor-in-Chief of Vogue since 1988 and Global Chief Content Officer for Condé Nast since 2020. Her signature look is a pageboy bob haircut and dark sunglasses, and she is known for her eye for emerging fashion trends. She is often regarded as the most powerful woman in media and fashion. Her reportedly aloof and demanding personality has earned her the nickname "Nuclear Wintour".
A Very Variant Christmas
Last year, Jade and Gloria were embroiled in a bitter conflict to win back their throne and their ancestral home. This year, Queen Jade and Princess Gloria want to host the biggest and best Christmas party ever in their palace. They invite all their friends to come and bring guests. Not even the birth of Jade's heir just before Christmas will stop them.
The guest list includes most of Britain's complement of super-powered crime-fighters, their families and friends. What could possibly go wrong?
Gatecrashers, unexpected arrivals, exploding Christmas crackers and a kidnapping, for starters.
Far away in space, the Constellations, a cosmic peacekeeping force, have suffered a tragic loss. They need to recruit a new member to replace their dead colleague. The two top candidates are both at Jade and Gloria's party. The arrival of the recruitment delegation on Christmas Eve is a surprise for everyone; but their visit means one guest now faces a life-changing decision.
Meanwhile, an alliance of the enemies of various guests at the party has infiltrated the palace; they hide in the dungeon, plotting how best to get rid of the crime-fighters and the royal family once and for all. Problem is, they all have their own agendas and differences of opinion on how to achieve their aims.
Not to mention that this year, the ghosts who walk the corridors of the palace on Christmas Eve will be as surprised by the living as the living are by them.
Not to mention that this year, the ghosts who walk the corridors of the palace on Christmas Eve will be as surprised by the living as the living are by them.
Themes Christmas; superheroes; reunions; parties; life choices; shocking surprises; mistaken identity; kidnap and rescue.
Reasons not to read it
- It's a bit short. You could probably read it in one sitting.
- Most of the action takes place at a Christmas party. In a palace.
- It's all about Christmas but there doesn't seem to be a schmaltzy moral message.
- There are a couple of babies and some small children in it - and one nearly gets eaten.
- Santa appears in it, but he isn't really Santa.
- Superheroes. Again.
- Not to mention a whole bunch of super-villains. Again all new ones and not the ones we know from Marvel or DC.
Available from Amazon and Amazon Kindle
- It's a bit short. You could probably read it in one sitting.
- Most of the action takes place at a Christmas party. In a palace.
- It's all about Christmas but there doesn't seem to be a schmaltzy moral message.
- There are a couple of babies and some small children in it - and one nearly gets eaten.
- Santa appears in it, but he isn't really Santa.
- Superheroes. Again.
- Not to mention a whole bunch of super-villains. Again all new ones and not the ones we know from Marvel or DC.
Available from Amazon and Amazon Kindle
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