Brooke, Simon 1963–

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Brooke, Simon 1963–

PERSONAL: Born 1963, in Yorkshire, England.

ADDRESSES: Home—Chiswick, West London, England. Agent—Darley Anderson, Estelle House, 11 Eustace Rd., London SW6 1JB, England.

CAREER: Journalist. Worked variously in political public relations, and as a kitchen porter for British Broadcasting Corporation, a grocer in France, and a model.

WRITINGS:

Upgrading, Orion (London, England), 2002, Downtown Press (New York, NY), 2004.

2cool2btrue, Orion (London, England), 2003.

Contributor to periodicals, including London-based Times, Sunday Times, Independent, Daily Telegraph, and Financial Times.

SIDELIGHTS: British writer Simon Brooke's novel Upgrading tells the story of a young man who is trying to advance his station in life. Andrew Collins is a handsome media salesman who shares a flat with a flatulent roommate, but dreams of an upscale lifestyle. He becomes an escort for Jonathan's escort service and is soon the permanent date of Marion, a wealthy, older, American divorcée who plies him with Rolex watches and designer clothes. When their relationship turns sexual, Andrew discovers that Marion is manipulative and mean. He eventually falls for Jane, a wonderful, funny, but none-too-wealthy shop girl, and has a decision to make.

Upgrading is "a tale of lost youth scrambling to keep an individual identity in a capitalist nightmare," wrote a Kirkus Reviews contributor, adding that the novel is, ultimately, "overlong, windy nonsense." Kim Atchue-Cusella, a contributor to BookLoons.com, summarized the book as "a humorous story" that "sends the message that the grass might not be greener when you actually cross over to the other side." Booklist reviewer Misha Stone found Upgrading to be a "pleasant" read.

Brooke drew on his experiences as a male model when writing 2cool2btrue. Taking place in an industry that can be shallow and gossipy, the story follows Charlie Barrett, a veteran model who realizes he needs to find a different occupation. He takes a position with a fashion Web site, but when the site's owners disappear into cyberspace with the company's investment capital, Charlie becomes a suspect in the theft. His old friends want nothing to do with him, since he may be on the way to a fraud conviction, but he ultimately finds an advocate in a quirky journalist named Nora.