The dust settles on a new book release

Time to take a breath!

Thank you all for your support for the release of AGONY IN AMETHYST - I’ve been touched by the reviews it has received. If you didn’t catch my launch day video and book reading, you can watch it HERE.

I do have a complete character list for the series on my website so if you find yourself drowning in 5 books worth of continuing characters, you will find them all HERE. It is one of those things - some readers love character lists in books but some don’t (and those tend to be the ones who leave negative reviews!) so the website is my compromise.

Although I have clearly drawn the line under this series - the dynamics of the two main protagonists has changed and any future stories needs to reflect that change. There were also practical reasons to do with my access to the first three books. BUT the characters are not done with me yet and I already have a couple of new ideas tugging at my sleeve so keep watching this space for news of what a new series will look like (ideas for a series name gratefully received!).

I have said that I am taking a creative break but I am thinking there might be a shorter Harriet and Curran story coming out for Christmas next year. Watch this space.

A quick word on the audio book. My super quick new narrator is hoping to have the audio for AGONY IN AMETHYST to me by the end of November. I will send an email out when it is up (bearing in mind it takes forever for Audible to come on line!).

In other news, the ebook for GATHER THE BONES is temporarily unavailable for reasons beyond my control. Hoping it will be back on line soon because it was finding some new to me readers, which was great.

Coming in 2025

If you recall I got the world wide rights to my Maiden’s Creek (Australian historical romance) back from the original publisher.

The three books will now be called THE WOMEN OF MAIDEN’S CREEK and will be released across the first part of next year into the UK and North America. All three books are undergoing a light edit and the new covers are AMAZING!!!! (But I am keeping them under wraps for now).

New Books/New to you Authors

My author friends have been busy and I have a fine selection of new releases for you for every taste!

• The always fabulous NICOLA MARSH has a free gothic suspense novella, THE RESIDENCE

• For fans of Australian historical fiction, SARAH POWTER has just released MADELINE’S BOY, the latest in her convict series.

• Regency Romance readers will love SUSANNE BELLAMY’S, THE BARON AND THE BOOKSELLER. It is part of a series of stories by different authors, THE DAUGHTERS OF DUKE STREET (Hers is in the sweet suite, there is also a steamy suite). Look out for them!

• If you’re in the mood for the holiday season, how about a bundle of Christmas themed Regency Romances, SNOWFLAKES AND SCANDALS. The authors include BRONWEN EVANS and Heather Boyd.

• Finally a new to me author, ALIVIA FLEUR. She has a delightful free prequel novella to give away with each newsletter sign up. A SONG AND A SNOWFLAKE

And what am I reading/listening/watching…?

Reading: THE HAUNTING OF HILL HOUSE by Shirley Jackson. Said to be an American classic, it is only short but I am taking a long time to read it which might be more a reflection on my concentration level than Ms. Jackson’s prose!

Listening: Still going with War and Peace - I am getting so much more out of the audio than I was the print edition. However, I have got ahead of the schedule so I am bingeing Mick Herron’s Slow Horses series. The narrator is fabulous (as is the TV series on Apple)

Watching: Looking for comfort watches so I have been enjoying the latest series of All Creatures Great and Small. We are also watching The Day of the Jackal and The Disclaimer. We have worked our way through The Lincoln Lawyer and Mind Hunters.

What’s your favourite read/ listen/ watch for the month?

AND FINALLY

I occasionally put up posts which are more like blog posts than newsletter posts - part of my RANDOM NOTES series. I don’t send them out by email because I figure you get enough email from me! If you haven’t seen them, you are welcome to have a read. The most recent is:

• A MICHELIN GUIDE TO A STORY - A post for Remembrance Day and a bit of background to my World War One story, GATHER THE BONES.

All from me… please feel free to comment directly on the Substack post :-) I love hearing from you and if you are not already a subscriber, consider subscribing to my posts and look out for a link to a free download of the Harriet Gordon prequel novella THE UMBRELLA in your inbox :-)

Best regards

Alison