fifiphil – Page 3 – Fi Phillips

14th June 202315th November 2023

Lost down a rabbit hole: What I researched for Book 3 of the Haven Chronicles

I’m one of those authors who likes to prepare as much as possible before I begin to work on a new novel. One aspect of that preparation is plenty of research. You might think that because I write fantasy stories, the whole concept will be born from my imagination but I’m a firm believer in the value of grounding a story – even a fantasy story – in reality and possibilities that are believable to the reader.

Before I started on the third book in my YA futuristic fantasy series, I spent a lot of time on research so that I wouldn’t have to stop mid-way through to find out what was scientifically possible or historically correct. Here’s what I researched.

Haven Wakes and Magic Bound

Yes, I know I wrote both books, but over time the edges of your creations begin to blur. So I needed to check certain facts from the first two books to make sure I got it right in book three. Facts like:

what the travelling door in Hartley’s kitchen looks like
the layout of Darkacre
the entrance to the magical council controlled area, the Confluence (including golems)
Kiri Ema’s and the dancer Mariana’s appearances

and much much more.

Flying cities

Magic Bound was predominantly set in the magical portion of Steve’s world so I wanted to feature much more of the workaday (non-magical and futuristic) portion in book three. One expression of that high tech culture is a flying city. Research unearthed several possibilities:

aerostatic lift, involving lighter-than-air gases to provide buoyancy and lift
aerodynamic lift, with aerodynamic features that generate lift
anti-gravity, using technology that manipulates gravitational forces
tethered aerostat, a lighter-than-air structure anchored to the ground
static lift structure, generating enough buoyancy to keep the city afloat without a tether

It’s all very exciting and the technology I’ve chosen has definitely influenced the design of the city. And no, I’m not telling you what it’s called yet – you’ll have to wait and see.

Ostriches pulling carriages

Yes, that’s a real thing – look. I can’t include an image in this blog post for copyright reasons, but there are so many vintage images of ostriches pulling carts, traps, and carriages out there.

Now, there are no ostriches pulling a carriage in book three but there is something similar to an ostrich. That’s as much as I’m going to say. Again, read book three.

Cruise ships

Fi Phillips standing in a Norwegian setting with the cruise ship Iona in the background

This was a lovely topic to return to after my cruise of the Norwegian fjords last year, but I was especially interested in vintage cruise ships like Queen Mary 1 and 2, the RMS Aquitania, and yes, even the Titanic. It was the sumptuous interiors that piqued my interest.

Venice

I’ve been promising to feature Venice in my novels since I finished writing Haven Wakes and it finally makes an appearance in book three. This was one of my favourite research topics to dive into.

I’ve visited Venice several times and it’s a city that I still find fascinating and mysterious, so I’m taking Steve and co there this time round. Having said that, it may not quite be the Venice we all know.

So yes, those were the rabbit holes that I disappeared into last year. I have to say that I loved researching all of these topics. In fact, I probably spent way too much time down these rabbit holes because, well, shiny things and all that. Once book three is finished, I’ll be straight into research for book four and I already know that’ll include… Hang on. That’s a completely different blog post.

22nd May 202315th November 2023

Sharing my flash fiction

Since the beginning of 2023, I’ve been taking part in a monthly write-athon on Twitter called #7DayTale. Write a tale in seven tweets, one tweet each day for a week, around a provided theme. I’ve immensely enjoyed the challenge of creating such short pieces within the confines of the Twitter 280 character limit because it’s forced me to approach storytelling in a completely different way.

I’m quite proud of my resulting flash fiction tales so I thought I’d share one of them with you. The title of my story is the theme we were given that month. Hands up, I have polished the tale a little since I posted it on Twitter.

The Mysterious Library

The world went away a long time ago. That’s how it feels anyway. Harry always joked we should’ve had kids so they could look after us in our old age.

The key has left an imprint in the pages of the book that has imprisoned it for who knows how long.

I turn my wedding ring around my finger. It long ago left its mark on my skin. Harry was the same. He left his mark on my heart.

I put the key aside and examine the book. The battered leather cover sags loose from the pages. The title on the spine is worn away. I open the book.

Harry called himself a collector. I think hoarder was a better word. He filled the spare bedroom, the attic, the garage, even the shed with boxes of books, scrolls, and small tins that rattled.

Inside, I find the title of the book – The History of the Travelling Library.

Harry also called himself a seeker. He said I’d understand one day. I loved that man more than I’ve ever loved anyone, which is why I put up with his nonsense and boxes. He died last week. He was 84. We were together for over 50 years. It wasn’t enough.

Open on the floorboards, the book is thick with text. Each page is so full of words that they blur into slabs of grey as I turn the pages. Or maybe that’s just my tears.

My knees complain as I raise myself from the floor in the attic. The light is bad, provided by just one light bulb hanging from the rafters. I squint as I see it for the first time.

The key is warm in my hand as I pull back the curtain that veils a corner of the attic. This room was Harry’s domain which is probably why I’d never noticed the curtain or the tall wooden door that it hides. But that’s impossible. There’s nothing on the other side of that wall. Only air and a steep drop to the ground.

Here goes nothing, Harry would have said. The key fits perfectly into the door’s lock and with a little force, it turns. I open the door just a bit, enough to see through but not so much that I can’t slam it shut. There’s a floor beyond and a warm, steady light. I open the door wide and step through. It takes me a moment to realise that I’m in a library filled with bookcases that skim the ceiling.

“You took your time.” A familiar face. He sits at a desk in the middle of the space. I’ve got so much to show you,” Harry says. “Welcome to the Travelling Library.”

If you’d like to try your hand at penning a monthly flash fiction yourself, you can find the write-athon by searching for #7DayTale on Twitter.

26th April 202326th April 2023

A catch up in April

It’s been a while since I wrote a catch-up blog, so I thought April was the ideal month to let you know what’s been going on in the Life of Fi. 2023 has been hectic so far – generally in a good way – but that hasn’t stopped me from working on my novel or taking on new creative challenges.

Writing book 3 (and 4)

I began writing the third book in my YA futuristic fantasy series last year. I mapped the whole book out before I made a start and even back then, it did seem a lot to fit into 300 odd pages. Having written a generous portion of book three, I now realise that what I’d mapped out was not one book, but two. My challenge now is to decide where I can satisfactorily end book three (with a big, exciting finish) and begin book four.

What this means for you as a reader of course, is that there should be less time between the release of the two books. Hopefully.

Book 5 of the Haven Chronicles

Since I finished writing Haven Wakes, I’ve known exactly how I wanted to end the series. Clues have been dropped in books one and two and there’ll be more clues in books three and four. Book five will be the end of one journey but will leave plenty of doors open for more adventures elsewhere. Sorry to sound vague and mysterious but, you know, spoilers.

Creative Fi

2022 was a brilliant year in so many ways, but it was also a year that demanded I spend a lot of time at my desk, head down writing and planning in an attempt to keep ahead of my schedule as a copywriter and an author. There was little time for side projects. So I decided that this year would be all about new creative outlets that are fun.

First, I came across a flash fiction write-athon on Twitter called #7DayTale. Write a story in seven tweets, one each day for a week, on a provided theme. It’s a monthly event that I discovered thanks to the wonderful poet and author Lily Lawson.

The second new creative outlet for 2023 is my craft business. I used to make semi-precious jewellery for a living and while I gave that up several years ago, I’ve always wanted to return to working with beads and charms. As I’m an author and all about books, you probably won’t be surprised to discover that I’ve started a business making bookmarks. It’s called Bookmarks and Charms by Fi.

Finally, I’ve returned to a platform I first discovered about a decade ago – Tumblr. I’m not sure exactly how I’m going to use my new author account – Magical Possibilities – but it’ll probably include:

work in progress news and snippets
requests for beta and ARC readers
book reviews (not my books)
flash fiction and small stones
book cover reveals
news from other speculative fiction authors and my publisher
thoughts and musings
photos from the Life of Fi

If you’re a Tumblr user, then I’d love to connect over there.

Final Words

I’ll finish this catch up with a snippet from my work in practice, book three of the Haven Chronicles. This scene happens in Darkacre just when Steve desperately needs to be cheered up.

***

“It really smells rounds here.” Steve covered his nose as a sweet, pungent stink wafted through the air. “What is that?”

“It’s not me,” said James. “I’ve washed today. Maybe Widow Wefan has been using goat manure on her garden plot again.”

There was a ‘ping’ and a scrabbling of claws as a squirrel materialised in the air in front of Steve’s face and then dropped to the cobbled road.

“Squirrel mail,” said Steve.

“Blimey,” said James.

With a chirp, the squirrel ran up Steve’s trouser leg, circled his torso, and came to rest on his shoulder. With a flourish, the squirrel pulled a note out of the air and gave a quick bark.

“I think it’s for you,” said James with a grin.

***

2nd March 20232nd March 2023

Introducing The Great Big Demon Hunting Agency by Peter Oxley

book cover of The Great Big Demon Hunting Agency by Peter Oxley

Today is launch day for a brilliant novel, The Great Big Demon Hunting Agency by Peter Oxley. There’s demons and Victoriana and so much more but rather than prattle on myself, why don’t I share the book blurb with you instead?

***

London, 1868. The streets are haunted by thieves, murderers… and demons from beyond the Aether.

Spencer and Bart are the city’s most incompetent crooks, and they are in deep trouble. Hunted by both police and their fellow criminals, they are forced to consider the unthinkable —going straight.

Forming The Great Big Demon Hunting Agency, they think their troubles are behind them, but they soon find themselves caught up in a web far more dangerous than they could ever imagine, pitched against demons, criminals and evil magicians.

The Great Big Demon Hunting Agency is the new novel from Peter Oxley, the author of the Infernal Aether series. If you like dark gothic adventures with a light-hearted twist, then you’ll love The Great Big Demon Hunting Agency.

***

If the author’s name sounds familiar that’s because he’s one of the co-creators of Burning Chair Publishing and I’ve interviewed him on this blog before. Peter kindly let me read an ARC of his latest novel and I have to say it’s a keeper – exciting, funny, and scary too. You can find my book review over on Instagram.

So to mark the publication of The Great Big Demon Hunting Agency, I had a wee chat with Peter. Here’s what we talked about.

Congratulations on the release of your latest novel, Peter. How does it feel to have the Great Big Demon Hunting Agency published and out in the big wide world?

Really great – mainly because it’s taken waaay too long for me to get this book out! It’s been a long time in the writing, mainly because I’ve been so focused over the past few years on editing and producing other authors’ books in our Burning Chair stable. So this book has been like a neglected child – always sat there, half-finished, giving me doe eyes while I spent all my time on all of the other stuff I had to do. While working on other peoples’ stuff is really rewarding, it’s been tough – as you’ll know, us writers don’t just want to write, we NEED to write. So I made a decision last year to be a bit more selfish with my time and actually follow through on all these stories that have been backing up in my own head. So it’s even more of a relief than usual to get back in the saddle and chuck something of my own out there for the first time in years!

I’m sure it’s been worth the wait but for readers of your previous novels, how does GBDHA link to your Infernal Aether series?

The book was born out of the original Infernal Aether series and in particular two very minor characters who dipped in and out of the stories – London’s least competent criminals, Spencer and Bart. I had a lot of fun writing them at the time, but had to pare back their involvement in those books as they were too much of a distraction to the main storylines. So I cut them out of much of my original books, but they kept niggling at me until I gave in and wrote them their own story. It’s set in the same universe and after the events of the Infernal Aether – so we’re plunged into a Victorian London which is overrun with demons, golems and evil magicians. But GBDHA is very much its own story and is intentionally a lot lighter in tone than the darker and more gothic Infernal Aether series. But it’s fully intended to standalone as a story, so you don’t need to have read the Infernal Aether books to enjoy this one!

Will there be more GBDHA novels? What are you working on next?

100% yes – advance reader feedback’s been really great, and I’ve got plenty of ideas for where to take these characters next. I’m determined to not leave it so long until the next ones come out! So I’m already working on book 2 in the series, aiming to get that one out on the shelves later this year. The next story takes them out of London and the plan is to see them chasing demons around the Victorian countryside – I say that’s the plan, even though it’s plotted and I’ve started writing, as my books tend take on a life of their own as I write them, so who knows what the final story will be like!

Exciting stuff! I’ll keep an eye out for book 2. Thanks for talking to me, Peter and good luck with your book launch.

If you’re interested in buying The Great Big Demon Hunting Agency or finding out more about its author, here are all the links:

16th February 202315th November 2023

What I love about being an author: the top 3

I’m an author. That phrase makes me smile. If you look for me online, you’ll find me described as a copywriter as well as an author. Or to put it another way, I get to do something I love (writing) for a career. How good is that?

Being an author isn’t always easy and there’s been a ton load of learning along the way, but I wouldn’t swap this path for any other. So I thought I’d share with you what I love most about being an author.

Sharing my stories and their worlds with my readers

When I was a child, I would act out plays and stories with my mismatched collection of dolls and teddy bears. Eventually, that turned into writing those stories down. As a pupil at school, I took great delight in sharing my stories in English classes. I mean, what’s not to like? I got free advice on what to improve and I had the chance to show the tales, characters, and worlds of my imagination to a willing audience.

When I finally left education, suddenly I didn’t have an outlet for sharing my stories anymore. I could show my parents, but they had a busy life. My friends were more interested in night outs and finding love. My then boyfriend thought writing stories was a waste of time.

Locally, there were a handful of writing classes but more often than not I found them a vehicle for the teacher’s taste in writing, rather than a place to share and talk about the stories we wanted to write.

As time went on, the internet widened our view of the world, social media was born, and online forums popped up on all kinds of topics. I gradually found online places where I could share my writing. I even had a few short stories published in magazines – both paper and online – over the years. I wanted to write novels though, and finding a home for those stories was a challenge. It was also a path that generally led to rejection. It felt like I was writing those stories only for myself and while I enjoyed that process, I wanted more.

Skip several years to now and thanks to the wonderful people at Burning Chair Publishing, my stories have found a home. I get to share my novels with an audience of readers who – according to the book reviews and kind words you leave on social media – enjoy reading my stories as much as I loved writing them.

Seeing my books on bookshelves (including my own)

I doubt there’s an author in the world who hasn’t felt a little joyful skip of the heart when they see their beloved novel on a bookshelf, even if that bookshelf is their own.

My novels haven’t made it into a physical bookstore yet, but seeing and holding actual copies of my books is a wonderful experience. It makes me feel like a ‘proper’ author, whatever that is. I think that’s why unboxing videos are so popular with authors and readers alike. And yes, there are copies of my novels on my own bookshelves.

I have even more reasons to read other people’s books

I’ve always been an avid reader but as an author, it’s important that I keep an eye on other novels in my genre (fantasy and sci fi) and broaden my literary horizons by reading other genres too. There’s so much to learn from other authors and how they tell their own stories, plus of course, I immensely enjoy reading. Hence why I have a precariously towering to-be-read pile.

There are plenty more things that I love about being an author but these are my top three. With Haven Wakes and Magic Bound already out in the big wide world, working on the third novel in the series is just one more reason to feel incredibly lucky and grateful to be an author.

4th January 202315th November 2023

What you can expect from me in 2023

Sh! I’m still on festive break officially but I thought I’d take advantage of the lull before I return to my desk to say ‘hi’. 2022 was a good, if exhausting year. I saw my latest novel published, got a wonderful new cover and relaunch for my debut novel, and even went off on a Norwegian fjord cruise with my other half.

2023, however, is a clean page that I’m keen to get scribbling on. Just in case you wanted to know, here’s what you can expect from me over the next twelve months.

Writing Book 3 of the Haven Chronicles

Last year, I started to write the third book in my YA futuristic fantasy series and there’ll be more of that in 2023. One question that many of my readers and reviewers have asked after reading Haven Wakes and Magic Bound is, ‘where are Steve’s parents?’. That question will finally be answered in book 3.

There’ll be new places to go, old and new foes to outsmart, and plenty more revelations about Steve and his family.

The festive break brought a new epiphany about the path of this series but that’s something to share once book 3 is published.

Social Media for Authors

My book of social media advice for authors remains in the hands of Burning Chair. Fingers crossed, it will be published this year.

In the meantime, if you’re an author looking for social media advice, head on over to my copywriter blog.

Subscriber treats

In December, subscribers to my Author News received the links and passwords to my fantasy novella, A Shadow Falls in Darkacre. The plan is to release at least one short story or novella in 2023 too.

By the way, if you’re not subscribed yet, you can sign up here. New subscribers receive a free short story set in the same world as my novels.

Book reviews

Writers are readers too and I’ll be attacking my to-be-read pile with the usual enthusiasm. I didn’t read as many books last year as I’d have liked to (only nine) so fingers crossed, I can do better this year. The target is twelve.

Here’s a taste of the first nine books I’ll be reading.

book covers of Prisoner of Paradise by Rob Samborn, Babes in the Woods by Mark Stay, Ghosts: Being the experiences of Flaxman Low, Rules of Magic by Alice Hoffman, Exiles by Daniel Blythe, The Shepherds Crown by Terry Pratchett, Blackbirch 1 by K M Allan, Master and Apprentice by Susan Mansbridge, All the White Spaces by Ally Wilkes

As usual, you can find all of my book reviews over on Instagram.

My search for a literary agent

With two novels published and a third in the works, I feel that it’s time to find a literary agent. In 2023, I’ll be sending out submissions to UK literary agents who are interested in YA fantasy. I don’t have much more to say about that other than, wish me luck.

And that’s it – my authorly plan for 2023. Fingers crossed.

24th December 202217th December 2022

Merry Christmas from this household to yours

festive book and hot chocolate by Andreea Radu on Unsplash

It’s Christmas Eve and time to switch off until the new year. Looking back, it’s been a wonderful year with the birth of Magic Bound (plus a magical new book cover for Haven Wakes) and the continued support of readers like you.

So before I dive into the excitement and busy-ness of the big day, I’d just like to say, ‘thank you’ and wish you the most fabulous, festive break. Here’s to the kind of new year that brings out the best in and for us all.

Photo by Andreea Radu on Unsplash

17th December 202216th December 2022

Author interview with Lily Lawson

book cove of Santa's Early Christmas by Lily Lawson

It’s the third and final of my December author interviews. This time it’s the turn of author, poet, and all round author helper, Lily Lawson. Her children’s picture book, Santa’s Early Christmas is no. 17 of my 24 recommended reads this month.

My interview with Lily

I know you as a poet, Lily, so what led you to write a children’s picture book?

I have written a few bits and pieces for children, accidentally you might say, from prompts. I tend to just go with wherever the prompt takes me. My children’s poems were well received so it made sense to explore the possibility of publishing them.

I used to write poems for my parents in their cards. Santa’s Early Christmas started out as a poem for my dad and one of the additional ones as a poem for my mam. The Santa poem has been edited to make it suitable for children. The original one will be a freebie in one of my December editions of Life with Lily.

What a lovely story. Do you think you’ll write more books for children?

There’s another one on the way. It’s at the editing stage. I expect to publish in early 2023. I would like to publish more at some point in the future.

Getting back to you as a poet, will you release any poetry collections in 2023?

I do intend to publish another collection in 2023. I am unsure of the details at the moment but once I have published my next book I will decide.

What have been your favourite reads in 2022?

I will be announcing my Lily award winners and there are some hard choices. Unforgettable by R E Loten, and And then she fell by Dreena Collins both definitely deserve a mention. I have read a lot of poetry this year and a fair few short stories so there is a lot of competition in those categories. I have been surprised at what I have found myself reading at times, I love that.

What does the festive season look like for you and yours?

Nowadays things are much quieter than they used to be. We have simplified things a lot since my childhood Christmas’ of squashing into my nana’s and everyone hosting some sort of celebration. My dad and I will eat Christmas food and catch some festive TV.

Sounds like a lovely Christmas to me. Thanks for talking to my readers, Lily. Here’s to a fabulous festive break for you and your dad.

If you’d like to find out more about Lily and her writing, here are all the links:

12th December 202212th December 2022

Author interview with Suzanna Williams

book covers of 95 percent human and 5 percent human

It’s time for the second of my festive author interviews and today it’s the turn of action and sci fi author, Suzanna Williams. Suzanna is also a good friend and fellow Wales resident.

What’s more her latest novel, Five percent Alien is out today. Five percent Alien is the follow-up to YA sci fi read Ninety Five percent Human which is a personal favourite of mine. Five percent Alien is also today’s book recommendation.

My interview with Suzanna

I read your novel Ninety-five percent Human a few years back now and loved it. I can’t wait to read the follow-up, Five Percent Alien. Without giving up too much information, tell me what I can expect when I get my hands on a copy.

Glad you liked Ninety-five percent Human. In Five percent Alien you can expect:

More earth-plundering aliens and their spaceships
More jealous ex’s
More bad jokes from Jake the robot
Nan wielding a gun
A touch of romance
And another fun party at Joe’s local

Did you enjoy revisiting the characters of Joe and Sarah?

Joe and Sarah have always been special to me. I loved the idea that the farmer from Wales rescues and falls in love with an alien.

Ninety-five percent Human was all about Joe figuring out Sarah’s alien-hybrid secret, and Five percent Alien sees them trying to keep that secret. I have thoroughly enjoyed being really mean to them, throwing them problem after problem and watching them squirm.

But the most fun is getting jokes from Jake the evolving robot. I’m a terrible comedian, so the one-liners in the book must be coming from Jake himself, right?

paperback copies of Ninety Five Percent Human and Five Percent Alien

Ninety-five percent Human and the follow-up novel aren’t your only books. What else have you written?

I also have a YA trilogy called ShockWaves, which is an action thriller. I’m really excited right now because I’ve just had a new book trailer made. I’m not promoting it until the new year, but your readers can have a sneaky preview (click on the image below).

What have been your favourite reads in 2022?

My unexpected favourite book this year has been The Last Whale by Chris Vick. This is an upper middle grade/YA book, but it is sooooooo much more. I was blown away with the storytelling and the important message it holds. Told over three generations of a family in Norway, it’s simultaneously old-fashioned and futuristic, a gentle story yet exciting. Everyone of all ages should read this book. Yes, I’m totally fan-girling. Just read it.

What does the festive season look like for you and yours?

After a few co-vid Christmases where my family have been kept apart, I’m looking forward to getting together with my children and grandchildren this year. We squeeze everyone round our table, eat too much, and invariably end up having a musical play-along on Christmas night.

A peek through the Williams’ window at Christmas

Alongside the presents and hyped up craziness, Christmas can bring a lot of difficult emotions for many people, so I’d like to wish you and all your readers a healthy, peaceful and prosperous new year filled with many hours of reading wonderful books.

That’s very true, Suzanna. All the best to you and yours this festive season and thank you for talking to my readers today.

If you’d like to find out more about Suzanna and all her books, here are the links:

7th December 20225th December 2022

Author interview with Andrew Neil MacLeod

It’s December and that can only mean one thing – author interviews and plenty of them. Well, actually three of them, starting today with fellow Burning Chair author Andrew Neil MacLeod. Andrew is a writer of dark, gothic, historical tales.

His first novel, The Fall of the House of Thomas Weir, is today’s book recommendation on my social media channels (window no. 7).

His second novel, The Stone of Destiny, was published on Halloween this year.

My interview with Andrew

I thoroughly enjoyed reading your first novel, The Fall of the House of Thomas Weir, with its paranormal slant on historical Edinburgh. Once I get my Christmas money, I’ll be treating myself to the follow up novel. Without giving too much away, what can I expect when I get my hands on a copy of The Stone of Destiny?

Thank you! In the second novel the canvas broadens, and the two friends embark on their long-anticipated tour of the Scottish Highlands in search of the titular stone. Concocting a cover story that they’re touring around Scotland’s Neolithic sites, they head for Scone, the first stop in a perilous quest to uncover the truth. Of course, they are not the only ones looking, and soon find themselves shadowed by a mysterious religious sect known as the Culdee. It quickly becomes apparent to our heroes that they’ve left behind the cosy certainties of their old lives and entered a realm where dark magic, perverted science and sheer terror lurk around every corner.

That sounds right up my alley – I can’t wait. How did it feel to revisit the characters of Johnson and Boswell?

In one sense it’s like slipping into an old, familiar pair of slippers. But I can’t get lazy. I wanted to avoid doing a straight homage or pastiche of Holmes and Watson. Ostensibly the parallels are all there: Johnson, like Holmes, is a polymath, and James Boswell is his best friend and biographer. But the real Johnson and Boswell were considerable figures in their own right, and I wanted to do that justice. I also wanted to give them each a character arc, rather than presenting a series of adventures to be read in any order. The biggest challenge was to make their dialogue convincing. Both men were highly erudite and considerable wits, but I didn’t want to make them sound stuffy or elitist.

That’s two books down. Can we expect more from Johnson and Boswell?

I’m already well into their third adventure, in which the cast of characters from books one and two converge in Johnson’s spiritual home of London for the denouement. We also meet Johnson’s deadliest nemesis yet, the mysterious Doctor Cagliostro and his Cabinet of Curiosities. I can even give you a bit of an exclusive, Fi. The third and final part of the trilogy will be called (drum roll…) The Casebook of Johnson and Boswell Vol. III: The Curse of Scotland.

What have been your favourite reads in 2022?

Honestly? Between the day job, doing edits for volume II, and the mentally corroding effects of the internet, I’ve hardly had any time for reading. I have a TBR list as long as my arm, including many fellow indy authors I look forward to reading as soon as I get a moment. When I get some free time this Christmas I also hope to tick some books off my bucket list, including Ursula Le Guin’s Earthsea cycle, and Scottish writer George MacDonald, a pioneer of the fantasy genre who inspired writers such as J.R.R. Tolkien and CS Lewis. I’ve already read some of their shorter stories, and look forward to the main course.

What does the festive season look like for you and yours?

We’re a pretty small family unit – just my wife Amber and myself, and a little dog called Alex. We’re big kids at heart, and had our tree up early in November. I’m just looking forward to some down time. We live in the UAE and the weather is perfect this time of year, so I doubt we’ll be traveling back to Scotland any time soon. I’m looking forward to long walks with the dog, some home-cooking, sipping mulled wine on our balcony, and listening to Rod Stewart’s Christmas album in our matching sweaters (okay the last part is a bit of an exaggeration, but not much).

Sounds like a perfect Christmas to me. Thanks, Andrew.

If you’d like to find out more about Andrew and his novels, here are all the links: