Fi – Page 3 – Fi Phillips

22nd November 2020

Looking Back Over 2020

I normally take a moment in December to look back over the year that is almost at an end, but 2020 has hardly been a ‘normal’ year. So I’m taking that moment in November instead.

The Elephant in the World’s Front Room

Whether you’re writing a novel based in the here and now, reporting the news, or penning a blog post, there is no getting away from the fact that Covid-19 is here and taking a large slice of our ongoing consciousness.

I’ve heard 2020 referred to as ‘the year we all stayed in’ and ‘the year that didn’t happen’. To me, 2020 was the year that most of us realised what and who were important to us.

Friendships and family contact went online for many of us. I haven’t met up with my in-laws since before the lockdown began. Instead, we have Sunday video-calls, complete with our dogs barking to each other excitedly. I’ve met up with one local friend, twice, this year. The restrictions of the pandemic have forced the rest of my friendship conversations online and over the phone. Chats with our neighbours are done at a distance, often from the other side of the road, but we’re still there for each other.

Both of my children turned ‘adult’ this year. My son is now 16 (the first step to being a grown-up) and my daughter is 18. Neither birthday was marked with a party or expensive celebration. Instead, they were quiet family occasions, just the four of us, with a takeaway in the back garden over the summer for my son’s birthday, and then a quick, masked-up trip to Pizza Hut for my daughter’s eighteenth in the autumn.

Of course, we’re now on the verge of not just one but possibly three Covid-19 vaccines. Fingers crossed that they are healthy and effective and mean that 2021 isn’t a repeat of this year.

Guest Blogging

The writerly blogging community rallied around each other during the pandemic, reaching out to make sure that none of us went unheard or were left feeling isolated. As a result, I featured on several of their lovely websites in 2020:

Fantasy author M J Mallon was the first to feature one of my guest blog posts in May as part of her Isolation for Writers series.
On the same day, historical author Tony Riches published my author interview on his blog.
A little later that month, poet Camilla Downes included me in her Meet The Author series.
In June, YA crime novelist Melissa Hawkes featured my article What to Expect when you’re Published by an Independent Publisher.
Next, I was a Writer of the Week on the Mrs Average Evaluates blog, with my piece Confession: I am a Serial Author.
Lisa Sell placed me under the Author Spotlight.
Julie Morris of A Little Book Problem invited me for (virtual) Friday Night Drinks in August.
Author Chantelle Atkins of The Glorious Outsiders published my guest blog post as part of her Dreaming Of Another World series.
Finally, the lovely poet and author Lily Lawson interviewed me on Lily’s Writing Life earlier this month.

A big, warm, thank you to all you for allowing me to introduce myself to your readers.

Writing

One benefit of having extra time on my hands was that I made good progress on the second book in the Haven Chronicles series. By the end of the summer, Burning Chair offered me a publishing deal for it – phew!

The lovely Si from Burning Chair will be getting his editing mitts on my manuscript in December, and Book 2 (with whatever title we decide on) will be published early 2021.

I also contributed a few pieces to 2020 Together: An Anthology of Shorts. All profits go to NHS Charities Together Covid-19 Appeal. So far, 2020 Together has raised over £600 for the charity.

A follow-up collection of shorts, 2021: Still Together will continue the good work when it is released at the end of this month. I’ve got a couple of pieces in that too.

So there you have it. That was my 2020 so far – weird, mostly in-doors, and spent with the people I love. It’s not the year I envisioned on the first day of January and it has certainly been a challenge. Still, there have been plenty of gems amongst the pebbles.

How about you? How has your 2020 turned out?

25th September 20201st December 2021

Book 2 of the Haven Chronicles is on the way

I can officially announce that Burning Chair Publishing have offered me a publishing contract for the second book in my YA fantasy series.

On 14th September, I happily emailed my signed publishing contract back to Burning Chair and began the process of editing my manuscript after receiving feedback from Pete and Si.

So what’s the process and the plan for Book 2 from here?

What I’m doing at the moment is editing my novel in response to Pete and Si’s feedback. Once finished, I’ll email that off to Burning Chair (version 2).
As you can see, my novel is still known as Book 2. I need to come up with a book title.
Burning Chair will create a developmental edit document and email it back to me.
I’ll then edit my manuscript and email it back to them (version 3).
Burning Chair will carry out a copy edit to check for inconsistencies.
More editing on my part, then back to Burning Chair (version 4).
In discussion with Burning Chair, the book cover design process will begin.
Once the content of the manuscript is agreed on and we have a book cover, Book 2 will be sent out to beta readers.
With the feedback from the beta readers, I’ll make final changes to my novel (version 5).

The plan is to publish Book 2 at the start of 2021, unless we can get through the whole process above in time for publication in mid November (who knows?).

What can you expect from Book 2?

Steve and his friends will be forced to face the consequences of their actions in Haven Wakes. The world of the Haven Chronicles series – both magical and work-a-day – will be expanded beyond the city of Caercester. A new threat will raise its head, dragging Steve and the others back into danger.

If you want to know the inspiration behind the first book in the series, have a look at this article from last year.

Follow my writing journey of Book 2 on my Twitter account.

21st July 2020

Summer 2020 Reading

It’s summer and time to get on with some holiday reading, so I thought I’d share what books I’ll be delving into for the next few weeks.

2020 Together

This is an anthology of shorts, collated to raise money for the NHS Charities Together Covid-19 Appeal. It features a whole range of artwork, photography, poetry, and snippets of prose by some incredibly talented writers, plus a handful of short pieces by me too.

2020 may one day be considered the year that didn’t happen. Everyone muddling though, making the best of each day. Everyone wanting to help. Everyone wanting to make a difference.

This anthology is to help us remember that 2020 did happen and to provide everyone with an opportunity to help, and to make a difference.

My copy arrived in the post yesterday. If you’d like to get a copy for yourself, you can buy it here.

Roxie and Alfred by Nancy R Hinchliff

Written by my friend, Nancy R Hinchliff, Roxie and Alfred is a historical memoir which tells the story of her maternal grandparents. I’ve had the pleasure to read Nancy’s previous memoir, Operatic Divas and Naked Irishmen: An Innkeeper’s Tale so I can’t wait to get started on Roxie and Alfred.

The lives of Roxie and Alfred are about to change forever. Their relationship was already rocky from past transgressions. But now, moving from their safe but meager life on a farm in North Carolina to the thriving, gritty northern metropolis of Detroit, Michigan, at the height of Prohibition, they will face the criminal underbelly of the city, the hopelessness of the Great Depression of 1929, and the stress and loss of World War II. Their ability to successfully thrive while coping with adversity is the legacy they leave their extended family, who pick up where Roxie and Alfred leave off and take on life in the big city one day at a time.

Nancy was kind enough to supply me with a copy of Roxie and Alfred. You can buy your copy here.

I am Dust by Louise Beech

I came across this novel through an online book club. With a haunted theatre, a murder to solve and three cursed teenagers, how could I not be intrigued by I am Dust?

The Dean Wilson Theatre is believed to be haunted by a long-dead actress, singing her last song, waiting for her final cue, looking for her killer…

Now Dust, the iconic musical, is returning after twenty years. But who will be brave enough to take on the role of ghostly goddess Esme Black, last played by Morgan Miller, who was murdered in her dressing room?

Theatre usher Chloe Dee is caught up in the spectacle. As the new actors arrive, including an unexpected face from her past, everything changes. Are the eerie sounds and sightings backstage real or just her imagination?

You can buy I am Dust here.

My Father’s Daughter by Lily Lawson

This is a collection of poetry by Lily Lawson, friend, fellow writer, and enthusiastic cheerleader for my own writing. The back cover of My Father’s Daughter simply reads,

If, as time moves on, the words that I have shared remain with you, and call you back to read them once again my work is done.

You can buy My Father’s Daughter here.

Words of Alchemy by Camilla Downs

I got to know Camilla through an online book-reading group and guest-posted on her blog in May. Camilla was kind enough to gift me a copy of this collection of her poetry.

In Words of Alchemy, Camilla Downs invites you to walk with her to share her love of Nature and Life through a heartfelt free-verse poetry memoir.

During her daily strolls she is mindfully present as she delves into life in the raw and experiences her heart’s observations.

Camilla embraces what happens when she opens her heart and invites the written words to flow. The Alchemy of Love and Healing is what happens.

You can buy Words of Alchemy here.

So that’s my summer reading ready to go. What about you? What are you reading this summer?

1st July 2020

Broken magic (or the one where it all went wrong)

On the last day of June, something awful happened. MailerLite broke.

Let me explain.

I use MailerLite to send out my author newsletter at the end of each month, but due to an infrastructure upgrade – “the most complex project in our history” – that has proved impossible.

Fingers crossed everything will be fine and dandy in time for my July newsletter to go out.

So in the meantime, I thought I would share my June newsletter with you here on my blog.

Kind words, a catch-up and a new book recommendation

Summer can’t make up its mind

One minute it’s too hot to do much other than laze around with a hefty supply of ice lollies, the next the rain is so heavy that you can hear it on the roof and the patio.

I refuse to give in to the inconsistency of the British weather though. My summer wardrobe is staying out, even if sandals are no good for dealing with puddles and my knees are a tad chilly.

This time last year, I posted a blog about what was going on in my life.

So I thought I’d repeat that this June and tell you what’s happening in the Life of Fi. You can read the full blog post here.

Guest blog posts in June

I’m lucky to be part of a wonderful community of writers and two more of them were kind enough to let me guest post on their blogs this month.

The first post was What to expect when you’re published by an independent publisher for Melissa Hawkes. A couple of days later, I was featured as Writer of the Week by Mrs Average Evaluates.

Book Recommendation – Love is Deadly by Gene Kendall

Gene Kendall is a fellow Burning Chair author and I had the pleasure to beta read his novel, Love is Deadly.

Brad has a big problem.

Not his crippling credit card debt.

Not his ex-wife, and current business partner, who still blames him for the messy break-up of their marriage.

Not his lovable, but spiky, personality that keeps him alive, but alone.

No, Brad’s big issue is that he sees dead people. And those dead people have started to fight back.

Brad is a paranormal investigator who uses his powers to shepherd the lost souls of the newly-departed to the light on the other side. In return for a fee. Naturally.

But when a case goes badly wrong, Brad finds himself the prisoner of those he’d usually be hunting. Can he use his unique talents to save not only his own skin, but all of humanity?

You can pre-order Love is Deadly here.

Work in Progress

I’m at that exciting stage in writing Book 2 of the Haven Chronicles where the first draft is almost finished.

I have a small number of chapters to write which will include a confrontation at sea and an escape for some of the characters. Within the next few weeks, I’ll be sending it off to Burning Chair. Fingers crossed they like it as much as Haven Wakes.

Kind Words

Or what readers have been saying about Haven Wakes.

I’ve had some brilliant book reviews over the last few weeks.

From Beccy11 on Amazon:

This is the first book in a new sci fi series and not only did I absolutely love it, so did my 15 year old. The main character Steve is very engaging and the story is well written. My son likened it to a robotic Harry Potter – make of that what you will! A brilliant read – thank you.

From Sue Wallace on Goodreads:

I really enjoyed this book. Great story and some good characters. Looking forward to the next book.

Read all my Amazon UK reviews here and Goodreads reviews here.

Connect with me on social media

You can keep up with all my news and daily goings-on by connecting with me on social media. You might even see the occasional photo of my dog, Bailey.

Of course, you can always find my website here.

Talk to you in July. Stay safe.

Fi Phillips – Fantasy Writer

25th June 2020

June Catch Up

This time last year, I posted a blog about what was going on in my life:

I’d just finished the developmental edit of my debut novel Haven Wakes and forwarded it to the guys at Burning Chair.
My chatty muse had taken advantage of the fact that I’d finished my dev edit by throwing a new story idea at me.
I was using my daily dog walks to think over the next book in the Haven Chronicles series.

So I thought I’d repeat that this June and tell you what’s happening in the Life of Fi.

Lockdown Life

We’re all there, aren’t we? Even though the COVID-19 lockdown has been eased in certain parts of the world, there’s no denying that it’s still affecting us all.

Lockdown life for me actually isn’t that much different to normal life. I work from home so that’s the same. My husband works from home, so that’s the same too.

My teens aren’t at school and college at the moment but at 16 and 17 years old, they’re happy to amuse themselves. So short of not having to do a school run on a morning and in the afternoon, that hasn’t changed much for me either.

The main difference has been the fact that we can’t go to see friends and family, and we’re missing our monthly visit to the cinema too. Compared to some people in lockdown though, we are incredibly lucky and grateful for it.

Writing Progress

Oh, yeah, that book I’m working on…

Book 2 of the Haven Chronicles (still untitled) is coming along well. I’m on the last few chapters of the first draft.

Today’s writing began like this,

Steve lay on the bed, the halter now loose around his chest. His heart had only just begun to slow in its battering of his ribs. He was aware that his eyes were uncomfortably wide, so he blinked them a couple of times until they felt normal. He wanted to sit up, but he had serious doubts whether the meal Jem had served them earlier would stay in his stomach. He felt like he had just experienced the worst rollercoaster ride ever.

Once this draft is complete, I’ll spend a few weeks making sure that it works and polishing it to a writerly shine. Then it’ll be time to send it away to Burning Chair. Who knows if that paragraph above will survive the developmental edit?

Writing Book 2 has been a very different experience to writing Book 1 (Haven Wakes), so I’m a little nervous to see if Burning Chair like this one as much as they did the original book.

Fingers crossed.

A Space of My Own

One benefit to having extra time at home is that I’ve finally managed to sort out my writing space. I now have a desk (rather than a dining table), a tidy surface to work and write at (instead of the entangled mess of wires, gadgets and paperwork that I had to cope with before), and a beautiful view of my garden.

You wouldn’t believe how much of a difference it makes to my working day.

A new way to help Fellow Authors

Another benefit of the lockdown is that I’ve managed to re-think my copywriting business. It began when a couple of author friends moaned how difficult they found it to maintain a writerly social media presence.

They didn’t know:

what to post,
how often to post,
how to build a following,
and most importantly, how to use their social media to sell more books.

Since I landed my publishing deal with Burning Chair last year, I’ve been on quite a journey learning exactly how to do all of the above, so I thought why not share that information with other authors?

So starting this summer, I’ll be offering two writerly social media services. The first is a full social media service, writing and posting on behalf of authors. The second is a DIY social media consultation where I’ll have a friendly but informative chat with authors to help them put together a social media plan for themselves.

You can find more details over on my copywriting website here.

So that’s it. We’re all caught up now. How about you? What news do you have to share?

8th March 2020

3 female authors for International Women’s Day 2020

So it’s International Women’s Day 2020 and there have been all kind of celebrations of inspirational women over this past week.

This year’s theme is ‘An equal world is an enabled world’ and within that, one of the missions is to ‘increase visibility for women creatives’.

So here I am, doing my bit, by telling you all about 3 female authors who have inspired me over the years.

Mary Shelley

I came to Mary Shelley through studying her novel Frankenstein as part of my Literature degree course and while the novel itself and Mary’s writing have always been a source of inspiration for me, her personal life – supporting her husband, bringing up her child mostly as a single parent and carving out a career for herself as a writer and editor – was even more inspirational.

Here was a woman who wrote science fiction long before it was commonly recognised as a genre. She wrote extensively, not just in the number of works but in the formats they took – novels, plays, travel writing, children’s stories, articles – but sadly she is only really recognised for Frankenstein.

Sheri S Tepper

I can’t actually remember the first book I read by Sheri S Tepper because I’ve read so many of her novels. Sheri was another prolific novelist, but also a writer of novellas, short stories, poetry and articles.

The main genre she wrote in was science fiction but in my favourite novel of hers, The True Game (actually a trilogy bundled into one physical book), she skilfully combines science fiction with fantasy.

Sadly, Sheri died in 2016 but she left a lengthy collection of fictional works that I’m still working my way through.

Erin Morgenstern

I’m a slow reader. This isn’t down to the speed of my reading but rather the juggling act between work and family. I snatch reading time when I’m waiting at school to collect my son and just before I go to sleep.

So when I had a whole week to read The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern while away on holiday with my family in Corfu a few summers ago, it was an absolute joy.

Hands up, this is the only book I’ve read by this author, but The Night Circus grabbed me by my swimsuit straps and wouldn’t let go.

Erin’s writing is as magical as the story that unfolds in her novel, and I have high hopes for future novel.

What about you? Which female authors have inspired you?

21st February 202021st February 2020

The challenges of writing Book 2 of a series

Ever since, Haven Wakes was released on the big, wide world, I’ve been working on the follow-up novel. It doesn’t have a title yet, so for now let’s just call it Book 2.

I knew where I wanted to take Steve for the next stage in his adventure with Hartley, Blessing and the darkling, but the question was should it be a straight route there or something altogether more winding and obstructed?

I began on the ‘straight route’ back in November when I used the 2019 NaNoWriMo challenge as the springboard to get my novel started. By the end of the month, I’d come to the conclusion that the straight route wasn’t going to work.

In December, I stepped onto that winding and obstructed path and started my novel again.

I’m now several chapters into writing Book 2 with a clear idea on all the places Steve will go and the faces he will meet.

So that was the first main challenge of writing book two of a series dealt with and brushed off. What about the others?

Pushing Steve’s buttons (again)

In Haven Wakes, Steve was pushed into a hidden world of magic but in Book 2, what could possibly persuade him to return?

Well, he misses his new magical friends and he definitely wants to escape his miserable school life, but is that enough? I didn’t think so.

So what would motivate him to leave his ‘normal’ life behind again? It had to be something that pulled on his heart-strings and irked his sense of justice. There also had to be consequences to not getting involved.

In the end, I decided to put someone he cares for in peril.

Keeping the balance between science and fantasy

One of the things my publisher Burning Chair and lots of my readers loved about Haven Wakes was the mixture of magic and futuristic tech. In Book 2, I want to maintain that mix but seeing as Steve will be exploring even deeper into the world of magic, working out how I could include more sci fi elements had me in a bit of a quandary.

In the end, I decided to show the reader more of the world of the Haven Robotics Corporation, and send Steve and his friends off to a destination that relies on technology to survive.

Steve’s world is getting bigger

Haven Wakes takes place within the confines of the city of Caercester. In Book 2, I wanted to show the reader what other places exist in Steve’s world, both magical and workaday.

In my first novel, the Magical Council was only briefly touched on. In Book 2, you’ll learn much more about them and the rules that govern the magical community.

Remember that destination that relies on technology to survive? It needed to be somewhere remote, but reachable (by workaday transport or, of course, by magic). It also had to be a place that a special new character had a reason to visit.

In the end, I found a real-life destination that I’d never heard of until earlier this year which is perfect for a show-down between Steve and co. and, well, that would be telling. You’ll have to read the book to find out.

New research

If I thought the research for Haven Wakes was hefty, Book 2 has easily outdone that. There has been so much research to get my head round, research on:

solar power,
robots,
legal systems,
architecture,
origami,
henges,
and so much more.

I have to guard against being sucked into my research so much that I don’t have time to write.

Publisher and reader expectations

By the time, I submitted Haven Wakes to Burning Chair, it was a well-loved and matured beastie. The editing process, guided by my publisher, polished it into the final version that was launched on the world last year.

Now, I have to write a book that:

is of equal quality in my publisher’s eyes,
has the same tone of voice, pacing and characterisation as Haven Wakes,
and satisfies my readers.

That’s the scariest challenge of them all but I’m sure I’m not the only author who has ever felt that way. Wish me luck.

I’d love to hear what your hopes are for Book 2 in the Haven Chronicles series. Let me know and maybe I’ll include it.

24th January 2020

5 things to do when the words won’t come

It’s been one of those weeks when the writing is slow, and the brain fog thick. I have articles to complete for a client and the first draft of my novel to get on with. I know the words are somewhere in there but they’re reluctant to make themselves known.

Is this writer’s block? Surely not. I don’t believe in writer’s block, not really, but my brain has certainly been resistant to getting much writing done this week.

So when the words won’t come, here are 5 things I do to kick through that brick wall.

Check that I’m getting enough sleep

When I was in my twenties, I could cope with 3 or 4 hours sleep on a regular basis. Nowadays, I desperately need at least 7 hours, preferably 8, every night.

If I don’t get enough sleep, I can cope for maybe a couple of days, but after that the brain fog drifts in and everything seems more difficult to do.

Is brain-fog from a lack of sleep getting in the way of your writing? If so, make a promise to yourself that you’ll get at least 7 hours every night. You may have to re-organise your life a little, but try it for a week and see how much better you feel.

Drink water

When I need a boost of energy, I could reach for a coffee or a sweet snack, but I don’t. In fact, I tend to avoid those things as much as I can, and drink plenty of water instead.

I know, water is boring. It doesn’t taste of anything. It’s not frothy or fruity, or mildly interesting. But it’s good for you. Fact.

When your body is dehydrated, one of the first things to be affected is your brain. It just doesn’t work as well.

So whenever I’m having problems getting any kind of writing done, the first thing I do is have a big glass of water, and then another.

Change the record

Generally, I like to write in silence but when I need inspiration, I use binaural beats music. It’s the kind of soundtrack you might usually associate with meditation. I don’t know the exact science behind it, but it always helps me to get writing again.

If that isn’t for you, then you might prefer:

Get my message straight

What am I trying to say with my writing? If this is a non fiction article, what are the main points I need to include? If I’m working on a novel, what happens in this chapter and why?

I open a separate Word document, or grab a pad and a pencil, and plan out what I want to get across.

Take a break

If none of the above work, I step away from the keyboard and do something else for a little while. It might be as short a break as it takes to brew a cup of tea, 10 minutes to unload the washing machine and put on a new laundry wash, or 20 minutes to walk the dog.

When I return to my keyboard, my brain has usually come up with a solution or at the very least refreshed itself enough to begin to get the words down again.

What about you? What do you do when the words stay away?

P.S. It worked and I’m now in my writerly muse’s good books again – articles written and a couple of chapters too.

6th January 2020

My writerly plan for 2020

So here we are again at the start of a shiny-new year. The Christmas decorations are packed away in the attic, the chocolates have all been eaten, and I don’t want to see another mince pie for at least 11 months (okay, maybe 10).

Today is my first full day back at work and I’ve spent it doing a lot of looking back, looking forward, and generally re-assessing my writing goals for 2020 and beyond.

Haven Chronicles Book 2

With Haven Wakes published and out in the big, wide world, my biggest goal in 2020 is to complete the next book in the series and hand it over to my publisher, Burning Chair.

Book 2 has a working title of ‘Haven Journeys’ which might give a slight hint as to what Steve Haven does next.

I used last November’s NaNoWriMo to kickstart writing that novel and while I didn’t complete the full 50,000 words needed for the month’s challenge, I still wrote a respectable chunk which allowed me to see whether the initial premise for this book actually worked. The answer to that was, “yes, partly”.

So with a re-jigged plan, a new geographical destination, and an altered ending, it’s all go on the second book in the series. Wish me luck.

Haven Chronicles Book 3

2019 was a massive learning curve for me when it came to finding out about the publishing process and my role in readying a novel for publication.

So with that knowledge in mind, once I’ve handed the first draft of the second novel over to my publisher, I’ll begin writing book number 3 knowing full well that I’ll be juggling that task with editing book number 2.

Fingers crossed my writing muse and editing elf will work well side-by-side.

Looking back over 2019

So the year is almost at an end. In fact, the whole decade is almost at an end. Very soon it’ll be ‘bye bye 2019, you little angel of a year’, and hello to something completely new and exciting.

It’s time to look back over the last twelve months and all the goodies 2019 has brought with it.

January, February and March

So I began the year with fingers firmly and hopefully crossed. Having submitted my novel to Burning Chair Publishing right before Christmas, this was the last chance for Haven Wakes. If they said no, I would shelve my precious book and begin something completely new.

January was a month of waiting to hear whether Burning Chair liked my novel, and when I finally thought it would be a ‘no’ or I wouldn’t hear back, I got the email I’d been hoping for – a request for the entire manuscript.

February was another month of twiddling the digits and waiting. Would Burning Chair be as keen on the entire manuscript as they had been about the first few chapters?

At the beginning of March, I received an email from Burning Chair asking to speak to me on the phone. Eek! Their call coincided with their visit to the London Book Fair and they finally gave me the news I’d been waiting for. They wanted to publish Haven Wakes!

Over that month a number of things happened:

Burning Chair gave me their thoughts on my novel and how it could be improved and edited.
They introduced me to two of their other authors, Georgia and Neil.
I received my publishing contract.

My publishing journey had begun.

April, May and June

April was a whirlwind of edits, setting up my website and altering my social media presence to fit. I already had a writer Facebook and Twitter account, but I set up an Instagram account too.

My daughter designed a wonderful piece of artwork for the home page of my website and, with my copywriter hat on, I began working on the wordage for each page of my website.

By the end of April, my website was live.

May and June were all about the edits, by both me and Burning Chair, and beginning the process of finding a book cover design for Haven Wakes.

The books that made me the writer I am today

Progress, a chat with my muse, and much much walking the dog

July, August and September

In July, I added my short story, The Hidden Knowing, as a freebie for subscribers to my newsletter, and continued with the edits.

The book cover design for Haven Wakes was revealed in the middle of August, courtesy of Stuart Bache and Books Covered.

With the final edits finished, the countdown began to publication day.

The Hidden Knowing - a short story set in the world of my debut novel, Haven Wakes. Free to all subscribers to my mailing list.

my bumpy road to publication: a cautionary tale

October, November and December

Haven Wakes was published on 1^st October in paperback and e-book formats. That sounds all very factual but for me, it was a dream come true. That’s a cliched phrase, I know, but that was how it felt. After years of trying to get my fiction writing out there in the big, wide world, we had arrived.

October was the proverbial whirlwind of blog posts, promotion and congratulations. By the end of the month, the penny had finally dropped – I was a proper, official, published author and I had a second novel to write.

November saw me use the monthly writing marathon of NaNoWriMo to begin the first draft of the next novel in the Haven Chronicles series and cement my standing as an author by giving readings from my novel at the Chester Literature Festival.

In December, I received an early Christmas present as Haven Wakes became a No. 1 Bestseller on Amazon.

This time last year, I had no idea what 2019 would hold for me or where it would take me. Who knew what magic would reveal itself?

kickstarting book two of the Haven Chronicles

What next?

Book Two of the Haven Chronicles is my 2020 focus.

Steve is back with Hartley, Blessing and the darkling, but with a whole new cast of villains and supporters. He thought his life had already changed beyond recognition, but the journey has hardly started.

I already have it plotted and I’m a few chapters in. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to see it published next year?

Category: Fi