Measuring Success as an Author

Measuring Success as an Author

Hi everyone, today I’m discussing success as an author and how we can measure it in different ways. In particular, I thought my recent book launch would be an apt time to talk about it. Book 3 in my Dark Ages historical fiction series, The Reckoning of Rheged, came out just over two weeks ago. (You can check it out here!) It had been a long time coming – I’m small press, so my the publication process took about two years.

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Book Review – Surviving the Last Refuge

Book Review – Surviving the Last Refuge

Hi everyone, today on the blog I’m reviewing Surviving the Last Refuge by R.R. Hutchinson. This was a really unique and enjoyable fantasy. More of my thoughts below, but for now, here’s a blurb to give you a flavour. Surviving the Last Refuge – the blurb What are you to do when the world freezes over? Survival is all that matters. Only the lucky few from around the world who found their way through a honeycomb of caves and stumbled upon

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A Glimpse into The Reckoning of Rheged

A Glimpse into The Reckoning of Rheged

Hi everyone, today I’m giving you more of a glimpse of The Reckoning of Rheged, due to be published 29th June! You can check out the book trailer a bit later on too. The Reckoning of Rheged is the third novel in my Dark Ages historical fiction series. The series is set in the real historical kingdom of Rheged, which is the modern equivalent of Cumbria. (If you’re interested in more about the history, you can check out this blog post).

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Planning a Book Launch

Planning a Book Launch

Hi everyone, this week I’m thinking about planning a book launch. It’s quite timely for me, since my third novel The Reckoning of Rheged is coming out on 29th June! (So excited! Why not start The Boy from the Snow, book one in the series today?) We had a great discussion about book launches at #FriSalon, a weekly writing chat 5group. There’s a lot that is involved in launching a novel, so I thought I’d share some thoughts. 1. Plan your

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Writing In-Between Projects

Writing In-Between Projects

Hi everyone, today I thought I’d talk about writing in-between projects. Last Friday, I hosted a chat in the weekly writing group #FriSalon on this very topic and it seems other writers are often in this phase. Have you ever finished a project and you’re not sure what to do next? I myself have been in this stage recently. After recently writing another 20k for book 5 in my series for April Camp NaNoWriMo, I’ve been wondering which direction to go

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Book Review – The Living Stone by Niamh Schmid

Hi everyone, this week on the blog, I’m reviewing The Living Stone by Niamh Schmid. I absolutely loved this book, the latest installment in the TetraWorld series by the fab writing sisters-in-law duo Niamh and Rebecca Schmid. More about my thoughts in a moment, but first here’s the blurb to give you a flavour of the book: The Living Stone – the blurb Exhausted, disheartened, and defeated, Baey and her companions have somehow managed to make it to Alkemar…. Now an

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Writing Retreat Reflections

Writing Retreat Reflections

Hi everyone, I thought I’d talk about my first virtual writing retreat experience! The amazing writer Lelita Baldock organised a ‘Winter Writing Retreat’ this past weekend – you may well have seen her posts about it on social media. I’ve attended a few retreat days before, but this was my first time being able to dedicate a whole weekend to writing – or so I hoped anyway! A few unexpected commitments meant I couldn’t make every session live or have as

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Top 8 Indie Books of 2022

Top 8 Indie Books of 2022

Hi everyone, today I thought I’d talk about my top 8 indie reads of 2022! I read some really great independent books last year. In fact every read was enjoyable, so if you’re an indie author and your book doesn’t make my list, it’s not that I didn’t love it. I had to be quite ruthless, otherwise I’d be hear all day! You’ll notice that several books are from the same author – excitingly some of my favourite authors released new

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2023 Author Goals

2023 Author Goals

Hi everyone, Happy New Year! It’s been a while. I thought coming up with my 2023 author goals would be a great way to kick-start this year’s blog. So, without further ado, here are my goals for this year: 1. Have the 3rd Novel in my series Published The sharp-eyed among you may have noticed my first goal has carried on from last year! I’d hoped the 3rd novel in my series would be published in 2022, but the publication process

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Getting through Writer’s Block

Getting through Writer’s Block

This week on the blog, I’m talking about writer’s block. You may have noticed a pattern that my blog posts address something relevant to my own writing experience. In other words, last week I struggled a bit with writer’s block. Or rather, perhaps more accurately, ‘editor’s block’. This sometimes happens when looking back over my manuscript. Some bits I enjoy going back over to revise. I’m quite happy with how a scene plays out, whether it’s a few lines of description

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