These are weird times. Strange, unfamiliar, disturbing times. Like most of us, whenever I feel a little overwhelmed by the state of the world, I tend to return to the things which bring me nostalgia and comfort. That usually means Disney movies, chocolate, scented candles, blankets with excessive fluffage, and the fairy tales which I devoured as a child. In regards to those fairy tales, I'm going to be live-streaming every day on Facebook and Instagram, reading a story from my complete collection of Hans Christian Andersen. Many of the tales will be ones you've never heard before, but that's part of the beauty of it! So, starting from March 28th, come join me at 5pm GMT on your favourite platform! Just because we can't go outside doesn't mean we can't go inside the imagination! Let's come together in the quarantine and be as children again!
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These are uncertain times. For many of us, we are unable to go to school or work; we cannot hang out with friends; the pause button has essentially been pressed on everyday life. I know many people are afraid, of the virus, of the effects it will have on the economies and future, of the health implications, of staying sane. I'm currently in isolation to protect myself and loved ones from infection, and I'm not the only one. I truly hope that you are not ill, and that your loved ones are also healthy and well. Things are hard, and worrisome, and there appears to be no end in sight. I wish I could do something to help or make it better. But what I can do is reassure you. As with all terrible things, this will pass, and we're all in this together. School and universities will start again. We will go back to work. We will be able to hold hands and hug each other without concern over social distancing. We will be okay. We all know what we need to do to prevent the spread of COVID-19, but our mental health is just as important as our physical health and hygiene. If you are struggling or afraid, please reach out. Don't feel like you can't talk about any concerns. There are many helplines available all over the world, and if you look it up online you should be able to find a number for your country. If you are isolating or are quarantined, please don't feel alone. Reach out to your friends and family. Be there for others who may be having a hard time. Give them a call or send a message. It will be good for you and for them. If you know someone vulnerable who is at risk, see if there's any way you can help. And while it's important to have the latest information, consume news and social media with care. During this period of isolation, remember to apply yourself and be productive, both physically and mentally. There is still so much you can do. The outside world may not be an option, but the internal world still is. So many journeys and adventures and experiences await, if you only wish to look for them. So take time for yourself and find joy in the little things. Write the story you've been meaning to get out of your head. Paint a picture. Make music. Learn a new skill, like a new language or how to knit. Work through your pile of unread books or unwatched TV shows. Spring-clean your home. Bake a cake. Meditate. Exercise in your living room. Take an online course - there are tons of good free ones out there too. Watch your favourite YouTubers. Find a new band who you can see live when this is over. Play video games, maybe even online so you can still interact with people in real time. And if you have a garden or other safe outside area, go into it and get some fresh air. Smell the flowers. Look at the sky. Listen to the dawn chorus and watch the sunset. See how the birds are coming back after winter and Mother Earth is breaking into spring. We will be okay. I call my readers and followers the Batty Brigade for a reason. The Batty part is acknowledging how we're all different and 'batty' in our own way. The Brigade is because that is exactly what brings us together. We are united, not only in our difference, but in our humanity. We are also united in this, even if we cannot hold hands. Take care, Batties, of yourselves and your loved ones. And take it easy on the toilet paper. Loads of love and light xo 🦇 I'm very pleased to announce that my short story Talvi and the Stars will be re-released by Goal Publications later this year, as part of their upcoming anthology of anthropomorphic inverted fairy tales. Talvi and the Stars is a re-imagining of the Finnish legend of the Northern Lights, and tells the story of a lonely fox who discovers his difference is his power. The same legend also inspired The Foxfires Trilogy; albeit in a more epic fantasy YA style. Talvi and the Stars won the 2019 Best New Winter Fairy Tale Award from Fairytalez.com I'll be dropping more info on the re-release as I get it, so keep an eye on my social media for all the updates! Yesterday I was honoured to be invited onto the Evening Show with Jermaine Foster on BBC Radio Merseyside! We chatted about my earliest stories, the writing process, a little slice of real-life fairy tales, and of course The Winter Spirits. This wasn't the first time I've appeared on radio, but it was the first time when I was by myself and talking about my books, so it felt a little bizarre! It was such a great experience and Jermaine was absolutely wonderful. Hopefully I'll be back in the studio in a couple of months to talk about a few more fantastical things! And potentially blow Jermaine's mind again with another Beauty and the Beast moment... If you'd like to listen to my interview, it will be live for the next month on the BBC Sounds App. It starts roughly 17 minutes in and continues throughout the first hour of the show with the occasional music break. I really hope you'll enjoy listening! The bat is on its way to being reborn. Three years after the Tragic Silence series ended, I'm jumping back into my nocturnal world of vampires. Not with any new novels, but that doesn't mean there's nothing left to write. Far from it. In fact, I've been thinking about it since before I even finished the final book. But I had my reasons for not returning to the series sooner, which I'll explain at the end of this post. I'm very excited to announce that the Tragic Silence series will be continuing, in the form of a periodical collection of brand new short stories. And the best part is that I'm going to make them exclusively available for FREE on my website! The thing I love about this series is how it's essentially comprised of standalone novels. You can read them in any order, or independently of the others, and still get a complete story out of it. But if you read them all, you see the larger tale which lies over everything, linking them together. It's woven like a spider web across the lives of three different women in different time periods and locations: Bianka Farkas, Hanna Bernstein and Eva Kalvin. Between the strands are others: major events we've only heard about in passing, or characters we've only seen through the eyes of the main protagonists. These hidden stories have been whispering in my ear for a while, and deep down, I knew it wasn't over. I just hadn't come out and said it. In a similar vein (if you'll excuse the pun), you don't need to have necessarily read any of the novels to appreciate the short stories, but if you have, certain elements will make much more sense. Where Night is Blind The first story, Where Night is Blind, will shine a light on the Liderc, who appears in Tragic Silence and Sepia and Silver. I knew I had to start this new journey with him: my favourite villain I've created to date, and one of only a few of my own characters who legitimately gives me the creeps. But villains are not born. In more ways than one, they are made. And yes, that title is a Phantom of the Opera reference - any fans of the series will know why! Where Night is Blind will be released for FREE on Tuesday 10th March: World Vampire Day. I didn't even know that was a thing until recently. I'm not sure if I'm more surprised it exists or disgusted at my own ignorance! The dark truth which stopped the series... (Beware of Tragic Silence spoilers from this point) When I finished Sepia and Silver in 2016, I already had a couple of the short stories in the early planning stages, including When Night is Blind. As a result, a key event from the series was at the forefront of my mind: the bond between Bianka and her late best friend Lucy. However, mere months after I typed the last word, my own best friend was tragically lost. While there was obviously no vampires or kidnappings involved, it was equally sudden and equally traumatic. In a heartbeat, life had imitated art too closely and too deeply. I couldn't even bear to look at Tragic Silence again, and wondered if I ever would. But now the time has come and I finally feel able to bring the final chapters into the world. I know Katie - my very own Lucy - would have approved. She loved vampires as much as I do. And the first book, way back in 2013, was originally dedicated to her, after all. And so the shadows descend. Are you ready to enter the night with me once more? If you want to read the short stories before anyone else, I'll be sharing them in the Batty Brigade newsletter ahead of their official release dates, sometimes by a week or more! To get the early scoop, just sign up!
It's been a long time coming. But now it's time to travel into the polar night with me! The Winter Spirits, Book One of the Foxfires Trilogy, is now out in e-book and paperback worldwide! This is a story born out of my time living in the Finnish Arctic, as well as all the beautiful snowy fairy tales I devoured as a child. It's a love letter to winter; to all which is dark and frozen. If you love books by Michelle Paver, Abi Elphinstone, Eowyn Ivey or Holly Black, then I think you'll enjoy this one! So, where can you get your copy? All you need to do is follow the links below and pick your format (e-book or paperback). I really hope you'll enjoy The Winter Spirits. If you do, please consider leaving me a review on Amazon! It helps me as an author, and just makes me smile to see that my words have touched you.
And stay tuned, Batties. Book Two is coming as well, but we won't have to wait long... |
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