Is it June already???
Sorry I’ve been so quiet here on my blog site, but it’s been a crazy few months. The launch of the third book, The Witch’s Compass in my Witches of the New Forest fiction and paranormal romance series happened at the beginning of May. It went very well, and I am so thankful to everyone who has bought a copy and left a review, for this book and all the others in the series! The feedback has been amazing, and I’m so happy to create a world of magickal people, for magickal people 😊
On a sadder note, my sweet cat, Barnabus, passed away of old age just a few days later. He had already been winding down since January, and we had a feeling that it was coming. I prayed to my lady Freya that when his time came, that it would be quick and painless, and it certainly was. In the span of four days, he went from walking in the garden with me to his body shutting down completely. He died peacefully at home in my arms, loved and cherished for every single day that we had together. I am so blessed to have had this little guy in my life, and I will always, always love him. You and me forever, my little Bobo man.
Ever since that day, the neighbour’s cat from three doors down has been visiting and spending all day outside on our patio, giving us cuddles and snuggles in our period of adjustment. She has been a beautiful gift of love and comfort, and we are so happy to see her each and every day.
In the meantime, I have already begun Book 4, Smugglers and Secrets, and am over halfway through the writing process. This book comes from Ryder’s perspective, and is chock-full of adventure. I had no idea how much would happen to her in a week, but so far it’s been crazy! There is so much that is unfurling as I write this book, that I’m sure it will be at least two, if not three books to fully tell her story. I might even have to have a word with the characters of the book, and tell them to slow it down a bit. But in all honesty, it’s not up to me – they are the ones who write the book for me! I’m just along for the ride 😉
Today we finally have rain, which is much needed. Here in the East of England we haven’t had a good rainfall for months now, and so a dark, dreary, wet day like today is a true blessing. The land is dry and cracked on the heath, my beech tree hasn’t got its large leaves, and everything is a bit stunted in growth except for the birch trees. The grass on the lawn has already been burned yellow by the sun, and our water butts have been dry for months. Thank you, global warming and climate change (yes, I am being sarcastic). Thank goodness we have mostly drought-resistant plants in the garden, living here on the edge of heathland, near to the sea.
And so I am quietly sitting here at my desk, writing away each and every day, doing marketing and promoting my work. It’s a nice life, where I am finally starting to make a living wage from my writing. It only took 11 years! But I am so enjoying writing fiction,;it really is where my passion has been since I was a young teenager, writing my first book.
I hope that wherever you are in the world, that you are enjoying the summer, or winter for my antipodean friends, and that nature’s blessing is upon you.
Down the Forest Path 