Hello again,
A brief update on how the month has progressed. Isn’t it wonderful to have grass that is beginning to respond as grass when you walk on it, rather than crunchy toast? And some areas of our lawn now have a tinge of green to them – always welcome and it feels like a return to ‘normal’.
The heath fires in the New Forest have been absolutely devastating. Watching the footage of the fight to contain the fire and eventually extinguish it was sobering. Massive thanks must go to the firefighters involved in that task. I think both firefighters and local residents had some sleepless nights.
On Saturday 26th September I am taking part in a craft fair in aid of the local fire station. It is at Wolvercroft Garden Centre and Tea Room near Fordingbridge, post code SP6 3BE. It runs from 10am – 2pm so if you can find the time, do come along and support the venture. If the fire service had not been in attendance at the A31 fire…?
Book 4
It now has an official name – Mystery in the New Forest. It will soon be available for pre-order on Amazon. The release date for the kindle copy is 8th October and as usual the paperback version will be hot on its heels. There is a planned release of the audible version, and it will be read by James Mcnaughton. He is the actor who read the first three in the series and many listeners have applauded his interpretation, so I am pleased that he has been engaged to read Mystery in the New Forest.
Below is a first sight of the front cover.
My website
Now there are four books in the series, there needs to be a few changes to my website.
My website was built, and is administered, by John Bruce at Webby Foot. He is responsible for sending out these newsletters to you as I am hopeless with technology, so thank you John. I really appreciate your expertise.
We will be putting our heads together over the next month or so and updating the website.
Fisherton History Festival
August has been a very busy month, and I have met many of you at various events. Last weekend I was part of the annual Fisherton History Festival which, this year, had a focus on crime. I was tasked with a talk on setting in the novel and was pleased at how pertinent that is for the Murder in the New Forest series.
Setting is a vehicle for so many elements in a story, not just the place, time and location of where the events take place. It will also influence the plot and how the characters are envisaged – the Martian only works in space. Setting also gives context to the plot – for example a child missing in the New Forest is very different from a child missing in a busy inner-city shopping centre. It also allows a character’s personal history to be shown through plot. For example, in Straw in the Wind Callum’s memories of a previous case involving a missing child in Glasgow, Jeanie Cowie. This adds a time pressure, in addition to a personal pressure, to the situation.
But more of that another time.
I shared the floor and a panel Q&A with Alice G May and Nikki Coplestone and this is a picture of us taken by John Palmer outside the venue in Salisbury.
September Events
- 5th September I will be in Ringwood signing books at the Hotel Chocolat in the Furlong.
- 12th September is Romsey Show
- 16th September I have a lunchtime event in Godshill
- 19th September is a craft market in Hale
- 26th September is the craft fair for the fire station at Wolvercroft (see poster)
- 27th September we are at Sopley.
Do come along and introduce yourself if you are in the area. I will of course be signing books at all these events,
Happy reading, Carol