Flaming Nora: Community, reviews and sewing it up

Friday, April 30, 2021

Community, reviews and sewing it up - my writing week

The best kind of post arrived this week, my author copies of the hardback version of my next northeast saga, The Miner's Lass. It's out in hardback, ebook and audiobook on May 11th and you can order it here. I send my author copies of the book to friends and family who I know would like one, and I also gift them to those who have helped me with research. It's a cracker of a book!

I was very touched and moved this week to see one of the creative embroidery designs inspired by one of my books. A local book club have been reading my northeast saga novels. They're currently reading The Paper Mill Girl and as well as the book club, have started a sewing group which meets online.

The sewing group is called United Together Book Club Sewing Group. The image below shows a design by Anita Byron-Foster of the group, it's Ruth, Edie & Jane on the cliffs at Hendon beach. (Shared with permission). I absolutely adore it!

My northeast saga The Paper Mill Girl was given a glowing review in Living North magazine, which made me feel really chuffed. Thank you!

My novels were given a gorgeous, full-page advertisement in my local SR6 community magazine this week. I'm very happy with the way it looks and the people at SR6 magazine have been very supportive too.

Writing wise, I wrote the first 8,000 words of my second cosy crime set in Scarborough. I'm off to a flying start and aim (hope!) to complete the first draft by mid July.

This week I renewed my membership of the Romantic Novelists' Association. My novels aren't romance books, the focus is always on the adventures of the determined young women at their core. But yes, romance might make its way into the story, although not too much, my novels are anything but soppy!

My novels had a really lovely little mention in my local newspaper, The Sunderland Echo, from the couple who run my local convenience store. You can read the full article here.

I crafted another episode of my weekly soap opera Riverside for The People's Friend magazine. I've been writing Riverside weekly since 2016 and you can find out all about it here.