Hello 2026!

I know it’s mid-February and I’m a bit late welcoming the new year, but all my intentions of being organised and vowing to keep on top of my blog posts have…taken a nap.

This year’s been a strange old thing so far. It took me a few weeks to get over the post-Christmas blues, and I struggled through that no-man’s land of dark days and nothingness. But then slowly I snapped out of it. I told myself to get on with the only thing I have control over – my writing – and stop dwelling on everything else.

And then, just as I started to emerge from the fog, some amazing things began to happen. And as I’m writing this, I’m reminding myself to take the good with the bad. There will always be things in life that are annoying/bad/devastating/traumatic etc. but in between that, what harm does it do to try to focus on the good, and to hope for better days? To actually believe and know that the good stuff will come, because it always does.

So here’s my update:

o   I’ll be writing three more novellas for Audible and the first one publishes this year. The next two will follow in 2027 and 2028.

o   My first book for Headline will be out in eBook on 4 June and paperback on 13 August. It’s very exciting to have a new traditional publishing deal and to hopefully reach readers who may not have discovered my books.

The holding cover until the actual cover is revealed

o   The Suspect (Zanim Wydasz Wyrok) has just been published in Poland, and everyone knows how much I love my Polish readers so I’m thrilled for this to finally be out there.

o   I’ve been working on a middle grade novel (8-12) for a few months now and after discussions with the brilliant new children’s fiction agent at my agency, I’m excited to say that I wasn’t totally crazy in believing I could attempt this new genre. I’ve had some brilliant advice from him, and I can’t wait to bring it to life.

o   I’ve also gone back to my second book for Headline (publishing 2027), which I wrote in the book shop (remember that?!) It’s good to go back to it after some breathing space and to actually have the thinking time to make it the best it can be.

o   I have a couple of other things in the pipeline, too, which I’ll share as soon as I can!

While the world is becoming increasingly fractured and uncertain, I’m doing the only thing I can do: I’m riding this wave while it lasts!

I hope 2026 is being kind to you all so far, but if, like me, you’ve had a rocky start – please don’t ever give up hope for better days.