Playlist: May 2023

Of Blood & Oil

This month’s playlist is inspired by my latest release, Of Blood & Oil, which is book three of my Not the Same River series.

It follows Violet as she goes from gobby orphan to treasured warrior in six books.

A hunted portrait. A twisted duke. An embarrassing crush.

When a hunted portrait arrives at the priory for safekeeping, Violet makes a disturbing discovery or two about her immortal neighbour. And an unwelcome one about herself.

As the resourceful Penhaligons try to figure out what’s so special about the painting, a sinister duke makes a bold move in his bid to claim it. But the painting is not the only thing he’s after.

Can Violet and the Penhaligons outwit the duke and bargain their way to victory? Or will they learn that they’re not the only ones with betrayal in mind?

This book features a vampire who doesn’t know where his trousers are, a stray nephilim, judgemental goats, and an MC who hasn’t quite got a handle on romance.

Happy listening!

Gothic Christmas witch with amber eyes and fiery red hair

Coloring the void – M83

Anachronism – Crywolf

Colder – Edwin Raphael

Angel’s Song – Arlo Parks

Under My Skin – SPC ECO

Speak Loud – Trills

Call Me What You Like – Lovejoy

From Eden – Hozier

Hypnotic – Zella Day

Fade Into You – Mazzy Star

Neptune – Sleeping at Last

Milk & Honey (Alt Version) – Billie Marten

I Found – Amber Run

Breathe – of Verona

Blood//Water – grandson

Litost – X Ambassadors

Illuminate – WILDES

Monster – Half Moon Run

Make It Holy – The Staves

Moon Begins – Florist

Pay – Ramsey

Heavy in Your Arms – Florence + The Machine

Swell – Twin Caverns

You Made Me Human – Richard Wells

Your Name – Lissom, Julien Marchal, Lowswimmer

Click here for my Spotify Playlist

Playlist: March 2023

All the Ghosts

This month’s playlist was inspired by the Netflix series, Lockwood & Co, and a short story for members of the Th1rt3en Club that I’ve just finished writing.

It features Simeon Fable, the ghost who writes a column in my newsletter, and his ex-husband as they unravel the mystery of the resurrection of a boisterous corgi.

With their friends, Cecilia and Pride (a moonlighting vampire and an unassuming god, respectively) they uncover an unregistered necromancer misbehaving in London, a plot to kill a king, and an ancient vampire with a grudge. And ghosts. All the ghosts.

If you haven’t already, you can join the club using the form in the side bar (scroll down for the purple form if you’re on mobile).

You’ll also receive the prequel novella for my series, Not the Same River. Navigate to the Books or Not the Same River sections in the menu above for more information on the series.

Happy listening!

Special Death – Mirah

Ghosts – James Vincent McMorrow

all the good girls go to hell – Billie Eilish

Walking with a Ghost – Tegan and Sara

Don’t Fear the Reaper – Gus Black

Love Like Ghosts – Lord Huron

Your Ghost – Kristin Hersh

Two Ghosts – Harry Styles

Misguided Ghosts – Paramore

Ghosting – Mother Mother

Sex with a Ghost – Teddy Hyde

Psycho Killer – The Wrecks

Where is My Mind – Safari Riot, Grayson Sanders

Holy Ghost – BØRNS

Ghosts – Fanfarlo

Ghosts – Hooded Fang

Ghostride – Crumb

Werewolf Heart – Dead Man’s Bones

The Ghosts of Beverly Drive – Death Cab for Cutie

Where is My Mind (Piano Rendition) – The Blue Notes

Rue des trois frères – Fabrizio Paterlini

Click here for my Spotify Playlist

WIP Update: January 2023

Thirteen at the Leash

Today, I finished writing my first book of 2023. Weighing in at 37.6k words, Thirteen at the Leash is the longest of the Tales from the Noctuary series. It’s also the last in the series, so that’s two complete series that I’ve written now. It’s about a resurrected murderous cult of witch shifters, whose only target is vampires. Let’s just say they’ve gone a little off the rails since they came back to life.

Below is a first draft snippet from chapter 1.

Click on the picture below to see my Pinterest board for this project.

character art of Raven Albright. Young man with long black hair and makeup.

WIP Progress

Thirteen at the Leash: draft complete, 37, 692 words

Series: Tales from the Noctuary (#4)

Stage: drafted

Projected publishing date: Summer 2024

Gabriel sighed as he laid the telephone receiver in its cradle. “Why must these people hound me so?”

Jelly, his capable assistant, looked up, a subtle smile on his face. “What is it now?”

“The Thirteen Club.” Gabriel closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose, massaging away the pressures of the job. “Protestors on the doorstep. Almost a hundred this time.”

“Well, I have an answer as to why they hound you so,” said Jelly. “I shall quote you as a reminder.” Jelly put on an authoritative voice that Gabriel thought was rather overdone. “Any trouble, and I want to hear about it. The first sign of trouble, do you hear me?”

“I do not sound like that,” Gabriel protested.

“On every day of the week that ends in a Y,” said Jelly.

Gabriel wasn’t sure why he let the man get away with such cheek when they were in private, but he couldn’t find it within himself to make him stop. “Get your coat on, then.”

Merry Christmas!

I’ll be working on the last of the proofreading changes with cider in one hand and terrible Christmas music in the background, but I’m gonna get this done because I want Book 2 up for ARC readers before the year is out, and I need some time off next week with the fam.

However you’re spending this Christmas, I hope you’re surrounded by those you love and who cherish you in return.

I’m so grateful for the community I’ve found myself in this year. It’s like having my own personal cheerleading squad of readers and writers, and I can’t thank them enough for making this year such a good one. You know who you are. I appreciate you all so much, and it makes my day hearing from you.

For 2023, I’m wishing you peace, health and joy. If this has been a year of challenges for you, I wish you a year of calm, resolve and strength, so you can rise above that tide and come out the other side smiling. I love it when you smile.

May 2023 bring you all that you deserve 💕

You can still get 50% off the ebook versions of A Storm of Paper Starlings and From Tangled Roots Come Twisted Wings at Smashwords until January 1st.

GET 50% OFF

Have a fantastic Christmas, don’t take any crap, and I’ll see you in the new year. 2023 is gonna be a good one!

In the meantime, this cider isn’t gonna drink itself. Cheers!

A Storm of Paper Starlings is Live!

A Storm of Paper Starlings

is Live

From a scrappy page of notes in my twelve-year-old handwriting, to accidentally signing up to Camp NaNoWriMo in July 2014, to its final formatting in 2022, Violet’s story has gone through so many changes. But it’s finally here, the story of my heart.

Available Now

A Storm of Paper Starlings is available to buy now at all major retailers and to order from your local library.

468 pages

See all retailer options

What if the ordinary family you crave isn’t ordinary at all?

When an accident lands Violet in hospital, her mundane life in a London children’s home is disrupted by relatives she’s never heard of—the Penhaligons—and a mysterious visitor who disappears into the night after claiming he’s the father of the twin sister she never knew she had.

With her long-lost sister, Amethyst, to find, Violet turns to her new family for help. But the Penhaligons are far from ordinary.

Power and magic lurk at the priory, Violet’s new home in the Oxfordshire countryside, and she learns fast that nothing is ordinary here, least of all the hostile new neighbours—a coven of vampires, vaewolves, and demons.

As Violet grapples with family secrets, four powerful new brothers, and latent abilities of her own, Amethyst and the man who raised her find themselves in mortal danger—a danger that draws Violet and her family into a battle to save them.

Finally embracing the meaning of family, two questions burn at the back of Violet’s mind.

If vampires and demons exist, what are the Penhaligons?

And what is she?

A Storm of Paper Starlings is the first of six already written books. The Not the Same River series follows Violet as she goes from lost, gobby orphan to treasured—okay, she’s still gobby—warrior, finding the clan she would die for along the way.

If sibling banter, precious friendships, bitey neighbours, and terrible goats are your jam, settle in to meet your new ride or die crew today.

Due to adult language and dark themes, this book is recommended for readers aged 15+ and is ideal for upper YA/crossover readers who enjoy diverse stories. The series should be read in order.