Please welcome, friend and author...

… Katherine Blessan to my blog today. Katherine, thanks very much for making time to be here today. So, tell me about your book Home Truths with Lady Grey...

KB It’s a dual protagonist novel about friendship and how two very different lives can unexpectedly change each other. There’s middle-aged Jennifer, who’s always been this strong, career-driven woman who is suddenly knocked off her feet by a serious illness that forces her to surrender control and let others into her world. At the same time there’s Mona, a devoted family woman of Iranian heritage, who’s just discovered her husband’s been gambling and hiding things from her, which leaves her reeling about trust and betrayal.

So when Mona ends up becoming Jennifer’s carer, the story becomes less about caregiving in the practical sense and more about how these two women — from such different backgrounds and with such different struggles — slowly build a friendship that teaches them about strength, vulnerability and what it really means to see yourself through someone else’s eyes. It’s an emotional journey about finding resilience, wrestling with identity and, ultimately, discovering healing in connection rather than control.

AW   Sounds fascinating. What first got you into writing and why?

KB  I’ve written since I was a child and my primary school teacher told me I would make a good writer. However, after doing a couple of literature degrees and working in publishing for a few years, it was not until I was in my late twenties that I first got seriously into writing. I was living in Cambodia at the time teaching English and the premise for my first novel – Lydia’s Song – dropped into my head all in one go when I was lying on a hammock. The idea was so strong that it wouldn’t let me go and stayed with me through the 8 long years it took me to complete (alongside teaching, working overseas, marrying cross-culturally and having two children!). I write fiction, but I love to write stories that touch people’s hearts and inspire them to live or think differently, without being preachy.

AW You write women’s contemporary and YA dystopian fiction. Is it all imagination or do you do research?

KB My material is largely imaginative, but for both Lydia’s Song (child-sex trafficking in Cambodia) and Home Truths with Lady Grey (gambling and Motor Neuron Disease) I had to do a lot of research to understand the world and experiences of my characters. A good amount of my research for Lydia’s Song, however, was experiential – based on my own experience of living as an English teacher in Cambodia. I was really encouraged when at least two medically trained readers of Home Truths told me that my depiction of Jennifer’s suffering with MND was authentic.

AW Have you ever dabbled with other genres or writing for other forms of media?

KB Yes, I’ve written blogs, e-newsletters, magazine articles as well as website and marketing copy.

AW Famous authors such as Roald Dahl and Dylan Thomas had a special space for writing. Do you have a writing shed of your own?

KB No, unfortunately I don’t. I do have a desk in our study facing the park that is a lovely space to write, but it’s in my home and there are many distractions in my own home. Also, it’s sometimes used by my husband so is not my ‘own’ space. Personally, I love to get away to write and find that dedicated time away on retreat helps me focus.

AW And finally, if you had a whole afternoon to yourself and could choose to spend it with any one individual, living or dead, or a character from a book, who would it be and what would you discuss?

KB I would love to sit down with the Bronte women (particularly Anne and Charlotte) and discuss the challenges of writing about faith and social issues in a hostile world. Anne Bronte’s novel The Tenant of Wildfell Hall is one of my greatest inspirations in writing my own contemporary women’s fiction. We think of the Bronte’s novels as being historical, but of course it wasn’t historical for them at the time of writing!

about the book ... Home Truths with Lady Grey is an evocative, moving story about the power of friendship to unlock new ways of seeing life and self.

‘My world is narrowing, constricting down to the thin end of a funnel.’  When normally capable, career-minded Jennifer crumbles under a debilitating disease, she struggles with no longer being in control of her life.  In the meantime, Mona, a family-oriented mother of Iranian heritage, finds out that her husband is gambling and hiding the truth from her.  Can she move beyond betrayal to action?

When Mona goes to work for Jennifer as a carer, Jennifer is initially defensive, but the two soon discover that despite their differences, they have so much to learn from one another.  Will Mona discover how to balance the conflicting loyalties of family and self?  Will Jennifer learn to let others in?  And most importantly, will they both survive?

You can get her book Here

You can follow Katherine on her Amazon Author Page on her Website and on Facebook  or TikTok

Come stroll with me ...

… through the city of Granville on the Cotentin Peninsula.  Read on …

Last summer, I read The Paris Express by Emma Donoghue.  You can read my review of the book Here.  If you’re wondering what that has to do with my making a very long-overdue return to Granville, it’s because the story in the book begins right here.

Granville, as a destination, was on the itinerary for my very first camping trip in France.  And no, I’m going to let you know how long ago that was, but I can say that my green guide is now so old it relies on sellotape for its existence!  However, I have a new book to guide me around this town, and we’ll be making a beeline for the station.

But first, some facts.  Granville sits on the west coast of the Cotentin peninsula, some 104 km south of the port of Cherbourg.  That’s a steady hour-and-a-half or so drive through scenic rolling, coastal landscape.  Granville has a population of around 12,500 and is the third largest city in the département of Manche.  First and second places are occupied by Cherbourg (78,000) and St-Lô (20,000).

Despite its relatively small size by UK standards, Granville has a long and fascinating history. The town sits on a rocky promontory overlooking the Îles Chausey (the French Channel Islands), the Channel, and the Baie du Mont-Saint-Michel.  The town, as we know it today, was founded by a vassal of Guillaume le Conquérant.  As payment for men and arms supplied during the invasion of England, Guillaume ceded the area of Roque de Lihou to the local Grant family.  The Grants became the first Lords of Granville after the Vikings.

Across the many centuries since then, the town has been fortified, bombarded, reconstructed, besieged (and that’s a whole story by itself), and ceded through marriage and land grabs.  But let’s move forward to the nineteenth century and my reason for being here.  1815 was the beginning of a new and prosperous age for Granville.  A Chamber of Industry and Commerce was created with the sole intention of bringing work and business opportunities to the area.  A lighthouse was built to aid shipping.  The port was redeveloped in 1856.  Four years later, the first gaming house was built by a former Mayor.  In 1865, a hospice was built, and in 1867, the town acquired its first oared lifeboat.  A local newspaper, Le Granvillais, first hit the streets in 1869, and in the following year the railway came to town.

On July 3rd, 1870, the SNCF line from and the newly constructed station at Granville opened. This momentous occasion supported the movement of goods into the town and the transportation of fish, shellfish and other goods out of town and across France.  Initially, the line from Granville reached as far as Argentan.  By 1895, there was a regular service from Granville to Paris, and this little town had become known as the ‘Monaco du nord’.  Just as wealthy Victorians in England flocked to Brighton and various other coastal resorts, so Parisians, local politicians, and landowners took the train to Granville to enjoy the healthy sea air along with the opportunities for gambling and cards.

As I step into the railway station, I can see that it is very much a modern affair.  Vast monitors constantly update the comings and goings of the trains.  There’s not even a glimmer of the once hefty steam trains that rattled along the line.

However, call in at the Musée de Vieux Granville, and you will be rewarded with a series of old photographs and lithographs of the town as it used to be.

Photo CyrilB1881

There will be more on the towns along the Granville-Paris railway line in the coming weeks, so keep watching this space …

Please welcome, Ralph Griffiths ...

... to the blog this week.  Ralph's journey to publication has been very different from my own, but nevertheless, he has made it as an author, and I will let him tell you his story ...

AW, Your latest release, Vodka Express, is a crime novel featuring your investigator Dmitri Petrov, and it is set in St. Petersburg, all of which sounds fascinating. Tell me more.

RG  When asked recently about the background behind my Dmitri Petrov Crime Novels, it made me reflect on my unusual journey from the Federal Prison System to Saint Petersburg. That's my unconventional path as a crime novelist. So, my path to becoming an author is perhaps not what you would expect.

AW What first got you into writing and why?

RG For over three decades, I served two 14-year sentences in the U.S. Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) for bank robberies.  The federal system is a unique environment, a melting pot of individuals from every corner of the globe.  In 2004, as I was beginning my last sentence, I decided it was time for a profound change.  I felt a new path calling me, and I believed that as an author, my past would not and should not define my future.

AW  You write crime.  Is it all imagination, or do you do research?

RG  Neither, as you can see, I have over 30 years of living with criminals of all stripes.

AW  Have you tried or dabbled with other genres or writing for other forms of media?

RG   I write dark comedy with my Big Huna Series and my Too-Sweet Sagas.

AW  Famous authors such as Roald Dahl and Dylan Thomas had a special space for writing. Do you have a writing shed of your own?

RG  No.

AW  And finally, you find yourself alone on a dessert island with just enough battery power to make one call. Who would you call and why?

RG I would call my wife and tell her I love her.

about the book … Vodka Express takes readers on a visceral journey into the raw and fractured heart of Saint Petersburg—a city where faded imperial grandeur clashes violently with the brutal realities of its present, where the mean streets hold life cheaper than a bottle of vodka. Amidst this stark duality, Inspectors Dmitri Petrov and Manislov Illich forge an unlikely yet formidable partnership. Petrov, a master of subtle observation in a world quick to resort to force, must navigate this treacherous urban landscape like a deadly chess match.

Alongside him stands his imposing partner, Manislov Illich, a man whose explosive temper and formidable presence have earned him the chilling moniker "Ivan the Terrible," adding a volatile, Russian-style edge to their relentless pursuit of justice.

From the decaying Soviet-era tenements of the Dygnizi Projects, where survival is a daily battle and violence commonplace, to the opulent villas of the nouveau riche, where power and secrets dangerously intertwine, Dmitri and Manislov tread carefully into a murky realm where the boundaries between law and lawlessness dissolve with alarming ease.

... and here's what other readers and reviewers have said about Ralph's book...

“Think Raymond Chandler meets Russian noir.  Vodka Express delivers a visceral journey through Saint Petersburg's dark underbelly.”

“Vodka Express is guaranteed to satisfy fans of dark, atmospheric crime fiction, with a strong sense of place and unforgettable characters.”

“A searing portrait of modern Russia in the tradition of early Gorky, wrapped in a gripping crime thriller.”

You can get the book Here

You can follow Ralph on his Amazon Author Page  on Bookbub   Facebook   Twitter and on Instagram

 

 

 

 

I'm very pleased to announce ...

… that I will be one of the signing authors at The Armouries Museum, Leeds, on Saturday, October 31^st, 2026.  Read on for more info and tickets …

This is a massive book event that will run at the museum on October 31^st 2026.  There will be many authors and vendors at the event, and I will be among them.
 
For those of you who read this blog regularly, you may recall that I had intended to be at last year’s event.  But changes in publisher and delays in the re-release of my books meant it was not to be.  This is 2026: a new year, a new strategy, the re-release of my books is imminent, and book seven is with my new editor.  Authors at the Armouries in October is the icing on the cake that I need after such a disappointing 2025!
 
All the authors will be located in the New Dock Hall.  As soon as I know where I will be, I will update this post and include the information on my website, too.  Please check back regularly between now and the event.
 
I will have my Jacques Forêt books with me, along with the full series of the Miss Moonshine and Seasonal Paths anthologies.  I will also have the first in the new elemental series of stories.  You can purchase signed or unsigned copies of the books and chat with the many other authors in attendance, including me. too.  Later this year, I will set up a pre-order form so you can avoid disappointment when you arrive at the event.

 
The event will open as specified on your tickets and run from 10.30 am until 5.30 pm.
 
You can get your tickets Here
 
So, please note your diaries, and I look forward to seeing you at:
 
The Royal Armouries Museum,
Armouries Drive,
Leeds.
LS10 1LT

I'm reviewing A Fighting Chance ...

 ... by friend and author, Val Penny.  This is the second book in her most recently created series of police procedurals.  Read on ...

Set mostly in Stirling, A Fighting Chance sees Detective Sergeant Jane Renwick take on a new case.  This story is the second in this new series, and what a read!  I'm familiar with the Hunter Wilson stories and have been for quite a while. I was curious to see how Val went about creating a new crime-busting team.  I was not disappointed at all.

Jane is no shrinking violet.  She gets straight to the point and gets on with the job, marshalling her team of detectives with fairness and no unnecessary fuss.  As a boss, I admired her aplomb and her demonstrated business principles.  As a central character, she had me hooked from the outset.  The fact that this is the second book in the series did not detract from the story.  But I will be catching up on that first book later this year.

Jane and her team are sent to Stirling to gather intelligence on a recently returned master criminal, Connor O'Grady.  O'Grady, a drug baron, has old scores to settle and a business rival in the shape of Peggy Cheney to check up on.  Cheney has just been released from prison and is also keen to resume her business dealings, with the intention of squeezing out O'Grady.  With the discovery of two bodies, within hours of each other, the scene is set for a fast-paced thriller.  I certainly couldn't put my book down once I started reading it.

This is an excellently written, well-plotted thriller.  The central characters are unique and well-drawn.  The members of the supporting team come alive on the page as you move through the many twists and turns in this story.  What I especially liked about this new series was the realism and the attention to detail.  Following Jane through the mire that is the illegal drugs business made me realise just how tough it must be for the real officers of the law.  I'm eagerly awaiting the next one in the series.

If you want to know more about Val, you can read my interview with her Here  If you want to know more about her Hunter Wilson series you can read my most recent review Here

Please welcome, friend and author, Kay Parquet...

... to the blog this week.  Happy New Year, Kay, and thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to be here today.  So, tell me all about your books...

KP My current releases are The Bookshop on Blossom Street and The Bistro on Blossom Street.  The next book, The B&B on Blossom Street, is coming out in January and continues expanding the world and characters readers have already met.

AW   What first got you into writing and why?

KP   What first pulled me into writing was my love of stories and books.  I started by writing Star Trek fanfic as a kid and reading it aloud to my parents because it felt like the most natural thing in the world.  Writing has always been how I explore ideas and emotions, and eventually it became something I knew I wanted to pursue seriously.

AW   You write cosy romance. Is it all imagination or do you do research?

KP   Most of my cosy romance comes straight from imagination and lived experience rather than heavy research.  I only dig into research when I need specific details to feel accurate, like job-related elements or small technical moments.  I like to keep the focus on emotions and relationships, since that is where the heart of the story really lives.

AW   Have you tried/dabbled with other genres or writing for other forms of media?

KP  I have definitely experimented with other genres and forms of writing.  I started out in arcanepunk and urban fantasy, and I have also written articles, blog posts, and some non-fiction through ghostwriting.  Exploring different styles helped me figure out that romance is where my voice feels the most natural.

AW  Famous authors such as Roald Dahl and Dylan Thomas had a special space for writing. Do you have a writing shed of your own?

KP  I do not have a dedicated writing shed, but I do have a couple of spaces I rotate between. I have my own office, and my husband and I also share a second office.  When he is not using it for work, I will switch spaces for a change of scenery, which helps keep things feeling fresh.

AW  And finally, if you had a whole afternoon to yourself and could choose to spend it with any one individual, living or dead, or a character from a book, who would it be and what would you discuss?

KP  I would spend that afternoon with my grandma who has passed.  She supported me in everything I did, no matter how big or small, and I would give anything for one more long conversation with her.  We would talk about life, love, stories, and everything in between. Throw a bit of sass and terrible jokes in there, and we would have a fun time.

about the author… Kay Parquet is a Southern gal with a suitcase full of memories and a heart that never stops collecting stories.  Growing up in a military family meant home changed every few years, but the one constant was the magic I found between the pages of a good book.

I’ve always been drawn to love stories wrapped in wonder.  Give me a little fantasy, a whisper of mystery, and characters who fall hard and love even harder. My first obsessions were comic books, cartoons, and late-night Star Trek fanfic.

When I’m not writing, you can usually find me gaming or hanging out with my dog Liam. With a bit of Southern charm, a sprinkle of snark, and a heart full of wanderlust, I write romance for readers who want magic, warmth, and just enough chaos to keep things interesting.

about the first book in the series… Sometimes love shows up between the pages ... and far too many coffee refills.

Emma Carter is a curvy, quietly stubborn bookshop owner in the heart of Maplewood who is perfectly content with her shelves, her solitude, and her zero dating life. Thank you very much.

But when Nathan Reed, the town’s handsome new librarian, proposes a joint book event, Emma reluctantly agrees.  What begins as a professional collaboration quickly turns into something else … with sparks, shared glances, and small-town gossip thrown in for good measure.

Can Emma trust what is growing between them, or will the age gap, public whispers, and her own fears close the book before it even begins?

You can follow Kay on her Amazon Page  on her Website and on her various social media accounts Here

You can get Kay's books Here

A new year...

...and some new challenges and adventures.  Read on...

I’m back at my desk with my laptop, my notebooks, dictionary and all the usual paraphernalia that accompanies a scribbler of stories.  Some things this year are going to be very different!  That will be so on more than one level.  There will be events and meet-ups where cherished people are now missing, and that’s always a hard course to tread.

There will be some of the same, of course.  The storytelling goes on in its many forms, and I can’t wait to get started with that.  And this blog will continue, too.  I’ve got some interviews with new-to-me authors, there will be more travel articles in France and elsewhere as I meander my way around the world.  All of which will be accompanied by my pics.  There will be book reviews, as always.

But the most important announcement today is that, after very patiently waiting since January 7th last year, my existing Jacques Forêt mysteries will be re-released over the next few weeks.  I can also tell you that book 7, Meyrueis, is now with a new editor who will begin work on the text next month.  I am really looking forward to seeing where we can take that book.  I’m also hopeful that sometime in March or April, I will have a cover to show you and possibly a release date to share with you as well.  Keep watching this space.

There are some big book events coming up in 2026.  As always, I will be announcing each one individually with full details here on the blog as the year progresses.  So, look out for the Book Fair at the Ridings Centre in Wakefield in May, Authors at the Abbey in Selby in August, Death in the Dales (Sedbergh) and Authors at the Armouries (Leeds) in October, along with Authors at the Coast in Whitley Bay in November.  I have no doubt that I will also be turning up at various other local events as they arise – again, details will be here on the blog in due course.

So, there will be a lot going on this year, and I really hope you can join me at some point along the way...