Over on Facebook, my friends Jenn J McLeod and J’aimee Brooker started a new group, Boredom Busting Books, inviting authors (mostly Australian) to post videos reading from their books, since none of us can go to book events in libraries, bookstores and festivals at present. I wasn’t courageous enough to do a live video as some authors have, but I finally recorded one, reading an excerpt from The Clothier’s Daughter. So if you’d like to watch me and listen to some of the story, here it is. It’s about 9 minutes long. I even put on a dress, instead of my old jeans and t-shirt that I usually wear at home.
The spread of the Covid-19 virus will be a challenge for all of us. I’m fortunate that I live out of town, that I work from home anyway, and that G is retired now. Although I’ll miss my volunteer work at Saumarez and the Folk Museum, staying at home for the winter won’t hit us as hard as it will many others.
My thoughts are with those in hospitality, tourism, the performing arts, and many other professions that will be hit hard, as well as all those in the health sector who are working with such dedication to help those who fall ill.
For those of us able to stay home, it will be a quiet time – unless you have a household of children! (In which case, may your sanity last while you adapt and may it become a time of closeness for your family.) Although I still have writing, research, and some online tutoring to do, I’m planning to also catch up on some reading and DVDs, and to sew up a portion of my fabric stash. I hope you all have plenty of uplifting activities to occupy yourselves with if you’re staying home.
I know that not being able to go out to work is going to affect many people’s income (including mine). So I’m dropping the e-book price of The Clothier’s Daughter for a while, to $2.99 USD, $4.99AUD. It’s a good long read, so it will distract you from virus news for a fair few hours!
Unfortunately I can’t drop the price of the paperback in bookstores as it’s Print on Demand and I make less than $1 on paperbacks sold through Amazon, Book Depository, Booktopia etc. However, I do have some copies left in stock and have reduced their price, so you can order a signed copy from me if you wish.
In good news for overseas readers, I’m in the process of getting unsold foreign rights reverted from my publisher for the Dungirri and Goodabri books, and I’ll be independently publishing US editions in the next couple of months, once I have new covers, new formatting, and have edited for a US audience. They’ll be available in e-book and paperback. And yes, it’s my intention that the covers for each series will have a similar style so that they look good together!
I have intentions of being more active on social media, and updating this blog more often, with reading recommendations, maybe a video or three, and whatever else I can think of that might interest readers. But of course I’ll also be writing, because I know the next book is the most important activity I can do!
To celebrate Valentine’s Day, I’m offering a giveway on my Facebook author page of 5 ebook copies of The Clothier’s Daughter. But I know not everyone is on Facebook, so if you’d like to enter to be in the draw, you can comment on this post. The contest is open until midnight, California time, on Valentine’s Day – which is Saturday evening, Australian time.
March is going to be a wonderful month! I’m thrilled that The Clothier’s Daughter is a finalist in the Australian Romance Readers Awards in the Favourite Historical Romance category and the Hartdale Brides series isa finalist in the Favourite Continuing Series category – now that’s faith, when there’s only one book in the series out so far! It’s an awesome list of finalists and I’m incredibly honoured to be among them, and grateful to the readers who nominated my book. The winners will be announced at a gala dinner in Sydney on Saturday March 7th. The awards dinner is always a great night, and readers are very welcome to come along and celebrate your favourite books of 2019. More information and tickets are available here.
The very next day, on Sunday March 8th, I’ll be participating in A Romantic Rendezvous, a book-signing event in Sydney, also hosted by the wonderful folk at the Australian Romance Readers Association. I’ll be there alongside authors like Darynda Jones, Susan Donovan and host of other fabulous authors including Anne Gracie, Cathryn Hein – Author, Fiona McArthur Simpson, and Kelly Hunter. And … drumroll …thanks to ARRA, I have a ticket to give away to one lucky reader on Valentine’s Day. What better Valentine’s Day gift could I give you than the opportunity to discover some new romance books and authors?
If you don’t live in Sydney, don’t worry, there will be five events – Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Perth and Adelaide – and you can win a ticket to the event of your choice! All the details on these event, including the authors signing at each one, are available here: http://australianromancereaders.com.au/events/arr2020/.
To be in the draw, please comment on this post (or on my Facebook post) and let me know what your favourite, or most recent, romantic read is. Feel free to share this post with all your friends – if I receive more than 50 entries I’ll be able to give away a second ticket! So spread the word! I’ll draw the winner on Valentine’s Day and announce them here.
The more who come along on the day, the more fun we’ll have. (If you don’t want to wait to see if you’re the winner, tickets start from $20 and are available for purchase now at Trybooking <https://www.trybooking.com/562019>.)
I’ve been invited for an author take over at the Haute Ton Reader Society on Facebook today, Tuesday 14th January (US time mostly) so if you’re on Facebook, do come and say hello! There will be some historical tidbits, a recipe, some excerpts from The Clothier’s Daughter, Regency fashions, and other fun.
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