PHEW......!

I've finished my new novel, number 10. The guy in the picture isn't me. I'm older and have a bit less hair (LOL) but I do know how he feels.

Finishing a book is bittersweet. On the one hand, it’s been nagging you for what seems like an age, nattering in your ear, disturbing your sleep, butting in while you’re in the middle of a conversation, a play, a movie, or simply about the house. But when it’s done it’s like losing a friend. Your characters have become people, you’ve lived with them and felt their desires, their dreams and emotions, and now they’re gone.

My problem is that having "finished" the manuscript and sent it to the wonderful people who are on my ARC list, I can't leave it alone and I keep on tweaking it. And then when I get their feedback and comments I tweak it again. But there comes a time when the writing has to stop, so here's the book. It's called Butterflies.

Lucia Porter and Harry Cavanagh are an unlikely couple. She has had a sheltered and protected upbringing, he is the heir to a fortune and a title. They meet at university, and after a whirlwind romance marry. But the Harry that Lucia marries turns out to be very different from the Harry she fell in love with. Matters come to a head with the sudden death of their newborn son, which brings Lucia to the verge of a breakdown. Unknown to Harry she travels to a remote retreat where she hopes to get help managing her grief, and finds there four other women who have had similar experiences. The retreat is led by the mysterious Dr Crowley. His methods are unconventional, and Lucy and the other women are led to places beyond their understanding and which they never knew existed.

It's out on November 2nd and can be downloaded from Amazon for only 99p/99c until then.

Here's what the Wishing Shelf says:

"This novel truly is excellent. I loved the characters – Lucia, her sister, Lily (who’s a cop and is very important to the story) and Dr Crowley who’s a bit, well, odd – to put it mildly. I also liked the island setting. You can’t just run away living on a tiny island, so it adds a claustrophobic feel to the proceedings. Finally, I liked the pacing; the story galloping along with plenty happening (and plenty of mystery) to keep readers turning the page.

I’d happily recommend this novel to anybody who enjoys a well-paced, suspense-filled novel with a strong cast of characters. Also, anybody with an interest in the afterlife I think will find it an

absorbing read." 5 stars