A special Anniversary!

It is now two years since the publication of my 3rd novel, The Fire Portrait!
And what an interesting time it has been... I have had the privilege of talking to readers in venues ranging from bookshops to pubs to private homes to literary festivals; I've been involved in launches and radio interviews, shepherded physical books across borders and signed copies for friends and strangers until my pen wilted. 

Looking back, it's the unusual that stands out, both in terms of the promotion of the book and its origins. Regarding the latter, I remember trips through the South African interior in search of obscure railway sidings that could provide the setting for my fictional community of Aloe Glen; the discovery of a "pink, armoured aloe" (Aloe buhrii) in The Karoo Botanical Gardens that became the subject of one of Frances's most striking artworks; the trawling through museum copies of newspapers to glean the mood and news of the day in both wartime Britain and the distant Cape; the research on paint catalogues from the 1940s to make sure Frances was using colours that were available at the time. And, further on the art side, my hesitant efforts to use watercolours so I might understand Frances's passion. 

And the standout promotional events/memories? A stranger grabbing me at an airport to tell me she thought this book was my best one; a cheerful book club meeting by candlelight because there was no electricity, a live podcast recording with no room for a mistake/re-take, and the relief when a talk to a packed hall ended with rousing applause and no mis-steps. Phew! And one more: I won't ever forget the hilarious morning spent recording video clips for my publisher, when my giggles threatened to scupper the entire effort.  

If you haven't read The Fire Portrait yet, perhaps this might encourage you to do so?
Or spread the word...