What are we reading? And writing...

It's always fascinating to investigate the latest trends in book publishing. The boom in "Romantasy" novels - the mix of romance and fantasy - that has dominated sales in recent years seems to be coming off its peak a little. Perhaps readers are looking for more reality in their reading - to reflect their lives now? - rather than outright fantasy! 
In terms of marketing, social media is clearly driving sales in the fiction market. New authors - and existing ones like myself - need to have a presence on Instagram, TikTok, and the like. The challenge is breaking through with your particular book amid the vast number of competing posts! 

Interestingly, debut authors are always in demand. Publishers like to identify promising writers who may have multiple stories in mind, which allows a publisher to potentially set up multi-book deals. So... all you budding authors out there, take heart! And don't forget to set up an arresting website, offering background, research material and reviews, while also guiding readers to your subsequent books. 
  
When I started writing, I had no expectation of being published. It took a chance meeting with an agent on the fringes of a writers festival... and a few months later I was offered a deal by a major publishing house for the worldwide rights to my first novel, The Housemaid's Daughter. That was the crucial turning point that led me to write three more novels and reach an audience not just in English but other languages as well. So luck and timing played their parts for me. 
To lift a phrase from the subtitle of my first novel, it's been... 
An epic journey...