Ducie’s Diary: October 2023
Another hugely busy month, dominated by a book launch (more of which anon). But we also managed to fit in some ‘us’ time as well. If you are ever looking for a quiet retreat in the Cotswolds, I can highly recommend Thyme, in the village of Southrop in Gloucestershire. The weather was foul but that didn’t stop us from chilling out completely. I even braved the (heated) outdoor pool for a swim in the rain. Lots of reading and chatting done, but the odd spot of writerly stuff as well.
Writing this month
The only writing I did this month was promotional copy in relation to the book launch. And as for that plotting I was planning to do for the next novel – forget it. I didn’t get time to open my notebook once. I guess I’m going to be a pantser this year. Not for the first time, I have to admit. (And if that sentence doesn’t mean anything to you, keep reading. All will be revealed.)
Sales and Marketing
I’m delighted to announce (if you’ve not already heard) that Calamity at Coombesford Church is now available to buy on Amazon, in both ebook and paperback formats. Plus, I’ll have signed paperbacks available for direct order by the end of this week. Email me to order your copy now.
The online launch party on 17th October was a real blast. My thanks go to Pam Sheppard for hosting with such panache, and to Carol Amorosi for running the back room. Most of the attendees were writers and we got into some interesting discussions about writing practices. If you missed it, you can watch the replay here (the passcode is: me4q*wyX)
The stacked promotions for the first two books in the series were very successful. They impacted on pre-orders for book three, and on sales of the entire series once the promotion was finished. But the biggest effect was on page-reads, which went up by a factor on ten. And that’s still being felt two weeks later. My thanks go to David Gaughran and his Starting from Zero marketing course (free online) for the launch model.
I was too preoccupied with the cozies to get around to doing a full promotion for the thrillers, so that will now happen in the New Year. However, the Jones Sisters box set is currently available at a special price of £1.77 or $2.99. There’s no history of reviews on the box set yet, but if you check out the three individual books (Counterfeit!, Deception!, and Corruption!) you’ll see they’ve all been well-received by readers. So if you’ve not read them yet, why not download the box set while it’s on special offer. (And don’t forget the next novel is going to be the fourth in this series.)
Out and About
I’ve already mentioned our few days chilling in the Cotswolds; and my online launch party. In addition, I popped up on Val Penny’s blog talking about why I am happy as an indie authorpreneur. I spent a great day in Torquay Museum, chatting with lots of other crime writers and readers at the Crime at the Coast day, organised by the local chapter of the Crime Writers’ Association. I helped my friend and writing buddy, Carol Amorosi, reveal the new covers for her historical novels, the Mackay Mysteries. And finally I forgot all about writing and reading as I indulged in a musical weekend of two parts. On the Saturday we relived our youth at the Manfreds 60th Anniversary Tour (remember Do Wah Diddy Diddy?) and I just hope I look as good and have as much energy as Paul Jones when I’m in my early eighties. Then on the Sunday, I watched Red Earth Opera perform Bellini’s The Capulets and Montagues, with local singers and musicians supporting a quintet of professional soloists. Such a lovely way to end the month.
November, as regular readers of this blog will know, is NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month), so I’ll be mostly concentrating on getting the first draft written on novel #8. And this is where being a pantser comes from. Have done very little planning, I will be doing my daily writing challenge by the seat of my pants. But I’ve managed to complete the challenge every year for the past decade, and most of the time, I’ve been, if not a pantser, then definitely a plantser (starting with a detailed plan that runs out by day six or seven, leaving lots of days left when I resort to the seat of the pants approach), so I’m reasonably hopeful I can get through it again this year.
But in addition to that I have a number of events lined up:
- On 1st November, I’ll be running a Facebook Takeover on the Cozy Mystery Party Group between 10pm and midnight GMT (6pm and 8pm EDT).
- On 14th November, I’ll be taking part in The TufFish Show with Jen Milius, talking all things writerly, both fiction and non-fiction.
- On 16th November, I’ll be joining Jonathan Posner as he presents The Thursday Book Club on Phonic FM.
- On 17th November, the new book will be under the spotlight on the South Hams Authors’ Network Facebook page.
- On 18th November, we have the official launch party for the paperback version of Calamity at Coombesford Church, hosted by Cancer Lifeline South West during their Festive Fundraiser in Chudleigh Town Hall between 11am and 4pm. No invites needed. Just come along and join in the fun if you’re in the area.
- And finally, on 27th November, I’ll be doing a live video chat with Caroline Maston on the UK Crime Book Club Facebook group.
What Have I Been Reading Lately?
Like most readers of Lucinda Riley’s Seven Sisters series, I was eagerly awaiting publication of Atlas: The Story of Pa Salt, which brings everything together and answers a lot of questions arising from books one to seven. The book was completed by Lucinda’s son, Harry Whittaker, from his mother’s notes, following her untimely death in 2021.Months ago, I put a reservation request up on the library site, but the waiting list was so long, I forgot all about it. Until a few weeks ago, when my copy finally became available. And I was blown away by it. By this time, there were already nearly 40K ratings and 4K reviews on Goodreads, and I reckoned there was very little I could add. So here’s my review; short and sweet:
The long-awaited final part of the series. At times, in earlier books, I have found Pa Salt to be rather creepy. But all is explained in this book. No spoilers. But I absolutely loved it and couldn’t put it down. 1276 pages devoured in less than three days. A triumph.
I’ve mentioned Val Penny’s hugely popular Edinburgh Noir series featuring DI Hunter Wilson on more than one occasion in this blog. This month saw the re-publication, by her new publisher, Spellbound, of book 5, Hunter’s Secret. Many readers of the crime genre enjoy a series, rather than stand-alone books, as there is more opportunity for character development. That is certainly the case with Val’s books and I enjoyed this latest outing from Hunter and his team, plus the local families who, while often being on the other side of the fence, seem to have an almost symbiotic relationship with the police. Here’s my review:
In the fifth in Val Penny’s Edinburgh Noir series, lots of people are keeping secrets, including DI Hunter Wilson. But whereas his secret is harmless and potentially critical for his future happiness, others are far more sinister. A body disappears and then reappears in a different location, bringing echoes to Hunter of an experience as a child that has haunted him ever since. The story covers alternative life choices, tragic consequences, and attitudes so prejudiced they belong in a bygone era. All the usual characters are there, with their stories continuing to unfold. Another exciting addition to the series.
Elsewhere on my book shelves, I’ve been reading:
A Nice Class of Corpse by Simon Brett: the first in a series of cosy crime featuring widow, Mrs Pargeter, and her little black book of contacts left behind by her deceased criminal husband.
Sea of Poppies by Amitav Ghosh: an historical novel set at the time of the nineteenth century Opium Wars.
As is customary at this time of the year, I’m also attempting to read the Booker shortlist before the winner is announced. I have to admit to struggling this time around. I’ve finished one that I thought was ‘meh’. I have a DNF (Did Not Finish) for two more. And I’m finding lots of excuses to read anything other than the remaining three. More on that next month.
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