Just a quick note to say that The Lost Plot ebook is currently available at 99p on UK Amazon (sorry, other countries). Check it out at https://www.amazon.co.uk/Lost-Plot-Invisible-Library-Book-ebook/dp/B06X6N22ZM

Life continues quietly otherwise – I get on with the day job, I get on with writing. Currently also working on a couple of baby quilts for coworkers who will be needing them soon, and a kimono (well, a yukata) for my aunt which needs to be done in time for Christmas.

And there’s the upcoming Halloween, of course – though it’s never as vibrant here in the UK as it seems to be in the US. (Even if the shops all have Halloween-themed sweets for sale – which will be half-price shortly when the Christmas-themed sweets go on sale…) And when it comes to character viewpoints on Halloween, bearing in mind their relevant points of origin and upbringing…

IRENE: Never take an assignment that involves going to a lonely manor house or isolated rustic village on Halloween. Trust me on this one.

KAI: Human festival. Not my problem.

VALE: There is a clear correlation between mystical societies celebrating their unholy rites and the date in question – which can be quite convenient when deducing the planned timetables of said mystical societies.

SILVER: Why yes, I have organised a huge party with everyone in costume, bobbing for apples, fake werewolf attack, timed opium release, and multiple available bedrooms. Why do you ask?

First things first: The Burning Page is currently at just 99p for the ebook on Amazon. Check it out at https://www.amazon.co.uk/Burning-Page…

The weather has turned cold. I’m now working from home in a selection of entertaining sweatshirts (my current one says 3 POINTS IN LIBRARY USE – a Trail of Cthulhu reference) and no doubt I’ll soon be turning on the radiators, and smelling that delightful first-burnt-dust-of-the-season smell.

I’ve handed in the proofs of The Dark Archive (both US and UK) and am now back to fulltime hammering on book eight. I’ve also just been reading The Baron of Magister Valley by Steven Brust, and am having to work very hard to prevent his characters’ dialogue from infecting mine. (It’s one of his Dumas-style ones – if you’ve read them, you’ll know what I mean.) Still, that’s a problem with any excellent book. It stays with you.

The sweepstake first: The Invisible Library is currently being featured in a Magical Library sweepstakes alongside Rachel Caine’s Ink and Bone and A.J. Hackwith’s The Archive of the Forgotten. The giveaway is running now through September 6^th, at
https://sweeps.penguinrandomhouse.com/enter/magical-library-sweepstakes

I’m currently in the middle of volume 7 proofs – both US and UK – so I’ve got my head down and am slogging away. (After having spent the last few weeks slogging away at copy-edits, and edits before that . . . are we noticing a theme here?)

Other than that, well . . . the weather’s gloomy, work (the day job) is busy, and I’m daydreaming about everywhere I’ll go once we can travel more freely again. Also working on some baby quilts for coworkers who have either had babies or who will be having babies in the next few months. Quilting shows have been understandably cancelled all over the place, which is making me feel a little smug about overspending and overstocking my fabric stash in the past.

Take care and stay safe, everyone.

I’m afraid there isn’t much news: I’m working on book 7 edits (The Dark Archive), and on the first draft of book 8. (There’s a long way to go.) Still healthy, still working from home, still wearing a mask when I go to the shops and washing my hands a lot.

It strikes me that I should probably say this here, since it is my blog. So – wear a mask when you’re in closed or confined spaces with strangers (shops, public transport, etc). It doesn’t hurt, and the more people who wear them, the more it cuts down transmission to other people and the better off we all are.

I’ve been spending some of my spare time relaxing by playing Occupy White Walls, a game on Steam where you get to create and curate an art gallery. Surprisingly luxurious – you can just wave a hand and say, “Yes, I’ll have that El Greco, and that Gentileschi, and that Degas, and hang them all on the wall of my private art gallery . . .”

Special offer of the month – The Masked City is currently on UK Amazon for just 99p for the ebook. If you don’t already have it, you can find it at:

Take care and stay safe.

For just the rest of today, THE INVISIBLE LIBRARY ebook on US Amazon is just $2.99. https://www.amazon.com/Invisible-Library-Novel-Book-ebook/dp/B016JPTLJK

And for the rest of the month, it’s a mere 99p on UK Amazon! https://www.amazon.co.uk/Invisible-Library-Book-ebook/dp/B00M44051E

(Pay no attention to the author in the corner, who’s working on her book 7 edits…)

I’m like most of the rest of the world at the moment: staying at home most of the time, apart from necessary trips outside. I’m able to work from home – no, not the writing (that’s in the evenings) but my day job from NHS Digital, as they gave us all laptops. I’m also working on books seven and eight, and on a knitted blanket which I started several years ago and then managed to lose under a pile of other projects, and I’m sewing masks. (They’re not compulsory here in the UK yet, but I and a number of friends and coworkers want to have them, so my fabric stash is making itself useful. If anyone’s curious, it’s this pattern – https://operationwecansewit.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/We-Can-Sew-It-Mask-Pattern-2.20.20-v4.pdf – with bias tape ties.)

For my birthday last year, my parents took me to a production of the Malory Towers musical. One of the songs (based on a line from the books) was about becoming “women who the world can lean on”. I find that coming to mind every now and again these days. Sometimes we lean on others: sometimes other people lean on us. Nobody can be strong all the time.

It would be nice if I had a great insight or helpful thought to post here, but to be honest, I’m finding it hard work going from day to day myself, and my creativity is way down. So if it helps you to know it: you aren’t alone. We’re all living from day to day. Hopefully it will be better in a while.

Stay safe and keep well.

I can now reveal Book Seven of the Library series – The Dark Archive.

This is the US cover below: publication date should be December 2020 (though insert the usual caveats about how nothing is certain, the universe may yet crumble, etcetera).

UK cover will hopefully follow soon.

Work continues on books seven (editing) and eight (writing). There is a title for book seven, which I will share when I can, and I’ve seen the UK and US draft covers for it, both of which are beautiful.

I’m now on annual leave from the day job for a couple of weeks – using up leave before the end of the year, as are coworkers, which results in a logjam of everyone wanting to take time off and careful negotiations to make sure we aren’t all away at once. I’m off to Amsterdam on Monday for a few days; I’ve been there once before (a few years ago) and really enjoyed it. It’s not formal research, but who knows what I might come across there which would be useful for later writing? (And before you all ask: yes, I did try a hash brownie there when I visited before, out of curiosity, and yes, it was interesting, but no, I don’t think I’ll do it again.)

The Secret Chapter is now available in the US as an audible book. I hope that anyone who was waiting for it enjoys it!

As for me, I’m carrying on with the regular day job, working on book 8 first draft, waiting for the edits for book 7 . . .

I’ve checked with the publishers, and the audiobook of The Secret Chapter should be available in the US in about a week. Thanks to everyone who alerted me that it wasn’t yet available.