For people who’ve been asking if the audiobooks of the Library series have vanished – the ownership of the audiobook rights has changed, and they will be returning soon with a new narrator. (This is one of the things that can happen with audiobooks.) They should be returning soon, but I’m afraid I don’t have any specific dates. I apologise for the inconvenience. Hopefully the audiobook of The Dark Archive will be available in America soon, too; I’m looking into that.

Things are quiet here otherwise. I’ve sent in the first draft of book 8 (yes, there is a title, no, I’m not sharing it yet) to my editor, and am working on other stuff in the meantime. Stay safe, stay warm, take care, wear masks, socially distance, and please take care of yourselves and those around you.

Happy new year to everyone – let’s hope it’s an improvement, with bad becoming good, and good becoming better. (I could say “couldn’t get worse”, but let’s not tempt fate.)

And while you’re here – The Mortal Word ebook is currently just 99p on UK Amazon. Take advantage at:

Happy holidays to everyone, whether you celebrate Christmas, or some other holiday, or nothing specific but you’re off work anyhow – I hope you have a good Christmas period and that we can move on together to a happy new year.

Take care and stay safe.

(And if you’re having Christmas alone because of COVID-19 precautions? So am I – my parents live down in the south of England and I live up in the north, and I’m not risking their health. You’re doing the right thing. Enjoy your Christmas and we’ll see our loved ones next year.)

Thanks to everyone who put their names in for the giveaway (which closed on Thursday at midnight UK time) – the winners have been chosen and the books are now in the post.

I’d like to hope they get there before Christmas, but, well, the postal service is very busy at the moment. So let’s just cross our fingers and hope for the best. Thanks to everyone who sent their names in.

Time is up for the giveaway. The names have been drawn from a hat – well, a random number generator – and the winners are:

Goodreads, Jaimie
Goodreads, Sarah
Blog, Karen Draper
Blog, Jess Newton
Blog, Kristinia
Blog, Wulf Kruger
Blog, Mary

Some people commented on my blog at its actual site, and some people commented on the Goodreads synced version, so I included both in the draw. (118 in total. Wow.)

I’ve sent emails or Goodreads-messages to people requesting their addresses so I can send them the copies they’ve won. Please answer sooner rather than later, as it’ll increase your chance of getting the book before Christmas… Apologies to all those who didn’t win. And thank you all for your support.

Merry Christmas and happy holidays to you all.

I’m about to propose a little Christmas giveaway. Leave your name in a comment to this post, and I’ll pull seven names at random to get a free signed copy of The Dark Archive – or, if people prefer, another book from the series (if I have a copy).

Rules:

a) All entries must be in by midnight UK time on Thursday 10th December 2020.

b) In your comment, state whether you’d like The Dark Archive (and whether you want the UK or US version) or a different book from the series – and if you’re after one that’s been published in a different language, please say which. I have some author copies…

c) After the deadline, I’ll draw the names at random, then I’ll contact people to get their physical addresses (no, I don’t have any e-copies to send out) and find out what name they’d like the book signed for.

d) Merry Christmas, and remember to share your books – even if Irene’s have to be dragged away from her kicking and screaming, I’m sure you can do better than that.

Today is the UK release for THE DARK ARCHIVE, book 7 of the Library series.

I’m feeling a bit emotional, so I’ll just say – thank you to everyone who’s read the books, bought the books, borrowed the books, enjoyed the books, been amused by the books, sacrificed the books in a bloody ritual in order to destroy creation . . .

. . . wait, maybe not that last.

Thank you, anyhow. And keep on reading – or listening, or however you prefer to enjoy your fiction. May the books be with you.

I’m very flattered/honoured – I’m in the LibraryReads hall of fame with THE DARK ARCHIVE – my third book to make the LibraryReads list! https://libraryreads.org/genevieve-Cogman

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.