Cover & Title Reveal!

Firstly, I apologise if this all seems very boasty-boasty but if I can’t write about my forthcoming book on my own blog, I’m not sure where I can…! So, here goes:

You might be interested to know that the cover – and title – of my second novel have just been revealed! Whoop, whoop. And the book (even though I’m still working on it! Copy edits went back to the publisher yesterday and it’s now with the proof reader) is available to pre-order, should you wish to treat yourself (and erm..me, of course).

Yes, that IS a nice way of saying ‘please buy my book!’

It will be making an appearance on Netgalley at some point, so if you want to hold on and see if you can get a free copy that way, good for you but otherwise, the e-book will be released on 4th November and the paperback will be out on 22nd December, just in time for Christmas.

You may remember, a few weeks ago, I confessed that I wasn’t sure about the title that had been chosen.

My working title for this second novel has always been ‘The Lumberjills’ because that’s what it’s about (it’s the nickname for the Women’s Timber Corps, the thousands of young women who worked in Britain’s forests during WW2, doing an essential job of providing timber while the foresters and lumberjacks were away fighting).

Anyway, it was thought that ‘Lumberjills’ sounded too American and that potential readers wouldn’t be familiar with the expression and might be put off. Fair enough, I suppose. And there is a ‘tradition’ in WW2 sagas for books with similar titles.

Here are just some examples:

‘The Halfpenny Girls at War’

The Goodtime Girls at War

‘The Kew Garden Girls at War’

Well, you get the idea. ‘Girls’ + ‘War’ = practically a genre in its own right!

And, as someone told me, publishers are all too aware that readers like ‘aspirational locations’ – hence the mention of ‘The Highlands’. So, there you go. It wouldn’t have been my first choice for a title but I must admit, it’s growing on me…! (And there’s plenty of scope for a series, should I be lucky enough to get another contract).

I will be telling you more about the book in due course (not least how it definitely lived up to the ‘second novel syndrome’ reputation…!)

But enough of all that. Hope you’re enjoying the sunshine and it’s not too sweltering where you are!

PS: And just so this post isn’t all about ME, ME, ME, those nice people at NAWG (National Association of Writers Groups) are running an open short story and poetry competition (£5 entry each) which closes on 31st August. There are cash prizes and if you’re interested, all the details are here.