It’s not very often I’m lost for words. Anyone who knows me by now can vouch for that, especially my publisher who (I hope) is now acclimatising to me chuntering down the phone or via email. Then today, there’s a knock on my door and these turn up…

My first thought – they’re for someone else. My second thought – I’d better at least check the card. They were addressed to me, so that was my first theory out the window. My mind worked overtime as I ripped the card out of the envelope. I didn’t recognise the writing, so that ruled out hubbie. ‘Enjoyed it from beginning to end,’ the card read. It’s about my book, I realise. I’m already overwhelmed. And then I see the name – Nit. It’s the nickname of a friend, a very special friend. If you’ve got a copy of Blood Shadows, she’s mentioned in the acknowledgements as Anita.

I ‘met’ Anita through New Voices. We struck up a friendship via twitter and shortly after started emailing each other – regularly. Nit lives all away across the water in Idaho. That’s why I think I read the card about four times. I couldn’t quite believe she had gone to all that effort just for me.

I’ve had a week like that, and receiving these flowers today just summed this week up.

It was a week ago today that Blackthorn, via Blood Shadows, was officially launched. Since then I’ve been stunned by the generosity of people’s time and effort in sharing their thoughts and, in turn, helping get my book out there. I’ve even put a new tab on my blog to showcase all the reviews, I’m so proud. Each has been carefully thought about, straight from the heart, and that’s what means so much to me. It accumulated in me receiving a stunning email today that knocked me sideways when I was thanked for giving readers the Blackthorn books.

I’m still getting my head around actually being published, then getting reviews and emails like these, such thoughtful gestures like Nit’s, often makes me wonder what I’ve done to deserve it. So this is one more shout-out to my readers, Team Blackthorn, my new-found friends, let alone my awesome publisher – what would I do without you?

xxx