I’ve tried not to be mean by making you wait this long for an update, but I’m a little bit superstitious – at least when it comes to my writing.

I have a habit of not talking about my books in too much detail until they’re finished. I don’t know what it is, but I’ve always been the same. Of course, the biggest advantage over this past year has been that both Blood Shadows and Blood Roses were written before I signed with Bookouture. I could happily ramble away about them weeks in advance because the entire story was already on the page.

Blood Torn wasn’t written. In fact, like with the other books to come, Blood Torn was a mass of notes and a partial write in the abyss I call ‘The Blackthorn Pile’. But it’s written now! 🙂

Yesterday, I officially typed the last line. And I beamed. In fact, the first thing I did was email my editor and publisher to let them know I’d finished – I was that excited.

And the excitement wasn’t just because I’d written another book (although that’s an amazing feeling in itself as all writers out there will know), it’s because Blood Torn was my first ever book written under contract. Yesterday was the first time I’d finished a book and, instead of turning into a self-depreciating bundle of nerves and sliding it into the pile to start another, or a short story, or make more notes, I knew it was actually going to see the light of day. That in itself was a journey…

I was fine clapping my hands in glee at signing my three-book deal all those months ago – after all, two books were already sewn up with some straightforward editing ahead. But book three, as I realised when the nerves hit, was a whole different ball game. I’d never written to a deadline. I’d never even written with any expectations – let alone those of waiting readers and a publisher with equally high standards. That can put pressure on a writer. I had one other minor complication too. When the time came for me to start working on Blood Torn, I’d only been back in work for few short months. I’d been poorly for most of the year before and was technically still in recovery. I knew I was going to have to manage it all very carefully – the writing, the social media, my day job, rest times and, of course, launching Blood Shadows and Blood Roses too. But I’ve done it (yay!), and have loved every moment.

It has been a lot of work, but with that has also come the readers, the friendships that I’ve formed, the contagious excitement, my dream continuing to evolve, the sense of achievement and, not least, the sheer pleasure of writing. Once again, creating Blood Torn has reminded me why I do this. Quite frankly, it’s because I love this job with a passion. And here’s a huge thanks to Team Blackthorn who, thankfully, also regularly let me know they love what I do too. I know you’re itching to know more.

So now Blood Torn is finished, now that the edits are soon to be underway, I can let you in on a few things. Not today though. But you might want to keep next week free. 🙂