I can’t tell you how much I’ve been looking forward to sharing this update with you. To all my readers who have messaged and emailed to check in (or have been quietly waiting on the side-lines) these past few months, thank you for your patience.
I’m thrilled to be able to tell you that all the structural edits for my upcoming book are now complete. Aside from writing the first draft, this is the most time-consuming (and unpredictable!) chunk of work my end which is why I’ve been immersed in my writing cave up to now. There’s still a little way to go yet with line edits, copy edits and proof reads ahead, but at least the significant delay due to Covid is now a distant memory and we’re well on our way.
The fantastic team at Piatkus Fiction will now be drafting a schedule to take us through the forthcoming months in the build-up to the book’s publication. Not only does this mean I’ll finally be able to share the release date, the team will also be finalising a title and designing the cover in the interim. This will be my first book outside of my Blackthorn and Lowtown worlds so I have no idea what to expect on either front. I’m beyond excited to see what they come up with! And I certainly can’t wait to see what you think too.
And for those of you who are clinging on for your next Lowtown adventure, rest assured I am working on Rogue between edits.
I’ll share more as soon as I can! Thanks for hanging in there with me. 🤗 ❤️
Well, I’ve never had more empathy with our Blackthorn lot and their decades of lockdown!
As I sit here staring at my screen, chin on the heel of my hand, deliberating how I can sum up this year as well as wish you all the most amazing Christmas whilst knowing that, for many, it’s going to be anything but, I’ll instead wish you as joyous and safe a Christmas as possible. I truly hope you’re able to make the best of it.
THANK YOU TO PINTEREST FOR MY 2020 MANTRA
As for this past year… let’s keep everything crossed that 2021 has a vastly kinder streak than its predecessor! As I write this, a rainbow has just appeared outside my study window. I’m hoping that’s a sign of light at the end of the tunnel.
On that note, I know many of you were hoping for an update on all things bookish as we head into the New Year. I’m relieved to say my first round of edits for my latest book arrived in November and I had a fantastic zoom call with my editor the same month. I’m thrilled to end this year at the mid-way point in my edits which means the second draft will be back with the team in early February. All being well, my publisher is hoping for a Winter 2021 release. Yay!! We’ve also already discussed the hope of Rogue following soon after in early 2022. I really hope that gives you something to look forward to amongst many other things.
Until I have more updates, I’ll leave you with some traditional UK festive cheer via one of our little garden companions (and a few of her friends too) from our last snowy spell here. I wish you and your loved ones much better times ahead.
Well, what a few months it has been for us all since I last posted! I just hope you and your loved ones are all safe and well and that your lives haven’t been irreparably upended during these tough times. If you have a chance to send me a wave and let me know you’re OK, please do – but more on that in a moment.
I’ve been waiting for the right time to update you on what’s happening with my upcoming releases. Obviously Covid-19 has impacted all sectors of industry and publishing hasn’t been exempt from that. As with so many other self-employed, it has been a worrying time for authors.
Needless to say I’m beyond relieved to be able to confirm that Piatkus will still be publishing my two upcoming books.😃 Due to the pandemic’s impact on editing and publication schedules since March though, I’m afraid neither will be with you until next year.😕
Until now timescales have been left uncertain but this week I received the great news edits on the book I submitted back in March will now be underway as of this month! Yay! That’s a massive leap in the right direction.
Whilst I’ve been waiting on those I’ve been busy with Rogue, my second Lowtown book, which has been progressing very nicely in the background. All being well, that’ll be submitted to my publisher at the end of this year too.
We’re getting there! And I truly cannot thank you enough for your patience. Please do sign up to this blog (via the sidebar) if you want to be kept informed along the way.
BUT BACK TO YOU!
I’d love you to give me a wave, leave a comment, message me, email me, DM me… whatever method suits you, to let me know you’re well.
GIVEAWAY!!!!
And to say thank you for your ongoing support, and having been very exited to see that Haven has now reached 100 ratings/reviews on Amazon (and Blood Shadows over 500!), I’ve got A SIGNED PAPERBACK OF HAVENTO GIVE AWAY. 🤗 You can win one for yourself, a family member or a friend.
To be in with a chance of winning (and in light of enough stress in everyone’s lives at the moment!), all you have to do to enter is write HAVEN PLEASE in your message, emailor comment and I’ll include your name in the draw. This giveaway is open here and on my Facebook page and YOU HAVE UNTIL MIDNIGHT ON FRIDAY (18th September) TO ENTER. I’ll contact the winner on Saturday 19th. As always, anyone is free to enter – wherever you are.
If you’d like to say hello but don’t want/need to enter, just don’t include the ‘HAVEN PLEASE’. I’d still love to hear from you!
Hold on in there and please take very good care. ❤️
Speak soon!
xxx
**WINNERS!!**
Thank you SO MUCH to everyone who emailed, messaged or commented here or on my Facebook page. Every time I saw a familiar name and heard you were well I was so relieved. It means a lot to know you’re keeping your heads above water during these tough times. I was so thrilled with the response (and just a little overexcited to see everyone back) that I decided to give away TWO paperback copies of HAVEN instead of just one.
Everyone who asked for a copy was given a number and the two random winners are: BEV WILKES and CORIENA DOUGLAS. Bev and Coriena, message or email me with your address when you’re ready and I’ll be in touch! Please all take very good care and STAY SAFE!
I hope you’re all keeping well during this difficult time? Hopefully I’m bringing some positive news with a couple of updates for you. 🤗
NEW BOOK WRITTEN
I’ve been locked away in my writing cave since I last posted and am thrilled to let you know I’ve finished the first draft of my latest book. It’s now with my editor at Piatkus. I’m so incredibly excited about this story. Having had a long-standing passion for Gothic fiction, this one has been with me almost as long as Blackthorn. If you’ve followed me for a while, you would have heard me refer to a particular book in several interviews over the years, a story that I’d been hoping – and thought – would be my first published novel. This is it!
I can’t share too many clues about it at this stage but hopefully the images below will give you a feel of the setting. As you can see, it’s a very different backdrop to my usual urban dystopia!
I’ll have a lot more news to share in the months ahead. Having chatted to my editor, I have the feeling the cover is going to be an absolute beauty. 😍
ROGUE
I received a lot of concerned messages last month with regards ROGUE’s release. If you’ve already pre-ordered ROGUE (the second Lowtown book) on Amazon, you may have been notified that the publication date has been pushed back to 25th Dec 2034. Don’t worry, I promise I’m not going to make you wait fourteen years for it! 😱 This is just a floating date until the new official publication date is set. BLOOD BROKEN’s delay caused a domino effect for my next two books, but everything is back on track. I’m working on ROGUE as we speak and the aim remains to have that with you as soon as possible. There will be a more news about that in the months ahead too. And, of course, thank you SO much if you have pre-ordered. ❤️
That’s all for now! Take good care, and I look forward to updating you as soon as I have more news to share.
It’s nearly Christmas! 🎉🎄🎅🏻 If you celebrate this time of year, I hope you’re ready/equipped/prepared/braced/managing to hold on with every last iota of sanity (delete as applicable). I’m wishing you a truly magical time, in whatever form that might take.
I can’t believe 2020 is almost upon us. Yesterday marked winter solstice here in the Northern Hemisphere. It’s a time believed to hold a powerful energy for regeneration, renewal and self-reflection. With that in mind, I hope any dreams and goals you have for yourself and your loved ones are achieved over the forthcoming months. Above all else I wish you health, peace and happiness. And if part of that happiness includes two more books from me, then I’m definitely planning on making your wishes come true. 😉 I’ve had so many of my readers ask if I’m going to keep writing now that Blackthorn has finished. The answer is most definitely yes! And talking of Blackthorn…
My readers have sent me some amazing photographs, art work, gifts, stories and fun snippets over the years, but never have I received this before. The Blackthorn legacy lives on! I’m thrilled to bits to introduce you to PHIA!!!
She’s not mine (sadly!), but one of my lovely Canadian readers has named her new family addition after one of our beloved characters. How amazing is that? And she certainly looks aptly named to me. The composure, the direct gaze, that twinkle of mischievousness that you know is simmering beneath the surface… even her collar is the same colour as the cover for Blood Torn! (Not sure if that was intentional, Liz!) I don’t know who out of our heroes and heroines would be elbowing their way forward for a cuddle first… if they can get past me leading the way, that is. 💪🏻😆 Ah, what a wonderful way to end our Blackthorn year: with our very own Blackthorn pup. Thank you so, so much for sharing your picture on my page, Liz. You truly made my day. Hopefully it has left all my readers with a warm glow too. 💓
Have a fabulous, safe and joyful Christmas and New Year, everyone! I’ll be back in a few weeks to give you a full update on what’s been happening as well as what’s to come too.
Take care, big hugs, and Merry Christmas!!
Linds xxx
In loving memory of our Tilly, my beautiful writing companion.
How do you round up six-and-a-half years in a single blog post without turning it into a novel in its own right? My final Blackthorn post was going to be a summary of all the pivotal moments during the Blackthorn journey. You might remember some of them. I certainly won’t forget Hollywood optioning Blood Shadows for film, or being contacted by Tantor Media with a request to make audiobooks of the first three books, or sitting next to Stephen King in the Top 50 on Amazon.com, let alone all of those Gothic and PNR number ones… there were somany exciting moments; surreal but fantastic moments. And they matter. All of them matter. But something else matters too, so I chose to dedicate this post to that instead.
My Dad passed away twelve years ago this month. Even now I remember it as if it were yesterday, wondering how we’d ever get through what lay ahead. Amidst the numbness were the overwhelming feelings of hopelessness, of fear, and of despair. On top of that was the intense sense of injustice that cancer – a rare, incurable, aggressive form of cancer – had indiscriminately stolen a massive part of all our lives. My Dad had fought for seven years, exceeding all expectations after being given merely months to live at the young age of forty-eight. But now the chapter had ended. And there was no happy ending. There was no miracle waiting to happen anymore.
In fact, I stopped believing in miracles for a long time after that. This is from someone who used to trust in them unreservedly; who’d spent her childhood believing she actually would be able to fly one day, and that maybe she’d find Narnia at the back of a wardrobe. I think that inner child will always be a part of me. It’s ultimately why I write fantasy: where anything is possible and you aren’t constrained by the rules of reality. That’s why watching your hero die in front of your eyes is hard. It changes the way you see the world.
Was does all of this have to do with Blackthorn? Well, it has everything to do with Blackthorn.
It was during the aftermath that I pulled Blackthorn out of my bottom drawer from under a pile of other short stories and half-finished novels I’d been working on over the years. After all, it was one of the last things my Dad had said to me: to make the most of life, to do what I love doing, and to not be afraid of what other people think. I spread my unfinished series out over my desk and decided to take a long, hard look at it. More importantly, to stop seeing Blackthorn as a labour of love as I always had but, instead, as a series with the potential for an audience i.e. a series that, one day, might be published.
At the same time I realised that I’d always held a deep-rooted fear about the prospect of finally being published. Being published exposes you to rejection, to criticism, to put-downs, even mockery. When you don’t have much confidence to start with, those things are hard to subject yourself to. Grief can make you even more vulnerable. With that in mind, maybe it wasn’t the right time to finally be facing those fears head-on. But grief can also switch the way you see things. Sometimes it can generate a fearlessness born out of wanting to grab every moment while you can.
If you know anything about my backstory, you’ll know that in 2010 I entered Blood Roses into an online romance writing competition. I’d hesitated until the very last five minutes before the competition closed. This was not a competition where you could discreetly enter and walk away – this involved entries going up live on an online forum to be read and commented upon by a romance audience, more so to be judged and voted for by them AND editors. There was one almighty prize for runners-up though: editorial feedback. I’d never had anyone read Blackthorn, let alone give feedback. And so I took the leap.
Blood Roses made it into the final. While I was waiting for my editorial feedback, I entered the competition again in 2011 – this time with the opening chapters of Blood Shadows. I reached the final again, the only author to have made the final in two consecutive years. I finally allowed myself to hope that maybe my writing had some merit, some potential, and that maybe the publisher responsible would select one of the books and consider it worthy of publication.
It didn’t happen.
I’d resolved that maybe there was only one place for Blackthorn: back in my bottom drawer. Subsequently 2012 nearly marked the end of sixteen years of Blackthorn. But at least, if nothing else, I’d faced my fears and tried. More so, I’d finally pushed myself into having a much-needed presence online. My husband helped me set up a blog – this blog. Chatting to readers and authors became commonplace for the first time. I forged connections, I received encouragement and support for Blackthorn, and I made friends. I had no idea how long it would take to finally see Blackthorn published but now I’d officially started on the journey, I wasn’t ready to quit.
I’d only just started the submissions process when another publisher approached me out of the blue. Bookouture was looking for a launch author. The CEO had read my entries in the competition. Of course he had. In a twist of fate, the competition I’d entered had been his brainchild. Blood Shadows and Blood Roses were requested with the possibility of Bookouture being interested in signing three. Conversations evolved: there might even be the potential for me to write a long-standing series, one possibly with an overarching plot – if I saw potential in that too? They had no idea at the time about the sixteen years I’d spent compiling exactly that. At the end of 2012, the first book in the Blackthorn series was published. Needless to say, the rest is history.
Sometimes positive things do happen – and when you least expect it.
It hasn’t been easy though. I want to say that to reassure all the authors out there going through a tough time. Blackthorn has been anything but smooth sailing. Whilst working on book 3, I was even asked by my publisher if I was sure I wanted to keep going with as many books as we had planned: if I still wanted to write to the end of the series, or stop and turn to something else instead – something with more commercial viability, something that would reflect current trends. Authors need to make a living. To do that, they need readers. Lots of readers. The genre was already being hard hit. Publishers were closing down on submissions of PNR. In some cases they were ending lines altogether. The surge for the genre was over. You know what my answer was though. After all, two months ago today the final book was published.
What can I say? The optimist in me fought through. Sometimes, however hopeless it may seem, if you believe in something you have to hold on. More so, ultimately, it’s Blackthorn’s mantra. It’s why it’s called Blackthorn. On top of that, the characters and their journey were important to me, no doubt partly because I related so strongly to the theme that had become the common thread between the eight main characters: each one of them had suffered life-changing loss and had reached the pit of despair. Each had had to find their own way of managing what they’d been through and find a way to survive. How could I not see those stories through to the end, especially knowing it was their fight for survival, for a better future, that would eventually bring them all together? And that it was that bringing together that would create the change so desperately needed in their world to improve the lives of countless others.
So, at book 3, the series was rebranded and a marketing drive was put into Blackthorn – and it finally flew. Most of you, I know, went on to discover Blackthorn through that. Readers who also became determined to see this story through to the end, just like I had. That’s why this post is dedicated to you.
Fiction is about escapism. Whether you want your books rooted in reality or in fantasy, whether you want escape for fun or maybe for relief from tough times, books are about immersing ourselves somewhere else. If we’re lucky, we’ll find stories, people and places that resonate with us on some level, that offer us something we need at that time, whatever that need might be and for whatever reasons we may have for it. Some stories we’ll forget a week later, some will stay with us for a lifetime. Your love for my Blackthorn characters and their world will stay with me for a lifetime. When I pulled Blackthorn out from my bottom drawer that day so many years ago, I never dreamt of the impact it would go on to have on so many of you.
So this final post is for all the fantastic people I’ve met through Blackthorn – in person and online. Thank you for all the laughter, fun and support over the past few years. I’m in awe of all of the connections and friendships that have developed amongst my readers through this series. And knowing that Blackthorn brought distraction, comfort and escape for so many of you just as it had me means more to me than you’ll ever know. When I tell you I understand, I truly do.
I know a lot of you are going to miss these characters and this place. I know it has felt like home for many of us. Bringing Blackthorn to a conclusion was tough, and letting it go even more so. I know many of you have felt as though you’ve said farewell to friends, family even. I felt exactly the same when I wrote the last line. It’s hard to believe this journey started with nothing but a blank piece of paper and an electric typewriter, where I sat alone in my small flat over twenty years ago with no idea where it would lead. I’ve had my fair share of dreams come true with this series, but having had people fall in love with these books as many of you have has exceeded everything I could have possibly imagined. What more can an author ask for?
That being said, this series was my debut. I’ve barely even started. Hopefully you’ll stay with me to see what I have in store next. If not, thank you so, so much for reading Blackthorn. Thank you for being a part of this journey through the sunshine and the rain, and for sharing your love for these books so openly with me and with other readers too. Reading your comments and final reviews of Blood Broken has ended this series on such a high for me, I can’t thank you enough for that. Team Blackthorn, you’ve been absolutely amazing.
Huge hugs from Caitlin, Kane, Leila, Caleb, Phia, Jask, Jessie and Eden… oh, and me too!
Here we go, Team Blackthorn… the LAST EVER Blackthorn giveaway!
A week ago yesterday, Blood Broken was published. I can’t thank you enough for your incredible response to it so far. I’ve been deeply moved by your feedback not just to the finale, but the whole series. I know many of you have found it extremely tough saying goodbye – me too! But I’m saving that until my final Blackthorn post. Before then, I promised you a very special giveaway…
THE FINAL GIVEAWAY
I have a one-off prize bundle that will go to ONE lucky winner. Included in this one-off prize is:
A SIGNED ‘BLACKTHORN SERIES’ FABRIC BANNER
A SIGNED PAPERBACK of BLOOD BROKEN
A LIMITED-EDITION VIAL CONTAINING A GENUINE PIECE OF BLACKTHORN from my garden, accompanied by a SIGNED CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENCITY
A SIGNED MAGAZINE INTERVIEW FROM MY FIRST-EVER BOOK SIGNING at RARE London last year
A BLACKTHORN MUG featuring our four Blackthorn heroes
A BLACKTHORN BOOKMARK featuring all eight book covers
A SIGNED BLACKTHORN POSTCARD featuring all eight book covers
A SIGNED BLOOD BROKEN POSTCARD
A SIGNED BLACKTHORN LOGO POSTCARD
A BLACKTHORN LOGO STICKER
AND as well as all of these, I’m going to include three treats from my Blackthorn spin-off series as part of the bundle too:
A SIGNED PAPERBACK of HAVEN, the first standalone book in my Lowtown series
A SIGNED HAVEN POSTCARD
A HAVEN BOOKMARK
That makes 14 prizes in one!
There will also be THREE RUNNER-UP PRIZES of signed Blood Broken postcards together with Blackthorn bookmarks.
I hope that’s tempted you enough to play! It’s now or never!
TO ENTER:
All you have to do to enter is answer this question:
WHAT’S YOUR MOST MEMORABLE SCENE FROM THE BLACKTHORN SERIES?
I usually say only one entry per person but, as it’s our last giveaway, I’ll let you enter up to THREE times (each will count as a separate entry). 😃 Hopefully that’ll help if you’re struggling to pick just one – oh, and you can triple your odds of winning! 😉
THE RULES:
> The competition is open NOW and you have until MIDNIGHT (GMT) on SUNDAY 2nd JUNE to enter.
> All entries will be allocated a number and the first prize winner and three runners-up will be selected using an online number generator. The winners will be announced in this post on Monday 3rd June.
> For your entry/entries to be valid you must either:
> Winners will need to claim their prize within seven days of the announcement, so please check to see if you have won.
> There are no restrictions on where I will post, so everyone can enter.
> As with all giveaways, I won’t respond to any of the entries.
Have fun making your decisions – and best of luck! 🍀
Linds xxx
***
LAST EVER BLACKTHORN GIVEAWAY WINNERS ANNOUNCEMENT!
After allocating every valid entry a number and using a random number generator, I am thrilled to announce the winners of my last ever Blackthorn giveaway are:
FIRST PRIZE: Blackthorn Bundle of 14 prizes
CHRISTINE GRIGGS (Facebook entrant)
RUNNER-UP PRIZES: SIGNED BLOOD BROKEN POSTCARD AND BOOKMARK
MONICALEE LEE (Facebook entrant)
AUBREY SARFATI (Facebook entrant)
MARIE SHEEHAN (email entrant)
Huge congratulations!! Please message/email me with your address and I will send your prizes to you asap.
Thank you SO much to everyone who joined in with this final giveaway. Reading your favourite moments has been fantastic. I’ll share a few in my last ever Blackthorn blog post. 😃
And thank you to every single person who has supported my Blackthorn giveaways over the past few years. I’ve only run them because you’re amazingly interactive. Thank you for embracing them all with such a huge sense of fun and enthusiasm. I truly am incredibly lucky to have readers who are so willing to join in, you’ve made each one of them so worthwhile. ❤️
(Psst… and this may have been my last Blackthorn giveaway but there will be more to come with my new books. 😉 #JustSaying)
I also want to say a MASSIVE thank you to each of you who has been in touch to let me know what you thought of Blood Broken. The feedback has been phenomenal – far beyond what I could have hoped for. I cannot even begin to tell you how much it means to me. I haven’t caught up with everyone yet, but I will. And to everyone who has left a review already, I deeply appreciate your time and effort. 🤗
Enjoy the rest of your week, Team Blackthorn – and I’ll be back in due course with that final Blackthorn post!
The day is finally here, Team Blackthorn!! 🎉🎊😃 The last ever Blackthorn book – I can’t quite believe it.
Not just that, but it’s a double celebration today. As most of you will know, Blood Shadows was the first published book for Bookouture. Today, Blood Broken is their 500th! It couldn’t have been timed better. Thank you so much to Oliver Rhodes, CEO, for your lovely quote.
I’ve been so anxious about how this finale would be received. I know so many of you have been on tenterhooks waiting to see how it would all pan out. Reviews are starting to come in though and I’m absolutely over the moon by the response to Blood Broken so far. No spoilers, I promise, but I just had to share some of the incredible blog reviews that came in today. HUMONGOUS thanks to the following five bloggers for their stunning reviews:
Tracey Rogers
“Blood Broken broke me! This entire series broke me.
The Blood Broken plot is ridiculously clever. My heart raced the entire way through! It’s spine tingling. Known as the queen of twists, Lindsay J. Pryor, did not disappoint. Never, not once, throughout the entire series, have I ever become anywhere close to guessing the outcome…it’s clear that the author cared about Blood Broken, cared about the characters (even when putting them through hell) and cared about her readers. What you don’t appreciate, until you read Blood Broken, is everything that happens from book one, through to book eight, really does have a significance. From secondary characters, to settings. Everything is meaningful. Everything. And that’s what makes Blood Broken so incredibly powerful… I was more than broken. I felt shattered. It was the ending I never expected and never knew I wanted. It was perfect.”
Enthralling, Thrilling, Spell Binding, Captivating are just some of the words to describe the last book in the Blackthorn series, so much answered but with so many twists that this felt like a huge roller coaster… I am just stumped for words at how this has me all twisted up where i am gob smacked with the intricate detail that this author wrote into this last book, what a clever lady as she is not scared to take you to the edge, the very edge, just to bring you back down again with a thump, what a truly gripping journey this was… This series has been in my life now for so long that i am having trouble letting go, but saying that i have these books in paper so all i have to do is look to my left and there they are in pride of place on my book shelf. Lindsay what can i say but you have took my heart and kept in place along with these characters where it is firmly staying…”
“It had everything we had come to expect from Blackthorn – adventure, action, romance, uber-hotness, dark twists and turns that kept me scrolling page after page. By the end of this book, I was awe-struck, jubilantly punching the air, and sobbing (it’s the END, for goodness sake!!!) In fact, I sobbed that it was over for a good fifteen minutes, only then to realise there were epilogues (yes, people, EPILOGUES. PLURAL) and then I had to somehow gather myself together to read them, before sobbing again with joy and sadness and every other emotion you’re meant to feel when a series you adore has finally come to a close after seven years. For me, it really could not have been more perfect and I couldn’t have wished for a better ending.
With breath-taking, high-octane action, unpredictable story-telling and the plot twist to end ALL plot twists, Blood Broken is undoubtedly the crown jewel in Lindsay J Pryor’s urban fantasy masterpiece. This is a five out of five stellar fantasy book that deserves to be talked about for many years to come…”
“Blood Broken is the phenomenal conclusion to Lindsay J. Pryor’s epic Blackthorn series. I love Lindsay J. Pryor’s writing style, she has this unparalleled gift of world building, and the meticulous detail she goes into with that and her characters makes me feel like I am part of the story. In reading Blood Broken, I have come to really appreciate every little nuance, every tiny piece of information that Lindsay J. Pryor has given in the earlier books. Nothing in this series has happened without a reason, that is how masterful this amazing author is…I could not have asked for anything better. It is clear Lindsay J. Pryor has poured her heart and soul into Blood Broken. There are so many twists and turns, questions which are answered, action, romance and so many emotions!! I was on the edge of my seat from the very first page… Blood Broken is Lindsay J. Pryor at her absolute best.”
Donna’s Book Blog
“I thought that this book was excellent!! It is action packed, quick paced and I was hooked right from the first few pages! I thought it was a brilliant story and I loved every page. What more can I say except for well done!! 5 stars from me, I loved it, so well written and completely addictive!!”
As well as everyone leaving reviews, I want to say a MASSIVE thank you too to everyone who has been supporting me across social media today whether leaving me wonderful messages or helping to spread the word about my books. 💓 I haven’t caught up with all my responses yet, but I will!
And, of course, thank you to every one of my readers who has downloaded or ordered their paperback of Blood Broken today. As I write this, Blood Broken is selling far beyond my expectations, both in eBook and paperback – and that’s down to you. Even now it’s still climbing the charts!
When I launched my giveaway last week and asked you to post where you were going to be, I was amazed by how far around the world Blood Broken would be read. And here are just some of those places:
Outside of the UK:
Slovenia; Trinidad; Dhahran, Saudi Arabia; Brooklyn, New York; Ringgold, Georgia; Colorado, US; Lancaster, South Carolina; Chicago, Illisnois; Japan; Romania; Weeki Wachee, Florida; Muskogee, Oklahoma; Pooler, Georgia; New London, Connecticut; Upstate New York; Chesterfield, Virginia; San Diego; Arthur, Ontario, Canada; Washington; Clearwater, Florida; Virginia; Mississippi, Gulf Coast; Norfolk Virginia; Minneapolis; Okinawa, Japan; Central Queensland, Australia; Croatia; Sequin, Texas; Amarillo, Texas; Kansas City, Missouri; Sydney, Australia; Winchester, Virginia; Netherlands; Buffalo, New York; Canada; North Carolina; Maryland; Israel; Broussard, LA; Seattle; Cyprus; Kentucky; Mindenmines, Missouri; Warren, Michigan; Sipoo, Finland; Illinois; New York; Hong Kong; Toledo, Ohio; Croatia; Germany; Pretoria, South Africa; Melbourne, Australia; Cheyenne, Oklahoma.
If you’d like your “base” added to the list, do let me know!
Blackthorn wasn’t written with any particular era or country in mind (but obviously I write in British English with a few Welsh-isms thrown in too 😉), and certainly the various themes that are explored in the series are universal and ones that I hoped would resonate with my readers whatever your country or background. I never anticipated how far the appeal of this series would stretch though. I am constantly astounded by the emails and messages I get from you disclosing why Blackthorn has struck a chord with you. I can’t even begin to tell you how much it means to me that these stories have had the impact they have. I truly could never have imagined all the incredible connections I have made with so many people I will never meet in person. ❤️
So before I leave you, I wanted to share a quote from one of my reviewers that I think sums up one of the key themes I have tackled in Blackthorn and one that I know has affected so many of you:
“The Blackthorn series is one of the best stories out. Don’t let the category limit what the story is. This is the story of people and what they’ll do when pushed to a wall. It’s inherently human, and what we’ll do when inhuman things are done to us.” – Kat Kenyon, Author and Goodreads Reviewer
Thank you to each and every one of you for being a part of this journey. Today truly does mark the end of an era for me in so many ways. I hope this last adventure does you proud. And if you’re in Blackthorn already, I hope you’re looking after yourself in there! Do come back though! I have a ‘Farewell Blackthorn’ post still to come as well as that giveaway die-hard Blackthorn fans are not going to want to miss. It’s not quite over yet, Team Blackthorn!
Oooooohhhh!!! Look who has landed on my doorstep! 😍 I might have crumpled one with my hugging. 🤗 Well, it is the last ever one. 😭
Would you like one?
I have one signed paperback AND five glossy Blood Broken postcards as runner-up prizes to give away.
So if you’re ready to sink your teeth into final 500 pages of our Blackthorn journey, just tell me:
WHERE IN THE WORLD WILL YOU BE WHEN YOU READ BLACKTHORN’S FINALE?
I’ll close the competition at midday (GMT) on Saturday 18th May and announce the winners by midnight on the same day.
As always, you can enter via the comments below, email me or leave your answer on the relevant post on my Facebook page.
Good luck, everyone!! 🍀
***
GIVEAWAY WINNERS ANNOUNCEMENT!
After allocating every valid entrant a number and using a random number generator, I am thrilled to announce the winners of my giveaway are:
FIRST PRIZE: SIGNED PAPERBACK OF BLOOD BROKEN
Katie Alexander from Kansas City, Missouri (Facebook entrant)
RUNNER-UP PRIZES: SIGNED BLOOD BROKEN POSTCARD
Tjasa from Slovenia (email entrant)
Mary Fricano from Buffalo, New York (Facebook entrant)
Kirsty Gibson-Rolfe from Reading, UK (Facebook entrant)
Emma Causer from Wolverhampton, UK (Facebook entrant)
Marie from London, UK (blog/website entrant)
Huge congratulations!! 🎉 Please message/email me with your address and I will send your prize to you. 🎁
Thank you to everyone who joined in, I really appreciate your support. ❤️ If you’re disappointed not to have won, let me reassure you it’s not over yet! Not only will Blood Broken be yours in two days time, I have a HUGE giveaway coming next week that die-hard Blackthorn fans are not going to want to miss. Do keep a look out for it!!
A week today, the final Blackthorn book will be yours. Yay! 🎉
As there are eight books in the series, here’s a brief trip down memory lane with 8 things you may not know about Blackthorn:
1. I first came up with the idea for Blackthorn back in 1996 after getting lost one night after moving to a new city 300 miles away from home. This September will mark its twenty-third anniversary.
2. All the Blackthorn couples started out in short stories when I was constructing the overarching plot of the series. They all had to work hard to make their place in the final cut.
3. Originally there were only going to be six Blackthorn books. Jask and Phia were never going to be lead characters, despite being integral to the overarching plot. The editor who worked on the first two books thought Jask deserved a book of his own though, hence Blood Torn being slotted in before Blood Deep. And why was Jask never going to be a leading man? Because I’m terrified of werewolves/lycans and never thought I’d be able to write one convincingly as a romantic hero! Jask has since become one of the favourites of the series. 😍
4. I was discovered by my publisher through a writing competition. Blood Roses made it into the final in 2010 and Blood Shadows in 2011 after being voted for by readers and editors. I was offered a contract for the first three books in 2012.
5. I was approached by Bookouture (Blackthorn’s publisher) on Friday 13th. Spooky…
6. Blackthorn’s covers were changed in 2014 ready for the launch of Blood Torn. They originally had a much more traditionally Gothic feel but Bookouture decided to give them a more contemporary urban edge. The original covers were red, black and white to reflect the design of my website at the time. I chose red, black and white because, in folklore, these are the three colours associated with the Blackthorn plant.
7. Blood Shadows was optioned for a film by Hollywood studios Relativity Media but lost out to a split vote.
8. By the time you finish Blood Broken, if you have read all eight Blackthorn books you would have read almost a MILLION WORDS! I hope it’s flown by for you as much as it has for me. 😁📕📗📘📙📚📖
