Thank you so much to all my lovely readers for your patience these past few months whilst I’ve been working on our Blackthorn finale as well as preparing for Haven’s release. Although I’ve been posting snippets as regularly as possible on Facebook, I’ve had an uncharacteristic lull here. But I’m pleased to finally be able to tell you the lull is almost over!
As of this time next week, there will only be one month to go until Haven’s publication day. I cannot tell you how excited I am at the prospect of my brand new series launching with Piatkus and, with it, a brand new chapter in my publishing career too. I’ve had an incredible time getting to know the team so far, including being allocated an absolute gem of a publicist (Sophia) who I’m over the moon to be working with. Best of all, she has a real passion for fantasy. She’s busily reading through Haven at the moment as she prepares her pitches and I think she’s sussing my writing very quickly, especially as her current working tagline for Haven is “True Blood meets Narcos”. I love it! And she said, “It’s so easy to pitch a book I‘m in love with and think is brilliant… I’ve read a LOT of fantasy in my time and yours really stands out.” I’m thrilled to say the least.
And with less than a month to go, those who have been through a pending book release with me before will know what’s coming… the giveaways will soon begin! Don’t stray too far if you don’t want to miss anything!
MORE PRE-ORDER LINKS
There were also some pre-order updates this week, so I’m delighted to share that Haven is now available for pre-order in paperback in the US and Canada with the following retailers:
But, of course, thank you so much if you’ve already pre-ordered. I really appreciate your support. <3
BLOOD BROKEN NEWS
As for Blood Broken, our Blackthorn series finale, I will finally be able to share updates on that after the fun and excitement of Haven has started to settle down. So not only will you have Haven soon, you have the release date, cover reveal and giveaways for Blood Broken to come too! I did warn you it was going to get busy towards the end of the year. 😉
I know a few of my eagle-eyed readers have spotted this already, but I’m delighted to be able to officially announce that HAVEN is now available for pre-order!
The first book in my brand new spin-off series with Piatkus Books, HAVEN is due for release on 2nd November this year – but you can order your paperbacks and eBooks now!
Every few days, the handsome stranger comes into the café in Lowtown for an hour at a time. Mostly he keeps himself to himself – one drink and he leaves. Sometimes people meet with him but about what remains elusive, the edge of mystery and danger adding to his allure.
Not that Ember is allowed to think about him. She’s finally on the cusp of gaining her citizenship and escaping Lowtown for good, so she can’t be seen to be involved with a vampire – evidence of one single bite would be the end of her prospects. But when those prospects are rocked by her links to the district’s dark underbelly, the stranger she must avoid could be her absolution – and she could be his . . .
A spin-off from the bestselling Blackthorn series by Lindsay J. Pryor, set in Lowtown, the neighbouring district to Blackthorn. The product of a brutal class system, the dark, enticing world of Lowtown will grip you and never let you go.
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What reviewers are saying:
I absolutely adore the world she’s put into place here. Everything is so well formed with its own history and culture that it really feels like I’m living in Blackthorn… (Marked by Books)
This is a paranormal universe like none you have encountered before. (Keeper Bookshelf)
I don’t think I have read such a finely executed dark PNR world before… The world-building is spectacular. (Gaga Over Books)
Lindsay Pryor has crafted a world that’s intricate, gritty and genuinely fascinating… (Big Little Sister Blog)
This concept is creative and different from other paranormal books I’ve read lately. (My Paranormal Book Review)
I cannot say how much I love this author. She is creating a world which sucks you in, which makes you want to know more about Blackthorn and its inhabitants. (I Heart Books)
Not only are Pryor’s characters and fathomlessly dark love stories fabulous, but her continual world building of Blackthorn blows me away.(Gravetells)
Lindsay is a wonderful writer. She’s crafted one heck of a world… (Vice President of Creative Affairs for Relativity Media Film Studios, California)
Thank you so much for the amazing response to my cover reveal last time – both here and on social media. I’m beyond thrilled you love it as much as I do. It has had a slight tweak since then but, don’t worry, it won’t be the last you see of Ember. 😉
Oh, and if you missed the lowdown on Lowtown last time, you can read all about it here.
For now, it’s back to Blackthorn for me. Hopefully you’ll have your clicky fingers ready for when our finale goes up for pre-order too!
Thanks for your support, Team Blackthorn – and now Team Lowtown too! <3
I’m absolutely thrilled to bits to be able to share both the title and the cover for the first book in my brand new LOWTOWN series with Piatkus Books, due out later this year.
Meet Nate and Ember… and welcome to HAVEN:
I do hope you like it! I think Piatkus have done an exceptional job. They’ve captured the essence of the story and characters beautifully in this cover.
I’ll have more information to share about it in the forthcoming weeks, including the blurb to give you a sense of what the story is about. I’ll also have details about pre-orders.
Until then…
Ever since I announced earlier in the year that I was writing a spin-off series, I’ve received a lot of questions about it. So, I thought it would be useful if I posted a list of FAQs based on the questions I’ve been asked the most. As always, feel free to get in touch if there’s something you’re desperate to know that I haven’t covered.
THE LOWDOWN ON LOWTOWN
IS LOWTOWN A SPIN-OFF TO THE BLACKTHORN SERIES?
It is!
Lowtown is the neighbouring district to Blackthorn so will already be familiar to Blackthorn readers. However, up until now, the goings-on there have been peripheral to the main focus of the Blackthorn story. Each Lowtown book will focus on the plight of those living there and the challenges they face. Basically, Lowtown will provide an even fuller view of the world Blackthorn readers have come to know.
Yes. There’s no co-dependency between Lowtown and Blackthorn. A reader will be getting a richer experience of the worldbuilding though by reading both.
WILL THE LOWTOWN SERIES HAVE AN OVERARCHING PLOT AS THE BLACKTHORN SERIES DOES?
No. All the books will be standalones. There’s no continuing storyline and no cliffhangers. Readers will be able to dip in and out of Lowtown books in any order. The only aspect that binds the books together is that they centre in the same district.
IS IT A SERIES FOR ADULTS?
Most definitely. As with Blackthorn, it contains themes and scenes suitable for a mature audience only.
WHEN IS THE LOWTOWN SERIES SET IN RELATION TO BLACKTHORN? SAME AS NOW? OR IS IT A PREQUEL, SUCH AS WHEN THE SEGREGATION WAS FIRST ESTABLISHED? OR MAYBE A SEQUEL?
All Lowtown books will be set either prior to or during the events that occur in the Blackthorn series. I can’t stress enough that Lowtown won’t be expanding on the Blackthorn story or its characters – it’s an independent series in its own right.
Despite knowing how many of my readers would love a sequel (who doesn’t want to see Tuly all grown up and fighting challenges of her own?), now is not the right time for me to dive straight into one. I would never rule it out but if I ever did one, it would be much further down the line. For now, the Blackthorn story needs to end where it ends.
HOW MANY LOWTOWN BOOKS WILL THERE BE?
I have signed two initially. Because they’re standalones, Lowtown books have huge flexibility in terms of the number (and premise) of its stories. I certainly have ideas for several more and am also open to hearing about aspects of the world that my readers are desperate to know more about (the angel mythology of Blackthorn seems particularly popular in queries). To be completely honest though, further books will come down to how my readers respond.
WILL THERE BE THIRD AND FOURTH SPECIES IN THE SERIES OR WILL IT HAVE HUMAN CHARACTERS PRIMARILY?
Although Lowtown is a district predominantly occupied by humans (as opposed to Blackthorn being a third species locale), third species do co-exist with humans there so they’re guaranteed to play a significant role. I definitely want to retain the paranormal element in Lowtown.
As for the fourth species, they’re more relevant to the Blackthorn story, but I won’t rule out that there’s always scope for them to appear! You know what they’re like. 😉
IF IT’S A SPIN-OFF FROM BLACKTHORN, WHY IS IT BEING CALLED URBAN FANTASY AND NOT PARANORMAL ROMANCE? IS THERE NO ROMANCE IN LOWTOWN BOOKS?
For many readers, there’s a fine line between the two genres anyway. Due to the various cross-genre elements to the books, Blackthorn has been referred to as urban fantasy, dystopian fantasy, Gothic romance, paranormal romance, paranormal suspense as well as a paranormal thriller. Ultimately though, the developing romantic relationships always take centre stage in the Blackthorn series which is why it sits firmly within PNR.
Lowtown books will all have romance in them but the parallel plot carries equal (or greater) weight in the books – hence why it’s being referred to as urban fantasy. Expect all the familiar Blackthorn trademarks though such as the dark and atmospheric backdrop, gritty issues, twists and turns, and intricate plots.
WILL SECONDARY CHARACTERS (such as Alexander) BE FEATURED AS MAIN CHARACTERS IN LOWTOWN?
The aim of Lowtown is to be a spin-off from the worldbuilding and not a spin-off from already familiar characters, but you will come across familiar names if you’ve read Blackthorn. A lot of people seem to want an Alexander story though! I love that kind of feedback so I won’t say never.
WILL WE SEE SOME GLIMPSES OF THE BLACKTHORN GUYS?
I know this is what a lot of my readers are hoping for. All I’ll say is the locale is a small world so, when you have key players like the main characters in Blackthorn, it’s hard not to give them a mention – and there’s always the potential for paths to cross.
AND WHAT ABOUT BLACKTHORN? WHAT’S HAPPENING THERE?
Rest assured, everything is equally underway with our Blackthorn finale in the background too. I promise it’s not being neglected. I hope to have some updates for you over the summer.
I’ve been asked many times, over the last couple of years in particular, when I’m going to participate in a book-signing event. Well, it’s finally going to happen!
To mark the end of BLACKTHORN and the beginning of my brand new LOWTOWN series, I’m delighted to announce that I’ll be attending RARE18 at The Olympia in London on 24th February 2018. This will be my first public appearance and the first opportunity I’ve had to meet some of my readers – and I cannot wait.
If you’ve never heard of RARE (Romance Author & Reader Events), it’s an incredible event reaching increasing popularity since it began in 2014. It’s been hosted in Edinburgh and Montreal, is based in Berlin this year, and will be hosted in London and Rome in 2018. It’s your chance to meet a whole host of amazing romance authors across the full spectrum of the genre from contemporary to fantasy to suspense.
Tickets are going on sale on Saturday 4th March at 3 p.m. UK time. Don’t delay once the tickets become available as there are over 1,000 confirmed attendees already. If you’d like to find out more before then, you can join RARE 18 London‘s Facebook group where they are announcing authors who are attending. For those not on social media, I’ll update the end of this post once I have further news.
So, if you’d like the chance say hello and have your books, audiobooks, notebooks, giveaway prizes you may have won in the past, or anything else signed by me, I’d love to see you there.
My new publisher, Piatkus, is very kindly planning on providing some LOWTOWN stash and hopefully I’ll have one or two BLACKTHORN treats too. 🙂
On top of all of that, I’ve discovered that it won’t just be authors and readers attending. I jokingly put a teaser out on my Facebook page earlier in the week that I was going to be participating in a signing event and that Kane, Caleb, Jask and Eden would be joining me – but in 2D only. Now I’ve heard that some cover models really are going to attend! So, who knows, maybe* one of our Blackthorn boys will appear after all.
Form an orderly queue…
xxx
*Don’t hold me to it being one of our boys. I genuinely have no idea which models are coming!
I’m beyond elated to be able to reveal that I’ve signed a three book deal with PIATKUS, an imprint of LITTLE, BROWN BOOK GROUP!
Two of the books are a spin-off to my bestselling Blackthorn series (more on that in a moment) and the third is an unrelated title. Piatkus have bought world English rights in both print and eBook, with the aim to make my books available in bookshops in the UK, US and Australia. How exciting is that?
Anyone familiar with PNR and Urban Fantasy will know why I’m so over the moon about this. Piatkus are globally synonymous with the genres, publishing leading names such as Christine Feehan, Sherrilyn Kenyon, J.R. Ward and Nora Roberts. Needless to say I am uber-excited to be working with their expert and passionate team on my new books.
I had the greatest pleasure meeting with my new editor – Anna Boatman (Editorial Director at Piatkus) – in December when she travelled from London to Exeter to take me out for lunch. We’d already had several phone conversations by that point and Anna had been following my work for years, so meeting her in person was the final confirmation of how much I wanted to work with the Piatkus team.
The news has been issued both in BookBrunch andThe Bookseller:
NO BLACKTHORN SEQUELS OR PREQUELS, BUT SOMETHING FAMILIAR YET NEW…
As well as 2016 marking the release of two Blackthorn books, it was also a year of big decisions as to what to do once Blackthorn ended. With the finale approaching, I’d been receiving an increasing number of requests for prequels, sequels or even spin-offs from readers not ready to leave this world behind yet. I’ve always said that the Blackthorn story will end with book eight though, and I’m not going to change that. However, with a backdrop as detailed and complex as this one, there’s always been scope for a sideways step – especially with so many aspects of life in the locale that never made it into the overarching Blackthorn plot.
After revelations in interviews and blog posts that I had other stories set in the same locale, reader requests increased so I decided to give it some serious thought. Some of my favourite characters who never made it into Blackthorn soon came to mind, their stories opening up other parts to this world that my readers had yet to see. Some of those stories centred around one district in particular.
My current readers will know of Lowtown as the neighbouring district to Blackthorn. It’s where Caitlin from Blood Shadows lived, where the TSCD is based as well as the penitentiary too. However, the plight of those struggling to survive in Lowtown has remained peripheral for my readers whilst I remained focused on the Blackthorn story. Now seems to be the perfect time to delve into unexplored corners of this stratified and corrupt society and, with it, even deeper into the world.
HOW BLACKTHORN AND LOWTOWN WILL DIFFER
Set against a backdrop of social unrest my readers will be familiar with, Lowtown books will retain the same dark and gritty urban feel as Blackthorn. The romances will be just as intense and the struggles just as severe.
However, unlike their Blackthorn predecessors, each Lowtown story will be a standalone. They’ll also be completely independent of the overarching plot that runs through my eight Blackthorn books. One or two familiar names or places might appear though. 😉
AND THAT’S NOT ALL…
In 2019, I will also be bringing something brand new to my readers. As well as two spin-off titles, I have signed another book with Piatkus – one that is far removed from the familiar urban dystopia of Blackthorn and Lowtown. Expect chills and mystery set against a rural backdrop, as well as more romance of course!
THE YEAR AHEAD
I’m thrilled to finally be able to reveal this news to you – and I hope you’re just as pleased to hear it. Thank you to all of my readers who regularly contact me to share their thoughts, particularly with what you enjoy about my writing and what you’d like more of. You’ve helped shape what I’m going to do next.
Well, it’s certainly going to be a busy year ahead! Our Blackthorn finale is due for publication before the end of the year and now the first Lowtown book is scheduled for release this November. That means we’ll have double the cover reveals, double the blurb reveals, be concluding Blackthorn as well as launching Lowtown… I think we’re going to have a lot of fun with this, and I can’t wait! Of course, it also means I might not be around as much as usual for the first part of this year, but I promise I’ll keep you updated as often as possible.
Thank you for being there, for supporting my writing up to now and, by doing so, for helping this happen. 2017, here we come!!
**UPDATE**
A huge thank you to Piatkus Fiction for sharing the announcement on their Facebook page, and for all the wonderful comments already being left on their post.
And thank you to everyone who is supporting this announcement across social media. I’m truly overwhelmed! <3
