A PUBLISHER’S YEAR: DECEMBER – PUBLICATIONS AND PROSPECTS

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Hello and welcome to the final Sapere Books update of 2019! We’ve had a fantastic year and it’s all thanks to the incredible authors who have trusted us to publish their books. We aren’t signing up many new authors at the moment because we already have such a great list we are looking after, but we are leaving our submissions page open in case anything pops up that we just can’t say no to!

We are rounding up the year with the publication of some more brilliant fiction. Over the past few weeks we have reissued three of Alan Williams’ classic espionage novels, published THE OCCUPATION – a brand new Second World War saga by Deborah Swift, launched the last book in David Field’s Tudor series and republished PATERNOSTER – the first book in Kim Fleet’s time slip thriller series. We also reissued THE WARNING BELL – a historical novel by award-winning author Lynne Reid Banks.

All of our authors are busy with new works in progress and we have lots of exciting projects to launch in the new year. As well as our thriving fiction list, we will soon be launching our non-fiction list. Richard Simpson, one of my fellow co-founders is currently looking for military history books, in particular backlist titles, and he is preparing the first few to launch on our second anniversary next March.

Thank you to everyone who has been following these update, and to Frost Magazine for hosting us, and we hope you all have a wonderful Christmas and a prosperous New Year! We are very excited to see what will happen in 2020. Watch this space!

 

Amy Durant

A woman is no man by Etaf Rum reviewed by Natalie Jayne Peeke

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Palestine 1990

Seventeen-year-old Isra prefers reading books to entertaining the suitors her father has chosen for her. But, succumbing to her parents’ wishes, the naïve and dreamy girl finds herself betrothed and married to a American man. Before long she is living in Brooklyn, a strange land, becoming a mother to four daughters and her life changed forever.

Brooklyn 2008

Eighteen-year-old Deya, Isra’s oldest daughter, must meet with potential husbands at her grandmother’s insistence, though her only desire is to go to college. But fate has a will of its own, and soon Deya will find herself on an unexpected path that leads her to shocking truths about her parents, the past, and her own future.

A truly eye-opening journey from Palestine to Brooklyn, Etaf Rum’s sublime debut is steeped in culture, history, courage and most importantly friendship. It is easy to take picking up a book or popping to the local shop for granted. For Isra her life is a living nightmare, one she must escape by any means necessary.

Eighteen years later her own daughter is heading down the very same and miserable path to live a life that she does not want, with a man that she does not love until a unexpected family member returns to keep Deya from her doomed fate and will leave her questioning everything she thought she knew about her parents.

Published on 12th December 2019

Paperback £8.99

Available in eBook and Audiobook

 

Little wonder that Michael Rowan, our self-confessed doubting Thomas is seeing flying elephants now that he has discovered Lyres Dry London Spirit the non- alcoholic spirit

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As a child, one song from the Walt Disney film, ‘Dumbo’, never failed to intrigue me.

The scene in question, is when a group of Crows sing about witnessing impossible things and ends with the line which says how they’ll have seen EVERYTHING when they see an elephant fly.

In a former life, I could easily have been one of those crows, because I didn’t believe that it was possible to make an alcohol – free gin, maybe I should have remembered, that Dumbo the Elephant, did indeed fly.

January and in particular Dry January, was invented to taunt someone as weak willed as myself and I have lost count of the number of failed good intentions to give up alcohol for 31 consecutive days.

There always seems to be a party, a leaving ‘do’, or a dinner party invitation, that comes along and shatters my good intentions. Well, no more, thanks to Lyres range of alcohol- free spirits.

Then there are the occasions when my wife utters those dreaded four little words, ‘Your turn to drive,’ to be honest the Lyres London Dry Spirit tasted so good that I may even volunteer next time.

Could my latest find, Lyres Dry London Spirit, come to my rescue?

Unbelievably, Lyre’s outstandingly diverse range consists of 13 different variants, including Gin, Whisky, Rum, Campari, Dry and Sweet Vermouth, Absinthe, Triple Sec, Amaretto and Coffee Liqueur. Perhaps I should stop using the words unbelievably when discussing Lyre’s Alcohol- Free Spirit.

Clearly a lot of effort has gone into developing this range. Imagine a tell-tale burn of alcohol and the closest match possible of bouquet, taste and palate-weight to your favourite tipple: that’s what Lyre’s have created.

Given the work that has gone into this London Dry Spirit (gin) I was determined to afford it the respect that it deserved. The Copa glass does not need to be filled with ice as this is alcohol free. To garnish a sprig of Rosemary and a slice of Grapefruit or a piece of Orange Peel could also work and you could even add some pink peppercorns to complete the look. Use good tonic, which in my case is Fever Tree Tonic Water but do experiment. Personally, I prefer the Mediterranean Tonic but there are plenty to choose from.

However, it is the taste that counts and in the case of London Dry, this is a little more subtle than Gin but you can taste the botanicals and there is no denying that this is a grown -up drink and very pleasant it is too.

Bartenders and mixologists now have the convenience of simply reaching for a different bottle when making a cocktail in a non-alcoholic format. Think a Lyre’s Espresso Martini, Amaretto Sour, Negroni, Old Fashioned and Italian Orange Spritz, to give you a flavour of the immense possibilities the range offers.

Launched in the UK in late November these are available online from Master of Malt and Booze Free and from January, Lyre’s London Dry Spirit (gin), Lyre’s American Malt (Bourbon), and Lyre’s Spiced Cane (spiced Rum) will be available from Sainsburys priced £22.00.

The art work found on the label is inspired by the Australian Lyrebird, the world’s greatest mimic, though I might argue second greatest, given the taste of this alcohol- free spirit.

Now where did that Elephant fly off to?

Instagram@lyresspiritco

SISTER SCRIBES’ WOMEN’S WRITING WISDOM 2019

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During 2019 Sister Scribes were lucky enough to welcome women writers we admire and have some connection with to Frost and in the process we learnt a great deal. With a new year approaching, here as some of the choicest nuggets to mull over.

 

Alexa Adams: My network of women who I can depend on, confide in, and trust has exploded, and I have a hard time recalling how I ever got by without them. These friendships are the most unexpected gift that writing has bestowed on me, and for them I am immeasurably grateful.

Carol Thomas: Three top tips for working collaboratively:
1) Take a little time to find your way, but also be prepared to step up. Somewhat obvious but … the key to collaboration is collaborating.
2) Be prepared to compromise. Working as part of a group will require it at some point.
3) Be actively supportive of others; you’ll get more from it than you might think. Rightfully so, when it comes to working in a group, you tend to get out, what you put in.

Catherine Boardman: Telling stories is what I love to do.  The solitary nature of sitting down to write suits me perfectly.  Yet it is the support and friendship of fellow female writers makes the procrastination so much more fun.

Daisy Tate: THERE ARE NO FOES in the world of women’s fiction. Along this windy path I’ve walked, I have only met people who are there to help others.

Dr Gaby Malcolm: Ignore anything other than constructive criticism and admire your own work.

Jessica Redland: So far, our joint venture [The Yorkshire Rose Writers] has worked well and we love working together. We’re both excited to see where it could go in the future. My advice to anyone thinking about such a venture, though, is be really clear on your aims and your time commitment right at the start so you’re on the same page.

Maddie Please:  I try to keep the boxes of stationery under control but boxes of pencils, Sharpies and Post-it notes are like cat-nip to me!

Merryn Allingham: When several members of my book group announced recently they didn’t like historical fiction, I was disappointed. But stunned when one went on to say she couldn’t see the point of history. For me, discovering the past doesn’t just illuminate quirky corners of a bygone age but helps understand the world of today….. Researching history complicates that first simple ‘take’ on a culture and a period, changes our perspective, makes connections. And, crucially,  illuminates our own troubled present. Worth paying attention then!

Rachel Brimble: I could not write without women from the past, the present and undoubtedly, the future. Here’s to the strong women who have gone before us and who continue to walk with us today!

RL Fearnley: I realise that I don’t have to write ‘women’ in my stories, I just have to write ‘people’. It should not be a revelation to see that these two things are not mutually exclusive. After all, in worlds where anything is possible, why can’t the quiet, plain girl at the back of the class be the one who takes up the sword and slays the troll?

Tracy Rees: Exploring our dreams as far as possible makes us happier, fuller people, which in turn allows us to help and support others.

 

DAZZLING DIAMOND YEAR OF ROMANCE

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We are more than delighted to announce that Frost magazine will play a part in the Romantic Novelists’ Association’s Diamond Anniversary celebrations in 2020. On the last Wednesday of every month we’ll be running articles about the RNA’s year, written by their fabulous authors, which we’re sure will be fascinating insights into the world of this incredible organisation.

 

The Romantic Novelists’ Association was started in 1960 by a group of six romance writers amongst them Catherine Cookson, Barbara Cartland and Rosamunde Pilcher and today we have over one thousand members. Our focus has always been to raise the prestige of romantic fiction, and to encourage romantic authorship. 2020 is our Diamond Anniversary year and we are marking this celebration with a year packed full of events.

  • Alison May (MLR photo)

    We’re launching new bursaries to encourage writers from underrepresented groups to join the RNA

  • In February we’re launching the inaugural Romance Reading Month
  • We’ll be hosting and promoting romantic fiction events with literary festivals and universities – starting on 15th February when we’ll be in Manchester http://www.manchesterwritingschool.co.uk/events/the-love-writing-manchester-series-launch-event-with-special-guest-author-d
  • On 4th June there will be a virtual romance festival where we will be live streaming a series of events from a prestigious London location before our 60th birthday party in the evening
  • And we’ll also be asking what is the nation’s favourite romantic novel of the last 60 years

And that’s on top of the events and activities the RNA undertakes every year. We have our New Writers’ Scheme that allows 300 unpublished authors to join the RNA and get a critique on their novel in progress. We also organise and present the annual Romantic Novel Awards, and also our Industry Award which celebrate publishers, agents, booksellers and bloggers who champion romantic fiction. We host a conference for romantic authors and industry professionals every year, and present the Joan Hessayon Award to a debut author who has ‘graduated’ from the New Writers’ Scheme. We also publish a quarterly magazine for our members and have a network of local chapter groups across the UK and Ireland.

Bella Osborne

All of that takes planning and organisation, and the RNA, like many arts and literary organisations, is run by volunteers from amongst our own members. The planning for the 60th Anniversary, for example, started in 2017 when Bella Osborne joined the RNA’s management board as Special Projects Officer for the Diamond Anniversary. Since then Bella has recruited a team of volunteers to work with her developing guidance for members on approaching literary festivals, organising events, and planning for Romance Reading Month.

We’re hoping to make 2020 an especially exciting and romantic fiction-filled year, but it’s going to be incredibly busy as well. So it’s incredibly exciting to be teaming up with Frost Magazine to bring you an insight behind the scenes into a very special year in the life of the RNA.

Please follow the hashtag #RNA60 for the latest events and get involved during 2020.

 

Alison May & Bella Osborne

 

My top three books of 2019 says Natalie Jayne Peeke – West Country Correspondent

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Asking a bookworm to choose their favourite book is like asking a parent to chose their favourite child. It’s an impossible task. We just simply cannot do it. So, I thought I would share with you my top 3 books of 2019.

First up is Girls on the home front by Annie Clarke. As well as Heroes on the Home front. I know that is technically two books but seeing as they are part of the factory girl’s series, I’m going to count them as one. Across the two books we follow the story of Fran, a headstrong young lady who during world war 2, works in a munition’s factory alongside her childhood friends Sarah and Beth. I will not spoil the books for those of you who have not yet read them but I will say that they are beautiful stories of love, friendship, bravery and comradeship. I am thoroughly looking forward to the third instalment Wedding bells on the Home Front which is due for release next year.

 

Second is Cold Storage by David Koepp. I am not one to read sci fi at all. Don’t get me wrong I enjoy sci fi films and TV shows but can never seem to wrap my head around reading a sci fi book. That was until I picked this up. David Koepp is the genius screenwriter behind films such as Jurassic Park, Indiana Jones, Spider man and many more. It sounds corny but I was hooked from the first chapter. Again, no spoilers, the book is about a lethal strain of fungus, how several people from various walks of life work together to contain it. It is amazing and the writing style is incredible, vivid and is easy to follow for those of us who aren’t familiar in the world of Science.

Last but by absolutely no means least is the Lost girls of Paris by Pam Jenoff. I am a sucker for books set in world war two, no story is ever the same. This book has a dual timeline following the extraordinary women who snuck behind enemy lines and joined the French resistance as well as following the post war story of a young lady who finds a briefcase of pictures under a bench in Grand Central Station and her mission to identify the people in the photos. A truly empowering read, one I highly recommend for those who enjoyed The Nightingale.

HRH The Prince of Wales visits farmers affected by the flooding of the River Derwent in November

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HRH meets the Bethney family who farm at Congreave Farm

HRH The Prince of Wales, Patron, The Prince’s Countryside Fund visited Congreave Farm, Stanton-in-the-Peak, on 23rd December  to meet with farmers affected by the flooding of the River Derwent in November 2019.

Farms in the Matlock valley were damaged by flood water up to seventeen foot higher than usual, losing stock and forage. HRH met with local families who had been affected, including Peter and Deborah Bettney, Michael and Ellie Wynne, Dean Greatorex, Ken and Kimberley Trickett, and Stuart Fairfax. HRH held a conversation with the farmers about the flooding, and the impact that it has had on their families, their livestock and their business.

HRH meets farmers affected by the recent flooding

Also round the table were Lord Edward Manners who owns the Haddon Estate, Claire Saunders and Diane Spark of The Prince’s Countryside Fund, Bill Young from the Addington Fund, and  Andrew Ward from Forage Aid,  who had assisted some of the flooded farms. In response to the flooding in October, The Prince’s Countryside Fund released £50,000 from their Emergency Fund to support farming families whose livelihoods and farms had been affected.

Michael Wynn, who farms in Snitterton, said, “We lost 350 bales of silage in the worst floods I have ever seen. It was marvellous that the Prince of Wales took the time to visit us with all his other commitments and we are now getting sorted with the help of Forage Aid.”

Photos courtesy of Andrew Eyley/AE Media

 

The Prince’s Countryside Fund was established by HRH The Prince of Wales in 2010 and aims to enhance the prospects of family farm businesses and the quality of rural life. We believe that the British countryside is our most valuable natural asset and its contribution to our everyday life cannot be underestimated.

To help support and secure the future of the countryside we:

  • Provide more than £1m each year in grant and programme funding to projects across the UK thanks to support from our partners, events and donations
  • Celebrate and promote the value of the countryside
  • Lead projects to strengthen farm businesses, such as The Prince’s Farm Resilience Programme
  • Commission research into issues affecting farming families and rural communities
  • Bring together individuals and businesses to help tackle current challenges
  • Help communities in crisis through our Emergency Fund

To find out more, visit the Fund’s website at www.princescountrysidefund.org.uk

 

 

SISTER SCRIBES’ BOOKS OF THE YEAR 2019

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Kitty: I knew when I was reading it that Circe would be a book that stayed with me for a long time and I’m happy to call it my book of the year. I’m already itching to re-read it, an absolutely wonderful read. 

I finished Circe by Madeline Miller this month and I cannot do justice to how much I loved it. The story of Circe, a woman locked in by her divinity whilst also dealing with the very female roles of mother, daughter, sister and lover. This retelling made Circe much more accessible and empathetic than the male-centric version that I grew up with. Full of self-discovery, courage and empowerment it turns the myth of vicious witch into a story of a true heroine. I loved it so much that having read it once I am going to store it, like a secret treasure, for a re-read in a few months so I can wallow in it slowly and feel the magic again.

Susanna:  I love Carol’s 20th century sagas, but this year she wrote her first Victorian story, which happens to be my favourite historical setting. Carol Rivers + Victorian = one very happy reader!

One of the things I love and admire about books by Carol Rivers is that, while some authors get a bit stale and produce books that feel samey, Carol always writes something fresh, using new ideas, at the same time as remaining true to the drama and strong sense of personal relationships that characterise her books. Christmas Child is a story for any time of year, not just for the festive season. An emotional and enthralling tale, it follows Ettie as she faces up to life’s dangers and challenges and learns the hard way that not everyone deserves to be trusted. I love stories set in Victorian times and I’m delighted that Carol Rivers has, for this book, left behind her customary 20th century setting and moved into the 19th century. I hope there will be more Victorian stories to come from this wonderful writer.

Cass: A hilarious yet poignant story of self discovery, where you are laughing out loud one moment and holding back tears the next.

“Everyone should be adopted, that way you can meet your birth parents when you’re old enough to cope with them.” So says Pippa Dunn, the eponymous heroine of Alison Larkin’s debut novel, The English American (which has its roots in her autobiographical one-woman comedy show of the same name). Adopted as an infant and raised terribly British (attending a posh boarding school, able to make a proper cup of tea and in the ‘love’ camp for Marmite on toast), Pippa – now 28 – discovers her birth parents are American. Finally, she begins to understand why she’s so different from everyone she knows. Pippa sets off for America, soon meeting her creative birth mother and her charismatic birth father. Moving to New York to be nearer to them, Pippa believes she’s found her ‘self’ and everything she thought she wanted. Or has she? This is a hilarious yet poignant story where you are laughing out loud one moment and holding back tears the next. Pippa’s journey is very funny, yet deeply moving, and I highly recommend The English American to anyone who loves to finish a book with a smile on their face and a warm feeling in their heart.

Jane: Elizabeth Buchan’s The Museum of Broken Promises is, like her other books, a slow starter. I have learnt to be patient while she creates a tapestry of detail so rich and wonderful, holding my breath until to story tips into second, third and fourth gears and becomes unputdownable.

The book is set in Paris in the present day and in Prague in the 1980s. The end of the Cold War was in touching distance, yet nobody knew it, and this adds an additional poignancy to the narrative. Laure, a young woman coming to terms with the death of her father is an au pair to a businessman and party insider, and while trying to make some sense of life behind the Iron Curtain, meets a dissident musician who steals her heart and soul. Years later in France, she sets up the Museum of Broken Promises, full of artefacts people donate in attempt to avenge or assuage the pain of betrayal – and some of them belong to her own past. Slowly the book teases out truths from a long ago Czechoslovakian summer. One moment achingly beautiful, the other shocking in its violence, the whole fits together like a handmade glove. It stayed with me, too – and it’s only now I’m writing this review I finally understand the most important promise. And who broke it. A must read. Honestly.

Kirsten: Beautifully written and no matter how grim the present times feel, at least we are not living in a plague village in 17th century Derbyshire!

I love historical fiction and I was late to the party with  Year of Wonders by Geraldine Brooks. It was published in 2002 and was recommended to me several times before I finally grabbed myself a copy. The book is set in 1666 and it’s based on a true event. The Great Plague has reaches the quiet Derbyshire village of Eyam through a contaminated piece of cloth that has been sent to a tailor from London. It’s the only place in the region that’s been affected and the villagers make the extraordinary decision to isolate themselves totally so that the plague cannot spread further – so no one allowed in or out until the plague has run its course or everyone has died. This story is told through the eyes of 18-year-old Anna Frith as she confronts ‘the loss of her family, the disintegration of her community and the lure of a dangerous and illicit love’. I loved it. It’s sad and interesting and touching and fascinating and I had no idea that anything like this had happened. I wonder how we’d have reacted in the same situation.