Update - Preorder, Cover Reveal, and Edits
Mar 04, 2024 6:01 am
Hi
Hello to all my readers, and a warm welcome to any new subscribers. I hope this email finds you well.
I have very exciting news!
My new World War II story is now called WHEN THE LIGHT STILL SHONE, and you can preorder your copy here:
Here is the cover, which I absolutely love! A huge thank you to my wonderful designer, ArtMishel, and to those of you who offered feedback on the draft versions via Facebook.
The book itself has not long come back from my editor, a process which is always both exciting and terrifying. Every book I’ve written has followed a slightly different process to completion and when I’m writing I’m so absorbed in the characters and the story it’s hard to be objective and observe any flaws. Which is why we have editors.
But still, when the manuscript comes back with the news there's a very large plot hole right at the centre of the story, it is not at all what a writer wants to hear.
So I'm now knee-deep in rewriting. One major change leads to many other changes throughout the whole book. I'm getting there but it's hard work, and I'm still struggling to let go of the original story, which is what I wanted it to be.
That said, it is going to be a MUCH better book as a result of the rewrite, and it is all just part of the process. It just doesn't happen to be my favourite part!
Here’s the updated book description:
"She thought the truth was lost forever. Then an unexpected letter reveals a startling story.
1943. Peggy Ellis’s quiet life in the village pub is about to be shattered. New American airmen are arriving at the nearby base every day, and the skies are filled with thunder as ever increasing numbers of bombers roar overhead. But when local resentments at the so-called ‘friendly invasion’ erupt into violence, Peggy finds herself in the company of American gunner Zack Eldon.
1995. In a fading photo, Georgia Lee discovers her grandmother's greatest secret: Nana was in love with an American airman during the war. And when Georgia begins to delve further into the past, she is astonished by a family history she has never suspected.
As long held secrets come slowly to light, Georgia begins to question the choices she has made in her own life. Drawn back to her grandmother’s village, she takes a job in the pub where destinies intertwined decades before. There, among heirloom recipes and a long forgotten history, she learns that it’s never too late to follow your dreams."
I’m also working on a World War II Recipe companion booklet, which I’ll be giving away via my website – I’ll keep you posted.
I’ve made a little progress with the new series I was talking about last time, and I can reveal that the plan is for 5 books, each following one member of a group of nurses through their experiences in the war. As a nurse myself, I’ve always been fascinated by the roles nurses played in World War II, from those who nursed the civilian population in war-torn England, through all the different military operations they attended, to those who were trail-blazers in aeromedical evacuation and other revolutionary ways of caring for their patients.
This is the first time I’ve actually planned a whole series in advance, and it’s an interesting process. While each book will focus on one character, I want characters from the other books to form part of each story too. So I’ve set up an Excel sheet to try and keep track of who is doing what in which book – I can already see that it’s going to get confusing very quickly! But I'm ever so excited for the research and I'll be sharing some of the things I discover along the way both here in my newsletter and via my Facebook page. (https://www.facebook.com/samgrosserbooks)
What I’m reading – Narrow Road to the Deep North. A troubling, profound, and at times difficult read about an Australian military doctor who was captured by the Japanese, and whose experiences on the death railway came to colour his whole life. Brilliant, but harrowing.
What I’m watching – My Big Fat Greek Wedding. I missed this lovely film when it originally came out. I think the name put me off a bit. But it’s actually a very sweet and funny love story. Recommended.
Please do drop me a line if you have any comments or feedback - I'd love to hear from you.
Here are the links to my books. Have you read them all?
See you next time – until then, happy reading!
Kind regards
Samantha
https://www.samgrosserbooks.com
