Covers, Dunkirk, and a special offer
May 26, 2026 9:01 am
Hi
I hope you’re well and safe wherever you are in the world. If you’re new to my newsletter – welcome! It’s lovely to have you here.
A huge thank you to everyone who gave me feedback on the cover images – much appreciated! The design in now in its final stages and you will be the first to know when it’s complete! Getting a cover is always such an exciting process – it makes the book feel real, and I’m so very lucky to have such a talented designer.
Today marks the anniversary of the beginning of Operation Dynamo, more commonly known as Dunkirk. Between 26 May and 4 June 1940 more than 338,000 Allied soldiers were rescued from the beaches and harbour of a small town in the north of France by a hastily assembled fleet of over 800 vessels. As well as Naval vessels, civilian craft of all sizes were pressed into service, including pleasure craft, yachts, lifeboats, car ferries, fishing boats and Thames barges. It was dangerous work – many did not return.
Dunkirk is possibly the most celebrated retreat in history, for without those soldiers, Britain would have had no means to prepare for what was to come. And in true British style, the evacuation was heralded as a victory, prompting Churchill’s famous speech:
“We shall not flag or fail. We shall go on to the end, we shall fight in France, we shall fight on the seas and oceans, we shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air, we shall defend our Island, whatever the cost may be, we shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender.”
It’s one of those moments in history that I knew a bit about when I was growing up (it’s British legend, after all) but I began to research it in far more detail when I began to write All That Remains. Although the retreat itself forms a very minor part of the book, I needed to fully understand its effect on the characters who were there. It really is an incredible story.
The final edit of All That Remains is almost complete – it’s taken a lot longer than I anticipated, but hopefully, the effort will have been worth it. Some books seem to come together easily, while others just need more work. This one has been a bit of a struggle.
And some more good news - if you haven’t read The Last Goodbye, now is the time! The e-book is only 99c/99p at all online stores for a few days this week. Here’s the link:
What I’m reading. I’ve just picked up The Heir Apparent by Rebecca Armitage. I’ve only read the first few pages, but it’s pretty good so far! I also recently finished The Crimson Petal and the White by Michael Faber, which was both a rollicking and moving account of a Victorian prostitute’s attempts to make a better life for herself. Not for the faint of heart but I loved it.
What I’m watching. Poldark. A bit late to the party with this one. At the risk of showing my age, I was a big fan of the original adaptation in the 1970s, and I read all the books as a teenager. But I am also loving the more recent series – I don’t often binge-watch anything but I can’t wait for each next episode of this one! An absolute delight.
Kind regards
Samantha
Here are the links to my books. Have you read them all?
https://www.samgrosserbooks.com
