Hey 2017!! I’m over here.

So the New Year has arrived with a shy kiss and a gentle caress. It’s the start of something fresh, new beginnings that let us plan and decide how our future may look. I for one have a lot planned this year and I mean to make the most of it. Top of my list though (no, not a New Year’s Resolution, as I don’t believe in those, this is more my To Do list) is getting back into writing. You may not have known this, but the last year to eighteen months has been tough for me.  There’s been an insecure demon sitting on my shoulder who has led me down a dark path and made me doubt myself and my abilities to bring stories into the world.

And I still don’t know why. I simply lost my passion for my craft and that in itself triggered a huge backlash, a sense of failure which fed on my own insecurities. 2017 is my chance to get back that writing passion and try and immerse myself once again in words.

And boy, 2017 is looking like a great year for me.  So without further ado, let me tell you a bit about it.

Firstly, Sight Unseen comes out for release on January 26th. This book is the result of a partnership between me and my wonderful friend and collaborator, the amazing Nicholas Downs. In life, we are meant to meet people who come to mean something to us. I had no idea when I first interviewed Nicholas for Divine Magazine (at the bequest of the Divine CEO who thought Nicholas was hot and sexy and wanted to feature him) that it would form a lasting relationship that led to us to this point. I mean, you can see why he thought this, right? This is Nicholas. Sigh. The man looks so good in a suit. And a cowboy hat. And a plaid shirt…

Bottom line, we had respect for each others’ talents – me for writing and Nicholas for acting – and decided we’d create a medium to bring both of these to bear in that of a potential film creation.

Nicholas provided the story line in the screen play he’d already written, I developed it into a novel and together we’re writing the screen play to potentially bring it to the screen. It’s been an amazing journey for both of us, learning about each other’s industries and melding them together to where we are today. And not only are we doing this but -SQUEEE! I get to travel to LA in March next year to attend a conference with my publisher, Boroughs and do a series of book signings with Nicholas, even get to stay with him and his husband Nick for a couple of nights. I am so damned excited. And not only do I get to hob-nob with Nicholas and Nick, I get to meet my publisher for the first time.

Boroughs are quite simply, amazing. They have treated me with absolute respect, compassion on the bad days, and LOVE. Yes, it’s tough to say this about someone you’ve never met but the CEO, Michelle Klayman, has been a rock for me. Not only is she a fantastic editor, making my stories flow better and offering advice and support, but she’s also there when I need to vent or talk to someone. She’s like a big sister, only tougher. Smarter lol. Boroughs’ faith in me when I have floundered myself and had doubts has been heartening and welcome. I am so looking forward to giving Michelle the hug she deserves when I arrive to stay with her at her home with her husband Miguel. Bless him, he even asked her whether he was expected to make me Bubble and Squeak! I told her an emphatic No, I’m in his country now so anything other English food is what I want. Mexican sounds good…

I’ll be at the California Dreamin’ Conference and at various other locations in Los Angeles with Nicholas and Michelle but more to follow on the itinerary once we get it all confirmed. And another SQUEE! I’m hoping to catch up with the supremely talented voice over artist and actor Jason Frazier ( we owe each other a drink at Chateau Marmont, it’s a long story…) and *sigh* hoping to finally meet the most awesome and fabulous of writers Cody Kennedy. This particular coming together of souls has been a long time coming.

I’ll be back from the US at the end of the March then jetting off again to Cape Town, RSA to visit family at the beginning of May. The wonderful thing about this holiday is that my whole family is going over, my husband, my kids, and my daughter in law. It’s going to be wonderful seeing my mum and sister again and touching base with my brothers in law.

I’m signing at the fabulous event in Birmingham in July, the ShiMMer Author Event, which promise to be a great day out seeing old friends and readers. If you haven’t already made a plan to attend this, you should. It’s going to be awesome.

In August I’m at Brighton Pride with friends and in September, my best pal and author friend John Trevillian and I are off to Dublin for a creative few days, writing, gaining inspiration and drinking wine no doubt.

Oh and did I mention I’m also a trustee for the Being Me Campaign which I’m hoping will see a busy and fruitful year, as well as taking back my old position as Editorial Manager for Divine Magazine, because I really missed this. This particular role has bought with it many opportunities, not least of which was meeting Nicholas.

Heh. Luckily I have a very understanding boss at the day job who simply rolls his eyes and says ‘Yeah, yeah, yeah, whatever, Sue. You do what you need to do.’ I’m blessed to be where I am with such lovely people who really care about my ‘other life’ and encourage me. Eunisure, you rock !!

So busy, busy, busy…oops, sorry in all the excitement I forget to tell you about the writing plans. *Facepalms* In between all this I’m co-writing a screenplay, have to finish writing Living on Air, (my ‘circus’ book) and possibly carry on writing the ninth Men of London book as well, Survival Game which is Kyle and Eric’s story from Hard Climate. I have so many other books planned, and some truly exciting ideas and I need to get cracking if I want to bring them all to life. I need lots of coffee and mince pies and a healthy dose of ‘slap me silly when I lose focus’.

So that’s me for this year and no doubt there’ll be a lot more happening and I’ll let you know as it does.  To those people who helped and encouraged me over the past years and no doubt will continue to do so because that’s the kind of people they are-  Joanne Swinney, Val Degeorge, Kirsty Bicknell, JP Bilbao, Rita R, Janice Birnie, Petra Andrea, Karen Jones, Anders Rodskar, Isa Jones, Ann Alaskan and myriad of others (forgive me if I haven’t mentioned you specifically but you are legion lol)  who kept me sane and also indulged my girlish passion for Benedict Cumberbatch and Adam Lambert – thank you. You are all the spokes in my wheel without which, there would be no turning and moving forward.

To the bloggers who’ve ever allowed me space on their blogs to promote or share something, you are truly the other wheels of this industry that keep it turning. And to my fellow authors who give so much of themselves in many ways without expecting anything in return- you have my eternal gratitude and appreciation.

May 2017 be everything you want, need and deserve and if I can help you in any way to reach your own goals and dreams, all you have to do is shine this bat signal and I’ll be there.

SYNERGY IS BETTER THAN YOUR WAY OR MY WAY. IT’S OUR WAY.

Stephen Covey

 

Sight Unseen Cover Reveal -Release Day 26th January 2017

I’m really excited today because the project Hollywood actor Nicholas Downs and I have been working on is getting closer to completion. The book is written; the cover is revealed (isn’t it stunning) and in December we start working on the screen play together. I’m nervous. I’ve only ever done a short screen play and I think I need some more practice. Hopefully Nicholas can teach me a few things or two. It’s also my first book set in the US, in Los Angeles so that took some time to get right. Luckily as Nicholas lives there and my editor is a New Yorker living in SoCal, both of them were a tremendous help in getting the details and location right. Boroughs Publishing Group have been instrumental in bringing this book into the world and for that, both Nicholas and I offer our heartfelt thanks. Especially to Michelle Klayman (my editor and confidante) who helped us get to this point, and Chris Keeslar, who, as always, excelled himself at creating the cover.

Anyway here’s the front  cover, and if you scroll down, you’ll see the full wrap as well which is HOT!

I’ve also included the Goodreads link further down where you can add it to your TBR and the universal Amazon buy link. Other links will follow as soon as I have them because I know not everyone shops at Amazon.

BLINDSIDED

SoCal natives, Nate and Cody have been friends since childhood. Both knew they were different—and the same. At seventeen, a stolen weekend in the Florida Keys drove their connection deeper and hotter than either could imagine. They were meant to be together. Then, for reasons only Nate knows, suddenly they weren’t.

They’re still friends. Best friends. But they’ve moved on and found other partners. The yearning remains, however, despite the long-ago secret that drove them apart, and when tragedy strikes, both men find themselves in the dark. They must grope their way back to who and what they are…which they will find in each other’s arms. Sometimes, losing one’s sight can open one’s eyes—and heart.

Universal Pre Order Link 

Goodreads Link

There’s also going to be a Release Blitz tour run by the incredible blog Joandisalovebooks, so if you fancy signing up for this, the sign up link is below.

Sign Up for Release Blitz Tour January 26th-28th 2017

I hope you enjoy reading this book as much as I’ve enjoyed writing it. Be warned – this is a slow burn book with less sex than any of my others, but I hope that doesn’t stop you reading it. After all, it’s the story that the most important, right?