Can’t get enough of the Regency era? I am thrilled to say that I have written a brand new short story set in the Regency that will be appearing in an anthology slated to be released March 2021. The anthology is called Relics, Wrecks and Ruins and my story is titled:
Relict (noun) a widow; a thing remaining from the past
The anthology has been edited by the very talented Aiki Flinthart, and check out who else has contributed stories: Garth Nix, Mary Robinette Kowal and Robert Silverberg (among others)! My story is a Regency space opera–think Bridgerton meets spaceships–and has a very cool space weapon owned by a Countess and some kick-ass action. Preorder will be up in January 2021. Cheers, Alison
Hi All, So the city where I live is back in lockdown for six weeks. We are are at the half-way mark, but there is every possibility that it will be extended. So, for now I am at home working on my PhD, playing with my dog and baking (and eating) way too many chocolate chip cookies. The good news is that I have finished the first novella in my new series The Benevolent Society of Ill Mannered Ladies. It is booked in with my favourite editor and then, once I have redrafted, I’ll have to decide whether I release it myself, which was the original plan, or send it to my agent for a more trad publication route. You can check out what the series is all about on my Coming Soon(ish) page.
Along with baking chocolate chip cookies, I have also been doing a bit of mild home decoration. We rent so we can’t do much, but I did stumble across Mixtiles, a great way to decorate walls for renters. All you do is send them your photos in a square format via their app and they frame them in these great frames with sticky backs that can be taken on and off the wall over and over again. I love them. I went with a black and white aesthetic of my hubs and I and, as you can see in the pic, voila, instant classy renter-friendly wall! Stay safe and well, peeps, Cheers, Alison
En Francais: Vous avez manqué l’édition limitée gratuite de la novella de Lady Helen l’année dernière ? Bonne nouvelle : elle est désormais téléchargeable gratuitement. Allez sur
Hi All, I’ve always thought it would be wonderful to have my books chosen to be part of the social media games that go around (especially during this Iso time). And Lo and Behold, Lady Helen has made an appearance in the French version of Which Quarantine House Would You Choose?
I would definitely choose Maison 3, although I may be a bit biased. Mind you, Lady Helen would be a very handy housemate to have if there was any heavy lifting to do or pesky demons to destroy.
In other news. . . well, there is not that much other news. I am reading, studying, going to the fridge a bit too often, and taking my dog for our officially sanctioned exercise walk. I hope you and your loved ones are safe and well, as we are here. Cheers, Alison
Hi All, Here in Australia, like most of the world, we are still in isolation to try and combat Covid-19. Are you in isolation too? If so, what have you been doing at home? I’ve been reading for my PhD, writing, attending university Zoom meetings, walking my dog, hosting Zoom sessions to see my family and friends (including a very successful Zoom dinner party with a fun Masterchef theme) and, of course, hitting a bit of television and Netflix. I feel pretty lucky that my husband and I can isolate ourselves and stay safe in this way, and hope you and your loved ones are doing okay.
I was flicking through my photos and found this short video of me promenading around the Bath Guildhall ballroom at the Jane Austen Summer Ball last June (be aware that it is better with the sound on . . . but it is also pretty loud!). I went along to the ball because I am a keen contra-dancer and to research my new Regency series (you can check out that new series in the Coming Soon(ish) page via the menu). It was a costumed ball, so you could only attend in full Regency gear, and we even had a Regency style supper. It was as close as I could get to actually attending a ball in that era and I discovered some very interesting physical details that will work their way into my fiction. All in all, I had a brilliant time.
Dancing at the Ball
In a side note, it also happened to be one of the hottest days in Bath for ages, so you’ll see me giving my fan a good work out. The vid is at the very start of the ball as the guests are arriving and being announced. It seems like a lifetime ago now. In fact, it seems like a different life completely, but perhaps we’ll soon be able to contra-dance again.
So, here it is, my brand new website. Welcome! My husband and I did a big renovation on the old site (the only kind of reno we’ll probably ever do) and this is what we designed! I hope you like it. I’ve included a brand new page — Coming Soon — that gives a sneak peek of my new project which will be available from this site. If you’d like to know when it will drop, I’ll be letting everyone know via my newsletter (sign up in the menu) and my socials. And if you are wondering who that mysterious woman giving extreme side-eye is in the header, well, that’s me on my wedding day!
As I am writing this, the world is in the grip of the Coronavirus outbreak, a very troubling and difficult time for us all. Yet, we still have to go on amidst all this chaos and uncertainty, and so in that spirit I recently did my PhD Mid Candidature Review. I am thrilled to report that I passed with flying colours and so can continue with my PhD studies. As you can see from the pic below, I am all set for both my study and any self isolation with a gorgeous study nook and an equally gorgeous study buddy, Buckley.
The study nook
In other news, the last event I attended before large gatherings were banned was Supanova Pop Culture Expo in Melbourne. It was a great weekend, and the Lady Helen books were the Expo bestseller which was a thrill.
Signing books at Supanova
Here I am signing stock for the Expo’s official bookseller QBD books, so if you want a signed copy of any of the three Australian Lady Helen books (or indeed ALL three) they may still have some in stock.
Stay safe and well, friends and remember to be kind to yourself and all those around you (at a safe distance, of course). Cheers, Alison
