Born in Hope 😊
Book swaps and book shops and beta readers
My mum was born in Hope. Hope is a tiny village in North Wales, near another (equally tiny) village called Caergwrle. There, the phrase ‘live in Hope’ has been given a tweak - ‘born in Hope, die in Caergwrle’. This is a long-winded way to start a newsletter.
Hope (the emotion, not the Welsh village). Faith in the future, even though all we will ever have, is the now. I’m not good at looking ahead, more than four months is a challenge. My brain insists on reminding me that now is here, the past is memories, and the future will always be a gift.
I get myself stuck in the now-now. Impatience or making the most of the present or both. It’s a contradictory way to attempt this thing called life, you can’t not make plans for the future, even if it’s just when to make a coffee (and yes, my head is a mess). It’s odd, looking back at the past with a clearer perspective, and realising how much of myself I gave to The Incredible Machines of Thinkery: Outpost 9. I absolutely gave it my all, and it’s now ‘out there’, building its own little fan base in the big wide world. I’m absolutely over the moon. This is not just on me, obviously! The support of friends and family has had me in tears at times.
The future’s bright, the future is… hopeful…
Outpost 9 - hopeful PR stuff 😊
First up, big shout out to for stocking my book!
On Instagram I follow several authors (both published and self-published) who visit bookshops, arrange talks, attend signings etc and can - in theory - be in Shrewsbury one day and Edinburgh the next. As some of you might already know, I struggle with a rare, progressive muscle disorder which is a style-cramper of the first degree. I have to be really careful what I say yes to, which has inevitably led to the publicity for Outpost 9 taking one helluva hit.
Cue drumroll… I am very excited to have said yes (well, have you SEEN the cake?!) to a friendly book swap and ‘meet the author’ event at the Howling Wolf Bakery in Whitehaven, on Fri 20 December. Copies of Outpost 9 will be for sale, and cake will be available to eat. It’s only the second event I’ve managed this year, but that, in itself, brings hope.
My short story Blue gave me a lift onto this little wave of hopefulness, after it won ‘Highly Commended’ at this year’s Bridport Prize. Folks have been asking me where they can read it, so I’ll thought I’d send Blue out in a Xmas Eve ‘special’ Newsletter. It is also included in the Bridport Prize Anthology which is available as a paperback and an ebook.
Future’s End - hopeful feedback stuff 😊
The Incredible Machines of Thinkery: Future’s End has been with a very kind group of beta readers since October. It’s at the first draft stage so it does need a little work, but the feedback that has started to come in has been really positive. The plan (I can plan, it just scares me!) is to work on the second draft of the manuscript in January. This is the blurb, if you’ve time to squeeze in a beta read before 2025 (word count 61,000) rocks up, please do email me banjolinnhe@icloud.com - comp paperbacks and everlasting gratitude to all beta readers!
The year is 1894.
Two years since heartbroken carpenter Edwin Cooper might have become a widower. Two years since strong-willed airship pilot Nell Sykes might have become the other woman.
The all-seeing, all-powerful Institute of Thinkery has lost its top Thinkery scientist – Professor Crowleigh. He is somewhere in Denmark, tenuously connected to eight bodies. In a collision of distrust and heartbreak, Cooper learns the truth he thought he wanted, a trade of emotions that spins him into a darker world.
The body count climbs. The Institute claws closer. Who, and what, is Professor Benedict Crowleigh Can a man who is the enemy, be the man who leads Cooper towards a life of happiness?
Social media linkages / nice things to click on… 😊
Bluesky - the sunny alternative to Musk’s doomed X. This is a lovely virtual space if you are looking for a new platform to connect with like-minded folks. BlueSky is welcoming a growing number of fellow Substackers, including (who has a second book coming out in the New Year called Broken Biscuits: And other male failures).
Instagram - my go to for posting about upcoming events, news as it happens and an addiction to Goro Fujita scribbled animated loveliness. Also contains ukes.
Goodreads - for reviews of The Incredible Machines of Thinkery: Outpost 9, and - I squirm when I get to these sell-sell-sell bits - here is the link to buy the book on Amazon should anyone be short of a stocking filler. It is also available on Kindle.
TikTok - for which I am too old but having fun anyway. F**k it.
This festive season, I hope you all have the best time that can be gotten, whatever this may look like and whoever this may be with. 😊
Thank you for reading, please do feel free to share.
Peace out ✌️
Linnhe