Here is a fun challenge for fans of the Whitney & Davies series!
If you’ve read any of the books in this series, what other reasonably current books/series would you say have a similar feel? So that one could say, “If you enjoyed ___ book [or author, or series], you’ll enjoy Whitney & Davies!
One of my biggest marketing struggles has been trying to figure out current authors whose writing has a similar feel to mine (or at least, current authors with enough name recognition to make a difference) to whom I can point in that way. “Agatha Christie with magic” is a cool tagline, but unfortunately, the major audience for Agatha Christie books is going to be confused by suddenly having a fantasy book promoted to them–likewise fans of Diana Wynne Jones (who some have been kind enough to say my writing reminds them of) would have legitimate cause to be grumpy if they feel they’ve been tricked into buying a murder mystery set in a fantasy world rather than a delightfully twisty, tricky middle grade or YA fantasy.
So, for readers of my books–what current, at least mildly popular authors, books, and/or series would you say share a similar feel and flavor to Whitney & Davies? As I continue to work on rewriting MMD to make it the best possible start to this series, I would love to start getting these books out there to a wider audience. Finding books with a similar vibe to these is a good step in that direction. I would be so grateful for my readers’ insight into this!
I discovered after moving to Maine two and a half years ago that I am allergic to pine pollen (the irony of living in the Pine Tree State and being allergic to our state symbol is not lost on me). When I had some difficulties breathing around our Christmas tree last year, even though it was a balsam, I assumed it was related. It was a mild nuisance, but nothing too terrible, and so I figured I could live with a month of a Christmas tree again this year.
Well. What seemed like a good idea at the end of last month quickly deteriorated, as within two weeks of having it set up I couldn’t even be in the same room before my chest tightened and I started wheezing. This was likely exacerbated by my allergies to the dust our pellet stove in the dining room puts out, but between the two, I was having to spend 90% of my time upstairs in the sitting corner I created in the master bedroom (which was very cozy, I will admit, though not enough to make up for having to sequester myself away from everyone).
When my brain started to fog and I was struggling to complete various school and editing projects I had on hand, we knew we had to do something. I started doing some deeper research, and learned that the issue with the Christmas tree was most likely due to mold spores in the wood, as pollen is of course not an issue this time of year and with a cut tree. One of my friends had been dealing with mold in her living space (which she just moved out of because of how bad the mold was!), and thanks to her, I knew what to do. We mixed up a batch of thyme oil (thymol), rubbing alcohol, and water, and my wonderfully caring and patient husband took all the ornaments off the tree (with the help of our elder daughter, who kept saying it felt really really weird to be taking ornaments OFF the tree less than a week after they were put on) and sprayed down the tree thoroughly with the mixture.
I hadn’t realized before this that thymol is the equivalent to bleach, or even better, when it comes to disinfecting and killing bacteria, but wow, it really does work. Our house reeked of concentrated thyme overnight (luckily it was a warm enough night we could keep the bedroom windows all open a crack), but by this morning it had dissipated enough that we could bear going into the living room again. And guess what? I can breathe in there now! I haven’t tried sitting near the tree for any length of time yet, but that will be the next step. Still, the fact that I can be in there at all is reassuring. Now, if only the pellet stove issues had such an easy solution …
As a bonus, even though the thyme concentrate scent has dissipated considerably, our house still smells somewhat like an Italian restaurant. Pizza for supper, anyone?
Maybe for next Christmas I should write a story of Maia and Len attempting to solve the mystery of the Christmas tree allergies … slightly anachronistic, but hey, it would amuse me, if nothing else. For this year, we’ll continue to make do with While Shepherds Watch as our Christmas story! It may not have allergies, but it does have a rumored ghost, Christmas lambs, and a cad who needs a lesson in manners taught to him!
Let me know some of your wacky holiday stories in the comments! Have any of you ever had to dismantle and then redecorate your tree for any reason? Ever have a balsam tree that smells like thyme? Any tips on getting rid of dust from a pellet stove? (Yes, we do dust the house regularly, but it just isn’t enough. Every time my husband fills the hopper I start to wheeze again.)
Merry two-and-a-half weeks before Christmas, everyone!
I started writing While Shepherds Watch Thanksgiving weekend 2020. It had been a tumultuous year–for the entire world, obviously, with the pandemic, but also for our family, with moving back to the States from England earlier than originally planned, a major shift in our plans and dreams, buying a house (in the midst of a lockdown!), starting our kids in public school after years of homeschooling … it was a lot. Like with Magic Most Deadly, I found myself wanting and needing to write something fun and light-hearted–and I also found I could not work on the third novel in the Whitney and Davies series, because it made me homesick for Cambridge every time I opened the document.
I began this story in my mother-in-law’s quiet living room after the Thanksgiving festivities while everyone else was outside finding a Christmas tree to cut down and bring inside, and finished it not long after. It did so much to restore my joy and hope in writing. I published it the next year in time for Christmas, and it has quickly become a favorite in the series for fans as well as for myself.
I also found that after writing it I was able to return to the third novel with fresh eyes and enough distance that writing a story set in Cambridge became a loving tribute to my time there rather than a painful reminder of where I no longer was. While Shepherds Watch also helped remind me to keep a light touch with Maia and Len, even as their journeys became more difficult and the choices before them more challenging. I am certain that writing this story is a huge factor in my being able to say that Death by Disguise is the best story I’ve written yet.
And on that note … Death by Disguise comes out TOMORROW! But there’s even more exciting news than that:
While the ebook doesn’t release until tomorrow, you can order the paperback edition NOW. Click here to purchase it from your preferred retail site!
“Of all the ghastly holidays, Christmas is the worst!”
When apprentice magician Maia Whitney’s plans for a quiet Christmas with no obligations toward anyone are disrupted by a friend in need, she resigns herself to yet another holiday filled with indigestion and artificial cheer. Things look up when her friend and fellow magician Len Davies joins the adventure, but Maia is still far from feeling merry or bright.
Len would go with Maia to the ends of the earth, but this crumbling manor in the remote Yorkshire countryside tests even his goodwill toward man. He doesn’t object to the ghost supposedly roaming the halls, but he wishes he knew just what has his host’s young sister so scared. To top it all off, he can barely spend any time with Maia, as she is so busy helping her friend.
Will ghosts, curses, cads, and thieves ruin this Christmas for everyone? Not if the intrepid duo of Whitney & Davies has anything to say about it! It will take all their magical abilities and ingenuity, but they are determined to make this a happy Christmas for all.
*****
Today is the day! Christmas comes early for all you lucky readers, because While Shepherds Watch is published today! Click here for links to Amazon, iBooks, B&N, Kobo, and more.
I honestly had so much fun writing this novella. It reminded me of all the reasons I began writing the Whitney & Davies series in the first place–the sheer delightfulness of these characters, and the enjoyment of adding a magical twist to a traditional British mystery. I wrote it when I ought to have been working on any number of other writing projects–the third Pauline Gray novella (so close to being ready for publication, guys), the next Whitney & Davies novel (set in Cambridge, no less!), the next collection of Whitney & Davies short stories (all plotted out, just not written), the next adventure for Riss & co aboard the Caledonia (my heart’s children!) … but I threw all those out the windows and just wrote for fun, and as a result, I have this lovely Christmas gift for all of you.
And that’s not all! Click on the following titles to take advantage of a Whitney & Davies sale, because every ebook in the series is on sale for $0.99 this week to celebrate the new release.
Happy reading, friends, and be sure to spread the word (and Christmas cheer) about While Shepherds Watch and the Whitney & Davies sale! I can’t wait for you all to share in this new adventure with Maia and Len.
Today is the day! I am so excited to be able to share the cover for While Shepherds Watch with you all, as well as the story’s description.
I feel as though I should create a huge build-up, but to be honest, I don’t really go in for that sort of thing, so let’s skip right to the reveal, shall we?
Without further ado … While Shepherds Watch
“Of all the ghastly holidays, Christmas is the worst!”
When apprentice magician Maia Whitney’s plans for a quiet Christmas with no obligations toward anyone are disrupted by a friend in need, she resigns herself to yet another holiday filled with indigestion and artificial cheer. Things look up when her friend and fellow magician Len Davies joins the adventure, but Maia is still far from feeling merry or bright.
Len would go with Maia to the ends of the earth, but this crumbling manor in the remote Yorkshire countryside tests even his goodwill toward man. He doesn’t object to the ghost supposedly roaming the halls, but he wishes he knew just what has his host’s young sister so scared. To top it all off, he can barely spend any time with Maia, as she is so busy helping her friend.
Will ghosts, curses, cads, and thieves ruin this Christmas for everyone? Not if the intrepid duo of Whitney & Davies has anything to say about it! It will take all their magical abilities and ingenuity, but they are determined to make this a happy Christmas for all.
❆ ❆ ❆
While Shepherds Watch will be released on November 2 in paperback and ebook format, and the ebook is available for pre-order now. There’s also a Goodreads page for it already, so if you are a Goodreads user and want to add it to your TBR, click here.
I’m so looking forward to sharing this story with you all! Some holiday magic coming your way, November 2!
Friends, I am so excited to be able to share this news with you. Not only is the next Pauline Gray novella being released this autumn/winter, coming on November 2 is a new Whitney & Davies story!
I’ll be releasing more info about it soon, including the cover and back blurb, but for now I can tell you that it is a Christmas story, novella-length (I originally conceived it as a short story, but, well, it grew), featuring Maia and Len, and it is set between Magic Most Deadly and Glamours and Gunshots.
The title is While Shepherds Watch, and here is at least a little teaser of the cover:
So set your calendars for Nov 2!
I hope to be able to set this up for pre-orders this week, so that you can be extra sure to get yours in time for Christmas, and if I am able to do that I will let you know. Stay tuned for paperback info, a full cover reveal, and the back blurb soon!
And be sure to check in later this month for info about the third Pauline Gray novella’s release date! All kinds of exciting stuff happening here at StarDance Press this season.
