This week at the Loch - 30/05/2025
Last weekend, the British Fantasy Society kindly hosted the cover reveal for my new book and I’m so delighted to be able to share it with people now. Isn’t she beautiful? The art was provided by Broci who also did the art for The Heart of Winter. They always manage to really capture the essence of the story.
Daughters of Nicnevin tells the story of two witches who are left behind to try and keep a community fed and safe while most of the men go off to fight in the 1745 Jacobite uprising. With a little help from Nicnevin, the fae queen of witches, they bring men made of earth to life as their new protectors and, of course, chaos ensues.
I started writing this book in October 2024 and finished in March 2025, which makes it the quickest book I’ve written to date, despite also being the longest. I really had a lot of fun writing it, especially the scenes with Nicnevin, who I hope will be appearing again in future works.
What I’m working on - While I was waiting for the edits on Daughters of Nicnevin (finished and sent back this week) I’ve been having a great time with some short stories. I’m currently working on two - one about a sleep paralysis demon and another about living with chronic pain and the bargains we might be willing to make to be rid of it.
What I’m reading - I’ve just finished The Reformatory by Tananarive Due, which was truly excellent. Now I’m starting Witchcraft: A History in Thirteen Trials by Marion Gibson, which I’ve been looking forward to for a while.
What I’m watching - Currently doing a rewatch of Charmed which is delightfully cheesy and full of questionable special effects. I like this kind of TV sometimes for not needing a great deal of brain space at the end of the day. It can be on in the background while I do a jigsaw. Yes, my life really is that rock and roll…
What I’m listening to - I’ve been really enjoying some Lacey Sturm this week. She has a really interesting voice and crafts beautiful songs.
Something Interesting - If you’re a podcast fan, I highly recommend the BFS podcast, Long Story Short which you can find here: BFS Podcast: Long Story Short – The British Fantasy Society
Coming Up - Next weekend I’ll be at Cymera festival in Edinburgh. Very much looking forward to catching up with writer friends and refilling my creative well with all of the interesting discussions there. If you’re local, why not check it out? CYMERA