News & Updates

The Delamere Dilemma

I thought it was time for a quick update on the next and probably last book in the Delamere files. The Delamere Dilemma.

At the moment, I am up to 120,000 words of the first draft, and am approaching the time when things will start to come together and head towards the climax. How I am to achieve what I want to achieve at the climax, while keeping it realistic, is yet to be seen, but I have a good idea where Jack and his men are leading me.

Interestingly, this story has presented me with a dilemma of its own. Part of the story takes us back to the days of the East End Ripper and the events of Deviant Desire (the Clearwater mysteries book one), the story that set off all three series and all 30 books, plus a couple of spin-offs.

The dilemma is: The Delamere Dilemma names the Ripper, something you don’t find out in ‘Deviant Desire’ until near the end of the book, but you do find out, so it will only be a spoiler if you haven’t read the Clearwater books. Maybe.

Still, there’s nothing I can do about it now, as this is the way the series has to end, and it will also end the trilogy of series. Anyway, that is still ongoing, and there’s a lot more work to do.

Spammers

I’ve given up naming them all on the page I set up. I have just deleted about 20 from this week so far, and they really are not worth my time. They don’t even deserve a mention. I shall post some of the funniest and most dreadful ones when I think they might entertain. Hopefully, newbie authors will have picked up on the obvious: that these praising, offering, too good to be true offers and approaches really are too good to be true, and you should not pay them any heed. No publisher or even agent will approach an indie, self-published author offering to get you ‘properly’ published, so just give them the old ‘spam-and-bin’ routine.

Meanwhile, at Home

Meanwhile, we are having an up and down spring here in Greece, with the weather remaining unpredictable, but it’s due to start being summer soon. I have been working on this book and hardly seeing anything of the world, which is fine by me, as I need to be free of it before I can start relaxing, and as I said, there’s still a way to go.

Promos

I didn’t enter many of these this month, but I am still publicising for others. So, here’s a collection of 52 titles with new authors and established writers side by side, all doing our bit for each other by cross-sharing these promos, with folk who like to read, and thus, support indie authors.

The Delamere Dilemma: WIP Update 02

It’s been a while since I posted. I have been fighting off 101 scammers per week, all wanting me to buy into their community radio show or church book group (really?!) and attend conferences in the wilds of the USA that don’t probably exist, but here I am… Still beavering away on ‘The Delamere Dilemma.’

I am currently up to 80,000 words, chapter 24, and there is lots more to come. As I have said before. This is either going to be a long single book, or two parts to one story, perhaps with two titles. The Delamere Dilemma, followed by the Delamere Decision – neither of which sound very romantic. If there’s romance in this book, it’s the romance of life – not an inst-love or a slow-burn, new romance between characters; that would be gratuitous. Instead, it’s a tricky one…

I won’t give too much away, but if you have been following the Delamere Files, and have not yet read the Clearwater Mysteries – you might want to start them before you read the end of the Delamere series. Why? Well, because this new book will offer some serious spoilers disguised as an investigation, as Jack Merrit and his team set about discovering the identity of the East End Ripper of 1888.

Enough said! (For now.)


The Actor and the Earl

In case you missed the newsletter. This month, I was promoting three collections of novels (see below) and also one book in particular. This was via a newsletter swap, and I assume the swapping author has announced ‘Deviant Desire’ in her mailout, as I have advertised her book in mine. Here are the details.

The Actor and the Earl.
By Rebecca Cohen.

When Sebastian Hewel’s twin sister, Bronwyn, reneges on the arrangement to marry Anthony Redbourn, Earl of Crofton, Sebastian has no choice but to takes her place. He might feel like he’s in one of Master Shakespeare’s plays, but with his performance as Lady Crofton, he hopes to pay off his late father’s debts and save his family’s honour.

Rebecca Cohen spends her days dreaming of living in a Tudor manor house, or a Georgian mansion. Alas, the closest she comes to this is through her characters in her historical romance novels.

Take a closer look at ‘The Actor and the Earl’ here.
Rebecca Cohen’s books are on Amazon, and you can find her author page here: Rebecca Cohen on Amazon.


Promos.

In case I don’t get back to you with another update this month, here are three collections you might want to browse.

Queer Romance Is Resistance

There are 35 titles in this collection of all things MM romance, including some spice to heat things up a little.

LGBTQIA+ Romance Reads

A collection of 52 titles with new authors and established writers side by side, all doing our bit for each other by cross-sharing these promos, with folk who like to read, and thus, support indie authors.

MM ROMANCE BOOKS UNDER $4.99

Everyone loves a bargain, especially these days, and all these MM romance titles are available for under $4.99. I have included one of my backlist in this one. The Stoker Connection doesn’t get out and about enough, so I thought it was time to give it a try.

Promotion & Publication Scammers

Promotion & Publication Scammers – A list for indie authors.

2026, has seen a dramatic increase in the world’s population of book promoters, book groups, radio promotions, publishing opportunities, literary festivals and individuals claiming to be able to help us all get our books into the public eye.

Some of them may be genuine, but if so, they’ve got to find a new way of composing their approach emails, because they are all too obviously peppered with AI-generated jargon. Frankly, I find their insinuations that they know what’s best for my books insulting. I simply don’t trust them, and I hate to think how many newbie indie authors are being sucked in to ultimately part with money.

I am compiling a list of those that I receive so that other indie authors can be aware. These, I feel, are but a few, but maybe by listing them here, I might help others avoid the disappointments and loss of money that can come from these scams.

I am doing this (for as long as I can stand to) because of a fraud almost perpetrated on me by someone claiming to be from HarperCollins.

HarperCollins does not partner with third-party companies that provide editorial or marketing services to unpublished or self-published authors. [From their website.]

The real HC have a thing or two to say about Rosemary Brosnan and others, and you can report such fraud directly to them here: Report Scam Emails to HarperCollins Fraud Directly. I expect other major houses have the same thing, so always check.

Things to look out for when you get a ‘scam’ publishing or promotion-service email.

  1. They are mostly from Gmail accounts.
  2. Major publishing houses do not send out emails like this.
  3. An email address at, for example, HarperCollins@mywebsite.com is not a genuine email from that publishing house, but from an individual’s domain.

Jargon: especially drawn, layered storytelling, shared narratives, reaching out, personally invite, etc. If anyone ‘reaches out’ to me instead of contacting me, I leave them to drown.

Click to see the list.