Category Archives: Promotions

Starting Again

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This week’s Work In Progress blog update.

Bobby, a Life Worth Living, is doing well, and I have had some great feedback already. It’s wonderful to hear that his story resonates with so many people, and they have volunteered their own snippets of older relations’ stories. I am waiting for some leads so I can try and copy some of our interviews onto the PC and from there, to this website, so readers can hear Bobby talking about his past. That’s a project for the future, and I’ll let you know if I am successful.

Where There’s a Will is doing brilliantly in the charts, and has already gained some four- and five-star ratings. Good old Will!

A Case of Make Believe

Well now, this is the working title of Delamere book five, and Make Believe is written that way for a reason. The idea is to have someone be made to believe something and it’s all to do with magic acts and the Victorian passion for macabre shows, the famous decapitation tricks of the Egyptian Hall, and the weird and wonderful of Maskelyne and Cooke’s entertainments.

But not everything is going to plan, so the title may change, although the subject of this mystery won’t. I have already changed the first 14,000 words. Let me explain…

I began on the story, setting it in January 1893. On James Wright’s 30th birthday, actually, January 10th. By then, Delamere House has a housekeeper and a new detective. I started the story from Will’s point of view, and immediately had Jack and Jimmy setting off for Paris to solve an urgent case at the Paris Opera House.

This was to set things up for book six, which may well have something to do with a phantom at the Opera House (left), and thus, become the inspiration for the novel by Gaston Leroux, which he will publish in serial form, starting in 1909… but that’s another story.

Back at Delamere, we were introduced to the new housekeeper, and the new detective, and then a new case arrived at the end of chapter one, and in chapters two and three, Will said goodbye to Jack, and was left in charge of the agency and… It didn’t work. As soon as Jack and Will were separated, the thing fell flat. Add to that, too many new faces and too much domestic detail, and I knew I was off to a false start. So, I have set those first 14,000 words aside. (There’s a good idea in there for a short story, and I might well do another ‘1892’ for Christmas, maybe ‘1891’, I’ll see.)

Now, I have started again with the same villain in mind, and the same background, but I’m coming at it from a different angle. The story now opens with a piece by Larkin Chase, and he’s describing a theatrical event that, later in 1897, would become Le Théâtre du Grand-Guignol, specialising in naturalistic horror shows. My version, in 1893, is a forerunner, if you like, and it’s a bit of make-believe itself because I am sure the mystery shows of the time didn’t go as far as Grand Guignol, but like the Phantom of the Opera, the Delamere case might well be the inspiration for creatives of the future.

So, that’s where we are.

This week’s promo to click on and check out for more reading, is all about MM Romance novels. This is running all month, the books are all available through Amazon, and there are plenty of your favourite niches and tropes included. Have a click and enjoy your reading!

Bobby, A Life Worth Living

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This is a change for me. It’s a biography of my godfather who lived an extraordinary life. If you are interested in the gay history of Britain, or simply history, then this true account, as told by him and edited by me, will fascinate you.

Born in Tooting, South London in 1919, Bobby left home at 14 to cross the Thames and make a life for himself. On more or less his first day, he found that a 14-year-old boy could make money from men in the bushes in Hyde Park. A few years as an independent rent boy followed, a time during which he met many well-known people (some of whom are mentioned). After that, he enlisted in the Royal Navy, became a gunner, and saw active service in the Med and Pacific while making sure his fellow crewmen never went without sex. After the war, he finally settled into a post at the Hyde Park Hotel where he became head housekeeper and met even more well-known people.

Winston Churchill, Shirley Bassey, the Dalai Lama, the Duke of Edinburgh, Quentin Crisp, Angus McBean, David Bowie, Frank Vosper… The list of names whose path Bobby crossed or walked along is seemingly endless, so much so, that I was unable to include all of his stories, and there were some names he refused to put in print. He was also involved in the Wolfenden Report (that eventually led to the partial decriminalisation of homosexuality in the UK), he reminisces about Lady Malcom’s Drag Balls at the Albert Hall and other drag and theatre events and people.

Click the cover pic for the Kindle and KU versions and the full cover image for the print version.

Robert Charles Thompson was many things in his life. Among them, he was a teenage sex worker, a gunner in the Royal Navy, and head housekeeper at a prestigious London hotel. He was also gay, and his story gives us a fresh insight into a well-trodden path of British social history.

Available from Amazon US UK DE FR CA AU and all around the world.

Don’t forget there are still four great promos running, and here’s the 19th-century historical fiction one. Scroll down to last week’s post to see them all.

https://books.bookfunnel.com/19thcenturypromo/8ug3l2bqle

A Second Book in a Month

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Following hot on the heels of ‘Where There’s a Will’, I have another book almost ready to release, and that will be the second within four weeks (assuming it doesn’t get held up like last time).

However, I have been working on this one off and on for 20 years. It’s only been in the last couple of months, since losing two paid jobs and finding myself with loads of time but no money, that I’ve finally finished the editing and fact checking.

Here’s the blurb and front cover.

“Variety is the spice of life, they say, but to me, variety was the life of my vice.”

Robert Charles Thompson was many things in his life. Among them he was a teenage sex worker, a gunner in the Royal Navy, and head housekeeper at a prestigious London hotel. He was also gay, and his story gives us a fresh insight into a well-trodden path of British social history.

This is the biography of one gay man, born in 1919 in Tooting, South London. There are, no doubt, many others, but maybe not many led such a diverse life. Bob’s path crossed with those of Hollywood actors, prime ministers, and royalty, but he came from the underclass of the homeless, drag queens, and illegal lovers.

Caught up in pivotal moments of the gay 20th century, this previously unknown gay man’s richly fascinating career has previously slipped under the radar but is now getting the limelight it deserves.

The files are with the guys who do the layout, and as soon as they are back and checked, I’ll send them up to be published, and then, I’ll tell you more about the story behind the book and what’s in it.

Meanwhile…

As you may have seen from the monthly newsletter, I have four promos running this month. Here, again, are the details. Click the links to see loads of new titles and authors with most books being in KU and some being on audio.

Happy reading!

Searching for your next MM romance? There are 49 titles to check out at this BookFunnel promo.

All the MM Feels

49 titles. Running all month. Includes The Mentor of Barrenmoor Ridge

All Crime Past, Present and Future

KU and Audio. 44 books. All month. Includes Deviant Desire – Guardians of the Poor – Finding a Way

Riveting Reads PROMO

Horror, Mystery & Suspense / Crime, and Mystery & Suspense / Thriller

All on Kindle Unlimited and/or $0.99. 68 books including box sets. Promo running all month. Includes Deviant Desire – Guardians of the Poor – Finding a way

Journey Through the Past: 19th Century Historical Fiction PROMO!

Historical Fiction, General Fiction / Historical Fiction, and Mystery & Suspense / Historical Mystery

18 books. Running July 1st to 20th. Includes Deviant Desire – Finding a Way

Hundreds of New Titles

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‘Where There’s a Will’ is still in the publishing queue at Amazon. This is unusual, but it does happen, and we must be patient. Meanwhile, there are hundreds of other titles and new authors for you to explore at the following promo page links. If you want to know more about these promos (which don’t cost you anything to view but which offer great opportunities for new works at low prices), sign up for my newsletter for updates.

The following expire on Sunday, so click now before it’s too late.

Kindle Unlimited Historical Fiction
All books here are on Kindle Unlimited.

Find Your Next LGBTQIA+ Read
This is a Pride Month promotion with a massive variety of genres, niches, tropes and authors.

Mayhem & Motives
Mystery, thriller and suspense reads.

Academy Series Starters
Mysteries, fantasy, lots of unreal stuff and then, ‘Guardians of the Poor’ — historical, academy setting series starter which rather stands out from the other covers (and has attracted a new readership thanks to this promo).

I have two more to tell you about next week. The above end at the end of this month, though the books will still be available of course, just not the easy-reference promo page. Next month I am in two promos (so far), and there will be a newsletter about this, plus blog posts. Meanwhile, my guests leave on Friday, so on Saturday, I shall be returning to ‘Bobby’ which I hope to have published during July – as long as the queue has died down and ‘Where There’s a Will’ has been released. That book is available in paperback, but not yet on Kindle. Click for more info:

Historical Fiction in Kindle Unlimited

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Historical Fiction in Kindle Unlimited

I know I have been telling a lot about promos recently, but that’s because I am doing my bit to promote others’ work while promoting my own, because we indie authors need to support each other. So, today is only a brief mention of a new promo that’s all about historical fiction. Here’s the link and the banner:

Good to see they used ‘Finding a Way’ in the banner. I have my three series starts in there, and it’d be great if you could share this link around, and click on it yourself and give me some kudos points. All the books are in KU, so if you are enrolled, they’ll cost you nothing extra to browse or read. There are a lot of what look like late Regency or early Victorian dukes and their mistresses on the covers, some WWII stories, some American, some that look to be 1930s, and at least one that’s much older in setting and looks a little Viking. So, there is plenty to explore among the 70 titles on offer.

‘The Wharf Rat Guild’ set in 1662 (the time of Charles II) looks interesting, ‘Grace in the Wings’ looks right up my street as it has a theatrical setting, and ‘Trading Thomas’ is now on my TBR list because it is based on true events, we’re told. So, here is the link again.

Where There’s a Will

If you want to see the cover of the next Delamere Files, due out next week, then you will have to a) join my private Facebook group Jackson’s Deviant Desires where I am showing the cover today, or b) wait a little longer and I’ll put it up here next week. The book is all but finished and ready to go – I am just waiting for the full cover and the layout which I will commission over the weekend. So, not long now and you can read more about the annoyingly humorous and odd Will Merrit as he leads his first case.

In the Meantime…

In the meantime, I have visitors here for two weeks, and they arrive in a few hours, so I have much to do in preparation. I’ll continue to post here and at my Symi island blog over at Symi Dream (which I update five days per week), and I’ll let you know there or here if I hear anything more about interviews, promotions and any other news concerning my work.

Pride Month

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Hello, everyone! It’s Pride Month around the world, and there’s much to celebrate.

Find your next LGBTQ + read is a promotion showcasing over 100 books from a wide range of authors, and I’m in it with Deviant Desire, Finding a Way and Guardians of the Poor. You can find the full list of books by clicking this banner image:

Guardians of the Poor

I mention this book in particular because it’s one about which I shall be writing a little more later today. I have an interview to undertake and have been asked about this title in particular, my research methods, and other things, and I’m looking forward to starting on that as soon as I’ve had this cup of tea.

Guardians is the first of the Larkspur Academy series, and if you’re into Academic romance, there’s another promo showcasing the first books in academia-themed series – mixed genre – and you can find that by clicking here.

Once I have done some work on the interview, I shall be returning to Templar Isle and ‘Where There’s a Will.’ It’s back from proofing, so I am giving it my final eye, and the cover is 80% completed. I need to finalise the blurb so we can make up the back cover, and then I can show you what we have. You can see that Andjela has again used the Clearwater font, and the background is going to be in keeping with the others; dark, mysterious, stormy… More cover in future WIP updates.

Once the interview is written and Where There’s a Will is released, I can return to ‘Bobby’, the life story of my godfather which I am also working on. Yesterday, I dug out the original interviews which I recorded on Minidisk years ago. I have the machine I can replay them on, but I want to work out how to get them from the disks to the PC. The idea is to upload some voice clips here, somehow, so when the book is released, interested parties can listen to him talking as well as read the book. Luckily, there are two people living near me who may have the suitable equipment and expertise, so I shall ask if I can hire them when I am ready to proceed.

For now, it’s onwards to the interview and I’ll tell you more about it if they accept it for publication. Watch this space, as they say, and meanwhile, watch the promos because there is some great reading to be had there.

Back on Saturday – see you then.

June Promos

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History and romance mix month June

Hello everyone! Apologies if you just received a newsletter and it was exactly the same as this post, more or less, but it’s the start of a new promo month. Therefore, I have news of promos running in June, the month in which I will release the 4th Delamere Files novel, ‘Where There’s a Will.’

I am very pleased to say that the new series has been doing really well, and that’s mainly thanks to you, my readers and supporters, and to the Book Funnel promotions. This is where a group of authors get together and promote each other’s books, simply by sharing the link to the promo page. Our readers and supporters go to the page to browse, and, hopefully, pick up some copies of a new author’s book. The promotions are themed, and naturally, I go for the historical novels ones, and/or the adventure, romance, action, mystery… whatever is suitable to the book.

So, here is news of what promos you can go and check out this month. Apart from one, they are all running until the end of the month. It doesn’t cost you anything to click, but the more clicks I get direct from this newsletter, the better it makes me look – wink, wink.

LGBT Reading Party

(Only available until 8th June)

This is a celebratory sales promo for authors of works with characters who would identify anywhere within the LGBTQIA+ spectrum.

Click this link: LGBT Reading Party

Mayhem and Motives

MAYHEM & MOTIVES: Mystery, Thriller, & Suspense Reads is a genre-themed sales promotion brought to you by BookMojo.

There are just over 100 books in the list, all mystery or thrillers.

Click this link: Mayhem and Motives

Pride Month

Find your next queer read.

Anyone can join the promo, as long as the main character of the book is part of the LGBTQIA+ community. Well, for me, that’s ripe for all three of my series starters, and they are in there along with over 200 other titles. Plenty of new LGBT authors, stories and series to check out there, and from all genres.

Click this link: Pride Month

All that and a new novel too? Yup, that’s what coming this month. So, here’s wishing you a great June ahead!

History and Academia

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Historical Fiction in Kindle Unlimited

Click the pic to find the offers

This month, I am promoting Deviant Desire and Guardians of the Poor, and I am doing it through two promo outlets which might interest you. The first is for Deviant Desire (and Guardians as that’s in both promos), and that book is up there with 38 other titles by some great authors.

If you like 20th Century historical fiction then KC Savilis is the writer for you, with his ‘The Devil’s Spies’ being set during the Cold War, and his ‘Operation Teardrop’ set in 1944. If you like historical fantasy, then ‘Legacy of Hunger’, by Christy Nichols might suit you, and if you want to go right back, then ‘The Frowning Madona’ is set in 412 A.D.

There is a wide range of historical fiction on offer, though not necessarily gay historical fiction as in Deviant Desire. The first in my Clearwater series of Victorian mysteries, ‘DD’ starts the ball rolling with the East End Ripper – my take on Jack – with some references within the novel being factual and inspiring the ongoing series. For example, my Ripper is never caught, the same as Jack was never caught, but in my world, you, the reader, will find out not only who he is, but why he was never exposed.

You can find all the books through this link.

Academia Romance

Guardians of the Poor has a place in an Academia Romance collection of 19 books on offer through the Academia Romance promo on Book Funnel. Going by the titles and covers, these are mainly straight, academy-themed stories, and Guardians does rather stand out as being something different. Perhaps that will attract some new readers, perhaps it won’t. What I do know is, if you are looking for more KU books to add to your TBR list, and you like the idea of teachers and students, or students and students, or teachers and… you get the idea… then this promo is for you.

Click the image to take a look.

Jackson’s Academy

I was going to leave things there, but then I started thinking about how many of my novels feature an academy, or a mentor. Guardians of the Poor starts off the Larkspur Series, and these are set at the Larkspur Academy, so there are seven right there. Then, I have the Mentor series where an older guy mentors a younger guy through coming out and accepting he’s gay. You can add to that, the Students of Barrenmoor Ridge which is about two school leavers.

I was only allowed to put one title in the academy promo, hence Guardians is there because it’s a series starter, and the story introduces us to the Larkspur Academy, Professor Fleet, and a string of new lead characters.

As usual, you can find all my books through my Amazon page, and they are all available in KU.

[KU = Kindle Unlimited. TBR = To Be Read.]

Willing

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Just a quick hello today, as I have got behind on jobs and chapters this week. I did manage to get some research done, though, and did a lot of reading which, in the end, wasn’t that helpful. I was trying to find out about wills and bequeathments, so I turned to a friend who is a genealogist for advice. My imaginary will was written in about 1862, and I was trying to find an example of a will from that time so I could copy the wording. I have seen some from my family of the past, but they were 18th-century ones, and I thought there would be a difference. Turned out, I was right. Here’s what my friend wrote back:

The key thing is that in 1858 everything changed. Up until then, wills were written for and proved in the various church courts, so they were both kind of religious documents (the testament) and a disposal of worldly goods (the will). So they were a mix of the religious and the legal, and proved in the court of the Archbishop, or bishop, Dean and chapter, or archdeacon, as appropriate.

In 1858, all that changed and the wills were written for, and proved in, the High Court of Justice, in the newly established probate division. So they ceased to be religious documents and became purely legal ones. You no longer get all that stuff about believing in the merits of Christ as Saviour and believing in the Resurrection. And usually, out goes all the stuff about being decently buried in a good Christian manner. Although you still often get some instructions to executors about the burial where the will-maker had some definite preferences. Extravagant brick-lined graves, for example.

I don’t think I have any from around the 1880s, though I will have a look. The only way to get wills from the post-1858 period is to apply to the High Court Probate Division with the index details and pay a fee. They are not available on Ancestry unless an Ancestry member has gone through the application process then scanned the document and kindly made it available, although there are copyright issues when people do that, and it’s not really allowed.

Later, he sent me a link to a PDF file online. It’s a collection of Wills from the 19th century. Although I only found one dated after 1858, it was enough. I have now written my late character’s will-reading scene, and it will make for fun reading, I assure you. I’ll be back on Wednesday with another update on ‘Where There’s a Will.’

Meanwhile, don’t forget this promo is still running until the end of the month.

Finding a Way to Kindle Unlimited

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You may have had your Easter by now, but over here in Greece, ours is yet to come (May 5th). Meanwhile, the special Easter promo of queer romance novels available on Kindle Unlimited is still running. My third series starter, ‘Finding a Way’ is in there with many other hot titles, and you can find them all by clicking the image:

So far, on Amazon, Finding a Way has had 56 rates and a few reviews. I am pleased to say that it’s gained mainly four or five stars (you can never please everyone), and some people have gone to great lengths to leave very positive reviews. Here are some snippets:

Find your way to reading this first book in a new series.

I highly recommend this book for those fans of Jackson Marsh who enjoy his style and humor.

I was hooked on this story from the very first sentence. As always, great characters are introduced to the reader and some cameo appearances of characters from previous series just tied everything so perfectly together.

His brilliant use of words, particularly with the more colourful, learned characters, is almost poetic in nature, while still being incredibly funny to read.

The scene between Jack and Larkin is sublime and other MM romance authors should take note that this is how you write a romantic scene.

Thank you to everyone who takes the trouble to write a review and post it. And also, a huge thank you to anyone who shares these blog posts, the books’ links and news of the Clearwater, larkspur, Delamere series, and my other books.