​🎇 Happy New Year: Snow, Sales, and a Surprise Interview!

Welcome to my first blog post of the year! In fact, this is the very first thing I’ve written in 2026. The first week has been incredibly encouraging. While I’m trying to break the habit of checking my sales every five minutes, I couldn't help but take a peek—and I’m glad I did. We saw three sales in the first four days (two eBooks and a paperback), and as of today, January 7th, that number has already climbed to four!

​​​🌟 Spotlight: My First Author Interview

​I received a fantastic DM via Bluesky this week asking me to take part in an author interview series for Write Stats. It’s a project designed to highlight unique writer journeys and contribute to research on global author experiences.

​Of course, I said yes! I’ve already filled out the questionnaire, and while I don’t have a live date yet, I’ll be sure to update you all when it’s published. In the meantime, head over to their website to check out other interviews with authors and readers alike.

​​❄️ Back to the Daily Grind

​​I am officially back at work after two weeks off. Unfortunately, I spent most of that break feeling ill, so it doesn't quite feel like I’ve had a rest! Within two days of being back, it feels like I never left.

​Day one started with a blanket of the "white stuff" on the floor. Since the children weren't back until the following day, I spent my entire shift clearing and gritting paths, alongside managing contractors and deliveries. We really aren't geared up for snow in the UK—it’s all hand-spreading rock salt for me! On the bright side, I have a lot of holiday to take before April 1st, so another long weekend isn't too far away.

​🚀 The 2026 Roadmap

What is the plan for the rest of the year?

​📈 Scaling the Series

First and foremost: sell more books. I want to help more readers find their way to the series. My strategy is to double down on what’s working—advertising, promoting, and chasing those high-quality reviews that the series needs to propel itself forward in anticipation of Book 2.

​🇺🇸 An American Treasure

I’m hoping to start working with the team at BespokeBookCovers.com very soon on the cover for An American Treasure. Once that’s in motion, I can set a firm release date. My goal is to have that date locked in before An Irish Mystery celebrates its one-year anniversary in May.

​📦 Expanding Distribution

​I also need to commit to setting up my physical copies on Draft2Digital (D2D) and IngramSpark. Currently, paperbacks are only available on Amazon. Getting onto these other platforms will help with wider distribution and make the book more accessible to shops and libraries. It’s on the "to-do" list, and I’m determined to get it ticked off!

​​📚 What Am I Reading? 

​🕯️ Stone of Fire by J.F. Penn

​​I am still sitting at about 30% through Stone of Fire by J.F. Penn. Honestly, with being so ill over the Christmas period, I haven’t had the energy to read any more of it. It is a great story with a real Steve Berry vibe, so I’m frustrated I’ve had to put it down! Hopefully, over the next few days as I start to feel more like myself, I can pick it back up and get back into the mystery.