Today is publication day for When the Earth Wakes. Join me for a short Q&A about the book.

Q: Where and when is the book set?
A: It’s set on the Greek Island of Zakynthos, one of the Ionian island and it’s set in 1953.

Q: What is the story about?
A: It's about an English archaeologist and a Greek archaeology student who travel to Zakynthos to work on an archaeological project. During the project, Zakynthos is hit by a series of devastating earthquakes. With an island in ruins, Humphrey and Phoebe are faced with having to save themselves and what remains of the island's history, that’s become so important to them. 

Q: Who are the main characters?
A: Humphrey Lancaster and Phoebe Konstantinou are the main characters but they're also joined by several other characters called Yianni, Babis and their respective Zakynthian families.

Q: Is the book based on real events?
A: It’s a work of fiction, but the earthquakes in the story are a real event that occurred in 1953 called the Great Ionian Earthquake. The places mentioned in the book are also real. I’ve just created fictional characters and weaved it all together into a unique story.

Q: Why did you write the book?
A: I’ve spent ten years working on a history book about Zakynthos and written about the Great Ionian Earthquake in the past for the Zakynthos Informer. I’ve wanted to write this story for years, but due to the highly sensitive nature of what happened, I wanted to ensure I could write something that would be respectful to the island and those who were involved at the time. I hope I’ve done it justice.

Q: Where is the book available?
A: It’s available in eBook and Paperback on Amazon and through booksellers. 

Most of my readers know that I've written books set in Greece. Did you know that I've also set books in Egypt and Jordan and I have a list of other locations I'd love to write about in the future too?

So why do I write about these far flung locations instead of setting books in the UK?

The answer is simple. I've always loved travelling and it allows me to combine it with my love of history. Allowing me to set books in these locations is a perfect choice.

Why Greece?
Greece is a country full of colour, hospitality and incredible culture. It's a country full of stunning beaches, turquoise seas and a relaxed vibe that's difficult to find anywhere else. Greece is a place that's more than just beaches, sunbeds and sea though, and going off the beaten track is definitely recommended. It's a destination steeped in tradition, where family is important and visitors are always welcome. 

Why Egypt?
My favourite historical era is Egyptian and I've also studied two Egyptology courses with Exeter University. The country is incredible with history wherever you look. The desert is fantastic, the historical sites absolutely worth a visit, and the food and culture are amazing. I loved visiting the country (on several occasions) and I'll admit – although don't tell anyone – that I cried when I had to go home because I just didn't want to leave.

Why Jordan?
Nabataean history is my second favourite historical era. Whilst it didn't last long, the Nabataean's were based out of a hidden city called Petra, in Jordan. On our honeymoon, we border hopped into Jordan and visited Wadi Rum and Petra, as well as Aqaba. Petra was stunning, and unlike any other historical location I've ever visited. The Jordanians were so welcoming, and it's a country I'd love to explore more.

I loved writing about all three of these countries, it allowed me to revisit them via the story and characters, and bring to life things about the countries readers might never be aware of. Would I ever stop writing about them? No, I love them too much, and whilst there are still stories to tell – I'd also love to set books in Italy, Peru, Mexico and Cambodia, there are some incredible sites in these countries that would make amazing stories. Maybe one day... – I will continue to set my stories in my three favourite countries.

I've just been doing some updates to the website and realised that I haven't written a blog in a year!

Firstly, sorry about that, it's been incredibly busy due a multitude of reasons, but I'll try my best not to leave it so long next time. 

Whilst I'm here, though, I'll briefly catch you up on everything.

Last year I released my ninth book, A Night of Thunder. This book followed on from Among the Olive Groves, and is the middle book of a trilogy. The third and last book Hope Under Blue Skies is due to be released next year.

In the meantime I've been editing the next book for publication. It's called When the Earth Wakes. It's a standalone historical fiction set on Zakynthos, and centres on the Great Ionian Earthquake. It's due to be released this summer, and I'm looking forward to sharing this special story with readers, soon.

​In the meantime, I've been editing the history book about Zakynthos, which is now so big that it'll be published in two volumes.  Louise and I can't wait to be able to release the books and we hope that will be very soon.

Once all of the above is out of the way, I will be work on a new writing project, that's a series. I won't say too much about it at the moment as it will need a lot of planning, but I am excited about it and looking forward to starting work on it at some point in the future.

In the meantime keep an eye out on my socials for more news about my next release and you can also sign up to my newsletter if you'd like to get my monthly update!

In 2014 I released my book Among the Olive Groves, when I wrote it, I never expected it to be as popular or do as well as it did. 
 
I wrote the story because there were things I wanted to share about the island of Zakynthos. It’s an island with an incredibly complex history and at the time of writing Among the Olive Groves, Greece was going through a difficult time. I wanted to share my love of the island, and the Greek people as well as be able to try and combat some of the negativity that was being shared online and in the news.
 
The idea for the book came from something I heard whilst visiting the island. It was a simple sentence about actions Greeks faced during the Second World War and Greek Civil War. It was something that stayed with me and became the inspiration for the story.
 
Among the Olive Groves was always meant to be a standalone book. I never had any intention of writing another book containing the characters. That all changed however after it was published. Over the years since publication, I’ve received numerous comments, messages and emails from readers wanting to know more about baby Athena’s life, they wanted to know what had happened to her and how Kate had ended up being born in the UK?

For a long time I resisted writing a follow up. I’d felt that the story I needed to tell had been told and there was nothing more to say. I also had other books planned into my writing schedule. Over time however story ideas began to form in my head and I ended up asking many questions of my own.
 
In the end I sat down to write what I hoped would be a follow up, called A Night of Thunder, a book that would explain more about Athena, and her life to the readers. The story I came up with did all that, but it was too long for just a second book.
 
So now Among the Olives is much more than just one book, it’s become a trilogy called the Zakynthian Family series containing the following books:
Among the Olive Groves – Book one
A Night of Thunder – Book two
Hope Under Blue Skies – Book three
 
A Night of Thunder was released this week and you can buy a copy now!

Wishing you all a very Happy New Year. I hope that you have a great 2025. 

I'm looking forward to releasing two new books this year, as well as planning a brand new series!

Have a great January and may all your plans, wishes and dreams come true this year. 

Many of you know I love history, from studying archaeology and Egyptology with Exeter University, to writing history articles, I’m often surrounded by something historical.
 
As well as currently being 9yrs into co-writing a history book about the Greek island of Zakynthos, I’m also researching and writing a history book about the area I live in.
 
During my research I’ve not only delved into archives and ancient records, I’ve also visited sites and museums to see ancient artefacts discovered by accident or during excavations.
 
Recently, I was very excited to finally see in person, two incredible artefacts that were discovered in my village. Seeing something that was used by past dwellers, that are estimated to be over 2,000 years old, was incredible and it makes research even more exciting.
 
So, what were these artefacts?
 
Ancient shoe
Thought to date from 640 to 760, this shoe was discovered in the village in 2005, inside a hollow tree trunk. The shoe is so well preserved, that in places the leather still has holes for laces and stitching on it! Until recently it was also thought to have been the oldest excavated ancient shoe in the UK.
 
An ancient spring head
Thought to also date from 640 to 760 and found on an excavated Bronze Age site, was a wooden spring head possibly made from poplar or willow. The spring head would have been used by local dwellers to collect water from local springs. This was found in an area with many other significant Bronze Age indicators and artefacts.
 
History is all about reading, looking at evidence, and trying to piece things together to get the bigger picture. I’m so glad I was able to finally see these artefacts in person, they’ve helped me get a further glimpse into the past, adding context to what I’ve already learned, and I can’t wait to add more details to my research!
 
Photos: Chrissie Parker, taken at the RAAM Museum.

Today I’m joining the My Little Ramadan Blog Tour. For those who don't know, My Little Ramadan is the fourth book of Devon author Abigail Yardimci, and it follows her brilliant Life is Yours trilogy. It can be read independently though.
 
I'm so excited about this book release as I absolutely loved Abigail’s first three books, and I was lucky enough to get an Advanced Reader Copy of My Little Ramadan and it was even better than I expected.
 
So, what’s it about? Well, in a nutshell, the main character Jess lives in a Scottish seaside town with her husband Mesut, who’s from Turkey. Struggling with motherhood and the cultural gap between her and her Muslim husband, Jess decides to support him by participating in Ramadan and writes about the experience on her blog.

Here's the official book description:
One moody Turkish husband, one screaming toddler, thirty days to find true happiness . . . 

After marrying Mesut, the man of her dreams, having an adorable little boy and moving to a beautiful Scottish seaside town, Jess knows she should feel more grateful. But motherhood is so tough and the cultural gap between her and her husband is starting to show.

As Mesut prepares for the Islamic month of Ramadan, Jess figures she should support him. She decides to go nil-by-mouth from sunrise to sunset for thirty days, hoping that some spirituality might rub off on her, especially if she records it all on her blog.

When the blog becomes the talk of the town, Mesut objects to his faith being made public. But Jess is certain Ramadan will make her a better person as well as a better mum. With thirty belly-growling days to get through and thirty blog posts to write, could divine intervention be just around the corner? Or will it tear apart everything she loves?

My Little Ramadan can be read as a standalone book, but is also a sequel to the uplifting and inspirational Life Is Yours Trilogy.

A humorous, heartwarming read with real depth and charm, My Little Ramadan is perfect for fans of Elizabeth Gilbert, Jojo Moyes and Beth O’Leary.

Buy My Little Ramadan and find out if Jess completes Ramadan today!
 
 
It sounds like a great story, right? Well, I can tell you it is! I loved My Little Ramadan, it has absolutely everything! It’s engaging, fresh and at times brutally honest. It grabs hold of you and shares its message in such a frank and sincere way, and that’s what makes it such a great read. The book may be about one woman’s experience with Ramadan, but it also delves into many other subjects too, with situations that lots of readers will identify with. As a reader you also learn so much about cultural differences and how important it is to try and understand other people who aren’t from the same cultural sphere as you.
 
The characters (especially Jess) bare their souls and lives in complete honesty, through a multitude of situations that most would find incredibly difficult to deal with. The support and friendship Jess gets from the other characters throughout it all however is wonderful, and it makes you root for Jess and her lovely family even more. As the pages turn you start to feel like a part of that friendship network too, wanting to know what happens next. 

My Little Ramadan is one of the best books I’ve read recently. It’s written from the heart and is incredibly honest. It’ll make you laugh, think and cry in equal measure. A truly brilliant book and I can’t recommend it enough.

You can get your own copy of My Little Ramadan from Amazon:
 https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0BK4QKDTZ/
 
If you want to read any more reviews, then why not head over to some of the other bloggers sites who are posting about My Little Ramadan during the blog tour this week? Don't forget you can also follow the author Abigail, on social media or find out more about her and her books at https://www.abigailyardimci.com/ 

Like lots of authors and writers, I listen to music when I work. Just like films have a soundtrack, so do lots of writers. Many find that the expression and emotions of great music inspires them when they work.
 
I created a specific writing playlist when I wrote Among the Olive Groves. Over time it’s grown, and it’s now become my go to playlist when writing. Some songs have been removed, others added, but there’s a core set of songs that will always remain on my playlist, because they are important to me.

​There are songs that evoke memories of specific locations, characters and scenes in books, and the emotion in the music helps me focus. Sometimes so much, that certain songs epitomise specific scenes. One of those is Save You by The Moxy, which will forever be associated with a chapter in Among the Olive Groves where the Germans finally capture Elena, leaving Angelos heartbroken. Every time I hear it, I still picture a guilty Angelos wishing that he could have done more to protect Elena as he hides in the grass on the Keri headland watching the Germans taunt her.
 
As time has passed other songs have joined the playlist such as the beautiful Home by Vanessa Carlton, Crystal by Stevie Nicks and the stunning songs Dance With Your Shadows and Free Bird by Kirsty Dewar. These are artists who are always playing when I work on my current books. Home, Dance With Your Shadows and Free Bird especially hit home with my characters Angelos and Athena; Angelos because of the guilt he still carries and Athena who has no place in the world and is desperately trying to find out where she belongs, but fails to at every turn. 

​The playlist has other great songs like Protection by Massive Attack, Glory Box by Portishead, and Missing You by Jem. All are artists from the town of Bristol, and it helps me return to the city I grew up in, where some of the characters in past and current books now live.
 
I also listen to Greek music for my books set in Greece. Two of my favourite Greek songs are Αστέρια (Stars), by Elena Paparizou. It is a modern Greek song that reminds me of everything I love about Greece. The high cliffs, sweeping beaches, crystal turquoise seas, green mountains, and the history of Zakynthos. Another is the up-tempo Tik Tik Tik by Glykeria it’s a wonderful uplifting song.

The emotions that come from listening to certain songs, help me to better understand the situations my characters are going through, and what they are ultimately facing. If you want to listen to the play list to enjoy the music that accompanies me when I write, you can by clicking this link:

As with all great tours this one must come to an end. ​Thank you for joining me on this very special book location tour of Egypt, Jordan and Zakynthos. I hope you enjoyed exploring all the locations. I'd also like to thank you for not only supporting myself but also the Indie Author Week team, who always do an amazing job to pull this week together to highlight some amazing authors.  

There’s lots more on my website if you would like to discover more, or you can drop me a comment below or email me.
 
Future locations
As with all writers I'm busy working on new books and there will be more great locations coming in future including The Greek Mainland, Hydra in Greece, Pompeii and Herculaneum in Italy, and Peru.
I’ll also be returning to Jordan, and Zakynthos.
 
If you would like to know more about future releases and what I’m working on, you can find on the details on Coming Soon under the Books tab.

Thanks for following my book location tour this week, it's been so much fun and don't forget to follow my social media for up to date news!

Don't forgot you can still search and share all the Indie Author week posts and support other authors  by using the #IndieAuthorWeekUK hashtag across social media.

I have a love of ancient history and sites. There are so many in the world, some are incredibly popular and well-known, others aren’t as talked about. 
 
My husband and I went to Eilat for our honeymoon. Whilst there we decided to explore as much as we could, so we ended border hopping into a few different countries that surrounded the small city on the Gulf of Aqaba. One of these trips took us to Jordan to visit the ancient hidden site of Petra. Once we’d got through the border control, a feat within itself, where we ended up sitting up in a room, minus our passports for what seemed an eternity, we finally made the journey northwards. The trip took about two hours up the Kings Highway and the Desert Highway, passing sand, rock, and Bedouin. A typically Jordanian view.
 
Petra is a stunning place, and nothing can ever prepare you for the size and complexity of this ancient city. The walk down through the winding Siq Gorge is long and hot. The towering rock walls, once split open by a violent earthquake, tower overhead making it both fascinating and eerie.  Small rock cut irrigation channels run along the base of the rock and the occasional wall carving or remains of flagstones can be seen.
 
When you finally reach the end, emerging into the city by the famous El Khasneh, it’s worth it! There's so much to explore, from rock cut houses, tombs, even a Roman amphitheatre! There are continuous remains of an entire city that was the base for the ancient Nabataeans who ran the silk route. 
 
I loved this ancient site, the incredibly intricately carved buildings, the inspired water irrigation system, the history behind it and the very fact that it was essentially once a hidden city with only two ways in and out. For me Petra must be one of the most beautiful and interesting ancient sites I’ve ever visited.