updated every Sunday morning – unless something extra special happens :

Sunday 18th October – please view the blog on the new website .. https://www.witchbee-series.co.uk

Monday 12th October – ha .. exciting stuff .. I have a new website as Witch Queen Bee is evolving into a series and my current provider wants to charge for loading video book trailers – I have followed advice from a friend and switched providers which gave me the push to stretch myself ..

https://www.witchbee-series.co.uk

Sunday 11th October – Two weeks after my fall, I am slowly recovering. I still can’t drive and movement is limited. On a plus side, I can shut off the world and concentrate on my writing. Quiet time is vital for me and I love the peace of writing, concentrating and laughing – yes Jimmy, Lieve, Farid and Aisha are very real to me. When I am writing they become active children with all the humour and the unexpected off the cuff remarks of twelve year olds. Added to that are their busybody aunties, well meaning grandparents and those quirky family characters. Is it any wonder I love what I do 🙂 In recent weeks, they have discovered a remote cottage and followed random clues relating to number thirty nine. This has helped them to find an old family journal, a mysterious black hive and ravens taking messages to the dead. Aisha has been a drama queen and Lieve stopped Jimmy’s finger bleeding with the aid of a cobweb. The fourth book in the series Witch Bee My Family is ‘almost’ ready for waiting its turn with my publisher 🙂

Sunday 4th October – Sadly after a bad fall in the garden on Monday, I have been unable to work on the fourth book in the series. I am recovering and hope to be back to editing Witch Bee My Family soon. I do have exciting news of a new trailer for the second book Witch Bee My Name which is available on Amazon. The new trailer will be available for viewing next weekend … until then, I am looking ahead to another week of recuperation before I am firing on all wobbly cylinders again. Thank you.

Sunday 27th September – An eventful week, Jimmy, witnessed a witch talking to a raven near a derelict cottage in Scotland. As if that wasn’t exciting enough, Lieve stopped Jimmy’s thumb bleeding from a deep cut with a silken cobweb remedy. (Book 4 in the series. Witch Bee My Family. (currently a work in progress)

Sunday 20th September – Wow what a week! I have been working every day on a book planned to be the fourth in the Witch Bee Series. As a writer I have been struggling with a chapter that contains a lot of information from an old family record. All important events relevant to the story. It’s challenging to make it clear and not read like info dumping. I am getting there with it … follow that with the excitement of my very first trailer .. Am I pleased? Oh I am over the moon …

Sunday 13th September – I had a lovely unexpected visit last week, from two strangers. A young local girl, (Molly) and her mum. Molly was over the moon to be the exact same age as Lieve, the new girl at school in Witch Queen Bee. Her mum said, Molly had been counting the days to her birthday, just so she could be the same age as Lieve. I was blessed to be given birthday cake and a lovely visit. Thank you. I am so touched, that my books have grabbed, her imagination. In her words, “Mum, can we give some birthday cake to The Witch who lives at number one?” … I have smiled every day since then. .. I am working daily on the 4th book in the series, Witch Be My Family.

Sunday 6th September – After a much needed summer break the weekend blog has now resumed. I am looking forward to visiting schools again, and sharing Witch Queen Bee, the first book in the series. It’s an absolute joy, and I love it.

A school visit includes, five volunteers to role play, the bully situation at the opening of Witch Queen Bee. Everyone wants to be the bully (Andy Lazar) and most girls want to play Lieve, his victim. It’s so enjoyable to see my characters, in real life and the children put so much into making each performance their own. I always ask for the smallest boy in the class to play Lieve’s rescuer, Jimmy. No girl should be a victim and our bullies develop into larger characters later. It’s not all about Lieve and Jimmy, it’s confidence building role play. It’s unique to each class and so much fun… with a personal experience thrown in … a vivid road traffic accident and thought provoking road safety. I am available for free, to all local schools, primary and high schools. witchqueenbee@gmail.com

The competition to create my next book cover, has now closed. I can confirm the third book in the series, Witch Be My Love will be published in the new year. .. I’m so excited to see how Crimson Cloak art dept develop the winning entry.

Sunday 9th August- I have been working hard on the third book in series, Witch Bee My Love which is now with my publisher. The relief is immense and I can’t stop smiling. I’m seriously pleased with the new book.

This week I have taken a break of sorts, and thoroughly enjoyed sketching and painting to clear my head. I have three possible paintings for the book cover of the fourth book …

Sunday 2nd August – After an extremely busy period of involvement in schools, for Witch Queen Bee, the summer recess brings a period of relaxing and time to refocus. Witch Bee My Name my second book is also available on Amazon. I am working on the next manuscript and I find painting characters or scenes, in-between writing helps me to develop tricky story lines. What are Jimmy, Lieve, Aisha and Farid up to in the school holidays? …. They are facing high school in September, and prefer to enjoy the holidays… A plan is afoot to stay at a certain stud farm in Ireland. Jimmy see’s himself horse riding every day. Lieve envisions, mucking out and working. The realities of life but realities in the Witch Bee Family tend to run a little differently 🙂

Wednesday 22nd July – whoo hoo yes it’s early for a good reason. I have a lot of outside work happening this week end and I won’t have time to update the website. Schools have now closed for the summer holidays, and I am looking forward to visiting again with a brand new competition – full details in September.

This week I have submitted my manuscript for the third book in the series, Witch Bee My Love – publishers being what they are, it could be weeks before I hear anything but it’s gone. When ‘send’ has been achieved, it’s a huge emotion, strangely with tears of relief and giddiness. Months and months of hard word, many sleepless nights and every early morning – I get up at five every single morning to write undisturbed except for delightful birdsong until nine.

Two pupils from Salfords Star Academy asked to be characters in my next book, Lacey – you made it 🙂 sorry I don’t know your surname, so I gave the surname Hulton, as your school is in Little Hulton. Sorry your pal didn’t make it this time but she is on the ‘character to do list’ for the next opportunity. I have also promised young Arthur from St. Ambrose Barlow Rc, here in Astley.

For details of, Witch Bee My Love – please visit that page.

What have Jimmy and Lieve been up to in the last week .. When carrying an injured fox on a sling made from Lieve’s coat. The pair discovered they have an additional gift, of telepathy.

Sunday 19th July – I have been run ragged this last week, visiting schools with Thank You gifts for the six finalists and of course meeting the winner. Maja Gwizdalska (pronounced Mia). All Hallows RC, High School, Salford. What a lovely young lady, it was a delight to meet her. I am so excited and can’t wait to see how Maja’s fabulous design looks on the cover of my next book Witch Bee My Love – I am currently in the final process of double checking and formatting my manuscript before sending it to my publisher.

Sunday 12^th July  –  Wow what a week it’s been … The competition to design my next book cover ended last weekend and my publishers have been studying and debating the result every day through the last week … and I haven’t envied them the task.

A winner in the design of my next book cover has now been chosen 

A massive congratulations to the winner ………  Maja Gwizdalska,for more details

Please see the School Competition page for full details and .. there is more than one winner – my publishers didn’t let me down in their decision making. 

The competition didn’t take over the entire week for me, and I like everyone else have struggled to manage life avoiding sunstroke in this beautiful weather. 

I was invited to a unique first time, Grandparent’s Afternoon Tea, served by 5th year pupils at St. Ambrose Barlow RC, Primary School, here in Astley. Manchester, UK. 

What a plus for a sunny afternoon, not only a lovely arrangement of sandwiches and cake – but the tea was also spot on. The school choir came in afterwards to complete the very thoughtful gesture given as a way for the school to thank grandparents who are actively involved as carers, childminders and loving grandparents.

What a wonderful gesture. Thank You. 

For my part – how fortunate was I to be seated at a table with a couple who had travelled all the way up from Leicestershire to see their grandchild in the choir.  How lucky was I to be told they either have or go in a cafe with a large book club, running weekly, and they want to promote my books.  Any author worth their salt needs promoting, either by word of mouth, sharing of books, reviews, social media, book clubs, writers groups, schools, libraries, etc.  Which leads me nicely to a thank you to the buyer for Wigan Libraries, who has confirmed that twelve of my books, will be available in some of Wigan’s Libraries. With a forward plan for every library. 

It’s certainly been an eventful week 

Sunday 4th July – the school competition has now closed.

The winner will be chosen by next Sunday. I am not making the final choice, I will quite happily leave that difficult decision to my publisher, and the in-house artist at Crimson Cloak.

If I say it’s been a quiet week, I only mean I haven’t been dashing about. Sadly arthritis dictated this week. This has meant I have not made any school visits BUT I have been writing each day. The plan is, in the coming week, I will call in at St Gabriel’s RC in Leigh, and All Hallows RC, Salford and leave a token gift for each chosen finalist, plus writing magazines as promised for a pupil at St Gabriels….

I am delighted to say, I have been invited to Ambrose Barlow RC, this coming Thursday for a Grandparents Afternoon Tea, served by 5th year pupils. So I hope to see at least one of the finalists again and possibly meet Ayda and Harriet’s grandparents. I believe some parents have bought my books. It will be lovely to meet them and say “Thank you – Did you enjoy reading them?”

I will of course have a few books with me if anyone would like to buy any in person.

What have Jimmy and Lieve been up to in the last week? … I can tell you as I write the next book in the series – Lieve has been a bridesmaid and Jimmy for the very first time, shared his awesome tree morphing gift with Farid …

Of course, everything is always black and white with Farid. He found the whole experience amazing until they morphed into a fig tree shared by a wasp nest 🙂 Aisha’s comment, “It’s a pass from me, if Jimmy ever offers to take me with him!”

Sunday 21st June – WOW – What an amazing afternoon I had on Friday, at St. Ambrose Barlow RC here in Astley. I have to say that SO FAR this is the only school where the ENTIRE school have been involved. .. With great difficulty I managed to pick three of the very best from each classroom on the day … It’s going to be no mean feat now to whittle them down. I did of course wear a witches hat covered in fluffy bees with three fluffy bees to accompany me, because the bees feel left out if they are not hugged in each class… The first book is Witch Queen Bee after all. Apparently everyone has been excited about it .. and I have not stopped smiling .. Thank you to the fabulous staff and a huge no – an enormously massive thank you to every child in the school .. I just wish I didn’t have to trim the finalists down to one …. Please note .. Witch Queen Bee is an extra special book because it’s aimed at Adults to read and enjoy and pass on to their children / grandchildren. I wanted to write books for everyone. Now I have the unenviable task of making the to choice to finalists.. and updating the school competition page.

Sunday 14th June – Wow what a week its been

The Book Fest – Such a shame no one realised it was the start of the World Cup! Plus, council road workers are currently working in the evenings outside in the town square in front of the library. Due to this ongoing work, the main entrance to the library was wire fenced off with no notice or sign to indicate that there was actually a rather dubious looking side path to the entrance. It was so frustrating for poor library staff. However, thirty authors and their support teams made it and it was a fantastic atmosphere. I met some lovely people. Thank you everyone who showed interest in my books. I have been invited to speak at adult writing groups. All in all, it was a good evening. Thank you Wigan Libraries, brilliant staff, who did everything possible to make the Book Fest event another Fantastic Success. See you again next time.

Sunday 7th June – It’s been a cracking week, I am ‘nursing’ an arthritic knee and working on developing story lines. I can say with a huge smile, the third book Witch Bee My Love is currently ‘resting’ a process authors go through meaning the manuscript is complete, bar a final check. I have enjoyed going through a process of four full edits , (each edit for different reasons – can you tell I love the editing process?) and its now going to sit for at least four/five months before a final read through with fresh eyes. It will then be sent off to my publishers. Sadly I have lost my proofreader Vicki, I can’t expect her to have the same commitment as me. I wonder how many proofreaders other authors wear out?

In the coming week, I am at Leigh Library for a book fair on the 11th June. 6.30pm to 8.30pm I hope you can call in and say hello 🙂 Maybe pick up a signed copy or two 🙂 – It would be lovely to see you 🙂

Sunday 31st May – Sorry a little later than usual, yes I am usually an early bird but today has been spent on a bit of a mission. Jimmy and Farid are both down with chickenpox, and Jimmy’s gran Olivia is trying to solve the isolating issue. (a snippet I am currently writing book 4 in the Witch Bee Series.) The isolation route leads to attics full of interest and messages.

Sunday 24th May – Wow what a rollercoaster week its been, I am delighted to say the first book in the Witch Bee Series, Witch Queen Bee is now also available as an ebook on Amazon https://amzn.eu/d/07k1s2Ny – Delighted, is an understatement. I am over the moon, because the number of people who have asked me was it out on Kindle yet – the decision was never mine, its purely down to my publishers and of course with the 2nd book Witch Bee My Name being out it makes perfect sense. If you read it and enjoy please do leave a review on Amazon it will be much appreciated.

and .. the most important NEWS – Jimmy, Lieve, Aisha and Farid have turned into detectives this week, in the third book … after finding a sack that contained kittens – written on the sack … a series of numbers and the word ‘Snitcher’ – currently a work in progress for book three in the series 🙂

At one of the lovely schools I go to, Star Salford Academy. Two girls asked me if they could feature in the next book... Lacie and Stacey, I couldn’t place them as characters in my head at the time but I have now created a role for Lacie 🙂 see I even spelt your name as you told me 🙂 … in my third book, Lacie Hulton, is a young clerk/typist working at the local police station. She helps solve a big mystery by telling Jimmy and Lieve that their numbers add up to the number for directory enquiries and that puts them on the right track. Sergeant O’Connor swears she is the best investigator on his team but Jimmy and Lieve are on the case now. Lacie will feature in further books … sorry Stacey but your turn will come as inspiration strikes me 🙂

Saturday 23rd May – yes a day early lol – so much to tell you Sundays update will be as usual – I have been contacted this week by a very large London publishing company, and offered a literary agent all very positive – to then suspect it was all too quick and too perfect – it was out and out fraud and Bloomsbury Publishers were lovely and super efficient about it. They confirmed it is fraud reported it. So after I had, hit the ground running (well, not on these knees lol) Why do people do this? What do they get out of it? It’s a sad world – but follow that by my new X account and a promotion company who wanted to feature my books.

After the recent death of my son, to be honest I didn’t think I would ever smile again. But people are lovely … and hold your breath 🙂 … Witch Bee My Name has had 907 views in 24 hours.

Sunday 17th May – Apologies for my absence, there has been a heartbreaking family tragedy and to be honest, it has floored me completely. I am trying to get back on my feet again, but such is life. I now have the most horrific viral cold infection, and I am very much in isolation. – the bonus is now I am thinking straight again – I am quietly busy working on book three Witch Bee My Love – The second book in the series Witch Bee My Name is along with the first, Witch Queen Bee are bith available on Amazon. I would absolutely love it if readers would leave a review please. I am going to write off the whole of May for any school or library visits, as I need time to recover. I am however delighted to say I do have two school bookings for June and I am free to take more. Thank you so much there is nothing I love better than a school or library visit.

Sunday 3rd May – Delighted to say the second book in the Witch Be series – Witch Bee My Name is now available on Amazon .. It’s bigger in size and cheaper in price. This is the style and size my publisher and I have agreed on for future books in the series. We have decided to go up in size as there are over 200 pages extra if it was in the first size. All the same characters are in this second book with the addition of a few ‘dark characters’ lots of laughter and tons of mystery along with the magical fantasy of a time door, tree morphing, and the comical character that is Dudley the beaver 🙂 he becomes a school favourite…. talking of schools … I called in at Star Salford Academy last Thursday to thank a pupil, who has made it to the finals of the design a cover competition, it was lovely to meet you Sophia Chow. – hope your enjoyed your thank you gift 🙂 .. I will make my way over to All Hallow’s Academy hopefully next week to see the other current finalist, Maja Gwizdalska. Please see the new School Competition page for the gallery of our finalists fabulous work.