Hello everyone! It’s been a minute since my last blog post!
Sorry about that! I’ve just been so busy with writing that other things have fallen by the wayside!!
But worry not, the backlog is clearing a little and time once more is my friend.
And so I’m taking a bit of a timeout today to chat about my new novella – Dreams of Sorrow – which is out NEXT WEEK!!
For those of you have read both The Children of Gods and Fighting Men and The Words of Kings and Prophets – this is a little treat for you.
For those who haven’t – this book is told from the POV of a crow called Senna, but to tell you anymore would only result in spoilers. I would recommend being up to date with the series before starting.
Why did I write novellas?
When I thought about writing my novellas, I did try to think about who would read them.
I wanted to bring in new readers, which is why I wrote Dreams of Fire to begin with. This is a prequel novella set before The Children of Gods and Fighting Men. It features characters from both the Tuatha Dé Danann and Fomorian tribes and the plot draws on the mythological and fantastical elements of the main story.
My thinking was that people who had already read my novels would love a deeper look at the mythology. But also, for those who had never read anything by me, a nine chapter novella was a less daunting start compared to a whole novel.
My third novella is a standalone prequel that can be read completely outside the main series. This one draws upon the historical fiction elements of the main series and is based in the mortal realm. Again, this is another entry point into the series if readers want it to be. You don’t need to have read any of the other novels to read this one.
But this novella – Dreams of Sorrow – you do need to be up to date for this one.
Why did I do this?
Well… when planning out my novellas, I also wanted to reward my series readers by writing a novella just for you.
My readers really have been amazing over the last year and a half. All the posts, reviews, emails and messages have really made me smile. The series is growing, I can tell you that. More and more people are getting into the world I have created and that is truly incredible.
But more than that – all these wonderful messages and reviews – they are giving me hope.
It’s a little hard to be a writer right now. I’m sure every author in every era has had their own difficulties, but of course, the issue right now is discoverability.
It’s not easy. There are just so many books. The space in which publishers can advertise is shrinking. Social media can be difficult to utilise, and everything is becoming more and more monetised.
As such, much of my discoverability has come from word of mouth and from fans of the series.
So – as much as initially this was meant to be a reward for my fans, it is now also a thank you. Thank you for shouting loudly, thank you for all the TikTok’s, Instagram posts, blogs and reviews.
I promise you this, the series is growing, and I’m delighted to have you all with me.
If you want to pre order Dreams of Sorrow – here are the links! It’s out on July 4th, so not too long to wait. Oh and for a limited time it is 99p/$1.99 – so do try to grab it while it’s on offer!
Amazon UK
Amazon USA
If you want to know about what I’m writing, then why not sign up to my monthly newsletter. One is about to come out – and once I get my author copies of The Land of the Living and the Dead – I’ll be announcing some giveaways!
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Now here is the blurb. Warning – if you aren’t up to speed with the series there are spoilers!
Blurb
A tale of magic, power and heartbreak set in the tumultuous world of medieval Ireland, Dreams of Sorrow is the powerful new novella in Shauna Lawless’s Gael Song series.
Senna is sixteen and deeply in love. When a traumatic event leads to her unleashing powers she never knew she had, she learns her true heritage: her grandmother was a witch and a Descendant of the Tuatha Dé Danann, the legendary former rulers of Ireland.
But such gifts are hard to control, and Senna’s abilities mean that she might forever lose her place in the mortal world.
When she encounters other Descendants with similar powers, things start to look brighter. Anaile, old and wise, can help guide her path. Tomas, deeply ambitious, reveals the truth behind many strange mysteries. And Gobnat, a vivacious young witch, shows Senna how to control her magic.
But torn between a mortal existence and a magical one, Senna must make a decision that will shape her life… in more ways than she could ever expect.