A cover reveal AND a competition!

When I began to think about what I was going to include in this, my second weekly round-up of life as a full-time author, I thought it would be fairly straightforward, but thanks to a timely email from my fabulous editor there's more excitement than I know what to do with, so brace yourselves folks!

First up, my writing week...

Last week I signed up to join a new writing group called Castle Writers. If there are enough attendees it will run on a monthly basis in the beautiful setting of Norwich Castle Museum. The tutor is the hugely talented local author and artist Amanda Addison so I have high hopes for the group and am looking forward to stretching my creativity and trying something new. Here are the details...

As you all know, Coming Home to Cuckoo Cottage was published last Thursday and I am delighted to report it is receiving fabulous reviews and attracting rather a lot of attention! So thank you to everyone who has picked up or downloaded a copy so far. I am delighted you are enjoying this latest trip to Wynbridge.

Hot on the heels of publication day came the phenomenal RNA Conference. A 3 day trip to Harper Adams University in Telford and an itinerary packed full of wonderful workshops, inspirational speakers and informative seminars.

There may have been wine, there was certainly laughter and I arrived home Sunday night ready to head back to the keyboard and buzzing with new ideas! I would love at this point to list all of the lovely authors I spent time with but the post would never end. Just a couple of the standout moments include time spent chatting with Dame Milly Johnson and Jill Mansell and meeting lovely Susanna Bavin and Kristen Hesketh in real life for the first time. Huge thanks to my travel companions Jenni Keer and Clare Marchant for making sure I made it there and back safe and sound and apologies for not listing everyone else but I would be here literally adding names all day!

Now, on to the much anticipated cover reveal and competition! 

Drum-roll please...

I am absolutely delighted to finally be able to share with you the exquisite cover for my Christmas novel, Sleigh Rides and Silver Bells at The Christmas Fair. I hope you love it as much as I do? Personally, I think it could be my favourite but yes, I know I always say that. It encapsulates the story perfectly and the colours are simply stunning. Another beauty courtesy of the fabulous art department at Books and The City.

If you would like to find out more about the story, here's a link to Amazon which includes the blurb - 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sleigh-Rides-Silver-Bells-Christmas/dp/1471164853/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1500298333&sr=8-1&keywords=sleigh+rides+and+silver+bells+at+the+christmas+fair

So almost last, but by no means least, the latest competition! To be in with a chance of winning one of two signed paperback copies of Coming Home to Cuckoo Cottage simply tell me, in the comments below, which is your favourite setting in Wynbridge so far and why. Good luck! The closing date is Friday 28th of July. UK only I'm afraid.

And finally, I promise, there are so many Wynbridge Book Bargains on Amazon right now, including The Cherry Tree Cafe e-book for FREE, I'm simply including a link to my page so you can take a look for yourselves! Happy browsing!

https://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=heidi+swain

Thank you everyone for sticking with me to the end and reading quite possibly the longest blog post I have ever written. Wishing you all a wonderful week!

H x