Book VIII in the Rowland Sinclair Mysteries has been scheduled for release in September 2017. That's a while away. I do love that readers care enough about my books to complain that it's too long a while.
Of course publishing schedules are for the most part out of a writer's control so there is nothing I can do to bring Rowly VIII onto bookshelves any sooner, but the heartfelt lament of some of Rowland Sinclair's most ardent fans did make me want to write something to tide them over till the book proper came out.
My intention intially was to write a short story, a prequel to the series which looked at the time when Rowland first returned to Sydney and met his louche entourage. It was to be not much more than a vignette, a glimpse of my characters in 1928 before the markets crashed. Of course Rowland had different ideas, and my short story became a novella. Writing it made me want to paint so it became an illustrated novella. The result was a little too big to email out as I originally planned.
Fortunately, my publishers, Pantera Press, are lovely, generous people who are very indulgent of the mad whims of their authors. Despite the fact that this endeavour was what lawyer-me would have termed a "frolic of my own", they proofed, typset and lent their significant publisher know-how to turn The Prodigal Son into an e-book which from the 4th of November 2016 may be downloaded FREE in every possible format from www.RowlandSinclairNovella.com.
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So on the 4th (tomorrow) the site 'go live' and I will be able to give something back to all the readers who have supported the Rowland Sinclair series over the years... to let them know I appreciate their time and their attention. And a story is the most valuable thing a writer has to give.
I'll be sending The Prodigal Son out into the world with cake and tea in my hometown. To that end, my friend and partner in mad notions, Sarah Kynaston and I have made an appropriate cake.
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;)
If you're in Batlow on the afternoon of the 4th November (3pm) please feel free to drop into Coffee and More (the cafe) and have a slice of cake... I promise we will not run out!