 As you probably know by now, my latest novel ONE TUESDAY, EARLY is set in my hometown, Saltash, and to celebrate both the release and the place that inspired it, I'm going on a little tour of the local businesses.
So, here's where I'm going to be, with links to these wonderful businesses and community groups. Monday 13 May 10 am The Bookshelf 2 pm Bandits Tuesday 14 May 10 am Poolside Cafe @ Saltash Leisure Centre 2 pm Saltash Library - in conversation with the library manager. Wednesday 15 May 10.30 am The Beauty Collective 2 pm Ashtorre Rock Thursday 16 May 10 am The Core 7 pm Ploughboy Book Club (private event, but if you're interested in joining I'm sure they'd love to hear from you) Friday 17 May 10.30 am The Tanning & Beauty Lounge 3.30 pm Saltash Bakery Important note: The event at the library is a seated event where I'll be discussing all things related to my latest release and my author career in general. The other events are drop-in book signings, although I'll be happy to chat. The novel will be on sale at every event, but apart from the Bookshelf, I can only accept cash. I aim to be at each of those venues for around an hour or two - depending on how quickly my copies are sold! If you've pre-ordered, or have other books of mine you'd like signed, please bring them with you.
And then this morning, I received a wonderful review from the team at The Wishing Shelf . It's not often I get pulled instantly into a novel. But that was the case in this intriguingly entitled novel, One Tuesday, Early. It's the story of Lexi and her partner, Finn. It’s Tuesday morning and Lexi finds herself in an empty town – and when I say ‘empty’, there’s nobody there; nobody! Finn, however, is oddly not affected by this phenomenon, waking up and simply finding Lexi’s not there! It’s all very confusing – deliciously so. What follows is a character-led drama as we follow Lexi exploring the empty streets and Finn who thinks Lexi must have left him. There were a number of aspects of this novel I particularly enjoyed. Firstly, I love the way the author developed the way Lexi feels. As she so aptly puts it - It’s a ball and a fist and a whimper and a yell. All swallowed down and shackled within you. The author is adept at putting over her protagonist’s feelings, developing the suspense along the way. Secondly, I enjoyed the pacing; it’s oddly slow – which is normally a bad thing – but not here, the author in no rush to ‘reveal all’; and that is the novel’s biggest strength. Thirdly, the writing style is wonderful – atmospheric, richly descriptive with strong, thought-provoking dialogue. So, who’s this book for? Well, I suspect readers who enjoy a good mystery will find this story a blast. They’ll also enjoy getting to know Lexi and Finn and rooting for them to find a way of reuniting. I remember enjoying another book by this author, Small Forgotten Moments, which was excellent too (and also a bit creepy). But I think this latest book is even better. ‘A smartly plotted psychological drama packed full of mystery – and suspense. Highly recommended!’ The Wishing Shelf 
You’re on your own and you shouldn’t be. Your partner is missing. The streets are empty. Even the birds have disappeared. What do you do? ★★★★★ “A world both familiar and nightmarish. Eerie, atmospheric and immediately gripping.” Charlie Carroll, author of The Lip "A spooky and impossible situation that steals up on you until you're questioning your own life choices." - Roz Morris, author of Ever Rest
You’re on your own and you shouldn’t be. Your partner is missing. The streets are empty. Even the birds have disappeared. What do you do? It’s 6:05am one Tuesday morning, and Lexi Peters is alone. Her partner, her friends, her neighbours have all vanished without a trace. The entire town is deserted. Gathering every ounce of courage, she sets out to explore the streets, seeking any sign of life. Her only companions are a coy black cat and a lurking fog that seems to follow her every step. On the same morning, her partner Finn awakens to an empty house. Recalling the blazing argument they had the night before, he assumes Lexi has snuck off somewhere to cool down. But she doesn’t return. Time passes. Or not. Lexi is stranded on that Tuesday morning, while Finn hurtles through the years at increasing speed. Can Lexi and Finn be reunited, or is it already too late? My New Year's Resolution for 2024 is to spotlight the small and independent publishers who bring such diversity to readers, but on a tight, sometimes minimal budget. These are the publishers who relish original ideas, strong voices, and take risks on the type of books they accept. But the industry is harsh. The Big 5 publishers have the money to push their books front and centre in your local chain bookshop - the books in the windows and on the tables when you walk in, often with discounts that would devastate a small press. Smaller publishers rely more on their loyal band of supporters and readers to spread the word and tell people how great they are. And they really are, genuinely and absolutely, great. Over the course of the next few months, I'll be spotlighting independent publishers on my Facebook page. Please check in, and follow the links. You never know what hidden gem you might discover. Here are some ways you can help small publishers and discover brilliant new authors...
specially to everyone who has supported me, bought my books, reviewed them, and commented on my social media posts. It's been an accidental whirlwind of a year. I started off with the planned publication of The Clock in My Mother's House, and then the rewriting and republishing of Cat and The Dreamer and The Boatman. The latter two were supposed to be a quick cover swap, blurb polish, and off again... But once I started reading them, I couldn't help bring out the red editing pen. In fact, I swear it appeared by magic.  2024 sees the release of my next novel, One Tuesday, Early, which I'm so excited about and can't wait to tell you more. You’re on your own and you shouldn’t be. Your partner is missing. The streets are empty. Even the birds have disappeared. What do you do? More on that next year! Merry Christmas to everyone who celebrates, and a wonderful New Year to you all x It's always wonderful when one of your older books gets a bit of love on a drizzly November morning. Thank you Lorraine for Readers' Favorite for this new ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ review!  "The story is heartbreaking. The tension is palpable. The conclusion both shocks and thrills. Crawford puts you in the story, compelling you to walk in Grace’s shoes. You will acutely feel Grace’s pain and frustration, weep for her, and root for her ultimate redemption. Crawford’s descriptions are vivid and her characterizations are superb. The story is captivating and entirely believable. This is a book readers will struggle to put down, and a story that will stay with you long after you turn the last page. It is just superb writing."
Want to see why so many people love this collection?
Grab your paperback or ebook from most major retailers here! Welcome to my irregular update of how things are going in my life. It wasn't meant to be a weather update, but I'm British and it's in my contract to mention that... wow! we're having a bit of a heatwave. Not an official one, but the temperatures have been up around 26/27C which is hot for September. On Friday I was writing in the garden because I could not spend a moment longer in the house. It was glorious and I got so much done.
I'm also refreshing Our Beautiful Child for a republishing date later this year. I say refreshing, but really I'm slashing it to pieces. I didn't mean to, but once I started to clean things up, make a couple of interactions a little more mindful of post #metoo sensibilities, remove or rename a few of the characters, and change the order of the three novellas in the collection, it's become almost a brand new book. Hopefully, by November (with my fingers crossed), the collection will be out with a new title, a new cover, and a smoother read.
“I loved the mystery surrounding Zenna. It’s sort of creepy but in a good way. The writing style is lyrical, accessible, and totally gripping. Excellent novel.” “You get to know Jo so well in this story. Loved all the suspense and trying to work out what was going on with Zenna. This is a story of lost memory, slow awakenings and, above all, suspense.” “The writing style is easy to follow, the plot is complex – but not too complex. Possibly ‘clever’ is a better word to describe the plot! But it’s the protagonist who steals the show! I thought Jo was fascinating, her art, her memory loss, her way of looking for answers. All in all, a wonderful story I’d recommend to readers who enjoy smartly-plotted novels.” “The story unravels in a smart, evenly paced way.” Huge thank you to everyone who read my novel, and helped to organise the awards - they are a fantastic way to raise awareness of the brilliance of small and independently published books . |
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