Hello, Dear Readers! It's been a while, I know - I'm currently staring down the final straight of my PhD thesis and will begin a new Fellowship with the Royal Literary Fund at the University of Lincoln in September, so it's basically a state of constant low-level panic over here (and probably will be until May next year, when I finally submit the whole shebang to the university, although I make no promises that I'll be any more mentally stable in the aftermath).
Anyway, hey, hey, do you remember last year when I told you all about finding a new agent to help me find a publisher for my first historical novel for adults?
Well, after sharing all that, it would have been a great idea to tell you when the book sold, wouldn't it? To a Big Five publisher? During London Book Fair? And about its new official title that said brilliant publisher came up with: The Moonlit Maze?
Oops.
Ahem. To be fair, it was a very busy time and... er I had lots going on? But - mea culpa, mea culpa etc. Sorry. Very sorry.
But to make it up to you, today I bring you a doozy of a post. One of epic proportions. First of all, here's the official synopsis for the book, so you finally know what it's really all about.
Lose yourself in the secrets of The Moonlit Maze...
A gripping mystery and a spellbinding love story, the stunning debut adult novel from bestselling YA author Zoë Marriott tells of the power of secrets to hold you captive, and set you free...
1924. Lord and Lady Kearsley's glittering Summer Ball is in full swing when their betrothed daughter Xanthe slips out of the Orangery and into the maze for a secret encounter. By the next morning, the grand house will be in ashes and two bodies removed, but no one will ever know what happened that night in Winterthorne.
2024. Juliet Stewart discovers she has inherited a cottage in the cliff-top village of Winterthorne from a relative she never knew existed. Stumbling upon the ruins of Kearsley Castle, she learns about the fire that destroyed the family. Puzzled by the disturbing gifts appearing on her doorstep, Juliet realises that someone doesn't want her in Winterthorne. But as she becomes drawn deeper into Xanthe's story, she discovers that danger lies not only in uncovering the past, but in the present too...
Perfect for lovers of Kate Morton, Lucinda Riley and Santa Montefiore.
I mean, I'd read it, would you? Honestly, I'd read the heck out of it. This is a timeslip novel (my favourite genre and the one on which I am, cough cough currently undertaking my doctoral research) so it's also perfect for fans of Barbara Erskine, Susanna Kearsley, Nicola Cornick and Emilia Hart.
And then, as if that wasn't enough, I can also now share the GORGEOUS - I mean, absolutely stunning, utterly glorious - cover art for the book:
Look at this. What can I even say about it? Look at all the details. Look at the moon rising and the summer flowers! Look at how perfectly they have captured my beautiful heroine Xanthe in her period accurate yellow dress with the shadows falling acoss her as she ventures out into the moonlight. It's the essence of the book - lush, mysterious, romantic, and a little bit dark.
And perhaps the most exciting part of all from an author's point of view: the preorder link. This means it's going to be a real book, one I can hold in my own hot little hands. And so you can you, dear Readers. The book will be releasing initially as a beautiful hardcover, and in ebook. If you would like to make my day, my year, my life, you can preorder it now.
Real talk, Readers: preorders make a massive difference to the book's potential success and have a direct effect on the author's ability to continue to write books for you (as well as their being able to do pesky stuff like pay their rent and their dog's vet bills). Think of it like making an investment in the future - a future present for yourself, which will bring you joy and delight, and also an investment in the writer's future and all the lovely books to (hopefully) come. However, if you would like to support authors in another way, you can ask your local library to stock the book, too. Librarians love requests like this, and writers love librarians. Support your local library, folks!
The Moonlit Maze is also up Goodreads, so here's the link to add it there if you'd like.
Phew. This has all been a bit of a whirlwind, hasn't it? Personally, I'm for a large mug of tea before I start on editing the first chapter of my thesis. Have a lovely day out there, and let me know what you think in the comments below or on Twitter; I reply to everyone, and I always follow back.
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