Cults, events and a Scottish tour!

Two exciting online events for novelists and short story writers this October.

Good afternoon Scribblers,

Manchester is back to drizzle and mist and so I’ve grabbed a tea to cosy up and write you this monthly round up. It has been a real pleasure to read submissions this month, and I’m looking to announce an Aryamati Prize shortlist end of this month. I’m halfway through reading short fiction and novel categories!

I breathed a sigh of relief this month as Waterstones placed a nice big order for our September thriller, The Sleepless, the fourth novel by the talented storyteller, Liam Bell. We needed an end to cautious buying (against much lower customer sales across the board for Indies) - and it is always wonderful to see a good story appreciated by head buyers!

Let me tell you about the insidious cult of ‘The Sleepless’ as well as two online panels to stimulate your minds this October…

This spine-tingling tale explores a sinister Scottish commune called The Sleepless that rejects the concept of sleep. They believe achieving a toxin cleanse and ultimate enlightenment lies in staying awake around the clock.

When disillusioned radio journalist Grafton catches wind of the cult and decides to investigate, he uncovers horrifying truths that threaten his life and his young son Isaac's. As Grafton is drawn deeper into the extreme world of The Sleepless, his abandoned wife Liz reappears, forcing Grafton to race against time to save his family.

Filled with dazzling prose and more twists than a contortionist's body, The Sleepless will have you turning pages deep into the night. Perfect for fans of folk horror and thrilling page-turners like Emma Cline's The Girls and Fred D'Aguiar's Children of Paradise.

Pre-order here.

ISBN: 9781915789105 Genre: Thriller, Psychological

We also have two riveting online events coming up that all book lovers won't want to miss:

Navigating the Path to Publication

Monday, October 2nd, 7-8:30pm BST. Tickets

Calling all aspiring novelists! Bring your questions and gain invaluable insights into the world of publishing. Our panel of 4 authors will share tips on crafting irresistible hooks, deciding between agents and publishers, finding your target audience, leveraging social media, and more. The interactive Q&A session will address your most pressing queries about bringing your book from manuscript to bookshelf.

Short Story Writers Panel

Wednesday, October 11th, 7-8pm BST. Tickets here.

For short story enthusiasts, this is the event for you! Hear from our panel of 7 acclaimed short story authors as they dive deep into the intricacies of the craft. From honing voice and style to mastering brevity and impact, these experts will share hard-won tips for writing compelling short fiction. Publishing, revision, character development, themes - our panellists cover it all. Bring your questions for the Q&A!

Reserve your spots today for these enlightening online events via our Eventbrite page. Can't attend live? Video recordings will be available.

We are also heading up to Scotland…

It is lovely to notice ‘pockets’ of writers submitting to us - local writing groups, regional university degrees - and Liam Bell seems to have mentored every Scottish novelist in the Stirling and Glasgow region… including Donna Moore! So it is a joy to launch these two accomplished novelists together, and FOTW’s first tour in Scotland.

Catch us in Stirling on Fri 3rd of Nov here.

And in Glasgow at Waterstones Argyle St, Sat 4th Nov here.

To make you smile, here is Liam Bell chatting about how ‘The Sleepless’ came about…

Thank you for supporting independent publishing, Scribblers. It’s been uplifting since joining Substack - it does feel a lovely pocket of wholesome interaction, whilst the tech giants mess around with social media networks…

Take care of yourself,

Isabelle x