A new year and a new book

 

Hello everybody and welcome to 2022, the year of Getting Back to Normal. Maybe? I'm sure we're all living in hope.

It's wonderful news for all us astronomy buffs that the James Webb space telescope was launched on 25^th December. It will be a while before we know if all the intricate parts that deploy the telescope's dish have all worked as they should and I guess I won't be the only one with my fingers firmly crossed. If James Webb gives us results comparable to the stunning achievements of the ageing Hubble device, we're in for decades of stunning photos and spectacular science. I can't wait!

On the writing front, after a long hiatus I have finally published a new book.

One hundred years ago the pirate ship Crimson Lady terrorized the space lanes, then she disappeared without a trace, leaving behind nothing but tall tales and legends. Until Tara Wyndham finds an artefact from the lost ship

Rys Kovas made a mistake when he left Fleet to take over his uncle’s tourist business. He jumps at the chance to hire out his luxury yacht to go hunting for a ghost ship with the lovely Tara and her grandfather. But murder, sabotage, and accidents mar their journey.  It’s clear somebody doesn’t want them following the trail. As the danger ramps up Rys suspects there’s more to the mystery of the Crimson Lady than a long-lost spacefarer’s story.

Can Rys, Tara, and her indomitable grandfather unravel the mystery and escape with their lives?

The Search for the Crimson Lady is available at a retail store near you. Select your favorite retailer.

Here's a short taste of what it's all about. Tara is attending a deceased estate sale.

Tara glanced inside one of the boxes and caught a hint of red. She picked up a cracked mug with a picture of a woman in a flowing red dress wrapped around the outside.

Her hands trembled. She knew that design. This was the Crimson Lady, mascot of the famous ship. It was good quality porcelain, with a fine texture, basically white, with a red and gold rim. The handle had broken off and it was cracked, the line running down through the woman's head almost to the base but even so, if it was genuine, if it came from the legendary Crimson Lady, it would be worth… she sucked in a breath… thousands. She turned it over, reading the words on the base. 'Beecher Designs, Kendon.' She didn't know what the symbols meant, but Archimedes, Grandfather's house IS, would be able to find out.

Tara took a couple of deep breaths and tried to look blasé, then went back to Miz Jepson and held up the mug. "How much do you want for this?"

She stared at Tara. "You know it's broken?"

"Yes. But I like the design. We might be able to get it fixed."

She pulled an 'if you say so' face. "Take it. You can have it. I was going to throw it out."

The woman obviously had no idea. Tara smiled, thanked the woman, and forced herself not to hurry out of the house.

This is a brand new Dryden Universe story with new characters, although there is a cameo appearance from Admiral Ul-Mellor. It’s a mystery and a puzzle with a romance thrown in.

I hope you enjoy it.

On another note, I'll be publishing a monthly newsletter. It will be filled with book news, reviews, progress on my latest WIP and similar. Needless to say, you will not be spammed, I won't sell your email address, and you can unsubscribe at any time. If you're interested, here's the sign-up page

 While you're here, if you wish to add to your TBR pile, and you like stories featuring pets, you can't go wrong with this bundle. Here's the link.

As you can see, the bundle offers paranormal, science fiction, and fantasy romances. You just might find something that excites you.