Persistence and Change

Posted on by Clare
Author Clare Rhoden signing books

It’s been a while but much has happened this year. Not all of it good, but that is to be expected. In between the sadnesses, there have been many good times, and for that I’m grateful.

As we head into the holiday period and look forward to 2026, I’ve turned my mind to thinking of all the positives. In truth, it’s hard not to, as I’m deep into a new-old novel. First started several years ago, it’s been rebooted by a dream! Now THAT’S the way to solve a plot problem!

Publisher Moves

Soon I hope to be able to report on the new position of Odyssey Books. There is good news, involving another publisher, which we understand will be finalised this month.

I can’t wait to share this with you. Meantime, we await official notification.

wrapping presents for christmas
Christmas closing dates are coming up. Time to email friends!

A Dream Story for 2026

To be honest, a lot of my fiction writing happens through dreams or wakeful-sleeping, when issues resolve themselves through some arcane circuitry in my brain. Actually, I get quite a few nifty ideas for my non-fiction work in the middle of the night too.

But this one! A rollicking fantasy adventure, swords, sorcery and romance, that’s been lying unattended in a drawer* since January 2021 — deep in Covid time.

*Not an actual drawer, sadly. A file tucked away on my laptop. But you get the idea.

Anyway, it’s currently at 120,000 words and is going to make a) the first slab of a trilogy b) two halves of a duology or c) a stand-alone tome. Let’s see how it plays out. These stories have minds of their own.

So that’s my writing goals set for 2026: complete the dream, and seek a publishing home.

cat posing for scratches
Let’s see! Image by rihaij from Pixabay

Stickability — persistence pays off

This month we are celebrating our 50th wedding anniversary. Although the time has gone so quickly for us, I know these things don’t happen by chance.

A PhD, a marathon, a novel, a relationship: success relies on taking the task seriously, putting in the time, energy and care to make the finish line.

I wish you all a wonderful holiday season and a healthy and happy New Year.

a path opening from a book
A path opens for a book …

Until 2026!

Book review: Veil by Jeff Clulow.

Posted on by Clare
The Veil by Jeff Clulow cover image girl in wedding veil

This is a great read.

I’ve encountered Jeff Clulow‘s short stories before in several anthologies (including, ahem, one I edited myself, in which Jeff’s story attracted award nomination – see

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/63110139-from-the-waste-land),

and I always thoroughly enjoy them.

Imagine my delight at receiving an advance copy of Clulow’s first novel, Veil.

Clulow’s writing is impeccable: so succinct, evocative, and accomplished that the story almost reads itself to you. I love clever writing that masters expression so well that the reader doesn’t notice the exquisite crafting of every paragraph and page. There is such care for each of the characters that each one is fully rounded, even the horrid ones – we can see where they are coming from.

Protagonist Suze — ex-orphange girl — is a first-rate survivor, and her haunted house story combines all the best elements of fantasy, family, and freedom.  The retro 20th century setting is also spot-on — take it from someone who was there LOL.

I wish there could be more stories about Suze (that should have you thinking just WHY I’m not expecting any more — although…).

This is a gripping tale of loss and redemption (of sorts), the terror balanced finely with life’s beauty. Clulow writes dark fantasy with a great big heart. A brilliant read. More please.

Wait! There IS more!

If you’d care to check Jeff’s writing for yourself, I recommend that you sign up for his fantastic Remixed Myths collection – FREE for his newsletter subscribers.  I’ve read them all (I’m a fangirl, yes!) and I highly recommend them. They come in audio or ebook form. Such a generous gift to the reading public.

Remixed Myths – highly recommended reading
Jeff Clulow author head shot
Author Jeff Clulow

An era ends, another begins

Posted on by Clare

Long time, no post. Life doesn’t stop for writers anymore than it does for anyone else.

Here are some recent changes:

FIRST:

I’ve said GOODBYE to my 60s and embarked on a new decade.

Here’s an interesting take on growing old, by Jonathan Rauch writing in The Atlantic:

Copious evidence shows that most of what people think they know about life after 50 is wrong. Aging per se (as distinct from sickness or frailty) is not a process of uniform decline. It brings gains, too: greater equanimity, more emotional resilience, and … the positivity effect — a heightened appreciation of life’s blessings. Partly for that reason, the later decades of life are, on average, not the saddest but the happiest.

We’ll see!

SECOND:

My long-time publisher Odyssey Books is restructuring — or words to that effect; it’s not completely clear what the status is. I’m a bit dizzy as I watch the changes unfold before me, and see friendly, familiar fellow authors leave the group. It’s rather sad.

But publishing is a mighty tough industry. Onwards and upwards is the only way. Time doesn’t spool in reverse.

THIRD:

I’m writing two new novels and I hope to have news on them soon.

Glass of champagne in Reims
Here’s to the future.