Karen Inglis's Blog

Autumn updates from London — and a fox who saves the day 🦊🍂

Hello from a sunny London!
It’s a crisp and beautiful autumn day here with the blue skies a welcome change after recent rain and grey clouds. As the leaves start to turn, here’s hoping for some spectacular colours after such a warm summer. (I once followed the changing autumn colours down the east coast of the US— it was breathtaking!)

Moving on to my writing life, I have some exciting news about Ferdinand Fox — and a few new adventures that I think you and your young readers will enjoy.

Ferdinand Fox Saves the Day — Out Now!

I’m thrilled to share that Ferdinand Fox Saves the Day — a six-story illustrated collection for readers aged 6–8 — is now available!

Encouraging reading for pleasure

This special edition brings together three brand-new stories with my three original picture-book fox tales in a lively illustrated chapter-book format designed to inspire a love of reading. My aim was to create a book that bridges the gap between picture books and early chapter books — keeping the rhythm and fun of rhyme while offering enough text to stretch early reading skills and hold a child’s attention.

The short, self-contained stories are designed to make it easy for children to dip in and out, revisit their favourites, or share them with younger siblings — perfect for home reading or classroom story time.

Four of the tales are action-packed page-turners full of adventure, mischief, and quick thinking, while the remaining two show Ferdinand’s gentler, big-hearted side — the qualities that make him so endearing to readers of all ages.

A huge thank-you to my advance readers who helped me shape the format for this edition; all were adamant that they wanted scattered illustrations throughout! I suspected this would be the case, but wanted to be sure.

And, needless to say, a huge thank-you to Andrew Smith, whose beautiful artwork perfectly captures Ferdinand’s character and the different settings!

Available now on Amazon if you search in your country, and coming soon to all online and high-street bookshops. Quick links below. (US and UK are affiliate links from which I earn a small fee at no cost to you.)

Order on Amazon US →
Order on Amazon UK →
Order on Amazon CA →
Order on Amazon AUD →

I hope you and your children enjoy! Please do write or comment and let me know.

Coming Soon — The Christmas Tree Wish in Italian!

I’m also delighted to share that the Italian edition, L’Albero di Natale dei Desideri, should be out next week!

It’s been wonderful seeing this gentle festive story translated by the hugely talented Elena Papaleo — she took great care in explaining her interpretations, and I can’t wait for Italian readers to meet the little tree who dreams of being chosen for Christmas.

Don’t forget that you can order The Christmas Tree Wish in English, French (Martin le Sapin de Noël), or German (Chris Christbaums Weihnachtstraum). Search by title online.

The Secret Lake — Japanese Edition on the Way!

In other foreign news, I’ve heard that the Japanese edition of The Secret Lake is due out in late November. The cover, which I’ll be able to share later this month, features stunning watercolour artwork — a truly magical interpretation that I think readers will love. My son will be in Japan in November so I’m hoping he can snap a picture in a bookshop!

Virtual Book Club Visits

I recently had a wonderfully relaxed session with a mother and daughter book club in Florida, chatting with 9–11-year-olds who’d just finished The Secret Lake. We talked about their favourite books, how I get story ideas, and how I plan characters and plots. They even had a sneak peek at Ferdinand’s upcoming cover!

Clara has apparently already gone on to buy books 2 and 3 and devoured them! I have another US session coming up later in the month which I’m equally looking forward to – like most authors, I love meeting my readers!

If you’d like to book a virtual author visit — for your home book club or school class — do get in touch. Sessions can be from 30 up to 60 minutes, and I love connecting with readers wherever they are in the world.
Contact me via my website →
View my School visits page

Garden Robin Update

Finally, a little wildlife news! Those who follow me on Instagram will know that I have a pair of friendly robins in my garden. By early 2025, both were feeding from my hand. I named them Robbie and Roberta.

Robbie first appeared on his own two years ago, and I was thrilled when I discovered that he had a ‘mate’ last November. They had a very busy nesting season, but I haven’t see Robbie since late July. The last time he visited, he sat on my hand with a distant look and not feeding. Roberta – who has that same look in the picture below taken a few weeks ago – is still visiting and still takes mealworms from my hand — though she’s far quicker and shyer than Robbie, who used to perch calmly and look me in the eye while eating.

I’m hopeful Robbie will reappear before winter sets in. I think she’s missing him!

You can see more photos and videos over on my Instagram.

That’s it for now. I hope your children or pupils enjoy Ferdinand Fox Saves the Day if you order a copy. Please do let me know. And if you can take a moment to leave a short review on Amazon, Goodreads or your preferred store it would mean a lot to me, and help other families discover these fun stories.

Happy autumn once again, if that’s your season right now! And happy reading and rhyming!

Karen

Midsummer News

Award Win, New Fox Project, and a Tale of Two Robins

Hello from London, where midsummer is well and truly here, delivering us a 30-degree heatwave just in time for the longest day of the year. Here in the UK most of us love long, lazy evenings in the garden with a glass of rosé, but there is one fly in the ointment – most of us don’t have air-conditioning! Thus the initial excitement really does wear off pretty quickly thanks to the attendant restless nights – wish us luck .

I’ve been meaning to share this post ever since returning from a trip to Costa Rica in March. I only realised the other day that I hadn’t done so (I think jet lag got the better of me), so here is a long-overdue update on what’s been happening this year.

Beyond the Secret Lake wins Children’s Book Award

Back in March, while relaxing at a beach bar in Costa Rica (appropriately called Hemingway’s!), I received an unexpected message from London Book Fair where it had been announced that Beyond the Secret Lake had won the 2025 UK Selfies Award for the best independently published children’s book of 2024! Needless to say, I was thrilled; I’ve been shortlisted a few times before, but this was my first major win.

The award came with a cash prize, PR coaching, and an interview in the magazine BookBrunch talking about my writing process and the research that went into Beyond the Secret Lake. To read the full interview click or tap here.

A huge thank you to my author friend Jane Davis – winner of the first-ever Selfies Award in 2019 – who accepted the award on my behalf. I couldn’t have asked for a more stylish stand-in – her outfit even matched the book cover! Follow this link to see a video of her accepting on my behalf.

A New Fox Story Collection for Ages 6–7+

In the last few months, I’ve been working with my illustrator, Andrew Smith, on creating a single illustrated rhyming storybook collection of all six of my Ferdinand Fox rhyming tales.

The stories will include:

Ferdinand Fox and the Hedgehog (already a picture book)Ferdinand Fox and the Lost Boy (already a picture book)Ferdinand Fox, the Kittens and the Alley MonsterFerdinand Fox and the Break-inFerdinand Fox’s Close ShaveFerdinand Fox’s Big Sleep (already a picture book)

The three existing picture books are all hugely popular at my school visits. But the remaining three have sat in my virtual drawer for way too long and I have decided that this needs rectifying! The change in format is partly driven by budget, but also the fact that the remaining stories have quite complex plots for ages 3–5.

I tested the collection idea with a small group of ‘advance readers’ aged 6-8+ from my newsletter by sending a mock-up and text describing where the images would go, as well as asking for preferred book size and number of illustrations. They were wonderfully enthusiastic and loved all of the stories . In response to that feedback, the collection will be in standard paperback size and aimed at children aged 6–7+ to read to themselves or with the help of someone older, and will include scattered colour illustrations. See a couple of samples below.

While there will not be an illustration for every scene, there are certainly enough to engage young readers as they move through the action. This also means that the stories could still happily be shared with younger children by parents who love rhyme (like me!), then the children can grow into reading them themselves.

Those of you familiar with the existing picture books will see that Andrew has reworked the Ferdinand Fox and the Hedgehog images to ensure a consistent illustration style in the new collection I love them! What do you think? He will do the same for Ferdinand Fox’s Big Sleep when he gets to it.

Below is the opening extract from Ferdinand Fox, the Kittens and the Alley Monster one of the as-yet ‘never published’ stories – complete with a sketch for the next image in line!

A key theme of the longer stories within the collection is that Ferdinand Fox is an unsung hero – going out of his way to help those in trouble (be they animal or human) but never getting the credit.

I do hope you’ll enjoy the collection when it comes out, which is likely to be in September.

Celebrating World Book Day 2025 (back in March)

Before heading off to Costa Rica, I visited five schools for World Book Day week – as ever, it was a whirlwind of assemblies, readings, and brilliant questions from enthusiastic young readers. Here’s a photo from One Degree Academy in East London, where Year 4 pupils, who had been studying The Secret Lake, came armed with the most thoughtful questions. These in-person visits where I connect with my readers are always a highlight of my year, and such an uplifting reminder of why I love what I do!

The Tale of Robbie and Roberta

Back on the theme of animals… I can’t write this post without introducing my latest muses: two robins, Robbie and Roberta, who have been nesting in our garden for two years now and feed directly from my hand. Their daily visits have been a true delight – and who knows, perhaps a story will come from them in time. Here they are in action! (As I write, they are moulting! Who knew that robins moult?!)

Robbie Robbie and Roberta – looking a bit dishevelled as they are moulting! Secret Lake 4…?

I have been getting emails asking about Book 4 in The Secret Lake series; the ideas for this are currently tumbling around in my mind, which is what always happens. At the moment, it’s a case of ‘watch this space’ until Tom, Stella, Emma, Lucy, Sophie, Hannah and Jack let me know that they are ready for me to start putting pen to paper.

In the meantime, I’m excited to share that following strong sales of The Secret Lake in China, Return to the Secret Lake is soon to be released in Chinese, and the Japanese edition of The Secret Lake (Book 1) is not far behind. I can’t wait to see the covers and share them with you.

And here is the text from one lovely review posted on Amazon for Beyond the Secret Lake. Please do take a moment to help your children leave reviews; it means a lot to us and helps other families discover our stories.

Thanks so much for reading, and for continuing to follow my journey. I’ll be back soon with more news. In the meantime, wishing you a wonderful start to the summer. Stay cool (or warm!) wherever you are

With warmest wishes,
Karen

Ferdinand Fox and the Lost Boy: A Heartwarming Story for Kids

Hello from London (25th November 2024), where we were battered by Storm Bert all of yesterday. If you’ve been affected in the UK I do hope you and your family are safe.

It’s been a busy last few weeks but I am thrilled to let you know that Ferdinand Fox and the Lost Boy, the third book in my Ferdinand Fox rhyming picture book series is finally here.

This fun and heartwarming tale, in which Ferdinand saves the day, is perfect to read aloud to ages 3-5, or for early readers age 6+ to read and enjoy themselves. (Adults love it too, btw!) Scroll down to find out more.

About the story

When Ferdinand Fox hears a cry for help near the railway track, he leads rescuers to a lost little boy. The story ends happily, as the little boy and his mother are reunited, but will anyone realise who the real hero is?
​
Accompanied by Andrew Smith’s beautiful illustrations, Ferdinand Fox and the Lost Boy offers young readers simple messages about bravery, kindness and unexpected friendship. By the end, they discover that unsung heroes come in all shapes, sizes – and species..!

The inspiration behind the story

Ferdinand Fox and the Lost Boy was sparked by a moment near Barnes Bridge Railway Station, close to where I live on the west edge of London. Late one afternoon, I saw a beautiful fox trotting up the station steps towards the platform – probably the same fox I had seen on the far side of the bridge a few weeks earlier, and which inspired Ferdinand Fox and the Hedgehog.

The station sits beside the River Thames (which is tidal) and the trains cross the river to reach the platform. As I watched the fox disappear up the steps, I assumed he had gone to look for food, but then had one of my ‘tingly feelings’ and began wondering if there was more to his journey.

Already knowing how kind and confident Ferdinand was from my earlier two stories, something began to tell me that he might have a habit of quietly ‘saving the day.’ And so, the idea of a lost boy began to bubble up.

Ferdinand arriving on the platform in search of a snack! Ferdinand hears the young boy’s cries

Ferdinand soon finds the young boy and reassures him before going to find help… A happy ending ensues, but only the little boy knows who really saved him.

A perfect gift for little ones

If you’ve children, grandchildren, nephews or nieces I hope you’ll be tempted by this magical tale. It was such fun to write and has been in the drawer for far too long! I am certain that, along with Andrew Smith’s stunning illustrations, it will delight the young (and older!) readers in your life, and they’ll want to return to it again and again.

Where to order Ferdinand Fox and the Lost Boy

The book is currently available in paperback and eBook on Amazon. It can be read as an eBook on tablets, phones or the Kindle Fire using the free Kindle App, and is free with Kindle Unlimited. It will be available from other stores in paperback in the next few weeks.

Click or tap here to view or order Ferdinand Fox and the Lost Boy on Amazon

(Disclosure: affiliate link. I will earn a small fee at no extra cost to you if you buy using my link above. Please feel free to search separately online, of course!)

Happy Thanksgiving to my American friends!

Happy Thanksgiving this week to my American friends and followers – I hope you all have a wonderful celebration with your families. Having lived in the States for two years, I know what a special time it is! Enjoy!

See you in December 

That’s it for now. With the holiday season upon us I will be in touch again in early December to remind you about my Christmas picture book  (Affiliate link) more news, and other titles!

With very best wishes,

Karen 

PS: Here’s that link again View or order Ferdinand Fox and the Lost Boy on Amazon (Affiliate link)

PPS: If you buy any of my books and you or your children enjoy them, please do take a moment to leave a short review online. It really does make a difference. Thank you!

Ferdinand Fox and the Lost Boy: A New Adventure

Hello from a rather cold London. It’s been a jam-packed year, hence the rather long gap since my last post, but I am now excited to announce that Ferdinand Fox and the Lost Boy, the third book in my Ferdinand Fox rhyming picture book series here.

In this new tale of bravery and friendship, Ferdinand stumbles upon a young boy who has fallen and sets out to help him. Young readers will quickly learn that Ferdinand, who is a kind and clever fox, is the unsung hero of the story.

As you will see above, the first two Ferdinand Fox stories were illustrated by Damir Kundalić – Damir did a fantastic job when the books came out 10 years ago. (He lives out in Bosnia so we had to duck and dive with time zones a bit, but it all worked out extremely well!)

For Ferdinand Fox and the Lost Boy the time felt right for a refresh of style, and for the last couple of months I’ve been working with UK-based illustrator, Andrew Smith. I hope you agree that he has done Ferdinand proud! Below is another spread where we see Ferdinand leading the policemen to where they find Michael, the little lost boy…

Three more fox stories to come…!

I have completed six Ferdinand Fox stories in all – written when my children were toddlers – but only two have been out until now: Ferdinand Fox and the Hedgehog and Ferdinand Fox’s Big Sleep, both big hits at school visits.

‘So why such a delay in getting these other books out?’ I hear you ask. In short, rhyming stories can’t be translated– because of the rhyme! With the cost of illustration, this makes it very hard to break even compared with non-rhyming picture books where the images can be reused for the foreign editions.

Happily, Ferdinand Fox has now earned his keep which means that his stories can now continue. I have three more stories in the virtual drawer:

Ferdinand Fox and the Close ShaveFerdinand Fox and the Break-InFerdinand Fox, the Kittens and the Alley Monster

In each, Ferdinand once again quietly saves the day. I plan to start bringing them out from next year and I shall, of course, keep you up to date on that.

Where to buy Ferdinand Fox and the Lost Boy

You can buy the eBook from Amazon to read on a Kindle (or other device using the Kindle App) right away. And if you’re in Kindle Unlimited you can read it for free.

The print copy should be available to order from Amazon this weekend, and from other retailers later in the month.

View or buy Ferdinand Fox and the Lost Boy on Amazon (Affiliate link. I will receive a very small referral fee at no extra cost to you if you buy from this link.)Middle-Grade Adventure Books – free or 0.99p/99c today and tomorrow

In other news, I’m delighted to share that ‘Eeek! The Runaway Alien’ – my illustrated chapter book about a soccer-mad alien who comes to Earth – is part of a special 48-hour eBook offer with 17 other wonderful middle-grade stories by author friends of mine.

Eeek is consistently my second-bestselling book at school visits for ages 7–10, and many parents/teachers have told me how the story has transformed their reluctant reader children into eager bookworms. With its laugh-out-loud plot, fun illustrations and surprise ending it really does make reading fun again! Definitely worth grabbing 99p/99c if you’ve a 7-10 year old at home, and/or if you’d like to try it out before buying in print. Oh, and dads and grandads love it too LOL! Offer is in the UK and US. I’m afraid that other territories won’t let me reduce the price due to the file size

Follow this link or tap the image to find out about this great offer (link opens in a new tab)

The Secret Lake: free ebook for Amazon UK Prime members

On the topic of eBooks, my international bestselling time travel adventure The Secret Lake is currently free if you live in the UK and use Amazon Prime. I’m not sure how long this is for but do visit Amazon UK and grab the deal while you can (Affiliate link)

This magical story has now sold almost 3/4 of a million copies in English, and is in translation in 12 languages. It’s also loved by children and adults alike.

If you are not in the UK and you/your children prefer to read eBooks the whole Secret Lake series is also free if you are part of Amazon’s Kindle Unlimited programme.

With Christmas fast approaching, there couldn’t be a better time to introduce young readers aged 8+ to the series whether in print or as an eBook. With its short chapters, The Secret Lake is also perfect to read aloud to ages 6+ Check out The Secret Lake on Amazon in your country (Affiliate link)

World Book Day Week UK 2025 – Taking Bookings

I will be in touch again in the run-up to Christmas but just to say that I am now taking booking for in-person and virtual school visit for World Book Day week 2025. Thursday 6th March and Friday 7th March are now taken but I do have availability earlier in the week if your school is within 1.5 hours’ drive of Barnes, London.

Find out more on my School visits page here or drop me a line to find out more.

That’s it for now. I hope your plans for the upcoming holiday season are going well.

Karen

PS If you buy and enjoy Ferdinand Fox and the Lost Boy, please take a moment to leave a short review on Amazon. Thank you!

Beyond the Secret Lake — out now!

Happy New Year! Updated Saturday 13th January 2024 at the end of a cold day in London.

Last weekend, when I first posted this update, we had just had a bracing walk with friends along the River Thames crossing over and back different bridges, and stopping for a pub lunch along the way. I love being able to walk up to the river from our house – it’s all of 10 minutes! (We are at the stretch where the Oxford-Cambridge boat race passes .)

This weekend I’ve had my head down checking final files for the book launch – and all the hard work has paid off!

Beyond the Secret Lake is here!

I am excited to announce that, as of a few hours ago, Book 3 in The Secret Lake series is now out on Amazon and will be available to order in print from other stores in the next week.

Order Beyond the Secret Lake from Amazon in printOrder Beyond the Secret Lake from Amazon for Kindle/eReader

I couldn’t be happier with the cover, which I signed off last week. I hope you like it as much as I do!

The beautiful cover illustration is by Stuart Bache of bookscovered.co.ukFrom the back page…

Below you’ll find the back page blurb. The story is suitable for stronger readers aged 8-12+, with many teenagers and older adults from my early reader team thoroughly enjoying it too! Coming in at 62,000 words, it’s a little longer than book 2, with its many twists, turns and surprises guaranteed to keep readers turning the pages!

Still Pond in London’s Richmond Park inspired the lake in the story.

Embark on an unforgettable journey Beyond the Secret Lake in this new page-turning time travel adventure for ages 8-12+

When Tom and Stella find a 100-year-old letter from their Edwardian friend Jack, his plea for help leads them and their friend Hannah back down the time tunnel to 1913.

There the adventurers reunite with friends Lucy, Emma and Sophie at the grand Penworth Estate – unaware of the danger that awaits. Young heir Sebastian has fallen mysteriously ill, and tensions are running high in the household.

With secrets lurking in every shadowy corner, it’s up to the friends to unravel a dangerous mystery that threatens Sebastian’s life.

Can the time-travelling detectives expose the truth behind Sebastian’s illness before it’s too late? Will the villain at Penworth succeed with their deadly plans?

Beyond the Secret Lake is packed with twists, turns, secrets and danger! Perfect for fans of middle-grade mystery, and anyone who loves history, old houses and daring adventures.

To read early feedback from my small advance team visit Beyond the Secret Lake’s main page here. Many have said this is their favourite of the series so far, which really warms my heart!

German edition coming soon!

Whilst I have sold foreign rights for The Secret Lake to over 12 countries (meaning a traditional publisher in that overseas territory organises the translation and publication of it), I have always directly managed the translation for Germany. The translation of Beyond the Secret Lake into German is now complete and is currently being checked by the German editor, after which it will go to the German proofreader. It’s a long process, but very necessary to ensure the best quality translation. I’m hoping that book 3 will be out sometime in March in Germany .

El Lago Secreto – colour Spanish edition of The Secret Lake

I am also thrilled to announce that the colour edition of The Secret Lake will be published in Spain on 17th January. Below is a sneak peek of the front cover. In my next blog post I’ll share a few more images from the inside – they are truly magical, and I was thrilled that the publisher Editorial Planeta consulted me along the way, even allowing me to choose the illustrator out of three they had narrowed it down to. Look out for more images in my next blog post!

The Secret Lake colour edition in Spanish – I will share interior images in my next blog post!

That’s it for now. Happy New Year again, and happy reading!

PS: Click or tap here to read early reader reviews of Beyond the Secret Lake

Beyond the Secret Lake

Happy New Year! It’s Sunday 7th January 2024 at the end of a cold and sunny day in London. We’ve had a bracing walk with friends along the River Thames today, crossing over and back different bridges, and stopping for a pub lunch along the way. I love being able to walk up to the river from our house – it’s all of 10 minutes! (We are at the stretch where the Oxford-Cambridge boat race passes .)

Beyond the Secret Lake is almost here!

I am excited to announce that Book 3 in The Secret Lake series is almost here. I couldn’t be happier with the cover, which I signed off last week. I hope you like it as much as I do!

The beautiful cover illustration is by Stuart Bache of bookscovered.co.uk

I am just waiting to receive my print proof copy with the final cover, and have a provisional launch date of Tuesday 23 January. However, I may move this sooner depending on when the proof arrives, as all other proofing work is complete. If the date is moved forward, I will update this page – or you can sign up to my newsletter to be notified on launch.

From the back page…

Below you’ll find the back page blurb. The story is suitable for stronger readers aged 8-12+, with many teenagers and older adults from my early reader team thoroughly enjoying it too! Coming in at 62,000 words, it’s a little longer than book 2, with its many twists, turns and surprises guaranteed to keep readers turning the pages!

Still Pond in London’s Richmond Park inspired the lake in the story.

Embark on an unforgettable journey Beyond the Secret Lake in this new page-turning time travel adventure for ages 8-12+

When Tom and Stella find a 100-year-old letter from their Edwardian friend Jack, his plea for help leads them and their friend Hannah back down the time tunnel to 1913.

There the adventurers reunite with friends Lucy, Emma and Sophie at the grand Penworth Estate – unaware of the danger that awaits. Young heir Sebastian has fallen mysteriously ill, and tensions are running high in the household.

With secrets lurking in every shadowy corner, it’s up to the friends to unravel a dangerous mystery that threatens Sebastian’s life.

Can the time-travelling detectives expose the truth behind Sebastian’s illness before it’s too late? Will the villain at Penworth succeed with their deadly plans?

Beyond the Secret Lake is packed with twists, turns, secrets and danger! Perfect for fans of middle-grade mystery, and anyone who loves history, old houses and daring adventures.

To read early feedback from my small advance team visit Beyond the Secret Lake’s main page here. Many have said this is their favourite of the series so far, which really warms my heart!

German edition coming soon!

Whilst I have sold foreign rights for The Secret Lake to over 12 countries (meaning a traditional publisher in that overseas territory organises the translation and publication of it), I have always directly managed the translation for Germany. The translation of Beyond the Secret Lake into German is now complete and is currently being checked by the German editor, after which it will go to the German proofreader. It’s a long process, but very necessary to ensure the best quality translation. I’m hoping that book 3 will be out sometime in March in Germany .

El Lago Secreto – colour Spanish edition of The Secret Lake

I am also thrilled to announce that the colour edition of The Secret Lake will be published in Spain on 17th January. Below is a sneak peek of the front cover. In my next blog post I’ll share a few more images from the inside – they are truly magical, and I was thrilled that the publisher Editorial Planeta consulted me along the way, even allowing me to choose the illustrator out of three they had narrowed it down to. Look out for more images in my next blog post!

The Secret Lake colour edition in Spanish – I will share interior images in my next blog post!

That’s it for now. Happy New Year again, and happy reading!

PS: Click or tap here to read early reader reviews of Beyond the Secret Lake

The Secret Lake 3 ~ coming soon!

Hello from a sunny but cold London on 6th Nov 2023

I’ve had my head down for quite some time, so apologies for the long silence, but I’m very excited to let you know that after 8 months of research, plotting, writing, and editing, book 3 in The Secret Lake series is almost here! The image below shows the ‘holding cover’, and further down you can link to a video of my unboxing it when it arrived last week. (If you don’t yet know the series, I’ve given an overview the end of this post.)

Beyond the Secret Lake – coming early 2024 – with its temporary cover Beyond the Secret Lake

As you can see, the title is Beyond The Secret Lake. Surprisingly, this took me a while to come up with —I needed it to ‘fit’ with the first two and just couldn’t think of anything! Happily, I got there in the end and it makes perfect sense as, in this latest adventure, the children from both past and present travel outside of early 1900s London to a countryside estate where all is not as it seems! True to form, Stella, Tom, Lucy, Emma, Sophie, Jack (oh — and Hannah!) took me in unexpected directions while working together to solve a mystery whose outcome would shape lives and futures forever. More on this in my next post! 

The early proof copy is currently being checked for any final tweaks, and I’ll be sharing the final cover design and book blurb in a few weeks. Publication is planned for early 2024. Coming in at 60,000 words it’s a little longer than Return to the Secret Lake, and is suitable for strong readers from ages 8-12+ —or to read aloud to ages 7+ who love adventure and mystery!

Advance Readers – your chance to ask to join my team

As with Return to the Secret Lake, I am recruiting a small team of advance readers. In return, if you/they enjoy the book I can include excerpts of their advance reviews at the front of the published book if I receive them in time. My previous readers loved seeing their names in print!

If you or someone you know who has read books 1 and 2 is interested in joining the Advance Reader Team, please email me (see the ‘Contact’ page) with ‘Advance Reader Request’ in the email subject line.  There have been a lot of requests via my newsletter, so good luck! I’ll reply with more details about how it works in the next couple of day, but in short I will send out advance copies in eBook or print in mid November. Feedback will be requested by a certain date — probably late December/early January.

If you were part of the last team, I’d of course love to have you for Book 3!

Unboxing my uncorrected proof copiesUnboxing the uncorrected proof with its temporary cover last week Cornwall Writer’s Retreat and Book 3 Research

In case you missed the previous blog post, it was at my Cornwall Writer’s Retreat last March  where a lot of the research for Beyond the Secret Lake took place. (Of course I had no idea of its title at that time!) Below are a couple of shots from the train journey down — just some of the books I used to steep myself back in that time. Follow the link above and scroll down to see the beautiful house by the sea where we stayed!

Just some of the books I got lost in – The Edwardians was a charity shop find when out with my 98-year-old mother!School visits, bookclub or birthday events: in person and online

In other news, I visited a large primary school near Hampton Court last week. It’s always a joy to connect with new young readers! If your school or book club would like an in-person or virtual author visit, please get in touch — I’m happy to visit anywhere in the world! I’m also happy to pop in online for a birthday event. You can find out more and read testimonials on my school visits page .

The Secret Lake series – at a glance

For those of you who may not know the series, in The Secret Lake Tom and Stella (aged 8 and 11), while trying to find their elderly neighbour’s missing dog in their Notting Hill communal gardens, discover a time tunnel and lake that lead them to their home and the Edwardian children living there 100 years earlier. Here they forge strong friendships, help a young boy who is in trouble, and uncover startling connections with the present.

In Return to the Secret Lake, one of their friends in past time has fallen dangerously ill and her best friend Lucy comes forward in time in search of their help. The children travel back down the time tunnel together where yet more challenges await. Loyalty, bravery and friendship across time are key themes in both books, together with a page-turning plot and unexpected twists and turns. Book 3 follows suit and will not disappoint!

That’s it for now. I’ll be posting again in the run-up to Christmas, and when the cover and blurb for Book 3 is available. In the meantime, happy reading! Follow me on Instagram. Follow me on Facebook.

Spring News: Book Anniversary, Award Finalist, World Book Day, Writing Retreat and more… 😊

Happy spring, all!

I hope you’ve had a good start to 2023. Here in London the huge magnolia in our garden is in full bloom, and the daffodils and crocuses are out — and, of course, the days are gradually getting longer. I love this time of year!

Earlier this month we celebrated UK World Book Day week where I had five days of in-person school visits meeting children from Reception Year (kindergarten) up to Year 6 (fifth grade) around London and the south-east. One of the joys of writing across so many age groups is being able to meet pupils from across the whole school. All the children I met were a delight, with the little ones adoring the live fox footage that’s included as part of my Ferdinand Fox storytime, and pupils in the older year groups asking so many wonderful questions about writing, where I get my inspiration, and how books get made.

Year 2, The Oakwood School, talking about favourite books Reception Year, The Oakwood School — waiting to meet Ferdinand Fox Ferdinand Fox and Hatty Hedgehog waiting to meet the pupils! Abbot’s Hill School, Hemel Hempstead —previously for borders but now a girls’ day school.
A great setting for a school mystery?!Return to the Secret Lake — Double Celebration!

I can hardly believe that this month marks the first anniversary of publication of Return to the Secret Lake — how time flies! It has sold over 11,000 copies in English, and is proving extremely popular in German — and will be published in Czech later this year. There is also another foreign offer in discussion. It was also recently shortlisted as a Finalist in the Wishing Shelf Book Awards, judged by UK Primary School Children and teachers. I love the finalists’ medal, seen below!

Thank you so much to all of you who have left ratings and/or reviews online — your feedback has been wonderful! And special thanks for not giving away any spoilers, which is so easy to do with this plot!

Cornwall Writers’ Retreat

In other news, I have just returned from a week in Marizion in Cornwall with a group of six fellow authors who write mostly for adults (or YA and adults). The house we rented looked out to St Michael’s Mount, which you can walk to when the tide is out. The St Aubyn family, which had owned the island since the mid 1600s, gifted it to the National Trust in the 1950s but still live in the castle on a lease arrangement with the island operating as a visitor centre. The current residents, Lord and Lady St Levan (James and Mary St Aubyn) have been there since 2003. If you choose the right day to visit you can take a tour inside the castle, and climb to the top.

There are a few other homes there with residents all working on the island and children going to school on the mainland. (One of the boatmen doubles up as a teacher in the local primary school — what a great way to get to work!)

House view to St Michael’s Mount — plus work and play!

It was wonderful to get away. Most days were rainy and blustery, with one day of glorious sunshine. But it didn’t matter. Looking out onto rolling waves provides all the inspiration and calm you need to focus. Much work was done by all — writing, editing, plotting and research. We also held an impromptu marketing meeting, seen in the image above.

For my part I was steeped back in Edwardian London where I am researching and planning for book 3 in The Secret Lake series. We did, however, get out and about! Below you can see the causeway that leads out to the island, and more from a spur of the moment hour’s walk I made into Penzance.

Walking to and from St Michael’s Mount — the causeway is revealed as the tide goes out. A 50-minute walk along the coast to Penzance: wonderful views and valuable thinking time!Zoom visits around the world

In between World Book Day week and heading down to Cornwall I squeezed in various zoom sessions: two with elementary schools in the USA who have been reading The Secret Lake, and one with an English language school in Bulgaria where the children have been reading Eeek! The Runaway Alien. Both sets of pupils had such interesting observations about the stories and the Bulgarian pupils had completed activities showing which new English words the text had taught them. The first time I met the Bulgarian pupils was when they were in Kindergarten, with my Ferdinand Fox picture books, so I really feel as if I’m watching them grow up! It was also wonderful to receive thank you letters from the pupils below from Columbia Virtual Academy in Wyoming!

Do get in touch if you’d like to find out more about my Zoom school visits at home and abroad. I love meeting my readers, wherever they are in the world. I can speak with whole schools (as seen below) or small book groups of a few children!

This zoom call in February was with close to 500 pupils in Utah.
Their school had recreated The Secret Lake theme in its grounds!Authors love reviews

If your children or pupils have read one or more of my books but not yet reviewed them online, if you could find a moment to help them do so it would mean a lot— a short review is fine, whether on Amazon, Goodreads, Toppsta or your other preferred site! It will help other families, teachers and children discover my stories. Children also really enjoy seeing their words published online! Thank you!

And finally — our magnolia

I can’t sign off without including a picture of the glorious magnolia tree in our garden. They bloom for such a short time, —I just love them in the days before the buds fully open up. I hope you enjoy, along with my Mother’s Day flowers!

Magnolia — with Mother’s Day flowers from my son in the foreground!

That’s it for now. Happy spring reading!

December update

Happy holidays, all! It’s freezing and snowy here in London, but the sun is shining so it’s looking beautiful out there. I hope you are all keeping warm! I’m a little late with this update but wanted to post before the year is out — so here goes! (And if you’re still in need of a few extra presents, there may be something here for you! )

But first, I hope you enjoy this image, snapped in my garden earlier this week. I just love how the frost decorates the shrubs and trees!

From my garden earlier this weekThe Christmas Tree Wish

If you’re still looking for something for the little ones, this heartwarming tale for ages 3-6 about hope and friendship is still as popular as ever! Gardners UK wholesalers have just run out so getting it from local bookshops will be tricky. However, the paperback is available on Amazon worldwide for delivery before Christmas. (If you enjoy sharing books on your tablet/ device with your children/grandchildren, the story is also available as an eBook with pop-up text via the link above.)

Paperback and eBook available on AmazonEeek! The Runaway Alien makeover (free flip-book sample below!)

A new edition of Eeek! The Runaway Alien (the soccer-mad alien who came to Earth for the World Cup) is now out. It was long overdue a makeover and I’m delighted with the work of illustrator and layout artist, Rachel Lawston. I hope you enjoy! With the World Cup tournament in everyone’s minds (win or lose!), what better choice of stocking filler for 7-10 year-olds who love football (aka soccer) and humour! Described as ‘Laugh-out-loud funny!’ by LoveReading4KidsUK, Eeek! is still a firm favourite with both boys and girls. There’s an hilarious twist in Eeek! btw, but don’t tell the kids!

Tap or click here to read Chapters 1-3 of Eeek! as a flipbook on any device The flipbook sample comes complete with page-turning sounds!

I’d love to know what your children think of the new design; please do email me to let me know!

Return to the Secret Lake audiobook is here!

The audiobook of Return to the Secret Lake came out this autumn. Whereas I narrated The Secret Lake, I knew this was a job for a professional — the sequel comes in at twice the length of book one and has a much larger character cast, which would have been beyond my skills! After listening to around 15 audition samples, I chose British voice actor Eilidh Beaton. Her ability to assume the voices of so many different characters is astonishing, and I am in awe of how she managed to put in so many hours over a relatively short period and still sound so fresh. Eilidh has over 100 audiobooks to her name, so that probably explain things! Click or tap the image or the link below it to hear a free sample over on Amazon.

Click to hear a free sample on Amazon

​Click this link or the image to hear a free sample on Amazon. The excerpt is the scene in past time where Emma’s best friend Lucy is sneaking out of her house in the middle of the night to try to find the time tunnel and get help for Emma, who is dangerously ill.

Thank you for your feedback!

At the time of writing I’ve sold close to 9,000 copies of Return to the Secret Lake in the English language and the story has received nearly 400 ratings/reviews on Amazon with 83% 5-Star. This is truly heartwarming, especially as it was a rather nerve-wracking book to write following on from the success of book one! Children and adults say they especially love the mix of real history with a page-turning plot.

I am extremely grateful that no one so far has inadvertently included spoilers in their reviews — those who have read the book will know what I mean by this!

The German edition has also been extremely well received, and I’ve also just sold the Czech rights to Grada Publishing, whose readers loved book one!

If you’ve bought and enjoyed Return to the Secret Lake, or its German translation, please do take a moment to leave a short review online as it will help other families find the story. Thank you!

The Secret Lake: illustrated Spanish edition coming soon!

In other exciting news, over the summer a major Spanish publisher bought the rights to The Secret Lake and is creating a colour illustrated version, which I hope will be out in 2023. I even got to choose from their final shortlist of illustrators, and have since been commenting on her pencil illustrations, which are amazing! I can’t wait to share the final result with you once it’s out! Watch this space .

Books from past time…

Earlier this year, my husband’s aunt died at the incredible age of 103. Before her house was sold, her daughter asked if I’d like to take a look through her collection of children’s books. Of course, I couldn’t resist. Below is a small sample of those I brought home — I’m sure that some older readers here will recognise at least some of them. The Water Babies is an 1899 Edition!

Another interesting fact is that Anne Logue (my husband’s aunt who owned these books) was married to Valentine Logue, son of Lionel Logue who was speech and language therapist to King George VI, and a main character portrayed in the film The King’s Speech. She said that her husband said that the somewhat downtrodden family apartment featured in the film was not accurate at all! The Logues apparently lived in a far grander property in Bolton Gardens, which is a very upmarket part of London!

Would you like a school visit?

Before I go, just to say please do get in touch or look at the school visits page here on my website if you think your child’s primary/prep/elementary school would like an in-person or virtual visit. For older pupils or secondary schools I can run talks on how books get made and writing and publishing in the digital age. I am mostly booked on World Book Day week 2023, but do still have a couple of slots for Zoom visits —and plenty of availability at other times for in-person or Zoom visits.

The Harrodian School July 2022 — questions about Return to the Secret Lake

That’s it for now. I’ll be in touch again in the new year. In the meantime, for everyone in the northern hemisphere, I hope you are able to find imaginative ways to stay warm without breaking the bank!

Happy reading in the meantime!

Karen

PS Reminder: if you/ your pupils or children have read Return to the Secret Lake or any of my other books it would be wonderful if you could take a moment to leave a short review online if you’ve not yet done so. Every little helps spread the word. Thank you!

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Barnes KidsLitfest, Secret Lake sequel flip-book, audiobook news, more…

Hello from London where midsummer is truly upon us. How time flies!

It’s three months since the launch of Return to the Secret Lake and I wanted to give you a quick update post-launch, along with news of my event at Barnes Children’s Literature Festival next Saturday.

I’m also including a link at the end to a free digital flip-book of the first three chapters of Return to the Secret Lake to give you/your children a flavour of the sequel if you’ve not yet read it.

Below is a picture taken last month at Still Pond in London’s Richmond Park. As you may know, this pond was the inspiration for the lake in The Secret Lake. The azalea display was one of the best in years. I hope you enjoy!

Still Pond inspired the lake in The Secret Lake booksBarnes Children’s Literature Festival — bring the kids next Saturday 25th June!

Barnes, the riverside village in southwest London where I live, is host to the UK’s largest dedicated children’s literature festival. I appeared with Eeek! in the festival’s inaugural year in 2015, and am excited to be back there this year with Return to the Secret Lake. My session is next Saturday 25th June from 3.30-4.30. If you live within reach of Barnes I’d love to see you and your children! Click or tap the link for more details of my session.

You can see the full line-up of amazing authors here There are some very big names, as you will see! It really is a fabulous day out with events centred around the village pond and nearby sites in a variety of halls and marquees. The village itself is charming, with plenty of cafés and other eateries for all the family, and a huge green to picnic on if you prefer.

Return to the Secret Lake — your feedback

Thank you so much to all of you who have taken the time to post reviews of Return to the Secret Lake online. Readers young and old are loving how the page-turning plot mixes with historical fiction. As with book one, it’s proving as popular in the US as over here in the UK. And it’s especially lovely to hear that adults are enjoying it as much as children — my latest 5-Star UK reviewer is aged 70!

Please take a moment to leave a review

If you or your children have read the sequel and not yet had time to post a review online at your preferred store, please do take a moment as it helps those sites show the book more widely. Thank you  

Return to the Secret Lake audiobook — coming soon!

In the last couple of weeks I’ve been listening to auditions for the audiobook edition of Return to the Secret Lake and am delighted to have found a perfect match. My chosen narrator is in high demand so can’t start recording until mid August. This is a little later than I’d have liked, but the best things come to those who wait, as they say! Assuming all goes to plan it will be out in early September, and I shall of course let you know as soon as it is.

My mother-in-law, who is almost 97, is especially keen to hear it; she has dry macular degeneration (a degenerative eye disease) so can no longer read. Meanwhile my 97-and-a-half-year-old mother (!) whisked through it on Kindle as soon as it was out. They are both doing remarkably well for their age, as you will have gathered!

The Secret Lake in simplified Chinese

A couple of weeks ago, I received images of the cover design for The Secret Lake from my Chinese publisher. The book title translates as ‘The Missing Dog, The Dancing Moles and The Secret Lake’. Isn’t it adorable? What do you think?

The Secret Lake in Simplified ChineseVirtual author visits — at home and abroad

Just a quick reminder that, as well as in-person visits, I also offer virtual author visits to schools and book clubs. It’s always fun to visit online, no matter how near or far my audience is! Below are a couple of photos recent visits with elementary schools in the US who have been reading The Secret Lake in class. If you’d like to organise a virtual visit for your school —wherever you are in the world —please email me. You can find more details on the ‘school visits’ tab here on my website.

UK readers: I’m also now taking in person and virtual bookings for World Book Day week in 2023. Please do mention this to your child’s school if you think they may be interested.

Return to the Secret Lake — free flip-book of Chapters 1-3!

With the summer holidays upon us, what better time for children (and adults) to get lost in a new book? If you’d like to get a feel for the world of The Secret Lake click or tap this link to open up Return to the Secret Lake as a flip-book and read the first three chapters. (Suitable for ages 8-80!) Or you can scan the QR code below. You don’t need to input your email address and there are no ‘buy’ links inside.

The flip-book will work on your desktop, laptop, tablet or phone. If you’ve not read The Secret Lake you will get a feel for the story without any spoilers, but I’d definitely recommend starting with book one if you enjoy this excerpt. Feel free to share this link, of course!

Scan the QR Code or use the link above to get your free flip book — no email required

That’s it for now, but before I go here’s that link to my event next Saturday 25th June at Barnes Children’s Literature Festival. If you live locally and have children aged 8-12, I hope to see you there!

Otherwise, I hope you and your children have exciting plans (and books!) lined up for the summer.

Happy reading!

Karen