Helena Halme's Blog, page 3
August 26, 2021
New Nordic Fiction for the Autumn
This autumn is seeing a flurry of books being published, including new Nordic fiction. I’ve picked out my favorites.
The Rabbit Factor by Antti Tuomainen
Antti Tuomainen is one of my favourite Nordic authors. I am delighted that his latest novel, THE RABBIT FACTOR, is coming out in English this autumn. I read this novel in Finnish when it was first published, partly because I couldn’t wait for the translation. I’m also testing my ability to write in English while reading books in my other two languages. So far, it seems fine, as long as I come back to English language literature now and then. (If you are wondering what I am talking about, go here).
But back to Antti Tuomainen. I’ve already heard through the grapevine that two of Antti’s books are going to be turned into TV and film adaptations. THE MAN WHO DIED is already in production (see Antti Tuomainen’s Instagram feed here) and the other one is THE RABBIT FACTOR. I’m so excited about both of these pieces of news, and cannot wait to see the stories come alive on the screen.
From the Publisher, Orenda Books
What makes life perfect? Insurance mathematician Henri Koskinen knows the answer because he calculates everything down to the very last decimal.
And then, for the first time, Henri is faced with the incalculable. After suddenly losing his job, Henri inherits an adventure park from his brother – its peculiar employees and troubling financial problems included. The worst of the financial issues appear to originate from big loans taken from criminal quarters … and some dangerous men are very keen to get their money back.
But what Henri really can’t compute is love. In the adventure park, Henri crosses paths with Laura, an artist with a chequered past, and a joie de vivre and erratic lifestyle that bewilders him. As the criminals go to extreme lengths to collect their debts and as Henri’s relationship with Laura deepens, he finds himself faced with situations and emotions that simply cannot be pinned down on his spreadsheets…
Warmly funny, rich with quirky characters and absurd situations, The Rabbit Factor is a triumph of a dark thriller, its tension matched only by its ability to make us rejoice in the beauty and random nature of life.
Buried in Secret by Viveca StenI also love The Sandhamn Murders by the Swedish writer Viveca Sten. BURIED IN SECRET is Book 10, but all the novels are standalone, so you can pick and choose from the series. I just love the Nordic island setting of these books (I would, wouldn’t I?), but I also like the way Viveca Sten combines murder mystery with stories of friendship, love, and romance. BURIED IN SECRET is out January 2022. A long time to wait, I know!
From the Publisher, Amazon Crossing
When two cold case disappearances are reopened, a decade of deadly secrets is unearthed on Sandhamn Island in the #1 bestselling thriller by Viveca Sten, author of In Bad Company.
A woman’s skeletal remains are excavated on an uninhabited island in Sandhamn’s archipelago, and Thomas Andreasson is called to officially investigate. But his best friend, Nora Linde, can’t help but get involved.
On leave after her last case took a dark turn, Nora is tortured by depression, nightmares, and guilt. Her marriage fractured, her pride chipped away, Nora could find redemption in this investigation. Then evidence suggests two possible cold cases linked to the grim discovery: two women who have been missing for ten years. Now Nora feels compelled to unearth a mystery someone has gone to great pains to bury. What could have happened to require such a cover-up?
As the cold case vanishings converge, Nora follows a twisting trail of revenge, blackmail, and betrayal. She’s also inviting the watchful eye of someone determined to stop her. To free herself from the damaging grip of the past—and the reach of a relentless killer—Nora is going to have to brave the darkness one more time.
My Name is Jensen by Heidi Amsinck
This is a novel that I have been waiting for for some time. Heidi’s previous book, a collection of short stories set in Denmark was hugely enjoyable. LAST TRAIN TO HELSINGOR is full of dark mysteries with a hint of the magical, and very much in the vein of the traditional Nordic folk tales, although thankfully there were no trolls involved. I can’t wait to read her new novel, MY NAME IS JENSEN, which will be out in a couple of days on 31 August 2021. It looks to me very much as if this is the first in a series. Keep your fingers crossed that’s the case.
If you’d like to hear Heidi – and other notable Danish authors – talk about their new books, tune into an online author event taking place at Barnet Library in London, soon.
From the Publisher, Muswell Press
Guilty. One word on a beggar’s cardboard sign. And now he is dead, stabbed in a wintry Copenhagen street, the second homeless victim in as many weeks. Dagbladet reporter Jensen, stumbling across the body on her way to work, calls her ex-lover DI Henrik Jungersen. As, inevitably, old passions are rekindled, so are old regrets, and that is just the start of Jensen’s troubles. The front page is an open goal, but nothing feels right…..When a third body turns up, it seems certain that a serial killer is on the loose. But why pick on the homeless? And is the link to an old murder case just a coincidence? With her teenage apprentice Gustav, Jensen soon finds herself putting everything on the line to discover exactly who is guilty.
The Island ChildIt’d be amiss of me not to mention my own novel, which is coming out later this autumn.
THE ISLAND CHILD is Book 5 in Love on the Island series but can also be enjoyed as a standalone read.
From the Publisher, Newhurst Press
A Christmas baby should bring hope to everyone on the islands, especially the new parents…
But while Brit awaits the arrival of her first child, a visitor to the Scandinavian Åland Islands threatens to reveal an uncomfortable secret from her past. To add to her woes, her partner, Sea Captain Jukka, runs his cruise liner aground the night before Christmas, just as the baby decides to make an appearance.
Meanwhile, Alicia’s ex, British surgeon Liam, has taken a leap of faith and moved to the islands from London. Will he be able to convince Alicia to rekindle their relationship? Can Alicia forget the Swedish journalist Patrick, with whom she had a passionate affair, but who betrayed her in the most awful way possible?
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July 16, 2021
Cover and Title Reveal!
Yes, it’s cover and title reveal time!
While the ink is hardly dry on my latest novel, An Island Summer, I’m already writing the next book in the Love on the Island series. This, Book 5, will follow the ongoing love triangle between Alicia, Liam and Patrick, but it will also follow Brit, Alicia’s schoolfriend, as she prepares for the arrival of her Christmas baby.
The Title RevealI have been throwing many titles about, and had real difficulty in deciding what I should call Book 5 in the series. The story centres around Brit, Alicia’s friend on the islands (see blurb below), but it’s also a Christmas book. For a long time while writing, I’ve callaed it ‘Brit’s Baby’, but obviously it wasn’t possible to call the the book that! As I was browsing YouTube (like you do), I came across a clip from Paul Simon’s concert in Hyde Part in London a few years back (I was there!). He was singing Obvious Child. I began thinking about the importance of the birth of a child to our Christmas traditions and like lightning the title came to me. Of course!
The Island ChildThe Cover RevealNow to the cover reveal. For me, after I’d decided on the title, designing the cover was the easy part. When I found the images by Tusk Alexandra and Michael Bellman, I was able to put together what I think is a festivive but at the same time understanted cover. What do you think?
The BlurbA Christmas baby should bring hope to everyone on the islands, especially the new parents…But while Brit awaits the arrival of her first child, a visitor to the Scandinavian Åland Islands threatens to reveal an uncomfortable secret from her past. To add to her woes, her partner, Sea Captain Jukka, runs his cruise liner aground the night before Christmas, just as the baby decides to make an appearance.
Meanwhile, Alicia’s ex, British surgeon Liam, has made a leap of faith and moved to the islands from London. Will he be able to convince Alicia to rekindle their relationship? Can Alicia forget the Swedish journalist Patrick, with whom she had a passionate affair, but who betrayed her in the most awful way possible?
Single mom Frida is pining for her new love, Romanian farmer Andrei. How can they continue their relationship when Andrei cannot abandon his family farm in Romania and Frida doesn’t want to leave her beloved islands?
Now on Pre-order (please ignore publication date on Amazon)
As well as the title and cover reveal, I can tell you today that The Island Child is now on pre-order. Whoop, whoop! The book should be out in October, so please ignore the date on Amazon. I have to put the time of publication as far ahead as possible so that they don’t penalize me if I don’t make the exact day. As always, the pre-order is on a promotional price of just $0.99 (£0.99/0.99€). Don’t forget the price goes up to $4.99 on publication, or soon thereafter.
Join the charming and quirky island community and pre-order The Island Child , Book 5 in the ‘sensational’ (NetGalley) Love on the Island series now!
Pre-order THE ISLAND CHILD now!The post Cover and Title Reveal! appeared first on Helena Halme Author.
June 17, 2021
An Island Summer Publication Day
It’s AN ISLAND SUMMER publication day! Book 4 in Love on the Island series is out today. Yippee!
I started the day with champagne which in my mind is the best way to celebrate almost anything. I’m also going to be traveling back to Finland (all things being well), so I will be on holiday for the next couple of weeks. The weather is set to be fine – there’s a bit of a heatwave going on over there – and I can’t wait to spend some time with my sister, swimming in the lake, having daily saunas and generally chilling. There won’t be any internet, so I will be incommunicado for a week. Bliss! Or will it be? I admit to being a little addicted to social media, so we’ll see how I will cope. 
But back to AN ISLAND SUMMER. This novel, Book 4 in LOVE ON THE ISLAND series which can also be enjoyed as a standalone read, is the tale of three women’s love affairs which are intertwined with some serious wrongdoing on the idyllic Åland Islands.
Three women and their relationships are threatened when Alicia finds shocking wrongdoing on her late stepfather’s farm. Set on the Åland Islands which lie between Finland and Sweden, AN ISLAND SUMMER has true intrigue, grown-up love stories, and stunning Scandinavian scenery.
An unmissable holiday read for 2021!
Here’s some great news!
AN ISLAND SUMMER is priced at just $0.99 until 30th June.
The nice people at Bookbub are featuring AN ISLAND SUMMER in their ‘New Releases for Less’ mailing on 29th June. This is a weekly email promoting readers’ favourite new books at a special offer price. I’m so thrilled to be part of this email promotion, that I decided to extend the $0.99 offer until the end of the month.
But remember, the $0.99 offer will end on 30th June 2021 when the price will revert to $4.99.
Read AN ISLAND SUMMER for just $0.99Special An Island Summer Publication Day BonusWould you like to hear me read from AN ISLAND SUMMER? If so, tap on the image below.
I’ve made a recording of an excerpt from AN ISLAND SUMMER which I’m sharing with you first. You can see it on my YouTube channel or just play it here. Just tap the image below.
The story of book 4 in Love on the Island series centers around the lives of three women. One is Frida Anttila, a single mother. Daniel, the father of her baby daughter, died in a fishing accident. Frida hasn’t met any of his Romanian family until one day, his older brother, Andrei, turns up on her doorstep. Everything is complicated by the fact that Frida and Daniel weren’t romantically involved. Frida was in love with Daniel’s friend Stefan who died two years previously. Andrei doesn’t know about the baby or that he is related to her.
The excerpt takes you to the moment when Frida and Andrei meet for the first time. I hope you enjoy the reading!
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May 27, 2021
Writing in a lockdown
Writing can be a challenge at any point, but in a lockdown, it can be nigh on impossible. I feel lucky that I’ve managed to write two full novels, one nonfiction title and rewrite two books during the past 14 months or so. But it was far from easy.
The First LockdownLooking back to the first lockdown in March 2020, it’s difficult to remember how shocking it all was then. No one had ever seen or heard of a situation where the world was shutting itself down and hiding at home to avoid getting sick. Yet, some people got very ill and died. Images of those that were suffering and those within the health service who were tirelessly trying to save them filled our screens day and night.
My heart goes out to all the families and loved ones who are grieving.
As a creative, my life didn’t change that much with the lockdowns. I’ve worked from home for several years now, and the ‘products’ I produce are bought online and the majority of them are in digital form. In theory, nothing was stopping me from writing.
The Island DaughterOf course, we all know it’s not that simple. After some readjustments with the domestic arrangements (the Englishman was in lockdown too and suddenly at home all the time), I put my head down and got on with The Island Daughter.
Book 3 in Love on the Island Series, came out on July 17th 2020. Writing the novel was fairly easy, mainly because there were no distractions. No offers to go out for coffee, no conferences, or social engagements, no friends with tempting holiday suggestions. Or, that’s how I remember it (see below).
Writing in a Lockdown Every DayThe next project was always going to be a book about writing. I’ve often attributed my limited self-publishing success to being able – or forcing myself – to write every day. It’s what keeps me sane from day to day. Besides, if you call yourself a writer, shouldn’t you write every day?
Don’t answer that. 
I’ve had more than my share of different opinions on this matter thrown at me from many quarters. I still maintain that, as an author, one of the most effective ways to keep yourself afloat mentally and financially, is to get into the habit of writing every day.
It was therefore quite ironic that the nonfiction title, Write Every Day: Motivate Yourself to Success was one of the most difficult books for me to write. Fancy that!
I did, however, get on with it and eventually published the title in early November 2020. I swore this would be my last nonfiction book, but guess what, I’m already planning the next one. (Yep, I’m a glutton for punishment)
The English HeartAfter I eventually got Write Every Day out of the door, I decided to do something that I’d wanted to do for a long time. This was to improve the first novel I ever published, The English Heart.
I employed a new editor to reassess the novel. Her verdict was what I had expected: there were several weak areas in the book.
After the rewrite, the storyline of The English Heart is still exactly the same, as are the main characters. The novel is based on my own life, so I wasn’t going to change that! But I needed to tidy it up a bit.
I absolutely loved this exercise and would recommend anyone who is thinking about rewriting old titles to go ahead. I also recommend that you get help. There is no way I could have done it without a professional editor, Kate Gallagher.
I wrote a blog post about the process here.
The Second LockdownJanuary 2021 came around and everyone was so buoyed by this fresh New Year that was going to be so much better than the pandemic-ridden, lockdown year of 2020. (How naive we were)
I, too, got swept up in the general euphoria and began writing a new novel. I was full of joy when starting Book 4 in the Love on the Island series, but in February I stopped writing.
Just like that.
‘It’s the curse of that nonfiction title, Write Every Day,’ I joked on a Zoom call with a fellow writer.
There was some truth in that, but also, I felt that I just had no inspiration left in my body. I felt completely empty of everything. I hadn’t been to the Åland Islands where the series is set for many, many months.
Sitting in the middle of the Baltic Sea between Finland and Sweden, Åland has a rich history of war and seafaring. Now a tourist destination, its permanent population is quirky, to say the least, while its natural beauty is beyond comparison. Well, I think so at least. Although I know the place intimately, I still needed to smell the sea air and talk to the people to be inspired.
We were also beginning to fear in February that, in spite of the emergence of vaccines, this thing called Covid would not go away as quickly as might have been predicted in March 2020.
I think both the inability to travel to Finland, or my beloved islands, and the knowledge that lockdowns, restrictions, mask-wearing, and the general fear for everyone’s safety, was going to be with us for a long time, paralysed my creativity.
The Faithful HeartSo I did what I knew I could do even with no desire to write – rewrite another book.
This time I took it upon myself to cast a critical eye over The Faithful Heart, Book 2 to The Nordic Heart series. This task wasn’t quite as comprehensive as the rewriting of The English Heart.
When I wrote the novel back in 2015 (then titled, The Navy Wife), I shied away from describing an encounter between Kaisa, the heroine, and Duncan, her husband’s friend and fellow naval officer. I’m not quite sure why I just couldn’t write the scene at the time. All I can guess is that because the first book in the series (The English Heart, above) is closely based on my own life, and all the books have some elements of the life I led being married to the Navy, I just couldn’t bring myself to describe the betrayal.
I did, later, write the scene and offered it to my mailing list as an exclusive extra chapter (I often do this after finishing a novel). However, over time, I’ve felt that the scene really belongs in the book. In February this year, during the second lockdown, I added it to the novel. I think the story is much better for it.
An Island SummerFinally, in late March this year, I returned to my current manuscript, An island Summer. I did the thing that everyone says you shouldn’t do and set it on pre-order with Amazon. Doing this is like setting a gun to my head, because (and you may not know this), Amazon is very strict about moving the publication date of preorders.
During the pandemic, in 2020, they did loosen the rules a bit, but in 2021 we are back to the strict regime. You can only change the date once. If you have to do it more times than this, or you cancel the preorder altogether, you are barred from setting your future books on preorder for a year.
Of course, it’s also very disappointing to your readers if you mess about with the publishing date, so it’s pretty much a no-no. I have to admit to doing this a couple of times with my nonfiction titles which are like getting blood out of the stone for me, but I try very hard not to do this with fiction titles.
If I set a preorder for a novel, I have to meet the date.
It seems I work best under pressure. Suddenly, I was able to start writing and the novel is currently being proofread. I’ve also sent An Island Summer to my loyal and brilliant group of Advance Readers (I call them my Launch Team). So I am as confident as I can ever be that the novel will be out on 17th June as promised.
Every Book is DifficultAfter sending An Island Summer to my Launch Team and the proofreader, I was talking to the Englishman and my sister about how this latest title was such a difficult book to write. Jokingly, I said that it was probably because it was my book number 13, although I’m not at all superstitious.
‘It’s been the worst one so far,’ I added.
Both, during separate conversations (my sister lives in Northern Sweden), were suspiciously silent, making no comment.
‘Do I say that every time?’ I enquired.
‘Pretty much,’ said both.
Giving birth to a book seems to be like giving birth to a baby. You forget all the pain and end up having more. This must be the reason why I have immediately started writing Book 5 (as yet untitled). All I can hope is that I don’t discover that another one of my previous titles needs rewriting or get the urge to write another nonfiction book. Although I do have one in mind …
Watch this space.
An Island Summer is out on 17 June 2021. The eBook version is now on a preorder offer of $0.99 (£0.99/ €0.99). The paperback copy will be published at the same time and will be available online and in good bookshops.
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Some of the links above may include my affiliate profile on Amazon. If you click on the links, I get a small percentage at absolutely no extra cost to you.The post Writing in a lockdown appeared first on Helena Halme Author.
April 8, 2021
An Island Summer: A New Novel
I am delighted to tell you about a new novel!
An Island Summer, a stand-alone Book 4 in Love on the Island series will be out on 17 June 2021.
An Island SummerAndrei has made the arduous trip to the Åland islands from his home in Romania to find out what happened to his brother, Daniel. The first person he seeks out is Frida Anttila. When Frida opens the door to the dark, handsome stranger, there’s an instant attraction.
But unbeknown to Andrei, the Russian man whom he suspects of involvement in Daniel’s death, is Frida’s father. Frida has another secret: Daniel fathered her baby girl, Anne Sofia.
Meanwhile, Alicia is finding the management of her stepfather’s farm much harder than she imagined. And her mother Hilda is no help whatsoever. Her attentions seem solely on the forthcoming visit to the islands of her ex-husband, Alicia’s real father, Leo.
As if the farm didn’t cause Alicia enough problems, her stepfather’s dealings with the Russian Dudnikov are coming under scrutiny when a story breaks in the press about modern-day slavery on the islands. The farm in Sjoland is implicated. Surely her gentle-hearted stepfather couldn’t have been involved with a man like that? And in something as horrible as people trafficking?
When Alicia finds out who’s behind the reports, it’s another severe blow to her already fractious relationship with the Swedish journalist Patrick…
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Set on the Åland Islands which lie between Finland and Sweden, An Island Summer is a story of love and intrigue combined with stunning Scandinavian scenery and quirky island folk. An unmissable holiday read for 2021!
New Novel Pre-order $0.99 OfferAn Island Summer is out on 17 June, but you can pre-order this new novel for just $0.99 today.
This is a limted-time offer. The price goes up to $4.99 on publication.
If you’d like to read my latest tale set on the beautiful Åland Islands, take advantage of this incredible offer and pre-order An Island Summer now!
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February 4, 2021
Nordic Fiction for Valentine’s Day
I know what you’re thinking – Nordic fiction for Valentine’s Day? It isn’t exactly romantic, is it? Ah, but I disagree. Even some Nordic Noir titles have love stories incorporated – just think of Viveca Sten’s Sandhamn murder series. All throughout the nine books, when we see the mystery unfold, we also learn about the complicated love lives of the lawyer Nora Linde and policeman Thomas Andreasson. In one book, Nora falls madly in love (see below).
All Hearts DayThere’s also the fact, that all over Scandinavia Valentine’s Day is celebrated more generally as a time to remember dear friends – with cakes and sweets – than it is to have romantic, candle-lit dinners with your lover.
This is why I think the following selection of Nordic fiction titles for Valentines is more than befitting, as they also celebrate all types of love, be it romantic or platonic.
Tonight You’re Dead by Viveca StenNora Linde is divorcing her husband but finds new love in the midst of a murder mystery. Her friend, Detective Thomas Andreasson, is investigating the Swedish Coastal Rangers after a student who discovers historic abuse of young cadets apparently commits suicide.
Letters from Tove by Tove Jansson
This is a fantastic collection of intimate letters written by Tove Jansson, the Finnish author and creator of the Moomin trolls. These letters are to her family and lovers – both male and female. They are set against the bohemian circles of Helsinki and the hideaway in the archipelago she shared with her partner, Tuulikki Pietilä. A real treasure of a book!
To Cook A Bear by Mikael Niemi
This novel is admittedly not very romantic, but it is still of the story of love. Here is a book about love for nature and God which turns into an intelligent thriller. You may remember Mikael Niemi for his debut book, Popular Music, which came out ten years ago in English. His writing style is classically Nordic. Simple, but funny and sad at the same time.
[image error] White Night by J J MarshIf there’s one thing Beatrice Stubbs hates more than weddings, it’s wedding planning. So when a missing persons’ case in Finland offers a chance of escape, she grabs assistant Theo and runs to the Land of the Midnight Sun.
You are probably aware of my continued love of the Beatrice Stubbs series by JJ Marsh. This, the one but last in the series, is my particular favourite, set as it is in my beloved Helsinki.
Anxious People by Fredrik Backman
Finally, here’s a heartwarming story of people who, trapped together in the middle of a bank robbery, find solace in each other and even in the criminal mastermind that is the robber himself.
Backman also wrote the wonderful novel A Man Called Ove which was turned into a lovely heart-rendering film. In Anxious People, Backman examines humanity in its rawest form. What could be better for Valentines Day?
Happy Valentine’s Day
I hope you’ve enjoyed my Nordic fiction titles for Valentine’s!
And that you’ll have a lovely Valentine’s Day, whether you celebrate it with family, friends or loved ones. Or with a good book. If you are far from someone you love dearly, why not send them a book to enjoy too?
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January 7, 2021
2020 Review
I was going to begin this blog post on the 2020 review about the books that I wrote and my weightloss during lockdowns, with my good wishes for the New Year.
I was going to add some hopeful messages about 2021 being better than 2020. And then what we most feared here in the UK happened: we went into another national lockdown. That’s No3. Although there is good news regarding the vaccine, 2021 and especially the long winter months ahead do seem bleak.
And now there is terrible news from the US where the very foundations of democracy are being threatened. Let’s hope the situation calms down soon, because I, for one, am very scared about what migth happen next.
Happy New Year
Still, we must remain positive and hopeful that 2021 will indeed turn out to be better than 2020. The sun will rise tomorrow too. Right?
2020 Review: Books and Writing
What can you say about 2020? There are so many things I missed (and still do today): travel, family get-togethers, Finland in the summer and now in the snow, skiing, seeing my friends, fellow writers, connecting with my readers in real life. And hugs. Oh, my, how I miss hugging everybody!
Yet, there were so many things that I achieved in 2020, which I know I wouldn’t have done without the lockdowns.
Being forced to stay at home at my desk made me more productive and enabled me to complete difficult projects that I’d been putting off. They included updating my nonfiction title, WRITE YOUR STORY as well as my first published novel, THE ENGLISH HEART, Book 1 in The Nordic Heart series. I also managed to write two new titles, THE ISLAND DAUGHTER, and WRITE EVERY DAY. And I published the BOXSET OF BOOKS 1-3 in Love on the Island series. Whoop, whoop!
I am now knee-deep into the first draft of AN ISLAND SUMMER, Book 4 in Love on the Island series. This novel will be out on pre-order very soon, so watch this space!
2020 Review: Weight Loss
Something even more important than writing projects (yes, I KNOW!) happened in 2020, for which I feel a great sense of achievement.
I’ve talked a little bit here about my weight loss in 2020, although it has absolutely nothing to do with books. Oh, that’s not quite right. It all started with a book! I saw an article in a newspaper about a book on how, if you lose 15 kilograms, you can beat Type 2 Diabetes.
I’d been suffering from this condition for a few years and try as I might hadn’t managed to control my sugar levels with a healthy eating plan, vegan diet, or added exercise. Nurses and health professionals repeatedly warned me against ‘extreme dieting’, and I myself didn’t really believe that I could ever lose weight again.
Over the previous 10 years, I’d gained about 10 kilograms and just didn’t seem to be able to shift this extra weight whatever I did. I have to admit, I have never been very good at dieting, and haven’t really ever followed a proper program in my life. Before I hit 50, I was slim enough, and if my weight began to rise, all I needed to do was to eat a little less for a day or two. I did try Michael Mosley’s intermittent fasting diet a few years ago and lost a little that way. But when I got my Diabetes diagnosis I stopped that. Foolish, I know.
The Book That Changed Everything
The book that changed everything for me was Life Without Diabetes by Professor Roy Taylor.
This book gave me the confidence to go on a 700 calorie diet for eight weeks. I began losing weight very much as it states in the book, 4kg in the first week and about 1.5kg each week thereafter. I am now 17kg lighter than I was at the start of the diet in August and eating normally. Naturally, I avoid sugary things and white carbs, but occasionally I do have those too now. I gained 1.5 kilos over Christmas, but am now back to my ideal weight of around 70Kg. I also do regular exercise, as I did before the diet.
2020 Review: Pilates
Which brings me to Pilates. Before we moved to London some ten years ago (coincidentally?) I stopped doing Pilates. Before this, I’d been taking one-to-one lessons with Anne Moss for years, but just couldn’t get myself going to find a new teacher. I also had a health scare which meant I had to have a small operation, stopping core exercises for a while, and that was that. Apparently, it takes just three weeks to form a habit, and I guess the same is true backwards. I got used to not doing Pilates.
Lockdown in 2020 changed all that! I found out via Instagram that Anne (or Annie to her friends) was starting online classes via Hive Yoga in Bath. I was delighted! I’ve been taking classes three times per week for what must be nine months now and I am loving it. I feel more flexible again, and more toned and just generally happier with myself. The daily runs or walks help too. 
December 17, 2020
Reading from An Island Christmas
Since it’s nearly Christmas, I thought you’d enjoy a reading from An Island Christmas.
An Island Christmas
Although An Island Christmas is Book 2 in Love on the Island series, it can also be enjoyed as a standalone read. The story centres around Alicia, who after returning home to the Scandinavian Åland Islands, is looking forward to the perfect Christmas. But family secrets, her on-off love affair with the tall, dark, and handsome Swedish journalist, Patrick, and her ex-husband, all conspire to try to spoil the season’s festivities.
Here’s a short blurb:
When best friends Alicia and Brit return to their beloved island community, they’re anticipating a holiday season filled with mulled wine and relaxation. But between a tempting new boss, an unwelcome visitor, and a life-changing surprise, can they sort out their messy lives in time for Christmas?
The Reading
The reading is taken from the latter part of the book, Chapter 49. It’s Christmas Eve and Alicia has managed to get nearly all of her family and friends together to celebrate the holiday. But she’s in for a surprise.
The text of the reading is below.
Patrick turns into the Ulsson’s drive and parks the car next to a VW Golf. He turns off his lights and stays in the car for a moment. On the passenger seat is a paper bag filled with Christmas presents wrapped up expertly by one of the assistants at the fashionable interior design shop in town. They are beautifully understated, in white paper with wide red ribbons.
There’s also the large box containing a magnum of vintage champagne resting on the floor of the car. He wonders if that is overkill. Should he perhaps leave the bottle behind and fetch it later, if he gets a good reception from Alicia?
He gazes up to the house, shining brightly in the dark afternoon light, the downstairs windows decorated with large star lanterns. The freshly fallen snow has formed a blanket over the sloping roof and the landscape. With the large pine draped with white lights, the whole scene looks serene and festive, like a TV advert.
Damn it, be brave.
Hilda will appreciate the champagne, he’s sure, so he picks up the box, takes hold of the paper bag, slams the door of his car, and makes his way up to the house.
Alicia cannot believe her eyes. Responding to her mother’s call, she moves into the kitchen and watches as Patrick gets out of the car, picking something up from the passenger seat. She has her phone against her ear, still talking to Frida. The baby is crying in the background.
‘Can I ring you later?’ Alicia says and ends the call.
‘Is that who I think it is?’ Hilda says, her mouth open, forming an ‘o.’
‘What the hell does he think he’s doing?’ Alicia says and hurries to the door.
But Patrick is quicker than she is, and by the time she opens the door, he is already standing there, a wide grin filling his face. He’s carrying a bag full of presents and a large box.
‘Surprise!’ he says.
Alicia stands there, dumbfounded. She cannot speak.
‘Can I come in?’ Patrick asks. ‘It’s bloody cold out here.’
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December 3, 2020
That Christmas Feeling
Can you believe it’s December already? Do you have that Christmas feeling yet?
In Finland, we celebrate the start of the month with something called ‘Little Christmas’. Children get a small present left for them at the doorstep by Santa’s elves, and we decorate the house and set up the advent candles. In normal times, it’s the start of seasonal celebrations – there are office Christmas parties and festive markets everywhere.
Of course, even in Finland, there are many Covid restrictions in place this year with gatherings limited to ten people. The Christmas markets are canceled, and offices closed while employees work from home.
Here in London at least, it’s difficult to get that Christmas feeling this year, so I was delighted when I was sent pictures of my granddaughter decorating a tree at the weekend. She’s of the age when she is beginning to understand what Christmas is all about and is getting very excited.
Although I may not yet be fully into the Christmas spirit, I am excited about my writing projects, and the book offers I can share with you today.
WRITE EVERY DAY
I can’t quite believe that this book is finally out! Write Every Day: Motivate Yourself to Success in 10 Easy Steps is now out in both Kindle and paperback. If you are an author and want to increase your output or an aspiring writer dreaming about making a living with your books, this short guide will give you the right tips and tools to motivate yourself for success.
Find out more here: mybook.to/WriteEveryDay
WRITE EVERY DAY would make a perfect stocking filler too. 
November 26, 2020
Writing and Rewriting
You may not realize that much of what writers do is really rewriting and editing. We give our first drafts several edits before we show it to anyone. A finished novel may have had trillions of different versions before it’s published. OK, perhaps not that many, but you get my point. (And that’s how it feels …)
The English Heart
I started writing THE ENGLISH HEART in 2009. It tells the story of how I met and fell head over heels in love with my British husband. In 1980 towards the end of the Cold War, he was an officer serving on a Royal Navy ship which came to Finland on an official visit. I was a student of Economics and we met under the sparkling chandeliers of the Britsh Embassy in Helsinki.
Very romantic, I know!
There were several complications to our love story. Not least because Finland had an uncomfortably close relationship with Russia. And I was engaged to be married to a very jealous and controlling Finnish man. (Who had a very dangerous hobby: guns.)
THE ENGLISH HEART is our story, yet it is not a biography, but a novel. There are scenes that actually happened, but there are also parts that are purely the result of my (unnaturally vivid) imagination.
Rewriting – why?
It may seem strange to you that I wanted to change anything on THE ENGLISH HEART. This novel is one of my most successful titles. However, I wrote this book nearly ten years ago. I feel that I’ve progressed quite a lot as a writer in the intervening decade.
I also noticed from the many reviews of the novel that a couple of readers felt the story was a little slow with too many characters.
When I had the idea of updating the novel, I re-read it for the first time in years and immediately saw that the text did indeed need tightening up. Some characters seemed superfluous, while some scenes needed to be expanded.
At the same time, a friend had established an editing business. I worked with Kate Gallagher on THE ENGLISH HEART for about two months, and I think the final result will please even the most avid lovers of The Nordic Heart Series. I hope so anyway.
If you’ve already read it, you may not even notice a difference between the two versions. This would be fantastic news! My aim with the rewriting hasn’t been to change the essence or the feel of the novel. I only wished to make it tighter and a better read.
Limited FREE Black Friday Offer
But don’t just take my word for it. THE ENGLISH HEART is now on a very limited Black Friday FREE offer.
THE OFFER ENDS MONDAY 30 NOVEMBER, SO HURRY OF YOU WANT TO READ THE BRAND NEW VERSION OF THE ENGLISH HEART FOR FREE!
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