Helena Halme's Blog, page 6

Season’s Greetings

 

It’s nearly Christmas and the end of the year so I wanted to send you my Season’s Greetings!

New Series

Looking back to 2019, I’ve had a fabulous writing year. I’ve published two novels in a new series, Love on the Island, set on the stunningly beautiful Åland Islands. Book I, The Island Affair, came out in March and Book II, An Island Christmas was published this November. Both novels have done very well and An Island Christmas has even been No1 Hot New Release on Amazon for over two months.

Nonfiction Book

In 2019 I also published a nonfiction title, which I have been compiling for some time, Write in Another Language. This book is my second ‘serious’ title and follows Write Your Story, a guide to turning your life into fiction, which came out last year. These writing guides are fun to write but do often take a lot longer than anticipated, so I am considering to have a break from nonfiction in 2020. Unless an idea I’ve had about a book on writing a romance series turns into an irresistible project. Watch this space!

The Day We Met

Another little project that I am very proud of for 2019 is the prequel novella to the Love on the Island series. The Day We Met takes us back to when Alicia and Liam meet on a snowy day at Uppsala University, near Stockholm. Not for sale and only available to my Readers’ Group, I wrote this story while I was waiting for my editor to read The Island Affair. I thoroughly enjoyed setting down a significant event in my main characters’ lives. If you’d like to read this novella, you can sign up to my mailing list here.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

All that remains for me to do is to send you season’s greetings. I hope you’ll be able to spend the holidays with family, friends and loved ones. I’ll see you in 2020!

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Why Did I Leave The Happiest Country In The World?

In light of Thursday’s election result here in the UK, I am wondering why I left Finland, the happiest country in the world? Last week, the new Brexit Party of Britain, the Conservatives, was re-elected into parliament with a massive majority. Led by one of the most controversial politicians, Boris Johnson, their policies are scarily vague. But one thing is clear: we will now be leaving the European Union.

Finland And The EU

I moved to the UK well before Finland was part of the EU, but when we joined, life became a lot easier for me in Britain. For example, I no longer needed to join a different queue at the passport control, and I was able to vote in European elections. Finnish food was easier and cheaper to buy, and people seemed more interested and even knowledgeable about my home country. Finland and my new, adopted country, suddenly felt a lot closer to each other. Both countries belonged to a common club, a society where each state looked out for each other and the chance of wars, both trade and military, were hugely reduced.

After the 2016 Referendum, which was largely won on jingoistic, anti-immigration lies, being a European in Britain suddenly became undesirable. Even for me personally. Some people felt free to question the reason why I was here and whether I was taking a British person’s job. (This happened to me even after I got my citizenship two years ago).

I’m not saying racism is solely found in Britain. This ugly and unacceptable phenomenon happens all over the world, even in my beloved Finland. But after the Referendum, it feels as if the genie has been let out of the bottle, and those racists that perhaps earlier had not dared to voice their nasty opinions publicly, now feel that their views are shared by the majority in the country.

The Englishman

So, why did you leave Finland, you ask? Well, simply put, I fell in love. Those of you who’ve read my novel, The English Heart, which is based on how I met my Englishman at the British Embassy cocktail party in Helsinki, know most of the story. Engaged to be married to a dependable, older, Finnish man, I met and fell head over heels in love with an English Navy Officer. After four years of a long-distance relationship, during which we exchanged letters and expensive phone calls, we got married in 1984.

An Alien in London

When I first came to Britain as a newly married Navy Wife, I was given ‘Leave to Enter’. To my surprise, this was merely a stamp on my passport. Some 35 years later, that passport had been replaced many times over. The Finnish authorities destroyed passports in those days, so I had no means of proving a right to remain in the UK.

Naturally, because of the EU, I didn’t think I’d ever need to apply for residency in Britain. This was my home country where I’d lived with my Britsih husband, worked, paid taxes, had my half-British children, and a grandchild. I have never taken any benefits from the state and have carried private health care for most of those years, so I am not even such a large burden on the NHS.

However, it turned out that there was no documentation of me at the Home Office, even though I’d had to sign the Official Secrets Act twice! So I had to embark on a lengthy process to prove to the authorities that I’d lived here for the past 35 years. This process did nothing to alivieta my growing sense of estrangement.

No Longer Welcome in Britain

This latest election result makes me feel no longer welcome in Britain. There, I’ve said it.

Some people may say, ‘It’s your own fault, you did leave Finland.’

And they’d be right.

But do we want to live in a world where everyone stays inside the borders of their own countries forever? That’s what dictatorships make people do, isn’t it? Instead, do we not want to live in a world where we exchange ideas, get inspiration from each other’s cultures and become wiser and more tolerant through internationalism? That’s the world I wish to belong to, but the UK is sadly going towards a completely different direction. I believe Britain is turning into a jingoistic, isolated country which will shun new ideas, shut itself to immigration (which has made the country thrive for centuries), and become a poorer country, both culturally and economically.

This development makes me want to do just one thing: move back to Finland.

Amazing Spaces

My sense of alienation with Britain isn’t helped by various programmes and statistics extolling the virtues of the Finnish lifestyle, education system, natural beauty, architecture, and social and health care. Finland regularly tops various charts on happiness, lack of corruption, innovation, and many more. One recent programme on Finland which came out in the UK this week is Amazing Spaces: Northern Lights Adventure. George Clarke explores the architecture, traditional and new, of Lapland as well as the amazing underground shelter used as a massive leisure space underneath the central Helsinki streets.

Books And Travel Podcast

I’ve also been speaking about Finland on the Books and Travel Podcast by Jo France Penn. We talk about the introvert nature of Finns and why the landscape might be the key to happiness. We also chat about the unusual Åland Islands, where my latest series, Love on the Island is set. Plus, we discuss Finland’s history of occupation, which still shapes the country today. Have a listen to the episode here.

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A Dream of My Dad

I had a vivid dream of my Dad last night. My sister and I were visiting him in a new home. He lived in a penthouse apartment with a beautiful view of a rose bush with bright red flowers that stretched right up to the clear blue sky.

Dad looked very well and as soon as we stepped inside, smiling, he handed us both a thick envelope. Inside was a wad of notes and a smaller clear envelope. This contained a collection of shiny Finnish coins in the old pre-Euro currency, Marks. My Dad was an enthusiast, and when alive, he often gave us pieces from his stash. With a wink, he’d tell us they’ll be worth a lot of money in years to come.

In my dream, as we opened our envelopes, Dad peered closely at us. This was so true to life that I woke up this morning with a clear memory of his pale blue eyes on me.

He also told me that he’d watched me pick at my food and that I should take better care of myself.  At his wake, I could hardly eat anything. If I believed there was a higher power, of an afterlife, I’d be tempted to imagine that Dad had been observing me during that sad occasion.

In the dream, I thought how wonderful it was that he was alive again and at the same time strange. Hadn’t I only a couple of weeks before attended my Father’s internment? And with tears running down my face, shovelled soil on top of his urn in the grave at Kalevankankaa Cemetary in Tampere, Finland?

Today is Finnish Independence Day, so I guess my thoughts are turning back to my home country. Last night, I also attended the Finnish Ambassador’s Independence Day Reception. (I’m so thrilled I had an invite again.) Many of the friends I met there gave me their condolences, so I talked a lot about him. I’m sure all of this explains why I was dreaming of Dad.

This morning I feel very close to Dad. My only wish is that I could have just one more of the bear hugs that he used to envelop me in. And I wish I’d appreciated them a lot more than I did.

My Dad at 18 when he was a conscript in the Finnish Army

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A Dream of my Dad

I had a vivid dream of my Dad last night. My sister and I were visiting him in a new home. He lived in a penthouse apartment with a beautiful view of a rose bush with bright red flowers that stretched right up to the clear blue sky.

Dad looked very well and as soon as we stepped inside, smiling, he handed us both a thick envelope. Inside was a wad of notes and a smaller clear envelope. This contained a collection of shiny Finnish coins in the old pre-Euro currency, Marks. My Dad was an enthusiast, and when alive, he often gave us pieces from his stash. With a wink, he’d tell us they’ll be worth a lot of money in years to come.

In my dream, as we opened our envelopes, Dad peered closely at us. This was so true to life that I woke up this morning with a clear memory of his pale blue eyes on me.

He also told me that he’d watched me pick at my food and that I should take better care of myself.  At his wake, I could hardly eat anything. If I believed there was a higher power, of an afterlife, I’d be tempted to imagine that Dad had been observing me during that sad occasion.

In the dream, I thought how wonderful it was that he was alive again and at the same time strange. Hadn’t I only a couple of weeks before attended my Father’s internment? And with tears running down my face, shovelled soil on top of his urn in the grave at Kalevankankaa Cemetary in Tampere, Finland?

Today is Finnish Independence Day, so I guess my thoughts are turning back to my home country. Last night, I also attended the Finnish Ambassador’s Independence Day Reception. (I’m so thrilled I had an invite again.) Many of the friends I met there gave me their condolences, so I talked a lot about him. I’m sure all of this explains why I was dreaming of Dad.

This morning I feel very close to Dad. My only wish is that I could have just one more of the bear hugs that he used to envelop me in. And I wish I’d appreciated them a lot more than I did.

My Dad at 18 when he was a conscript in the Finnish Army

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It’s Publication Day

It’s Publication Day! The run-up to publishing An Island Christmas, which is my tenth title, seems a lot longer than my previous books. But in truth, the pre-order term was by no means the longest one. I guess a lot has happened in my life, which has made these past two months harder to me personally.

Sad Personal News

I lost my Dad in October and have been travelling a lot between Finland and the UK during his final illness and since. It has taken time away from working on this book, but the grief has also at times been totally debilitating. I’m sure many of you who have experienced the same know how hard it is. I have taken strength from the knowledge that my Dad was very proud of my writing career and I know he would have wanted me to push forward with this Christmas book. Which is what I did.

And today it’s finally Publication Day! Time to celebrate and to look forward. I’m incredibly happy that An Island Christmas has made No1 Hot New Release on Amazon and many members of my Launch Team have adored the novel.

Early Reviews for An Island Christmas

“Another good read with a reminder to all of us – we must take risks in life as change is in most cases for the better, however scary it sounds first.”

“Beautiful descriptions of the snowy island landscapes. I felt as if I’d been there myself. The excellent twists and turns kept me reading your book through the night as usual.”

The Blurb

On the windswept Scandinavian Åland Islands, the festive season is snowy and chilly—yet breathtakingly beautiful .

It’s time for Alicia to enjoy her first Christmas back on her beloved Islands with her family. There’ll be traditional dancing around the tree and sipping mulled wine in front of a cozy fire. But peace is broken by Alicia’s estranged husband, Liam, who springs an unwelcome and devastating surprise, while her ex-lover, Patrick, temps her with an altogether different kind of future. Alicia faces impossible choices to keep her family together. 

With her world crashing around her, can Alicia create the idyllic Island Christmas she’s always dreamt about?

Meanwhile, Brit, Alicia’s best friend, returns to the Islands to lick her wounds after a particularly bloody break-up with an Italian chef. When she meets her new boss, the Captain of a Baltic cruise liner, sparks fly. Brit can’t help but fall quickly in love with Jukka, but when she discovers his murky past, she fears her heart is about to be broken yet again. Are the rumors about Jukka true, or just typical small island gossip?

Join this quirky Scandinavian island community for a Christmas you’ll never forget!

An Island Affair Blog Tour

I’m delighted to also announce that Anne Cater from Random Things Tours is organizing a Blog Tour for An Island Christmas. Starting on Monday 2 December, the tour goes on until Wednesday 11.12. Do join in the fun and see what these avid readers think of An Island Christmas!

Book Bloggers have been vital in spreading the word about my books, so I am hugely grateful to these ten book lovers and hope you can support their blogs by visiting and commenting on the posts.

The best way to take part in the blog tour is to keep an eye on my Twitter feed on @helenahalme here.

Join My Mailing List

Would you like to be the first to know about new books, book offers and my writing life? Why not join my Reader’s Group today. You’ll also receive a free, exclusive story, The Day We Met, which will never be for sale. Tap the image below or go here to find out more.

 

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Helena’s Best Reads: Little Siberia by Antti Tuomainen

I am a huge fan of Finnish author Antti Tuomainen and his new release, Little Siberia, only confirms to me his status as ‘King of Helsinki Noir’. The translation of Little Siberia by David Hackston is also excellent.

Fargo meets Nietzsche in this atmospheric, darkly funny thriller by the critically acclaimed author of The Man Who Died and Palm Beach Finland. A huge Finnish bestseller, Little Siberia topped both literary and crime charts in 2018, and has gone on to sell rights in 24 countries.

I’m honoured to have been given the opportunity to pose a few questions to the author about his newest dark crime thriller, which is also a hilarious, blacker-than-black comedy about faith and disbelief, love and death, and what to do when bolts from the blue – both literal and figurative – turn your life upside down.

I think Antti’s answers are intelligent, revealing and very helpful to thriller writers as well as readers of Nordic Noir.

The Characters

The characters in your books are quite unique, but very well drawn. In LITTLE SIBERIA, we have an ex-army pastor who’s now a village priest, a former rally driver with an alcohol problem, a shop and a gym owner, both burdened with their own secrets, plus a seductive woman who runs the all-day bar in the village. All of these characters have great flaws but are also likeable. Can you give us any tips on how to develop such excellent and conflicted characters?

A: Thank you for this question. It is much appreciated. The way I write and tell a story is very much character-based. I always start with a character or several characters – usually at least two. To me, character is the plot. Well, not character only, but character AND her/his problem. That’s my basic building block. Whenever I get a grip on the character and the problem therein, I know I can start writing. But that usually takes a while. To me, it’s important to see the character from all sides. We’re all good and bad, we have our shortcomings and our strengths. No one is all good. (Some people probably are all bad, but they don’t make very interesting fictional characters because they only can do one thing.)

I once heard or read somewhere that we all have a goal or a dream that our better self is striving towards and at the same time we have another self that is doing everything it can to stop us from reaching that. It might be true, and I do think that it also applies very well to creating characters. In addition to the outer conflicts, I want the characters to make their own inner journeys, coming out on either side.

One other aspect of good/interesting characters is that they come alive on page. How they hold a glass, how they talk, how they dress, which way they look when they cross a street. These can mean so much. Elmore Leonard taught me so much about this. He could do all that in a couple of short sentences and you’d go, ‘yeah, I know that guy’.

The Place

Q: It feels as if the small village in Northeastern Finland, Hurmevaara, is also one of the characters in your book. The darkness, the cold, the ever-falling snow, the icy treacherous roads and the vast, star-filled sky help and hinder our ecclesiastical hero, Joel, in equal measure. When you are writing, do you plan to make the place so significant in your books, or is it the stark beauty of the Finnish landscape that makes the setting difficult to ignore?

A: I try to make the setting a character in the story. And the setting can be vital: if done well, it can even set the tone for the entire story. And I love a little poetry in the descriptions so I do my best to create settings that are as vivid and strong as possible. This is also something I learned from reading. Two writers that come to mind are Lawrence Block and James Lee Burke. For Block, it’s New York, for Burke it’s New Orleans. They both do it so well.

The Plot

Q: The plots in all of your books are very intricate. Do you plan the action in detail before you write, or does it develop as you go from scene to scene?

A: It’s a mix of both. I try to plan ahead but I often change my mind. I trust my characters. As I said above, the characters are the plot. I try to let them surprise me as much as possible, but they’re not in charge, of course. Sometimes I know where I’m headed, but don’t know how to get there. Sometimes it’s the other way around. Having said all that, I do always have a rough idea of the story arc in my head. It’s sort of an instinctive, grand-scale idea of how the story goes, and at what point certain things will happen and need to happen.

The Translation

Q: Your books are translated into several languages. The English translation is written by David Hackston, one of the best Finnish to English translators working at the moment, in my opinion. How much involvement do you have with the translators? Do you meet (online or in-person) and discuss the book, or do you just let them get on with it?

A: I have been very fortunate with translators. I wouldn’t say I have very much involvement. But I do answer questions by email, sometimes meet a translator, sometimes comment a translation. Most languages that I’m translated into I can’t of course read, so I have to trust the translator. But as I said, I have been very fortunate. From what I hear, the translations are by and large wonderful.

A Sequel?

Q: Is there going to be a sequel to LITTLE SIBERIA? I certainly would love to read more about Joel the priest and the people of Hurmevaara. If not, can I ask what are you working on at the moment?

A: Thank you so much for saying that. But no, at least not at the moment. I’m now writing something completely new. It’s a book about the truly important things in life: love, death and insurance mathematics. It’s a very black comedy and a crime novel. The book will be published in Finland in September 2020.

How pleased do I look to be meeting the author himself?

Finnish Antti Tuomainen was an award-winning copywriter when he made his literary debut in 2007 as a suspense author. In 2011, Tuomainen’s third novel, The Healer, was awarded the Clue Award for ‘Best Finnish Crime Novel of 2011’ and was shortlisted for the Glass Key Award. Two years later, in 2013, the Finnish press crowned Tuomainen the ‘King of Helsinki Noir’ when Dark as My Heart was published. With a piercing and evocative style, Tuomainen was one of the first to challenge the Scandinavian crime genre formula, and his poignant, dark and hilarious The Man Who Died (2017) became an international bestseller, shortlisting for the Petrona and Last Laugh Awards. Palm Beach Finland (2018) was an immense success, with The Times calling Tuomainen ‘the funniest writer in Europe’.

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Win $500 Amazon vouchers and other bookish offers!

It’s that time of the year when there are lots of competitions to win prizes and other bookish offers. I have a few to share with you today. The most amazing one of these is the opportunity to win $500 Amazon vouchers! Read on…

Some Bookish Offers

I’ve teamed up with a bunch of other authors to bring you free seasonal holiday reads against email sign-ups. My freebie, The Christmas Heart, is a feelgood love story set in the snow-capped Swedish Alps. But there are other seasonal reads too, so check them out.

Tap the image above to find out more, or go here.

Kobo Box Sets 40% Off

If this wasn’t enough, Kobo is running a 40% off box sets campaign. My compilation, The Nordic Heart Books 1-4 is part of this promotion. If you read on Kobo, check this promotion out.

Here are the details:

Dates: November 14th – 18th 2019

Promo Code: NOVSALE

Win $500 Amazon vouchers

And here’s the big one! I’m sponsoring The Kindle Book Review to bring you a chance to win a $500 Amazon eGift Card just in time for BLACK FRIDAY from The No1 Site for Reader Giveaways. Just click the link on the image below or go here and enter (every day if you want). It’s easy & fun. If you love reading, enter now.

There are some great books on offer in conjunction with this competition. One of them is my novel, Book 1 in Love on the Island -series, The Island Affair. For a limited time only, this novel is just $0.99 (Amazon only, sorry)

This Competition ends on Nov 26, 2019.    

An Island Christmas No1 Hot New Release

Finally, I can’t quite believe it, but An Island Christmas is No1 Hot New Release on Amazon. Thank you so much if you have already pre-ordered a copy of this, my latest seasonal holiday read, and made it into a bestseller even before it’s published!

This novel is also on an offer, but you have to hurry, there’s only a week left on this launch promotion.

This wintry tale of love, family and impossible choices is now just $0.99, but this price will go up on 21 November 2019 to $4.99, so if you want to take advantage of this incredible launch offer, pre-order An Island Christmas today on Amazon, GooglePlay or Kobo.

Good Luck and Happy Reading!

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An Island Christmas Pre-order

Whoop, whoop, my new novel, An Island Christmas is now out on pre-order! This novel, which is a sequel to The Island Affair (but can also be read as a standalone book), takes the reader to the magical, snowy Scandinavian Åland Islands.

Love, Family and Impossible Choices

A book of love, family and impossible choices, An Island Christmas sees Alicia dream of a perfect family celebration. But once again, she is tempted by Patrick, with whom she a had passionate affair last summer. When she gets shocking and unwelcome news from her estranged husband, Liam, Alicia’s hopes of a traditional family Christmas on her beloved Islands begin to fade.

On top of it all, Alicia’s mother Hilda, confesses to dealings with a dangerous Russian criminal…

Meanwhile, Alicia’s best friend Brit is back on the Islands, fleeing a particularly bloody break-up. Soon, however, she falls for a handsome Sea Captain–with a questionable past.

Will Alicia be able to bring her family together for a happy, peaceful Christmas that she always wished for?

Pre-order Offer

You can now pre-order An Island Christmas for just $0.99 (£0.99/€0.99), but hurry. The price goes up to $4.99 on publication day, 28th November 2019.

Pre-order An Island Christmas today and join this quirky Scandinavian island community for a Christmas you’ll never forget! 

 

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A New Cover!

Occasionally you feel that a much-loved book needs a new set of clothes: this is what a new cover is all about.

The Red King of Helsinki

He’s a rookie spy chasing a violent Russian KGB man. She’s a young student looking for a friend who has mysteriously disappeared. Can he save her? 

At the height of the Cold War, former Royal Navy officer Iain is asked to work undercover in Finland, the playground of the Russian KGB. He’s to investigate Vladislav Kovtun, a violent Russian spy, dubbed The Red King of Helsinki. This is Iain’s first assignment, and when he discovers the bodies left in Kovtun’s wake, he quickly gets embroiled in danger.

Young student Pia has two goals in life: she dreams of a career in gymnastics and for Heikki, a boy in her class with the dreamiest blue eyes, to notice her. But when her best friend, Anni, the daughter of an eminent Finnish Diplomat, goes missing, Pia begins to investigate the mystery behind her disappearance. Unbeknown to Pia, Kovtun is watching her every move, as is the British spy, Iain. Will Iain be able to save Pia before it’s too late? 

If you like Nordic Noir, you will love this fast-moving Nordic spy story.​

Where Did the Story Come from?

I began writing The Red King of Helsinki after I became obsessed with a tragic incident from my own school days in Helsinki. During my first Sixth Form year (College to US readers), one girl in our class committed suicide by jumping out of the window of her high-rise flat. It was a heartbreaking event, especially as this girl was very shy and none of us really knew her.

There was a rather rowdy (alcohol-fulled) party on the school premises. During the evening, it was rumoured that this girl said something bad to a teacher. She ran home and the next day we heard the awful news. Everyone in the class felt responsible. Why didn’t we take the trouble to get to know her better? Why didn’t one of us take her home and make sure she was OK?

Years later, looking through my old photographs I found a class photo and immediately spotted the girl at the edge of the third row. Most of the 17-year-old students tried to look cool, laughing or sneering at each other. Apart from one girl. As I peered at her face, I saw that she was the only one unconcerned with the people around her. She was glancing upwards to the sky with an angelic expression on her face.

What if?

While I was obsessing with the sad story of my fellow classmate, I began thinking what if she didn’t jump but was pushed out of that window? And what if the reason she was pushed was that, unwittingly, she was involved in some kind of a Russian spy ring? I had read many articles on the spy activity in Helsinki during the Cold War and before. (I know, it’s far-fetched, but I’m a writer!)

Spy Capital of the North

During the Cold War, Helsinki was teeming with American, British and Russian spies. Finland is a neutral country, with a long land border with mighty Russia. All through its modern history, Finland has tried to keep its neighbour happy while it has tried to remain independent. (This policy, when a country decides not to challenge a more powerful neighbour in foreign politics while maintaining national sovereignty, is known as Finlandization.)

The Russian secret service, the KGB, had several operatives working in Helsinki, making sure that Finland kept its neutrality intact and that our small Nordic country didn’t ‘succumb’ to Western Capitalism.

When, in 1979, the British Government announced that the Royal Navy would make its first official naval visit to Helsinki since World War II, the spy activity in Helsinki went into overdrive.

For a writer, this kind of historical detail is pure gold. Add to that an obsession with the death of a fellow classmate, and suddenly my creative juices were spilling over.

The Literary Agent

The first draft of The Red King of Helsinki attracted the interest of a literary agent, but there was a snag. She thought the manuscript had ‘too many deaths’. Together with the agent, I rewrote the novel. Sadly, the story of my classmate, so central to my inspiration for the novel, was axed. Perhaps it will be fodder for another story in the future? But I think The Red King of Helsinki is better, more tightly woven, as a result of all those discussions and redrafts. What’s more, I learned a huge amount of the structure of a story, characterization, and plot during the rewriting process.

This spy novel has been very popular, even though it’s a little different from my other books.

Wonderfully tense spy-story in late ’70s Helsinki –Amazon

An intriguing cold war novel of espionage, murder and betrayal. –Goodreads

Excellent read!! I’m looking forward to reading more books by Halme.. Medium paced with very interesting characters. If you have visited Finland you will understand the weather conditions and the citizens’ reaction to Russia. Truly enjoyed. –Amazon

I absolutely loved writing The Red King of Helsinki (twice), and am tempted to make it into a series of books. Or at least write another spy story. We’ll see!

New Cover

While mulling over a possible sequel, a series, or another spy thriller set during the Cold War in Finland, I thought I’d refresh the cover of The Red King of Helsinki. I felt that the book needed a little TLC.

So here it is, the new cover. What do you think?

The Red King of Helsinki is available from these retailers:

 

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It’s Cover Reveal Day for An Island Christmas

Whoop, whoop, it’s Cover Reveal Day! My next novel, AN ISLAND CHRISTMAS, will be out 21 November. Another baby about to be launched into the world …

Needless to say, I love the new cover! Jessica Bell, my long-time designer, has done a great job once again. I feel this cover really conveys the story of this book well, giving the reader (I hope) a sense of the Islands in the middle of winter.

Why The Åland Islands?

Why am I writing a series set on these quirky little Islands?

Let me explain…

The Åland Islands lie in the waters between Finland and Sweden. Although a self-governing region of Finland, the Islands remain exclusively Swedish-speaking.

The quirkiness of the islanders is often attributed to their rich history. Due to its strategic location, there have been many wars and would-be invaders. Swedes, Russians, French, and even the English have fought on these shores.

A small seafaring nation, the Islands have a culture of their own, forged over years through hardship and perseverance. The people living on these rocky outcrops and on the main island around the Capital, Mariehamn, have a deep sense of independence and identity. Today, if you ask an islander whether he feels Swedish or Finnish, the reply will always be, ‘Neither. I’m an Ålänning.’

A Part-time Islander

Although not born in Åland, I’ve spent many happy holidays on the Islands. In articles in the local paper, Ålandstidningen, they call me either a ‘Summer Islander’ or a ‘Part-time Islander’. I’m happy and honoured by both of these titles because I truly feel at home in Åland. This is why I’ve wanted to write a book set there for many years now.

It wasn’t until I began thinking about a woman, Alicia, originally from Åland, but now living in London, who decides to return home after the tragic loss of her teenage son, that the stars seemed aligned and a story emerged. The Island Affair is that story.

The idea for An Island Christmas came from the many seasonal holidays I’ve spent on the Islands. I felt that the snow with the cold and stark beauty of the frozen seas make for a stunning backdrop to Alicia’s struggle to keep her family together.

A New Character

I also wanted to bring in other, new characters to the story, so my imagination provided Brit with her disastrous love life. This is a woman who knows what she wants, is ambitious, but often goes for the wrong type of man. She hates being bored or alone, so she surrounds herself with lots of people. That’s why she’s chosen to work on cruise liners. You are never alone on a ship, she thinks until her heart is broken by a fellow shipmate.

Although they were best friends at school, Alicia and Brit have lost touch over the years. Now, when they have both returned to the Islands, it seems the perfect time to reconnect…

The Blurb

On the Nordic Åland Islands, the festive season is snowy and chilly—yet breathtakingly beautiful.

It’s time for Alicia to enjoy her first Christmas back on her beloved Islands with her family. There’ll be traditional dancing around the tree and sipping mulled wine in front of a cozy fire. But when Alicia’s estranged husband, Liam, springs an unwelcome and devastating surprise, he threatens her new peaceful existence. To top it all, her ex-lover Patrick refuses to take ‘No’ for an answer and threatens to disturb the family celebration… Will Alicia find enough goodwill amongst her nearest and dearest to create the idyllic Island Christmas she’s always dreamt of?

Meanwhile, Brit, Alicia’s best friend, returns to the Islands to lick her wounds after a particularly bloody break-up with an Italian chef. When she meets her new boss, the Captain of a Baltic cruise liner, sparks fly. Brit can’t help but fall quickly in love with Jukka, but when she discovers his murky past, she fears her heart is about to be broken yet again. Are the rumors about Jukka true, or just typical small island gossip?

Journey to beautiful Scandinavia and join the quirky community of the Åland Islands for a Nordic Christmas you’ll never forget! 

Publication Date

An Island Christmas will be out on 21 November, just when we all are beginning to look forward to the seasonal festivities!

The pre-order page will be live soon–sign up to my mailing list to find out when the book is up on Amazon, iBooks and Kobo. Just tap here or the image below for news and offer from me, and receive a FREE Nordic prequel story to the ‘Love on the Island’ -series, THE DAY WE MET! 

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