New novella – Where the Heart Is

In 2011 I put out a backlist novel and three novellas as ebooks  – Uphill All the Way, Between Two Worlds, A Place to Call Home and One Summer in Malta.

Uphill All the Way was my first published novel, coming out in April 2005 (Transita).

The novellas began their lives as serials for The People’s Friend and then became large print books, published by Magna Large Print. Large print books are expensive and hard to get hold of so, surprised (but pleased!) that so many readers asked about the novellas and complained because they couldn’t read them, I had covers done for the ebook market. The sales figures from Amazon show that they are being downloaded in the hundreds each month.

After Where the Heart Is, my last serial, ran just before Christmas, as well as offering the book to Magna it was a no-brainer to publish an ebook, too. The artist who had created my other covers, Josceline Fenton, wasn’t available, so I asked around on Facebook and was introduced to Jane Dixon-Smith. And what a find Jane turned out to be!  I can’t tell you how easy and whizzy she made the process up to the point of sending me six roughs to look at. Then I had to request a pause for a bit of agonising and lip chewing, because the covers were all good.

Above is what I eventually chose for Where the Heart Is. What do you think? I love it.

Once I had made my decision, Jane moved into whizz mode once more, and within a day I had the finished product in formats suitable for print, on-line booksellers and avatar.

Where the Heart Is begins in my beloved Malta. Here’s the blurb:

Malta 1968: Sylvana Bonnici’s parents are dubious about her marrying Rob Denton, a British army staff sergeant, but Sylvana dreams of being an army wife and travelling the world – in mini skirts and big hats, like Jackie Onassis.

Sure enough, Rob is posted to exotic places like Singapore and Gan Island … but, unfortunately, the army dictates that he must leave behind his new wife. Sylvana has little choice but to live with her parents, who have moved to the UK.

In 1971 Rob is finally offered a UK posting and the married quarter that Sylvana has yearned for – but is no longer sure that it’s what he wants. Sylvana’s reaction to his new plans shocks him, but it’s a horrifying accident that proves that home is more than just a place to live.

I found Jane Dixon-Smith’s rates affordable. Her website is here and her Facebook page is here.

Where the Heart Is can be downloaded from Amazon.co.uk here (£1.29) and Amazon.com here ($2.05).