Garden of Last Hope, the sequel to Mark of the Breenan, is finally here! The Kindle edition is available in the USA, Canada, UK, and anywhere you can buy Kindle books (and is available for free for Kindle Select customers). The paperback is currently available in the USA, and will be coming shortly to other markets.

​Thanks for being patient, reader. I hope you enjoy Gwen's latest adventures!

Happy April 1st! Garden of Last Hope's release date has been delayed for a week due to technical difficulties. Unfortunately, this is not an April Fool's joke. Fortunately, we won't have to wait long... it should be available in a week or two.

I've been working with my amazing graphic designer, Christien Gilston, on the cover for Garden of Last Hope (Book Two of the Breenan Series). Not that my role is particularly onerous, as I mainly spout off vague, half-formed ideas, and Chris comes back with designs far better than I imagined.
So, without further ado, here is the cover for Garden of Last Hope, due out March 2016:

Choosing character names proved much more difficult and important than I had first imagined. An author can choose a name at random and run with it--I believe Douglas Adams chose the name "Zaphod Beeblebrox" as an idiotic placeholder name for his galactic president in "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy," and the name just stuck. Or, an author can choose a name that fits the character. I chose the name Gwen for its Celtic history, as well as its meaning of "white light," an appropriate moniker for a girl with magic. Aidan means "little fire," chosen both for his magic and his red hair. Ellie came from cycling through lists of baby names until one jumped out at me with her bubbly personality.
​Merlin was easier--he came equipped with his own name! His pseudonym was a little tricker, but nothing I couldn't handle. I played around with a variety of names that sounded vaguely like "Merlin," and Merry Lytton seemed to fit. My choice was confirmed during my research for Ignition. Armed with a stack of dusty tomes about fifth century Wales from my university, I opened the top one--published in the early 1900s--to find it dedicated to "Lord Lytton." It tickled me to think of Merry as a Lord Lytton, and I decided it was fate.

I'll be selling both of my books in person this weekend at two locations. Come get a copy for your favourite person this holiday, or just come by and say hello. There will also be a draw to win a free copy of Isle of Enchantment, book two in the Breenan Series (due in March). I would love to see you there!

Saturday November 21st: Doncaster Elementary, 1525 Rowan St Victoria BC, 10am-3pm

Sunday November 22nd: Caleb Pike House, 1589 Millstream Rd Victoria BC, 10am-4pm​​

Ignition has been getting around lately. My local newpaper, the Saanich News, ran an article about it, and the University of British Columbia's newspaper, the UByssey, interviewed me. And just a few days ago, the Bibliophilic Book Blog ran a review. Now more people can enjoy Merry's adventures!