Illusion of a Boar Archives

Unknown Depths: A man and woman silhouetted against a blue background with a wave rising up above them. They are looking down, in conversation with a seal. He wears a peaked cap, jacket, and boots, while she has a long braid down her back and is wearing a shalwar kameez with a bit of her dupatta hanging over her arm. It's displayed on a tablet sitting on a bed of smoothed rocks.

A small light in the world

April 7, 2026 / Albion

I’ve been thinking today about what I love about writing what I write. (A thread on the same topic is over on Bluesky: this is expanded from that since I have a little more space and can explain why each book is relevant where I put the images..) I write romance. I love being able to spend time writing about things getting better after challenging times. About getting through the tricky bits of life in good company (friends as well as lovers and beloveds…). About making the world better together. For me, writing is often about exploring and learning.

Eclipse, Facets of the Bench, Fool's Gold, Harmonic Pleasure, Illusion of a Boar, Unknown Depths

Cover of Eclipse displayed on a tablet, resting on a pine bough, surrounded by wood five-pointed stars.

Characters and songs

June 3, 2025 / Albion, Ideas to books

Four songs illuminating characters from my books – Orion, Isembard, Gabe, and Hereswith.

Eclipse, Grown Wise, Illusion of a Boar, Mysterious Fields, Old As The Hills, Upon A Summer's Day

Upon A Summer's Day displayed on a tablet in a sunset scene looking out across water to fields beyond, all of it glowing golden and sparkling with magic. The cover of Upon A Summer's Day shows a man in a suit silhouetted over a map of northern Wales in a muted green. He is gesturing, holding his cane in one hand, a cap on his head. Behind him is an astrological chart, with Jupiter and Saturn highlighted in the sign of Taurus.

Demesne Estates

April 29, 2025 / Albion

The demesne estates are the heart of Albion’s land magic. Take a tour of what this means and a few of the key estates.

Ancient Trust, Facets of the Bench, Grown Wise, Illusion of a Boar, Mari Lwyd 1927, Upon A Summer's Day

Illusion of a Boar on a pale background with a woven wicker heart. Cover of Illusion of a Boar: Two silhouetted men and women standing at a table, on a ground of deep gold with an astrological chart behind them.

In Character: Orion Sisley

August 7, 2024 / In Character

A look at Orion Sisley and what made him the man he becomes.

As The Ground Shifts, Eclipse, Illusion of a Boar, Three Graces

The cover of Three Graces has three women in silhouette, two standing and one sitting, her hand resting on a cane. All three are wearing clothes from during the Second World War, against a deep brown cover with a map. An astrology chart to the back left has the Moon and Venus picked out in brighter gold.

Cover design : Land Mysteries

July 3, 2024 / Land Mysteries, Writing and publishing

Let’s explore the cover design for the Land Mysteries series – with a look at some hidden elements you might not have noticed!

Best Foot Forward, Illusion of a Boar, Nocturnal Quarry, Old As The Hills, The Magic of Four, Three Graces, Upon A Summer's Day

Grown Wise: A silhouetted man and woman in 1940s clothes, walking together as he reaches for a branch full of apples. The background is a muted green and brown, scattered with a swoosh of golden light. Shown on a wooden table with a mug of tea.

What’s after The Land Mysteries

May 29, 2024 / Writing and publishing

What made me want to write the Land Mysteries series, and what’s coming next.

As The Ground Shifts, Best Foot Forward, Illusion of a Boar, Nocturnal Quarry, Old As The Hills, The Magic of Four, Three Graces, Upon A Summer's Day

Old As The Hills displayed on a tablet, in a stone arch with a glowing purple night sky behind it. The cover of Old As The Hills has a man with a can and a woman silhouetted on a green ground with a map. She holds out her hand, he is putting something into it, forming a doorway between them. An astrological chart behind them shows the symbols for Venus, the Sun, Jupiter, and Saturn highlighted behind a splash of glowing stars.

Neurodiversity in my books

April 17, 2024 / In Character, Questions and answers

A guide to neurodiverse characters in my books, as of 2024. (Check out the grid early in the post for the current complete list.)

Ancient Trust, Best Foot Forward, Bound for Perdition, Casting Nasturtiums, Complementary, Eclipse, Illusion of a Boar, Old As The Hills, On The Bias, Pastiche, Perfect Accord, Seven Sisters, Shoemaker's Wife, The Fossil Door, The Magic of Four, Three Graces, Upon A Summer's Day

Idea to Book: Illusion of a Boar

March 6, 2024 / Ideas to books

What’s behind Illusion of a Boar? Two sets of chosen siblings, a historical reference, a major military deception, and different ways of being neurodiverse in the world.

Eclipse, Illusion of a Boar

A look back at 2023

December 28, 2023 / Albion, Writing and publishing

Let’s take a look back at 2023: books that came out, things written, what’s been happening on the Patreon and Discord, and some website and wiki notes.

Bound for Perdition, Four Walls and a Heart, Illusion of a Boar, Nocturnal Quarry, Old As The Hills, Shoemaker's Wife, Three Graces, Treats And Extras, Upon A Summer's Day

Copy of Best Foot Forward lying on a bed of sand, covered by an enamelled Horus medallion. The cover has a deep red background with map markings in a dull purple. Two men in silhouette stand, looking up at a point in the top left. An astrology chart with different symbols picked out takes up the left side of the image, with glowing stars curving up to the title.

Up for a 2024 reading challenge?

December 18, 2023 / Reading

Ideas for 2024 reading challenges (with some help about which of my books fit some prompts.)

Best Foot Forward, Carry On, Chasing Legends, Facets of the Bench, Fool's Gold, Forged in Combat, Four Walls and a Heart, Illusion of a Boar, In The Cards, Magician's Hoard, Mistress Of Birds, Nocturnal Quarry, Outcrossing, Pastiche, Sailor's Jewel, Shoemaker's Wife, The Fossil Door, The Magic of Four, Three Graces, Upon A Summer's Day, Wards of the Roses

Cover of In The Cards displayed in a gleaming silver frame, with purple flowers on the right and a purple velvet high-heeled shoes.

Happily ever after, no kids

September 13, 2023 / Mysterious Arts, Mysterious Charm, Mysterious Powers, Questions and answers

Do people need to have kids to have their happily ever after. Some of my characters have kids, but not everyone does! Here’s more about those books.

Ancient Trust, Bound for Perdition, Complementary, Fool's Gold, Four Walls and a Heart, Illusion of a Boar, In The Cards, Mistress Of Birds, On The Bias, Point By Point, Seven Sisters, The Hare And The Oak

My plans for 2023

December 29, 2022 / Announcements, Writing and publishing

Now that I’ve talked about what I got up to in 2022, it’s time to look forward into 2023. I’m incredibly excited about my plans for 2023. There’s quite a lot to come! Publication dates may shift a little, but I expect them to be fairly close to the following. Coming out in 2023 This year, I’m alternating between a series of 1920s books (Mysterious Arts) and books dealing with the Second World War (the Land Mysteries series).

Best Foot Forward, Bound for Perdition, Carry On, Illusion of a Boar, Nocturnal Quarry, Old As The Hills, Shoemaker's Wife, Three Graces, Upon A Summer's Day