Hello and welcome to Making Crime Pay! I’m Nicki Thornton - I’m an author. I share my creative journey here and what I am learning along the way. I pass on my love on books by sharing what I am reading and review them so you can enjoy them too. I visit schools and other places to encourage a love of reading and help writing be more fun!
My latest novel is The Floating Witch Mystery, about three determined children, an eccentric witch and the world’s best magical detective who will stop at nothing to save everything they love.
If you would like to hear me read the opening chapter you can do here.
I love my Substack community. Thank you for being part of it.
Thank to everyone who is reading this and everyone who has kindly supported this new book.
Nicki
It’s a crazy busy time when your book comes out
First the joy of celebrating at my book launch.
I am so grateful to have had many requests from booksellers and bookshops who are stocking my latest book (and my other books!) and asking me to drop in an sign a few.
I love bookshops!
I’m sure many of you know that I love bookshops so much I ran my own for more than ten years.
I love how they build reading communities and help readers and writers discover each other. Stepping into a bookshop always feels to me like visiting old friends.
Giving something back to bookshops
What probably very few of you know is that as well as writing, and giving a lot of talks in bookshops, schools and literary festivals - I have another job. I work as a mentor for bookshops. So many are very small businesses, often run by a single enthusiastic owner. It can help you have someone to talk to who has walked the walk before you - so that is what I do.
I spent a day in London with other mentors for a training day to help us to be as helpful as we can be to booksellers. It’s a privilege to work with so many talented people.
Next week I have more bookshop visits lined up, not promoting my own book, but because January is a busy time for mentoring.
And I have been reading - so expect reviews soon!
I feel I have hit 2024 running. I am also doing the double of Dry January and Veganuary so I hope this is contributing to keeping my energy levels up.
Thanks so much or reading this - and particularly to those who have been sending me messages and photos of The Floating Witch Mystery in shops . . . and reading it too!
After all the words, blood, sweat and tears that goes into writing, editing and promoting a book - seeing it in a bookshop of in the hands of readers is the best moment!
Thank you all
Nicki