Finally (in more ways than one) a canal themed story
My next historical romance, Harriet, the Colonel and the Canal, is now available on Amazon at 99p (or free if you have Kindle Unlimited). This book has been a long time in the making and it involved a huge amount of research, covering both the early history of the Grand Western Canal and the Peninsular War.
From a technical perspective, it’s been one of my most complex books to write. When you're packing a lot of factual content into a work of fiction, it's difficult to avoid turning it into a history lecture. During the early stages of writing I even had to shelve it for a few months because although I was enjoying the research, I just wasn’t getting into the story. And if I'm not getting into the story, I can be certain that my readers won't get into it either!
But when I looked back on it later, I could see the potential I’d missed. I unpacked the romance element, which was a bit insipid and under-developed, and wove it deeper into the narrative. And it seemed to work.
With trepidation, I sent it off to my small beta-reading team. It was an extremely stormy day, with lightning forking all around the house. To distract myself, I set about creating a map for the book while my friend Lesley, who is my toughest critic, got started on 'ripping it apart'. (Her words, not mine!)
The feedback was good at first, but then she told me that there were two chapters near the end that she would have skipped through if she hadn't been reading it for me. Not good. Lesley has a knack of holding up a magnifying glass up to issues that have been lurking there the whole time. I never feel irritated by her comments. I just feel annoyed at myself, because somewhere in my heart of hearts I knew that there was something wrong.
Once she's told me that she sees a problem, I can't brush it under the carpet any more. Out came my pruning shears and I spent the rest of the day reworking a large chunk of the book. Slowly, I worried away at the areas she'd identified, and slowly I became less despondent. Eventually it felt as if a huge weight had lifted, revealing the romantic historical blockbuster gleaming beneath.
By the time I'd finished writing Harriet's story, it didn't feel like a history lesson any more. I hope you enjoy it!
What's it about?
Harriet Heronbridge is an independent spinster who defies convention to invest in the Grand Western Canal. She meets a fellow investor, the distinguished Colonel Augustus Fenwicke, and over the years, their mutual respect blossoms into romance. Their bond is abruptly severed when Augustus is recalled to serve in the 20th Regiment of Foot in the harrowing Peninsular War. Although he survives the brutal march to Corunna, he returns to England with a story he cannot tell. He tries to rekindle his romance, but his fragile second chance at love is maliciously sabotaged by a vengeful rival investor. Will Harriet and Augustus find a way through heartbreak, will Augustus ever share the secret that wrenched them apart, and will they ever find true love?
And finally...
This is the last post you'll receive via my website. I have not renewed my hosting subscription and the site will have quietly faded away by 23rd September 2026 at the latest.
If you'd like to keep in touch, please check my details on LinkTree. All the old posts from my website have already been transferred to Scissors Paper Stone on Substack.
