What do we think of it so far?
All the best for 2025 from Devon
“Reading is an exercise in empathy; an exercise in walking in someone else’s shoes for a while.”
― Malorie Blackman
Hello there,
I hope your 2025 has got off to a good start. I’ve had some kind of flu bug that’s lingering far beyond any reasonable expectation - or should that be expectoration? Still, I got some books in those parcels under the tree, so I’m looking forward to reading Karla’s Choice (a John Le Carré sequel written by Nick Harkaway), Midnight and Blue by Iain Rankin, The Slummer (a book about running by Geoffrey Simpson), and in the sales, I treated myself to The Day of the Jackal by Frederick Forsyth.
I can’t believe I haven't read Forsyth’s thriller, but I’m looking forward to it. I’ve heard there’s a TV show, but I have no interest in that. Reading outshines all other forms of entertainment as far as I’m concerned. That’s partly why I picked the above quote. I firmly believe that reading makes us into better, more understanding people, and that can only be a good thing.
In other news, I’m back to work and doing my bit for the written word. After Christmas I wrote a short and rather ghostly story and submitted it to an anthology. The deadline was midnight on New Year’s Eve, and I managed to hit send with a couple of hours to spare. It’s a good job I wasn’t planning on going to a wild party. Those days were fun, but they’re firmly in my rear view mirror.
If the story is accepted I’ll let you know, and if it isn’t, I may try elsewhere or publish it myself. It was a nice change of tone for me - a palate
You’re probably waiting for the photos, and they’re below, but first a word of thanks.
Thank You Kindly!
I’m raising a mug of Earl Grey to these lovely recent supporters: an anonymous supporter, Raino and Cristina. And a special thank you to regular supporters Lara and Alonza. Cheers!
To join these fine people in sending a mug of tea, please use this handy button:
Alternatively, to send support while receiving bonus features and content in return, please consider upgrading your membership- more on that at the end of this newsletter.
Featured Photos
Three ways to enjoy the photos: a collage in the email, separate images in the substack app, an interactive gallery in the online post.
(Left to Right, Top to Bottom) Teignmouth beach on boxing day, the small ferry over the Teign estuary, the ‘back beach‘ where the River Teign meets the sea, several views around our village during the rare snow shower we had recently, and finally, Exeter Cathedral as the sun goes down.
A Free Book is Back - A Study in Stone
For a while, I was trying my books in Kindle Unlimited and that meant Amazon wouldn’t allow me to give this book away. But I prefer to remain in control of my books, so I opted out, and you can now claim this Devonshire Mysteries prequel for free. Here’s a link:
Already own this book? Do you have a friend who might like it?
Feel free to share the VIP Readers Club via the button below. New members get this book and several others automatically when they sign up for free:
Beta Reading Opportunity
The next Devonshire Mystery is ready for beta readers, i.e. it’s time to send out an early copy to readers in the hope of getting some detailed feedback. If you’ve done this for me before, you know the drill, for everyone else, the ebook will be sent out to volunteers who are happy to read an unedited book, looking for plot holes and other errors as well as picking out parts that may be confusing or muddled. Picking out the particularly good parts is also useful.
Beta readers are very helpful to me because, by this point, I’m too close to the project to see its flaws. It’s quite a long book, and I generally allow a couple of weeks for people to read a book and get back to me.
Readers who send detailed feedback get a mention in the book and my eternal thanks.
I send out some guidance along with the download details from Bookfunnel, so I try to make it straightforward for everyone. If that sounds like fun, and you’d like to help in shaping the book and making it as good as it can be, please click the button below and fill in the form:
What’s Next?
In an effort to keep the lights on, I’ve activated the paid membership option as an optional extra for The VIP Readers Club. I decided to do this because I’ve found a handy discount option to make it more affordable for members - 20% off monthly and annual options.
The newsletters will remain free, and so will the various ebooks and other items I give away when new members join. But I’m offering extra access to me via chat and comments on substack, and there’ll be regular Q&A sessions via live video. That takes time, and it offers something unique that I wouldn’t otherwise be able to offer.
As a thank you, I’ll send paying members a handwritten, custom-printed Devonshire postcard, and a signed and stamped bookplate to stick into a book. I’ve order the postcards today, so they should be ready soon.
If you’re interested, please use the button below:
Signing Off
The days are getting longer, and I’m peering hopefully into the hedgerows looking for any hint of snowdrops. When i find one, I’ll be sure to snap a picture. Meanwhile, I’ll be organising a cover for the new mystery and making sure the book is polished and edited. I might even be able to release it in late February or early March.
What shall I write next? I’m tempted to give the young DC Spiller another outing, but I have lots of other ideas clamouring for attention.
I’ll let you know. I hope to be posting out a couple of newsletters a month, and there’ll be other, shorter items and photos in the Notes section of this publication (which now has its own tab on the menu bar). You can find them here: vipreaders.substack.com/notes
I’ve gone on long enough, so I’ll leave you to settle down with a good book or three. We know it makes sense.
Happy reading and take care,
Mikey