The unforgiving coast of North Devon
Next novel, set in North Devon, is bubbling away!
It may look as if nothing has been happening on the writing front, but in spite of appearances the next novel has been bubbling away.
The working title is ‘The Red Chair’, but who knows? That may well change. It’s been a slow burn, with lots of interruptions – called life!
But I’ve been getting to know several characters and having fun researching the area of Hartland in north Devon where the story is set. That was a blast from the past as we used to spend holidays there when I was ten.
Jill Treseder
December 2023
Blackthorn Winter blog tour – click to enlarge
Review for Blackthorn Winter
I had this nice surprise on Twitter this morning!
It’s one of the blog tour reviewers, Karen Cole, giving a book recommendation and she chose Blackthorn Winter. So I might be famous for five minutes in Shaftesbury!
Karen says:
“The excellent characterisation and almost lyrical appreciation of the grounding nature of the natural environment complements the plot perfectly, meaning I have no hesitation in highly recommending Blackthorn Winter.”
You can listen to the review here: The Alfred Daily Podcast – the review begins at 49.19
Or you can read it on Karen’s blog here: Hair Past A Freckle
Read an excerpt on Amazon – Click ‘Look Inside’.
Blackthorn Winter by Jill Treseder is also available from SilverWood books.
Book Publication: Blackthorn Winter
7th April 2022
My fifth full-length novel is out!
Publication date was due to be 16th March 2022, so, as you see, I’m behind the times!
Never mind all the good reasons/excuses, here is what the book is about – a story very loosely based on the life of my great-grandfather. It stands alone but is also a prequel to The Hatmaker’s Secret.
“I’m running through the dark – a heavy dark – no prick of starlight to coax any shapes out of the way ahead. I’m seeing with memory and the soles of my feet. Boots are worn so thin…in daylight the roots are my friends. I know each one of them.”
It’s 1845. Eight-year old James Thorne is growing up in the New Forest. His life takes him far from his roots – first to the workhouse, next as a seaman in the Royal Navy, then to the respectable confines of urban life in 19th century Portsmouth. But he never relinquishes his joy in the Forest and the yearning for the presence of trees in his life.
This family saga traces James’s path from boy to grandfather – a story of light and shade, love and loss. For some, blackthorn is an emblem of bad luck. And in a “blackthorn winter”, spring blossom is blighted by snow and ice. But for others – especially his childhood sweetheart, Kitty – the white flowers bursting from black branches are a symbol of hope…
“It’s that white time of year – snow, frost, snowdrops and now the wonderful blackthorn doing its magic trick of light out of darkness like stars in the night sky.”
Blackthorn Winter is now available from Amazon in Kindle Edition or Paperback.
Random Things Blog Tour in April:
Look out for reviews of my new book on these blogs:
Blackthorn Winter book cover
Thrilled to reveal the – (I think) – beautiful cover of my new novel!
Here’s the blurb for my new novel ‘Blackthorn Winter‘ – coming out soon!
March 2022
I’m thrilled with the cover of the new novel!
But I can’t show it to you yet.
So here is the blurb to be going on with:
“I’m running through the dark – a heavy dark – no prick of starlight to coax any shapes out of the way ahead. I’m seeing with memory and the soles of my feet. Boots are worn so thin…in daylight the roots are my friends. I know each one of them.”
It’s 1845. Eight-year old James Thorne is growing up in the New Forest. His life takes him far from his roots – first to the workhouse, next as a seaman in the Royal Navy, then to the respectable confines of urban life in 19th century Portsmouth. But he never relinquishes his joy in the Forest and the yearning for the presence of trees in his life.
This family saga traces James’s path from boy to grandfather – a story of light and shade, love and loss. For some, blackthorn is an emblem of bad luck. And in a “blackthorn winter”, spring blossom is blighted by snow and ice. But for others – especially his childhood sweetheart, Kitty – the white flowers bursting from black branches are a symbol of hope…
“It’s that white time of year – snow, frost, snowdrops and now the wonderful blackthorn doing its magic trick of light out of darkness like stars in the night sky.”
New novel ‘Blackthorn Winter’ out soon!
February 2022
I’ve been away so long!
But I haven’t been idle and I’m excited to announce that my next novel Blackthorn Winter is due out next month!
First lockdown was spent finishing the novel – over and over again. Followed by cutting , restructuring, editing, editing, editing and finishing yet again.
A few things got in the way this year – like somehow acquiring an autoimmune condition in January and then, equally carelessly, breaking my ankle in February – and that required surgery.
Being immobile and depending on these…
…at least meant I couldn’t escape the editing.
My other half brightened the days with some very pretty lunch plates:
The new book is loosely – very loosely – based on the life of my great grandfather, James Thorne. He grew up in the New Forest, spent years in the workhouse and then joined the Royal Navy, training aboard HMS Victory. But more about him very soon…