Kill your darlings – a deleted scene from Farewell to Kindness

I have a jackdaw mind. I fall in love with shiny facts, and I just have to keep them. And then I’m tempted to show them to everyone, as I did with the following deleted scene from my forthcoming novel, a small celebration of the counting rhyme used by generations of Cotswold’s shepherds. The scene introduces […]

Meeting the neighbours – a Farewell to Kindness excerpt

Another Farewell to Kindness excerpt. Rede sees Anne for the first time: The service wound to its final blessing, and the congregation followed the Rector from the church as the bells pealed. He moved towards the door, through a rippling sea of bows, curtseys, touched foreheads, murmured ‘My Lord’s’. Out in the churchyard, the villagers […]

First kiss scene from Farewell to Kindness

The heroine is staying at the hero’s house. When she cannot sleep, she goes to check on the rest of her family, and meets him in the darkened hall. He invites her to sit with him in the old Minstrel’s Gallery. Rede set the tray down, and took the candleholder from her to light candles […]

Beginning to think about edit for Farewell to Kindness

I asked those beta-reading my novel to come back with feedback by the end of December, but I’m already beginning to get some responses. What amazing people those beta readers are. I’m getting lots of affirmation, but also some really useful advice. Thank you so much, you wonderful people. If I’m to have Farewell to […]

First draft of Farewell to Kindness is finished

I’m dancing around the room going, Yay, and Woohoo. I’ve finally written myself to Rede’s and Anne’s happily ever after. Today is a holiday Monday in New Zealand. When I woke up and started to write, the good guys and the bad guys were all converging on the one spot. It took me 8,000 words […]

Farewell to Kindness first chapters

“And now… farewell to kindness, humanity and gratitude. I have substituted myself for Providence in rewarding the good; may the God of vengeance now yield me His place to punish the wicked.” ― Alexandre Dumas, The Count of Monte Cristo Prologue London, 1801 George was drunk. But not nearly drunk enough. He still saw his young friend’s […]

Farewell to Kindness

He thought he had buried his heart with his children. He was wrong.

“And now… farewell to kindness, humanity and gratitude. I have substituted myself for Providence in rewarding the good; may the God of vengeance now yield me His place to punish the wicked.” Alexander Dumas