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Kathleen McGurl

~ Where past and present collide…

Kathleen McGurl

Category Archives: Uncategorized

The Storm Girl

25 Friday Mar 2022

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Delighted to say that my latest book, The Storm Girl, is now available for preorder from all the usual retailers. It’ll be published as an ebook in May, and as a paperback in July.

This was a real lockdown book, written when we could not travel anywhere and set in my home town which I’d discovered was a hotbed of smuggling back in the 18th century…

Preorder from Amazon UK

Preorder from Amazon US

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The Lost Sister publication day!

12 Wednesday May 2021

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publication, The Lost Sister

Today is ebook publication day for The Lost Sister. I’m really proud of this novel, written during last year’s lockdown. The historical story centres around three sisters who go to work on three sister ships – the Olympic, Titanic and Britannic. The modern day story centres around a granddaughter of one of the girls, who is herself now a grandparent and going through some difficult times with her family.

A blog tour has begun today, and I am hugely thankful to all bloggers taking part. As always, as each blog is published I will add a link to it to the book’s page on this website.

It’s already had some lovely reviews on Netgalley, and I am honoured to see myself called by some reviewers, “the queen of timeslip”!

Paperback and audiobook versions of the novel will be published in July.

Online Event

11 Monday Jan 2021

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On 4th February I am taking part in an online event (on Zoom) organised by Northumberland Libraries. I’ll be talking about my books, my inspiration, my writing processes and my latest and forthcoming novels.

To join me (and please do!) click the link here to register. It’s all free!

Register on Eventbrite

Welcome to 2021!

01 Friday Jan 2021

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New Years Resolution

And good riddance to 2020. I think we are all hoping that this year will be a little better.

At this time of year I always write a blog post looking back on the year and setting out some aims for the year ahead. I considered not doing it this year, as no one really wants to look back on 2020 do they? But I think I’ll stick to my tradition. There have (for me) been a few good things in the year.

Last year, none of us could have foreseen what was ahead. I envisaged another year like 2019 for me – lots of travelling and writing, but slow progress on thinning down house contents ready to move. That’s reflected in last year’s resolutions. Here they are:

  • Complete the two novels written last year. Both are slated for publication in 2020. — Done, The Secret of the Chateau and The Forgotten Gift
  • Write first drafts of two more novels. — Wrote a full draft of one, and the starts of two others, so I guess I’m a little behind here.
  • Continue thinning down possessions, with a view to selling this house in 2021. — The pandemic and lockdowns helped us here – we completed the declutter, put the house on the market in July and moved on December 1st – ahead of schedule!
  • Continue enjoying life! — Not as easy as it had been the previous year. Of course all our travel plans were scuppered. But we had our sons living with us on and off all year, and managed lots of family walks and bike rides and board games. So not all bad.

Looking ahead, of course the one thing 2020 showed us is that life is never certain. It’s hard to plan in detail, when we don’t know how this pandemic will pan out. And Brexit means our travel plans are not as achievable as they were, now that I’m no longer an EU citizen (although my Irish husband still is). But here’s what I hope to do in 2021:

  • Complete writing two more novels
  • Pandemic allowing, spend a couple of months in France in late spring/early summer (a booking from 2020 that was postponed a year)
  • Finish sorting out the new house, including building a garden room which is to be my writing space
  • Make the most of every day, even when we’re restricted in what we can do. There are always possibilities.

Thanks to all my readers for your support, and I hope the year was kind to you. Best wishes for 2021.

OUT NOW!

11 Wednesday Nov 2020

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Delighted to announce that The Forgotten Gift has now been published as an ebook. Paperback and audiobook to follow in January.

It’s been receiving some lovely early reviews on Netgalley, including one that said: “The queen of dual timelines has done it again!” – makes me giggle every time I read that sentence, but I am delighted with it.

The blog tour has begun – links to all reviews will be added to the book’s page on this blog as they come in. Thank you to all bloggers for taking part, and to Rachel for her fabulous organisational skills!

Buy from Amazon UK

Buy from Amazon US

The Forgotten Gift – publication date looming closer!

23 Friday Oct 2020

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With less than three weeks to go until publication date for The Forgotten Gift, it’s time to get going with a bit of promotion for it. There’s to be a full blog tour starting on publication date – 11th November, and here are the blogs involved and the dates. I’ll post links to all of them on the Forgotten Gift page on this website.

There’s been a few lovely reviews posted on Netgalley or Goodreads, including one that calls me “the queen of dual timelines”!! I keep giggling about that one.

And the first blog review is from wonderful Cindy Spear – you can read that here. She also interviewed me for her blog, and that’s here. Thanks so much to Cindy for all her support.

Meanwhile, I have more or less completed a set of edits for the book after this one, and begun writing another. There’s no rest!

Inspiration!

10 Thursday Sep 2020

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A couple of weeks ago, my back list titles were all published as audio books. To celebrate, my publisher asked me to record a minute for each book, of myself talking about the inspiration behind each one. Those videos have all been uploaded to Instagram, and you can watch them via the HQStories channel, linked here.

It was a pretty excruciating experience getting those done, I can tell you! My drama student son helped, and it took us ages getting the lighting right, and the camera (phone) angle right, so the bags under my eyes didn’t look too bad. And then I kept stumbling over the words, or speaking as though I was ‘dead inside,’ as my son kept telling me. We had to do about 20 takes for one book. I have a newfound respect for all actors, presenters, radio and TV hosts. Words are far easier to write than to speak, I think!

Anyway, here are the links to the individual clips, saved here so they’re easier to find in case anyone ever wants a giggle.

The Stationmaster’s Daughter

The Pearl Locket

The Girl from Ballymor

The Emerald Comb

The Daughters of Red Hill Hall

Live on Facebook & other news

02 Thursday Jul 2020

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Facebook Live, Promotion, The Secret of the Chateau

Yesterday as part of the One More Chapter book club I was ‘live’ on Facebook along with editor Mel and author Adrienne Chinn. We were talking about our latest books. Adrienne’s is also dual timeline, like mine.

We had a lot of fun, and the video is available to watch on FB here.

Also – for the month of July – my latest novel The Secret of the Château is on promotion at just 99p for the ebook on Amazon UK! The paperback and audio versions of the book will be released later this month.

I handed a revised version of my 10th novel to my editor last week – hope to soon bring you news of its title, cover, blurb etc – I love announcing new books!

And today I’m going back to my 11th novel. I have written a very rough first draft, and now I need to turn it into something readable!

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On the radio!

16 Tuesday Jun 2020

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podcast

Last week I took part in a radio show called Outer Limits, on Swindon 105.5. It was a pre-recorded show which I was glad of – gave my lovely hosts Peggy and Chloe the chance to edit it if necessary! The show is now available on demand for the next month  – click here and scroll down to the Outer Limits show recorded on 10th June.

peggy and chloe

Peggy & Chloe from Outer Limits

In it I talk about several of my novels, how I got started in writing, why I write dual timeline and more. Enjoy listening!

Podcast and a promo!

07 Sunday Jun 2020

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podcast, Promotion, The Forgotten Secret, The Secret of the Chateau

A few weeks ago I was interviewed by the lovely Jenny Wheeler for a podcast – that is a first time for me. She’s now posted it up on her website, The Joys of Binge Reading, and you can listen to it here.

Cover

In it, I chatter on about lockdown, The Secret of the Château, how I got started writing, writing while living in Gertie, The Forgotten Secret and more. There’s also a transcript for those who prefer to read rather than listen. And there’s a giveaway of copies of the ebook of The Secret of the Château!

Jenny’s is a fabulous website and she’s interviewed loads of writers. Do go and take a look around and perhaps listen to some of them!

(PS I hate the sound of my recorded voice, but I suppose that’s true for many of us!)

Also – for all readers in the US – please note The Secret of the Château is currently on sale at just 99c from Amazon for the month of June. Bargain!

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