📚❤️ The Stories So Far… and the Stories Still to Come! ❤️📚

One of the loveliest things about being an independent author is watching a collection of stories gradually grow. What began with an idea, a notebook and a love of writing has somehow become a little bookshelf all of my own! With book sales going amazingly well, I really couldn't be more grateful for the support, encouragement and wonderful feedback I've received along the way. So, I thought I'd share a little reminder of what's already out there, celebrate a few milestones and give you a glimpse of what's coming next!

🌊 First, there's The Towans Series…

Set in the beautiful Cornish town of Hayle, against the backdrop of its stunning coastline, these stories explore love, family, friendships, secrets, relationships and the complicated paths life sometimes takes us down. Between the Towans was where it all began, and I was absolutely delighted when it reached #7 in Amazon's Love Triangle Romance bestseller chart, just two days after publication! It was followed by Beneath the Towans' Sky, and now Beyond the Towans' Tide, the third instalment, is in its final stages. One of the things I particularly love about this series is that each book can be enjoyed independently, so you can start wherever you like. But if you read them in order, you'll discover familiar faces returning, relationships developing and the lives of this little Cornish community continuing to unfold. It's been such a pleasure bringing these characters together and watching their stories grow.

💛 Then there's my 'Stuff' collection…

These books are particularly close to my heart. Written primarily for younger readers, they explore the thoughts, feelings and everyday experiences of neurodivergent children, particularly those things that aren't always easy to explain or put into words. Stuff I Can't Say Out Loud explores anxiety, emotions and finding your voice, while Stuff That Won't Stay Still looks at the wonderfully busy, sometimes overwhelming world of ADHD. What has been especially lovely is discovering that these stories are resonating with adults too, with some readers recognising experiences from their own childhoods, while teachers have been using them to help open conversations about neurodiversity in the classroom. Both books have reached Amazon's Top 100 in Children's Fiction on Disability, which has been an incredible achievement, and the messages I've received from families and readers have meant so much. Next in the collection is Stuff That Has to Be Just Right, Emily's story, which explores autism and the experience of navigating a world that doesn't always feel quite right. I'm hoping to have this one ready in time for Christmas! 🎄

⛏️ And then there's something completely new…

I've also been busy working on The Eighth Child of Penvarrow Mine, a mysterious Cornish adventure for readers aged 8–12. Set against the fascinating backdrop of Cornwall's mining history, it brings together old secrets, intriguing characters, a mysterious photograph and a young boy called Oliver who finds himself at the heart of a rather extraordinary story. This one has taken me into a completely different world of writing, and I've had enormous fun researching, imagining and bringing it all together. There's still work to be done, but I'm really looking forward to sharing more about this adventure soon!

✍️ So, what's next?

Well, more writing, more editing, more stories and hopefully many more readers discovering my books! It's been especially lovely seeing them make their way onto the shelves of two shops here in Cornwall, including in Hayle, which has always been one of my favourite places to visit and, of course, the inspiration for The Towans Series. There's something rather special about seeing stories inspired by a place you love finding their way back there.

Being an independent author means wearing rather a lot of different hats, from writing and editing to designing, publishing and promoting, but there's something incredibly rewarding about crafting these stories and knowing they're finding their way into people's homes, being read, enjoyed and talked about. Sometimes I look at the books already published and the manuscripts still in progress and can hardly believe how much this little writing journey has grown. And while there's still so much I'd love to achieve, I'm thoroughly enjoying seeing where it all takes me.

Whether you've read one of my books, bought a copy, shared a post, left a review, recommended a story to a friend or simply followed along, thank you. Every little bit of support genuinely makes a difference, particularly to an independent author, and I'm so grateful to everyone who's become part of this journey. ❤️

📚 Now I'd love to know… have you read any of my books yet? And which of the upcoming stories are you most looking forward to?

Bren xoxo