Hello all! I’m still here! Apologies for the radio silence, it’s been a busy month. Just wanted to give you all a quick update though. Still living. Still drinking coffee. Still hanging out with pigeons. Most importantly, still writing! Work on Book 3 has been underway for a while, and I can’t wait to share some details.
But not yet. It’s still Cuckoo’s time to shine, and I wanted to say thanks to everyone who has read it and reached out. It feels so cool to have written a book like this - something that means something to people. It also feels really cool that people are still digging Seeing Dead. In fact, sales for the Seeing Dead paperback exceeded Cuckoo last month! Maybe I should be worried about that, but I always knew Cuckoo would be a little more niche, and for me, it’s all one package. As long as people are enjoying what I’m writing, I’m happy as Larry!
But I digress, work and life is going well. Updates on Book 3 are going to come sooner than you think. But for now, here’s a collection of pictures that have no real meaning at all. But there’s pigeons in them. Love a pigeon.
Oooh go on then, one little teaser for Book 3…
Warmth.
Make of that what you will. See you all soon!
#authorofinstagram #indieauthor #indiebooks #horrorbooks #bookstacommunity #writingupdate #writingabook
I’ve been on my phone a lot these past few weeks. And for good reason. I have a book to sell! But sometimes it’s a good idea to put the phone down, take a moment, and just breathe.
I got a chance to do that last week, travelling from Edinburgh to London. With all the stuff that’s been going on (all of it good!) it was nice to take a moment and just be still. I thought about the last two years. Releasing my first book. Writing and releasing my second. I thought about all of you who have bought it, and are reading it, and are enjoying what’s come out of my head. I thought about all of that and just sat with everything for a while. And it was so lovely.
I’m so proud of myself, and that’s such a weird thing to say, because I can’t help but be self-deprecating 99.9% of the time. But no. Sitting on that train, in the sun, with the contents of my imagination out there being read, and with ideas brewing for the next one… Yeah, I felt pretty chuffed. Go me!
Right. Anyway. Now back to being self-deprecating again. Back to work, ya soppy git!
#authorofinstagram #londonbooks #london #edinburgh #horrorbooksta #booksbooksbooks #writerthoughts
I can’t believe I’m saying this, but The Secret Cuckoo Cabaret Club (AND Seeing Dead) got into the top 50 for horror on Amazon. Top 50! Out of like hundreds of thousands of books! Eek. Aah. That’s madness. Thank you everyone who downloaded them. Especially Cuckoo! Oh, and if you haven’t done it yet, do so now. If anything, the main character of the book, Sara, really deserves it. She deserves to be seen, listened to, serenaded. So go serenade her! Maybe we could even get Cuckoo into the top 10. Wouldn’t that be something?
#ebooksale #top50books #amazonbooks #ebookwormsclub #kindlebooks #bookworm #horrorbooks #horror
Attention everyone! For some reason (I have no idea why) Amazon has now made Cuckoo and Seeing Dead FREE on Kindle UK! No idea why, but I’m loving it, because both books are currently sitting in the top 600 for the Horror genre. Cuckoo is at 170, which is madness! If you haven’t downloaded yet, do it now while it’s completely free, because who knows how long Amazon will keep it like this. I’d guess like a day, as it’s back to normal price on Kindle US. It’ll be so awesome if we can push the books up even further, especially Cuckoo, so if you’re interested, get it while the offer lasts! It’ll mean the world to me!
#amazonkindle #freeebook #ebookoffer #amazonebooks #horrorbooks #horrorgenre
The free ebook offer for The Secret Cuckoo Cabaret Club ends tomorrow, so if you haven’t downloaded a copy yet, do so now! Come on, join the party. You’ll have a blast. Trust me! 🪩🪶
#freeebook #ebookoffer #bookbargain #ebooksale #horrorbooks #horror
Had to lead this post with the goofiest picture, because LOOK AT HIM! What a mug! But that’s how it makes me feel seeing my book in bookstores. This one is Transreal, a really neat bookshop just off Greyfriars Kirkyard. If you’re in the city, go check it out (and psst, buy The Secret Cuckoo Cabaret Club too, because it’ll make that goofy smile even wider!).
#bookstores #edinburgh #authorlife #horrorbooks #scifibooks #lgbtbooks #newbookstagram #booksbooksbooks
Okay, so the free ebook offer is ongoing, and I’m so happy people are taking advantage. But I just wanted to use this post to make another lovey dovey shoutout to the ol’ brick and mortar bookstores. Specifically, Lighthouse Books in Edinburgh. This is probably the most welcoming bookstore in the city, full of books revolving around the LGBTQ+ experience.
And guess what? They have The Secret Cuckoo Cabaret Club! With this book, I really wanted to tell a story that I hadn’t read before, touching on very real issues about identity, wrapped inside the horror and mystery genre. I’m so proud of the end result, but even more proud that bookshops like @lighthousebks believe in it. If you’re in Edinburgh, make sure you head there as soon as possible to pick up your copy! Oh, and say hello to the gorgeous doggo outside. I’m not sure who the owner is or what the doggo’s name is, but as you can see, they’re very accommodating for promo pics.
#bookstores #edinburgh #edinburghwriters #lighthousebooks #lgbtbooks #horrorbooks #edinburghcity #horrorbookstagram
Bookstagrammers unite! Yesterday I mentioned how helpful it is to me when people leave reviews. And it’s true. It’s massively helpful. Unless they’re bad reviews… but thankfully that hasn’t happened yet! In fact, all the reviews so far for my second book, The Secret Cuckoo Cabaret Club, have been lovely! Thank you so much to all of my influencer friends who took on the book and gave it a go. Seriously, the bookstagram community is the best. And to all the readers who have left a review so far, I will love you forever.
#bookreviewsofinstagram #bookreviewers #horrorreviews #bookinfluencer #horror #authorlife #authorsofinstagram #books
The free ebook offer is currently ongoing, and thank you so much to everyone who’s downloaded so far! I really hope you’re all enjoying it, and if you’ve already finished, please let me know what you think. The best way to do so is by leaving a review, either on Amazon or on Goodreads. That really helps authors like me, so you better believe I’ll be sending a virtual bag of Haribo your way if you do!
#horrorbooks #booksta #ebookstagram #horror #mysterybooks #authorlife
Ebook Sale!
It’s already been one week since the release of the book, and to celebrate, I wanted to do something special. So, as of right now, the book is currently FREE as an ebook on Kobo, Apple Books, Google (basically all the ebook platforms you can find) and just 0.77 on Amazon Kindle! This isn’t going to last long, so if you like a bit of horror, mystery, cabaret, and fireworks, go download it now! Links are in my bio, and here’s the blurb if you need a little extra incentive:
‘Cuckoo Cove is a gay town. But there are no gay towns in America.’
Sara knows that better than anyone. She’s a thirty year old transgender performer who spends her days being heckled both on and off the stage. But when she discovers the secret Cuckoo Cabaret Club, her outlook on life starts to change.
Serving as an underground haven for the alienated and excluded, the club is unlike anything Sara has ever known — a hotbed of inclusion, dancing, fireworks, and unrequited ecstasy. It’s like a dream, but outside this dream, the world is turning into a nightmare.
The body of a young gay singer has been found on the shores of Cuckoo Cove, and Sara’s brother, Officer Gaten Dalbret, has been handed the case.
As a shadow falls upon the town, Sara and Gaten must figure out which secrets have been revealed, and which remain hidden. But can they discover the truth before the mirrorball breaks and the party is over?
#ebooksale #freeebooks #bargainbooks #horrorbooks #horrorbooks4life #kindlebooks #kindlereads #bookish
Pop open a bottle of bubbly… As of tomorrow, The Secret Cuckoo Cabaret Club is going to be FREE on all ebook platforms, and just £0.99 on Amazon Kindle! It feels really cool to be able to do this, and I hope loads of people take advantage so we can get Cuckoo flying! Set a reminder, write it in your diary, whatever you wanna do. The cuckoos are calling, and the offer only lasts a week, so get ready to heed their call!
#freeebook #ebookoffer #ebookpromo #horrorbooksta #freehorrorbooks #ebookstagram #freeebookdownload
So it’s been kind of a busy few days… Here’s a little update on how publication week has gone!
#horrorbooks #writerthoughts #indieauthors #authorchat #horrorbookstagram #bookish
So I’ve got a big announcement coming on Monday… perfect for ebook fans! In the meantime, here’s a picture of me with a load of boxes, all of which have (or had) copies of both Seeing Dead and The Secret Cuckoo Cabaret Club in them. That’s the good thing about ebooks. No boxes cluttering the lounge! But ah, physical copies. You’ve gotta love them. That feel, that look, that smell (yes, smell). What do you prefer? Ebooks or paperback? Let’s settle this war once and for all!
#newhorrorbooks #horrorbook #mysterynovel #suspensebooks #ebooks #paperback #psychologicalthrillerbooks
Two years ago, I had an idea about a woman called Sara, a strange evil lurking over a creaky Californian town, and a group of cuckoos with some weird eating tendencies. Fast forward two years and that idea is now printed and bound, and sitting in bookshops across Edinburgh! Including this one, Topping & Company (who also wanted more Seeing Dead, which I’m so thankful for!).
It still feels strange, having my stories placed on a shelf and being bought by complete strangers. Honestly, it’s the best thing in the world, and it’s something I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of. If you’re in Edinburgh, make sure you pop into @toppingsedin and give this story a shot. I promise you won’t regret it!
#bookshops #beautifulbookshops #edinburghbookshop #toppingandcompany #horrorbooks #mysterybooks #bookworm
I didn’t purposefully write a book that could feasibly get banned in the US, but hey, looks like that’s where we are.
The Secret Cuckoo Cabaret Club isn’t for the Trumpsters. This is a book with gay superheroes, trans protagonists, and a message of love and hope beyond the darkness. I’m not a political author — I’ll leave that to the people who know what they’re talking about. But if there’s a story that comes to me, and I feel like it’s important and meaningful enough to tell, you better believe I’ll tell it.
Any book that gets that kind of reaction is a book that has touched a nerve, has rattled cages, and has therefore told a meaningful story. So, hey, I’m happy with that.
Burn, baby, burn. The story has won in the end.
#lgbtbooks #transbooks #horrorbooks #mysterybooks #bannedbooks #bookworm
Quick video to say thank you so much to everyone who’s bought the book so far! If you haven’t done so yet, it’s become even easier due to my amazing technical skills… 😅🧐 Check it out!
#bookrelease #bookannouncement #bookworm #bookish #horrorbooks #horrorbooksta #mysterybooks #newebook
Happy one day anniversary! Thank you so much to everyone who has bought my second novel, The Secret Cuckoo Cabaret Club, so far.
Seriously, it means a lot. It’s just me over here running IolandaPress, and honestly, it gets pretty lonely at times. My first book (Seeing Dead) and my second, Cuckoo, took up years of my life - just me, typing away - but the reward is knowing there are other people out there delving into these worlds I’ve created.
And there’s always room for more! For anyone who hasn’t picked up one of my books yet, give The Secret Cuckoo Cabaret Club a shot if you’re interested. This is a different kind of story. Weird, dark. But full of colour. And hope. And all those things that make books worth reading. In short, I think you’ll love it!
#bookrelease #horrorbooks #newhorrorbooks #bookworm #bookish #horror #mysterybooks #suspensebooks
The Secret Cuckoo Cabaret Club is OUT NOW!
Oh my days. Oh jeez. Okay. Breathe, breathe, breathe. Ahem, you can find the link to my website in my bio. And for anyone who’s forgotten, here’s the blurb below:
‘Cuckoo Cove is a gay town. But there are no gay towns in America.’
Sara knows that better than anyone. She’s a thirty year old transgender performer who spends her days being heckled both on and off the stage. But when she discovers the secret Cuckoo Cabaret Club, her outlook on life starts to change.
Serving as an underground haven for the alienated and excluded, the club is unlike anything Sara has ever known — a hotbed of inclusion, dancing, fireworks, and unrequited ecstasy. It’s like a dream, but outside this dream, the world is turning into a nightmare.
The body of a young gay singer has been found on the shores of Cuckoo Cove, and Sara’s brother, Officer Gaten Dalbret, has been handed the case.
As a shadow falls upon the town, Sara and Gaten must figure out which secrets have been revealed, and which remain hidden. But can they discover the truth before the mirrorball breaks and the party is over?
#bookrelease #bookreleaseday #newbook #newbookreleasealert‼️ #horrorbooks #newhorrorbooks #suspensebooks #authorofinstagram #bookworm #bookish
So not much at all is happening tomorrow. Apparently the weather’s gonna be alright. A little chilly here in Edinburgh. I hear there’s gonna be an offer on pink sprinkled donuts in the local deli. But other than that… nah, nothing. Oh, and apparently there’s a book coming out called The Secret Cuckoo Cabaret Club.
WAIT WHAT?! Oh yes, that’s right. My second book, The Secret Cuckoo Cabaret Club is coming out TOMORROW! Eek. That’s rather scary. But also so exciting. Honestly, I can’t wait to share it with all of you. The bookstagram community (AKA you guys) has been so good to me, and it always feels so nice to give a little something back for you all to latch your eyes onto.
All the blood, sweat, and tears that has gone into this book is all so you can curl up on the sofa and be carried away to another world for a while. So I really hope you do that, and most of all, I really hope you enjoy it. Before that though, remember there’s a launch party happening right here on Instagram tonight! 8PM! Hopefully see ya there!
#bookrelease #bookstagram #horrorbooks #suspensebooks #mysterybooks #horrornovels #booksbooksbooks📚
ASK ME ANYTHING!
Hello, hello! So my second book is coming out in just TWO DAYS, and to celebrate, I’m doing a live launch party tomorrow night!
During that party, I’ll be answering your questions, and the best one gets a prize, so why not get started now? Ask me anything by shooting me a message, leaving a comment, however you wanna do it, I’m here!
I’ll see you all tomorrow 🪶🪩🪶
#qanda #ama #authorquestions #writerquestions #horrorbooks #horrorbookstagram #horror #mysterybooks #suspensenovels
