Posted on 25/05/2024 in Dorothy Says, My Diary
So I’ve finally admitted to myself I was dumped . . .
4-minute read
My husband asked me the other day why I seemed so miserable recently. ‘You’ve finished the book, the sun’s (mostly) out and Sewing Bee is back on, what’s the matter?’
I had to finally admit to him and myself that mixed in with the sheer euphoria of finishing book 21, Give Him To Me, was another feeling: heartbreak.
I’m truly heartbroken that Kez and all the other characters don’t need me to create their story any more so they have, essentially, dumped me. It hurts in a weird way because on the one hand it’s like: ‘Yay, I finished another book’ and on the other hand, it’s also like: ‘Oh, I won’t be spending every waking moment with the characters in this story any more’.
True, I haven’t been properly dumped in many, many years, but those feelings are still familiar – can’t stop thinking about them; constantly replaying conversations; going to call them but realising you can’t; knowing that if Give Him To Me had Instagram, I’d be over there all the time, lurking, crying as I watched them get on with their lives without me.
I’ve had these ‘dumped by my book’ sorrows with every novel I’ve written, and, yet, with each new book it feels like I’ve never felt it quite this strong. I know that’s not true, but that’s how it seems.
What would 13-year-old Dorothy who was passing her stories around her convent school friends all those years ago make of ahem!-year-old Dorothy breaking her heart over characters who don’t exist but seem so very real to her?
To be fair, 13-year-old Dorothy would probably be proud and impressed that she’s kept her weirdness and her peculiar way of being in the world throughout her life. 🤣
So, how do I plan to soothe my heart? Well, there’s that old adage – the best way to get over someone is to get under someone else, yes? 😉 Which means, helloooo Book Number 22, you’re looking very fine today. Very fine, indeed . . . 🤩
Tell me I’m not the only one who feels like this? Please? Have you felt a conflicting sense of loss when you’ve achieved or received something fantastic? I would love to hear your stories.
All By Myself . . .
I’m not sure if you know this or not, but I recently ventured into the world of self-publishing. I’ve had this desire to write a book as someone else for a while, but when I created Cleo and her Baking Detective series for my novel My Other Husband, that desire became overwhelming. Coupled with so many people telling me they would read the hell out of cosy mystery series about a crime-solving baker, I decided to put my fingers where my mouth is, and write a book as Cleo about her character, Mira Woode.
And so . . . Tah-dah! Book One in The Baking Detective series – Slice, Slice, Baby – was born. It’s currently an eBook exclusive, but I’ll soon be recording the audiobook.
I know you may be used to only getting paper ‘Dorothy’ books and/or you may not have an eReader, but you can read it on your smart phone or iPad/tablet via the Kindle app and can I encourage you to give it a try? It was so much fun to write and several people have told me they think it’s so much fun to read, so would love for you to avoid missing out by joining the party.
You can download it for only £1.99 to enjoy on your Kindle, ipad/tablet or smart phone, by clicking here: BUY THE BAKING DETECTIVE
Let me know what you think, yes?
And Finally. . .
Can I ask you a favour? If you think at some point you might buy the paperback of Every Smile You Fake, could you please do it now by pre-ordering?
I know the price of hardback books can seem a little out of reach, especially in these here cossie lives, but the paperback is on sale on 29th August at a much lower price. My publishers and the bookshops that may carry it, need to see evidence that people want to read my books, and that evidence comes in the form of pre-orders. So if you pre-order today and get your book-loving friends to pre-order, you’ll be helping to make sure as many copies as possible are printed and as many booksellers as possible put it on their shelves.
It doesn’t matter where you pre-order it, so just click on any of these links to buy from your preferred bookseller or email the independent bookseller listed below and your book will be sent to you on or around publication day. Or you can visit your local independent bookshop in person and ask them to pre-order.
Thanks so much for reading this and even bigger thanks for pre-ordering. 😊
Click the link to pre-oder from:
Amazon: Pre-order Every Smile You Fake from Amazon
Bookshop.org: Choose your fave independent bookshop to pre-order Every Smile You Fake at Bookshop.org
Hive: Pre-order Every Smile You Fake from Hive
Waterstones: Pre-order Every Smile You Fake from Waterstones
WHSmith: Pre-order Every Smile You Fake From WHSmith
Email to pre-order from:
Afrori Books (Brighton) – customercare@afroribooks.com
Berts Books – bert@bertsbooks.co.uk
Feminist bookshop – orders@thefeministbookshop.com
That’s all for now folks. Will catch you next time. Don’t forget to drop me a line to say hi or to tell me what you’ve been up to. I may not get a chance to reply every time, but I do read your messages and I appreciate every one them.
Big hugs
Dorothy x
