Hello friends,

A quick update today to say hello and give a big thank you to all the new subscribers (and the new pledges from previous subscribers!!). We are SOOOO close now to being fully funded. Eight hardbacks away, more or less, which is nothing when you consider how many have already been pledged for. It's very exciting (and also vaguely terrifying).

Crowdfunding a book is not an easy thing to do. Especially the second time around. There have been many moments along the way where I wondered exactly where the supporters were going to come from, especially once I had exhausted (in all meanings of the word) my friends and family. But the peeps at Unbound have been incredibly supportive. They have shown unwavering faith in love lay down since day 1 and have reassured me on more than one occasion that it would definitely happen, that it was just a matter of time. When I crowdfunded The Backstreets of Purgatory I was able to do quite a few in-person events which were fabulous opportunities to persuade folk to come on board and a great chance to meet potential readers outside of my own direct network. Sadly, circumstances this time around have made it a bit tricky to do many events (although I absolutely loved doing the Wayword festival last year). Nevertheless, we are almost there. Unbound asked me to trust the process and they were right.

Now I just have to hold my nerve for the last couple of percent!

You guys are amazing. Thanks for all of your support, moral and material.

H xx

PS Couldn't find an appropriate 'almost at the top of a hill' kind of photo, so here's one of Stan looking pretty chill instead.