DECEMBER 2024
December 2024
This month is definitely different!
I’m spending Christmas and New Year in Australia on a family holiday.
I’ve always enjoyed Christmas in my village with the Crib Service in the local church, carol singers outside the door and a family Christmas lunch. Instead of all that, on Christmas Day I’ll be in a beach house in New South Wales sampling a local barbecue. So I’ll miss my roast turkey with all the trimmings and be sampling fresh caught fish.
Meanwhile the third novel in my University series has now moved on to the copy editing stage and I’ll pick up those amendments in the New Year. This one takes the reader on an eventful journey to Oslo, Vienna and York so I’m looking forward to seeing the choice of artwork for the cover.
2024 has been eventful with the launch of UNIVERSITY CHALLENGES along with a variety of speaking engagements. There were many highlights including the Literary Lunch at Wentworth Woodhouse, a magnificent stately home in South Yorkshire. Particular thanks must go to Dame Julie Kenny for the invitation to give an illustrated talk following a superb lunch. The work she does to preserve and develop this magnificent Yorkshire building is now legendary.
Likewise my Literary Lunch at RAC Woodcote Park was also a very special event. This really is the perfect venue and, once again, the events manager, Emily Pike, ensured all the guests enjoyed a wonderful lunch followed by my illustrated talk.
In the meantime, thanks to readers (and listeners) from all over the world who have purchased a copy of LAST DAY OF SCHOOL along with the audio version, the fifteenth and final novel in my Teacher series. I’ve also received many positive messages concerning the audio editions of UNIVERSITY TALES and UNIVERSITY CHALLENGES which I’m told many of you have enjoyed, so congratulations to the professional reader, Geoff Leesley.
Finally, thanks to everyone who has been in touch to say how much they have appreciated both the Teacher series and the new University series and amount of enjoyment they have experienced while reading my gentle tales.
With best wishes for Christmas and the New Year,
Jack