Happy New Year to You
I hope everything will go the way you would like it to in 2026. Have you made New Year's resolutions? I've not really made any this year but I do have a wish list so I'll actually be doing anything that gets me closer to my three wishes being granted:
What are they?
I'd like to sleep better so I'm looking at actions that will cause that to happen.
I want to sell more books so I'll be looking at a few new marketing strategies.
I want to write better texts. Interestingly today I've been putting together my entries for the LAA's annual writing competitions and I've dug up some older texts that are not yet placed. I've given them all yet one more edit and I think they've all improved. We move on constantly, don’t we?
Writing news
I’m continuing with my work on the seventh Schellberg book. The Daleks have arrived in Nazi Germany!
You'll read more about that on the Schellberg blog.
On My Blog
I have an offer on three of the Best of CaféLit books in which my work appears.
I've suggested howyou might persuade yourself to call yourself a writer:
There is a link for a countdown deal on my latest flash fiction collection, 280 x 70. Note, this expires on 6 January. https://www.gilljameswriter.com/2025/12/my-latest-flash-fiction-collection-on.html
I've also created a Book Club guide for The Best of CaféLit 5
The Young Person’s Library
I've added a picture book about World War II. This has an unusual target reader.
The Best of All Magical Mix That’s You enhances self-confidence, especially amongst mixed-race children.
The Lights that Dance in the Night is a picture book that explores geography and diversity and refers to the Northern Lights.
Recommended read
This month I've chosen The Constant Princess by Philippa Gregory.
This is the story of Katherine of Aragon from a child until she begins to suspect Henry VIII of having an affair with Anne Boleyn.
Philippa Gregory shows us what it is like for a young girl who has been brought up to be a princess. We get insights too into the Spain of Isabella and Ferdinand and how the Spanish royals enjoyed the delights of the Alhambra Place after the Moors had been chased away.
We see a young woman who falls in love with the young husband of her arranged marriage. We witness her grief when that young man dies prematurely.
We gain some understanding of how Henry became the way that he was. He was never meant to be king. That should have been his older brother Arthur, to whom Katherine was first married.
Because of Gregory's skilful writing we gain useful insight into this brave young woman.
An interesting issue arises. Can Muslims, Jews and Christians live together in peace and harmony? Katherine believes ardently that Christianity is the true faith but admires the culture, science and education of the Muslims. The Jews too have their qualities.
They win one war but then there could be another and yet another. Isn't it peace they should be working towards?
Some modern day questions arise here for us.
We all know the story doesn't end well for Katherine. Gregory really helps us to see it from the young queen's point of view.
Find your copy here
Note, this is an affiliate link and a small portion of what you pay, at no extra cost to you, may go to Bridge House Publishing
Giveaway
This month I'm giving away Natascha's Story. This time it will be a PDF. It might be fun to read to young children or grandchildren.
Natascha is forever falling off the piano and getting sucked up by the vacuum cleaner.
Natascha is the smallest of a set of Russian dolls and envies her bigger sisters as they have more detail on them.
The family acquire a new vacuum cleaner and this time it takes Natascha to another world where she has an amazing adventure. But is it all a dream and related to the story the mummy is reading to young Alfred?
Up to you to decide in Natascha’s intriguing story told by Gill and Ashleigh James.
Grab your copy here. You’ll find an e-book file and a PDF plus a lot of other free materials here.
Please leave a review on Amazon, if you’re allowed to, on Good Reads and anywhere else you can.
The Schellberg Project
The posts may be helpful for teachers who are familiar with the Schellberg stories or who are teaching about the Holocaust. They may also be interesting for other readers of historical fiction.
I've included here another review of Our War Time Street but this time for a slightly different readership.
I've also drawn a parallel between the Nazis and the Daleks.
Some notes about my newsletters and blogs
They do overlap a little but here is a summary of what they all do.
Bridge House Authors For all those published by Bridge House, CaféLit, Chapeltown or The Red Telephone or interested in being published by us. General news about the imprints. News for writers. Links to book performance. Sign up here.
The Bridgetown Café Bookshop where you can buy my books and books published by Bridge House Publishing, CafeLit, Chapeltown Books and The Red Telephone. Visit us here.
Gill’s News: News about my writing, The Schellberg Project, School Visits and Events. Book recommendations and giveaways. Find it here.
Pushing Boundaries, Flying Higher News about conferences and workshops to do with the young adult novel. (infrequent postings) Sign up here.
Red Telephone Books News about our books and our authors. Sign up here.
A Publisher’s Perspective Here I and some other editors blog as a publisher. Access this here.
The Creative Café Project Listings and reviews of creative cafés. See them here.
CaféLit Stories Find these here
Gill James Writer All about writing and about my books. View this here.
Gill’s Recommended Reads Find information here about books that have taken me out of my editor’s head and a reminder of the ones I’ve highlighted in this newsletter.
Gill’s Sample Fiction Read some of my fiction here.
The House on Schellberg Street All about my Schellberg project. Read it here.
Writing Teacher All about teaching creative writing. Some creative writing exercises. Access this here. I also invite other writers to provide prompts and work for critique.
Books Books Books Weekly offers on our books and news of new books. Find them here.
The Young Person’s Library The children’s book catalogue. Access it here.
Fair Submissions Find it here.
Opportunities for writers are added several times a day. Roughly once a month I send it out to a list. If you would like to be on that list, sign up here.
Happy reading and writing.
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