Two very different worlds are about to collide.
Feisty country girl Annabeth Hope has sworn off men since her ex abandoned her. Juggling three resentful step-teens, a hyperactive toddler, a smallholding, and a herd of rescued llamas, she has her hands full.
With the roof about to collapse on her crumbling New Forest home, she is desperate to find a way to hold her patchwork family together. The last thing she needs is an attractive distraction moving in next door.
Burnt-out inner-city doctor Rick Mahon has left London and his medical career behind in a moment of professional crisis. A malpractice lawsuit is on the horizon, and the cancel culture mob are snapping at his heels. His plan to stay under the radar is thrown off course when he meets his new neighbour and sparks start to fly.
Annabeth and Rick couldn’t be more different, but maybe they hold the key to each other’s happiness…
“What more could we want from life? Family, friends, llamas, and hope…
An excellent read.” Jenny Kane, author of the bestselling Mill Grange Series.
The Book Guild The Mid-life Trials of Annabeth Hope | The Book Guild Ltd
Hive The Mid-life Trials of Annabeth Hope: Alice May: 9781835740590: hive.co.uk
WHSmith The Mid-life Trials of Annabeth Hope by Alice May | WHSmith
A former GP surgery manager, school librarian and art teacher, Alice May is mum to four not-so-small children. She is married to the most patient man on the planet, and they live in the New Forest. Alice started writing in 2016 and she enjoyed playing with words so much that now she can’t stop.
Website Instagram YouTube TikTok Facebook Twitter
Choosing a publishing route for your manuscript, by Alice May
The Mid-life Trials of Annabeth Hope is the first book in ten years of writing that I haven’t taken down the self-publishing route. Instead, I was offered a publishing contract by The Book Guild. While I have enjoyed the freedom of self-publishing in the past, it has been an enlightening experience working with talented publishing professionals on this new release.
My first book was a memoir. The House That Sat Down Trilogy is based on the time that my house fell down out of the blue one day and I ended up living in a tent in the garden with my children because our house insurance company refused to cover us. Once we had rebuilt our home and moved back in, I started writing to get my head around how that situation had unfolded. Before long I had a manuscript. I decided to self-publish through Amazon
KDP. Every part of the process of putting that book together was driven by me. I had to source editing advice, cover creation expertise, technical advice, marketing advice, and then put it all together. There it was. My book. Publishing it had taken me on a huge journey of discovery. A journey that had inspired me to make writing my full-time career.
Having been bitten by the writing bug, I decided I wanted to write fiction. I wasn’t naïve, though, I knew I had a lot to learn. A whole series of writing courses followed, and then a period of time submitting manuscripts to agents and publishers with the inevitable painful rejections. Developing my work through constructive feedback was an enlightening process.
Eventually the day dawned when an email fell into my inbox that wasn’t a rejection.
My dreams had come true. The Mid-life Trials of Annabeth Hope had found a home with a publisher. I had to read that acceptance email several times before I could believe it.
Given that self-publishing gives you complete creative control, I was more nervous than I expected handing over my Annabeth Hope book baby to the control of others, but I haven’t been disappointed. At each stage of the editing, typesetting, cover creation, production and marketing process I have been supported by positive and very patient publishing professionals. I ask a lot of daft questions. They explain everything clearly and help me negotiate my way. I thought I would not get any say in layouts, cover design or the overall
look of my book, but that hasn’t been the case. My opinion counts too. I was even allowed to contribute some artwork to the cover. The silhouette of Annabeth with her daughter Grace that appears on the front cover is taken from a sketch I did of my daughter and granddaughter; and that makes me feel really connected with every part of the book.
Now, the question in the back of my mind is which route should I take with future books?
(The sequel to The Mid-Life Trials of Annabeth Hope is nearly finished.)
The short answer is: both.
On the one hand, I like the control and speed of self-publishing. On the other, I could get very used to the support and teamwork involved in working with a publishing house.
I think it is good to have options, and depending on the needs of whichever project I am working on, I am open to using both publishing routes again.
The important thing is to get stories out into the world for readers to enjoy.
I really hope you enjoy The Mid-life Trials of Annabeth Hope. A story of families, friends, hope and love. There are llamas in it too. What more could you want?
Love
Alice
ramblingmads 