Annette Hart

With the 2nd edition of 'Capture & Liberation', the 4th book in my Athlandia series, now available in paperback, the rewrite of the whole series is complete and the set is now available in both paperback and Kindle. 🤗

Here is an ancient, writhen dryad stopping by our pasture and dipping her toes in the river.

The second edition of 'Capture & Liberation', the 4th and - for now - final book in my teen alternate medieval family saga is now published.

When I first wrote this particular book back in 2020, I decided my protagonist was an outsider to the main society and there was one obvious group of people for that in even an alternate medieval Europe. So I hint at Ruth having Jewish heritage. Who would have guessed that, 6 years on, that would have become such a controversial decision! It's funny how, as an author, perhaps small decisions you make can grow and change in importance over time...

I decided not to change it. I had a teen liking for Sir Walter Scott's 'Ivanhoe' and remember the ending 'whether the recollection of Rebecca's beauty and magnanimity did not recur to his mind more frequently than the fair descendant of Alfred might altogether have approved.'

I had to binge watch ITV's Believe Me - even though it made me angry and frustrated! I was compelled by the individual, horrifying and very personal dramas but I also wanted to know the overall outcome.

It was bad enough the police disbelieving surviving victims of the Yorkshire Ripper in the 70s and 80s, but to be disbelieving victims in the 2000s...

https://www.itv.com/watch/believe-me/10a0144

I'm so excited because the 2nd edition of Capture & Liberation, the 4th and - for now - final book in my Athlandia series is available on Kindle.

Paperback coming soon...

It's been important for me to update the entire series, pulling them together with a synchronised cover and for them all to have chapter illustrations - by me - family tree and map. It's also been important for me to take some time to improve the vocabulary and make some small additions.

I made a practice run to Watchet ready for the literary festival this weekend. It was very cold, wet, windy and grey. Hoping for better weather soon! I spotted a poem written into the harbour wall and then discovered that Watchet is linked with Samuel Taylor Coleridge. Apparently, he was inspired by Watchet harbour and the Quantock Hills to write 'The Rime of the Ancient Mariner'.

I'm thrilled to be taking part in the Words in Watchet Literary Festival 2026.

I will be taking part in the Local Authors Book Fair on the 21st & 22nd February at the Phoenix Centre, Esplanade, Watchet.

It's free entry, we'll be doing mini talks and readings (which I need to brush up on!) and there's even have a pop café this year!

See you there!

All my books are now available on Kindle Unlimited if you have it...

Links are for Amazon.uk but the titles are available through Amazon too.

My second edition of the third book of Athlandia "Love & Restitution" is now available on Kindle!

I'm excited as both the second editions of my first 2 Athlandia books, 'Blood & Allegiance' and 'Escape & Betrayal', are published and available in both Kindle and paperback!

I'm taking part in Dulverton Literary Festival this year at the 'Meet the Local Author' session. So if you're around, feel free to come and meet me, buy my books or just have a chat about fantasy and history...

@visitdulverton

Nobody heard him, the dead man,

But still he lay moaning:

I was much further out than you thought

And not waving but drowning.

Poor chap, he always loved larking

And now he's dead

It must have been too cold for him his heart gave way,

They said.

Oh, no no no, it was too cold always

(Still the dead one lay moaning)

I was much too far out all my life

And not waving but drowning.

I was upset to hear from my stepfather that he was at the wake held for a local lad at his local working men's club.  It was packed with mourners.  The young man (early 20s) had committed suicide.  Yet people loved and admired him.  If only he - or those around him - had reached out.  The young so often feel alone, when they are not, and unable to ask for help.