Good afternoon!

After everything I said about NOT writing another book this year... well, I lied. How can I not?! I had an idea for a novel a couple of years ago and I have been working on the plot outline this afternoon as well as submitting The Towpath to a couple of agents. I absolutely hate the submission process but I am ready for it now, having written the synopsis (a short and a long version) and edited the final draft of the manuscript. It has gone off to several agents / publishers and all I can do is hope one of them sees a glimmer of promise in the story. Until then, I will start work on book number six!

So... to my new novel! The title came to me in about ten seconds flat. It will be called Time and Tide. It is set in the Cornish creekside village of Lerryn and is about a woman called Kitty who is approached on a remote beach by a man dressed in what can only be described as a World War One fancy dress outfit. He seems confused as he stumbles towards her and asks if she speaks English. She says of course she speaks English! He frowns and asks her for water. She hands him her bottle and he drinks it all in one go. He then asks where on earth he is and, bemused, she replies that this is Cornwall, England. His face turns grey and he says that can't possibly be. Just a few moments ago he was fighting against the Germans in Arleux, Northern France. 

'This is the 28th of April, 1917, right?' he asked.

Kitty's blood ran cold as her eyes swept over his face, his clothing and his great, big, muddy boots.

'It's the 28th of April alright, yes...' she stammered, feeling the hairs stand up on the back of her neck. 'Right date, wrong year.'

Edward screwed up his face in confusion.

'What do you mean wrong year?'

Kitty swallowed hard. Why the hell hadn't she stayed at home today and baked some bloody cakes?

'It's not 1917. We've moved on a hundred years from then. Today is the 28th of April. But the year is 2017.'

I'll keep you posted... :)