October Round Up

I’ve decided to do a sort of monthly round up/newsletter on this blog so readers can see I’m not dead what I’m currently working on 😊 It will also include offers on my books as well as what inspires me and my writing process.

CURRENT NEWS ?

The main project I’m working on is a six-part serial for The People’s Friend magazine, so I can’t talk about it until the release date. This will be my fifth serial with the magazine and it’s one I’ve wanted to write for a few years now.

It started life as a pocket novel, but the story ended up branching out with so many different characters I decided it would work better as a serial.

My main inspiration was exploring Great Yarmouth’s history, particularly the Yarmouth suspension bridge disaster in 1845, as well as Norfolk’s mustard industry. So far, I’m working on part four.

PUBLICATION NEWS #

My writing news for October is that I’ve had two short story releases in The People’s Friend magazine.

The first one was The Beachcombers in the October 7^th issue. This was a short story about Victorian fossil hunting and the fakes that used to appear. It’s set in Hunstanton in the 1850s and deals with themes such as loss and found family. Illustration is by David Young.

My next story is in this week’s issue, October 28^th, and I’m a cover girl!

The Witch’s Tree is a sequel to my Victorian pharmacy inspired story Lavender and Leeches (February 16^th, 2019 issue), which has since been re-released under its original title Bitter Herbs and Sweet Pills in The Wherryman’s Daughter.

Jenny Cooper must combat local superstition when her sister-in-law is accused of witchcraft. Illustration is by Sailesh Thakrar. This was heavily inspired by a ghost story linked to the church ruins at Somerton. More about the first story and its inspiration can be found here: Kitty-Lydia Dye: Lavender and Leeches - What Did A Victorian Pharmacy Offer? (kittylydiadye.blogspot.com)

I’ve also received a lovely four-star review on Amazon and Goodreads for The Wherryman’s Daughter.

WIPS !

I’m continuing the spooky theme with a few quotes from a novel I’m currently working on, a timeslip set during Norfolk’s witch trials.

❀

I dreamt of her. The Catfield witch.

No longer did I lay in an unfamiliar bed, but upon the bank of some pond. Reeds cradled my vision, swaying and flecked with dark spots.

There was a slopping, choking gasp and I turned, marsh mud squelching beneath my cheek. The water rippled and a hand broke through the surface, revealing bruises and scraps of flesh.

The creature was waterlogged with weeds, face bloated and mossy, but still clearly a girl. Even while I shook, voice catching in my throat, I stretched my hand out to her.

She was just a child. One that had been killed because some cows sickened.

Spindly fingers crept up my wrist, but I did not feel the feathery scrape of a human touch. Droplets slithered, the girl melting back into the pond.

The rushes danced and whispered all around me. Alone. For miles.

❀

“Their foul touch can be seen so clearly in these troubling times,” Larkin added, “In sickness. The cruelty of war. These children and old women are often led astray, and sadly the only way of freeing them is to cleanse them entirely. To save their souls just as God demands.”

Now, the witch hunter held my gaze. His eyes were black as a fish’s. A hint of teeth appeared in his smile.

“Forgive me, I did not even realise you were there. We have not yet been introduced.”

DISCOUNTS |

Halloween always means a discount on my Ichabod Crane mystery books. The Mystery of the Headless Husband will be available for free on Amazon on the 30^th and 31^st of October.

There’s plenty of spooky happenings and folklore, such as witch cakes and a New England version of ghost dog Black Shuck, alongside a curious detective duo.

One Halloween night, Ichabod Crane vanished. Most believed the Headless Horseman had whisked him off. The truth was that he had hid himself away in shame after being the victim of a cruel trick—the Headless Horseman who near harried him into an early grave was in fact a love rival for the affections of Katrina Van Tassel.

Five years pass and the rival, Brom Bones, is found beheaded. Ichabod returns to Sleepy Hollow to search for the killer and woo the now widowed Katrina. Instead, he gains a headless ally...

There is something strange in the air that is affecting the women. Could it really be the ghost of a Salem witch? Join Ichabod Crane and the real Headless Horseman as they try to discover whether an otherworldly evil has fallen upon Sleepy Hollow or if it is the power of suggestion.

WRITING TIPS @

This is a common tip, but listening to music while writing can really help if you’re finding it difficult to focus. Most people suggest classical music. I find a mixtape of varying tempos and genres is best depending on which stage of the writing process I’ve reached.

While writing the first draft I listen to noisy music. Rock. Punk. Pop. First drafts are normally terrible so it doesn’t pay to spend too long worrying over them, so I try to drown out my mind as I put pen to paper.

For the next five drafts and while cutting down word count, the music gets even more high paced. This tends to be folk music, anime themes, video game music.

Video game soundtracks are something I definitely recommend. They’re designed to be easy to listen to while focusing on a task.

Finally, when I’m happy with a piece and plan on doing my final edit, that’s when the lyrics disappear with classical music and lo-fi tracks.

Here’s an example of what I listen to on Spotify. What music do you prefer?

Writing

Editing & the Deadline is Looming!

The Storm Has Passed, All Is Calm

About the Author

Kitty-Lydia Dye wanders the beaches for inspiration with her dog Bramble. Her historical fiction has been influenced by the local myths roaming the haunting landscape of the Norfolk marshes. Many of her short stories have appeared in The People's Friend magazine. She has also released a collection inspired by Gaston Leroux's The Phantom of the Opera. She enjoys knitting dog jumpers, gazing at the waves at night, exploring church ruins as well as taking part in amateur dramatics (and played the part of an evil flying monkey!)