As of the 31st January 2019, there will be four Kindred Spirits novels in existence, alongside two Kindred Spirits Shorts published in charity anthologies, and another Short on the Discovering Diamonds blog, as part of the Christmas 2018 project. Not bad for an idea which began as an appalling poem, is it? This is not me bragging, I hasten to add, this is me being still slightly in awe of the whole thing!
Whether you love the slightly gory history of the Tower of London, the sweeping grandeur of Edinburgh’s Royal Mile, the majesty of Westminster Abbey, or the ancient glory of York, there are plenty of ghosts to go around. You can even visit Hampton Court Palace, or the resting place of my favourite leading man, Leicester. The latter two raising money for two great causes at the same time.
Seeing the graphic at the top of this post is still ever-so-slightly crazy for me, even though I KNOW that I’ve written, reviewed, edited and fretted over every single one of them so much in the last four years. In the last six years really, given that Tower of London came into existence thanks to NaNoWriMo 2013.
Ever since I was a child, I’ve wanted to see my writing in print, and share stories with the world. One of my earliest school memories is reading a story I’d written about a super-hero dog (Superdog – my imagination for names wasn’t great!), out in class. It was terrifying, but fabulous, and I’ve been making up stories of one kind or another ever since, even though not all of them made it into a notebook. I never imagined for a moment that somehow, a publisher would enjoy a story I had sent them, and publish not just that one, but a full series!
Yet, that’s exactly what has happened, and now, with the four of them sitting at the edge of my desk, I’m starting to wonder what comes next. As you might have seen, I’m taking a break from the Kindreds for a little while, as I finally get The Raided Heart into the world, after far too long being left on the shelf. But I don’t think you’ve seen the last of the Kindred Spirits collective. Over Christmas, I sat and thought about other places I’d love to include, and characters which have intrigued me, and, yes, there’s a list already forming of research visits to go on!
In the interim, I’d love to know of any ghostly communities you think I’m missing out, or who would fit nicely into the clan. Do get in touch with suggestions!
And don’t forget to join in the online launch for Kindred Spirits: York, on the 31st! Click here, for further information.
Jennifer C. Wilson 