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First Christmas: a festive tale of grief & hope

An alternative story for Christmas told from a unique perspective, set in a very special place.

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First Christmas: a festive tale of grief & hope

First Christmas: a festive tale of grief & hope

First Christmas: a festive tale of grief & hope

First Christmas: a festive tale of grief & hope

First Christmas: a festive tale of grief & hope

An alternative story for Christmas told from a unique perspective, set in a very special place.

An alternative story for Christmas told from a unique perspective, set in a very special place.

An alternative story for Christmas told from a unique perspective, set in a very special place.

An alternative story for Christmas told from a unique perspective, set in a very special place.

Katharine Smith
Katharine Smith
Katharine Smith
Katharine Smith
1 Campaign |
Wem, United Kingdom
$293 USD $293 USD 17 backers
24% of $1,219 Flexible Goal Flexible Goal
Choose your Perk

Limited edition signed book

Currency Conversion $12 USD $16 USD (23% off)
£10 GBP
Est. Shipping
December 2023
14 claimed

Short Summary

I am an independent author, of sixteen novels to date, including the Coming Back to Cornwall books. I am about to release the last book in that series; what began as a trilogy has turned into a ten-book series as readers, and the author, grew very attached to the people and places and it was just very hard to stop writing about them.

To try and fill the gap left resulting from the Coming Back to Cornwall series ending, I have been working on something new, which I hope people will love just as much. First Christmas is the introduction to this brand new series, and a whole new set of characters, told from a unique perspective. This is the first Christmas a family are experiencing since the death of Ruth - beloved wife and mother - and it is Ruth herself who tells the tale.

The setting for this first book is Christmas Day at a long barrow, inspired by the beautiful Soulton Long Barrow in Shropshire, which has been incredibly important to me in my own experience of grief and bereavement. I have been wanting to write about this special place for some time, but waiting for the right inspiration. As soon as the idea for this new series occurred, I couldn't stop thinking about it, and have been penning First Christmas ever since, although this was not part of my plan for this year!

I have been aware for many years of the excesses and expectations of the Christmas period versus the reality of that time of year for people who are alone, lonely, and/or maybe grieving somebody special. In First Christmas, I am attempting to show this other side of Christmas while at the same time maintaining the magic, warmth and hope of the season. 

The reason I am setting up a funding campaign for this is that as an independent author, finances can be stretched by costs such as cover design, editing, proofreading, marketing and sales budgets, etc... Basically, I have to do everything a publishing house does but on a very much smaller scale, and entirely self-funded. I need my books to be able to stand up against traditionally published books, in content, quality, look and feel... I also need to make sure people know about them! Added to this is the fact that while I am writing, I am not actually earning any money as such. I run a small publishing house, Heddon Publishing, working with other authors, but this has to take a back seat when I am focusing on my own books. It is quite a delicate balance to strike.

 

What We Need & What You Get

I am looking for £1000, which will pay for my cover design, a proofreader, and set me off on the right foot when it comes to sales and marketing. I hope it means I will be able to move on swiftly with the following books in this series too.

In return for your support, you will receive a limited-edition hardcover copy of First Christmas, signed by me and posted to you or your chosen recipient. These hardcover versions will not be on general sale but only available directly from me and a small number of independent booksellers. 

A perfect Christmas present to yourself or somebody you know who loves books!

 

The Impact

My beta-reading team have responded very favourably to this book and have commented in some cases that it has provided comfort in terms of their own bereavement. I have also I will say here that I have also received other feedback that the setting, in terms of the recent bereavement and grief, could be painful, so I will be careful to add a cautionary 'trigger warning' relating to this. I do, however, hope that the book will provide a message of hope and comfort for most readers. 

As I have already mentioned, I have already written and published sixteen novels, and have built up a godo following of readers, regularly hearing from people who enjoy my writing. During covid lockdowns and beyond, I heard from many readers who told me my books provided a welcome element of escapism and have helped them through difficult times. I hope to always write books which will move people and ultimately leave them feeling good. 

My book is nearly ready - this hardback version has a cover design already, which is a one-off while the series cover design is being worked on by my regular designer, Catherine Clarke. She will make sure that the paperback/Kindle cover, and all future covers, are beautifully designed and identifiable as belonging together, as she has with my other series.

 

Risks & Challenges

This is a very low-risk venture as this book is already close to completion, but helping out at this stage will assist me in covering costs, ensuring I have the time I need, and increasing awareness of this and future books in the series.

 

Other Ways You Can Help

I one hundred per cent realise that this is a difficult time financially for many people, and all the more so with Christmas coming up. If you are not able to help with backing this campaign, but you like my books (or the sound of this one), I'd be really grateful if you could share this with your friends/family/colleagues/neighbours! And may I be the first to wish you a very happy Christmas, if you celebrate it - and to everyone, a happy and peaceful 2024 :-) 

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