Finding Molly

On Independent Bookshop Week and the cover reveal.

Many years ago I had promised myself, I would ‘be an author’ by the time I was sixty, and I would see my book in my local bookshop window. In 2023, my local independent bookshop, Cogito Bookshop in Hexham, helped this fledgling author’s dream come true. I was 61, and here I am, The Rewilding of Molly McFlynn bumping spines with other great writing on folklore, weird tales and Celtic lore, and the persecution of women and the witch trials in what was called ‘the burning times.’

Three Cheers for the Independents

If you go into Cogito Books today, my book is still on the shelf and will soon be joined by the sequel, Molly McFlynn Goes Rogue. I’m going to reveal the cover for this at the end of this piece! But first I want to talk about why having my book in an independent bookshop is important for me, and how this has meant that I’m forking out a considerable amount of money to partnership publish this next novel rather than purely self-publishing after failing to get a traditional publishing deal.

There’s something so special about an independent bookshop – each is unique, has its own quirky nature, and is always run by people who care passionately about books and reading. Not that the chains aren’t staffed by people who care about books, I’ll hasten to add – booksellers are wonderful, fonts of bookish knowledge whether working for a chain or an independent. However, there is something about an independent that makes a visit to a local bookshop a must when travelling or visiting a new town. Even more reason to do it this week, as its Independent Bookshop Week.

And that’s exactly what I did yesterday, as we headed to a campsite in Derbyshire. If you’ve been following along, you’ll know that my mother-in-law sadly passed away and I wrote the eulogy for her funeral. You can read more about that HERE. It’s all been very stressful, what with the dash back from France, living in the long stay car park at Margaret’s nursing home, coming home, and then back, a funeral and with that the usual family stresses and strains that every family has. We’ve come to a farm near Matlock to decompress a while before heading home.

View from the van door

Scarthin Books

Up the road is Scarthin Books, an independent bookshop that has been supporting minority groups for fifty years, as the banner proudly states, outside. I had no idea if this bookshop was still selling The Rewilding of Molly McFlynn. They had taken a punt on it, three years ago, when I rang them, JR Hartley style (it was an ad for Yellow Pages), and asked if they stocked ‘The Rewilding of Molly McFlynn.’ A quick search on their database, and ‘No, we don’t stock it, but it looks great. We’ll get a copy in.’ I did this with several bookshops, and it worked for many.

Scarthin Books, Comford Derbyshire

However, almost three years down the line, I didn’t expect to still be able to find our Molly on their shelves. But there she was! Oh, the joy of seeing my book on that shelf, and the excitement with which the staff talked about my next novel. The enthusiasm and love for a good story! We chatted about the themes in the books I write: the othering of women and girls, daring to be different, and how hard being in a minority can be. We talked about the felling of Sycamore Gap which is the tragedy that galvanises Molly into action to stand up against a building firm wanting to chop down another significant tree. We chatted about how grass roots movements are building in our communities, and how independent bookshops are part of this, and how important it is to support them. Buying from an independent bookshop is a political act! It says, I support the little guys, the women and men who are the focal points, the hubs of our communities.

Finding Molly!

The lovely staff at Scarthin Books were so encouraging and supportive, and this has been replicated up and down the country as I offer my partnership published books for their shelves.

My books are distributed through Gardners, the book wholesalers, not on extended cataloque, but ready to ship and be with them the next day. It is this distribution network, getting my book into Gardners, Browns, Blackwells, Bookshop.org etc that is one of the reasons why I choose to partnership publish. I want my book to be available in independent bookshops, and this would be so much harder if I purely self-published. Many independent bookshops won’t stock self-published books.

Partnership publishing (and self-publishing) is expensive, and I won’t be making much money – if I break even, it’ll be a bonus, BUT that is not what I write. Remember the story about the student who saw herself in Molly? That is why I write.

I write so that others may be heard, and I also write so that I can see my book on the shelves of independent bookshops, and in the window of my local!

Cover Reveal

And now, drum roll please, here is the cover reveal.

I’ve not shared this across other social media platforms yet. You are the first!

I’ve worked collaboratively with Charlotte, who was chosen by Richmond Literary Press to design my cover. The whole process has been a joy. I knew I wanted to landscape of Sycamore Gap in the image, with a Celtic design that represents the roots in The Tree of Life, and a barn owl present.

I also worked with Zoe at Richmond Literary Press on the blurb for the back of the book. Her skill at turning my words into a perfect pitch were much appreciated. I’m loving working with Zoe, she’s approachable, flexible, yet professional and experienced in the trade.

So, without further ado, here is the cover for Molly McFlynn Goes Rogue, which is to be published in October this year.

Do let me know what you think!

As soon as pre-orders are in place, I’ll let you all know.

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Do let me know what you think!

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